Christmas Gift Idea: Homemade Jelly, Jam and Preserves

Jelly, jam and preserves make the best inexpensive homemade Christmas gifts. You will need to have the right equipment on hand to make them. You'll need baking sheets, canning jars with lids, a colander, several pots and pans, a food processor or blender, some paring knives, tongs, slotted spoons, a strainer for removing seeds from fruit such as strawberries and blackberries, and a wire rack for cooling. You will also need ingredients such as sugar and pectin, the ingredient which makes the product firm and solid.

Before you begin to make your jam, jelly or preserves Christmas gift, wash your jars out with hot soapy water, or wash them in the dishwasher. You may keep them hot on the dishwasher's dry cycle or set them on baking sheets and transfer them to the oven set to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the lids sterile by simmering them in water. Never bring them to a full rolling boil. You can also make jam, jelly and preserves with some bread makers.

It's best to use the freshest fruit possible. Try obtaining your fruit from local growers, since they tend to fresh off the vine; fruit shipped from out of state is often picked green and has already been sitting for weeks before it even reaches you. You can also try picking your own fruit at a local farm or orchard. Since most fruit is harvested in the summer or fall, it's best to get started on your canning well in advance of the Christmas season. Carefully wash your fruit before beginning the canning process. Then chop and pit it, removing any blemishes or bruises. If the fruit you need is not in season, you can easily make your jam, jelly or preserves from frozen fruit.

After you complete your jam, jelly or preserves and place it in the jars with the lids tightly screwed on, you must sterilize them by boiling them in water which covers the jars by one or two inches. When completed, the button on the top of the lid should be down, just as in jars which you would purchase from the grocery store. If the lid is not down, then this is a sign that your product did not sterilize and seal properly, and you will need to repeat the process.

Be very careful when making jam, jelly or preserves. There is a lot of heat involved in this process, and you can easily be burned. Try wearing heat-resistant gloves and long sleeves to protect your hands and arms.

When your jelly, jam or preserves are finished, decorate them by placing attractive cloth over the lids and binding with a ribbon. Complete your homemade Christmas gift by placing the jars inside a gift basket. You can buy the basket, make it yourself, or purchase one from a thrift store, garage sale or Craigslist.

Apricot Jam Christmas Gift Idea

3 pounds apricots (you can substitutes nectarines, plums or peaches)
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup water
7 cups sugar
Fruit pectin

Start with fresh or frozen apricots (they should have no added sugar). Wash the fruit thoroughly under cool water. Jam can be made in small batches only, so don't increase the recipe. Follow the above instructions for sterilizing the jars. Keep the lids in the lightly boiling water while you're making the apricot mixture.

Peel the apricots. To make peeling easier, boil the fruit for about a minute, then remove and soak in ice water. The skins should come off easily.

Carefully chop and pit the apricots, removing any brown areas. Place them in a food processor or blender with the water and process until they are smooth. Measure about four cups of apricots into a large pot. Add the sugar and the lemon juice and stir. Boil over high heat and continue to stir. Add the amount of pectin recommended by the manufacturer and boil hard about one minute longer, and stir constantly. Remove the mixture from the heat. Place the jam in the jars with a metal ladle. Do not fill all the way to the top, but leave a space of about one eighth of an inch. Use a freshly washed damp towel to remove any spills from the outside of the jars. Use the tongs to remove the lids from the gently boiling water, and place on a towel to dry. Screw the lids on the jars tightly and sterilize in boiling water for five to eight minutes.

Apple Preserves Christmas Gift Idea

6 cups tart apples such as Rome, Macintosh or Granny Smith
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Fruit pectin
1/2 cup thin lemon slices
2 teaspoons of nutmeg
4 cups sugar

Peel and slice the apples. Place them in the saucepan with the water and lemon juice. Cook over low heat for ten minutes with the cover on. Add the pectin according to package instructions and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and the lemon slices. Bring back to a full boil, and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.

Remove the apple mixture from the heat and add the nutmeg. Ladle into the jars, leaving a space of one quarter inch at the top. Remove the lids from the boiling water and allow to cool. Dry them and screw them on tightly. Boil the jars in water for ten minutes.

Blackberry Preserves Christmas Gift Idea

3 pounds fresh or frozen blackberries
7 cups sugar
Fruit Pectin

Remove any stems or caps from the blackberries. If using frozen blackberries, allow them to thaw before beginning. Wash thoroughly under cold water and allow to drain. Process the blackberries in a food processor or blender. Push through a strainer to remove the seeds. Place four cups of blackberries into a large pot and add the sugar. Bring this mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for one minute, stirring continually. Transfer to hot jars, and place the lids on tightly. Boil the jars in water for five to ten minutes.

Raspberry Jelly Christmas Gift Idea

3 quarts raspberries
7 1/2 cups sugar
Fruit pectin

Place the raspberries in a jar and crush them. Boil the jar in a saucepan until the juice is released. Place some cheesecloth in a strainer and place over a large sauce pot. Pour off the juice. Remove the cheesecloth and place the cooked raspberries into the strainer and allow to drain into the pot. You should have four cups of juice. Don't try to push the juice out of the raspberries. Gradually add the sugar and bring the mixture to a low boil. Add the fruit pectin and boil. Ladle into sterilized jars and tightly screw on the lids.

Jalapeno Jelly Christmas Gift Idea

1 green bell pepper
16 jalapeno peppers
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 1/4 cups sugar
Fruit pectin
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

Chop the green bell pepper and twelve of the jalapeno peppers. Process in a food processor until well chopped. Place in a large pot and add the vinegar. Boil over low heat for fifteen to twenty minutes. Push the mixture through a strainer or through cheesecloth until you have one up of juice. Put the juice back into the pot, and add the sugar and salt. Boil to a full rolling boil for a minute. Add the pectin according to package instructions.

Seed and chop the remaining four jalapeno peppers. Stir them into the jelly mixture, then ladle the jelly into sterile jars with one quarter inch of empty space at the top. Seal the jars tightly.

"How to Make Apricot Preserves," URL: (http://www.ehow.com/how_17979_make-apricot-preserves.html)
"How to Make Blackberry Preserves," URL: (http://www.ehow.com/how_17892_make-blackberry-preserves.html)

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/453235/christmas_gift_idea_homemade_jelly.html?cat=74

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Ten Free Christmas Gift Ideas

Sometimes we find ourselves short on Christmas cash, yet we still have several people left on our Christmas lists. If this happens to you this Christmas, give some thought to these ten free Christmas gift ideas.

1. Coupons: You can easily make coupons this Christmas for your friends, family, and coworkers, for free. To create these free Christmas coupons, open a word processing program and search for clipart that will match your coupon. For example, if you want to give your child a free Christmas coupon that entitles them to a month without having to take out the trash, you could search for trash can. Once you have selected a clipart image, type your message next to the coupon, selecting a nice font to add character to your free Christmas coupon. Once you have made the number of free Christmas coupons that you need, print them out and put them in an envelope. I highly suggest decorating the envelope to make the gift even more special. For example, if you have stickers around the house that your child would like, decorate the envelope that way. If the free coupons are for your partner, decorate the envelope with hearts and love quotes that can be found online.

2. Homemade Treats: Homemade treats make the perfect free Christmas gift. If you have a well stocked pantry, you can easily make a free Christmas gifts. Choose easy recipes, last Christmas I chose four recipes, I split the recipes up and packaged them in Christmas tins, but you could easily put the treats on paper plates and wrap them with plastic wrap. The people, I gave these free Christmas treats to, were thrilled. They liked the candy and cookies more than previous Christmas gifts that weren’t free. Free Christmas gifts that come from the heart mean more than something hastily picked up at the local department store.

3. Collage: Whether it’s for your friends or family, a collage of pictures makes a great free Christmas gift. A great idea is look online for pictures of celebrities that your loved ones like. Print the pictures out on photo paper and assemble them on large piece of cardboard. You can easily take part of a large shipping box and use it to assemble your pictures on. I think it looks great to overlap the pictures. This way the cardboard is completely covered and all you see are the pictures. You can do the same thing with family pictures. This makes a great free Christmas gift.

4. Offer Your Services: If you specialize in something, you can easily give a free Christmas gift this year. For example, if you own a bakery, offer to make your friends cakes for their Christmas parties. If you are a mechanic, offer to change your friend’s oil for free. Your friends will greatly appreciate your services and it will be free.

5. A Romantic Dinner: This is a great free Christmas gift idea for boyfriends/husbands. Prepare your girlfriend/wife a meal from scratch on a night that you know will be really hectic for her. For example, if she calls to tell you that she’s going to go and finish up the Christmas shopping that evening, have dinner ready when she gets home. She’ll love you for it. Another idea, for friends, is to cook a romantic dinner for them. Arrive at their house with food from your own pantry and fridge. If your friends have a dining room, set it up with candles and turn down the lights. If your friends don’t have a dining room, set up their living room in a very romantic way. Maybe pushing the coffee table out of the way and placing a blanket and several pillows in the floor and candles around the room. Have your friends sit down and enjoy each others company while you go into the kitchen and prepare them a wonderful dinner. I would suggest preparing a dessert at home and leaving it for them on the kitchen counter and slipping out while they enjoy their dinner, making sure they have everything they need before you leave. This is a free Christmas gift idea that cannot miss.

