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Six Smoothie Recipes for Constipation and Acne Relief

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:50:30 +0000

Six Smoothie Recipes for Constipation and Acne Relief

by: Rudy Silva

I recommend drinking a morning smoothie if you have constipation or if you have skin problems like acne. Drinking a high fiber smoothie relieves and prevents constipation. It will also provide the nutrients that are necessary for having or keeping a nice clean and smooth skin.

So, here are the six smoothie recipes you can blend.

Apple Smoothie
Apple-Barley Smoothie
Apricot Smoothie
Peach-Rice Dream Smoothie
Pineapple Smoothie
Strawberry Smoothie

Apple Smoothie

Mix in the blender the following.

1-2 small apples cut into wedges
1 banana
1 cup 50:50 rice dream: almond milk
? cup or less of raisins soaked overnight
1-teaspoon honey
1-2 cubes of ice
1-teaspoon lecithin granules
2 tablespoons flax seed oil

Start by mixing the banana and the liquids. Then add slices of apples to get the consistency you like. In all of your smoothies add flax seed oil for nice smooth skin. I also add a tablespoon of flax seed straight into the blender and the blender will chop them up.

Apple-Barley Smoothie

Mix in the blender the following.

1 cup of sliced apples with peel
1/2 cup of cooked barley
1/4 cup of soaked raisins
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
1-1 ? cup of 50:50 rice dream: almond milk
1-teaspoon lecithin granules
2 Tablespoons flax seed oil

Make sure you use the lecithin granules in these smoothies since lecithin helps to breakdown the flax oil into tiny droplets and makes it more digestible.

Apricot Smoothie

One cup of fresh apricots or dried apricots that were soaked overnight
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Two oz. of prune juice
One teaspoon or more of oat ban
One teaspoon of mineral whey
One tablespoon of flax seed oil
One tablespoon of lecithin granules

Add a slight amount of distilled water or ice cubes to make the consistency to your liking. This smoothie is good for constipation and acne.

Peach-Rice Dream Smoothie

Mix in the blender:

2 fresh peaches with peel
1-cup rice dream
1/2 banana
1-teaspoon sesame seeds
1-teaspoon sunflower seed
1-tablespoon lecithin granules
2 tablespoons flax seed oil
In place of rice dream you can use almond milk. I now only use almond milk to make my smoothies. Place all of the seeds straight into the blender. This smoothie has plenty of fiber. You may want to increase the amount of sesame and sunflower seeds.

Pineapple Smoothie

Mix the following in a blender.

1-2 cups of fresh pineapples
1/2 cups apple slices
1/4-cup fresh apple juice
1/2-cup almond milk (more or less as needed)
1 banana
1-tablespoon lecithin
2-tablespoons flax seeds
2 teaspoons bran (wheat, oat or rice)

You can add more lecithin if you like. Lecithin does not have a taste. This smoothie is jam packed with fiber.

Strawberry Smoothie

Mix in a blender the following ingredients.

1 banana
1-tablespoon of lecithin granules
1-teaspoon of any type of bran
1 cup or more 50:50 rice dream: almond milk
Now add strawberries one by one with the blender on until you get the consistency you like.
1-tablespoon flax seeds
1 or 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1-teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of flax seed oil

You can add liquid minerals or vitamins to these smoothies and give them an additional nutritional value.

There you have the smoothies that I make. Start making and drinking them and see the health benefits that you'll get

About The Author

Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call "natural-remedies-thatwork.com." More acne hints and information on his acne e-book can be found at:

http://www.stop-constipation.com

http://www.acne-remedies.for--you.info

Are You Scared to Start a Home Based Business?

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:24:55 +0000

Are You Scared to Start a Home Based Business?

by: Michele Miller

Every year more and more people are working from home, starting their own businesses. Men and women, even teenagers are starting their own home business ventures. In the last ten years work-at-home businesses have tripled, according to statistics. I think it's probably more than that actually. Just look at how many people make a living selling things on EBay!?

It's no wonder really why so many people want to work at home and there are a vast amount of good reasons why.

The costs of traveling, including vehicle maintenance, the cost of gas, child-care, and dry-cleaning, are just a few good reasons why it's cheaper to stay home and work, right?!

Not having to answer to a boss or a supervisor is another great reason too. Being able to set your own hours and work when you want to work is a definite plus as well.

Some people can't see how they are going to do it though. I mean, how are you going to give up work and replace that income and not worry about how you are going to pay the bills? It's impossible, right? -- Wrong! -- It's not impossible, and it will take some hard work at first, and some extra working hours, but you can do it if you want to badly enough.

