DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure

The DASH diet emphasizes portion size, eating a variety of foods and getting the right amount of nutrients. Discover how DASH can improve your health and lower your blood pressure.

By Mayo Clinic staff

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet is a lifelong approach to healthy eating that's designed to help treat or prevent high blood pressure (hypertension). The DASH diet encourages you to reduce the sodium in your diet and eat a variety of foods rich in nutrients that help lower blood pressure, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium.

By following the DASH diet, you may be able to reduce your blood pressure by a few points in just two weeks. Over time, your blood pressure could drop by eight to 14 points, which can make a significant difference in your health risks.

Because the DASH diet is a healthy way of eating, it offers health benefits besides just lowering blood pressure. The DASH diet may offer protection against osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. And while the DASH diet is not a weight-loss program, you may indeed lose unwanted pounds because it can help guide you toward healthier meals and snacks.

DASH diet: Sodium levels

A key goal of the DASH diet is reducing how much sodium you eat, since sodium can dramatically increase blood pressure in people who are sensitive to its effects. In addition to the standard DASH diet, there is also a lower sodium version of the diet. You can choose the version of the diet that meets your health needs:

• Standard DASH diet. You can consume up to 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day.
• Lower sodium DASH diet. You can consume up to 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Both versions of the DASH diet aim to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet compared with what you might get in a more traditional diet, which can amount to a whopping 3,500 mg of sodium a day or more. That level is far beyond the recommendation of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans of a maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium a day.

Studies show that the lower sodium version of the DASH diet is especially helpful in lowering blood pressure for adults who are middle-aged or older, for African-Americans and for those who already have high blood pressure. If you aren't sure which version of the DASH diet is best for you, talk to your doctor.

DASH diet: What to eat

Both sodium versions of the DASH diet include lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. The DASH diet also includes some fish, poultry and legumes. You can eat red meat, sweets and fats in small amounts. The DASH diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat.

Here's a look at the recommended servings from each food group for the 2,000-calorie-a-day DASH diet.

Grains (6 to 8 servings a day)
Grains include bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Examples of one serving of grains include 1 slice whole-wheat bread, 1 ounce (oz.) dry cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta.

• Focus on whole grains because they have more fiber and nutrients than do refined grains. For instance, use brown rice instead of white rice, whole-wheat pasta instead of regular pasta and whole-grain bread instead of white bread. Look for products labeled "100 percent whole grain" or "100 percent whole wheat."
• Grains are naturally low in fat, so avoid spreading on butter or adding cream and cheese sauces.

Vegetables (4 to 5 servings a day)
Tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, greens and other vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins, and such minerals as potassium and magnesium. Examples of one serving include 1 cup raw leafy green vegetables or 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables.

• Don't think of vegetables only as side dishes — a hearty blend of vegetables served over brown rice or whole-wheat noodles can serve as the main dish for a meal.
• Fresh or frozen vegetables are both good choices. When buying frozen and canned vegetables, choose those labeled as low sodium or without added salt.
• To increase the number of servings you fit in daily, be creative. In a stir-fry, for instance, cut the amount of meat in half and double up on the vegetables.

Fruits (4 to 5 servings a day)
Many fruits need little preparation to become a healthy part of a meal or snack. Like vegetables, they're packed with fiber, potassium and magnesium and are typically low in fat — exceptions include avocados and coconuts. Examples of one serving include 1 medium fruit or 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit.

• Have a piece of fruit with meals and one as a snack, then round out your day with a dessert of fresh fruits topped with a splash of low-fat yogurt.
• Leave on edible peels whenever possible. The peels of apples, pears and most fruits with pits add interesting texture to recipes and contain healthy nutrients and fiber.
• Remember that citrus fruits and juice, such as grapefruit, can interact with certain medications, so check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if they're OK for you.

Dairy (2 to 3 servings a day)
Milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy products are major sources of calcium, vitamin D and protein. But the key is to make sure that you choose dairy products that are low-fat or fat-free because otherwise they can be a major source of fat. Examples of one serving include 1 cup skim or 1% milk, 1 cup yogurt or 1 1/2 oz. cheese.

• Low-fat or fat-free frozen yogurt can help you boost the amount of dairy products you eat while offering a sweet treat. Add fruit for a healthy twist.
• If you have trouble digesting dairy products, choose lactose-free products or consider taking an over-the-counter product that contains the enzyme lactase, which can reduce or prevent the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
• Go easy on regular and even fat-free cheeses because they are typically high in sodium.

