Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Eat More Veggies. Eat More Fruit. Get Healthy--Really?

While it is common to see scientific studies on how health can be improved by using certain, particular supplements of vitamins and minerals it is not the same for the real McCoy.

How true? Ask yourself and do a goggle search (or a PUB Med or any advanced search of scientific articles) about how many times you see a study--any study--on a particular fruit or vegetable that comes out proving some health improvement. Not a group, but a particular fruit or vegetable. And proof of health, not disease (this is an important distinction).

We are talking about real science here not just made up stuff from some science nut or health nut. And we are talking about real fruits and vegetables like a particular apple or broccoli as opposed to a group of fruits or vegetables. In other words we are talking about something very concrete and not at all abstract--this is where real scientific study comes in very handy: such study is not abstract or it is not science. And, importantly, if I can prove it and you cannot, it is not scientifically provable. Period.

How many? Which vegetable? Which fruit?

There are plenty of promoters of eating fresh fruits and vegetables and many of them provide solid credentials like the Harvard, Tufts, Eat 5 a day, and so on (for a really good goggle search try vegetables and health or fruits and health).

For example, the Harvard site cites the latest dietary guidelines that, "call for five to thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day, depending on one's caloric intake. For a person who needs 2,000 calories a day to maintain weight and health, this translates into nine servings, or 4½ cups per day." The citation for this is The USDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is a helpful abstraction but not a particular guide to particular fruits and vegetables and how they can promote your health.

But most of what these prestigious institutions promote is air--no scientific studies demonstrating the health effects of a single fruit or vegetable could be found on the Harvard site, not one. True, it's nice air, but air nevertheless.

Now we are not talking about the genuine research on fruits and vegetables like this one listed in Pub Med, "Electron beam and gamma irradiation effectively reduce Listeria monocytogenes populations on chopped romaine lettuce", (J Food Prot. 2006 Mar;69(3):570-4, for those who need to know) . This kind of research is not after the health promoting effects of eating, in this case, romaine lettuce. And it does not pretend to be anything other than what it is.

Of course sites promoting the health benefits of eating of fruits and vegetables could be hiding the scientific studies and don't want to bother their visitors with all those numbers and scientific names for turnips or plums. Or farmers who grow the really good stuff and how to buy them.

I remember a study concerning folate and green leafy vegetables and some kids on an island in the South Pacific. The study, a genuine scientific study, had to be halted because the scientists found that the children in the study could not get enough folate for their diets from the fresh vegetables because the vegetables themselves were deficient. So the study stopped because, ethically, depriving the children's diet of this essential ingredient could hurt them--especially when the science proved the children would be deficient on a natural diet. So much for the health promoting benefits of this entire group of vegetables--and I have not seen another study to refute this single isolated, particular controlled scientific study on green leafy vegetable and exactly how they promote health in humans.

So how do you know if the fruits or vegetables you eat can really promote better health? Simple answer is you don't. But then again, if you stopped eating fruits and vegetables what would happen? Could be all those diseases they write about in Pub Med and cited by the Tufts nutritionists and become the cover story about our fat nation for Time Magazine: eat your fruits and veggies and stay healthy or until we know, for sure, something different.

Discount Fish Oil – The Facts

Question: What are fish oil’s benefits?

Answer: Leading authorities on the subject of nutrition are now emphasizing the benefits of including fish oil in your diet. It is generally considered to be one of the most often sought-after remedies when it comes to improving physical performance, treating obesity, and improving mental focus. Clearly, the benefits of this oil can be astounding to your health. Wide-ranged benefits that include helping your body both physically and mentally make discount fish oil a substance that can greatly affect your life for the positive in a multitude of ways.

Question: What makes fish oil work on these problems the way that it does?

Answer: There are many reasons fish oil is good for your health. For one, the scientific world generally agrees that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil known as EPA and DHA promote a healthy vascular system. Also, the more fish oil absorbed by your body, the more “good” eicosanoids your body will release. Eicosanoids are a type of hormone found in the body, and there are both “good” and “bad” eicosanoids. Fish oil helps to balance these levels, and in turn aids in such things as heart performance.

Studies have confirmed that for these reasons, fish oil can help to protect you from heart disease. A study done at Harvard University resulted in a conclusion that taking discount fish oil once a week lowered your chance of death from heart disease by 34 percent.

Fish oil has also been studied for its help with bipolar disorder. Another Harvard study showed that the disorder could be treated with fish oil with remarkable success.

Question: What should I look for to get the best discount fish oil out there?

