new girlfriend a custom silver necklace

Valentine's Day is a holiday all about love and romance. Choosing a gift for a new girlfriend can be a bit tricky, especially if you have not whispered those three little words to each other yet. There are a variety of choices available that will show your new girlfriend that you are into her but still reflect a casual or new relationship.

Custom Necklace 

Give your new girlfriend a custom silver necklace for a Valentine's gift. Choose a necklace in her preferred metal -- gold, silver or platinum -- and have it customized with her birthstone or a charm of her favorite interests, such as an animal, hobby or sports. Another option would be to have her name engraved on a square or round charm for a personalized touch.

Unique Romantic Gift Idea for Men and Women

Sending a unique romantic gift to your sweetheart would express your feelings in a special way.  Receiving a unique romantic gift from the person you love is everyone's dream.  Here, we shall list unique romantic gifts idea for men and women.
Unique Romantic Gift Idea for Men
A Personalized Message Printed on a Cup. When a warn and personalized message is printed on a cup, and when a cup is used by him to drink water or juices everyday, the message always appears in his eyes.  He will think about you ... for sure. I received this unique gift myself, and it certainly made me feel very special. 
Unique Romantic Gift Idea for Women
A Personalized Engraved Crystal.  The personalized engraved crystal keep the best times of your life special and forever. It places any picture you provided and etched it in a beautiful and timeless crystal.

This unique gift used the latest generation of laser engraving technology to capture the important times of your life. Whether it a memorable family event or a special romantic moment, it creates a unique keepsake for all time.

a wonderful website for unique gift ideas

Don't know how to say it? Or can't find a way to say the words?

Whether you want to say "I Like You" to someone unique or tell the community what you think or take a position for, you can say it in fashion with a part of messageonanecklace.com Jewelry.

messageonanecklace.com has unique gift ideas and  gives every young lady (or guy) to be able to communicate themselves with attractively generate 925 Sterling Gold Jewelry.


GREAT GIFT IDEA

You have lastly discovered a variety of that is both careful and significant. Ideal present for: 

* Birthdays

* Events 

* Phrases of Like 

* Special Occasions

Diet, Nutrition and Food Myths

In the world of diet and nutrition, there may seem like there is an infinite amount of information out there. The thing is, a large portion of that information is bad, incorrect, or just plain stupid.
To help you avoid this type of information, here's a rundown of some of the most known and unknown diet, nutrition and food myths along with an explanation for why each is nothing more than a myth, or, in some cases, a flat out lie.


Here is the some myths about the Diet, Nutrition and Food

Eating fat makes you fat

• There is only one thing that makes a person fat, and that is eating more calories than their body requires. That's it. Nothing else causes weight gain other than eating too many total calories. 
• So, for example, if your body requires 2500 calories per day to maintain your weight, you will gain weight if you eat more than 2500 calories per day on a regular basis. 
• It doesn't matter if those calories come from fat, protein or carbs. Eating too much of anything will cause fat gain.

Fat is unhealthy, and therefore our diets should be as low in fat as possible

• If it wasn't for the fact that there are different types of fat, this myth may actually be true. However, since there actually ARE different types of fat, believing in this myth could actually be detrimental to your health. 
• See, there are some fats (saturated and trans) that you certainly do want to limit somewhat (and in the case of trans, avoid altogether).
• But there are two types of fat that you should purposely be eating. This would of course be polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, also known as the "healthy fats." Found in foods such as nuts, seeds, fish, fish oil, olive oil, and flax seed oil, these types of fat provide a variety of health benefits and are an essential part of our diet.
• Avoiding them because of some silly "all fat is unhealthy" idea could actually be bad for you, rather than the other way around.

Carbs make you fat... and are most likely the devil!

• Oh boy, carbs... the official most confusing nutrient of them all. First of all, as previously mentioned during the "fat makes you fat" myth, the only thing that makes you fat is eating too many total calories. Carbs, fat, protein... it doesn't matter. 
• French fries and cheese burgers or steamed broccoli and grilled salmon... it doesn't matter. If you eat more than your body needs, you gain weight no matter what it is. Simple as that.
• Then there's the whole "carb-aphobia" thing. Really, they're not so bad. In fact, they're a little like fat in that they have their own "good" and "bad" version. The good version would be complex carbs. 
• This includes foods like oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread, fruits, vegetables and other whole grains. The bad version would be simple carbs. This includes foods like white rice, white bread, soda, candy, chips and other processed junk food.
• So, for now on, if you want to call carbs the devil, at least add the word "simple" before "carbs," as it is simple carbs that cause all of the negative carb related effects. Complex carbs on the other hand are perfectly fine and should actually comprise most of your daily diet.