Lean meat, poultry and fish (6 or fewer servings a day)
Meat can be a rich source of protein, B vitamins, iron and zinc. But because even lean varieties contain fat and cholesterol, don't make them a mainstay of your diet — cut back typical meat portions by one-third or one-half and pile on the vegetables instead. Examples of one serving include 1 oz. cooked skinless poultry, seafood or lean meat, 1 egg, or 1 oz. water-packed, no-salt-added canned tuna.

• Trim away skin and fat from meat and then broil, grill, roast or poach instead of frying.
• Eat heart-healthy fish, such as salmon, herring and tuna. These types of fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower your total cholesterol.

Nuts, seeds and legumes (4 to 5 servings a week) 
Almonds, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, peas, lentils and other foods in this family are good sources of magnesium, potassium and protein. They're also full of fiber and phytochemicals, which are plant compounds that may protect against some cancers and cardiovascular disease. Serving sizes are small and are intended to be consumed weekly because these foods are high in calories. Examples of one serving include 1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz.) nuts, 2 tablespoons seeds or 1/2 cup cooked beans or peas.

• Nuts sometimes get a bad rap because of their fat content, but they contain healthy types of fat — monounsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty acids. They're high in calories, however, so eat them in moderation. Try adding them to stir-fries, salads or cereals.
• Soybean-based products, such as tofu and tempeh, can be a good alternative to meat because they contain all of the amino acids your body needs to make a complete protein, just like meat. They also contain isoflavones, a type of natural plant compound (phytochemical) that has been shown to have some health benefits.

Fats and oils (2 to 3 servings a day)
Fat helps your body absorb essential vitamins and helps your body's immune system. But too much fat increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. The DASH diet strives for a healthy balance by providing 30 percent or less of daily calories from fat, with a focus on the healthier unsaturated fats. Examples of one serving include 1 teaspoon soft margarine, 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise or 2 tablespoons light salad dressing.

• Saturated fat and trans fat are the main dietary culprits in raising your blood cholesterol and increasing your risk of coronary artery disease. DASH helps keep your daily saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your total calories by limiting use of meat, butter, cheese, whole milk, cream and eggs in your diet, along with foods made from lard, solid shortenings, and palm and coconut oils.
• Avoid trans fat, commonly found in such processed foods as crackers, baked goods and fried items.
• Read food labels on margarine and salad dressing so that you can choose those that are lowest in saturated fat and free of trans fat.

Sweets (5 or fewer a week)
You don't have to banish sweets entirely while following the DASH diet — just go easy on them. Examples of one serving include 1 tablespoon sugar, jelly or jam, 1/2 cup sorbet or 1 cup (8 oz.) lemonade.

• When you eat sweets, choose those that are fat-free or low-fat, such as sorbets, fruit ices, jelly beans, hard candy, graham crackers or low-fat cookies.
• Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) and sucralose (Splenda) may help satisfy your sweet tooth while sparing the sugar. But remember that you still must use them sensibly. It's OK to swap a diet cola for a regular cola, but not in place of a more nutritious beverage such as low-fat milk or even plain water.
• Cut back on added sugar, which has no nutritional value but can pack on calories.

DASH diet: Alcohol and caffeine

Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure. The DASH diet recommends that men limit alcohol to two or fewer drinks a day and women one or less.

The DASH diet doesn't address caffeine consumption. The influence of caffeine on blood pressure remains unclear. But caffeine can cause your blood pressure to rise at least temporarily. If you already have high blood pressure or if you think caffeine is affecting your blood pressure, talk to your doctor about your caffeine consumption.

DASH diet and weight loss

The DASH diet is not designed to promote weight loss, but it can be used as part of an overall weight-loss strategy. The DASH diet is based on a diet of about 2,000 calories a day. If you're trying to lose weight, though, you may want to eat around 1,600 a day. You may need to adjust your serving goals based on your health or individual circumstances — something your health care team can help you decide.