Choose a business that will allow you to work in your spare-time and keep your job, and you have eliminated the risks. This is not possible in all circumstances, but for the small business person, it?s the ideal way to go. If this is not possible, make sure you set aside enough income to live on while you get your business established.

There?s going to be some sacrifice in the short term, such as working extra hours in the week building your business. But those kind of sacrifices will still allow you to sleep at night and not put you in the poor house, thereby increasing your chances of success!

A lot of people do some "side work, or extra work" at first to gain customers or to save up some extra cash to start a business or pay for inventory. I know one mechanic who did some evening and weekend work so he could save enough money to buy his own tools and work out of his garage at home, for himself. Now that garage has grown into two workshops in his back yard and he employs another mechanic to help him out.

I have two friends who do the home parties. One lady sells Mary Kay and the other lady sells candles. Both are quite successful. The lady who sells the candles has only been doing so for just over eighteen months and her income exceeds $50,000 per year. Once you have the vision of working from home, you will find a way to make it happen.

You need DISCIPLINE AND MOTIVATION. That?s as important as your business idea. You need to be a go-getter kind of person to have your own business. You need to be willing to get things off the ground yourself, and often willing to work for no financial return at first, or very little financial return. It helps to have vision; you have to sow the seeds to see the flowers. Overnight success is quite rare.

You can help yourself stay motivated by making a ?to do list?, and ?working your business? every day in some small or big way. It doesn?t really matter as long as you have a ?plan? and keep chipping away at it until it happens. You hear people say all the time that you need to set your goals, well that's great advice, and a ?to do list? will enable you to cross off things as you work through them, giving you a feeling of accomplishment as well.

If you really have the dream of working for yourself out of your home, it is possible, you just have to be determined to find a way to do it. Millions of people are realizing this dream, - you can make it happen for you too!

About The Author

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and also the author of an ebook about starting a profitable medical transcription business at home. http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com.

Are You Prepared?

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:49:18 +0000

Are You Prepared?

by: Hugh Simpson

Neighborhood Preparation

NOW is the time to share this information with every neighbor and form a neighborhood group that can help each other. Anarchy and riots could break out and law enforcement agencies may be operating sporadically if at all as we have witnessed in New Orleans.

Your first question may be: ?What if I don?t know my neighbors?? Well, this would be an excellent way to get to know them. You can go door-to-door inviting them to your house for a meeting. Or if your neighborhood has a meeting room, then reserve that room. If you live in an apartment complex, then reserve your clubhouse. Also some neighborhood associations and apartment complexes have a newsletter. Prepare a notice about your meeting. You might also consider distributing flyers.

The secret to getting people to attend is the old ?What?s in it for me?? You need to create something that shows what could happen if the neighborhood is not prepared and how that could have a direct effect on the attendees and their families like they had to learn during Hurricane Katrina.

I don't think that you will have to much trouble convincing them that this could happen to them after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita!

Your second question will probably be: ?What do I do at the meeting?? First, I would have nametags and an agenda sheet available for each attendee. Also make sure to have a sign-in sheet that has ENOUGH space for the name, address, phone number, and even e-mail of each attendee. At the same time ask for the following information that will be very important for the directory that is being created:

Names, addresses/e-mails of EVERY physician, nurse, carpenter, plumber, mechanic, fire fighter, police officer, electrician, builder, physically challenged person, and elderly person in the neighborhood/complex.
Names and ages of children in each family.
Locations of each house supplied with gas.

Then I would invite the attendees to serve themselves refreshments and mingle.

After allowing enough time for the attendees to arrive, I would then go around the room asking every attendee to give his/her name and a brief reason that he/she decided to attend the meeting. I would assign someone to keep notes and if feasible I would have a flip chart available. You will want to have someone write out the reasons on the flip chart.

I would then reiterate the reason you have called the meeting especially emphasizing what?s in it for the attendees and their families. The first item on the agenda might be how the neighborhood could set up a buying cooperative for the items that could be helpful doing an emergency i.e. the eight plus hour candles, generators, hand-cranked flashlights and short wave radios, FDA-approved water containers, first aid kits, bulk food, non-hybrid seeds, water purifiers, etc.

This would be an excellent time to form a food cooperative/buying program. Also suggest to the attendees that when they go to the grocery store, buy DOUBLE the amount of canned goods each week until they have at least a six month supply on hand...preferably one year supply. They might consider buying dehydrated/freeze-dried food.

You might check with your local grocery store and see if they will allow you to buy canned goods in cases for your group. We found a local IGA store in Atlanta that was willing to work with us for Y2K preparation. How long will these cans lasts?

