Watching Television Can Enforce Bad Snacking Habits

In the last few years, a variety of studies have been conducted on both children and adults to prove that too much television watching can lead to bad eating habits. However, a recent study in the Health Psychology journal has gone one step further: Automatic snacking behavior may be triggered by television advertisements of junk foods, which could potentially lead to weight gain and obesity amongst both children and adults.

A course of experiments were conducted at Yale University and were designed to evaluate the influence of watching television, that included junk food advertising, health food advertising or no advertising, on a person's eating habits.

Through the results of the study it was discovered that children who watched cartoons incorporating junk food advertisements lasting half an hour, ate more than 45% more snack food whilst watching the cartoon, as a child who had watched the same cartoon but without the junk food advertisement.

Based on this finding, researchers have estimated that it is possible to gain at least 10 lbs per year from increased snacking that is triggered by junk food advertisements whilst watching only 30 minutes of television per day.

Adults were the subject of another study, in which the results proved that those adults, who watched television with mostly junk food advertisements, actually ate more food than those adults who watched television with healthy food advertisements.

In both of the studies, it was found that watching television shows that contained advertisements for food, actually increased the consumption of available food, regardless of whether or not the food consumed was the same food that was advertised.

The Director of Marketing Initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, Jennifer Harris, PhD, who was also the lead author of the study, stated that:

"This research shows a direct and powerful link between television food advertising and calories consumed by adults and children. These experiments demonstrate the power of food advertising to prime automatic eating behaviors. Food advertising triggers automatic eating, regardless of hunger, and is a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic. Reducing unhealthy food advertising to children is critical."

As previously mentioned, this is not the first time that research has indicated a link between the television and a person's diet. Research has been conducted to prove that eating in front of a television set does, in fact, lead to an increase in bad caloric consumption and a decrease in the consumption of healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits.

Yet another example is of a 2008 study conducted at the University of Waterloo in Canada which found that watching television could result in a boost in mechanical snacking behavior, which would then obviously lead to considerable weight gain, in spite of any food advertisements or the frequency of such food advertisements.

In consideration of these facts, one can easily make a connection between the amount of advertisements that appear on children's television programming per hour throughout the USA, and the amount of obese children that live in the USA.

It was even found that adults who watched more than 2 hours of television per day actually ate more calories during their snacks and at their evening meal. However, this study only revealed an increase of 137 calories in adults who watched more than 2 hours of television per day versus those adults who only watched less than an hour of television per day. Although this doesn't sound like much, it can equal out to be about an extra 14.3 pounds per year of weight gain.

Evidence has shown that even the type of food that is consumed has a direct correlation with the television viewing behavior of both children and adults. It seems that the more television that is watched, the more high-caloric food is eaten, such as pizza and sodas.

Even though it is fairly easy to blame weight gain on the low level of physical activity that is required in order to watch television, these studies simply prove that we actually eating more when we are watching television. Simply put: the more television that is watched, the higher the amount of calories that are consumed.

Adults and children that watched the most amount of television per day also consumed the least amount of fiber per 1000 calories that they consumed. They also consumed the highest amount of total fat, carbohydrates than those adults and children who watched less than an hour of television per day.

However, the same research has indicated that television advertisements for healthy foods can actually foster a healthier attitude in children towards those same foods. Therefore, simply changing the type of food advertisements on children's television to more nutritious foods, it can lead to improved health amongst children in the future.

Photo Credit: ralphbijiker

The Benefits of Sound Therapy

There a many different sounds that we hear every minute of every day. Some sounds instantly cause us to become worried and stressed out - such as the sound of a fire engine passing by. Other sounds are created specifically to help us maintain a state of calmness.

Sound therapy has been around for centuries even though it has been touted as a 'New Age Phenomenon'. The world's greatest musicians all know the power that music and sound have in helping to heal the mind and the body. English playwright and poet, William Congreve, has been quoted as saying: "Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak."

Music has the ability to relieve stress, promote relaxation and even lift a person's spirits when they are feeling down. Whenever you are emotionally touched by a certain piece of music or lyric, your consciousness will usually transcend to a new height. Sound is simply a vibration that is felt throughout our body on many different levels. These vibrations and frequencies can affect us in many different ways.

Since we all live in a very hectic world, we don't often realize the true nature of the sounds that are around us and we just assume everything is 'background noise'.

However, our subconscious remembers the sounds and uses them to affect our conscious feelings and thoughts.

Take for example a situation in which you have had a terrible day at work. On your way home you put your favorite CD into your car's CD player and you can instantly feel yourself relax as you listen to your favorite song.

Songs and lyrics act very much like personal affirmations. Some songs contain very powerful lyrics and even though we might not realize the meaning of the lyric itself, our mind picks out the tune and we start repeating that specific line to ourselves over and over again.

Therefore, pay special attention to the type of music that you feel drawn to as well as the lyrics that you are singing along with or that have become 'stuck' in your mind. Are those the words and phrases that you want in your life right now?

Affirmations are very powerfully uplifting phrases that are usually repeated several times a day. The purpose is to help a person's psyche manifest certain results which they desire in their life.

Affirmations that are sung or chanted are even more powerful than words that are just boringly repeated over and over again. Even Saint Augustine once said: "Those who sing pray twice."

In fact, throughout the world's different religions and cultures, music, song and chanting all play a vital part in praising the divine, from Buddhist Monks and Christian hymns to Wiccan chanting and Hindu mantra's.

Instrumental sounds and music also have the ability to help a person heal from emotional and mental wounds. Research has proven that children who listen to classical music have a masked improvement in their ability to learn new concepts than those children who do not.

Other instruments such as Tibetan and Himalayan singing bowls, crystal bowls, bells and gongs from the East have now made their beneficial abilities known to Westerners too. Listening to the sounds that these instruments emit helps to open up and balance the chakra's and creates harmony in a person's energy field.

Singing bowls were around nearly 4000 years ago in Nepal where mastering the ability to heal with sound was the highest level of initiation for a Monk. Some Historians believe that there is evidence of singing bowls being used in India 3,000 years ago and 1,000 years ago in Tibet. The healing ability of the bowls then spread to India, China, Japan and other Asian countries.

Originally, the singing bowls were consisted of either five, seven, or nine metals including gold, silver, copper, tin, mercury, and iron. Today, however, singing bowls are created by pouring metal into a cast which makes the bowls smoother and easier to play.

It is very easy to play a singing bowl: simply circle the wooden stick around the edge of the bowl in a steady slow motion. Eventually a delicate hum will start emanate from the bowl.

Singing bowls are usually used as a mediation aid, as well as a musical accent in a yoga or tai chi class. Just as in Tibet, singing bowls can be used for other purposes such as an offering bowl or as a beautiful decoration when not being played.

No matter what type of music we listen to, we are all susceptible to the sounds in our environment - whether we realize it or not. So be sure that the sounds that you listen to are sounds that are beneficial to your overall wellbeing.

Photo Credit: k4dordy

Is Your Fitness Regime Eco-Friendly?

Or are you helping in slowly killing the planet in your endeavors to keep yourself fit? Although this may sound like a contradiction in terms, it is true. For most people their daily routine of exercising at the gym contains five factors that all play a vital role in killing our environment, most of which we do not even realize!

1. The Drive to Your Gym

Driving to your gym's location attributes the most to killing the environment, specifically global warming. Most cars are gas guzzlers and approximately 20lbs of carbon dioxide is created and released for every gallon of gas that your car burns up. When you consider that most cars actually emit nearly 6 tons of carbon dioxide per year, you can see how cutting back on your gym drive can help the ozone layer.

If you live more than three miles from your gym, consider carpooling with a friend. Not only will this save you on gas money but it will also ensure that you have a workout buddy too! If you live less than three miles, consider walking or riding a bicycle to your gym. This will have the greatest impact on reducing your carbon footprint whilst also adding more calorie burning opportunities to your exercise regime. For example, a woman who weighs approximately 140 lbs and who walks at least 2 miles to her gym and back can burn up to 250 calories each day - this equals out to be nearly 18 lbs per year!