Tips to cut back on sodium

The foods at the core of the DASH diet are naturally low in sodium. So just by following the DASH diet, you're likely to reduce your sodium intake. You also can cut back on sodium in your diet by:

• Using sodium-free spices or flavorings with your food instead of salt
• Not adding salt when cooking rice, pasta or hot cereal
• Rinsing canned foods to remove some of the sodium
• Buying foods labeled "no salt added," "sodium-free," "low sodium" or "very low sodium"

One teaspoon of table salt has about 2,300 mg of sodium, and 2/3 teaspoon of table salt has about 1,500 mg of sodium. When you read food labels, you may be surprised at just how much sodium some processed foods contain. Even low-fat soups, canned vegetables, ready-to-eat cereals and sliced turkey from the local deli — all foods you may have considered healthy — often have lots of sodium.

You may not notice a difference in taste when you choose low-sodium food and beverages. If things seem too bland, gradually introduce low-sodium foods and cut back on table salt until you reach your sodium goal. That'll give your palate time to adjust. It can take several weeks for your taste buds to get used to less salty foods.

Putting the pieces of the DASH diet together

Try these strategies to get started on the DASH diet:

• Change gradually. To boost your success, avoid dramatic changes in your eating approach. Instead, change one or two things at a time. If you now eat only one or two servings of fruits or vegetables a day, try to add a serving at lunch and one at dinner. Rather than switching to all whole grains, start by making one or two of your grain servings whole grains. Increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains gradually can also help prevent bloating or diarrhea that may occur if you aren't used to eating a diet with lots of fiber. You can also try over-the-counter products to help reduce gas from beans and vegetables.
• Forgive yourself if you backslide. Everyone slips, especially when learning something new. Remember that changing your lifestyle is a long-term process. Find out what triggered your setback and then just pick up where you left off with the DASH diet.
• Reward successes. Reward yourself with a nonfood treat for your accomplishments.
• Add physical activity. To boost your blood pressure lowering efforts even more, consider increasing your physical activity in addition to following the DASH diet. Combining both the DASH diet and physical activity makes it more likely that you'll reduce your blood pressure.
• Get support if you need it. If you're having trouble sticking to your diet, talk to your doctor or dietitian about it. You might get some tips that will help you stick to the DASH diet.

Remember, healthy eating isn't an all-or-nothing proposition. What's most important is that, on average, you eat healthier foods with plenty of variety — both to keep your diet nutritious and to avoid boredom or extremes. And with the DASH diet, you can have both.

Posted via email from WellCare

Why Do Evangelists Ask People to Come Forward?

By Billy Graham

Q: Why do evangelists always ask people to come forward at the end of a service? I'd like to become a Christian, but do I have to wait until I can do it this way? -- K.D.S.  A: No, you don't have to wait to make your decision for Christ -- and I sincerely hope you won't. The important thing is not how you make your commitment, but that you actually do make it.  Let me explain it this way. Before we can respond to Jesus and become His followers, we must first understand with our minds who Jesus is and what He did by dying on the cross for us. He was God in human flesh, who came down from heaven to become the final and complete sacrifice for our sins. But then we must respond to Him with our wills -- actually deciding to commit our lives to Him and trust Him as our Lord and Savior.  And you can do this today -- right where you are -- by simply telling God you believe that Jesus died and rose again for your sins, and that you want to invite Him into your heart and become His follower. The Bible says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).  Then take your stand publicly for Jesus -- which He commands us to do. (This, incidentally, is one reason why I ask people to come forward publicly, openly confessing their faith in Jesus.) Jesus said, "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:32). Seek out a church where Christ is preached, and where you can identify openly with God's people and grow in your commitment to Christ.

Posted via email from Religion

Is God Disappointed in My Lack of Happiness?

----by Billy Graham

Q: I know Christians are supposed to be happy, and I try to put on a happy face when I'm with other people. But down inside, I admit I'm not a very happy person, and I don't understand why. God must be very disappointed in me. -- Mrs. R.T.  A: God knows all about you -- and the most important truth I can tell you is that in spite of your feelings, He still loves you just as you are. God's promise is for you: "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3).  How do we know He loves us? We know it first of all because He has told us He loves us in His Word, the Bible. Would He tell us this if it weren't so? No, of course not -- because God cannot lie. We know God loves us also because of His care for us every day. Even when life is hard, God's love still surrounds us and supplies our needs.  Above all, we know God loves us because of Jesus Christ. As the divine Son of God He could have stayed in heaven forever -- but He willingly left heaven's glory and came down to this earth to give His life for us. Why did He do this? There can be only one explanation: He did it out of love. The Bible says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10).  Why do I stress this? Your unhappiness may have various causes (including childhood experiences you may have forgotten), but once you realize how much God loves you, your life will never be the same. Thank Him for His love for you -- beginning today.