6. A Night Off: Do your friends have a really hectic life? Work, kids, soccer practice, etc? Give your friends the nights off. Offer to take their children to soccer practice and then take them to your house for dinner. This will allow your friends to relax after work. A night of relaxation is a wonderful free Christmas gift.

7. Errands: Does your partner have several errands to do on the weekend? Do they have to get the oil changed, go grocery shopping, get the kids hair cut, etc? Let them take the weekend off. Get the grocery list from them, take the car and get the oil changed and pick up the groceries. Then get something to eat out town. Bring your partner something to eat and including a pint of their favorite ice cream. This free Christmas gift will get you lots of brownie points.

8. Crafts: Are you good at a certain craft? Do you know how to do cross-stitch or crochet? Make your loved ones a free Christmas gift using the hobby that you love. A free homemade Christmas gift that your loved ones can keep forever means so much. When you put so much time into a gift, your recipients do not think about the fact that the Christmas gift was free.

9. Book of Quotes and Poems: We all have notebooks lying around the house. This Christmas create a free Christmas gift that will show how much you really do care. Go online and search for quotes and poems that match the relationship you have with this person. For example, if you are making this book for your girlfriend/wife search for love quotes and poems. Then decorate the outside of the book with hearts and maybe rose petals that have been pressed in a book. To put this much time in a Christmas gift especially for your girlfriend/wife will mean more than you ever imagined. Free doesn’t have to be junk. A free Christmas gift can be very meaningful. It just takes time.

10. CD: Everyone has favorite songs. Make your loved one a CD that has all their favorite songs on it this Christmas. If it’s for someone extra special, put songs on there that remind you of them. This is another great Christmas gift that is free. It just requires searching for the music and burning the CD.


Free Christmas gifts must come from the heart or they are nothing more than junk. You really must think about these Christmas gifts and the person you are giving them to. Make a free Christmas gift as special as the person you are giving it to.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/63527/ten_free_christmas_gift_ideas.html?cat=46

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Holiday stress

Holidays are supposed to offer relaxation and recuperation, but some people find them disappointingly stressful. One of the main reasons is the changing face of the Australian holiday. While many people used to take four weeks or more of leave from work, most people now take shorter breaks and choose destinations close to home. With less time to enjoy, many people compensate by organising jam-packed itineraries, which can lead to exhaustion and disillusionment.

The 'holiday of a lifetime' myth can create stress
Since Australians are taking shorter and fewer holidays, the pressure to have the 'perfect' holiday is higher than ever. Such expectation can lead to stress and disappointment. Suggestions include:

1. Ease the pressure, if possible, by planning a few short breaks over the year. That way, the annual holiday won't take on so much importance that it fails your expectations.

2. If possible, take longer holidays. You are more likely to feel relaxed after three weeks away rather than one.

3. Action-packed itineraries can leave everyone exhausted and frazzled - the recuperative powers of 'doing nothing' while on holidays are underrated. Make sure you allow enough time for lazing on the beach, reading books and dawdling over good food.

Sidestep potential problems
Holidays can be marred by misfortune, but you can avoid many potential pitfalls with forethought and commonsense, including:

1. Buy adequate travel insurance. Make sure it covers the needs of every family

2. Be sun-smart and avoid sunburn by covering up and wearing sunscreen.

3. Don't undertake risky adventure sports (such as parachuting) unless you are experienced.

4. If you're keen on adventure sports, use the correct equipment and go with a trained professional.

5. If traveling overseas, carry copies of important documents and items (such as passports, travelers cheques and credit cards) in case of theft.

6. Take measures to avoid food poisoning - for example, don't eat at buffet restaurants.

Traveling with young children
uggestions include:

1. Involve older children in the planning for the holiday.

2. Ask your travel agent for family-friendly suggestions. For example, you may like to consider two-bedroom accommodation, or a hotel with child-minding services.

3. Balance everyone's needs. When visiting attractions with older children, try the 'trade off' method - activities for adults in the morning, balanced with activities for children in the afternoon.

4. Keep it simple. Complicated trips involving lots of travelling, jam-packed itineraries or too many visits to adult-orientated attractions can be difficult on children and aggravating for parents.

Spending time together can be stressful
A family naturally expects to have a good time on holidays. However, it is worth remembering that most families only spend a few hours per day together because of work, school and recreational pursuits. Habits that are usually just annoying could become major sources of irritation when you spend every waking minute together on holidays. Suggestions include:

1. Consider your accommodation options. It may be better to rent a two (or more) bedroom unit rather than a large bunkhouse, so that everyone can have some time to themselves when they want.

2. Not every event has to be experienced as a family unit. Consider splitting the family into two 'teams' - for example, dad with one child and mum with the other - so you can explore attractions separately. Swap over the next day.

3. Use negotiation to settle disputes. Trying to enforce calm by using the saying 'because I said so' will only make children grumpy and parents fed-up.

Step-families can experience holiday tension
Around four per cent of Australian families are step-families, while blended families (where partners each have children from prior relationships) account for about three per cent. In some cases, holidays for these families can be extremely difficult. Suggestions include:

1. Appreciate that it may take five to eight years or so before everyone is comfortable enough with holidaying together to really enjoy it.

2. Together, acknowledge that this is a new family that needs 'new' traditions, including where and how you go on holiday. Work as a group to come up with ideas that suit everyone (expect to compromise).

3. Anticipate and allow each person to miss and grieve the holiday traditions of their original family. Where possible, accommodate wishes.

4. Keep the communication lines open. Talk to each other about feelings, wants and disappointments.

5. Don't brush over conflicts while on holiday. Use this time to help work out the dynamics of your new family.

6. Set limits. The stability of your marriage must take precedence, since your new family is at risk without your commitment to each other as partners.

Where to get help
1. Your doctor
2. Travel agent
3. Family counsellors.

Things to remember
1. Rather than spend four weeks or so on holiday, Australians are increasingly taking shorter breaks and choosing destinations close to home.

2. With less time to enjoy, many people compensate by organising jam-packed itineraries, which can lead to exhaustion and disillusionment.

3. Take the needs of each family member into account when planning a holiday.

4. Keep expectations realistic - a few weekends away during the year will reduce the pressure on the annual holiday to be 'perfect'.

Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Holiday_stress?OpenDocument

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Christmas can be stressful

Although Christmas is meant to be a happy and joyful time, this isn't how everyone feels at this time of the year. Christmas can be a stressful and depressing time for many people. Some people find that the Christmas spirit can be undermined by:

1. Financial and time pressures
2. Isolation
3. Family tensions
4. Separation and divorce
5. Bereavement
6. Becoming a step-family
7 Reflecting on another year gone by.

Financial and time pressures
The expense of gifts and food, the pressure of shopping and the expectations of the season can make Christmas an extremely stressful time. General suggestions include:

1. Budget for Christmas so that you don't overspend. This may mean putting money away each week throughout the year.

2. Do your Christmas shopping early, perhaps in November.

3. Shop online or use mail order catalogues to avoid the crowds at shopping centres.

4. Consider a simpler version of Christmas lunch this year, such as a buffet where everyone brings a plate, or else delegate as many tasks as you can.

5. Seek advice from a financial counsellor if you are experiencing severe money troubles. Centrelink offers free advice for people on benefits.

Isolation
Some people find themselves alone at Christmas time. The reasons could include relocation to a city far from relatives, a marital break-up or family estrangement. The emphasis on family, friends and shared good times during the 'festive season' can make these people feel depressed and unloved. Suggestions include:

1. If separated by distance, keep in constant touch by phone, mail and email.

2. Christmas shopping for loved ones can help you feel connected, even though you may be half a world away. Make sure you post your gifts in early December to avoid the Christmas mail rush.

3. Make plans for Christmas Day. If you have no one to share the day with, consider volunteering for charity work - for example, you could help organisations such as The Salvation Army give Christmas lunch to people in need.

4. Attend community celebrations such as Carols by Candlelight and neighbourhood picnics.

5. Use the strength of your feelings to change your situation. If you are estranged from loved ones, perhaps you could attempt to reconcile with relatives and old friends (if possible), or else take steps to widen your social network.

Family tensions
All families experience tension to some degree. Part of the reason why Christmas time can be so stressful is the unrealistic expectation of coming together as a happy family on this one day of the year. Suggestions include:

1. Keep realistic expectations. If your relatives tend to fight throughout the year, they will fight on Christmas Day as well.

2. Appreciate that everyone is under stress to a certain degree. For example, one relative may have worked overtime to get everything done before their office closed for Christmas and may be feeling exhausted and harried. Another may be anxious because they overspent on their credit cards. As far as possible, be understanding of people's situations.