2. The Gym

Gyms can be another silent environmental killer, especially when you consider the new 24 hour gyms that are popping up in almost every neighborhood these days. Those gyms typically have electricity running to them 24 hours a day to power the electronic exercise machines, television sets and lighting. Most gyms also use an excessive amount of water when they wash and dry the free use towels that they provide to their patrons. Bring your own towel to the gym instead. Or you could become a green advocate and speak to the gym's manager about making a few small changes in the way the gym is run. Suggest things like installing low-flow shower heads to conserve both money and water, or fitting a chlorine filter in the shower. Better yet, shower when you get home.

3. Electronic Exercise Equipment

Although this may be the hardest thing to do, try to avoid using electronic exercising equipment such as elliptical trainers and treadmills, as using a treadmill for half an hour will consume .75 kilowatt hours which is the equivalent to lighting up a Christmas tree for about 6 hours. Instead, take a run outside as not only will you get a change of scenery, but you'll also be able to breathe in fresh air that is not always abundant inside a sweaty, smelly gym.

4. Your Workout Clothes

Choose your workout clothes wisely as they may not be what the labels say they are! According to the Organic Consumers Association, one-third of a pound of agricultural chemicals is used to create one cotton shirt in America. So read the label carefully and keep in mind that a 100% cotton T-Shirt is really made up of 73% cotton and 27% of chemicals and chemical residue. Even though it may seem better for both your skin and the environment to buy an organic cotton T-Shirt, 720 gallons of water is still used to create just one cotton shirt.

You can do your part by making your own workout clothing or shopping for new workout clothes at eco-friendly companies who recycle their old clothing lines. For example, Patagonia has a program called Common Threads in which they collect old clothes from their customers which are then recycled into new clothing. Creating a new product from recycled materials is far cheaper and healthier for the environment than creating a new product using raw materials.

5. Plastic Water Bottles

One of the most commonly found pieces of equipment in any gym is the plastic disposable water bottle. These are extremely harmful to the environment as 1.5 million barrels of oil is needed to create them. Worse still, is that Americans buy nearly 34.6 billion plastic water bottles each year, of which 80% end up in a landfill. When you consider that during the purification process, two gallons of water are wasted for every one gallon of water that actually ends up inside the water bottle, you can understand why buying and using disposable plastic water bottles is so deadly to our environment.

Your best bet would be to use plastic water bottles that have been certified to be BPA-free, or use a stainless steel water bottle instead. Both of these are chemical free and more healthy to drink from.

Photo Credit: Mimar Sinan

Naturally Lower Your Blood Pressure in 7 Easy Ways

In this day and age, doctors have us convinced that there is a pill for every type of ailment and condition.

However, there are other, more natural ways to cure any ailment or disease without having to take chemical filled pills.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can also easily be lowered by using very natural means.

Sometimes referred to as the silent killer, high blood pressure can sneak up on you without there being any obvious symptoms. However silent it is, it can put you at a greater risk for heart disease, kidney disease and even stroke.

Therefore, lowering your blood pressure should be your number one priority! By simply making lifestyle changes you can not only avoid having to take pharmaceutical drugs, you can also help them to work better if you have to take them.

Even lowering your systolic pressure reading by two points can reduce the occurrence of a stroke by nearly 6% and coronary artery disease by about 4%.

Before starting anything holistic, be sure to tell your doctor, so that he can monitor your success.

Here are 7 easy ways that you can naturally lower your blood pressure:

1. Slim down.
Even though this is probably the hardest, natural way to reduce your blood pressure, it can be the most rewarding. Losing 22 pounds of excess weight can help lower your blood pressure by 5 to 20 points. Another benefit to weight loss is that it also adds on a few more years to your life expectancy.

2. Try to follow the DASH diet plan.
The DASH diet plan, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is low in fat, sweets, and sugar filled drinks. It is also high in fruit and veggies as well as low-fat dairy. Researches claim that just by simply following this dietary plan, you can expect to lower your systolic blood pressure reading by nearly 8 to 14 points, making this diet as effective as some pharmaceutical drugs! If the DASH diet plan seems too hard to follow, then concentrate on ingesting more potassium by eating a diet that is rich in fish, dairy, fruits and vegetables.

3. Reduce your alcohol and sodium intake.
By reducing the amount of alcoholic drinks to only 2 drinks per day if you are a man and 1 a day if you are a woman, you can easily and naturally lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 points. Most people consume an excess of sodium daily anyway, but consciously being aware of how much sodium you actually consume and reducing your intake to only 2400 mg per day could help your lower your blood pressure by 2 to nearly 8 points.

4. Take supplements.
As we grow older our bodies produce less calcium so it is always a good idea to take a calcium supplement. Just be sure to take at least 1,000 mg a day if you are under the age of 50 or 1,200 mg if you are over the age of 50.

Vitamin C is another supplement that everybody should be taking at least 500mg per day. Research has proven that with long term use, vitamin C can work just as well as pharmaceutical drugs in lowering your blood pressure. In fact, one such study showed a 9% drop in a person's high blood pressure after only a month's use.

Other supplements to try are alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine. Most people have high blood pressure as a result of non-relaxing blood vessels, meaning they do not dilate as they should. A recent study showed an increase in the diameter of the arteries in people who consumed 200 mg of alpha lipoic acid and 500 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine during an 8 week period. This powerful duo also helped lower their blood pressure as well.

Lastly, try to consume a lot of omega-3 fatty acids through eating fatty fish or by swallowing a high quality fish oil supplement. A Japanese study found that men who had consumed the highest amounts of omega-3 also had the lowest blood pressure.

5. Remember to exercise.
You can quickly lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 points, just by exercising for 30 minutes at least 5 to 7 days a week.

6. Remember to sleep.
Going to bed early and getting at least 8 hours of sleep can truly help in naturally lowering your high blood pressure.

7. Try not to stress.
Stressing over something can cause your blood pressure to rise. Too much stressing can cause your blood pressure to stay permanently elevated. Try to relax more.

Photo Credit: House of Sims

The Benefits of High Dose Multi-Vitamins

Everyone who is concerned about their health knows that they need to supplement their diets with a high quality multi-vitamin.

In fact, researchers at the National Institute of Health conducted a study where they examined the end segments on DNA strands. Referred to as telomeres, these segments actually shorten a bit every time a cell divides itself. The researchers believe that the length of a telomere may be an indicator for aging, especially considering the fact that short telomeres have been associated with a greater risk of death and chronic disease, such as heart disease and cancer. Reason being, is that as a telomere becomes shorter, the cells either stops dividing altogether or it divides with many DNA errors.

Female participants in the NIH study, who were instructed to take a daily multivitamin, had nearly 5.1% longer telomeres, which is roughly the equivalent of 9.8 additional years of life.

Researchers believe that the multivitamin helps because it reduces oxidative damage and inflammation. However, for the most part, telomeres are rather susceptible to oxidative stress; inflammation is the chief inducer of oxidative stress and also decreases the activity level of the telomerase, the enzyme which is responsible for sustaining the telomeres. However, certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, E, B (especially vitamin B12 and folic acid), actually work to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, consuming these vitamins can help maintain the length of the telomere. There has even been evidence proving that C and E vitamins slow down the shortening of the telomere, thereby increasing its cellular life span, in cell cultures.

Vitamin D, resveratrol (a compound found in wine and grapes), astragalus (an Indian tonic), and exercise have also all been shown to help preserve the length of the telomere.

Taking all this into consideration, it is easy to understand why a good quality multivitamin can and will act as your main defense again disease and aging.

According to the American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF) and its European equivalent, the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), most people are not consuming enough vitamins and minerals, even with the addition of a multivitamin. Their studies have revealed this to be as a result of incorrect dosing of multivitamins. These studies proclaimed many benefits of consuming multivitamins and other nutritional supplements in high doses.

However, the problem comes in when other contributors to the medical community over exaggerate the risks of taking multivitamins in high doses. Both the AAHF and the ANH strongly believe that the method that is commonly used to determine the 'correct' dosage is faulty and does not specify the many benefits of high doses of multivitamins.

