Make Your Walk a Workout

How to start (and stick to) a walking program, whether you're new to exercise or already fit.

Walking while listening to podcasts and audiobooks made it easy for Janet Zinn to stick to her daily exercise program. "I walk at least three miles, sometimes six or 10," says Zinn, 51, of New York.

After a year of regular walking, Zinn dropped more than 60 pounds. She's kept it off for eight months and continues to walk as her main form of exercise.

As one of the simplest exercises, walking requires no equipment aside from a good, supportive pair of walking shoes. "Exercise doesn't have to be hard to be effective," says Julia Valentour, MS, exercise physiologist and program coordinator for the American Council on Exercise (ACE). "The recommended 30 minutes can be broken up into two, 15-minute sessions or even three, 10-minute sessions, making it easy to weave into a busy lifestyle."

Weight loss isn't the only benefit of a walking program. Regular walking helps lower cholesterol, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, increases bone strength, and improves circulation.

"Just a few extra steps each day is a simple and easy way to take an active role in maintaining a significantly healthier life," says Timothy Gardner, MD, past president of the American Heart Association.

Starting a Walking Program

Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program if you've been inactive for a while.

To start your walking program:

Establish a baseline, says Courtenay Schurman, MS, CSCS, author of The Outdoor Athlete. "If you've been sedentary, start walking three times a week at a stroll for 20 minutes." Work your way up to five or so times a week, 30 minutes per session, for a total of 2.5 to 3 hours per week.

Choose distance or time. Some walkers focus on distance, others target time. "Ultimately, it's about speed," Schurman says. "If you can walk five miles but it takes you five hours to do it, it's not a fit level of work. So use both distance and time, as well as heart rate."

Check the intensity. Exercising at a particular heart rate percentage enables you to gauge the difficulty of your workout.

You can check your heart rate by manually checking your pulse or purchase a simple heart rate monitor. Keep in mind, however, that the traditional heart rate formula standards do not fit everyone. "Most recommendations suggest starting out at 70% to 75% of your maximum heart rate, but this may not be enough if you're fit," Schurman says.

Or use the "talk test" to gauge your exercise intensity. "If you can string together six to eight words or chat briefly, you're in your aerobic zone," Schurman says. But if you find yourself gasping for air, lower the intensity. If you can say several phrases with one breath, you may not be working out hard enough.

5 Ways to Stay Motivated

Here are simple ways to keep your walks interesting and help you stay motivated:

Wear a pedometer. Bit by bit, boost your daily steps. "Wear a pedometer for a week to see what days you have the most number of steps," Valentour says. "Then try to repeat the activities of that day and add another 500 steps the following week." Keep it up until you reach 10,000 steps a day.

Keep a walking journal. It serves as a motivator by allowing you to see your progress, Valentour says.

Get a walking partner. "A walking buddy provides accountability. Neither wants to let the other person down," Valentour says.

Sign up for a race or charity walk. It gives you a goal to shoot for, which may motivate you to stick with a program.

Find support online. Programs such as the American Heart Association's StartWalkingNow.org program have helped thousands of people to get started walking. Designed by the American Council on Exercise, the free online program includes a monthly newsletter with health tips and recipes, an online activity and nutrition tracker, access to an online journal, as well as the ability to connect with others for support and motivation. A search option also allows you to look for walking paths in your area.

"You simply go online, register, and take a quiz," Valentour says. "You'll receive a 12-16 week downloadable program." Beginners start with five to 10 minutes; advanced exercisers start with more challenging options.

Tips to Make It More Challenging

If you're already fit, walking may seem too easy. But it's easy to kick up the intensity for a more challenging workout. Here's how:

Speed up. "The easiest way to up the ante is to simply walk faster," says Therese Iknoian, MS, author ofFitness Walking. You may even want to try race walking, which uses more muscles and, therefore, burns more calories. Brisk walking at four miles an hour burns 334 calories and strolling at three miles per hour burns 221 calories, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. "Remember to pump your arms but keep the movement compact," Iknoian says. "The larger the arm swing, the harder it is to move them faster."

Head for the hills. Walking up hills also increases intensity, as does lifting the incline on a treadmill. But don't hang on to the treadmill as you walk or you'll negate the benefits, Iknoian says. "You don't want to look as if you're waterskiing." Hanging on makes your body perpendicular to the treadmill, so ergonomically you're walking on flat ground.

Change the surface. Consider changing your walking surface for a greater challenge. "Walking on trails and maneuvering around rocks increases muscular demand," Iknoian says. Snow, sand -- even grass -- makes walking more of a challenge.

Use Nordic poles to get upper body muscles involved. "You increase the cardio workout when using poles, plus they take the stress off of knees when walking downhill," Iknoian says.