3. Consider breaking up the celebrations to keep 'warring factions' apart. For example, you could see one group of relations on Christmas Eve and another on Christmas Day.

4. Family members involved in after lunch activities (such as cricket on the back lawn) are less likely to get into arguments. Plan for something to do as a group after lunch if necessary.

5. Use relaxation techniques, distraction and group activities to help steer around stressful situations.

6. Avoid overindulging in alcohol - the reduced inhibitions could contribute to (or cause) an unnecessary argument.

Separation or divorce
It can be hard for a 'fractured' family to face its first Christmas. Perhaps the parents have separated or divorced, or a family member is overseas and unable to attend the traditional celebrations. Suggestions include:

1. Allow yourself to feel your emotions. If you prefer to put on a brave face for others, give yourself enough time alone to help deal with your feelings.

2. Talk about it as a family. Sharing your thoughts and feelings (and tears) can help you feel closer.

3. If children are involved, the separated couple should try hard to be civil during the festive season, or at least limit their disagreements to times when their children are out of earshot.

4. Arrange, if necessary, to stagger the Christmas celebrations so that the children can spend (for example) Christmas Day with one parent and Boxing Day with the other. To keep it fair, you can swap arrangements the year after.

5. Avoid the Christmas rush and send presents, cards or letters to loved ones overseas at the start of December. Appreciate that phone calls may be difficult to make at Christmas because of high demand.

Step-families
Around four per cent of Australian families are step-families, while blended families (partners who each have children from prior relationships) account for about three per cent. In some cases, Christmas for these families can be extremely difficult. Suggestions include:

1. Get together as a family and decide (early in the year, so there's plenty of time) what you would all like to do for Christmas. Make sure the children have their say.

2. Stagger the celebrations so that each child gets to spend time with both their natural parents and their step-parents.

3. Try not to take arrangements too personally. For example, if your ex-partner says they can only see their child for a brief breakfast on Boxing Day, that doesn't necessarily mean they don't care. Instead of getting angry, organise a more substantial get-together for your child and ex-partner next Christmas.

4. Appreciate that now is not the time to sort out long-standing grievances. Christmas is stressful enough as it is - wait until things have settled down in the New Year, if you can.

5. Talk to friends or a counsellor if you need help to sort through your feelings.

Bereavement
Significant occasions, such as birthdays and Christmas, are always difficult for a bereaved family. Suggestions include:

1. Deciding to ignore Christmas altogether could exacerbate your grief. However, depending on your family's needs, you may wish to try something different this year - for example, if you've always had lunch at home, perhaps have it at a restaurant instead. Alternatively, sticking to your family's traditions may be more helpful. The important thing is to discuss your preferences as a family.

2. Expect and appreciate that people show their grief in different ways. One person may want to reminisce, while another could prefer to remain tight-lipped.

3. If you feel you can, talk together about your loved one. Sharing memories and tears can help you come to terms with Christmas without them.

4. You may like to spend some time alone so you can think about your loved one. Talking out loud to them or writing them a letter can be helpful.

5. Don't feel guilty if you find yourself having a good time - sharing a few laughs with family or friends doesn't mean you don't love or miss that special person.

6. Ask friends for their support. If they don't know how to help you, tell them.

7. It might be beneficial to talk to someone neutral, such as a bereavement counsellor.

Looking back without joy
The close of another year often prompts people to reflect on their achievements - or disappointments - over the previous 12 months. Some people mourn the loss of another year of their lives. Suggestions include:

1. Make a conscious effort to list all the positive things you did or experienced during the year.

2. If possible, mend fences. Contact those people you miss and make steps towards reconciliation.

3. Appreciate that your feelings may be due to a combination of Christmas-related factors, including money worries, the pressure of last minute shopping and unrealistic expectations of festive cheer. Remind yourself that many of these negative feelings will pass once the New Year is underway.

4. Remember that most New Year's Eve resolutions are unrealistic, made during times of sad reflection. This year, try to come up with positive and achievable goals for the upcoming 12 months.

Where to get help

1. Your doctor
2. Financial planner
3. Psychologist
4. Your local community health centre
5. Anxiety Recovery Centre Victoria Helpline Tel. (03) 9886 9377
6. Australian Psychological Referral Service Tel. (03) 8662 3300 or 1800 333 497

Things to remember
1. Ease Christmas stress by drawing up a budget, shopping early and taking steps to avoid overspending.

2. Don't expect a hassle-free Christmas - realistic expectations can prevent disappointment.

3. Discuss your Christmas plans as a family, and appreciate that doing things a little differently this year could help everyone deal with loss, divorce or new family arrangements.

Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Christmas_can_be_stressful?OpenDocument

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Christmas - tips to reduce the stress

Christmas is typically one of the most stressful events of the year. The expense of buying gifts, the pressure of last minute shopping and the heightened expectations of family togetherness can all combine to undermine our best intentions. Some practical suggestions can help you reduce your 'Christmas stress'.

Budgeting for Christmas
For many of us, the Christmas aftermath includes massive credit card bills that can take months to clear. Christmas doesn't have to be a financial headache if you plan ahead. Stress reduction strategies include:

1. As early as you can in the New Year, work out a rough budget of expected Christmas costs. Don't forget 'hidden' expenses such as food bills and overseas telephone charges.

2. Calculate how much disposable income you have between now and Christmas. A certain percentage of this can be dedicated each week (or fortnight or month) to covering your expected Christmas costs. Don't be discouraged if the amount seems small. If you save $5.00, $10.00 or $20.00 per week over a year, it can provide you with a hefty nest egg.

3. If your nest egg isn't enough to cover your estimated expenses, perhaps you may need to refigure your Christmas budget to a more realistic amount.

4. If you have trouble keeping your hands off your Christmas nest egg, consider opening a 'Christmas Club' account.

Presents
If you have a large circle of extended family or friends to buy gifts for, it can be very costly. You might be able to reduce the stress and cost of Christmas for everyone if you suggest a change in the way your family and friends give presents. For example, you could suggest that your group:

1. Buy presents only for the children.
2. Have a Kris Kringle, where everyone draws a name out of a hat and buys a present only for that person.
3. Set a limit on the cost of presents.

Christmas shopping
According to a recent study by Roy Morgan Research, around 60 per cent of Australians dislike Christmas shopping, just 20 per cent plan their shopping expeditions, and the majority of us (nearly 75 per cent) often come home without a single purchase for our efforts. Stress reduction strategies for successful Christmas shopping include:

1. Make a list of all the gifts you wish to buy before you go shopping. If you wait for inspiration to strike, you could be wandering aimlessly around the shopping centre for hours.

2. Buy a few extras, such as chocolates, just in case you forget somebody or you have unexpected guests bearing gifts.

3. If possible, do your Christmas shopping early - in the first week of December or
even in November. Some well-organised people do their Christmas shopping gradually over the course of the year, starting with the post-Christmas sales.

4. Buy your gifts by mail catalogue or over the Internet. Some companies will also gift-wrap and post your presents for a small additional fee.

The Christmas lunch (or dinner)
Stress reduction strategies include:

1. If you are cooking lunch at home, delegate tasks. You don't need to do everything yourself.

2. Consider keeping it simple - for instance, you could always arrange for a 'buffet' lunch, where everybody brings a platter.

3. Buy as many non-perishable food items as you can in advance - supermarkets on Christmas Eve are generally extremely busy.

4. You may need to order particular food items (such as turkeys) from your supermarket by a certain date. Check to avoid disappointment.

5. Consider doing your food shopping online. The store will deliver your groceries to your door. (Keep in mind this option is more expensive than visiting the supermarket yourself.)

6. Book well in advance if you plan to have lunch at a restaurant. Some restaurants may be fully booked for months before Christmas, so don't wait till the last minute.

Relationships
Stress, anxiety and depression are common during the festive season. If nothing else, reassure yourself that these feelings are normal. Stress reduction strategies include:

1. Don't expect miracles. If you and certain family members bicker all year long, you can be sure there'll be tension at Christmas lunch.

2. Avoid known triggers. For example, if politics is a touchy subject in your family, don't talk about it. If someone brings up the topic, use distraction and quickly move onto something else to talk about.

3. Use relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or focusing on your breath, to cope with anxiety or tension.

4. Family members involved in after-lunch activities (such as cricket on the back lawn) are less likely to get into arguments. Plan for something to do as a group after lunch if necessary.

5. People under stress tend to 'self-medicate' with alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. Try to remember that drugs can't solve problems or alleviate stress in the long term.

The little extras
Other ways you might be able to reduce the stress include:

1. Write up a Christmas card list and keep it in a safe place so that you can refer to it (and add or delete names) year after year.

2. Plan to write your Christmas cards in early December. Book a date in your diary so you don't forget.

3. Christmas cards with 'Card only' marked on the envelope can be posted at a reduced rate during November and December.

4. Overseas mail at Christmas time takes longer to arrive. Arrange to send cards or presents in the first half of December, to avoid disappointments (and long queues at the post office).