Posted via email from Religion

Conservative Bloggers .... Are They Effective!

I continue to see so many Conservative blog sites who's goal is helping to restore America.  Yet, about all I really see is many of these bloggers showing up at conventions at expensive hotels, etc.  Plus, many of them are continually asking for donations to support their efforts.  

My question to all these folks.....what have you really done to change anything in America? I am very skeptical of most of these folks as to what they are really up to?  I do know most are living a much better life than millions of Americans and they, bottom line, have accomplished nothing.  The only exception to this was Andrew Breitbart.  Let's face it, most of these high profile bloggers are really running a business and the #1 objective is to make money.

Again, my question:  Are Conservatives Bloggers Really Effective in what they do?  If they are why has nothing changed or am I just too impatient?

Posted via email from Global Politics

Romney Vs Obama (Evangelicals)

Much ink has been spilled (if that’s still an intelligible expression in this digital age) about the likely evangelical resistance to voting for Mitt Romney.  But, to my mind, the recent Pew poll paints a different picture.  Here’s what we learn:

• Protestants favor Romney over Obama 51-43.
• White non-Hispanic evangelicals favor Romney over Obama 73-20.
• White non-Hispanic mainline Protestants favor Romney over Obama 50-42.
• Weekly church attenders favor Romney over Obama 56-38.
• White non-Hispanic evangelical weekly attenders favor Romney over Obama 80-16.

In other words, the most religiously observant white evangelicals are more likely–indeed, significantly more likely– than their less observant brethren to say they’re going to vote for Romney. (Evangelicals who attend less than once a week favor Romney over Obama 58-31.)

Posted via email from Global Politics

Gingrich Secret Service Costing Taxpayers Thousands Daily!

From The Daily Caller

Even though by his own estimation he has very little prospect of winning the Republican nomination, Newt Gingrich is still likely costing the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars a day with his Secret Service detail on the campaign trail.

Gingrich reportedly requested Secret Service protection in February and was granted a detail in early March. In April 2008, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee that it was then costing the agency roughly $38,000 a day to service each candidate receiving protection, which was then just Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

A source with knowledge of the inner workings of the Gingrich campaign told The Daily Caller that Gingrich recently had three people on his personal security detail, though sometimes there are "many more."

"Others on the campaign told me that some of the Secret Service members were even saying it was a waste of time and that he shouldn't have it," the source told The DC. "Staff members thought it was ridiculous too, and just another example of Newt's arrogance and self-importance."

Posted via email from Global Politics

COSMIC CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY....A MUST READ!!!

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2012 | Series: Inalienable Rights

American constitutional law has undergone a transformation. Issues once left to the people have increasingly become the province of the courts. Subjects as diverse as abortion rights and firearms regulations, health care reform and counterterrorism efforts, not to mention a millennial presidential election, are more and more the domain of judges. 

What sparked this development? In this engaging volume, Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson argues that America's most brilliant legal minds have launched a set of cosmic constitutional theories that, for all their value, are undermining self-governance. Thinkers as diverse as Justices William Brennan and Antonin Scalia, Professor John Hart Ely, Judges Robert Bork and Richard Posner, have all produced seminal interpretations of our Founding document, but ones that promise to imbue courts with unprecedented powers. While crediting the theorists for the sparkling quality of their thoughts, Judge Wilkinson argues they will slowly erode the role of representative institutions in America and leave our children bereft of democratic liberty. 

The loser in all the theoretical fireworks is the old and honorable tradition of judicial restraint. The judicial modesty once practiced by Learned Hand, John Harlan, and Oliver Wendell Holmes has given way to competing schools of liberal and conservative activism seeking sanctuary in Living Constitutionalism, Originalism, Process Theory, or the supposedly anti-theoretical creed of Pragmatism. Each of these seemingly disparate theories promises their followers an intellectually respectable route to congenial political outcomes from the bench. Judge Wilkinson calls for a plainer, simpler, self-disciplined commitment to judicial restraint and democratic governance, a course that alas may be impossible so long as the cosmic constitutionalists so dominate contemporary legal thought.

Posted via email from Global Politics

COSMIC CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY....A MUST READ!!!