Eating after 6:00pm, or 7:00pm, or 8:00pm, or any time late at night is bad because the food will turn straight into fat

• This one is my favorite diet and nutrition myth of them all. Here's the thing, your body doesn't care what time of the day you eat. In fact, your body has no concept of time. It doesn't think "Hey, it's 8pm, time to start converting whatever food gets eaten from this point on into fat!"
• In terms of fat/weight control, your body knows one thing and one thing only, total calories. If you give your body more calories than it needs, it will store those extra calories as body fat. The time of the day that you eat plays absolutely no role in this. To your body, 300 calories eaten at 10am are exactly the same as 300 calories eaten at 10pm.
• So, eat as early or as late as you want. As long as your total calorie intake for the day is what it should be, the time of the day that you eat those calories means absolutely nothing.

Certain foods (grapefruit, cabbage soup, etc.) can actually burn fat

• If the above myth is my favorite, this one gets second place. Just like no specific food makes you gain fat, no specific food makes you burn fat. All of this grapefruit diet and cabbage soup diet stuff is all nonsense that should be either laughed at or ignored.
• If you want to lose fat, you have to give your body less calories than it needs, ideally about 500 calories below maintenance level each day. 
• So, if your body needs 2500 calories each day to stay at your current weight, you will lose weight by eating 2000 calories per day. Your other option to lose weight would be by exercising so that you are burning extra calories. Or, for best results, a combination of both.
• Now that you know will work, here's what won't work. Eating "magic" foods that "magically" burn fat.

If my food label says 0 grams of trans fat, then it has absolutely no trans fat

• Your food label is lying to you. It may say your food contains 0 grams of trans fat per serving yet it may actually contain 0.4 grams. Here's why. The FDA's trans fat labeling rule states that food companies only need to mention trans fat IF and ONLY IF their food contains 0.5 grams of trans fat or more per serving. If it contains exactly 0.499999, they are allowed to print "Trans fat: 0 grams" on their food label.
• Yes, this is indeed dumb and wrong in every possible way. Now, if you're thinking that slightly under half a gram of trans fat doesn't seem like much, here's what I have to tell you. First, ANY amount of trans fat is too much. Second, this is only per serving. If you eat a few servings of whatever this food is, all of a sudden you are eating a few grams of trans fat without even knowing it.
• Fortunately though, there is a way to know it. That way is by checking the ingredients. If you see the word "hydrogenated" (or "partially hydrogenated") or "shortening," then that food contains some amount of trans fat whether the label says so or not.

100% whole wheat bread is always healthy and is always 100% whole wheat

• Throughout a Calorie Counter, whenever I mention anything about complex carbs (aka "good carbs") one of the foods I mention as an example is 100% whole wheat bread. The only problem is this requires a little more of an explanation to truly make sure that you are actually eating whole wheat bread.
• As it turns out, some "100% whole wheat" breads are lying. They are nothing more than, at best, slightly improved versions of white bread. Others contain other junk that you don't want your whole wheat bread to have. 
• Luckily though, just like catching the aforementioned trans fat lie on your food label, there is a similar way to verify if you are indeed eating a healthy legit 100% whole wheat bread.
• In the ingredients on the food label, here is what you should be looking for. First and foremost, the #1 ingredient on that list should be something with the words "Whole Wheat" in it. 
• Some examples include "Whole Wheat Flour" and "Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour." Next up, you should NOT see the words "Unbleached" or "Enriched" anywhere in the list in any form.

Do You Feel Depressed After Sex? - You are Not Alone

Feelings of relaxation, the release of tension, and a sensation of bliss are the feelings some people experience after sex. But for others the afterglow of sex is not only absent but replaced with feelings of depression. How common is depression after sex? And more so, what can cause an individual to feel sadness instead of positive emotions following sexual intimacy? In this post we are going to explore the answers to these questions about what researchers are calling postcoital dysphoria (feelings of melancholy, tearfulness, anxiety, irritability, and sadness after sexual intercourse).

There are many psychological reasons why someone might feel negative emotions after sexual relations including

• Post –traumatic stress disorder related to prior sexual abuse.
• Having sex when you really don’t want to or when you are not emotionally or physically ready.
• Having sexual relations with someone who is abusive.
• Low self esteem about your body image or sexual performance.
• Fears that once the sex is over that your partner will leave or reject you.
• Fear that your relationship is moving too fast.
• Guilt or shame due to conflicting values, religious beliefs, or attitudes about sex.
• Feeling emotionally distant from your partner or experiencing conflict within the relationship.

