Health, Fitness And Weight Loss Blog

1. Wear them around the house for at least 2 days, with a pair of thick white cotton athletic socks, using either sandpaper or a sidewalk to slightly scuff the bottom.

2.If they're leather, waterproof the outside of the shoes, then soak the entire pair underwater for about 2 minutes. Wearing a pair of thick white socks, walk around your house until dry. The shoe will mold to your foot. Caution: Don't try this with an expensive pair, or light-colored shoes.

3. Purchase a pair of Dr. Scholl's Heel liners, av
ilable at you local drugstore, and place them on the inside heel of the shoe. The liners help not only to break in the shoe, but also to keep your heels from slipping and rubbing.

4. If the shoe is particularly tight or stiff, grab it by the heel and gently knead it back and forth to loosen the sole, being very careful not to break the sole.

5. If all else fails, purchase a shoe stretcher, a device similar to a shoe tree that helps stretch tight shoes. This device can be purchased from your local shoe repair shop or shoe store.

About the Author

Kathryn "The Budget Fashionista" Finney is the Chief Shopping Officer and Founder of Kate Magazine and The Budget Fashionista- The original Shopping blog.

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Every labor and delivery is a magically unique experience. Giving birth is a phenomenon that the majority of women experience at least once in their life, and labor and delivery is the culmination of the pregnancy and the introduction of a beautiful new soul.

Even if a woman should happen to give birth to many children, each and every labor and delivery experience has its own unique concerns. For instance, the expectant mom plans on giving birth at the local hospital, and she has chosen an epidural catheter for pain c
ntrol during labor and delivery. Her water breaks a few weeks early while at their remote cabin, but suddenly the baby arrives before you can get to the hospital.

This happens more than you might think, fortunately everything usually turns out to be just fine. People have been giving birth long before there have been hospitals. Just imagine how many babies have been born and fields and huts with nothing more than the aid and comfort of a family member or close friend.

OK, getting back to modern times, there are a great deal of decisions that need to be made before labor and delivery ever begin. You should feel comfortable with your doctor and his staff, and have a solid support system in place, be it family or friends, or better yet, both.

If you want have as much control as possible over the birth of your baby, you should consider having a birth plan in place. You will have a great deal of control over your labor and delivery with regards to the issues such as if you want an IV, pain medication, or an epidural.

You may just choose to go the natural route and forgo any pain killers and as few medical interventions as possible. These at the types of things that are laid out in a birth plan. You can even specify who you would like to be with you as you are going into labor, and what type of comforts you would prefer. You should also discuss with your doctor what would be done under certain emergency scenarios. We don't like to talk about it, but problems can and do happen.

The actual labor and delivery itself can be scary because of all the unknowns. Anything you can be scary, especially childbirth. Your health care provider is there to educate you and your partner, and support you throughout the pregnancy and labor and delivery. This can be extremely helpful in reducing anxiety and alleviating some fears.

In general, the mortality rate of mothers and babies is very low, and labor and delivery ends successfully in most cases with the birth of a healthy infant. It should also come as related in the all the planning and fussing has finally ended. Now the time has come. The labor and delivery experience should be celebrated. It's a beautiful thing.

About the Author Morgan Hamilton offers his findings and insights regarding the world women. You can get interesting and informative information here at Labor and Delivery

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It's been said that it costs five times more to attract a
new customer than to keep an old one. Despite this, most
businesses spend an enormous amount of time and effort
chasing after new customers.

Why do things the hard way? It is far more lucrative to
reward good customers by simply encouraging them to
remain loyal to your business. The first step to achieving
this; is to build a good database and stay in contact with
your customers and potential customers.

Here are some no-cost/low-cost mark
ting tips
that almost any business can use to add customers to
a database and put dollars in the bank.

One idea is to build your customer database by
offering a prize draw. As an incentive, you could
give away a product or a special discount.



If you are running a retail store or office, you could
place a jar or fishbowl on the counter or reception desk
for business cards. Then at the end of each week or month,
draw a winner.