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 2012 | Series: Inalienable Rights

American constitutional law has undergone a transformation. Issues once left to the people have increasingly become the province of the courts. Subjects as diverse as abortion rights and firearms regulations, health care reform and counterterrorism efforts, not to mention a millennial presidential election, are more and more the domain of judges. 

What sparked this development? In this engaging volume, Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson argues that America's most brilliant legal minds have launched a set of cosmic constitutional theories that, for all their value, are undermining self-governance. Thinkers as diverse as Justices William Brennan and Antonin Scalia, Professor John Hart Ely, Judges Robert Bork and Richard Posner, have all produced seminal interpretations of our Founding document, but ones that promise to imbue courts with unprecedented powers. While crediting the theorists for the sparkling quality of their thoughts, Judge Wilkinson argues they will slowly erode the role of representative institutions in America and leave our children bereft of democratic liberty. 

The loser in all the theoretical fireworks is the old and honorable tradition of judicial restraint. The judicial modesty once practiced by Learned Hand, John Harlan, and Oliver Wendell Holmes has given way to competing schools of liberal and conservative activism seeking sanctuary in Living Constitutionalism, Originalism, Process Theory, or the supposedly anti-theoretical creed of Pragmatism. Each of these seemingly disparate theories promises their followers an intellectually respectable route to congenial political outcomes from the bench. Judge Wilkinson calls for a plainer, simpler, self-disciplined commitment to judicial restraint and democratic governance, a course that alas may be impossible so long as the cosmic constitutionalists so dominate contemporary legal thought.

Posted via email from Global Politics

Texas Gov. Rick Perry touts budget limits as crucial to state’s future at Plano Chamber

In a room packed with members of the Plano Chamber of Commerce and more than a few sitting or would-be state legislators, Gov. Rick Perry set the parameters for crafting the next state budget by presenting what he called the five simple tenets to his Texas Budget Compact.

Those principles – truth in budgeting, a Constitutional limit on spending tied to population growth and inflation, rejecting new taxes or increases and making the small business tax exemption permanent, preserving a strong Rainy Day fund, and cutting unnecessary or duplicative programs and agencies – will help assure that Texas remains atop the other states in job creation and other economic categories, Perry said.

He paused at one point and directed a comment at new Plano Schools Superintendent Richard Matkin, whose background is in accounting. “Superintendent, if you did your budgeting like the Texas Legislature did in recent years, you’d be in trouble,” the governor said.

Matkin quickly assured him he wouldn't.

Perry underscored that with the business crowd – how revenue and income determine how they operate, and how they live.
It has to be the same with the state, Perry said.

“As we focus on the next Legislative session, we’re going to continue to be thoughtful in our budget process in Austin, Texas,” he said.
Truth in budgeting will give the state’s residents’ faith and trust in government. And to reinforce that, setting state budget limits based on population growth and inflation rather than on personal income is crucial, Perry said.

So is making the small business tax exemption permanent, he said. “Why should [small business owners] have to come to Austin every two years and beg for it?” Perry asked.
With those kinds of guarantees in place, Texas can continue as a leader in job creation, the governor said. But the future also rests on decisions in Washington, D.C. – notably Medicaid and President Obama’s health plan, “the ticking time bomb” for state spending, Perry said.

Posted via email from Global Politics

Good Economist

---by Walter Williams

It's difficult to be a good economist and simultaneously be perceived as compassionate. To be a good economist, one has to deal with reality. To appear compassionate, often one has to avoid unpleasant questions, use "caring" terminology and view reality as optional.

Affordable housing and health care costs are terms with considerable emotional appeal that politicians exploit but have absolutely no useful meaning or analytical worth. For example, can anyone tell me in actual dollars and cents the price of an affordable car, house or myomectomy? It's probably more pleasant to pretend that there is universal agreement about what is or is not affordable.

If you think my criticism of affordability is unpleasant, you'll hate my vision of harm. A good economist recognizes that harm is not a one-way street; it's reciprocal. For example, if I own a lot and erect a house in front of your house and block your view of a beautiful scene, I've harmed you; however, if I am prevented from building my house in front of yours, I'm harmed. Whose harm is more important? You say, "Williams, you can't tell." You can stop me from harming you by persuading some government thugs to stop me from building. It's the same thing with smoking. If I smoke a cigarette, you're harmed — or at least bothered. If I'm prevented from smoking a cigarette, I'm harmed by reduced pleasure. Whose harm is more important? Again, you can't tell. But as in the building example, the person who is harmed can use government thugs to have things his way.