5. For great savings, buy Christmas necessities (such as cards, wrapping paper, ribbons and decorations) at post-Christmas sales.

General health and wellbeing
Some other ways to keep your stress levels down include:

1. Try to be moderate - it may be the season to be jolly, but too much food and alcohol is harmful, and drink driving is a real danger and illegal. If you can't (or don't want to) step off the social merry-go-round, at least try to eat and drink in moderation.

2. Get enough sleep - plan for as many early nights as you can.

3. Keep moving - keeping up your regular exercise routine can give you the fitness and stamina to make it through the demands of the festive season.

Where to get help
1. Your doctor
2. Financial planner
3. Your local community health centre.

Things to remember
1. Save a percentage of your disposable income throughout the year to provide a nest egg for Christmas expenses.

2. Make a list of all the gifts you wish to buy and shop early.

3. Don't expect miracles - if you and certain family members bicker all year long, you can be sure there'll be tension at Christmas lunch.

Source: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Christmas_tips_to_reduce_the_stress?OpenDocument

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The secret to surviving the holiday buffet

Yes, there are ways to enjoy the goodies — without gaining weight

There is probably no greater diet danger zone than the holiday buffet. It's hard to resist grabbing a huge plate and piling it up with buttery breads, cheeses, meats, cakes, cookies and pies.

Although it might seem as if we’re swimming against stream when it comes to the delicious — but calorie-laden — holiday table, there are a lot of people who seem immune to overloading their plates. They have fun at buffets, parties and dinners without gaining weight. What’s their secret?

To better understand how some people survive the pitfalls of all-you-can-eat dining, researchers at my Cornell University Food and Brand Lab observed 213 normal weight and overweight diners at buffets across the country. We found that heavier diners are more likely than slimmer diners to sit closer to the buffet, use larger plates and serve themselves immediately instead of browsing the buffet.

In the study, heavy folks grabbed a plate almost as soon as they arrived and immediately started serving themselves. The normal weight diners were more likely to scout things out first. When they did pick up a plate they were seven times more likely than the heavy eaters to take the smallest plate available. Some specifics:

- 71 percent of normal-weight diners browsed the buffet before serving themselves, compared to 33 percent of obese diners.

- 27 percent of normal-weight patrons faced the buffet compared to 42 percent of obese diners.

- 16 percent of obese diners sat at a booth rather than a table compared to 38 percent of normal weight diners.

- Normal-weight people chewed their food an average of 15 times per bite versus overweight people who chewed only 12 times. In fact, speedy eaters are three times more likely to be overweight than people who eat more slowly and who don’t eat until they’re full, recent research found.

- Overweight diners sat an average of 16 feet closer to the buffet than normal-weight diners, presumably to shorten the trip when they go back for seconds … or thirds.

Have your cake and eat it
There are three main problems with a buffet, not only at the holidays, but anytime of the year. Those huge tables of food are prime examples of what I call the 3 C's of disastrous dieting:

Convenience: Food is all around and it’s often with arm-reach.

Caloric: Whether sweet or salty, buffet foods are often higher in the indulgence factor than good sense.

Choices: There is a lot of variety, which increases how much you eat because your taste buds don’t burn out on one thing.

The bottom line of the buffet is you really can have your holiday cake and eat it, too. You just need to browse the food to find what you really want, use a small plate and eat slowly. To avoid the temptation of going back for seconds, sit as far away from the table of food as possible. If you don’t face the goodies, you are less likely to spot something else you want to pile on the plate.

In my book, "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," I also describe a trick that seems to work well for many holiday buffet-goers. It’s called the Rule of Two. You can choose anything you want at the buffet, but you can never have more than two items on your plate. If you want to load it up with nuts and cake, go ahead. If you want to go back for seconds and load it up again with chips and carrots, go ahead. Although this sounds like a recipe for disaster, it actually works quite well for people for three reasons:

1. You tend to take the two types of food you want most. People who love desserts don’t work their way up to desserts. They’ll start with the desserts, and then stop.

2. You tend to not overfill you plate. Putting only two things on our plate helps keep our serving sizes somewhat small because we psychologically don’t want to overload on a particular item.

3. You tend to not go back more than two times. In one study we did on the Rule of Two, 83 percent of people only made one or two additional returns to the buffet.

Using some of these easy rules can help you take the focus off the food and pay more attention to what really makes the holidays special — your family and friends.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27891075/

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5 foods to maximize your muscle power

Introduction
There is a strong connection between muscle mass and good health, says Robert Wolfe, director of Translational Research in Aging and Longevity at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. “As we age, we tend to lose muscle, especially if we are not using it,” says Wolfe. “These losses eventually affect quality of life, our balance, strength and ability to recover from an illness or accident.”

In fact, muscles do everything from help you move and digest your food, to — in the case of your heart muscle — pump nutrients throughout your body. “Our heart, brain, skin and other organs are in a constant state of remodeling with tissue being built and broken down,” says Nancy Rodriguez, a registered dietitian and director of sports nutrition programs at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. “Muscles offer a significant supply of amino acids to ensure these vital parts stay strong.”

Active muscles not only help cut your risk of developing diabetes or osteoporosis, but the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body can burn.

To keep your muscles strong and healthy you need the right kind of diet. Click on the items to see how these five foods can help you maximize your muscle mass.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26777340/?pg=1#Health_COT_musclemass

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10 ways to cut 100 calories

Outsmart your appetite by secretly trimming 100 calories each day with these sneaky yet simple substitutions. You’ll never miss them!

Breakfast
Flavor your coffee with cinnamon and nutmeg instead of flavored syrup.

The evidence that coffee is healthy for you just keeps mounting. Consuming two to three daily cups of caffeinated drinks, including coffee, can cut your risk of dying from heart disease. Coffee may also significantly lower your likelihood of developing colon cancer.

Lunch
Enjoy your salad without the croutons.

To get that crunch you’re craving, toss in some extra carrots and celery instead. Carrots are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibers. Celery contains pthalides, compounds that lower your blood pressure by relaxing artery walls.

Dinner
Order pizza with grilled chicken instead of pepperoni.

Chicken is an excellent source of selenium, niacin and vitamin B6 and a good source of zinc. Make sure it’s cooked until well done at 165 degrees F (or 74 degrees C) and no longer pink inside.

Portion control
Leave 3 or 4 bites on your plate.

Only eat when hungry! Always eat breakfast, munch on fiber all day long, include healthy protein at each meal and refuel every four hours. You must learn to recognize the physical cues that signal a true need for nourishment.

Side dishes
Season steamed vegetables with fresh lemon and herbs instead of butter.

In some vegetables, flavors intensify as the plant matures, which is why the so-called baby versions have wider taste appeal with just as many health benefits. Experiment with baby artichokes, squashes, turnips and carrots (the small ones sold in bunches, with greens still attached) and you may also like the more tender texture.

Desserts
Choose your piece of sheet cake from the middle, where there’s less icing.

A sweet new trend may help keep your waistline in check: mini-desserts! Portion size is key to keeping calories in check for a healthy dessert. Also, watch for hidden sugar in prepared foods. Many contain hefty amounts of sugar, but it’s hidden under aliases (such as barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses) on ingredient panels.

Freshen your drink
Add a splash of 100 percent fruit juice to sweeten fresh brewed iced tea in place of sugar.

Enjoy at least one cup of tea every day. Whether it’s iced or hot, tea delivers a blast of antioxidant compounds. Tea helps to keep blood vessels relaxed and prevent blood clots. Flavonoids, the major antioxidants in tea, have been shown to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that leads to plaque formation on artery walls. These powerful antioxidants may even reduce cholesterol and even lower blood pressure.

Snacks
Control your portions by pouring an individual serving of pretzels or chips into a bowl instead of eating from the bag.

For some people, snacks between meals curb their appetite so they eat fewer calories overall. But for others, it can substantially increase the amount of calories they consume and lead to weight gain. So small portions are crucial. Buy whole grain pretzels or baked varieties of potato chips whenever possible.

Dinner
Ask for the bread basket to be removed from the table.

Order one or even two salads and your favorite burger or sandwich without the bun. To fill yourself up, create a big salad using protein from your sandwich. Avoid anything fried, and stay away from special sauces. Use two tablespoons of sauce, and ask the waiter to take the rest away to avoid dipping.

Be dip-savvy
Dip fruit into fat-free yogurt, and veggies in bean dip or salsa.

Beans are a great source of protein, fiber and folate. Most healthy salsas are only 80 calories a cup. The tomato-based versions are loaded with lycopene, a plant chemical linked to lower risks of cancer and heart disease.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25374014/?pg=2#Health_COT_100calories

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Pumpkin seeds for Muscles

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with magnesium, manganese, iron and copper.