Some customers won't have a business card. So, it's a
good idea to have a stock of plain cards on hand for
those people. Use brightly colored cards as they will
add to the excitment and attract attention to the fishbowl.
A local printing company will probably have some free
off-cuts to use.

Another idea applies to when you offer specials to your
customers. Whenever possible, take a note of their name,
phone number and/or email address. The following month
you can make these people another offer as a reward for
taking up the original offer. You'll find you get a high
percentage of successful sales.

If you are operating over the internet, offer a free report
to build your database. Another idea is to offer a free
mini-course or newsletter ezine. Thanks to the wonders
of technology, these can be delivered instantly over
the internet using an autoresponder.

I use an autoresponder company called Get Response.
They have proven to be extremely reliable. You can
choose from their totally free autoresponder service or
their paid Smart Responder Pro service.
http://www.getresponse.com/index/41211
Both are good - which one you choose really
depends on your needs.

I personally use their paid service as it's ideal for
managing my growing ezine database. If you want to
see this service in action, you can subscribe to
my free mini-course and ezine using one of the special
email addresses they have provided for this purpose.
Simply send a blank email and your free mini-course
will be delivered almost instantly by autoresponder to
your email inbox. instantsellbusiness@ReportsNetwork.com

Building a database doesn't need to be difficult. The key
is to be organized and to be proactive!

When you sell to a new customer add them to your
database immediately. Then simply keep in touch with
them, or list a date to contact them. This might be for
a car service check, a haircut, a carpet clean, a pet's
injection or whatever makes sense in your business.
On the contact date send a reminder letter, email or
phone or call them to offer an appointment.

It's easy and a lot cheaper than continually chasing
after new customers. Build your database and you'll
build your profits!

ฉ Market Leaders Limited. All Rights Reserved.

NOTE: The following information must be included if you
reprint this article:

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Get Your 100% FREE mini-course "17 Powerful Secrets
That Have Made Business Owners Into Millionaires."
100% FREE! Simply send a blank email to:
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Self-confidence comes from not only doing what is right but also knowing the power within you that can make you happy and fulfilled.  The power of thought and the power of your mind  is your ally for success in life.

We all have tasted the bitterness of failures, but if we can learn from our failures, then we have in our hands, the seeds of success.    Success and failure also teach you to evaluate the demands that are placed upon you.  If you set your standards too high, you will find yourself in a difficult situatio
to meet those challenges that confront you.  Failure then becomes inevitable when the gap is too wide between the goal you want to reach and that which you are capable of reaching.  If you understand and accept your limits, then this situation is unlikely to come up.

Over-confidence is like a double-edged sword.  It can work you your disadvantage.  For instance, people who think they are infallible do not find it easy to learn from the mistakes they have made.  If you think you are a hundred percent right all the time, chances are, you will lose out in the end.  Obviously, if humans are free of self-doubt, we would not be able to develop.  All of us have our shortcomings, many of which we don't even realise, and we should be able to rely on those around  to point them out to us.

Every now and then, we have to deal with situations that we know needs to be addressed.   In such circumstances, we need to express our wishes clearly and boldly.  Have you ever tasted food that is so less than ideal, that you swallow but prefer to spit out?  Or have you gotten a piece of clothing with faulty stitching or a toy with a missing part that needs to be exchanged?  Perhaps you are too shy to demand that which is due to you or simply do not wish to throw up a fuss.  Bad service, defective merchandise or poor food can become a measure of your self-confidence, but also of appropriate behaviour.  For instance, it is not appropriate to shout at the waiter of a restaurant or the cashier of the store where you bought the defective clothing  or toy.

You need to have a clear understanding of the situation.  You need to lodge a complaint and have the fault rectified.  Then come to the point politely but firmly.  If the waiter or cashier does not show any understanding, ask to speak with the manager or the supervisor.  More often than not, you will be accommodated if your demands are fair.  If you remain calm, polite and firm, you will be successful most of the time.