In my research for my previous book, I learned that your canned goods have a shelf life of 2-5 years! If you are not sure and would like to be safe, then look on the label and call the 800 number. The person will ask for the code on the can. With this information he/she will be able to tell you when this can was sealed and the average shelf life of the can.

You will also want to consider plans to develop community garden when spring returns. Even if there is food available it could be more expensive than a highflying dotcom stock! Even if nothing happens, a community garden can be a wonderful project for the neighborhood.

Your group should purchase an assortment of Non-Hybrid seeds that can be used for growing food. It is very important they be Non-Hybrid since these are the only seeds you can use from the full-grown plants. The majority of the seeds available today will not grow another crop forcing you to buy more seeds.

The following are some points that gardening expert Bev Kates shared for my first book:

Research the relative nutritional merits of fruits, vegetables, and grains, which you would like to include in your diet.
Emphasize those rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and starches for sustenance.
Make sure and have a variety of colors, textures, and tastes.
Include a wide variety of both summer and winter crops.
Make sure your seeds are disease-resistant, productive strains (also non-hybrid).
Pack your seeds and spores (mushrooms) in generous quantity in an airtight container.
Investigate companion planting (which varieties to plant next to each other for maximum productivity and insect and disease resistance).

Now Bev is going to share 2 gardening technique for even the smallest apartment...

Consider square foot gardening techniques to maximize production in a minimum amount of space.
Get in the habit of recycling plant waste matter (discarded leaves and stems, vegetable peelings, eggshells, coffee grounds, etc.) in a mulch pile.

You might also consider hydroponics.

Next on the agenda should be water sources. It is very possible that the water source may be contaminated and potentially dangerous water could be flowing in your pipes. Do not under any circumstances drink from the tap during an emergency (it is advisable to even avoid washing with this water).

You are going to need a minimum of one gallon of water for each member of the household per day. This will be used for drinking, cooking, washing your hands, and brushing your teeth. The Red Cross says that you should have at least a three-day supply but I believe very strongly that you should have a 6-month to one-year supply. Witness in New Orleans that they were still finding people in their attics 14 DAYS after Hurricane Katrina!

Your first choice should be a non-electric water purifier. The military and missionaries have used these water purifiers for years. The majority of the water sources these agencies have available are as contaminated as your local cesspool! By using these water purifiers it is possible to remove over 99% of the impurities from the dirtiest water on the Planet. You can create a system where the water collects in plastic garbage bag covered garbage cans. Then you can take that water and run it through the purifier. Most of these purifiers will clean at least 10,000 gallons of water before the filters have to be replaced.

Now, if you do not want to invest in a water purifier, you can check and see if your local grocery has a water vending machine. This will be usually water that has been processed using reverse osmosis, which is the purest water you can get. You will want to start collecting those gallon containers that distilled water comes in or plastic drink bottles. NEVER use the plastic MILK containers as they have the potential of leaving deadly bacteria even after washing in the hottest water. Usually you can get a gallon out of the machine for 25 cents.

I am sure that some of you reading this article may not be able to afford the expense of a water purifier or even the water machine. There is another alternative that will work...

You can also fall back on the old standby of chlorine bleach or iodine for decontaminating your water. The bleach you buy should state on the label that it contains 5.5% sodium chloride. Most times you will use 8 drops of the bleach per gallon. You will want to make sure that you can both TASTE and SMELL the bleach before drinking it. If you are not sure then add another 8 drops. If the water appears to be cloudy then add 16 drops in the beginning. Mix the water thoroughly and let it stand for at least 30 minutes.

In regards to iodine, there are new tablets available that purify the water and also remove the taste of the iodine.

So where are you going to store this water? Your first choice should be the FDA-approved containers that can store from 5 gallons to 55 gallons. You would only want to consider the 55 gallon containers if you plan not to move them.

Your best bet is the five gallon ones. Remember the five-gallon container will last one member of your family five days. You should place the containers on their sides and stack them. You also want to make sure and keep these containers off the floor and away from strong odors i.e. gasoline. The water supply should last from 2-3 years; however, it is a good idea to rotate the containers as you purify using the older water first.

You can use the plastic jugs...NOT MILK JUGS...but they will not last as long as the FDA-approved containers.

There will be emergencies when you will have to take drastic measures. You can usually drink the water from the toilet TANK not the bowl. Or you can drink the water from the hot water heater. You attach a garden hose at the bottom of the hot water heater. Make sure you have turned off the heat first and also drained out the sediment that collects at the bottom of the hot water heater.

You should pass out information that explains what to do as soon as the disaster occurs. Most likely the electricity is going to shut down as predicted in the report. You begin to pull out that supply of candles you bought especially those 8-hour plus ones. Also you have an assortment of flashlights with fresh batteries and even a couple of those flashlights you can hand crank or shake.

