Tips to help stick to health related New Year resolutions

Forty-five percent of people will make a resolution at the start of 2013, yet less than half of those promises will still be in effect six months later.

Monday is like the January of the week: the day that people can reset their intentions after the weekend and try again. By recommitting to their resolutions every Monday, they get 52 opportunities to stick with it and incorporate healthier habits into their lives.

Plus, having a Monday resolution means people don’t have to do it alone.

The tips to help stick to their new year resolutions are

On Monday, people should eat a more diverse, nutrient-dense diet by swapping meat one day a week for fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains.

People can take 8-11 quit attempts to kick smoking for good, so they should gain an advantage by recommitting to their quit every Monday

They should add more fitness into their daily life by starting the week with physical activity

They should maintain sexual health, their weekly reminder to call the clinic, set up a preventative health appointment, or restock on condoms and other essential supplies.

People should set aside some time each Monday to plan their needs for the week and ensure that they stay healthy. 

Source  http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report_tips-to-help-stick-to-health-related-new-year-resolutions_1783556

SEO Master Expert Reveals New Advanced Techniques in SEO

SEO master expert shares his views with MEST Education on new advanced SEO and SMM techniques

Online businesses in India are growing at a rapid pace. The fast paced world of online marketing demands the webmasters to research and stay up-to-date with not only existing, but also all the forthcoming SEO and SMM trends.

As part of his research, the well known SEO Master Expert and Trainer, Swapan Kumar has devised a new online marketing strategy combining the power of SEO and SMM techniques.

There are great benefits of combining SEO and SMM techniques, which many companies don't fully utilize, says Swapan Kumar, who has been working closely with a number of businesses in India, helping them achieve first page rankings with impressive ROIs.

Implementing a search engine optimization program with little or poor social media marketing is throwing money down the drain. Not knowing the missing link between the optimized content and SMM many companies incur huge losses on their e-commerce and other online ventures, added the SEO master expert.

When looking for SEO India service, SEO India company, or SEO India agency, his advice to businesses is to insist on an online marketing program that takes content optimization and social media optimization together.

The SEO trainer and founder of SEOMasterExpert.com added, Creating useful social content such as blogs, videos, images, and audio, making it available on social media platforms, making it searchable through search engines, and finally shared by millions of potential customers is a powerful way to reach an audience and improve a brand's visibility.

 

Source  http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093592513/SEO-Master-Expert-Reveals-New-Advanced-Techniques-SEO

Ten tips for a healthy, holistic holiday

Make this holiday season one you really enjoy and feel good about, and during. Why wait until January to slough off bad habits and to start doing what will make you joyful and inspired? Joy ought to be what the holidays are all about! Try out these techniques, and go find some now!

1. Breathe, deeply and with your belly.

When someone tells you in the heat of the moment “to take a deep breath,” it can sound condescending. But if you seriously start the day with deep breathing, even just a few minutes, maybe those moments won’t get so heated. Belly breathing activates the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system to help you calm. If you breathe only into your chest instead, the sympathetic branch stays engaged, putting you in a near-constant state of fight-or-flight. So breathe into your belly even before you get out of bed, or before you make breakfast, in front of a candle, under a tree (or next to the tree in your living room), or every time you hit “Send” or “Post.” You’ll be amazed how much happier your body will be for the extra oxygen.

2. Leave the sugar to someone else

Yes, Virginia, it is possible to go an entire holiday season consuming no sugar whatsoever. But the suggestion here is simply that you stop using it in anything you make, drink or eat. If there are so many goodies out in the world, and if you know you won’t abstain or be able to keep the kids from overindulging, then just be sure not to add any yourself. If you must bake sweets, experiment with using honey, molasses, or maple syrup, or stevia. Or coconut flakes. Or just a lot of applesauce and some extra spices and natural vanilla flavor. Be the person who brings something to the party that won’t make the kids go crazy. Load it with nuts if there are no allergies and let the richness of those sustain you blood sugar levels. Sugar not only causes up and down mood swings and contributes to sleep problems, but it can also weaken your immune system and make you more likely to catch the cold of that snotty kid running through your neighbor’s living room.

3. Let go of negative emotions

If you’ve never heard of Emotional Freedom Technique, prepare to be wowed. This technique of tapping certain spots on your body can seriously make some of those annoying things that have weighed on you for years – frustrating conversations, stupid mistakes, hurtful words – just melt into thin air. A newer technique called WHEE (a combination of EFT and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR)  is even easier: you simply tap yourself on your forehead alternating your index and middle fingers while you affirm that “Even though” you feel (whatever emotion), you love and honor yourself. Be sure to rate your level of the feeling before you start (1-10) so that you stop when you notice the level has gone down to zero or the feeling has shifted to something else. It may sound too good to be true, but watch videos online and get ready to meet your new self without all that baggage.