Getting  what is rightfully yours is good for your own self-confidence.  In achieving this, you will find you can have a better outcome if you are truly convinced that your interest is just as important as those of others.  For example, someone has taken your reserved seat on a plane or train.  A polite but firm remark is often the best approach in dealing with a problem.  You can politely ask the interloper to let you have your seat.  If he refuses, then you must call the steward or conductor or any other official to ask for support.  Just remember, you've paid good money for your seat.

Let's say you some out-of-town guests and decide to go to a popular restaurant but every single seat has been taken up.  Are you prepared to stand around in front of all the other guests and wait for an empty table, or do you get nervous thing about these eyes looking at you?  Insecurity and fear often prevents us from taking an opportunity that can open.  Even if it is only to get a table in a restaurant.  If you imagine yourself in a more positive manner, you will become more and more self-confident.

Older folks often lose the ability to learn new things or take advantage of what life has to offer.  Many have an unhealthy fear of becoming frail or sick, or no longer see that there can be more than one way of getting a job done.  They have self-negating thoughts like "I cannot do this anymore", or "I can no longer cope with this" and discouraged  themselves.   In the long run, they become self-fulfilling prophecies and rob the person of the courage to do things or learn new stuff.

The thoughts that we have in our mind, the power with which it brings forth is so great that they can trigger physical changes, such as premature ageing.  It's a fact that those who believe that they have past their prime and are of not much use are certain to age faster than people who refuse to admit defeat.  People who believe of their own stupidity in childhood will never be among the smart ones in adulthood.  There are techniques that can help a less than average students with their study skills, learning abilities and accelerated learning.  Even adults who are swarmed with information can learn memory improvement techniques to help them cope.  Older people can play memory games to keep their mind sharp or use memory training to stave off dementia or Alzheimer's disease.  Everyone can improve their memory to give them a higher sense of self-worth.

Our brain is the most wondrous God-given creation and within  each of us lies the Empires of our own making, in our minds.  It is what we put into our minds that govern our outcomes in life.  In life we need to ask good empowering questions, not poor self-defeating ones.  For example, instead of asking yourself, "Why am I  so stupid?".  Your mind will come with an answer like "You're stupid because you never paid attention in class" or "You're stupid because you hang out with stupid friends.".  But  if you ask yourself an empowering question like "What can I learn from this situation so that I never make this mistake again", your mind will come up with good empowering answers.  With the right thought, self-honesty and discipline, all of us can make a life worth living, rich in our own human experiential learning and growth.
About the Author

Martin Mak has developed a new program to help people enhance their memory and learning experience.  Find out how with his free and popular ecourse at

http://www.mightymemory.com/memoryarticle.html

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Have you been thinking about start an exercise program to lose weight? For many, committing to their own fitness is the hardest aspect. This article reveals the best exercises for weight loss, and includes information about how to build the motivation to adhere to your new exercise routine.

If you've made the difficult decision to take off some weight - congratulations! For many people, committing to their own well-being is the hardest aspect. But despite self-motivation, many people discover they do not know what exerci
es to incorporate for rapid weight loss.

There are three major types of exercise: aerobic exercise, such as biking or running; flexibility exercises, such as yoga and other forms of stretching; and strength training, like resistance exercises and weight lifting.

Aerobic and strength training will help you use the most calories. Since losing weight is dependent on either taking in less calories or burning more, it is best to concentrate on these in the beginning to ensure your self motivation continues as you drop pounds.

Usually, thirty minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week is best. Build the amount of time and frequency as you improve.

But many people whose self-motivation has encouraged them to begin an exercise for weight loss program overlook the importance of strength training. Aerobic exercise burns more calories in the beginning, but lifting weights increases muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat. A pound of muscle burns 35 calories per day to function at rest; a pound of fat burns just two calories for the same function.

The fitness consensus used to believe that to "build" muscle, you should use fewer reps (3-5) at higher weights, and to simply "tone," higher reps (12-15) with lighter weights was key. But there is no such thing as "toning." Definition that comes with what is mistakenly called toning results because you have lost the layer of fat covering muscle, making it more visible. The size of the muscle underneath depends on how actively you train.