Answer: The purity of the fish oil you are taking is a key factor in its benefits for your health. To make pharmaceutical-grade fish oil, you’re required to put the raw product through substantial purification processes. 100 gallons of health-food grade fish oil results in merely one gallon of pharmaceutical grade fish oil. This pharmaceutical grade oil possesses about twice the EPA and DHA as the standard health-food grade fish oil.



Why not check out our nutrition guide at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/nut-ebook.html

and also what supplement we personally use for our nutrition needs at http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com/what-we-use.html

Dining Out Guide for the Health Conscious Eater

Here's food for thought! Did you know the average restaurant meal has over 1,000 calories? That's enough to blow any healthy eating plan. Fortunately, by following a few simple guidelines, you can dine out without having to sacrifice good taste and nutrition.

1. Avoid ordering an appetizer. It's a little known fact that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course. Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It's not a healthy way to start your meal.

2. Say "yes" to salad. Salad is a healthy eater's best friend. Not only will it fill you up so you'll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

3. Make the right entree selection. Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you'll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

4. Think about what you're drinking with your meal. By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.

5. Indulge your sweet tooth wisely. Many of the chain restaurants now offer a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

6. Learn to control your portions. Many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overindulge.

By following these steps, you can make your dining experiences not only healthy, but enjoyable. Your heart will thank you!

Easy-to-Follow Tips for Creating Timeless Scrapbooks

Flipping through old photos can instill feelings of nostalgia, but it also can evoke disappointment and frustration when you no longer remember the people, details and emotions behind them.

Scrapbooks allow you to not only preserve photos and memorabilia, but to capture the emotions behind your precious memories.

Putting together a scrapbook can seem like a daunting project, especially when you first look at the boxes and piles of unsorted photos. Joy Macdonell, education director at EK Success, a scrapbooking company, offers these tips.

* Purchase the basic tools. To get started, buy adhesive, a paper trimmer, scissors, pens, paper and albums. Herma brand adhesive is recommended, as is the Zig Memory System line of pens. Always purchase products with the keywords "acid-free," "photo-safe" and "lignin-free" to ensure the best quality.

* Organize your pictures. Sort your images by theme, occasion, year or people and store in an acid-free photo box with tab dividers. Write all the important details on the back of the photos with a photo labeling pen.

* Select the pictures. Choose the pictures that best illustrate the theme of your page. Store the others. A beginner should aim to have about three pictures per page.

* Sketch the layout and determine the colors. Sketch how you want your page elements to be organized and use temporary adhesive so you can move things around. Also, choose coordinating colors that complement the hues in your photos.

* Crop and mat the photos. Crop your photos to eliminate superfluous detail. Then create a simple mat, about a quarter-inch wide on all sides, to put under the photos so they stand out on the page.

* Embellish the page. Add life to the page with stickers, creative lettering or other 3-D embellishments. Start simple; you want your pictures to be the main focus.

* Write journal entries. This is the most important scrapbook element because it conveys the details and feelings about that moment, which can be forgotten with time. To make journal writing easy, write bullet points to highlight the main events.

* Take a class. Although these tips will help you get started, take classes to really hone your skills. Scrapbook Design & You, for instance, is a 10-class program available at more than 250 retailers nationwide.

Do You Have Enough Hobbies To Ensure An Enjoyable Retirement?

Even if you’ve been saving your money since you were in grade school, that may not be enough to have an enjoyable retirement. Of course having enough money put away is the number one factor as to whether or not you’ll maintain your desired lifestyle once you stop working. But don’t overlook the small stuff. Does sitting in front of the TV sound like a fulfilling way to live, day in and day out? You’ll need something engaging to do with your free time and remember you will probably have more free time than you’ve ever had in your adult life. Having several interesting hobbies is a great way to get the most out of your retirement.

You probably started thinking about your retirement savings a long time ago. Well you should start thinking about how you plan on spending your time too. A satisfying hobby or a way to spend you time really is required for your happiness. Perhaps you’ve decided to spend more time with your family and just enjoy life. That’s all well and good but you’ll need something more.

Choosing a fun hobby is easy. Most hobbies are fun, that’s why they’re hobbies. And I’m sure almost everyone has something that they like to do. Whether it’s gardening, playing tennis, building ships in a bottle or collecting stamps, I’m sure there’s something out there that you’d like to do. Finding a fun hobby shouldn’t be a problem for most people. It’s the next two criteria that may cause some problems for you.

Money always seem to be an issue. If you’ve found something that you enjoy doing but can’t afford to do it, then you’re out of luck. How often to you hear people say that if they won the lottery then would retire and spend their time traveling the world? Traveling would be how everyone spent their retirement if it was free. Going on a few vacations a year will probably fit into even the most conservative budget. But even if you add some visits to see the grandkids or other relatives you’ll probably still have about 40 weeks left in your year that you’ll need something else to do. Gardening can be a relatively in-expensive hobby. Buying seeds are pretty cheap and will provide you with days worth of tasks to take grow them from seedlings to mature plants. You can even put some food on the table if you plant a vegetable garden.