The Archives of Internal Medicine published three relevant studies, that all established the fact that high doses actually contributed towards better results. The research mainly focused on how the B vitamins worked towards thwarting off macular degeneration due to age, and how vitamin D helps to reduce the possibility of contracting an upper respiratory infection, and lastly, how Calcium plays an important role in the prevention of cancer.

The Legislative Director of AAHF, Tami Wahl, stated that:

"Vitamins and supplements, combined with other healthy habits, play an integral role in the prevention of many medical conditions and diseases. Our concern is that the dosage amounts currently recommended are simply not adequate to yield protective effects."

Likewise, the Executive and Scientific Director of ANH, Robert Verkerk, PhD, explained in a similar statement that such studies actually prove that there is:
"an increasing body of science that shows high doses of supplements are both safe and effective. To get some perspective on it, the levels found to be most beneficial in preventing macular degeneration were over 12 times the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of folic acid, 25 times the RDA of vitamin B6, and 1,000 times the RDA of vitamin B12."

However, these findings should not be seen as a precursor for self-diagnosis which ultimately leads to self-supplementation of higher doses of multivitamins and minerals.

The old adage, 'more is not necessarily better', should always be kept in mind. If you are in any doubt as to the proper dose of any vitamin, you should first consult a natural health care practitioner for advice.

Photo Credit: Lintilla

Is Wal-Mart Going Green?

It appears that quite soon, not only will shoppers at Wal-Mart be looking for a bargain but they will also be able to find out more information about the carbon foot print of the item that they are considering buying, or how much air pollution it caused, or how many gallons of water was used to create the product. In a nutshell, it appears that Wal-Mart is going green.

Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world today, and as such they feel that they have to give something more back to the communities that they support. How do they plan on doing this? Well, certainly not by reducing any more prices! Instead, Wal-Mart will be focusing on ascertaining the environmental and social impact of each item that is placed upon their shelves.

To accomplish this somewhat enormous task, Wal-Mart has enlisted the help of environmental groups, suppliers, and educated scholars, to help create an electronic indexing system that would help rate the environmental and social impact of every product.

The objective is to produce a universal rating system that will appoint scores based on how a product will be, both environmentally and socially sustainable, throughout its projected lifespan. The concept is quite similar in fact, to organic nutrition labels on foods.

However, such a sustainability rating system would focus on a wide range of social and environmental consequences, rather on specific details such as waste reduction or lower emissions.

The apparent goal is encourage other retailers, both large and small, to adopt Wal-Mart's universal indexing system, which is set to be completed over the next five years.

Wal-Mart's President and Chief Executive, Michael T. Duke, explains that:

"We have to change how we make and sell products. We have to make consumption itself smarter and sustainable."

Because Wal-Mart is such a retail giant, they are the only ones that could actually pull of such an indexing system on such a global scale.

Michelle Harvey of the Environmental Defense Fund, one of the environmental groups hired by Wal-Mart to help create the indexing system, exclaimed:

"Nobody else could pull this off."

However, some people are already questioning whether or not Wal-Mart could even finish such a daunting project.

Professor, Jon Johnson, at the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, whom the company asked to help create the index, explained that:

"I think it's going to be a lot of work for a lot of people. But obviously we're optimistic about the prospects."

One of Wal-Mart's major suppliers's, Unilever, expressed their support for such an indexing system and their Senior Vice President, Joe Cavaliere, called it "a great move forward for the industry."

Tim Marrin, the associate director of external relations for Procter & Gamble voiced his opinion on the importance of sharing the new sustainability index across the entire retail industry.

"The last thing a supplier really wants is when you're doing a separate index for every retailer. Wal-Mart has invited the Targets', the Costcos', the Tescos' of the world to come up with a solution so that there are not 5, 10, 15, 20 different standards that retailers are implementing in their markets."

Other concerns involving the cost of producing more environmentally sustainable goods have also been brought up, as Wal-Mart's Chief Merchandising Officer, John E. Fleming, knows only too well.

"The first question is always, 'It's going to cost more'. But you know, I think we've demonstrated time and time again, if you reduce packaging, if you reduce energy, the costs go down."

The first step in creating the indexing system is to have Wal-Mart's 100,000 or more global suppliers, complete a 15 question survey regarding the sustainability practices of their company.

Suppliers in the USA have until October to respond, whilst international suppliers do not yet have a deadline by which they need to respond. Those who don't respond to the survey might face limited business opportunities down the road.

Wal-Mart seems to understand that today's consumer generation, those born between 1980 and 2000, are making purchases that are based not just on a low price but also on their sustainability factor, such as avoiding products that were made in a sweat factory by children.

Mr Fleming explained that, "These younger consumers, they care deeply about this regardless of what happens in the economy. When I go around to colleges and universities to recruit, sustainability is tops on their list. So I think this will help us build a better business model."

Hopefully, the success of Wal-Mart's universal indexing system would force other manufacturers and suppliers to also create more environmentally sustainable products.

Photo Credit: jason.mundy

National Hot Dog Day - 23 July 2009

Hot dog connoisseurs across America will be celebrating National Hot Dog Day on the 23rd of July 2009.

The basis for every patriotic barbeque and pool party, hot dogs, have been around for many years. Although today, they are the staple diet at almost every State Fair and baseball game, hot dogs have earned their place in history as one of the oldest forms of processed foods.

Hot dog type sausages were first mentioned in 9th Century BC in Homer's Odyssey.

Most people believe that Frankfurt-am-Main in Germany was the birth place of the hot dog. But, others believe that the 'dachshund sausage' or 'little dog sausage' was actually created by a butcher living in Coburg, Johann Georghehner, during the 1600's. Legend says that Johann travelled to Frankfurt to sell his sausage to other butchers and markets.

However, in 1987, the city of Frankfurt marked the 500th anniversary of the hot dog in Frankfurt. It is believed that the Frankfurter was created in Frankfurt in 1484, approximately five years before Christopher Columbus had set off to find the new world.

In spite of Frankfurt's anniversary celebration, the city of Vienna, Austria declared that there city was the birth place of the hot dog. Vienna is also called Wien, which they point out is short for 'wiener'.

Whether the hot dog came from Vienna or Frankfurt, it eventually made its way into North America via butchers who wanted to have their own claim to fame and popularity in the new world.

There has also been further controversy surrounding who exactly was the first person to serve the hot dog on a roll. One fabled story is that an immigrant to the US, from Germany, sold the sausages along with milk rolls and sauerkraut from his own little push car during the 1860's in New York City's Bowery. Eventually, the first Coney Island hot dog stand was opened in 1871 by a German butcher named Charles Feltman. He sold nearly 3,684 dachshund sausages in a milk roll in his first year of business.

In 1893, sausages became the staple diet of baseball games when Chris Von de Ahe introduced them to the major league baseball team that he owned, the St. Louis Browns.

Later, in 1901, the term 'hot dog' was born at the New York Polo Grounds. It seems that during one rather cold April day, Harry Stevens, a concessionaire whose company is still in business today, found that he was losing money selling only ice cream and cold sodas. Stevens sent all his salesmen to go out and buy as many dachshund sausages as they could find, as well as an equal number of milk rolls. Within the hour his vendors were selling hot dogs from portable hot water tanks whilst loudly exclaiming: "They're red hot! Get your dachshund sausages while they're red hot!"

Tad Dorgan, a sports cartoonist sitting in a nearby press box, who just happened to have been approaching his deadline without a clue on what to draw, overheard the vendors selling their hot sausages. He quickly drew up a cartoon depicting a little barking dachshund sausage huddled inside a warm roll. But, since Dorgan was unable to correctly spell the word 'dachshund', he instead opted to write 'hot dog'. The rest, as they say, is history. Dorgan's cartoon became an overnight hit and the phrase "hot dog" was born.

