Water
1.75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)
2.In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.
3.Even MILD dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as 3%.
4.One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5.Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
6.Preliminary research indicated that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7.A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8.Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink everyday?
Coke
1.In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
2.You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.
3.To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.
4.To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
5.To clean corrosion from the car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.
6.To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
7.To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. 30 minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.
8.To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also road haze from your windshield.
For Your Information
1.The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.
2.To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial trucks must use a hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
3.The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean engines of the trucks for about 20 years! Now the question is, would you like a glass of water or Coke?
--Submitted By Amber Rice
Yoga Is Like Sex
YOGA IS LIKE SEX By Josephine So
Monday, October 19, 2009
You can read about it, hear about it, and watch other people do it, but until you experience it first hand, yourself, you don't really get it. So what's the excitement all about? Why is yoga showing up everywhere from auto ads to executive meetings? Why are airlines presenting it to their passengers and why is it featured on Oprah? Kids are doing it in schools; buff athletes are doing it, even pregnant women and the wheelchair-bound. There must be something very seductive about yoga!
If you do yoga, you know that it's seductive. That delicious feeling of stretching from the inside out; that soothing sensation like warm honey flowing through energized limbs; and the "big payoff" at the end of a practice: floating away into the infinite. You can't access this in pictures, and yoga isn't a spectator sport. The real experience is only available to you if you actually do yoga.
Yoga is not just about the beautiful bodies of diehard yogis and yoginis, although fitness is definitely one of the major payoffs, yoga is a path to that illusive center we are all seeking...it's a path to inner peace. We're being drawn to yoga by the thousands because we need it; we crave what yoga offers and deeply need the body-mind-spirit connection we experience when we practice the 5000 year old art of yoga.
Increased strength and flexibility, relief from headaches, back problems, sleep troubles, and stress related issues; deep relaxation, feeling energized, powerful, peaceful and centered... Sounds good? These are only a few of the myriad benefits of a yoga practice. Life is so much easier when we feel comfortable in our bodies, relaxed in spirit and come from a peaceful place of power within. Our days become more enjoyable and more relaxed. Our relationships become deeper and more sensitive. The world seems to be more manageable and, rather than reactive, we become positively proactive.
Many people first come to yoga for physical reasons. They want to find relief from back pain or they want to lose weight. They see the external benefits of a yoga practice, but like sex, the internal experience is what keeps them coming back for more.
"This all sounds good," you say, "but I haven't bent forward and touched the floor since I was 12. Sure, seems like a good thing to try, but I haven't exercised since high school! I'd be embarrassed to be seen in those tight yoga clothes... or worse, in a yoga class. I'd make a fool out of myself!" I've heard it all... and there's always a way. Don't allow your chattering mind or your fragile ego to keep you from discovering the treasures you'll find through yoga. Yoga is accessible to everybody. All you need to do is make a decision to go for it.
Regardless of your physical ability, yoga can be adapted to be accessible to you. If you are physically challenged, you can do yoga seated in a chair. Even those who are bedridden can do yoga and we can all benefit greatly from "pranayama," the yoga of the breath.
Too busy? Weave it into your day with seated stretches at your computer, in the airplane, or while standing in line at the bank. Yoga can be subtle, internal and powerful. As you might suspect, I never take "No" for an answer. There's always a way to do yoga.
The first step is commitment. My first yoga class was a rude wake-up call. Every injury I'd ever had was talking to me. I thought I was in pretty good shape when I was at 44, but my body's ability to do those poses was beyond discouraging... I hated it. There was voice inside my head that screamed, "Get me outta here!" But there was a more persistent little voice inside of me that said, "You don't have to like this, just do it." I knew, on some level, that I'd be really sorry if I quit so I made a deal with myself to keep going back to yoga class twice a week for a month. No judgments, no analyzing, no deciding "like it or not." So I pre-paid the classes and took my body to yoga class. After that month, I was hooked. I highly recommend this approach... It changed my life.