Add resistance with a weighted backpack or weight vest. "If you use a backpack, fill it with water, sand, or kitty litter so the weight distributes evenly," Schurman says. "Avoid ankle and hand weights, which can change your gait and can set you up for injury."

8 Safety Tips for Walkers

Keep safety in mind when you walk outdoors. Follow these basic rules:

• Walk with a buddy whenever possible.
• Carry your name, address, and a friend or relative's phone number in your shoe or tied to a lace.
• Wear a medical bracelet if you have diabetes, an allergy, or other condition.
• Carry a cell phone and let a friend or relative know your walking routes.
• Avoid deserted or unlit streets, especially after dark.
• Do not use headsets that prevent you from hearing traffic; and walk against oncoming traffic.
• Wear reflective material and/or carry a flashlight to others can see you.
• Carry a whistle or noisemaker or pepper spray in case of an emergency.

Above all, make walking fun and you'll be more likely to stick with it.

==============================

By Linda Melone
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Posted via email from WellCare

Weird Ways Some View Laws and Law Enforcement

I learn something new, each day, on Facebook, about how and what some people think.

For example, some people actually believe our wonderful law enforcement people should ignore minor crimes, like shoplifting, and just go after hardcore criminals.  Some believe it's OK to steal as long as you are doing it for your own need or for the needs of others in your family.  Some even say it's OK to steal to feed your kids.

Bottom line, if your family is in need of whatever, there are many agencies where you can get food, assistance, plus you can apply to government to get just about anything you may need in terms of self/family support. 

Bottom line, if law enforcement people shouldn't arrest people for breaking the law, then why not just take all those laws off the books? We either enforce the laws or we don't ..... this goes for enforcing illegal law breakers.  We need to remember law enforcement people serve our communities and their job is to enforce the laws, they do not make them. 

Having said all this, there is no doubt we need changes in many of our misdemeanors laws.  Instead of jailing people, why not make them work for free to do things within the community.  If they fail to show up for work, they then incur a felony charge or something like that.  There are way too many people that just sit in jail until their fine is paid and then they walk.  So taxpayers pick up that tab and no money or work for your crime is actually collected by cities or by counties. Plus, if you do all the work for the number of prescribed days, your misdemeanor is taken off you record.    

As far as stealing, there was a time, if you stole a person's horse you were hanged!

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

GOP: Winning versus Losing

The ONE REAL LESSON GOP voters should have learn from this elections is:

A divided party never wins!  If anyone thinks our party was not divided, they have not read the 'tea leaves' correctly.  NO one group will ever control this party. We have people on far right, the middle, and far left.  In the GOP Political Spectrum, when we get so stubborn as to not vote because our contender did not win nomination, how would we expect that many voters outside of our party to actually vote for our candidate. Debate is fine, but there comes a time in every election for ALL of us to support our nominee, 100%.

Politics within a party is not about right or wrong; it's about beating Democrats....IT'S ALL ABOUT WINNING! If we can't win, why bother to vote?

I get NO satisfaction out of voting and losing.....for me, that's all that matters. 

Posted via email from Global Politics

Fiscal Cliff

from the Wall Street Journal

The economy is rumbling along, out of control, with nobody at the reins. Straight ahead, the road abruptly ends, yet the horses show no signs of slowing. Next stop: the fiscal cliff!

Much like a scene out of an Indiana Jones movie, the wild ride to Jan. 1, 2013 is developing into a perfect storm of economic and political pusillanimity. And in a sense, it's been headed this way since the first reel: Facing a financial crisis that threatened to sink America's credit rating, Congress agreed to increase the debt ceiling, but only if the conservatives were given a major deal to reduce the deficit.

But those same legislators were unable to agree on what combination of tax increases and budget cuts would be employed to shrink the deficit, so they punted that problem to a "super committee" of 12 congressmen and senators who were tasked with untangling the Gordian knot of America's finances. That super committee was given the best incentive a congressman could imagine to craft a compromise: Failure meant automatic cuts to federal spending across the board, painful to both Democrats and Republicans alike.

It wasn't enough of a goad: The super committee also failed, triggering those billions in automatic cuts, which will kick in on New Year's Day.

But that's not all. In addition to the federal spending cuts, the Bush tax cuts that have been in effect since the early 2000s are also set to expire on the same day, automatically raising tax rates. So unless Congress acts, the federal government will start charging its citizens far more in an array of taxes and offering fewer services in exchange.

This, is the much-talked-of fiscal cliff. And for the average American family, it could be a pretty rough fall.

How the Fiscal Cliff Will Affect You

To get an idea of how the fiscal cliff will affect the average American family, it helps to understand exactly what that family looks like. According to the Census Bureau, the median American household has 2.6 people and brings home just under $50,000. With the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the first thing that will hit this family is an immediate, steep increase in the amount that it sends to the IRS.