Speaking of hand-cranked devices, you also locate your short wave radio that also offers a solar powered backup source. Why short wave? Because these radios offer extra emergency bands that might come in handy at this time. Also if the time of power outage is very long then the news and entertainment on the short wave can take the place of television (unless you have a battery powered one). You might also keep fresh batteries in the kids? toys and video game units to keep them entertained. Ditto for your laptop or PDA.

If you have gas ranges, dryers, or other appliances IMMEDIATELY go to the source and TURN IT OFF! Every member of the family over twelve years old should know how to turn off the gas at the source which is usually by the street. Why do this? Because there could be a gas break from the disaster and the last thing you want to deal with at this time is a deadly explosion. I would also recommend assigning people at your meeting to act as ?back-up? checkers for the entire community in regards to shutting off the gas. This will also immediately get them involved in the project.

Now you should cover the importance of obtaining alternate sources of power. Remind them to purchase a 3-6 month supply of firewood. Keep on hand the store bought starter logs so that you can get the fire going quickly. If you run out of these logs then you can take old newspaper (preferably without color since this can out gas potentially dangerous fumes) and roll them up tightly to create your own logs. Remember to keep on hand both fireproof matches and the disposable lighters.

You then might discuss the signaling system for neighborhood communications that I discussed in my previous book. It is extremely important to able to communicate with your neighbors especially after a natural disaster. The telephone lines will most likely be down.

You will want to develop a rotating schedule where one person is responsible for touring your neighborhood or apartment complex to check on the signaling system. This system is very simple and requires that a family who has an emergency at their home or apartment prominently display a RED ribbon where the ?checker? can see it. The ?checker? should immediately go to the door and knock LOUDLY and call out. If there is no response then the ?checker? should make the decision to enter the house or apartment. Remember, someone may be unconscious and unable to respond; every minute will count. You might ask if this is legal.

I would discuss the feasibility of getting the attendees to agree to sign an agreement authorizing someone to enter a home or apartment after reasonable attempts to get a response are exhausted. Before creating this agreement it would be good to check with an attorney.

Another very important agenda item should be CPR and first aid. You should determine who has had both CPR and first aid instruction. EVERY attendee should have been certified for CPR. If they are not, then one of the first priorities is getting a certified instructor to attend a meeting to teach CPR. EVERY person in the family should attend that meeting from 10 years old to the grand parents!

Let me share a story. When I lived in Atlanta, I had two old spinsters for neighbors named Vera and Sara. Vera worked at the neighborhood McDonalds and learned CPR. One day Vera and Sara were shopping at the mall when Sara collapsed. Vera knew how to perform CPR and saved Sara?s life! What if your child was lying unconscious? Would you know how to administer CPR? Remember, paramedics have to respond to the 911 situation and even with rapid response, the minutes a person is not breathing means more of a chance of permanent brain damage and even death.

There should be at least one person who is also trained in first aid and the neighborhood group should also look into the purchase of a group first like we use.

What follows is VERY important to share with your neighbors. During any emergency situation, valuable personal information could be inaccessible or even destroyed. I shared this ?buddy system? in my previous book and I want to make sure you prepare your information program before you have your first meeting.

You will want to choose a TRUSTED out-of-area contact or close relative to create the ?buddy system.? You are going to exchange the following very valuable information with them.

Your name and address
Your children?s full names and birthdays
Color of your children?s eyes and hair
Children?s mother?s and father?s names
Children?s sex and race
Children?s heights and weights (make sure and keep this current)
Children?s scars and birthmarks
Name, address, phone number/e-mail of your children?s daycare/school and person in charge
Children?s pediatrician/physician names and phone numbers/e-mail
Children?s other identifiers (glasses, braces, etc.)
Children?s fingerprints and current photos
Name, phone number/e-mail of children?s sitter (keep this current)
Family physician?s phone number/e-mail
Blood types of all members
Social security numbers of all members
Birth dates of all members
Home/work phone numbers/e-mail
List of all special health problems, allergies to medications, and prescriptions of all members
Attorney?s name and phone number/e-mail
Your bank, branch, contact person, phone number/e-mail, and checking account numbers
Your savings account, or Certificate of Deposit number, branch location, and phone number/e-mail
Your safety deposit box number and location
Your homeowner?s insurance company, policy number, agent?s phone number/e-mail
Your life insurance carrier, policy number, agent?s phone number/e-mail

Now you can see why I emphasized a TRUSTED friend or relative. You are going to be sharing a great deal of confidential and important information with this person. Of course, he/she is going to be doing the same.