4. Go to bed by 10 p.m.

It’s tempting to stay up late shopping online, wrapping, baking, or visiting with family. But our bodies really do need to do important work in the night, and they need us to be sleeping to do it effectively. The liver and gallbladder need to detox, but they can’t do that effectively if you are engaged in activity. There’s a whole lot of interesting chemistry related to times of rest and even seeing lights after a certain hour. (Give your pineal gland the rest it wants and turn off the tablet after dark!)  

And, as tough as it may seem, try to keep kids’ bedtimes relatively stable and as early as you can. The book NurtureShock makes a powerful case for consistency and for adequate sleep. Even losing a half-hour for a few days in a row can dramatically alter how kids perform on tests. Imagine, then, how they must feel. Talk about sleep as something they are so lucky they get to do! Isn’t it true we all wish we didn’t have so much work and responsibility that we could spend more time sleeping? Help your children value rest!

5. Stop eating by 8 p.m.

It might seem like some kind of sacrilege to suggest, but your body will thank you if you let it do its nighttime rituals of cleansing without having to instead digest a whole bunch of new food. Ayurvedic practitioners might even say to stop by 6 or 7 p.m., but 8:00 seems reasonable, doesn’t it? Eat what you want, even a lot if you have to get yourself out of a nighttime snacking habit. But then Just. Be. Done. You may be surprised to find yourself sleeping better. It might feel good right away or take your body a few days to adjust, but before long it will just be what you do.

6. Eat with intention

Okay, so maybe there is a theme here. It’s about fully enjoying what you’re doing rather than doing it to get by or just because you are distracted or frustrated. This is especially important with food, because what we put in really does become who we are. If you’ve got an emotional attachment going on with, say, eating and stress, try EFT (see above), but if it’s just a matter of habit, just pay attention and start a new habit. Chew enough and slowly enough that your body gets the signal it’s full. Sit and eat and only eat so that your body can use its energy to digest. If it gets the signal that there is stress afoot – like, say, that a bear is chasing you – your body is not thinking to itself, “Let me break down this food.” Instead it’s saying, “Let’s pump the adrenaline so that we survive to make it another day!” Drink only a little – and nothing iced or cold – with food so that your digestive juices don’t get diluted or the digestive process stalled by having to bring everything up to body temperature.

7. Limit screen time

Whether you or your kids have sensory issues or not, everyone can benefit from a little less blinking on the boob tube, especially at a time when there are so many extra things to take in, from decorations to performances to tasty treats. It might seem like relaxation to sit in front of the TV, but give your senses a rest and watch only what is really important to you. At other times, light a candle, read a book, play a board game, draw a picture or, have a simple conversation, if you must have some kind of input, just listen to some music if you don’t have the means to play an instrument yourself.

8. Move your body

Some people say you need to exercise a minimum number of consecutive minutes per day; others tell you multitask your muscle-time and just walk further in parking lots and do squats each time you pick up something for the floor. How about instead you just make the commitment to spend some time – even five minutes – just moving your body and not trying to accomplish anything else. Whether you sweat or not doesn’t matter. Just get outside, or on the stairs, or on a bouncer, or on your yoga mat, and tell yourself this is a gift. If you do it every day, it will start to become something you look forward to, and then you can try to up the minutes or set greater goals.

9. Get outside

Even if the gym or your treadmill at home are what gets you moving your body in any kind of weather, do make sure that you also have some connection with the natural world. Studies show that spending time in nature can improve mood and concentration and provide a whole lot of other great benefits. You don’t need to read a research report to see for yourself. Even if you just get to the local park to shuffle through leaves or to sled down your neighbor’s hill, make sure you spend some time without walls around you.

10. Say thank you

Showing gratitude is not just the domain of lofty quotes by revered thinkers; it is an everyday act that can totally shift how you feel and how others around you feel. If people feel appreciated by you, they feel better and go out to spread the good karma. We might be in the habit of thanking people for gifts or for having us over to their home (and if we aren’t, start now!), but we can also develop the habit of showing gratitude for their very existence. It’s fun to practice: say thank you to every person you can for anything you can think of. Start with the cashier, the people who hold the door and other usual suspects. But go on to thank the people who do volunteer work, even if they do it all the time, and anyone who performs any action that in any way makes your life easier or more enjoyable.