Lastly you’ll need to think about your health. If you suffer from arthritis, then I don’t recommend spending your days doing something that will aggravate it. Let’s look at our previous hobby examples and see if they make the grade. Gardening can require some physical labor. Whether you’re turning the soil or bending over to pull weeds you’ll need a strong back to get the job done. Collecting stamps or other collecting hobbies would be okay even if you require a sedentary lifestyle.

Many people spend their adult life saving their money for retirement. This is a great way to secure your future but it’s only a first step. Give some thought to how you plan on spending your free time during your retirement. With some interesting hobbies, you’re retirement can be more fulfilling that you ever planned.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Knowing Which Focus Modes To Use In Digital Cameras

While some of the least expensive digital cameras have only automatic focus, meaning the camera does all the work on bringing your subject into the best possible focus, most SLR digitals offer three different focus modes: manual, single auto focus and continuous auto focus. All three of these will be addressed here.

With manual focus, the camera stays out of the focus equation and you, the photographer, make all the decisions regarding this. This is done by setting different buttons or actually using an attached focusing ring that rotates on the camera lens. For those who like to have complete creative control of the finished product, this is the best focus mode.

In single auto focus mode, the camera automatically focuses when you press the shutter button either all the way down to shoot a photo or half way down to lock the focus. This mode is useful when shooting static objects.

In continuous auto focus the camera continuously focuses on the objects in the photo. In this mode the camera continuously corrects the focus as the objects distance from the camera changes. This mode is useful when you shoot photos of moving objects such as a race car during a race or airplanes during an air show. You can hold the shutter button half way down and continuously move the camera to follow the object. The camera will continuously keep the object in focus.

Like any other feature automatic and manual focus modes have their pros and cons. The first step to using them to your advantage is to understand how they work and what they were designed for. The next step is to experiment shoot photos using different focus modes and different types of objects and see how the camera behaves. Once you have done that you will be ready to instinctively use the best focus mode for each photo situation.

Magic Tricks

Creating magic illusions is an incredibly satisfying aspect of magic that many magicians overlook. It leaves you with a unique trick that the audience will hopefully remember you by. However, there are many reasons why most magicians use off-the-shelf tricks. This article will explain some of the reasons for and against making illusions, and give some guidance.

  • Uniqueness
    Creating a illusion will guarantee that nobody can say "I've seen that before". Creating stage illusions is the most satisfying as it will look unique, feel unique and perform uniquely, however, they take the most work as they are typically physically large. Creating card effects (or similar) can be done anywhere with nothing but imagination.

  • Branding
    If you are creating a stage illusion, you can easily incorporate your branding, whether that's the colours from your website and flyers, or simply your stage name, photo or contact details designed on it, it will be positive advertising - especially if you allow photos in your performances. This can be applied in a similar way to close-up effects - why not print your own logo onto the gimmick.

  • Suitability
    In the unlikely event that you can't find any off-the-shelf tricks that'll be the perfect climax to your routine, then you will often find that with a little thought, you can create the perfect illusion.


  • Risks
    Creating illusions is not easy, especially if it means constructing gimmicks. It is essential to check, check and check again that everything works smoothly as expected. A guillotine with a special mechanism that may rust unnoticed over time could even be lethal. Think of the worse possible scenario while designing the illusion to ensure that nothing dangerous, in this case, can happen. Typically the worst that can happen is you make a fool out of yourself, but with stage illusions, you can trap unwilling guests in your contraptions or even just give them a splinter! Either way you could find yourself at the wrong end of a legal case with nobody to blame but yourself.

  • Is it really unique?
    Before you start creating the illusion, make sure you are really the inventor of it, especially if you are hoping to sell it in the future. Depending on how much you value your time, it may be cheaper to buy an illusion that will be guaranteed to work (hopefully) without errors.

    When starting to think of an illusion, there are several factors you must consider, including -

  • Stage, street, close-up or for children - what situation will you be in when performing
  • Short, medium or long effect - how long will it take to perform
  • Comedy, silent or story-based - will it fit into your routine
  • Target audience demographic - nothing scary or rude for the young/old
  • Transportation - can you transport the illusion - does it need a van or a pocket?


  • To conclude, inventing magic is a satisfying way to expand your routine, but beware of the pitfalls that you may fall into. Sometimes using ready-made effects will do the job perfectly in a tried and tested manner!