Also it would be wise to have some of the real vital information in a special emergency packet that is going to be kept by EVERY person in the household. The absolute required information would include the person?s name, address and phone number; the parent?s names, address, phone number(s)/e-mail(s); the person?s birth date; the person?s finger prints and current photo; the person?s blood type and any special medical problems, allergies to medications, and current prescriptions; and most importantly the name, address, phone number(s)/e-mail of the out-of-area contact person or relative.

If one of your children should get separated from you this information should be very valuable to law enforcement agencies.

We KNOW how difficult it can be to prepare so I have updated my previous printed book featured on CNN, Fox News and Art Bell Coast to Coast as a FR** Ebook that will be coming out soon. Go to http://www.avmagination.com and scroll to the bottom of the page to reserve your FR** copy!

About The Author

Hugh Simpson is a TV producer and former investigative reporter for Post Newsweek TV. He also has owned a public relations consulting firm for over 30 years.

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.5 of 12 - Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:27:43 +0000

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.5 of 12 - Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry

by: Paul Curran

Christmas recipe serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Calories per serving: 875

Suitable for freezing after step 3.

Christmas recipe ingredients

Sherry or balsamic vinegar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)

Caster Sugar, 10 ml (2 tsp)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil, 120 ml (8 tbsp)

Cranberries, fresh or frozen 50 g (2 oz)

Celery, 125 g (4 oz)

Walnuts, toasted 50 g (2 oz)

Turkey, roasted meat 450 g (1 lb)

Garlic cloves, 2

Olive oil, 15 ml (1 tbsp)

Fennel seeds (optional), 10 ml (2 tsp)

Oregano, dried 10 ml (2 tsp)

Cranberry sauce, 30 ml (2 tbsp)

Breadcrumbs, fresh 125 g (4 oz)

Eggs, 2

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated 50 g (2 oz)

Oil

Green salad

Christmas recipe instructions

1. Chop the turkey, walnuts and celery into small pieces. Crush peeled garlic. Cook the oregano, fennel seeds, garlic and celery in oil for about five minutes. Then add the cranberry sauce. leave to cool.

2. Add salt and pepper to the vinegar and sugar, mix in the oil and cranberries. Heat to boiling, cook for 1 minute and leave to cool.

3. Combine salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, walnuts, eggs, breadcrumbs, celery mixture and turkey. Split into twelve golf-sized meatballs.

4. Deep-fat fry the meatballs until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Place them on kitchen towel paper to soak up the oil and serve onto green salad sprinkled with cranberry dressing from step 1.

About The Author

(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at http://www.gifts-for-christmas.com, bringing you recipes and unique gifts for christmas including their collectibles and russian gifts stores. Send blank email to santa-52@aweber.com for free Xmas gags recipes.

This article may be published electronically or in print in its entirety as long as the author bylines in the resource box are included and urls kept live. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.

Amazing Chili Recipe Turned Into Nightmare!

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:45:48 +0000

Amazing Chili Recipe Turned Into Nightmare!

by: Jonathan Teng

This chili recipe is, indeed, a really nightmare! Taste it only when curiosity becomes unbearable and courage is strong! :o)

Ingredients:

1 cup Pinto beans, dried

1 tsp Paprika

5 cups Water

1 Nutmeg, ground, whole

2 tbsp Lard

1 tsp Cumin

1 tbsp Bacon drippings

2 tsp Oregano, dried, pref. Mexican

1 Onion

4 tbsp Sesame seeds

12 oz Pork sausage, country-style

1 cup Almonds, blanched, skins removed

1 lb Beef, coarse grind

12 Red chiles, whole dried

4 Garlic cloves

1 tsp Anise

1 1/2 oz Milk chocolate, small pieces

1/2 tsp Coriander seeds

1 can Tomato paste (6oz ea)

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

2 tbsp Vinegar

1/2 tsp Cloves, ground

3 tsp Lemon juice

1 Cinnamon stick, ground

1 Soft tortilla, chopped

1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Salt

Instructions for this special chili recipe:

Place the rinsed beans in a bowl, add 2 to 3 cups of water and soak overnight. Check the beans occasionally and add water as necessary to keep them moist. Pour the beans and the water in which they were soaked into a heavy saucepan and add 2 to 3 more cups of water.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes, until the beans are cooked but still firm. Check occasionally and add water if necessary. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.

Melt the lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the beans and lightly fry them in the lard. Set aside. Melt the drippings in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent.

Combine the sausage and the beef with all the spices up through the oregano. Add this meat-and-spice mixture to the pot with the onion. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very well browned.