You must "tear down" the muscle so it can rebuild itself afterward. In fact, you do not create muscle during workouts but you do in the days after when the muscle is "resting."  The common guideline for strength training is beginning with three sets of 8-12 reps at a weight that leaves you almost incapable of completing the entire set. Then, rest for 30-60 seconds before attempting your next set.

Do not be disheartened if you're not able to do all of the reps on every set. In fact, use that to gauge when to add weight. If you are doing each set without any muscle strain, you will want to add weight.

Self-motivation helped you to begin, but most have trouble maintaining the pace. It helps to know that the source of our motivations is a belief. Consider it: If you did not believe the gnawing sensation in your stomach meant you were hungry, you would not feel motivated to eat.

Learning what ideas motivate you is crucial to weight loss, because when you feel powerfully motivated, you will exercise consistently. NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is a form of self hypnosis. And there are NLP techniques that can create exercise motivation because, over time, desire to exercise for weight loss alone likely will not be enough to keep you working out. Exercise hypnosis motivation therapy can help.

Your first task is identifying the most important things in your life. We call these things your highly valued criteria. Highly valued criteria are customarily intangibles: money would not be highly valued criteria, but the security, freedom or fun that money can bring would be.

Next, establish what you need to believe to feel motivated to exercise. It's important to keep in mind that logic has nothing to do with belief. Things do not have to be logical to believe them. You may realize you already have a belief that conflicts this new idea. That's okay.

While understanding what motivates us is valuable, hypnosis for exercise motivation can put these ideas to work by ensuring self motivation endures. Hypnosis for motivation does this by changing the computer codes in your brain, so you believe ideas that motivate you.

Belief systems are based in our unconscious, which is like a computer. Computers do not have any ability to reason. The input controls the output. The techniques used in hypnosis for exercise motivation therapy can make you believe nearly anything, as long as you are willing to believe.

You begin by making an image in your mind's eye that illustrates something you already believe, such as, "I love my children." Then you learn to calibrate the elements or 'Submodalities' of that mental belief picture. 

Next, you make a mental picture that illustrates your motivational idea. Let's say your motivational idea is, "If I exercise, then I will look great and my marriage will get better." Then you learn how to modify the Submodalities of this mental image to correspond with the Submodalities in your calibrated belief picture. Conversely, if a belief is holding you back, the same technique can change that belief to doubt. 

Hypnosis for motivation that uses NLP can give you something of an internal personal motivator. Using an exercise hypnosis motivation program ensures that the enthusiasm you began with stays until reaching your objective, and then helps you maintain that objective. 

About the Author Alan B. Densky, CH has specialized in all aspects of weight loss hypnosis, including hypnosis motivation CDs since 1978. Visit his Neuro-VISION hypnotherapy website to enjoy Free hypnosis videos, articles, and newsletters.