How many times have we heard that "if it will save just one human life, it's worth it" or that "human life is priceless"? Both are nonsense statements. If either statement were true, we'd see lower speed limits, bans on auto racing and fewer airplanes in the sky. We can always be safer than we are. For example, cars could be produced such that occupants could survive unscathed in a 50-mph head-on collision, but how many of us could buy such a car? Don't get me wrong; I might think my life is priceless, but I don't view yours in the same light. I admire Greta Garbo's objectivity about her life. She said, "I'm a completely worthless woman, and no man should risk his life for me."

Speaking of worthlessness, I'd be worthless as an adviser to either the White House or Congress because if they asked me what they should do to get the economy going, I'd answer, "Do nothing!" Let's look at it. Between 1787 and 1930, our nation suffered both mild and severe economic downturns. There was no intervention to stimulate the economy, but the economy always recovered.

During the 1930s, there were massive interventions, starting with President Herbert Hoover and later with President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Their actions turned what would have been a sharp three- or four-year economic downturn into a 10-year affair. In 1930, when Hoover began to "fix" the economy, unemployment was 6 percent. FDR did even more to "fix" the economy. As a result, unemployment remained in double digits throughout the decade and reached 20 percent in 1939. President Roosevelt blamed the high unemployment on his predecessor. Presidential blaming of predecessors is a practice that continues to this day.

You say, "Williams, the White House and Congress should do something." The track record of doing nothing is pretty good compared with doing something. None of our economic downturns in the century and a half prior to 1930 lasted as long as the Great Depression.

It would be political suicide for a politician to follow my counsel — and for good reason. Americans have been miseducated into thinking that Roosevelt's New Deal saved our economy. That miseducation extends to most academics, including economists, at our universities, who are arrogant enough to believe that it's possible for a few people in Washington to have the information and knowledge necessary to manage the economic lives of 313 million people. Good economists recognize our limitations, making us not nice people to be around.

Posted via email from Global Politics

French Lessons

This is so true!  It's time parents started being real parents and not their child's best friend.

FEBRUARY 9, 2012 BY SUSAN DENCH

Pamela Druckerman – an American married to a Brit living in France with their three children - has written a very interesting book, “Bringing Up Bebe”,  about how the French parent.  My first thought was ‘”oh brother, another knock on Americans.” But as I started reading, I found some great nuggets which should be used in bringing up children, no matter the nationality.

• Kids should be taught (“educated”) from birth to have patience, become self-reliant, be respectful and accept the word, “no.”
• When children are given a stern look (Mrs. Druckerman calls them “big eyes” but in our house, my husband, who majored in social anthropology, calls them “baboon eyes”  after the signal these primates give potential enemies as a warning), they should actually know this means something and that there will be consequences for ignoring the message.
• Children should be taught basic courtesies such as saying hello and good bye, thank you and please.
• Parents must remind their children that, “It’s me who decides.”
• One rule which we can learn from – instead of allowing the kids to graze all day, French children are allowed only one snack, usually between 4 and 4:30.

Children do best with limitations, expectations, boundaries, accountability and consistent, fair and firm direction from involved parents. And it really doesn’t matter where they are brought up if these things are practiced.

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

The Simplicity of Twitter

Written by Courtney Carver on April 17, 2012 

I like Twitter. It’s my favorite form of social media and connecting. If you’ve never been on Twitter, it can be hard to understand the concept. Actually, the first 30 days of using Twitter are a little confusing. It isn’t that there is a lot to learn, but grasping that it is as simple as it is can be mind-boggling. It’s easier if you think about it as more social and less media.

I know some of you are thinking, “Courtney, Twitter has been around for years. Everyone already knows all about it.” I used to think the same thing, but when I spoke to 60 really smart business women last Fall, less than 5% of attendees had a Twitter account. A handful had heard of Twitter and the rest looked at me like I was crazy taking about twits and tweets.

What is Twitter?

According to Wikipedia, Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, known as “tweets”.

Why should you consider Twitter?