Add the reserved bean-cooking liquid to the pot. Stir in all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and cook, uncovered, for 1/2 hour longer. Stir occasionally. Add water only if necessary to maintain the consistency of a chunky soup. Serve.

About The Author

Jonathan Teng

Jonathan loves eating! If you are like him, you definitely need to visit http://www.easy-recipes-secrets.com ? The special place where Jonathan reveals 3 BIG secrets to make any recipe a pure success!

Subscribe to his FREE newsletter and receive TONS of new recipes and cooking tips every week: http://www.easy-recipes-secrets.com/free-recipes-newsletter.html

**IMPORTANT**

You are free to republish this article BUT you cannot modify any part of its content and the resource box should remain intact!

Keep Fit With Essential Fatty Acids

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:16:45 +0000

Keep Fit With Essential Fatty Acids

by: Chester Ku-Lea

Why should I increase my Omega fatty acid intake?

Our intake of essential fatty acids has changed radically in the last century. Our ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 should be close to 1:1, but it is now over 10:1 and up to 20:1. This is due to the addition of corn, sunflower, safflower, sesame and other Omega-6 oils to our food supply. Such excesses are thought by many scientists to be a factor in a number of chronic medical conditions including arthritis, cardiovascular disease, asthma, acne, obesity and depression. It is clear that we need to increase our intake of Omega-3 fatty acids and decrease our intake of Omega-6 (linoleic acid) oils. By doing so we will be, look and feel healthier.

What are good fats and bad fats?

Fat is a concentrated source of energy. This source of energy is very useful during aerobic exercise. The longer the exercise, the higher the fat contribution for providing energy. Fat is particularly used in large quantities in the brain and nervous system. There are two types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are commonly referred to as "good" fats, and should make up the greatest percentage of your fat intake.

UNSATURATED

? Unsaturated fats, "good fats" are liquid at room temperature, and remain in liquid form even when refrigerated or frozen.

? Good fats are part of the essential fats: omega 3 and omega 6, both of which are unsaturated fats.

What are EPA and DHA?

These are two specific essential fatty acids found in fish oil. Both Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) have been well documented in regulating cellular functions and promoting good health. Diets deficient in EPA and DHA have been associated with a number of health problems, most notably cardiovascular disease.

What is GLA and how is it different from other Omega-6 sources?

GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) is an Omega-6 fatty acid found in high amounts in borage oil, and to a lesser degree in black currant and evening primrose oils. In contrast to the sunflower, safflower and other Omega-6 oils, the presence of GLA in borage oil results in very different physiological effects. Linoleic acid in its current dietary excess promotes inflammation due to the production of arachidonic acid (AA). GLA on the other hand, actually interferes with the production of AA and decreases inflammation. GLA has been used with success in treating various medical conditions, most notably rheumatoid arthritis and eczema. Emerging science also indicates that GLA has synergistic activities with the Omega-3 marine-derived DHA and EPA, particularly in cardiovascular health and fat metabolism.

We all want to be healthy, happy and fit with enough energy for work and for play. A well-balanced diet, exercise, and enough rest go a long way in helping us get the most out of life. And essential fatty acids (EFAs) have been proven to help us achieve healthier and happier lives. These good fats' truly are essential and the majority of us are not consuming enough of the well-researched Omega fats. Now getting the right amount of Omegas to suit your specific health needs is easier than ever.

Where do essential fats come from?

Sources of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fats:

? Cold Water fish such as Salmon (coho, king and pink), sardines, cod, albacore tuna, trout, halibut , herring. (these fish are also a great source of Omega 6, but are predominantly richer in Omega 3)

? Flaxseeds and green leafy vegetables are great sources of Omega 3.

? Sesame and sunflower seeds and other seeds and nuts are great sources of Omega 6.

? Borage oil and evening primrose oil are rich sources of GLA which is part of the Omega 6 essential fats.

Where do saturated fats come from?

Saturated fats contain large amounts of saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are named so, because they are "saturated" with hydrogen, meaning they have only single bonds between carbon atoms, leaving no room in their chemical structure for additional hydrogen atoms. Saturated fats are typically solid at room temperature.

Varieties of Saturated fat include: Butter, coconut and palm oils and lard.

Benefits

? aid in balancing the autoimmune system

? treats skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis

? cardiovascular health

About The Author

Chester Ku-Lea is a health nutrition consultant and is the owner of

www.AstroNutrition.com - a provider of premium health nutrition and sports supplements.

chester@astronutrition.com

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.9 of 12 - Duck with Cardamom Sauce

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:36:16 +0000

Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.9 of 12 - Duck with Cardamom Sauce

by: Paul Curran

Christmas recipe serves: 6

calories per serving: 400

preparation time: 15 minutes

cooking time: 2hours 30 minutes

suitable for freezing after step 3.