After the standard deduction, the average family currently pays 10% of its income up to $17,400 and 15% of all income between $17,401 and $70,700. For a family making $50,000, this works out to $4,845 in base taxes. If we revert to pre-Bush rates in 2013, the average family will pay 15% taxes on all its income. For a middle class family, this works out to a tax bill of $6,397, a jump of $1,552.

[An earlier version of this story used back-of-the-envelope calculations to estimate an even higher tax jump. This version more accurately reflects the tax brackets and standard deductions of the pre-Bush tax code.]

Of course, nobody pays the full tax rate; every family gets deductions that decrease its tax burden. Unfortunately, many of these deductions will vanish on Jan. 1, too. For example, the child tax credit, which gave this average family a $1,000 tax deduction this year, will be cut in half, increasing their tax burden by $500.

If our hypothetical family has a child in college, it will feel the pinch even more. Currently, families that make $100,000 or less can claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which allows them to deduct up to $2,500 in school expenditures for every student for up to four years. On Jan. 1, that benefit expires, and the less-generous Hope credit is all that's left to take its place. Under Hope, families making less than $100,000 can claim $1,800 per child for up to two years.

In other words, a middle class family with a child in college can expect to get $700 less in deductions immediately, and $6,400 less in deductions over the course of their child's education.

It gets worse: the "payroll tax holiday," a 2% Social Security tax cut on the first $110,000 in wages, is set to end. For the average family, this will mean a tax hike of $1,000 per year. At the same time, the average middle class family will also get hit with the expiration of the "marriage penalty reduction," a break that was included in the Bush tax cuts. Basically, this cut enabled low- to middle-income couples filing together to pay less in taxes than they'd pay if they filed separately. With its expiration, couples will face an increase in taxes if they choose to file jointly.

Related Articles

• Fiscal Cliff: What Really Happens If We Go Over It
• Tax Facts: GOP Wildly Exaggerates Size of Looming Tax Hikes

Moving Beyond the Average

Of course, average families aren't the only ones who will be affected by the fiscal cliff. For lower income households, the loss of the Earned Income Tax Credit will hit hard. This credit encourages poor families to work by partially offsetting their Social Security expenditures. Childless couples making $19,190 or less receive $475 per year, and benefits increase depending on the number of children a family has and the amount of money that it makes. For example, families with three children can receive up to $5,891, even if they make up to $50,270 per year. When all those other sweeping changes hit in 2013, the EIC will be scaled back.

In all likelihood, the average middle class family won't be affected by changes in the estate tax. Currently, survivors have an exemption of up to $5 million on inheritance, and pay 35% on any money above that level. On Jan. 1, the exemption will drop to $1 million and the tax rate will increase to 55%.

At the same time, the capital gains and dividend tax rates will also increase. The capital gains rate, currently 15%, will go up to 20%, while the 15% dividend tax rate will rise to match the income tax rate. These changes will be unpleasant for people who derive most of their income from investments, but will likely not significantly affect the average wage-earning household.

Sweeping Changes

Beyond the direct effects of the tax hikes, Jan. 1 will bring sweeping changes that will affect most of the country. For example, the Defense Department will see its budget cut by 10% across the board, a slash that will likely result in the shuttering or scaling back of hundreds of programs. And that will ripple through the economy in terms of job cuts, fewer workers spending less money, and in turn paying less into the system in taxes.

What's more, when those defense workers lose their jobs, they'll have to scramble for new work. Currently, unemployment benefits last for 99 weeks, but on Jan. 1, the limit will revert to 26 weeks. And that means an already-tight job market is about to get rougher as it is flooded with thousands of new unemployed at the same time that the currently jobless become a lot more desperate.

And there's more bad news: every "discretionary" program -- effectively, every program that doesn't have earmarked funds, will face an 8% cut. Schools, roads, public health, food inspections, homeland security, and almost every other federally-funded program will be scaling back services.

Even some entitlement programs are set to get hit. Medicare rates, for example, will drop by 2%, making it harder for providers to offer the same level of service, and setting the stage for a drop in the number of providers.

'Fasten Your Seat Belts. It's Going to Be a Bumpy Night.'

Given the broadly sweeping effects of the fiscal cliff, it's not surprising that the looming disaster has earned other names, like "Taxmaggedon" and "Taxpocalypse." The expiring tax cuts will hit every worker, and the reduced federal expenditures will ripple across the economy. According to the economic gurus, letting this happen will likely send the country back into recession.

Meanwhile, both parties in Congress are faced off against each other, with neither side willing to budge. Republicans refuse to allow the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to expire, and Democrats refuse to allow budget cuts to fall inequitably on the heads of the poor. Both groups are hoping to pick up House and Senate seats in November, after which they expect to enact an eleventh-hour solution that will rein in the horses, turn the stagecoach aside, and keep the economy from plunging off the cliff. Both sides are planning to be in the driver's seat when that occurs.