Why: The minerals in the body are a fairly well-connected group — they play off one another and work together to build tissue, form enzymes for bodily functions and support communication between cells. They also help maximize muscle mass. Magnesium helps build protein for muscle function. It also helps relax muscles after they’ve contracted. Manganese is needed to form protein and is a component of enzymes that act as antioxidants which help repair damaged muscle tissue. Iron is good for building endurance.

One ounce of pumpkin seeds (a small handful) contains nearly half the manganese you need in a day.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26777340/?pg=2#Health_COT_musclemass

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Quinoa for Muscles

Quinoa (keen-wah), an ancient grain from South America, is full of good carbohydrates -- the body’s preferred source of energy -- as well as high-quality protein, potassium and iron.

Why: Carbs are critical to help you pack on muscle. Too few carbs means the proteins in your body will be used for energy, instead of creating new tissue.

So, while eating protein-rich foods is important for gaining muscle, don’t load up at the expense of wholesome carbohydrates. Quinoa contains all the essential amino acids your body needs for building muscle proteins and other tissues.

Quinoa is also a good source of potassium and contains several minerals including iron, which, as Popeye knows, is needed to help you stay strong.

Enjoy a half-cup of quinoa for breakfast with dried fruits and nuts stirred in, as a side dish mixed with beans and other vegetables, or add the mild, light flavor of quinoa to soups, casseroles or salads. Quinoa can also be found in some ready-to-eat cereals and prepared breads.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26777340/?pg=2#Health_COT_musclemass

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Low-fat yogurt for Muscles

Low-fat yogurt is rich in protein, potassium, calcium and vitamin D, all which work together to keep your muscles functioning properly.

Why: Studies suggest that Vitamin D binds to receptors in muscle which then promote growth and strength. Too little vitamin D is linked with muscle weakness.

Select a yogurt brand fortified with vitamin D, which can give you nearly a quarter of your daily requirement in one serving. A daily serving of 6-8 ounces should help keep your muscles primed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26777340/?pg=2#Health_COT_musclemass

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Sweet potatoes for Muscles

Sweet potatoes are a terrific source of potassium and antioxidants, which are good for building muscles.

Why: “Anyone who is exercising and working their muscles will be creating free radicals,” says Tara Gidus, a sports dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “Antioxidants can help disarm free radicals and help repair muscle tissue as it breaks down and rebuilds.”

Potassium-rich foods such as sweet potatoes can also help counteract the effects of eating too many acid-producing foods, such as meats, some dairy products and highly-processed items, which can speed the loss of muscle mass.

Other foods loaded with potassium and antioxidants include lettuces, peppers, kiwi, melon and oranges. Ideally, you should eat 5-9 servings of vegetables and produce a day with 3 servings of potassium-rich foods.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26777340/?pg=2#Health_COT_musclemass

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Fish for Muscles

Especially fish rich in omega-3 fats such as salmon, tuna, halibut, rainbow trout and canned sardines.

Why: Lean fish contains all the essential amino acids the body needs to make muscles and provide the building materials for creating and repairing other tissues.

Muscle mass is built based on the amount of protein (amino acids) consumed. While Americans typically get more than enough protein to feed their muscles, many older adults do not. An estimated one in every three people over the age of 60 loses so much muscle, partly because they don’t get enough protein to stave off breakdown of muscle tissue, that it affects their ability to function. According to some studies, the omega-3 fats found in fish may help slow the breakdown of muscle mass.

It’s recommended that you eat at least 2-3 meals of fish high in omega-3 fats per week.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26777340/?pg=2#Health_COT_musclemass

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Yoga Treatment For Men

Yoga is a prehistoric traditional form of physical and spiritual practice. In addition, it is a great industry that provides weight and stress reduction, tight butts, marvelous flexibility and sexual survival. Yoga is the earliest for of treatment for various health complications. However, it is still widely applied.

Yoga as a complementary treatment of depression
Groundwork findings support the potential of yoga as a complementary treatment for disheartened patients who are taking anti-depressant medications but are only in biased lessening.

Yoga is one of the helpful ways in the prevention and cure of certain diseases like diabetes and cardiac disorders. A lot of exercise boost digestion and help the pancreas and the liver to function normally thus regulating blood sugar levels.

Example of a useful yoga exercise
Stand with your feet spread shoulder width apart, bend forward with the hands on the knees and then exhale through your mouth. When your breath disappears, close the throat so that no air will be able to enter the lungs.

Expand your chest as if you are breathing and suck your abdominal muscles tightly forming a hollow space. Then try to relax your muscles and stay in this position until you need to breathe then relax and inhale slowly.

Now, go into abdominal pumping. Release the muscles so that your stomach returns to its normal position and then suck the abdominal muscles again. Repeat this until you need to breathe. Discharge slowly and breathe normally. Repeat this exercise thrice.

Benefits of yoga
The biggest and highest endeavor of yoga is the realization of the true self. Yoga leads to a cosmic love, feeling of oneness in a person and improves self-drive. Extreme practice of yoga has been found to trigger perception and creativity, open out artistic capabilities and improve mental power.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Yoga-Treatment-For-Men&id=1719611

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Yoga and the Economy

It is fall 2008. We have a new president-elect, the holiday season is in our presence, and snow is falling here on a beautifully thick gray day in Midwest America. Normally, based on these factors-being an especial lover of gray late-autumn days--I would say things are good.

But things are not good. We are riding a wave of a recession whose dark-lit story seems by experts' observations to be in its early chapters. We've all heard the fears, the fallout, the collapses, and the numbers, and we all expect to hear much more. Even if we generally dwell on the sunny side of the street, these are comparatively dark days.

Enter yoga and the economy. Yoga, the most economical of wellness systems ever created, can help humans through economic hard times. Now, more than ever when millions of people practice yoga worldwide, the power of steadfast yoga can help raise spirits and bring back a universal balance.

First, know that you are an economy in and of yourself. When a nation's economy is strong, the force of humans contained within it functions at a generally higher, smoother state than in a weaker economy. Likewise, when you are healthy in diet, exercise, and mind work (e.g., mental-emotional wellness exercises), you can be said to be a strong economy of one. These three broad realms of yoga practice and principle-diet, exercise, and mind work-are also the foundation of basic human wellness.

It is when one of these personal Big Three falters for you that it is time to take stock, make a plan, and take action. Even if you are eating well and exercising regularly these days but have more stress than you had before the economy started plummeting, you are at risk of personal economy downturn.

Consider the impact our nation's economic crisis, which threatens basic survival, has made on personal wellness. Retirement fund loss, heavy unemployment, and high anxiety of high prices at the store and the pump have touched our lives directly or indirectly, but most likely both. If you are worried about your retirement from 401K fallout or know someone who is, or if you are angry that your brother lost his job at GM or lost a job yourself, or if you are anxious that good, healthy food is so much more expensive than it used to be or worried how your community's much less fortunate are going to get enough food in the coming four weeks, this message is for you: Turn to yoga.

Turn to yoga. Or, if you are already a regular practitioner, turn to yoga more: more often, more intensely.

Yoga means unity. Just like the air you breathe, what happens to you happens to me. Your unemployed friend is your concern. Conversely, your efforts to keep yourself healthy in this recession can become your friend's hope. By keeping yourself up in these hard times, you help keep up the lives of those around you. This is yogic fact, or at least yogic modus operandi.

So use yoga's Big Three to get strong and stay strong. Be the government of your own economy. And don't give up on governance. Keep injecting your economy of one with yoga just like a government would inject its economy with recovery plans. Tap into the infinite resources within you to create a brighter day for you, for others.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Yoga-and-the-Economy&id=1716029

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Yoga For Beginners - Four Essential Yoga Breathing Exercises to Cleanse and Strengthen Your Body

In yoga, breath awareness forms the key of good practice. Breathing exercises, known as pranayama, are used to cleanse and strengthen the body. The breath, known as prana or life-force is the link between the mind and the body.

As you practice your breathing exercises, you will notice your mind feels calmer, steadier and you are more able to focus.

If you are new to yoga, it is essential you learn how to breathe correctly. To help you gain a better understanding of your breath, try the following breathing exercises.

Four Essential Yoga Breathing Exercises

1. Abdominal Breathing
Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs apart. Close your eyes. Have your feet about 2 feet apart, ankles falling to the side, have your arms about 6 - 12 inches from the body, palms facing upwards, keep your lower back flat on the floor, tuck the chin in slightly, so your neck is nice and long, relax the jaw.
Become aware of your breath, allow your breath to be slow and steady.
As you inhale, feel the abdomen rise slowly. As you exhale, feel the abdomen sink down.

2. Full Yogic Breathing
To check you are breathing correctly, sit in a cross-legged position.
Place your right hand on your upper chest and your left hand on your abdomen.
Inhale deep into your abdomen, feel your left hand rise up. Keep breathing in into your lower chest and then upper chest, feeling your right hand rise as he ribs expand.
Reverse the process as you breathe out, releasing air from the upper chest first, then the lower chest, then the abdomen.
Repeat this cycle for 3- 5 rounds.

3. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Anuloma Viloma)

Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position, spine straight, body relaxed.
Turn your attention to your right hand, bend the index and middle finger into the palm. The thumb, ring and little finger are up (this position is known as Vishnu Mudra. The thumb is used to close the right nostril, the ring and little finger the left nostril.
Close the right nostril with your thumb, and inhale through the left nostril to a count of four.
Close both nostrils and hold the breathe to a count of 16.
Release your thumb and exhale through the right nostril to a count of eight
Inhale through the right nostril to a count of four.

Close both nostrils and hold breath to a count of 16.
Release your fingers and exhale through the left nostril to a count of eight.
Repeat this cycle 5 - 10 rounds daily.

4. Yogic Cleansing Breath

Sitting comfortable, spine straight. Gently close your eyes.
Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of three.
Slowly breathe out, through your nose for a count of 6
Repeat this pattern for 3 - 7 more times.
Relax

Once you have experienced the therapeutic benefits of doing these breathing exercises, you will feel so much clearer and fitter. Try and make them a regular part of your daily yoga practice to help you cleanse and strengthen your body.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Yoga-For-Beginners---Four-Essential-Yoga-Breathing-Exercises-to-Cleanse-and-Strengthen-Your-Body&id=1725643

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Living Om - Yoga, Fun and Fitness For Kids 2-6 Years Old

In today's fast paced world it has become very challenging for many parents to commit the amount of time required to connect with their children. Through yoga we can hope to attain skills in overcoming these challenges to you, the significant adults in children's lives.

How can Living Om benefit children?

MIND
Focus, concentration and imagination are increased, intellectual development is enhanced by a calm mind, imagination and creativity are stimulated, relaxation techniques clear the mind and assist in improving memory capacity, self-esteem and confidence are built, encourages a love of learning, develop mental control

BODY
Performing the Yoga postures help purify blood in the blood vessels and muscle co-ordination. Everyday aches and pains can be reduced by practicing Yoga. Body posture awareness, muscle toning, improved stability and mobility of the joints. Internal organs are toned, strengthening the body immune, circulatory and digestive system. Agility, balance, control and coordination are improved, improved balance and sleep patterns.

SPIRIT
Develop oneness with nature, self-awareness is promoted, learn to honour others, ourselves, and all living things, postures and techniques in the stories introduce children to emotions like compassion, kindness, helpfulness, friendliness and understanding.

GENERAL WELL BEING
Toddlers following this program stay active, creative, flexible and agile. Breathing techniques helps improve respiratory system, self confidence and voices. Health and longevity rely on spinal cord flexibility, exercises in this program keeps the spine flexible. With an endless list of benefits, this program could be one of the most wonderful gifts you could give to your child.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Living-Om---Yoga,-Fun-and-Fitness-For-Kids-2-6-Years-Old&id=1730315

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Be a Natural Beauty - Look and Feel Great

Want natural beauty? It starts with natural products: you avoid chemicals in your food, so avoid them in skin care products and cosmetics too.

Here's how to be a natural beauty.

1. Choose a Natural Soap
Start by choosing a natural, organic soap. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It's delicate, so avoid harsh chemicals in your soap.

Natural soaps are made of products like olive oil, essential oils, and herbs. My current favorite is a milk and honey soap with neem oil.

2. Choose Natural Facial Skin Care Products to Cleanse and Moisturize
As with soap, choose natural facial skin care products. Here's a fast and easy skin cleanser: rose hip oil. Smooth the oil on, and remove makeup with a witch hazel-soaked cotton wool ball.

Rose hip oil is a natural source of Retinol A, which researchers say eliminates surface wrinkles, fades age spots, regenerates damaged skin, and softens and reduces the appearance of scars and stretch marks.

Rose hip oil makes a great moisturizer too.

3. Choose Mineral Cosmetics
Mineral cosmetics are wildly popular, and there are many different ranges of these products. Mineral cosmetics are made from all natural, finely ground real-earth minerals. They're totally free of all the chemicals, dyes, and preservatives which you find in traditional cosmetics.

Some dermatologists have said that mineral cosmetics are better for your skin because they chemical-free.

Give them a try, to see if they work for you.

4. Choose Natural Sleep: Get Lots of Rest
There's a reason they call it "beauty sleep." You can't look and feel great if you don't get enough sleep. Did you know that missing out on sleep can even lead to weight gain?

Get at least seven hours of sleep a night: it's not a luxury, it's an investment in good health, and in your beauty.

5. Choose Natural, Unprocessed Food
As the saying goes, what you eat today walks and talks tomorrow.

Just as you avoid putting chemicals on your skin, avoid them in your food too. This means eating natural, unprocessed foods.

Choose bread that's made of wholegrain flour, and avoid all packaged foods.

You can be a natural beauty: just ensure that you stay as close to nature as possible.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Be-a-Natural-Beauty---Look-and-Feel-Great&id=1687465

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Banana Diet Tips and Warning!

Here are some banana diet tips and a warning. First off, the banana diet CAN help you to lose a lot of weight. But some people don't do it right and when you do it wrong, it gets UGLY. So read this now to get things straight so you can enjoy losing weight on this really effective diet.

Banana Diet Tips and Warning
1. Warning: The banana diet has nothing to do with eating bananas as your main meal.

You'd be crazy if you ate bananas as your meals. Uh, you need protein and fats as well for your diet. If you ate nothing but bananas, you'd so many nutrient, mineral, and vitamin deficiencies. Besides, this would be pure torture to eat only bananas.

I know you're more intelligent than that, but I just wanted to be sure for those who get a little too aggressive with their dieting tactics.

2. Tips - There are 2 ways to do this diet and a combination way

You can eat 2 bananas, 3 separate times a day as snacks between meals. You can eat 2 bananas with your meals... 1 before and 1 after each meal (I don't advise this way). OR... you can do a combo in which you eat 1 banana with each of 3 meals and 1 banana 3 different times as a snack.

If I was to choose, I'd either do the first or third way... probably the 3rd way. Why? First, you need to use bananas as snacks. By using them just at your meals, you'd be opening up some problems when it comes time to snack between meals. So it's vital to use them as snacks.

Also, it's important to have them with meals because the live enzymes bananas contain help you to digest your foods better. Good digestive health is critically important for long term weight loss progress.

This is just a brief article, but hopefully I gave you some ideas on how to use the banana diet effectively to lose weight.

If you're SICK and TIRED of getting the same old boring weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, and Blah Blah Blah", then...

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Banana-Diet-Tips-and-Warning!&id=1590976

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Best Weight Loss Program

If you want to lose weight I am going to tell you best weight loss program. I will tell you what a weight loss program should include. A real weight loss program should not promise fast or rapid weight loss. As rapid weight loss programs never give long lasting results. So prepare your mind if you want to have a success in your weight loss program. The real weight loss program will never be fast you have to be patient as losing weight is a slow process.

Always consult a weight loss doctor or a dietician before starting your weight loss program as performance of an individual varies. You should make some small changes if you want to have great results. Try to count your calories in every meal you eat. Stick to a regular exercise program which is a key part of a weight loss program. Try to enjoy your exercise program. You can exercise outdoors or you can exercise during listening music if you will enjoy your exercise it will boost your weight loss program.

Eat lot of green vegetables and fruits it will help you in your weight loss program as green vegetables and fruits give lot of vitamins and minerals. If you want to lose weight and if you want that your weight loss program should give you great results drink plenty of water. Successful weight loss program always need lots of water. If you want to lose weight water should be your best friend. Losing weight is a slow process a slow and steady weight loss program never promises losing more than three pounds per week.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Weight-Loss-Program&id=861589

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Several Nutrients For Healthy Eyes

A lot of people suffer from different eye health issues. Whether you are nearsighted, farsighted, or suffer from eye fatigue, you can benefit from numerous eye nutrients. Taking care of your vision is very crucial. Your eyes are a part of every single task you complete. So be sure that you spoil your eyes with the right type of vitamins and minerals.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are two very important cartenoids. Since our bodies are unable to produce these two compounds, we have to rely upon supplements and other foods to provide us with an adequate amount. These two compounds are very valuable when it comes down to the prevention of macular degeneration and cataracts. Vitamins A and E are also very valuable when it comes down to vision. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to night blindness. Furthermore, proper intake of this particular compound is beneficial in relieving eye dryness. Vitamin E on the other hand supports healthy blood vessels. Vitamin C also prevents blood vessels from braking and it aids in new blood vessel growth.

Zinc is important for eye health because it helps the liver release vitamin A. and when vitamin A is released then it can become absorbed by other body organs, such as eyes. Fish oil also provides the body with vitamin A, as well as vitamin D. this particular compound helps the eye produce protein pigments. And last but certainly not least is magnesium. Magnesium is responsible for adding more blood flow into the eye. So as you can see, every single nutrient plays its own important role in the health of the eyes. Therefore, it is important to take all of these compounds in their recommended dosage every day.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Several-Nutrients-For-Healthy-Eyes&id=1420298

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Knowing What Eye Vitamins Are

Eye Vitamins for Healthy Eyes
All our lives we've been told to take care of our eyes, eat plenty of carrots and take vitamins, etc. Today we see many magazine articles or television advertisements about ways to take care of our eyes. Many of these ads are giving the virtues of eye vitamins and telling us the importance of good eye care. Research has shown that eye vitamins cannot only help keep our eyes in good shape but can also help prevent them from being affected by diseases.