Christmas recipe ingredients:

duck legs, 6, about 2 kg (4.5 lb)

onions, 350 g (12 oz)

root ginger, fresh, 5 cm piece, (2 inch)

butter, 125 g (4 oz)

caster sugar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)

green cardomom pods, 8 whole

chicken stock, 1.7 litres (3 pints)

ginger wine, 300 ml (10 fl oz)

dry white wine, 150 ml (5 fl oz)

salt and pepper

orange juice, 45 ml (3 tbsp)

lemon juice, 15 ml (1 tbsp)

oil, 5 ml (1 tbsp)

sea salt, coarse 10 ml (2 tsp)

garnish, coarse fresh coriander

Christmas recipe instructions:

1. Simmer the duck legs gently in a large pan of boiling water for about 2 hours.

2. To prepare the sauce, fry peeled, chopped onions in 50 g (2 oz) of the butter for about 10 minutes or soft. Add peeled and grated ginger, with the sugar and csardomom seeds from one pod. Cook until the color of the mixture turns dark golden brown.

3. Add the stock and boil until the volume is reduced by half. Reduce by half again till syrup like after adding the white wine and dry ginger. Add salt and pepper and orange juice to taste.

4. Stir in 25 g (1 oz) of the butter into the sauce at boiling point. Separate the onions from the liquid and combine with the rest of the butter. Keep.

5. Remove excess water from the duck and put over a roasting tin on a rack. Brush the duck with oil and sprinkle with salt and the remaining cardomom seeds.

6. Roast until the skin is very crisp. About 20 to 25 minutes at gas mark 8. (230 degrees centigrade, 450 F). Add the reheated butter and onion and serve the food with heated cardomom sauce. Garnish with coriander.

About The Author

Specialization, Diversification, Integration

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:13:53 +0000

Specialization, Diversification, Integration

by: Arvind Kumar

Every business needs a core ? an area where it leads. Every business must therefore specialize. But every business must also try to obtain the most from its specialization. It must diversify.

The balance between these two determines the scope of a business.

Parents Magazine Enterprises had for thirty-five years been a successful publisher of magazines and books on and for children. In the autumn of 1963 it acquired F.A.O. Schwarz, the best-known American toy retail chain. This did not change its specialization at all. But it diversified the fields in which the company?s specialization is utilized.

Unilever also exemplifies balance between specialization and diversification. With five hundred companies operating in more than sixty countries, Unilever is so complicated that few outsiders understand its structure. Its activities range from growing oil-bearing seeds and catching fish to selling all kinds of goods to the ultimate consumer. Yet it is at the same time a highly specialized business with a major concentration in marketing grocery products, from fish and processed foods to soaps and toiletries. Any business within Unilever, whether it is a chain of grocery stores or a fleet of fishing vessels, can be understood in terms of the highly specialized knowledge and competence of a grocery-products business.

By contrast, specialization and diversification in isolation from each other are seldom productive. The business that is only a specialty is rarely much more than the practice of an individual professional or designer. It cannot grow as a rule and is likely to die with the one man. The business that is diversified without specialization or specific excellence becomes unmanageable and eventually unmanaged.

A business needs a central resource. It needs to integrate its activities into one knowledge or one market. It needs one area in terms of which business decisions can be meaningfully made. Unless there is such a core, people in the business soon cease to speak a common language. Management itself loses its touch, does not know what is relevant and cannot make the proper decisions. On the other hand, a business needs diversification of result areas to give it the flexibility needed in a world of rapidly changing markets and technologies.

About The Author

This article may be re-printed as long as following resource box is included as it is with out any alteration.

Article by Arvind Kumar. Arvind Kumar is one of prominent writer and consultant on Marketing and Management. You can reach him at arvind@nuttymarketer.com. For more on Gorilla Marketing Strategy and planning visit www.nuttymarketer.com.

Supporting Local Flavors

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:19:15 +0000

Supporting Local Flavors

by: Scott Schirkofsky

In the last 10 years Americans have seen a boom in local food markets and for good reason. While Americans continue to buy more fast food, they still expect perfect ingredients and they are finding them.

So why are they turning to their local markets more and more? In a nutshell they want fresh, healthy produce with great flavor. There are numerous other benefits to buying local products and it would seem Americans are now rediscovering what their local growers have to offer.