Today's modernized hot-dog-on-a-bun was instituted in 1904 during the St. Louis "Louisiana Purchase Exposition" in 1904 by Anton Feuchtwanger, a Bavarian concessionaire. In order to help his patrons carefully hold their piping hot sausages, Feuchtwanger loaned out white gloves for them to wear. However, the majority of the white gloves were never given back to Feuchtwanger and his supply was starting to run pretty low. It was then that he decided to ask his brother-in-law for help. His brother-in-law was a baker who baked long, soft bread rolls into which the sausages fit perfectly - thereby creating the hot dog bun.

Since then hot dogs have enjoyed a continuing revolution in their flavor. Long thought of as made up of undesirable meat from pigs, today's hot dogs are cured and cooked sausages that can be found in Chicken, Turkey, Beef as well as a variety of other flavors.

For the health conscious, it is good to know that hot dogs are nutrient rich sources of vitamins, minerals, protein, iron and zinc. The average, 1.6 oz, hot dog has approximately 150 calories, 13 grams of fat, 450 mgs of sodium and about 7 grams of protein.

American's eat about 60 hot dogs every year, with New Yorkers consuming the most. In 1999, Americans consumed a total of 7 billion hot dogs, roughly 818 hot dogs every second, during the Hot Dog Season.

Photo Credit: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar

The Longest Solar Eclipse

In the Indian village of Surat in Gujarat, sunrise will mark the start of a total solar eclipse that is expected to last for a long time, at least as far as solar eclipses go: 6 minutes and 44 seconds. The next solar eclipse is not scheduled to happen until the year 2132.

In actuality, the moon's umbra, which is the cone shaped part of its shadow, will descend upon the Gulf of Khambhat in India. Then the moon's shadow will continue to gradually move across Asia and the South Pacific before finally removing itself from the Earth somewhere near the Marshall Islands about 3 and half hours later.

The path of the eclipse will measure nearly 9,500 miles with the maximum duration of the eclipse happening only once the moon's shadow is directly over the Pacific.

And while this remarkable event will only be seen in India and Asia, those people living in North America will be able to watch the solar eclipse live through streaming video online.

Even though this long solar eclipse is an extraordinary event, there are a many people who believe that this eclipse is a not a good omen.

Indian Astrologers foresee violence and utter turmoil breaking out across the world.

Rahu and Ketu, two demons in Hindu mythology, are supposed to be swallowing the sun during solar eclipses, thereby extinguishing its life giving light and warmth and rotting food and souring milk.

Pregnant Indian women have been warned to stay inside so as to prevent their unborn children from developing any birth defects.

Due to a belief that is deeply rooted in Indian mythology, most hospitals across India have had to reschedule caesarian deliveries as well. A gynecologist at the Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour explains that, "This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society. Couples are willing to do anything to ensure that the baby is not born on that day".

However, people are being encouraged to participate in fasting, prayers and ritual bathing in holy rivers during this time.

Other Indian astrologers are predicting an increase in violence, both locally and globally, for the days after the eclipse, most importantly across India, China and other Southeast Asian countries. Basically the prediction covers any country where the solar eclipse can be viewed.

Raj Kumar Sharma, an astrologer from Mumbai, has predicted "some sort of attack by (Kashmiri separatists) Jaish-e-Mohammad or Al-Qaeda on Indian soil" as well as the occurrence of a destructive natural disaster in Southeast Asia.

He went on to predict that a prominent Indian political leader could be killed and that there would also be increased tension between Iran and the West, which could possibly escalate into US military action sometime after the 9th of September 20099, as this when Saturn is scheduled to move away from Leo and into Virgo.

"The last 200 years, whenever Saturn has gone into Virgo there has been either a world war or a mini world war," he explained.

Superstitions and predications of doom have also come from China and other Southeast Asian countries.

During the ancient Chinese times, solar eclipses were always linked with either a natural disaster, the death of an Emperor, or another sinister event. Such superstitions have been passed down through the generations and are still prevalent amongst today's Chinese people.

A popular Chinese website, Baidu.com, reported that:

"The probability for unrest or war to take place in years when a solar eclipse happens is 95 percent."

No matter how many negative predications have been spoken, most people are excited about the prospect of viewing this very long eclipse.

Cox and Kings, a travel firm, is planning on leasing a Boeing 737-700 aircraft, staffed with expert astronomers. Passengers have paid close to $1600 for a seat on this three hour flight from New Delhi, just so that can watch the eclipse from 41,00 feet.

President of the SPACE Group of companies that promotes science and astronomy, Ajay Talwar, explained that the shadow of the eclipse will pass across the aircraft at 15 times the speed of sound.

"It's coming in the middle of the monsoon season. On the ground, there's a 40 percent chance of seeing it in India. On the aircraft you have almost a 90 percent chance of seeing the eclipse," he added.

Yet another astrologer, Siva Prasad Tata, explains the significance of the solar eclipse as:

"There's no need to get too alarmed about the eclipse, they are a natural phenomenon. During the period of the eclipse, the opposite attracting forces are very, very powerful. From a spiritual point of view, this is a wonderful time to do any type of worship. It will bring about good results, much more than on an ordinary day."

Photo Credit: JunCTionS

Green Transportation

Throughout the USA transportation is accountable for nearly a third of the average citizen's impact on global warming. The good news is that Americans have more control over their transportation than they do on anything else that impacts global warming.

Carbon dioxide is produced by burning fuel and is actually one of the main greenhouse gases that have become single handily responsible for global warming. Every type of major transportation, such as a car, a plane or a bus, requires fuel to be burned in order for it to run. Every day, millions of American is using over 380 million gallons of gasoline; and nearly 20 pounds of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere that we breathe for every gallon of gasoline that is burned. If you think this through carefully you will come to the realization that the average American car drives approximately 12,500 miles pet year, which equals out to be about a pound of carbon dioxide that is emitted per mile, which, in turn, works out to be 11,450 pounds per year. This is roughly the amount needed to fill up an Olympic sized swimming pool.

Besides driving, Americans also love to fly a lot too. In fact, more than 500 million airplane trips are experienced by Americans every year. The carbon print of an airplane ride can be more difficult to estimate. This is due to each plane trip varying in length - an airplane will burn more fuel during its take off than when it is cruising at an altitude of 30,000 feet. Other factors that hinder the calculation of carbon dioxide emissions are the type of airplane and the amount of passengers on board. Generally speaking, however, a round trip flight taking off in New York and landing in Chicago would result in almost 650 pounds in carbon dioxide emissions and a return flight that lasts the whole length of the US can produce nearly 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

With all these numbers you might feel that cutting back on your family's carbon print is hard, but this is not the case at all! One of the easiest ways to cut back on carbon dioxide emissions is to leave your car parked in the garage and walk everywhere that you can. Walking, or even riding a bicycle, is not only good for the planet; it is also good for your health as well.

If you do have to drive your car, then think about your trip before hand and chose the shortest route possible. Combining all your errands into one trip will not only save on carbon dioxide emissions, but will save you gas time as well.

Another great alternative is to use your city's public transportation whenever possible. Riding the bus to work can be quite a relaxing experience, especially when you realize that someone else is watching the traffic. Just don't forget to bring a good book with you to read or some nice music on your iPod to listen to.

If none of these options seem to work for you and your family and driving your motor vehicle is the only transportation that you have, don't despair - there are plenty of other great tips that you can follow to not only save you gas money but also to help your cat get better gas mileage, all while reducing your car's carbon footprint.

An easy tip to remember is to bring your car in for a service at regularly scheduled intervals. This will help keep your car running its best at all times. Next, routinely check your car's tire pressure and make sure it is within the limit set out by the manufacturer (usually there is a sticker with this information either on gas cap lid or on driver's door frame). Keeping the tire pressure constant and within the correct limit can help you save nearly 4% on your gas bill, and, remember burning less gas means that less carbon dioxide is produced too.

If you are in the market for a new vehicle, you should consider purchasing one of the new eco-friendly crossover SUVs. These vehicles are designed to get better mileage than other vehicles of the same size. Another choice is buying a hybrid car or one that runs off of clean diesel such as Ethanol 85. No matter what you choose, make sure that buying such a vehicle will actually save you money in the long run and not just immediately.