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The most common reason in men is androgenic alopecia, sometimes called male pattern baldness because of the characteristic shape of the hair line. But loss also occurs in both sexes because of drug interactions, through physical or emotional trauma, poor nutrition, and other less common reasons. At this point, it is necessary to step outside the bounds of political correctness. In many contexts, it is considered inappropriate or, even, offensive to make distinctions based on race. The general rule is to assume that everyone is equal. However
in this case, there are significant differences between the races. Japanese men have less loss than caucasian men. Black men are four times more likely than their caucasian counterparts to suffer hair loss. Women of all races also suffer loss in the same proportions but, because of the difference in hormones, it is loss in the volume of hair rather than its physical distribution or patterning. This makes womens hair more difficult to plat or braid, ponytails hang more limply, and so on. These differences are noted by those who market hair loss products and changes how different brands are sold into their target markets. What should everyone see when they look in the mirror &' apart from someone good looking, of course? Whether consciously or not, people monitor their appearance. It results from the way parents bring up their children and how children relate to each other. Parents impose their choice of clothes on their children, directing the choice of hairstyle, dictating the look. The children compete with each other to break the parental mold, to impose their own choices and assert their individuality. The majority retain this interest in their appearance as they advance into adulthood. Those who are most into style and fashion are the most vulnerable to unexpected changes. Most people will notice any change in their hair when they look in the mirror. They may also start finding more hairs caught up in a comb or brush. When hairs turn up on the pillow overnight or on the favorite chair, the list of symptoms is complete. There is a problem. For women, the first question is whether this is no more than damage caused by the excessive use of heat through curling tongs or the drier. Perhaps there have been too many applications of chemicals to dye or straighten hair. The style may also be slowly pulling the hair out by the roots so allowing the hair to be free rather than under traction may be the answer. For men who do nothing more than run a comb through their hair once every morning, the cause is most likely androgenic alopecia and the remedy is propecia. This applies regardless of race. The earlier men start taking this drug the better. It slowly restores the balance of hormones and prevents further loss. Over time, some hair will regrow. Propecia helps to maintain the same look over the years until age makes loss unavoidable.

About the Author:

To see what John Scott has written on different topics visit http://www.helpyourhair.net/why-people-lose-hair.html and find him there. John Scott has dedicated his work to helping people understand better the subject he writes about.

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Top tips on how to produce the perfect cup of coffee

Whichever blend of coffee you prefer or whatever type of equipment you are using to prepare the coffee the objective is the same. To release the coffee oils and soluble coffee compounds into solution in the final beverage.

Not all the soluble compounds are desirable particularly tannin so it is important to brew the coffee is just the right manner to produce the perfect cup.

Although it is possible to extract as much as a third of the mass of coffee from the gr
unds the optimum amount is about 20%

There are six important factors to consider when making fresh coffee.

1/ The coffee grind - By this we mean the particle size of the coffee grounds. This varies typically from largest to smallest thus: coarse, medium, fine and espresso (or very fine)

Over-extraction can occur if the grind size is too small for the method and equipment used resulting in a coffee being bitter and too strong. If the size is too large then under-extraction will occur resulting in a weak wishy-washy coffee.

Typically one would use a coarse grind for a coffee pot, medium grind for a cafetiere (French Press), medium to fine for a typical filter drip machine and espresso grind for an espresso machine.

2/ Freshness and quantity of coffee - Coffee beans should be stored in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight and ideally kept in an airtight container. The coffee should be ground to order as ground coffee will lose some of its subtle flavours and aromas if is left exposed to the atmosphere for very long.

It is very important to use the suggested amount of coffee to match the brewing equipment. Using less coffee but increasing the brewing time will not result in a standard brew but create an over-extracted drink. Using more coffee than recommended but a quicker infusion time will result in an under-extracted coffee.

3/ Temperature and water quality of the water - Always use fresh cold water to start off the brewing process. Ideally the water should be filtered to remove unwanted taints and odours and be very slightly hard.

Ideally water that is between 94 and 98 degrees Celcius should be used - not boiling water. If the water is too hot the coffee grounds can be scolded imparing the flavour.

4/ The infusion time - The length of time that the hot water is in direct contact with the coffee grounds is crucial in producing the perfect cup. In reality this is determined by the equipment being used to brew it, so always follow the manufacturers guidelines.

As a rough guide however consider the following.

10-30 seconds for espresso grind 3-6 minutes for fine grind 6-8 minutes for medium grind 8-10 minutes for coarse grind

5/ Brewing method employed - Basically there are three different methods employed to make coffee. These are steep & strain, filter infusion and pressure infusion.

Steep and strain simply involves putting hot water in contact with coffee grounds in a pot or container until under extraction has occurred. The resulting brew is strained to isolate the coffee liquor.

Filter infusion is common in many applications and uses a filter basket filled with coffee grounds that has hot water added from above. The infusion time is relatively short as the water infuses briefly with the coffee until the liquor passes thought the basket into a flask or container below.