Once you get yourself into yoga class, the next biggest challenge is self-acceptance. A yoga teacher of mine once said, "Begin where you are and stay there." Wise words and a big relief! After all, there's no other place to start than by accepting ourselves right where we are and realizing that we'll never be exactly there again. Every yoga practice is different because we are different, day-to-day, and minute-to-minute. One of the basic lessons we learn from a yoga practice is not to judge ourselves. For most of us, that's a hard one. Our culture trains us to be competitive. We want to compare ourselves with each other, with the teacher, and especially with our image of what we think we should be able to do. If you want to enjoy your yoga practice, judge not! Watch yourself from the inside; explore the sensations and the new feelings. Experience yourself from the inside out.
Another big hurdle is overcoming the goal-oriented, "Type A" personality approach to yoga; the attitude that the body must conform to perfection and each pose must be the textbook ideal. Give it up! Not a good idea for a number of reasons. First, no body does perfect poses. Not even the teacher, even though you may think so initially. There is no perfect pose. Yoga is a process, not a goal. The perfect pose for your body is different from the perfect pose for my body, or for any other body. The pose that is most integrated and balanced, that give you the best stretch and honors your body's limits... that is your perfect pose.
Secondly, yoga is a process of unfoldment. The symbol of yoga is the Thousand Petaled Lotus that keeps opening its petals deeper and deeper toward its center. Every time you do a pose, it will be a bit different, you'll do it at a different level and from a different place within yourself. Allow for those changes and patiently let yoga bring you to deeper levels of each pose as time goes on. After a while you'll discover that the real yoga isn't about the external form of the poses, it's about how you move the energy in your body to create them from the inside out.
And third, honor your body. It's not about pushing to your limit in every pose. You'll really regret that the next day! Yoga shouldn't hurt, and it's an inside job as to whether or not you'll experience pleasure or pain. You are in control here. The teacher talks, you do the yoga with your body. Just as we resist psychologically when we get pushed too far too fast (Oh yeah? Just try to make me!), our bodies resist as well. So honor your body's limits, don't push; allow, breathe and soften into the poses.
Keep in mind that there are as many different forms of Hatha Yoga (the physical path of yoga) as there are yoga teachers. Every teacher has a unique teaching style, approach and attitude, even if they have been trained in the same yoga lineage. It's important to shop around for a teacher who is well trained and one who inspires you. Find the teacher that suits your style and don't be afraid to go to different classes and change teachers as you develop your yoga practice.
Yoga is an amazing journey of self-discovery. The way you approach your yoga practice is a microcosm of the way you approach your life. It's a truthful mirror, a deep learning and exploration into the depths of the soul. I wish you blessings on your yoga path, share what I have written and have light in your journey back to your most beautiful, authentic self.
Josephine So, Certified Fitness Coach, Exercise Specialist for Women, author and publisher for Sports Nutrition Performance, and recognized yoga-Pilates(mat work) trainer for the Young at Hearts.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 Author: Michele Marshall
We are told to eat our fruits and vegetables, control our
portions and to exercise all the time.Even
though we hear it everywhere, more education is needed on the subject.We know that too much salt, sugar and fat is
not good for us.We know that we should
eat our fruits and vegetables, we all know why – be healthier and live longer
but it goes much deeper than that.
Poor nutrition and lack of exercise contribute to the causes
of chronic diseases.In order to prevent
those diseases we need to take personal action.What you ingest determines how every organ in your body functions
including your brain.If you do not get
the nutrients that your organs need they cannot function properly.According to the Center for Disease Control,
American Heart Association, The World Health Organization and many others an
unhealthy diet combined with lack of physical activity can cause or aggravate
many chronic diseases and condition such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
some cancers, stroke and obesity.
The statistics are staggering.Chronic diseases are not contagious but preventable, yet they are the
most common cause of death in the world.According to the National Institute of Health, “it has been projected
that by 2020, chronic diseases will account for almost three-quarters of all
deaths worldwide” (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 2001).According the World Health Organization
(1990), “dietary adjustments may not only influence present health, but may
determine whether or not an individual will develop such diseases as cancer,
cardiovascular disease and diabetes much later in life.”