Read more: http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reading-ingredients-tales-health-conscious-mom/2012/dec/13/ten-tips-healthy-holistic-holiday/#ixzz2FIxrwgKl
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Tips for eating healthy during holiday season

First there’s Thanksgiving.

Turkey, pie, stuffing, cranberries, pie, ham, broccoli casserole, pie… the list of foods that add to the waistline drags on and on.

Now, a week removed from the first holiday of the holiday season, we’re in the early stages of a month-long engorging.

Parties are planned on every weekend, while those tins with three kinds of popcorn – cheese, caramel and butter – come out from hibernation.

And cookies. Oh, man, those cookies.

“It’s continuous for weeks and weeks,” said Carol Reeder, a registered and licensed dietician at Jennie Edmundson Hospital. “How do you get out of that rut?”

Reeder said unhealthy eating is a staple of the holidays – “We know we’ll eat more calories” – and the key is counteracting with physical activity.

“Get out and walk – we don’t have any excuses lately, we’ve had great weather,” she said.

Or go to the gym.

“It’s calories in, calories out. If you’re going to eat food high in calories – those holiday favorites – then you have to get out and burn those calories,” said Barb Fuller, a nutrition and health program specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach who covers southwest Iowa.

Fuller noted treadmills, stationary bicycles and other cardiovascular machines as a good option, especially when temperatures drop. And if a person has room in their home, a workout video is a great way to trim calories.

At those holiday parties, if they’re potluck, Reeder suggested bringing a healthy dish – fruit, or a vegetable tray. Use fat free sour cream when combining a packet of seasoning for dip. Make sure salad dressings and gravy are on the side and limit portions to a tablespoon.

Vegetables and fruits, along with whole grains, are key.

“Try to make sure half your plate are those items,” Reeder said.

Fuller passed along these “top ten survival tips.”

- Eat a light, healthy snack before a party. This will help you curb your hunger and make better choices.

- Limit alcohol. Enjoy one alcoholic drink, and then switch to diet soda or flavored water.

- Bring a low-fat holiday dish to the party, maybe some fruit or raw veggies.

- Keep minimal baked goods on hand. Only bake enough to give away or use for one party.

- Eat a large salad or hot broth based soup before a meal. This helps keep you full longer.

- Substitute healthier ingredients, replacing or reducing fat and sugar in baked goods.

- Make a goal with a friend to lose five pounds or to maintain weight during the holidays. This way you have a valuable support buddy.

- Remember the holidays are truly only 3 days. This means if you blow it on those three days, you won’t cause much damage. It is the vicious cycle of not enough exercise and too many calories on the other days that cause weight gain through the year.

- Sign up for a 5K or a fitness walk or other event to keep you focused on physical activity.

- Finally celebrate and focus on what the holidays are really about - family and friends. Find creative activities or ways to get your family to play a game or be active instead of eating. Pick a time to get together that does not involve a meal.

“It all comes down to a little planning ahead and sticking to your goals,” Fuller said. “Not just saying ‘ahh, it’s the holidays I’ll eat all this and gain 10 pounds.’”

 

 Source  http://www.southwestiowanews.com/council_bluffs/news/tips-for-eating-healthy-during-holiday-season/article_03544aac-3c1e-11e2-a24a-0019bb2963f4.html

Cream Of Australia Aims To Rise To The Top In Adelaide

Riders in the northern hemisphere may have packed up for their winter break, but it’s all go at the other side of the world as competitors prepare for their premier event, Australia’s International 3 Day Event in Adelaide, the second leg of the HSBC FEI Classics™ 2012/2013.

The Australian event offers them a chance to get a foothold on the leaderboard for the valuable HSBC FEI Classics™, in which last year’s Adelaide winner, Stuart Tinney (AUS), secured fifth place in the overall standings for the 2011/2012 season.

This year, Tinney, an Olympic gold medallist in 2000, rides the 14-year-old grey Pluto Mio, recent winner of the Goulburn CIC3*.

Two members of Australia’s 2008 Olympic silver medal team are competing: Shane Rose, who rides APH Moritz, second behind Pluto Mio at Goulburn and a recent winner of Berrima CIC3*, and Megan Jones.

Jones rides the veteran Kirby Park Irish Jester, the horse on which she won her Olympic medal, and also a team bronze at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games™ and four FEI World Cup™ Eventing competitions. The diminutive grey gelding is now 19.

There are seven CCI4* first-timers, one of whom will take home the HSBC Training Bursary worth US$1,000 for the best CCI4* début. One of the group is Craig Barrett, husband of the Australian team coach Prue Barrett, riding Sandhills Brillaire and Wendela Jamie.