Pressure infusion - Hot water is forced under high pressure though a small tablet of compacted grounds to produce an individual serving of coffee. This is the standard method of producing espresso.

Again it is imperative to use the right method with the correct type and grind of coffee.

6/ Cleanliness - Coffee contains oils that will leave a tarry residue on equipment that can contaminate and spoil the taste of subsequent brews. Daily washing and cleaning of equipment is an absolutely vital part in producing the perfect cup.

Have fun - producing a great tasting cup of your favourite coffee should be an easy and enjoyable task.

About the Author Visit http://www.cafebar.co.uk for more coffee tips and information

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Greenhouses have become important tools in plant cultivation. They provide much needed growing rooms for places which are not very conducive for the development of certain plants. They allow the cultivation of plants in places which could grow these plants normally.

There are many factors which can affect the development of plants inside a greenhouse. The proper balance of air circulation, ventilation, humidity, shading and heating will provide the plants with an optimum environment.

Misting

Other factors
ill such as ventilation and shading, are important for prevention of overheating in the greenhouse. However, proper misting or the control of humidity is the main factor which maintains a comfortable environment for the cultivation of plants. Evaporation uses up heat when it turns water from liquid into a gas. When the venting process is done, much needed moisture is lost from the greenhouse because it escapes into the air. Misting is one of the ways to replace the lost moisture inside the greenhouse.

The amount of moisture which is needed to be maintained by the greenhouse is dependent on several factors such as the amount of shading and ventilation that is provided, the status of the local climate and the fluctuations in the daily weather. The rule of thumb is that for each 10 square-ft of area, there must be 1-2 gallons/hour of moisture. A misting system will effectively distribute moisture evenly to all the parts of the greenhouse. A good misting system can disperse water in a fine mist, this will prevent the plants from being soaked.

Misting systems reduce temperatures by as much as twenty-five degrees F which is about 14 degrees Celsius.

Here are some facts about misting systems

-Misting systems can be used to disperse water in an ultra fine mist or a very coarse spray. The size of the droplets can depend on the nozzle type, the spacing of the nozzle and the operating pressure.

-Misting systems are used for many different kinds of applications aside from its normal greenhouse chores. They can be used from dust suppression, controlling static electricity control and concrete curing.

-Misting systems utilize pumps which are designed for intermittent or continuous duty. Intermittent pumps are designed to sprinkle water for five minutes and rest for a minute in between misting.

-Misting systems now come with electronic timers which can be programmed to mist 1-14 times a day with each misting ranging from 1 minute to 24 minutes. Other systems can be programmed to mist in shorter durations but more often.

-Nozzles are made from brass or plastic materials. The brass nozzles can be easily affected by minerals that abound in the water supply. The plastic nozzles can tolerate these minerals and can actually repel lime and other deposits.

-The amount of water which is needed to maximize the efficiency of the misting system can be calculated by multiplying the rate of the nozzle flow per minute by the number of nozzles in the system and the result will then be multiplied again by the minutes that the misting system will be in operation each day. This result will be a good estimate of how much water is needed by the system.

-Most misting systems today offer pumps which are almost noise-free. They will not affect the plants and especially the people near the greenhouse.

-Misting systems can be supplemented by an evaporative cooler. They work very well in dry climates (where humidity is below 50%). The air is cooled by around 10-20 degrees by the water which is evaporated because they are drawn through the cooler and then into the greenhouse. Too much humidity can be a problem and this is why people should water the plant only when they need it.

-The use of tools which can measure humidity can also be very helpful for greenhouse enthusiasts.

There are other factors that need to be considered in greenhouse plant cultivation. Misting is just one of them. Misting provides the plants with much needed cooling for the plants. There are many tools out there that are available for greenhouse plant cultivations which can immensely increase the quality of their greenhouses especially in terms of misting. A cultivator just needs to find out what kind of misting system should be employed for his plants.

About the Author:

Information on freezing tomatoes can be found at the Tomato Growing site.

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