Like any social media platform, Twitter is not for everyone, but you’ll never know unless you try. Here are a few reasons to consider …

• Twitter is simple. You don’t have to read a book or hire a social media expert to use Twitter. I think it’s much more user-friendly than Facebook or Google +.
• Twitter isn’t time-consuming. Like anything else, you could spend mindless hours on Twitter, but if you follow the rules of engagement, use Twitter for good, and then get back to work, it can add value instead of steal time. I typically spend less than 20 minutes a day during the week on Twitter.
• You can meet people on Twitter. If you like celebrities, you can see what they are thinking and ask them questions. Ok, bad example. You can connect with politicians. Uh, scratch that. What about authors, teachers, and specialists in fields that you care about? See who is talking about traveling, cooking or learning to knit.  I love meeting new bloggers, simple living advocates and writers. They are all 140 characters away.
• People are nice on Twitter. Just like the grocery store, the people you meet on Twitter are usually nice. They can also be smart and helpful. When you encounter the opposite, a simple “unfollow” will suffice.
• Twitter can help your business. This simple sharing format lets your clients/readers/people share the good (and bad) about you and your business. It’s word of mouth on fire.
• Twitter replaces headline news. I hear about breaking news on Twitter before anywhere else. At that point, I can go deeper for details or move on.
• Consuming information is manageable. If you follow 5000 people, you will experience information overwhelm. If you follow 50, you can manage what your tweeps have to offer. I suggest starting small. You can see who I follow here.
• It’s easy to search on Twitter. Don’t know what to cook for dinner. Search for #dinnerideas. Need a little inspiration, search #inspirationalquotes.
• It’s easy to share on Twitter. You don’t have to attach pictures, accept friends, create albums or anything but type up to 140 letters about what you would like to share.

You don’t have to be a social media expert to learn twitter, or know much at all, but here are a few common terms that will help.

Simple Twitter Terminology (From the Twitter Glossary)

• Direct Message - Also called a DM and most recently called simply a “message,” these Tweets are private between the sender and recipient.
• #FF - #FF stands for “Follow Friday.” Twitter users often suggest who others should follow on Fridays by tweeting with the hashtag #FF. (I think you should recommend others any day, not just Friday)
• Hashtag - The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users.
• Mention - Mentioning another user in your Tweet by including the @ sign followed directly by their username is called a “mention”. Also refers to Tweets in which your username was included.
• Retweet - The act of forwarding another user’s Tweet to all of your followers. When you Type “RT” before someones user name and share their tweet. For example: I tweet, Twitter is cool. Then you retweet with RT @bemorewithless Twitter is cool.

I love Twitter for many reasons, but mostly because it’s simple and accessible and forces you to consider what you say. You can’t be wordy. If you are new to Twitter, say hi to me @bemorewithless, or ask a question. If you are a regular on Twitter, I want to hear from you too. If you don’t comment here, this blog can become a one way conversation. Twitter can change that.

Like most anything in life, you can make Twitter as simple or complicated as you like. Keep it simple and get started! If you have a Twitter account, please comment below with your Twitter profile url and description and what you think about Twitter so readers can connect with you too!

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

HEALTH-HAPPINESS CONNECTION

--from Harvard Health

Want to feel better and improve your health? Start by focusing on the things that bring you happiness. Scientific evidence suggests that positive emotions can help make life longer and healthier.

But fleeting positive emotions aren’t enough. Lowering your stress levels over a period of years with a positive outlook and relaxation techniques could reduce your risk of health problems.

Pathways to happiness

In an early phase of positive psychology research, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson of the University of Michigan chose three pathways to examine:

• Feeling good. Seeking pleasurable emotions and sensations, from the hedonistic model of happiness put forth by Epicurus, which focused on reaching happiness by maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain.

• Engaging fully. Pursuing activities that engage you fully, from the influential research by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. For decades, Csikszentmihalyi explored people’s satisfaction in their everyday activities, finding that people report the greatest satisfaction when they are totally immersed in and concentrating on what they are doing — he dubbed this state of intense absorption “flow.”

• Doing good. Searching for meaning outside yourself, tracing back to Aristotle’s notion of eudemonia, which emphasized knowing your true self and acting in accordance with your virtues.

Through focus groups and testing hundreds of volunteers, they found that each of these pathways individually contributes to life satisfaction.