If long distance travel is something that is looming in your future, try to take the train instead! Train rides are better for the environment and a lot more fun. But, if flying is truly the only way for you to travel, then you can always add a carbon offset amount to your airline ticket.

Photo Credit: Maria Keays

9 Tips on Keeping Your Home Cool This Summer

Everyone is feeling the need to curb spending this summer, but most people do not often think about how keeping their home cool can affect their savings. There are quite a few ways to keep your home cool this summer whilst helping keep your money in your wallet.

1. Open The Windows

As soon as the air outside becomes cooler that the air inside your home, immediately open the windows. A gentle breeze blowing your house is the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer's night.

During the daytime, keep the windows and blinds closed to keep in the coolness from the night before. Keeping the windows and blinds closed will also work to reflect back the light and the heat the sun shines down upon your house.

2. Use Fans

Ceiling fans work by moving the air around your room. Make sure that the fan is blowing in the correct direction. You can tell this by looking at the blades; if the leading edge is higher than back edge of the blade then the fan is pushing the air downwards. The fan should blow downwards in the summer and upwards in the winter.
If you don't already have one, install an attic fan. Such a fan moves the air around and pulls in cooler air from outside at the same time. Make sure that you open your windows at night first, before turning on the attic fan.

Another household fan to run is the fan in your furnace. Most thermostats allow you to turn on the fan without running the furnace or air conditioner. The furnace fan will cause the air in your house to be circulated thoroughly and will therefore eliminate any hot or cold spots. Turning on the furnace fan also helps to catch any allergens that have entered your home through the open windows. However, you should regularly check and replace the filter inside your furnace.

3. Install an Energy-Efficient Thermostat

A programmable thermostat can be your best friend in summer. You should program it to increase by 5 degrees just before you leave for work and have it scheduled to return to its regular temperature just before you come home.

During the summer months it is recommended that you set your thermostat to 78 degrees, specifically if you have central air. However, if you really want to pile up the savings, consider increasing an extra degree or two. Each degree raised above 78 is equal to a savings of nearly 6 - 7%.

4. Close The Vents

Remember to close the air vents in rooms that are not being constantly used in your house. This will help to force more cooling air to come out of the vents that are in rooms that are commonly used, such as a bedroom or living room.

5. Turn Off the Lights

Everyone knows that one of the major aspects to energy saving in your home is to turn off your unused lights. However, turning off the lights can actually help reduce the amount of heat inside your home too. Most every light bulb generates heat as a consequence of emitting light.

6. Avoid the Stove

Turning on the stove in order to cook a meal can greatly increase the amount of heat inside your house. So either prepare meals in advance and just reheat them in the microwave, eat healthy salads, or have a barbeque outside on the grill. However, if you really have to turn on the oven make sure that you do it later in the evening after the windows have been opened.

7. Leave the Laundry

Although that may sound too good to be true, instead of doing the laundry during the daytime hours, try to do it later in the evening. A dryer emits quite a bit of heat that, although is vented outside, can still leak back in your house. The later it is in the evening, the cooler it will be and the less likely that your dryer's excess heat will add further warmth to your house.

8. Unplug Electronics

Remember that not only are plugged in electronics still generating electricity, they are also turning that same power into harmful heat. So unplug any electronic device that you are not currently using and place those that you are, onto surge protectors.

9. Spend More Time On The Lowest Level Of Your House

It is a simple fact that hot air rises. Try to avoid spending time on the upper levels of your house during summer. Instead convert your basement into a family room and congregate there.

Photo Credit: wharman

The Dangers of Bottled Water

On a hot summer day it is easy to grab a pre-packaged bottle of ice cold water to quench your thirst. But have you ever stopped to think about what happens to that bottle after you have finished drinking the water? Or about how fresh that water really is?

In the USA, people go through over 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour of the day! Sadly, most of these bottles are not even recycled.

A study conducted last year revealed certain links between the chemicals that are found in some commonly used plastics, including plastic water bottles, and certain health conditions and diseases, like cancer, diabetes and birth defects.

Two of the most talked about chemicals that are found in plastic water bottles are Bisphenol A and Orthophthalates.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound which has been used for nearly half a century in hard polycarbonate plastics and as well as in epoxy resins. BPA can also be found inside the lining of food and beverage cans and also inside plastic baby bottles, plastic water bottles, plastic food containers, eyeglasses, bike helmets, DVDs, electronics and even certain car parts.

Orthophthalates are better known as phthalates, and is a group of chemicals that is used to soften vinyl and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). They are found in various products like soaps, shampoos, deodorants, cosmetics, water pipes, shower curtains, toys, electrical wires, medical tubing and even vinyl flooring.

However, this same research has indicated a new place where these chemicals can also be found: inside human blood and urine. The cause of this, researchers suggest, is that the chemicals can break down and leak out of the products, especially when they are overheated. Therefore, not only are we exposed to these chemicals through the plastics but also through the food that we eat, the water that we drink and even the air that we breathe on a daily basis, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

BPA and phthalates have been described by researchers as being environmental estrogens as they act quite similarly to female hormones. Sometimes they are also referred to as endocrine disruptors due to their effect on a person's endocrine system, which actually regulates both reproduction and growth.

Even though the plastics and chemical industries state that BPA and phthalates are safe, the National Toxicology Program reported in 2008 that exposure to BPA actually posed health risks to both human development and human reproduction:

"We express some concern that current estimated exposures of BPA to fetuses, infants and children could cause neural and behavioral effects, effects on the prostate and mammary gland and an earlier age at which females attain puberty," testified associate director of the National Toxicology Program, John Bucher, at a Congressional hearing in June 2008. "We express negligible concern or minimal concern that current exposures to BPA could cause adverse health effects in other segments of the population."

Before you down a bottle of water, have you ever thought about where it came from? Or how long ago it was packaged and shipped out to the store in which you just bought it? Researchers in Germany found that the longer a bottle of water sat on a store shelf or in a household pantry, the higher the dose of antimony that it contained. Upon testing for antimony, 15 Canadian brands of bottled water and 48 brands of European bottled water all tested positive. Apparently, the concentration levels reached more than 100 times the average level of antimony in pure ground waters (2 parts per trillion).

Moreover, water bottles that had sat at room temperature for six months or more contained an even higher concentration level. The antimony concentrations increased by 19% in Canadian bottled waters whilst the European brands had an increase of 90%.

The majority of the bottled water that was tested was packaged in plastic bottles that were made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Not surprisingly, antimony trioxide is commonly used as a medium in the production of PET. Concentrations of antimony differed amongst the brands of bottled water due to the water pH, sunlight exposure and different temperatures.

Americans throw away nearly 38 billion water bottles every year which all end up in landfills. That is an estimated worth of $1 billion in plastic!

You can do your part to save, not only the environment and your own health, but also your wallet, by buying a water filter that attaches to your kitchen faucet. This will help to ensure that the water you drink is really pure and healthy. Avoid drinking from or reusing plastic water bottles as they can make you ill. Rather chose to use containers that are made out of glass, stainless steel or aluminum that have a non-toxic coating.

Photo Credit: How Can I Recylce This?

The Pro's and Con's of a Fruitarian Diet

Fruitarianism, or following a fruit only diet, is slowly regaining popularity in our world of global warming and an increasing need to 'get back to nature', and is strongly thought of as being the highest moral concept of nutrition. Similar to a raw vegan diet, a fruitarian only eats fruits, a few types of seeds and nuts, and a very limited selection of vegetables.

In fact, fruitarians actually believe that eating food that has been cooked essentially creates physical and emotional addiction to the person who eats it, thereby weakening their immune system and making them more susceptible to illness as well as making them look and feel older sooner in life. Fruitarians also believe that eating cooked food is a cause of socially economic structures that have become pollutant to our worldly environment by destroying life and the life supporting mechanisms of earth.

Just like vegetarianism, fruitarianism had its start when humans where in a primitive state of being on the earth. At this point in time their diet only consisted of fruits and vegetables.

Some people call this type of fruit only lifestyle 'living raw' and have claimed that by following a fruitarian diet, they have become healthier and have more energy. Other benefits of a fruitarian diet include:

* Increased mental power and clarity with new and different ideas, increased creativity and happiness.