Limit you Fast Foods
The foods we consume on a daily basis contain plenty of vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients needed by our bodies. However, some foods are better for us than others are. Fast foods, for instance, may be very popular with many on-the-go people, but lack some of the important ingredients our bodies need. Although there are vitamins in fast food, it's provides our body with a lot of bulkiness and not as many vitamins as it should. If you're concerned about your eyes, and most of should be, consider taking eye vitamin supplements. They are not very expensive and will help replenish our bodies with the vitamin content we need. In addition, many of these eye vitamin supplements can be bought without a prescription.

Eye Vitamins for Good Eye Sight
Eye vitamins are probably the most versatile vitamins on the market. Their dosage and be varied depending on what each vitamin contains as far as vitamin and mineral content. In addition, there are different kinds of vitamins you can take as eye vitamins such as Vitamin A, E, B2, C, and more. Selenium, Zinc and Lutein have been used as excellent eye vitamins. Lutein is great for its antioxidant properties but it's not fully determined how beneficial it is as an eye vitamin, although Lutein can be found in our lens and retina as well as macula. Cigarette smoking and its affect on these eye parts has been noticed with smoking causing a reduction of Lutein. In addition to the other negatives regarding smoking, it also negatively affects the eyes. If you are a smoker, you should look for eye vitamins that do not contain beta-carotene as smoking and beta-carotene has been linked with some diseases.

Organic Foods and Eye Sight
The positive affect of organic foods on our eyes has been known for quite awhile now. In addition, organic foods contain many eye vitamins. Bilberry is an herb that is known to help maintain the eyes. Many natural herbs can be taken to promote good eye care. When you are buying eye vitamins, also check on the contents and labels on the bottle, and not just the price. Make sure the eye vitamins you take are ones that are giving you the nutritional supplements you need.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Knowing-What-Eye-Vitamins-Are&id=1477627

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How to Get Fairer Skin

Have you ever longed for fairer, brighter skin? Strange isn't it? How some very fair ladies feel they look sickly and bask in the sun for a so called healthy tan. They were healthier pale than browned because a tan is a sign of sun damage. If you are born brown, then you would be the envy of these women. Then again, the grass is always greener on the other side. Dark girls often want to be fair.

Modern technology is amazing. A pale girl can get tan skin without even stepping out in the sun. Thanks to self tanners in the form of lotions or even pills.

Likewise, dark girls can go fairer. Going to a plastic surgeon for skin bleaching can give you very drastic results. Your best bet is to stay out of the sun and use sun protection and wear long sleeves and pants by day to allow your skin fade to the color you were born with.

An old home remedy to fade away the freckles and dark spots with lemon juice. It is a risky thing because lemon juice is very acid pH2. Sulphuric acid is just 1 point away at pH1, so you can imagine how acidic lemons are. You could end up burning or irritating your skin with lemon juice. At very least, it would make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. UV exposure triggers off melanin production. If your skin is continuously irritated, not just by sunlight, but by pollutants and allergens, your skin will react by producing more melanin and darkening even further.

Basically, your skin gets dark because melanin is produced by your skin, to shade it from the sun. The freckles, dark spots and even the even tan is due to melanin clustering together to protect your skin.

To get fair, you slowly exfoliate off the darkened skin over time and prevent the new skin from darkening.

There are several things commonly used to lighten the skin.

Hydroquinone is one of them but in higher concentrations, it can cause irritations and may even be carcinogenic. It makes skin lighter by preventing melanin from being formed.

Alchemilla a plant popular amongst the alchemists in the Middle Ages, slows the release of melanin pigments to your skin, hence slowing down the darkening of your skin.

Kojic acid is used to to prevent melanin formation.

Black-Out Yeast Complex, a formula by clinique, used extensively in its Derma White range breaks down the melanin clusters so that these can be disposed of via exfoliation and defuses irritants that would otherwise darken the skin, through its delivery of antioxidants. Most importantly, it prevents more melanin from forming by blocking away the signals to produce melanin.

Then there are the skin bleaching treatments by a plastic surgeon using AHAs or retin-A amongst other things. These are for more drastic results. For something gentler, I suggest you get a skin whitening range from your favourite skin care brand.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Get-Fairer-Skin&id=1429001

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Seven Simple Skin Care Tips For Beautiful Skin

Have you read one skin care tip after another and felt unsure about which one you should follow? If you open up magazines or surf the web, you will find loads of skin care suggestions and oftentimes it's simply hit or miss.

When you want to get skin care tips, avoid consulting magazines. Mainstream magazines are partial to big brand products that pay to have their name mentioned. It's hard to know what is really effective unless you try it yourself but here are some surefire tips that will have your skin looking clear, young, and beautiful in no time.

1. Many skin care tips out there recommend over-cleansing your skin. The truth is that you only need to cleanse your skin in the evening before you go to bed. Splashing your face with warm water in the morning is sufficient. Over-cleansing can lead to dryness and irritation.

2. This is probably a skin care tip you've already heard, but moisturize your skin frequently. Use both a day cream and a night cream for the best results. Look for natural and effective moisturizing ingredients such as grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, avocado extract, and shea butter.

3. Of the many skin care tips that are overlooked, one is the importance of using a deeply hydrating mask for a periodic hydrating boost. Simply applying creams day to day is not enough in order to give your face and neck the deep moisturizing treatment they need.

4. Another skin care tip that involves mask is using a deep cleansing treatment. Look for a deep cleansing mask that contains bentone gel and kaolin clay to remove the build-up of dirt and grime from your pores.

5. Don't apply just any cream to your eyes. Look for a light eye gel specifically for use around the eyes. Keep an eye out for ingredients like Eyeliss and Haloxyl, which are scientifically proven to reduce under-eye circles, wrinkles, and bags.

6. Avoid using creams that contain an SPF factor. Most of the skin care tips you have heard all your life surely preach the importance of SPF factors in skin creams but the truth is that SPF factors can cause skin problems and have been linked to cancer. To avoid sun exposure, use a wide brim hat and sun umbrella instead.

7. If you want to whiten your complexion, look for a cream that contains extrapone nutgrass. Unlike other whitening ingredients, extrapone nutgrass does not cause irritation. You can enjoy its whitening effects without experiencing any harmful side effects.

Do yourself a favor and follow the skin care tips listed here in order to achieve young, beautiful skin. Your best bet is to follow these tips religiously and if you do so, you will look in the mirror and see the skin you've always dreamed of having in no time, guaranteed.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Seven-Simple-Skin-Care-Tips-For-Beautiful-Skin&id=1511786

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Secrets of Flawless Skin - Simple Beauty Tips

Skin, the largest organ in human body, not only protects all the internal body parts, but makes men and women look good! Your skin defines your personality. There are very few who have no desire for flawless skin.

Is flawless skin god gifted? Is it ever possible to overcome skin problems? Yes there is. Flawless skin is god gifted, no doubt. But proper skincare can turn a mediocre skin flawless too. Hence, to achieve a Flawless Skin, all you need to do is take care of your skin adequately.

The very first step of skincare is the skin type identification test. Skincare treatments and facial products depend on the skin type of individuals. Identifying your skin type is of paramount importance. The product that works well on oily skin may not be equally useful for normal or combination skin. Take a test to know the skin type you have.

'Care your skin' - that is the only way to make it flawless and there is simply no shortcut. Performing the basic skin care treatments regularly makes the change. Routine skincare not only retouches the defects, but delays aging too. Facial skin care specific for your skin type is what you need. Let us discuss the steps of Routine Skincare one by one.

Steps of Routine Skincare for Flawless Skin:

1) Cleansing:
Cleansing is essential to remove excess oil and dirt from your skin. Cleansing is done with specific solutions, known as cleansers. Cleansers are mixture of oil, surfactant and water. Oil dissolves the oil, surfactant cleans the dirt and water washes out all the garbage giving your skin a fresh look and feel.

All cleansers may not go with your skin type. The ratio of oil to the surfactant and water defines how your skin would response to the cleanser. Excess oil content may block pores while lesser oil often leads to dry skin. Get yourself a good cleanser that suits your skin type. Visit online drugstore to buy a suitable product.

2) Exfoliation:
This process removes dead skin cells that make your skin look dull by changing your natural complexion. When you exfoliate all the dead skin cells are peeled off along with the outer layer of skin. This makes your skin look fresh and more youthful.

Among various processes of exfoliation Scrubbing is quite common and popular. Scrub cleaners take the dead cell layer off your skin gently. A considerable number of people prefer peeling treatments as well. Exfoliation should be done at least twice in a week.