Things that won’t make you happy

People tend to be poor judges of what will make them happy. Here are some widely held myths about what will bring happiness:

• Money and material things. The question of whether money can buy happiness has, for more than 30 years, been addressed by the “Easterlin paradox,” a concept developed by economist Richard Easterlin. His research showed that people in poor countries are happier when their basic necessities are covered. But any money beyond that doesn’t make much difference in happiness level. This idea has been challenged periodically, as in 2008 when two University of Pennsylvania researchers analyzed Gallup poll data from around the world. They showed, in contrast to Easterlin’s work, that people in wealthier countries are happier in general. The two studies were not directly comparable in method, however. And Easterlin points out that the new study may be flawed by cultural bias, as people from different countries may have different ways of answering questions about wealth and happiness.

• Youth. Being young and physically attractive has little or no bearing on happiness. In a study published by Richard Easterlin in 2006 in the Journal of Economic Psychology, not only did being young fail to contribute to happiness, but adults grew steadily happier as they moved into and through middle age. After that, happiness levels began to decline slowly as health problems and other life problems emerged.

• Children. Children can be a tremendous source of joy and fulfillment, but their day-to-day care is quite demanding and can increase stress, financial pressures, and marital strife. When ranking their happiness during daily activities, mothers report being more happy eating, exercising, shopping, napping, or watching TV than when spending time with their children. In several studies, marital satisfaction declines after the first child is born and only recovers after the last child leaves home. Personal relationships of all types are important, however. In studies, being married, having more friends, and having sexual intercourse more often are all moderately or strongly associated with happiness.

Posted via email from WellCare

Bourbon Mopping Sauce for Pork

3/4 cup Southern Bourbon or Whiskey 
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup ketchup 
1/2 cup cider vinegar 
1/2 cup dark brown sugar 
1 tablespoon lemon juice 
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 
Stir the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes. Allow to meld for another 20 minutes. 
Use on pork after about half way in cooking time. Use a mop; do not brush on, as you do not want to remove the rub. If you do not have a mop – make one with an old cloth tied to a dowel. Mop with the sauce often as the meat appears to dry out. When meat is done, wrap in heavy foil and steam on indirect heat for another 15 to 30 minutes depending on type of meat.
Note: Make this a few days in advance so the flavors will come together. Store in the refrigerator.

Posted via email from Grillin and Smokin

Make Your Own BBQ Mop (Very Easy)

A common tool in any barbecue arsenal, the mop is used tobaste meat while it's on the grill or smoker. The mop looks like a miniature floor mop, and is essentially a cotton-string head on a handle, so it's easy to make your own! This mop has the added bonus of having a removable head for easier washing. 

Steps

1. 1
   

    Gather your supplies.
   

   
   Gather your supplies. Consult the "Things You'll Need" list below.

2. 2
   

    Cut your 7/8" dowel into either two 12" pieces, or two 18" inch pieces.
   Cut your 7/8" dowel into either two 12" pieces, or two 18" inch pieces. The longer the handle, the less likely you are to burn yourself while using the mop!

3. 3
   

    Drill two holes on opposite sides of the chair stopper with a 1/8" drill bit.
   Drill two holes on opposite sides of the chair stopper with a 1/8" drill bit. Drilling from the inside will make it easier to feed the zip tie into the holes.

4. 4
   

    Insert the zip tie into one hole, and back out through the other.
   

   
   Insert the zip tie into one hole, and back out through the other. Make sure the large, square end of the zip tie is on the outside of the stopper, not the inside.

5. 5
   

    Find a cylindrical object around which to wind your cotton string or twine, approximately 4-5" in diameter.
   Find a cylindrical object around which to wind your cotton string or twine, approximately 4-5" in diameter. A small oatmeal container works well.

6. 6
   

    Wind the string about 100 times around the cylinder, pausing every 5-10 wraps to push them together.
   Wind the string about 100 times around the cylinder, pausing every 5-10 wraps to push them together. If you need to, slide the string off of the cylinder to make room, but be sure not to let it unwind.

7. 7
   

    Slide the string off of the end of the cylinder.
   Slide the string off of the end of the cylinder. You should have a clump of string in a rough circle.

8. 8
   

    Making sure the ends of the string are not dangling loose, place one side of the clump of string into the zip tie/chair stopper.
   Making sure the ends of the string are not dangling loose, place one side of the clump of string into the zip tie/chair stopper.

9. 9
   

    Tighten the zip tie as tight as you can without breaking it or damaging the chair stopper.
   Tighten the zip tie as tight as you can without breaking it or damaging the chair stopper. Clip the excess from the end of the zip tie.

10. 10
    

     Push the finished head onto the dowel.

Posted via email from Grillin and Smokin