* Freedom from all kinds of affective dependencies.

* A detoxification from all kinds of toxins.

* Bringing your body and mind into supreme balance and harmony.

* A feeling of total bodily health rather than having some organs feeling stronger than others.

* Recover faster from scratches, bruises, and wounds.

* No more insomnia, depression, or stress.

* A relaxed digestive system.

* Improved immune system function to resist allergies, viruses and bacteria.

* Increased fertility.

* Improvement in skin, nails, hair and eyes.

* Improved senses.

* Youthful feeling.

* Weight and fat loss with better body definition.

* Improved muscle coordination.

* Improved capacity to work and develop professional skills.

* Feeling at one with all other forms of life: animals, plants, earth, water, humans.

* Memory and concentration improvement.

* Increased emotional strength.

* More free time not wasted slaving over a hot stove.

* Increased conscious awareness.

* Increased spiritual awareness.

However, just as there are many supporters of a fruitarian diet, there are even more people who are against it. Traditional medical doctors have always cautioned against eating a vegetable only or fruit only diet, claiming that there is a lack of proper nutrition in the diet which can lead to health problems further on. It seems that because of these medical warnings, most fruitarians now include additional sources of nourishment and supplementation into their fruit only diets.

Another cautionary measure against eating a fruit only, or even a vegetable only, diet, is the mere fact that there are quite a few different types of fruits and vegetables throughout the world today that are indigestible unless they are fully cooked. People who are against fruitarianism and vegetarianism argue that such cooking processes have, in fact, increased the nutritional choices that are available today. Whereas, fruitarians and vegetarians argue that such cooking process actually destroy the vital nutrients that exist in the fruits and vegetables.

There are indeed two valid points to either side of this argument: even though fruits provide many beneficial nutritional ingredients, logic dictates that devotees of fruitarianism would not be consuming all the nutrients that are vital to properly sustain a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, there is scientific evidence proving that cooking both fresh and living foods does indeed destroy nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

Perhaps the concept of eating a strictly fruitarian diet speaks to you, or perhaps you are sitting on the fence about the whole idea. In either case, it is strongly encouraged to advance slowly to a strict fruitarian diet. Most fruitarians were first vegetarians, then vegans and then, finally, fruitarians.

If fruitarianism appeals to you but you are still undecided, then you can start by increasing the amount of raw fruits that you consume in your current diet. This will give you an idea of the benefits of eating raw fruit, whilst still obtaining extra nourishment from the other foods in your diet.

Then, if you think that you are ready and can handle such a strict, fruit only diet, your next stop would be shopping at your local farmer's market to get the best deals on locally produced fresh fruits that are free from any type of pesticide.

Photo Credit: heydrienne

Go Green In Your Garden

Organic gardening is becoming quite popular these days, with people realizing the benefits of eating organic fruits and vegetables. An added benefit of growing your own organic garden is the money that you would save with not buying your fruits and vegetables from some huge grocery store chain.

However, the mere idea of growing an organic garden can turn some people's thumbs black instead of green. In reality, organic gardening is not any more difficult than growing a regular vegetable garden. The main difference being that organic gardening only uses animal or vegetable fertilizers instead of synthetic fertilizer.

Organic gardening also means using more natural pest control rather than using industrial strength insecticides that are commonly sold in some garden centers. In fact, organic gardening has been around since the ancient times and was considered the only way to grow fruits and vegetables. Chemically produced fertilizers were not introduced until the 1840's.

There is a multitude of benefits to both eating and growing organic foods. One of the most common reasons being that food that is organically grown is loaded with a higher amount of vitamins and nutrients that is needed by our bodies to fight off cancer. Since organic food is grown without the use of harmful chemicals, you ingest fewer chemicals into your body. Most commercially grown fruits and vegetables are produced using growth hormones, pesticides, fertilizers and even artificial flavoring, coloring and preservatives! Now isn't that a mouthful?

The University of Washington conducted a study of children who ate organically grown food versus children who ate inorganically grown food. The result was that the organically fed children all had a level of pesticide mix in their bodies that was six times lower than that of the inorganically fed children.

When most people think of organic foods the first thing that comes across their minds is that organic food is expensive. This is a myth. Organic food is expensive when you purchase it inside a chain grocery store but if you grow it yourself, it is much cheaper than that. In fact, most chemical fertilizers cost about the same as natural ones do. Furthermore, when growing your own organic food, you can cut costs even further by composting your leftover kitchen scraps thereby eliminating any need to purchase commercially produced compost, as well as also reducing any need for fertilizer. Other regular gardening costs such as herbicides and pesticides can also be reduced by choosing to grow fruit and vegetables that are native to the environment in which you live, as the plants will have a natural ability to fend off any pesky predators. Other examples of natural pest control would be to use such things as cucumber peals as ants and other insects do not like them, or you could consider bringing in beneficial insects into your garden that will work round the clock to protect your plants.

Before growing your organic garden, it is vital to have adequately healthy soil. A few weeks before you start to plant any seeds, you should remove any weeds, sticks or stones from the bed. Next, you will need to work loose at least the top twelve inches of dirt and place about inch of your compost on top. Check on the area every few days to pull out any weeds that have started to grow.

The best part of growing your organic garden is in choosing which fruits and vegetables you want to grow! When deciding, you should consider what foods your family enjoys eating the most and also plants grow well in your part of the world. Next, you should take into account how big your garden is and how much direct sunlight the plants will need.

Most successfully grown plants have their start by being indoor grown seeds. If you have the space, you should consider starting out your garden by growing the seeds inside first. Be sure to plant seeds in soil that is moist but at that is also at room temperature with plenty of natural light.

Within a few days or weeks those seeds would have started sprouting and you can then move them into your garden bed outside. Before moving your seedlings, be sure to water them first as it will be easier to move them successfully. Make sure that you dig a hole in your garden bed that is sufficient for the growth of your plants. Then simply place your plant in the hole and place soil gently around the base of the plant.

Lastly, write down on a calendar the date that you planted your seeds as well as the expected harvest date. Most plants take an average of 50 - 90 days to grow before you can start to enjoy them.

Photo Credit: sbocaj

Health Hazards of Summertime

You probably think of summertime as being full of warm, lazy days spent under the bright blue sky with a nice cool drink in your hand.

But, did you ever stop to consider that summertime might also be filled with hidden dangers and other health hazards?

Move Over Winter Blues

Most people are familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a form of depression that usually inhibits a person's daily activities during winter. This is due to the fact that there are fewer hours of daylight which can wreak havoc on a person's bodily chemistry.

However, there a few people who actually experience a summertime version of SAD. Caused by the seemingly never ending, rays of sunlight, summertime SAD can bring about symptoms such as anxiety, irritability, insomnia and a decrease in appetite that leads to weight loss.

If you believe that you might be suffering from summertime SAD, try to use black out curtains in your home in an attempt to limit the hours of sunlight that stream inside. Most SAD sufferers feel uncomfortably warm during night, so try to keep your thermostat set on a lower temperature and remember to take a cool shower before bed to decrease your body temperature.

Trouble Sleeping

Since the summer daytime hours are filled with so much heat, they can spill over into the nighttime hours too. This heat can cause people to have trouble sleeping, mostly because their bedroom is hotter than normal. Try to beat the nighttime heat by turning on the air conditioner or bring a quiet fan into your bedroom. Remember to turn up the humidifier too as too much humidity can also rob you of sleep.

During the summer, some people find that their internal clocks are disrupted by the extended period of daylight hours. To counteract this, avoid sunlight from 7pm onwards and wear an eye mask to bed to prevent you from waking up too early when the early morning's sun rays filter into your bedroom.

Taking a Dip

Everyone loves swimming in a nice, cool swimming pool during the summer months. But be forewarned! Danger could be lurking in those crystal clear waters in the form of bacteria, especially if the swimming pool has not been cleaned properly. Germs in the pool water can cause diarrhea, vomiting and upset stomach.