But will that happen? Wall Street, at least, seems to think a last-minute save is unlikely. As The New York Times reported on Monday, manufacturers across the country have decided to delay orders, hold off on capital improvements, and postpone hiring, largely out of a belief that the federal government won't be able to get its act together. What's more, as frightened manufacturers delay investment, the rate of economic growth is slowing, from 4.1% at the end of last year to an anemic 1.5%. In other words, while Congress is waiting for the fiscal cliff to arrive, it may already be here.

Posted via email from Global Politics

Political Posts on Facebook

I will be 'gearing down' my political post over the next few months.  My intentions are to only post significant items, not all the 'garble' coming from all the different news media. 

I know many of us have more enjoyable things to work on, or at least I do. Mainly writing better blogs and posting at least weakly on the 10 or so blogs I have neglected during the last 18 months. 

My passion for years is in the country music market, promoting/booking/ helping/supporting all female artists in that genre.  

I will continue to vote for candidates I believe are the right people. But, my advocating a few candidates day in and day out will be reduced by 50-80%. The main reason is doing what's right for American according to our Constitution no longer appears relevant to 50%+ of voters as well as politicians who are more talk than 'do', in DC.  

Bottom line, I have always voted for those candidates who I believe will uphold the principles our Founders laid out so eloquently a long time ago. 

Truth, facts, right versus wrong, God versus Evil, today, appear to NO longer be what a majority of Voters desire or want.

I am and always have been a person motivated by success, by ' positive results', which means seeing progress in what you allocate most of your time to, daily.  

My God save and bless America!!  Dittos to the Great State of Texas!!

NOTE: I am not leaving Facebook, just moving to the political sideline. Oh I may run out in the middle of the road, on occasions, but, for now, I have no desire to continue standing on that political road.  Rest assured when the 2014 and 2016 elections come around, my political activity will increase..... :)

Cheers, my friends.  All of YOU are APPRECIATED!!   

Posted via email from Global Politics

How to Lock Down Your Facebook Profile

By Neil J. Rubenking ARTICLE DATE : September 7, 2012

pcmag.com

Many millions of people worldwide enjoy connecting with friends and family via Facebook. We get a kick out of sharing baby pictures, funny websites, and our latest adventures. Sometimes, though, we share more than we know, and more than we should. For example, a cyber-creep with access to your profile might be able to answer the security questions associated with your online banking account. Scary!

You know you ought to lock down your profile so that only the right people have access, but Facebook makes it complicated. Here's a step by step guide to protecting your Facebook privacy.

Privacy Settings 
To get started, log into Facebook, click the arrow to the right of Home, and choose Privacy Settings. You'll see three choices under Control Your Default Privacy: Public, Friends, and Custom. If yours is set to Public, you're sharing everything with anyone who cares to look. Immediately change it to Friends, so that by default only your friends can see your posts, photos, and so on.

Facebook default privacy

The default settings affect your posts and photos going forward. To correct older too-public posts, you can click Manage Past Post Visibility and click the Limit Old Posts button. Any posts that were visible to everyone or to friends of friends will be changed so only friends can see them.

Facebook: Limit Old Posts

Now edit the settings for How You Connect. Here you'll make choices about who can find you and connect on Facebook. If you're a public figure, or if you use your Facebook account for business, allowing just anyone to find you and send messages or friend requests may be appropriate. For privacy, though, you're better off limiting such contact to friends of friends. It wouldn't be unreasonable to limit most of these settings to people who are already in your friends list.

Facebook: How You Connect

Next, tighten up Timelines and Tagging. There are two settings related to reviewing posts that friends tag you in; turn both of these on. Now you won't be blindsided when a friend tags you in a rowdy party photo; you can reject the tag.

Facebook can suggest tags using facial recognition, which is a bit scary. Set it so that nobody receives those suggestions. Configure the remaining three options so that only friends can post on your timeline and view posts on your timeline. You may even want to further restrict posting to specific groups like close friends or family.

Facebook: Timelines and Tagging

Apps, Games, and Websites 
Got a relative who constantly bombards you with app invitations? You can put a lid on that activity by clicking the Manage Blocking link. On the resulting page you can block app and event invitations from any of your friends, or block specific apps completely. If necessary you can put annoying friends on the Restricted list. This limits them to viewing posts you've made public, without notifying them of the change. Finally, you can ban all contact with a specific user. Let's hope that doesn't become necessary.

Facebook apps can gather all kinds of information from your profile. If you really value your privacy, you'll want to limit your use of apps to a bare minimum. Click the Edit Settings link next to Apps, Games, and Websites, then click the Edit Settings button next to the list of apps you use. For each app, click Edit and review the permissions that app has. Consider removing any that you don't actively need and use.