The all Australian field will come before a Ground Jury led by Christian Landolt (SUI) as president, who is joined by Marilyn Payne (USA) and Vicky Brydon (AUS). Alec Lochore (GBR), who directed the Eventing competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games, will act as Technical Delegate.

The event, directed by double Olympic gold medallist Gill Rolton, literally stops the traffic, as the Cross Country takes place in the city centre, in Victoria Park, where Course Designer Wayne Copping is sure to have built another spectacular thriller.

Source  http://www.horseyard.com.au/horse-news/282882-cream-of-australia-aims-to-rise-to-the-top-in-adelaide

Obama signals he's putting climate change on back burner

The fact that climate change got some attention at Wednesday’s presidential press conference could be viewed as progress by environmentalists, after they watched the issue go virtually ignored during the just-concluded campaign.

President Obama made many of the right sounds for activists on the issue. In response to a question from the New York Times’s Mark Landler, Obama said America must “make sure that this is not something we're passing on to future generations, that's going to be very expensive and very painful to deal with.”

But the president also signaled that reducing carbon emissions comes nowhere near the top of his agenda, at least as he looks forward to the start of his second term.

Obama repeatedly hammered away during the 50-minute session on the impending “fiscal cliff” and his support of tax increases for the wealthy. He said he saw “incredibly encouraging” signs for comprehensive immigration reform. But when Landler asked about reducing carbon emissions, Obama only talked about big challenges and the need for more dialogue.

“Understandably, I think the American people right now have been so focused and will continue to be focused on our economy and jobs and growth,” Obama said, “that if the message is somehow we're going to ignore jobs and growth simply to address climate change, I don't think anybody is going to go for that.  I won't go for that.”

This is the same president who, in his first term, talked expansively about how clean-energy “green” jobs could be the key to not only environmental progress but to job creation. On Tuesday, Obama talked only in the broadest terms about initiating a “conversation” with scientists, engineers and elected officials to try to find areas for progress.

He said he would look for “bipartisan support” to try to move the issue forward. It’s hard to imagine where that support would come from, since many Republicans in Congress refuse to even acknowledge that global temperature increases can be tied to human activity.

When reporter Landler said it sounded like there was no consensus to move forward, Obama did not disagree. Instead, he turned the question back to his theme of the day.

“Look, we're still trying to debate whether we can just make sure that middle-class families don't get a tax hike,” the president said. He said that is where his focus would remain for the foreseeable future. 

Source  http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-climate-change-priority-20121114,0,1745357.story

Election 2012: Obama Wins Pennsylvania and Its Latino Vote

President Barack Obama claimed victory in the Keystone state Tuesday night and its 20 electoral votes, thanks in part to Pennsylvania’s Latino voters.

According to Fox News exit polls conducted in the state, Obama claimed 82 percent of Pennsylvania’s Latin voters. The Hispanic population in the so-called battleground state is about 7 percent.

Fox News also reported that Obama claimed 54 percent of the vote in Pennsylvania, with Romney grabbing 45 percent after just under 70 percent of the votes were reported.

Pennsylvania had been considered to be in Obama's column for much of the campaign. But in recent days, as polls appeared to narrow, Mitt Romney's campaign saw an opportunity. There was a late advertising blitz for Romney, and the candidate added visits to Pennsylvania Sunday and again on Election Day.

Former President Bill Clinton also spent the last days of the campaign in Pennsylvania trying to get out the vote for Obama. 

Democrat, Sen. Bob Casey, has also won another term in Pennsylvania.

Democrat Bob Casey has won a second term in the United States Senate, defeating his well-financed Republican challenger, Tom Smith, according to a projection by the Associated Press.

Several TV networks have also called the race for Casey, 52, who is now the winner of five consecutive statewide elections, including two for auditor general and one for state treasurer.

Smith, a coal-mining millionaire from rural Armstrong County in Western Pennsylvania, spent at least $17 million of his own money on the race.

Early on, Casey had seemed a prohibitive favorite, but Smith's money - together with help from national conservative organizations - made Casey sweat coming down the stretch.

Voters in Indiana have rejected one of the two Republican Senate candidates whose campaigns ran into trouble because of comments about rape and abortion. Democrat Joe Donnelly defeated Republican Richard Mourdock, who slipped in the polls after saying during a debate that when a woman who is raped becomes pregnant, it's what "God intended."

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/11/06/obama-wins-pennsylvania-and-its-latino-vote/#ixzz2BWBDDt2C