To avoid becoming infected, never swim if you have an open cut or sore, try not to swallow the pool water and remember to rinse the pool water off your body by taking a shower when you are done swimming. Contrary to popular belief, a strong smell of chlorine in the pool water usually indicates a lack of chlorine in the water! Adequate chlorine is needed to rid the pool of harmful germs. If the water smells too much chlorine, then it is better to stay out of it.

Feeling Cold?

Even during the hot summer months, people and children are still susceptible to catching colds, or worse, hypothermia. This is when a person's body temperature drops dangerously low. Hypothermia can affect people who have been swimming in icy water, or even camping at high altitudes.

The symptoms of hypothermia can include chattering teeth, body shivers, cold skin that has a pale blue tinge to it, obvious mental confusion and poor hand coordination. Seek immediate medical help if you believe that someone is suffering from hypothermia. Remember to remove any wet clothing that they may have on and provide them with plenty of blankets to warm them up.

Say No To The Stilettos!

Every woman craves summertime, when she can finally rid her feet of those ugly, furry winter boots and instead don them with cute and dainty shoes, such as strappy sandals or stilettos. But, like everyone knows, beauty always comes with a price.

These types of women's shoes can produce cracked and painful heels that are created by the friction of the shoe against the normally dry skin on the bottom of the feet. Sometimes, these cracked heels can bleed and even become infected.

Since no women in the right, summertime mind, will be caught wearing anything but beautiful, strappy shoes, the solution to avoiding cracked heels lies in using a pumice stone. Try to use a pumice stone every day during bath or shower time. Afterwards, or before bed, apply a generous amount of lotion to your heels. This will help keep your skin nice and soft.

Photo Credit: leozaza

Improve Your Health By Pampering Yourself

Stress and its effects can cause ugly strain on a person's body and can show up on the skin, such as wrinkles, or inside the body, such as a heart attack.

Therefore, it is vitally important to not only reduce but to control the effects that chronic stress has on our lives on a day to day basis. Stress affects both our physical, emotional and spiritual health. More importantly, stress can hamper our body's ability to fight infections, slow down digestion, and cause damage to our cardiovascular system as well. Even everyday occurrences such as asthma and headaches are either brought on or made worse by stress that we experience.

A new study, however, proves that papering yourself can lead to an improvement in your overall health. The easiest way to pamper yourself is to visit a day spa or salon in your area.

Unlike salons, day spas offer a wider variety of services to truly pamper you with. Neck massages, whole body massages, Reiki, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, body wraps, and body scrubs are some of the services that are offered in the majority of day spas throughout the world.

Salons, on the other hand, usually only offer haircuts, pedicures, manicures and facials.

However, the overall experience of receiving any type of service, at either a day spa or a salon, is one of pure relaxation and self indulgence, which, in turn, helps to lower your stress level.

The coordinator at the Michigan day spa, Crown Jewel Spa and Salon, Nikki Markle, explains that, "Most people, after they come, are extremely relaxed. They feel rejuvenated and refreshed."

Even stay at home or work from home mothers and retirees can benefit from attending a day spa, as the environment is drastically different to what they experience in their own homes. Most day spas include heated beds, imported cotton towels and robes, luxurious oils, fragrant lotions - all things that most people do not own in their own home. Other day spas offer jetted hydrotherapy tubs or showers with multiple massaging spray heads and even cappuccinos, smoothies and other exotic drinks.

A frequent client at the Crown Jewel Spa and Salon, Michelle Glower, says, "The ambience, the atmosphere is so quiet, so soothing. It is just so serene. I'm addicted."

A trip to a day spa has quickly become a part of the wedding process in order to help alleviate some of the stress that bride and her ensemble may be experiencing. Bridal consultants meet with the brides to plan out every detailed service that require for themselves and their bridesmaids - right down to what name brand bottle of champagne that they would like served to them.

For those who are extremely stressed out, aromatherapy massage usually does the trick!

"This is not your normal feel-good massage," says Tamsen Bolt, who has been a client at Holistic Care Approach in Grand Rapids for many years. "This is therapeutic body work for really releasing tension. Aromatherapy is an added element that helps the body relax."

Owner of Holistic Care Approach, and also a registered nurse, Barb Meconis, explains that essential oils have the potential to eliminate harmful germs in the environment and that they are the essence of all types of holistic healing.

"People come in with headaches all the time and get great relief from aromatherapy," she says.

In fact, the recent swine flu scare caused her to be inundated with requests for her antibacterial, antiviral oils. Meconis says that combining certain oils "will not only boost your immunity, if you diffuse it, it will kill the germs within the environment."

And even in these tough economic times, Meconis' aromatherapy business still remains strong:

"Even in this tough economy, people realize they have to take care of themselves," she says.

Administrator for Grand Rapids Public Schools, Mayda Gunnell, agrees: "It's just a way of pampering yourself and feeling relaxed and stress-free when you leave. It's worth the money."

Gunnell allows herself to be pampered with massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures as often as possible.

If affording a visit to a day spa or salon is not within your budget, there are a few things that you can try at home to pamper yourself and improve your health.

An old-time favorite is to light some scented candles or dim the lights, and relax in a soothing bubble bath whilst listening to some soft music playing in the background.

Other options are taking a quiet drive or walk through the nearby countryside or reading a new and exciting book.Even practicing daily meditations can help to improve the Zen quality of your life.

But these stress busting options aren't only for women. In fact, having a couples' massage together will help you both relax at the same time.

Photo Credit: Dennis Wong

Listening to Loud Music Can Make Your Heart Beat Faster

A new study shows that listening to loud music also causes our hearts to beat faster and our blood pressure to rise as well whereas, listening to slower, softer music actually lowers blood pressure and decreases our heart rates.

Italian researchers at Pavia University seem to enjoy conducting researching on how music affects human beings. One the first studies that the concluded was on how music with quicker tempos effected a person's breathing may causing them to breath faster, with an increase in their heart rate and blood pressure, whilst music that had a slower tempo produced the opposite effect.

Their latest findings prove how music affects a person's cardiovascular system. In a statement by Dr. Luciano Bernardi, a professor of internal medicine at Pavia University, and author of the study, said that the findings "increase our understanding of how music could be used in rehabilitative medicine."

Dr. Michael Miller, director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, has already done his own research on assessing the cardiovascular effects of music and is placing that knowledge to good medical use. Miller was quoted as saying:

"The take-home message from this paper is now being employed at many hospitals, including ours. In the cardiovascular unit, we play music that is very soothing and quiet. On a subconscious level, it produces a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate."

However there are a few subtle differences between Dr Miller's research and Dr Bernardi's research. The study conducted by Pavia University played only classical music, with a mixture of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, a Bach cantata, and arias from operas by Puccini and Verdi. The two dozen volunteers who were measured for the musical effects on their cardiovascular systems were in their mid-20s who listened to the music via headphones. It is interesting to note that half of the numbers of volunteers were also trained singers.

Electrocardiograms and skin monitor readings evidenced that a crescendo, a climatic volume of music, was invigorating, while decrescendos had more calming effects. All in all, these effects were subtle but still quite noticeable.

In comparison, Dr Miller said of his study, which he conducted in Maryland: "In our studies, volunteers selected music that made them feel good or feel bad. Our belief is that cardiovascular reactions to music are amplified by emotional responses. Our results were not inconsistent with these findings."

Spokesman for the American Heart Association and Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan, Barry A. Franklin, deemed the study conducted by Pavia University as "fascinating":

"They were able to see modest changes in all variables. As a clinician, one who works with people with cardiovascular disease, I ask, can we extrapolate or generalize to clinical populations? I see some potentially very exciting research and clinical applications to people with disabilities, where modest changes could have very significant salutatory effects. If they listen to music through headphones while they exercise, can we get better changes on such measures as oxygen flow and blood pressure?"

It is good to note, however, that those people, with whom Franklin works with, actually conduct their exercise routine on treadmills or stationary bicycles and without any music at all. "I might implement a small pilot program on these subjects, not at rest but while they exercise. Are their responses altered by simultaneous music? These are debilitated coronary patients in whom small changes might be important," he said.