Each year, more than 500,000 Americans die of heart
disease.High cholesterol diets are
leading contributors to heart disease and common in the US and Canada.Foods that contribute to high cholesterol
diets are foods that are high in saturated fat; which is the type of fat that
is found in animal products – meat, eggs and high-fat dairy.Saturated fats raise your LDL (bad)
cholesterol levels in your diet more than any other substance ingested.The main reason for high cholesterol levels
and a high rate of heart attacks is because of the abundance of saturated fat
we eat.If you stop eating them
completely you don’t miss anything (except the taste), since your body makes
all the cholesterol you need.Restricting salt intake also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease
and stroke.In addition, although
convenient, processed and prepared foods are high in saturated fats and
salt.Always carefully examine food
package labels to check fat and cholesterol content.The other methods of reducing your cholesterol
levels include exercising and increasing fiber intake from vegetables.
“In 2000, over six million people died from cancer, and there
were an estimated 10 million new cases.Between 2000 and 2020, the number of cancer cases is predicted to
increase by 29%” (United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.).According to the National Cancer
Institute,“at least 35% of all cancers
have a nutritional connection.When
other factors such as smoking and lack of exercise are included the risk may be
as high as 85%.”
Phytonutrients are nutrients from plants that help protect
your body from cancer.Fiber helps
maintain a healthy colon by providing bulk to our diet.Dietary fiber dilutes any hazardous or
carcinogenic substances and reduces the amount of time these substances would
be in contact with the colon wall.Eating dietary fiber throughout the day in the best protection for our
colon.Most people eat about 10 grams of
dietary fiber each day which is less than half of what you need.The suggested range is 25 to 35 grams spread
over the day.This is best accomplished
by eating fiber rich foods such as whole grain cereals, breads,beans, leafy vegetables, fruits and nuts.Healthier eating could reduce cancer deaths
in the United States by as much as 35%.
“For the first time in two centuries, the current generation
of children in America may have shorter life expectancies than their parents
due to the rapid rise in childhood obesity which is directly related to what
they eat” (United States Department of
Health and Human Services, 2001).
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and occurs
when the body fails to respond to insulin in a normal way.Children are developing type 2 diabetes at an
alarming rate due to obesity.According
to the Journal of the American Medical Association deaths from diabetes have
risen 45% since 1970.Diabetes can lead
to serious complications including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and
stroke.Changes in your diet are
important in preventing and managing diabetes.Again, eating saturated fats increases your risk of developing type 2
diabetes.Preventing excessive weight
gain will reduce your risk of getting diabetes.Consuming fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains is important in
maintaining good health and weight levels.
What you eat and how much you exercise plays a vital role in
preventing chronic diseases.An old
Chinese proverb says, “those who take medicine and neglect their diet waste the
skill of the physician.”When we chose
foods rich in nutrients, minerals and vitamins such as fruits and vegetables we
are doing something positive for our health and well-being.Remember, foods that have no nutritional
value do not have a positive affect on how our body functions.Foods that should be eliminated from your
diet or at least eaten in moderation are sugar, salt and foods high in
saturated fats.Get into the habit of
eating three meals a day, replacing sweets with fruit (they contain natural sugar),
eating low-fat dairy products and consuming lean sources of protein – chicken,
turkey, egg whites and fish.Protein
helps control hunger, prevents muscle and bone breakdown and is essential for
energy.As a result, making a few simple
changes to your diet and getting off that couch can contribute to the
prevention of chronic diseases.
Grand Opening
Saturday, August 29, 2009 Author: Maria Amor
See a glimpse of the Grand Opening last August 15, 2009.
Regular Classes start on September 8, 2009 at Anytime Fitness in Tarzana, CA 7pm to 8pm. Please check the Class Schedules for details.