FRESHER

Care for fresher ingredients? Locally grown items are usually harvested 1 or 2 days before hitting the market making them significantly fresher then traditional store bought ingredients. For those folks lucky enough to live in rural areas, many of your local ingredients may be available to you the same day they are harvested. Produce flown in from other parts of the country or world is considerably older given that on average they travel 1,500 miles to get to your dinner table. These products may be harvested before they are ripe because of the delay in getting the product to market. Given that produce loses nutrients quickly, a recently harvested crop is preferred for its ripeness alone.

SAFER

Local food is often safer, too. Even when it?s not organically grown, small farms tend to be less aggressive than large factory farms about using chemicals. While biotechnology companies have long been experimenting with genetically altered produce, small local farmers do not have access to these seeds and most would not use them even if they did have access to these seeds. For those consumers opposed to using genetically altered produce, locally grown produce will offer the best product.

BUILDS COMMUNITY

When you go to a local market you get a chance to see the grower and talk to them eye-to-eye. You get to see their reaction when you ask them if the use chemicals. You get to see how proud they are of what their hard work has produced. And you get to see that happiness in their eyes when you support their farm with a purchase. This opportunity to meet the growers in person goes a long way in creating a sense of community and maintaining tradition in addition to supporting local growers financially.

BENEFITS OPEN SPACE & LOWER TAX DOLLAR SPENDING

As we have become wrapped up in the conveniences of the corner grocer, we seem to have forgotten how valuable our farmers are to our local communities. If you grew up in a rural area, you most likely remember the vast open space and picturesque countryside the crops created. As long as the small local farms exist this open space will not be developed into commercial property. Why is this important? Aside from maintaining the beautiful landscape, it is also most cost effective for the region, supports a cleaner environment and affords wildlife a greatly desirable sanctuary.

On average almost four times as much tax revenue is spent on services for a residential area then is spent on services for farms, forest or open space. For instance for every $1 collected in taxes from a residential area, almost $1.20 is spent on services to support that area. Conversely, only $.34 is spent to support rural area for each dollar collected. Because farms contribute more taxes then they require in services, local farmers make for a surplus in tax revenue. In addition to the lower cost needed to support rural areas, they also help to clean 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry.

By continuing to support local growers today, you are ensuring that they will be around tomorrow. In fact more and more non-chain grocers are carrying locally grown products. They must, it?s what consumers are demanding.

Try buying local flavors. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.

About The Author

Scott Schirkofsky is the chef and owner of At Home Gourmet. You can find more recipes, cooking tips, spice blends, food and beverage articles on his highly recommended website: http://www.athomegourmet.com and http://www.foodandbeveragenetwork.com.

Wanna Go For A Ride?.. Want Some Coffee First?

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:45:31 +0000

Wanna Go For A Ride?.. Want Some Coffee First?

by: Maricon Williams

The hot and luscious coffee is tempting everyone to forget about being health conscious for a moment and take a sip... But once you started a sip, chances are you won?t care about the aftermath anymore? The fondness for coffee was heightened by the sprouting of espresso shops. Since then coffee has been regarded as an all-time favorite drink. Young and old alike are fascinated with its unique aroma and taste. Next to water, the next most common drink is coffee. In the United States, there are about 160 million American who are hooked in drinking coffee.

What?s in coffee that makes it addictive? Coffee is like an addictive pill. Your routine will be lacking if you miss one drink. Let?s know coffee better. Coffee is brewed from the seeds of the coffee plant. Coffee beans contain caffeine, a stimulant known as trimethylxanthine. The most common and well-defined effect of coffee is it being the stimulant of the central nervous system. Within a minute of drinking coffee, caffeine levels peak to generate vigilance, sharp concentration and improves mood. This is the reason why it is called the ?wake-up drink?. While some people do well with this boost, others become over-stimulated. The side effects include insomnia, anxiety, irritability and diarrhea. In the past, coffee has been linked to an array of health risks, ranging from stroke, miscarriage, high cholesterol to cancer. Thus, we have to be cautious with the amount of coffee we can take.

The urge of drinking a coffee has no exact time. It can come any time of the day but mostly during breakfast and breaks. In addition, even riders are hooked by it. When a rider has already traveled hundreds of miles or probably while inspecting his Yamaha motorcycle parts if they are still in good riding condition, he will most likely feel tired and sleepy and will order coffee to stimulate him. However, what the rider did not know is that coffee is not a substitute to a normal sleep. Riders who drink more than they're used to may become restless, jittery, or sleepy. Thus, it will be hard for him to focus on the road and may thus cause accidents.

Now, if you?re a rider and you?re having your break, will you still opt for a cup of coffee? Time for a cup of coffee?

About The Author

Maricon Williams

Please visit Yamaha Motorcycle Parts site at http://www.yamahamotorcyclepartsonline.com/ for comments and inquiries regarding this article.