You can be the most careful person in the world, but your friends can still expose tons of private information. Below the list of apps there's a section about how people bring your information to apps they use. Click the Edit Settings button to see just how much of your private information they can share. Shocked? Uncheck all the boxes, or all that you don't want your friends sharing for you.

Facebook: How People Bring Your Info

Instant personalization lets participating websites personalize your visit based on information in your Facebook profile. If that sounds creepy to you, make sure this feature is turned off.

Here's another creepy one. Facebook may in the future give third party advertisers the option to use your name and picture in their ads, though they don't do so yet. Click the Edit Settings link in the Ads section and click the Edit third party ad settings link on the resulting page. From the drop-down list, select "No one" and click Save Changes.

Facebook; Third Party Ads

Back on the Facebook Ads page, click the Edit social ads setting link. Read the description carefully and decide whether you want to allow this feature. If you don't want your social actions associated with ads that your friends see, set this one to "No one" too.

Whew! As you can see, there are a ton of settings involved in locking down your Facebook profile, but it's well worth your while to go through them all. Now you can share your life with your friends, and only your friends.

Take Control of Your Life

We all aspire to do, be, and have great things. Yet most of us simply aren't creating the results we want. We complain that we don’t have enough money, romance, success, or joy in our lives.

We point fingers and blame outside problems that “happen” to us and make life more difficult. But what we need to understand and keep at the forefront of our minds is that greatness exists in all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of ourselves. Regardless of personal circumstances, economic climates, and access to resources, it helps to maintain faith in the fact that we each are more powerful than we think.

We all have the ability to create the life we want. We just need to learn how to do it. Is there an exact “formula?” No, but there are certain common features that successful people exhibit and that anyone can practice. They are what can jump-start your success and attract what you want in life.

You’d be hard-pressed to find any high achiever who doesn't live by the following Seven Tips:

1. Take No Less Than 100% Responsibility for Your Life

One of the greatest myths that is pervasive in our culture today is that you are entitled to a great life and that somehow, somewhere, someone is responsible for filling our lives with continual happiness, exciting career options, nurturing family time, and blissful personal relationships simply because we exist. But the real truth is that there is only one person responsible for the quality of the life you live. That person is you.

Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing. Income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors. That person who reflects back at you in the mirror is the chief conductor in your life. Say hello!

I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but the mind can play games, tricking plenty of people into thinking external factors are the source of failure, disappointment, and unhappiness. But the truth of the matter is that external factors don’t determine how you live. You are in complete control of the quality of your life.

Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don’t waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.

2. Be Clear Why You’re Here

I believe each of us is born with a life purpose. Identifying, acknowledging, and honoring this purpose is perhaps the most important action successful people take. They take the time to understand what they’re here to do, and then they pursue that with passion and enthusiasm.

If you don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing, then just tune into the signals around you. Looking toward others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned into yourself—your behavior, attitude, likes and dislikes, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. You might be surprised by what you discover.

3. Decide What You Want

It sounds so simple, but here’s the problem: I see plenty of people who are overly busy yet feel unsatisfied and unfulfilled. They are physically tired, spiritually drained, and far from where they’d like to be—as if they’ve been running on a treadmill going nowhere fast. Why? Because they haven’t clearly mapped out what they want and then taken the steps to get there. Rather than identifying specific goals, milestones, and dreams (and I’m talking BIG dreams and goals here), they go through the motions day in and day out, tackling unimportant tasks. They end up, you guessed it, going in circles and wasting lots of energy. In the meanwhile, they grow increasingly uninspired and out of touch with their authentic selves. This, of course, sets anyone up to living a life out of balance.

One of the main reasons why most people don’t get what they want is they haven’t decided what they want. They haven’t defined their desires in clear and compelling detail. What does success look like to you? Not everybody’s definition of success is the same, nor should it be.

Don’t let your inner devil’s advocate (or that incessant, but unimportant, to-do list) inhibit you from dreaming big. As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, but they also compel others to want to play big, too.

4. Believe It Is Possible

Scientists used to believe that humans responded to information flowing into the brain from the outside world. But today, they’re learning that, instead, we respond to what the brain, based on previous experience, expects to happen next. In fact, the mind is such a powerful instrument that it can deliver, literally, everything you want. But you have to believe that what you want is possible.

As you commit to believing in yourself, also make a commitment to toning down the complaint department. Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my father. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.

5. Believe in Yourself

If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence, or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes—the abilities, inner resources, talents, and skills—to create your desired results.

Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to believe that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.

6. Become an Inverse Paranoid

This one is straightforward: Imagine how much easier it would be to succeed in life if you were constantly expecting the world to support you and bring you opportunity. Successful people do just that.