The spokesman for the American Music Therapy Association, Al Bumanis, said that the effects of music therapy is currently being tested on people who are presently in cardiovascular rehabilitation, or have suffered a brain injury of some sort, as well as premature babies among others as well.

"One logical next step would be to encourage interdisciplinary research with relevant clinical populations receiving specific music therapy interventions."


As a precautionary note, drivers are now also being warned that listening to loud music can also hamper their reaction times too. A study conducted in Canada found that drivers took 20% longer to perform physical and mental tasks when they were listening to loud music. This slowed reaction could lead to fatal accidents behind the wheel of a car.

In another study conducted by the RAC Foundation, a British motoring organization, it was found that drivers who listened to loud music with more than 60 beats per minute whilst driving, were also twice as likely to skip a red light.

Regardless of whether you chose to listen to classical, opera, pop or rave music, it is the loudness of the music and the beats per minute that count against a driver's reaction time.

Photo Credit: DeclanTM

How To Have An Eco-Friendly 4th Of July Celebration

This Saturday marks the 233rd birthday celebration of the United States of America. Commonly referred to as Independence Day, the 4th of July is a federal holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence which was signed into effect on 4 July, 1776, which asserted America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Most Independence Day celebrations are associated with colorful fireworks, beautiful parades and carnivals, yummy barbecues and picnics, outdoor music events and sports, and even political speeches.

However, times have changed and it is more important now than ever before to treat the USA and Mother Earth with the greatest respect. It is high time that Americans start being more proactive in protecting the land that they value so much. What better way to show your patriotism towards the good old U.S. of A., than by celebrating an eco-friendly 4th of July?

Here are a few ways to incorporate a bit of green into your Red, White and Blue celebrations:

* Be a Picky Eater

Choose organic fruits and vegetables as these have been grown without the use of dangerous pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, and purchase them from local farmers. In most cases this is a cheaper way to eat healthier and has the added bonus of supporting local farms. Contemplate celebrating Independence Day by eating vegetarian, which, besides the pro-animal argument, is also a superb healthy culinary alternative, especially when you consider the environmental benefits of eating vegetarian: Meat that is produced industrially accounts for a majority of the world's water resources, oil consumption, emissions, and land use. Therefore, passing on the meat is the single most important thing that you can personally do in the fight against global warming.

If Veggie Burgers are not your thing and meat is still your protein of choice, then try to stay away from chicken, beef and pork that have been raised on factory farms as most of these animals have been fed steroids at some point in their lives in order to fatten them up before slaughter. Try Bison Burgers instead! Bison actually fertilize the ground that they walk on and help the grass to grow. The best part of eating a burger made with Bison meat is that they have one quarter of the fat than regular burgers do!

* Ditch the Styrofoam Plates

Styrofoam plates are so yesterday! Today, you can buy picnic plates that are either compostable or biodegradable. You can even purchase plates that have been made out of recycled yoghurt cups. If fashion is your thing, you can always opt for bamboo plates. The best thing is that using greener tableware and utensils are much cheaper than regular Styrofoam plates and cups!

For paper plate holders, purchase a few different colored Frisbee's and place your plate inside them! Kids will love being able to play with their food after they have finished eating!

* Make your Grill Greener

Choose a sustainably-produced charcoal for your grill, such as Wicked Good Charcoal that is made from industrial scrap wood, and Kingsford Charwood, that is produced using clean-energy turbine heat. Using propane to fire up your grill isn't so bad either; propane produces less than half of the emissions than ordinary charcoals.

* Reuse, Reduce, Recycle

Reduce the amount and toxicity of the trash that you throw out after your 4th of July party has ended, by reusing your containers, tablecloths, tableware and other products. Remember, to recycle as much as possible and always look for products that can be recycled before you buy them.

Some States will even pay you to bring in used soda cans and bottles!

* Green fireworks

Most fireworks are made using potassium perchlorate as the oxidizer, a material that provides the oxygen that fireworks need to burn. However, perchlorate, is considered to be an environmental pollutant and has health risks for people and wildlife. Studies have proven that perchlorate that is used in community fireworks displays set off over a lake, can contaminate the water and kill the fish.

The good news is that researchers have come up with a new formula that uses nitrogen-rich materials or nitrocellulose which burns cleaner and produces less smoke instead of using perchlorate.

The bad news is that since there are no federal regulations limiting the amount of perchlorate that is released from fireworks, and that the cost of making such environmentally friendly fireworks is expensive, most fireworks manufacturers are not interested in making and selling them.

Fireworks are not the safest way to celebrate Independence Day at home. If going out to watch the firework display put on by your city is not an option, then opt for other colorful decorations like ribbon streamers made out of recycled paper.

Photo Credit: J.W.Photography

Swine Flu Vaccine Developed Earlier Than Expected

Novartis AG, a European drug maker, has recently announced that it has successfully produced the first batch of H1N1 swine flu vaccine. Fortunately, quite a few week earlier than they had originally anticipated.

The company explained that the production schedule was shortened because the vaccine was created in cells, rather than the egg based method that is usually used for vaccines.

This announcement comes just after the World Health Organization declared the first flu pandemic since 1968. This declaration became necessary after the H1N1 virus rapidly spread across North America, Australia, South America, and Europe.

Apparently Novartis is preparing to use their first batch for evaluation and testing, before allowing it to be used in people as well as in clinical trials. Novartis is expecting to be able to produce millions of doses of their vaccine on a weekly basis.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has jumped at the chance to help its residents by already placing an order worth $289 million for the swine flu vaccine with Novartis back in May.

Dr. Margaret Chan from the World Health Organization, stated during her announcement on the pandemic status of the swine flu virus:

"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century. The virus is now unstoppable."

As the number of swine flu cases increased to 30,000 in North America, South America, Europe, and Australia, the World Health Organization (WHO) increased the outbreak's alert status to level 6, the highest level possible. In order to declare such status, according to the WHO, at least two different regions of the world need to have been hit by the virus. So far there have been 28,774 cases of swine flu, including 144 deaths, reported across 74 countries.

It appears that health officials with America's Center for Disease Control (CDC) were expecting this pandemic announcement. The Director of the CDC, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, said, "It's based on the data."

However, he did add that, "this does not mean there is any difference in the severity of the flu. There has been no change in the virus."

Dr. Anne Schuchat, the Director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, has explained that:

"Here in the United States, we have been responding as if it were a pandemic already."

Dr. Schuchat goes on to explain that the pandemic announcement means that "for countries that were not seeing the flu we have seen here, they need to dust off their pandemic plans."

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, stated:

"What this declaration does do is remind the world that flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously. Although we have not seen large numbers of severe cases in this country so far, things could possibly be very different in the fall, especially if things change in the Southern Hemisphere, and we need to start preparing now in order to be ready for a possible H1N1 immunization campaign, starting in late September."

The last flu pandemic was the Hong Kong flu of 1968, which killed 1 million people. The common flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people every year.

However, even though the WHO has announced pandemic status of the swine flu, it does not mean that the flu itself has gotten any worse.

A former New York City Health Commissioner and Dean of Public Health at the State University of New York's Downstate Medical Center, Dr. Pascal James Imperato, said in a statement:

"A World Health Organization level 6, which in effect states that H1N1 infections are now worldwide in distribution, is simply a declaration of the extent of geographic spread, and not a statement of severity of the clinical disease. The disease remains relatively mild in most people. A positive consequence of this declaration is that it empowers countries to move forward with vaccine production."

Health officials in America have stated that the flu infections have been moderately mild and that most people recover quickly, and that preliminary testing has shown that the H1N1 virus is receptive to Tamiflu and Relenza, which are both common antiviral drugs.

However, scientists and other health officials will be keeping a vigilant eye on the swine flu to see if it mutates or becomes resistant to the antiviral medications or if it becomes more easily spreadable amongst people.

At this point in time, American health officials have explained that there is no way to tell now if the H1N1 virus will become more deadly when, and if, it does return to American shores with the coming of winter.

Photo Credit: AndyB in Brazil!