3) Moisturizing:
Whether yours is oily or dry, you must moisturize your skin. Moisturizer moistens your skin by locking water on the surface. If your skin often becomes dry and your face seems to be stretched tightly, perhaps it lacks moisture.

4) Sunscreen:
Sun damage is often irreversible. The best way to protect your skin from sun burn is using sunscreen. Avoiding exposure to direct sunlight may not work. UV rays of the sun are active on cloudy days too.

Sun damage is one of the main reasons of early wrinkles. After applying all the basic facial products, use a sunscreen. Alternatively, you can use a moisturizer with sunscreen for the daytime and purchase a moisturizer without sunscreen for night.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Secrets-of-Flawless-Skin---Simple-Beauty-Tips&id=1050675

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Find Out Why Weight Lifting Delivers Top Health Benefits

Weight lifting is not just for building muscles. You can build muscles by lifting weights, but you can also reap many other health benefits, and you do not have to build muscles, just keep them strong and healthy.

Lifting weights is an exercise, like many others that work your body, and it can help you ward off many health problems which might come in later years, by keeping your body well toned.

Using your muscles keeps them strong, and at the same time, keeps your entire body healthy. You can build bone mass by lifting weights, which may ward off osteoporosis in later years.

Another benefit is weight loss. When you do any kind of exercise you will lose body fat and at the same time, tighten and tone your muscles. By weight lifting exercises and by controlling the amount of calories that you put into your body, you can lose extra weight. Also, as you exercise you will notice that you do not get as hungry.

You will not get big muscles simply because you lift weights. If you add the right kinds of foods while you are lifting weights, you can grow bigger muscles. This is not the only reason for lifting weights, however.

As you begin to lift weights more, you will increase your metabolism. This means that you can eat more food and still retain your weight, if you do not need to lose pounds. Stress levels have been shown to be reduced by exercising, as well, which helps to keep your mental health sound.

Regular weight training has also shown to reduce the incidence of resistance to insulin, reduces high blood pressure, and slows the incidence of diabetes, heart disease, and even some kinds of cancer. The heart is a muscle, and it needs to be exercised as well as the other muscles of the body.

Bones, muscles, and tendons are the framework that holds our body together, and each of these body parts can be strengthened by weight training. Weight lifting is a very good overall body exercise, to keep your body in tip top shape. Exercising, by lifting weights, can help your body stay young, and keep you in better health for a longer period of time.

There are many people who have lifted weights and exercised their entire life, and when they reached old age, were still very active. It has been proven that the human body definitely needs exercise to keep it healthy and working right. If everyone would eat correctly, make fruits and vegetables the main part of their meal, eat smaller amounts of meat, and lift weights for exercise, we would have healthier bodies, and there would be less incidences of some of the major diseases in our society today. It takes a mind set on being healthy, and a great amount of self-control, to stay with a strict exercise or diet program for good health, but we must challenge ourselves to do so, if we truly want to be healthy.

There are many places on the Internet to research information about health, fitness, and body building, but Muscle Fitness Userreports uses reviews from real customers to show others how these products actually work, rather than how they are supposed to work.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Find-Out-Why-Weight-Lifting-Delivers-Top-Health-Benefits&id=1633764

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How to Grow Abs Faster Than Ever

If you want to know how to grow abs, then you have to forget some of the things that you have learned about abs. Regardless of what people think, sit ups and crunches are not the way to get abs. You do not need some expensive workout machine to get those results either. I am about to tell you something that not that many people know about how to grow abs and finally make them show the way you want them to.

A lot of people do sit ups and crunches all day and wonder why the never have major results. First of all, your body gets used to the repeated motion of sit ups and crunches and it become ineffective after a while, and that is not how to grow abs! Your abs will never show if you have a body fat percentage that is to high. You have to bring that body fat percentage down to about 9% before your abs will start to show. Many people waste their time with all these ridicules workout machines that promise to get you huge abs by working them out in some crazy way. Those do not work and are a dead waste of your money!

Instead of worrying about working out your abs, you should be thinking about nutrition and how you can lose that body fat. Think about full body workouts instead of just ab workouts. That is how to grow abs the right way. You cannot do it unless you start taking nutrition seriously.

Anybody can get a great set of abs. You simply have to know how to grow abs in the right way. That right way starts with proper nutrition and good full workouts. You can find a great guide for this nutrition and a workout guide here: How To Grow Abs. That is the best online resource for how to grow abs by far in my opinion. It really helped me reach my goals.

How to grow abs is just like anything else. The more you put in, the more you get out of it. It is all about hard work and determination. You can do it if you really want to. Absolutely nothing is stopping you! Thank you for reading and good luck!

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Grow-Abs-Faster-Than-Ever&id=1634293

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The Relationship Between Insulin and Bodybuilding

There are several reasons why any good health expert will tell you that insulin and bodybuilding do not mix well. Even so, many athletes use insulin while bodybuilding. They think that it improves their performance, but it can really cause permanent damage and harm to them.

Of course, there is no doubt that insulin is a great way to get more stamina and endurance, if you're an athlete. Nobody would disagree with that. After all, aside from its performance enhancing qualities, it is also cheap and hard to detect. The trouble with insulin and bodybuilding, though, is that it can be a lethal combination.

To understand how insulin affects your body, you need to understand what it is, first. Insulin is a hormone that occurs naturally in our bodies. It comes from your pancreas, which uses it to control your blood glucose (sugar) levels. Diabetic patients, for example, have to get injections of insulin because their pancreas is not secreting it in the right amounts. If you inject yourself with high amounts of insulin, in order to improve your bodybuilding abilities, you're asking for trouble. It can cause you to sweat and shake, if you're lucky. Worse than that, though, it could cause you to go into a coma, or even die!

Of course, through the years, many athletes and bodybuilders have used insulin. It has lots of qualities that make it appealing. For example, insulin causes glycogen, which is also known as a "power pack ", to form in your body. That can really give you an added boost during training.

Insulin injections can really bulk up your muscles. It is a proven fact. They can do two very helpful things for your body. First, it increases glycogen and bulks up muscles and second, it can keep the protein in your muscles from breaking down. That means that you can easily use insulin and bodybuilding to make more muscle.

Just because insulin and bodybuilding have gone hand in hand in the past does not make it right or safe, though. There are lots of cases to prove that insulin and bodybuilding is dangerous, including a case in Yorkshire where a man went into a coma. It can also lead to diabetes or death, according to health experts.

Using insulin is very dangerous. You should not try it. Most athletes that do try it use way too much and cause themselves a lot of harm. Even in small doses, though, combining insulin and bodybuilding is very dangerous, so you should not risk trying it at all.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Relationship-Between-Insulin-and-Bodybuilding&id=1633763

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Foods That Build Muscle For You

There are certain kinds of foods which help the body to build muscles. These foods are more effective as compared to the regular foods which are consumed by the body. Consumption of these foods, aid the body to gain mass and muscles so that the growth of muscles also happens. There are certain foods which help the body to gain healthy fat also and these foods should be then avoided by people who are trying to gain muscles but lose fat. These foods are ideal for those who are thin and want to gain both muscle and fat.

There are healthier options of fat available along with healthier carbs that help in gaining muscles without gaining fat. Your target for muscle building is the decisive factor for choosing the right kind of food for your muscle training program. But irrespective of the muscle training program, healthy eating is essential so that the body can replenish its lost fluids and energy to continue with weight lifting and other muscle building programs. Without the right diet your body will become prone to ailments and other diseases and also result in fatigue.

There are various kinds of supplements available in the market that helps the body to gain muscles. These supplements are usually the protein supplements that are available in different food forms. But it has been seen that the protein which is derived from direct animal and plant sources is the best form of gaining muscles and mass on the body. The protein which you get from protein shakes and other forms of supplements should be reserved for times when you are not able to access other forms of food. Also natural supplements of proteins are better than the drug supplements.

There are various kinds of foods that fuel your muscles the best so that you can build muscle fast. These specific foods provide nourishment to the muscles so that your body recovers faster and you put on muscle faster. It is essential to remember that protein is the best form of food that helps to build muscle. But one factor which most people forget is that amino acids are needed to break down that protein and heal the muscles. These Amino acids are found in most protein rich foods like eggs and fish and pulses.

Those who consume a lot of chicken, both boneless and skinless, turkey and red meat will be able to get the protein required to build muscle fast. Fish is another rich source of protein and vegetarians can get added potassium from strawberries and bananas, which are also sources of protein. This potassium in these fruits helps your body recover faster.

Also various kinds of fatty foods are needed to build muscle but these fatty foods need to have healthy fats. Although lean meats and fruits and vegetables help in building the desired muscle theses fatty foods can be gained from different kinds of nuts.

For attaining good health and healthy muscles it is essential to eat a balanced diet which includes essential ingredients for the nutritional requirement of the body along with high sources of protein that helps in building muscles.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Foods-That-Build-Muscle-For-You&id=1541009

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