7. Unleash the Power of Goal Setting

Experts on the science of success know the brain is a goal-seeking organism. Whatever goal you give to your subconscious mind, it will work day and night to achieve. To engage your subconscious mind, a goal has to be measurable. When there aren’t any criteria for measurement, it is simply something you want, a wish, a preference, or a good idea.

Sometimes we need to make just one initial goal to get started, and that’s okay. At least it comes with a few actions to achieve. A first step simply can be making an immediate change in a single area in your life. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable and overwhelming for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it or makes you feel badly about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice, so why continue to complain? You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice, and you have responsibility for your choices.

Bear in mind that you have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan more steps to keep moving you forward faster.

Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?

So if you need just one thing to do differently today than you did yesterday, make it this: Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process, you’ll discover it is much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

Match Onions to Meals .... Some best for cooking; some best eaten raw!

Not every onion is alike. Different types should be used in different ways — otherwise, you might end up with a salad that has too much bite or caramelized onions that don’t have enough flavor.

To know what to choose, you need to understand each onion’s strengths and weaknesses.

 

Yellow onion

Also known as brown onions for the yellow-brown papery peel, these are usually the cheapest at the grocery and are available all year. They’re both sweet and bold (onion-y?), and should be cooked unless you want some intense onion-tasting food and extra-intense onion-smelling breath. They have the highest sulfur content of all the onions, which gives it that potent onion flavor when raw.

Stick with these for things like French onion soup, caramelized onions, stews and shish kabobs.

 

White onions

A paler version of the yellow onion, white onions also have a lighter flavor — milder and a little sweeter. They’re a staple in Mexican cuisine, and get sweeter when sautéed.

Use these for salsa, potato salad, pasta salad and white sauces.

 

Sweet onions

If you’ve been using these for caramelizing, you’ve now discovered why caramelized onions don’t quite taste as good when you’re the one cooking them. Sweet onions — which you’ve probably seen labeled Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla and/or Texas Spring Sweet — are, obviously, sweeter than the rest and have less of a bite to them. The flavor further diminishes when you cook them, so it’s best to eat these raw.

Throw these on your salads and sandwich creations.

 

Red onions

The attractive red onion most resembles the yellow onion in flavor, though it’s usually considered slightly milder than its yellow cousin.

Don’t expect that beautiful color to last if you’re cooking it; instead, serve it raw and sliced on salads, burgers and sandwiches

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Black, White, and Green Tea ...... Benefits

Drinking black tea may help protect against type 2 diabetes, but more study is needed to confirm an association.

When researchers analyzed data from 50 countries, they found that the rate of diabetes was lowest in countries where people drank the most black tea.

Type 2 diabetes rates have skyrocketed worldwide in recent decades. It's projected that by 2030 there will be more than 900 million people across the globe with diabetes or with a high risk for developing it.

When researchers used a mathematical model to estimate the impact of drinking black tea on a number of health conditions, they found a link to just one -- diabetes.

Of the countries included in the analysis, black tea drinking was highest in Ireland, the U.K., and Turkey. It was lowest in South Korea, Brazil, and China.

Researcher Ariel Beresniak, MD, PhD, of the mathematical research group Data Mining International in Geneva, Switzerland, says the study shows a consistent relationship between black tea drinking and type 2 diabetes risk. But this study does not prove a cause and effect relationship.

Black tea may protect against diabetes, Beresniak says, but more research is needed to prove this.

"You certainly can't say that on the basis of this study alone, but the findings are consistent with previous studies that have also suggested a link," he says.

The new study was published today in the journal BMJ Open.

Role of Green Tea and White Tea

Studies have also linked green tea and white tea to a lower risk of diabetes, but Beresniak and colleagues were not able to examine this association.

Black tea is more highly fermented and, as the name suggests, darker than green or white tea.

The fermentation process turns simple flavonoid compounds called catechins in green tea into complex compounds called theaflavins and thearubigins.

Beresniak says if black tea is shown in future research to actually lower diabetes risk, the fermentation process may explain why.

Diabetes specialist Spyros Mezitis, MD, of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, says while there is probably no harm in drinking tea, there is as yet no compelling reason to recommend that patients with diabetes or those at risk for the disease drink tea.

"I am not convinced on the basis of this study that drinking black tea lowers diabetes risk," he says.

He adds that dietary and other lifestyle choices known to lower diabetes risk include:

• Limiting foods that contain refined sugar and highly refined white flour.
• Adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy to your diet.
• Getting at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, at least three times a week.

"These are things that we know will make a difference," he says.

Source: Web MD

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Witch Hazel

Witch hazel is a natural remedy made from the bark and leaves of a plant called Hamamelis virginiana. Long used in traditional medicine, witch hazel is usually applied topically in order to treat certain skin conditions.

Witch hazel contains tannins, a type of natural compound with astringent effects. By acting as an astringent, witch hazel helps to constrict skin tissue.

Uses for Witch Hazel

Proponents claim that witch hazel can heal a wide range of skin troubles, such as:

• acne
• bruises
• burns
• hemorrhoids
• inflammation
• insect bites
• itching
• pain
• varicose veins

In addition, some people use witch hazel as a toner (a type of skin-care product said to cleanse the skin and tighten pores).

While some proponents recommend internal use of witch hazel for some conditions (such as diarrhea,colds, and even cancer), there is no evidence that consuming witch hazel can enhance your health. Furthermore, oral intake of witch hazel may trigger a number of adverse effects.

The Science Behind Witch Hazel

To date, few scientific studies have tested the health effects of witch hazel. The available research includes several laboratory studies showing that certain compounds found in witch hazel may produce antioxidant effects.

Here's a look at some other key study findings:

1) Witch Hazel and Sunburn

Witch hazel may help treat sunburn when applied topically, according to a 2010 report published in the Journal of the German Society of Dermatology. The report's authors also state that witch hazel may help shield the skin from damage induced by exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

2) Witch Hazel and Skin Problems in Children

For a 2007 study from the European Journal of Pediatrics, researchers tested the effects of witch hazel on 309 children with minor skin injuries, diaper rash, or localized skin inflammation. Seventy-eight of the study participants were treated with dexpanthenol ointment (a medication commonly used for skin disorders), while the other 231 children underwent treatment with witch hazel. Study results revealed that both dexpanthenol ointment and witch hazel were similarly effective and well-tolerated by the subjects.

Is Witch Hazel Safe?

Witch hazel is generally considered safe when applied topically. Internal use is not recommended, due to concerns that ingestion of witch hazel may cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, liver damage, and other adverse effects.

Different Forms of Witch Hazel

Although witch hazel is typically sold in distilled liquid form, this remedy is also available in ointments and medicated pads.

Where to Find Witch Hazel

Witch hazel can be found in most drugstores, grocery stores, and natural-food stores. In addition, witch hazel is widely available for purchase online.

Should You Use Witch Hazel for Health Purposes?

It may be possible to relieve minor skin problems (such as insect bites or mild sunburn) by applying witch hazel topically. If you're considering the use of witch hazel for a chronic condition, make sure to consult your physician first. Avoiding or delaying standard care and self-treating a chronic condition with witch hazel (or any other form of alternative medicine) may have serious health consequences.

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Time ..... Some Truths

Here are six terrific truths about time:

First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.

Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.

Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.

Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time...pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.

Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.

Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.

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Facebook Hoaxes

This rumour, which is rocketing around cyberspace causing fear and consternation among Facebook fans, claims that Facebook will shut down entirely on January 15, 2013 or in March or in May or Whenever. According to the rumors  Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has decided to shut down the site because managing it is too stressful and because the site has "gotten out of control". 

However, the rumors have no basis in fact. Zuckerberg has certainly not announced any plans to shut down Facebook. The rumours are derived from a fictional story first published on the website"Weekly World News" on January 8th, 2011. 

Weekly World News is the online version of a notorious tabloid newspaper of the same name long renowned for publishing utterly fanciful stories disguised as news articles. Virtually nothing published on the website is accurate. The "Facebook shutting down" story is apparently intended to be satirical. The site regularly features fake news articles about alien encounters along with fictional gossip stories targeting various celebrities.

The original version of the hoax listed a supposed closure date of March 15, 2011. But with that date well and truly in the past, the hoax was "updated" and then proclaimed that the shut down would take place on March 15, 2012. After the March deadline had also passed, yet another version surfaced which claimed that the shutdown was to take place on July 15 2012. And the latest variant moves the closure date to Janaury 15, 2013. New versions, with new - and equally spurious - shutdown dates are likely to continue appearing in coming months. 

Thus, Facebookers can breathe a sigh of relief! Their much beloved network is NOT going to be shut down any time soon. 

Incidentally, this is not the only hoax that has claimed that Facebook users may soon lose their accounts. Another widespread message falsely claims that Facebook is becoming overpopulated and is therefore deleting the accounts of users who do not repost the message. 

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Browned Butter Pecan Pie Recipe

Browned butter and our Vanilla Paste turn an old favorite up a notch in this pie recipe. Start with a refrigerated, rolled crust and it is very simple to throw together. Make this a day in advance to allow it to cool completely in the fridge before serving. This holds a classic place on the Thanksgiving dessert table. Enjoy!  Serves: 8 adults Time: 1.5 hours Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter 3 eggs 1 cup light Karo corn syrup 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups pecan halves 1 pie crust Method: Pre-heat the oven to 425-degrees.  Melt the 1/2 cup butter (that’s one stick usually) in a medium size saucepan. Brown it over medium-heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown in color. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile in a bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, and lemon extract. Whip until smooth, then add the vanilla paste and salt. Press the crust into a 9” pie plate and flute the edges as desired. See the photos for a fun twist on fluting. Use a knife to slice every 1/4” or so, then press down the alternate squares. Add the cooled butter to the egg mix through a strainer to catch any burned bits from the butter. Stir and fold in the pecans. Add to the crust. Bake at 425-degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325-degrees and cook for 55 minutes. Keep an eye on the crust during the last 15 minutes. Depending on your oven you may have to cover the pie with aluminum foil to keep the crust from getting too brown. Cool completely on the counter before covering and storing in the fridge. This pie tastes best chilled.    Published by Liz Brooks on Nov 17,2012 12:00 AM. This blog is filed under Recipes  Blog Tags: pecans, vanilla paste, pie, recipe, thanksgiving

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Is It Alright That I've Fallen In Love Online?

By Billy Graham

Q: I've fallen in love with this man I met over the Internet. We've never actually met, but he really loves me and now he's asked me to marry him. My parents are totally against it, but how can they know how we feel? He's older than me (I'm 17, he's 34), but what difference does that make? -- K.J.  A: Even if this man weren't twice your age, I'd still strongly urge you to listen to your parents and not pursue this relationship. They love you and don't want to see you hurt -- and they know this is very likely going to happen with this "relationship."  I realize you have a very strong emotional attachment to this person -- and frankly, this makes it hard for you to step back and look at the relationship objectively. But your parents have far more experience than you do, and they know the dangers you face -- not just from the difference in your ages, but because it's impossible for you to know what this man is really like. They probably know too that legal issues could be involved, since you are a minor.  Not only do your parents love you, but God loves you even more, and He knows what's best for you. That's why the most important thing you can do is seek His will for your future. Don't let your emotions lead you down the wrong path.  Ask God for wisdom -- not just about this issue, but also about every decision you'll be making during this crucial time in your life. Begin by turning to Jesus Christ and committing your life to Him. Then put His promise into action: "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God... and it will be given to him" (James 1:5).

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United Nations to Seek Control of Internet!!!!

Next week the United Nations' International Telecommunications Union will meet in Dubai to figure out how to control the Internet. Representatives from 193 nations will attend the nearly two week long meeting, according to news reports.

"Next week the ITU holds a negotiating conference in Dubai, and past months have brought many leaks of proposals for a new treaty. U.S. congressional resolutions and much of the commentary, including in this column, have focused on proposals by authoritarian governments to censor the Internet. Just as objectionable are proposals that ignore how the Internet works, threatening its smooth and open operations," reports the Wall Street Journal.

"Having the Internet rewired by bureaucrats would be like handing a Stradivarius to a gorilla. The Internet is made up of 40,000 networks that interconnect among 425,000 global routes, cheaply and efficiently delivering messages and other digital content among more than two billion people around the world, with some 500,000 new users a day. ...

In Recognition of National Cake Day

Because Tyler Florence wanted Wayfare Tavern to feel like a century-old San Francisco institution, he researched menus dating all the way back to the Gold Rush. This cake couldn't be more traditional: four layers of rum-brushed yellow cake filled and frosted with a light and airy, coconut-scented meringue-buttercream.

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup(s) plus 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup(s) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 1/4 cup(s) water
• 2 tablespoon(s) spiced rum
• FROSTING:
• 1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) water
• 6 large egg whites
• 4 stick(s) butter, at room temperature 1 pound unsalted
• 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) pure coconut extract
• 2 cup(s) unsweetened or sweetened coconut flakes, toasted

Directions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter four 9-inch cake pans. Line the pans with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper. In a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla and beat at high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy and tripled in volume. With the mixer on, gradually beat in the oil until incorporated. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cornstarch and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the beaten-egg mixture until thoroughly incorporated.
• 2. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake the cakes for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool. Unmold the cakes and peel off the parchment paper.
• 3. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, just until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool, then stir in the rum.
• 4. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and stir over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stop stirring, then boil the syrup until it reaches 238° (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer.
• 5. Meanwhile, in a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. With the mixer at medium-high speed, gradually beat in the hot sugar syrup. Reduce the speed to medium and beat until the meringue is cooled to room temperature. Beat in the butter, 2 or 3 tablespoons at a time, until all of the butter has been incorporated. Beat in the coconut extract.
• 6. Brush the rum soak over the cakes. Set one layer on a large plate and spread 1 1/4 cups of the frosting on top; repeat with the next 2 cake layers. Cover with the final cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting evenly around the side and over the top of the cake, swirling it decoratively on top. Gently press the toasted coconut onto the side of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving.

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