In addition, if you are suffering from clinical depression your symptoms may carry over into all aspects of your life including sexual intimacy. Yet there may be another underlying source of poistcoital depression that most people don’t think about. Some experts theorize that for some people, feeling depressed after sex is not always caused by psychological reasons but instead, by one’s biology. A recent study conducted by Brian Bird, Robert Schweitzer, and Donald Strassberg (2011) published in the International Journal of Sexual Health, seems to lend some credence to this theory. This Australian study which included more than 200 women, found that one out of three study subjects reported experiencing postcoital depression at some time in their lives. A full 10% of respondents said that they had felt depressed following sexual relations within the previous four weeks.

The researchers found some correlation between childhood sexual abuse and lifetime postcoital dysphoria (PCD) but not for those reporting PCD within the previous four weeks. The study authors concluded that “biological predisposition” might play a bigger role in causing sadness after sex than other factors.

Doctor Friedman,a psychiatrist at New-York Presbyterian Hospital and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Weil Cornell Medical College, describes patients who would come in to be treated for intense depression following sexual intercourse. These patients would report that their postcoital depression usually lasted for several hours or more. Yet when Friedman tried to find a psychological reason for this phenomenon, he could find none. He began to speculate that perhaps this plummet in mood following sex was more due to neurobiological causes than psychological ones for some of his patients. He further theorized that if the individual had a particularly intense orgasm that the physiological fall from an elevated state of pleasure could potentially induce depression.

How To Avoid & Deal With 5 Common Travel Diseases

While traveling, your body is introduced to many new bugs and bacterias, some of which are more dangerous than others – so today we are going to share 5 common travel diseases, what they are, how to avoid them.

Note - Please remember, this post is not meant to scare you but remind you to take precautions so you can travel safe and happy.

1. Malaria

What - Malaria is a serious disease caused by parasites. It’s fatal if left untreated.

How - Malaria is transmitted by a bite from a malaria-infected female mosquito.

Where?

• More than 100 countries are in the danger zones of Malaria (India, Central and South America, SE Asia, Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa).
• Sometimes it can be difficult knowing how bad the malaria is in some places, and it differs between what every doctor says as well.
• One doctor advised me to take malaria pills in Malaysia but not in Vanuatu, another said I didn’t need them for any of the countries, which can make it a tricky decision since the side effects of the pill are really horrible and you don’t want to take them when you don’t need them.

Prevention

• There are several different Anti-malarial drugs to prevent and treat Malaria. The choice of which drug to use depends on side effects, the malaria type and which drugs the parasite is resistant to in that area, so make sure that you get the appropriate drug for your situation and destination.
• Malaria pills aren’t 100% effective, so to be extra safe, sleep under a mosquito net, use insect repellents (make sure it has DEET) and wear long pants and shirts in the evening or when walking in places with a lot of mosquitoes.

Side Effects:

• The side effect of taking malaria pills can sometimes feel just as bad as having malaria, so my suggestion is to take the drugs ONLY if you really know that there will be malaria where you go.

NOTE - While at the Red Cross in Bangkok a few weeks ago, they told us that they don’t give out malaria pills anymore because of the side-effects etc. It seems like things are changing, and doctors don’t just randomly hand out pills as much anymore – best thing is to not take them, just be smart, use common sense, and take the right precautions when traveling in affected areas.

2. Travelers Diarrhea

What? - Travelers diarrhea is exactly what it sounds like – frequent diarrhea.

How? - A foreign bacteria or bug enters your system, most often from contaminated food and water.Many travelers also get upset stomachs because of the sudden diet change. Spicy food often causes an irritated bowel and you get diarrhea. When this happens, stay hydrated and don’t eat any spicy food.

Where?

• It can happen anywhere, but the risk is higher in developing countries in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America.
• Prevention:
• Always drink bottled water, don’t even brush your teeth in tap water if it’s not drinkable, and keep your mouth closed when showering.
• If you’re unsure whether the ice is from tap water or bottled water, don’t risk it but ask for no ice in your drink.
• Stick to cooked food, especially make sure that the meat is well cooked.  Other food to be careful with is fruit (preferably peel it yourself) and seafood.
• Always carry a disinfection gel around and wash your hands with it a few times a day, especially before eating and after having dealt with money.

Treatment:

• If the damage is already done, then the best way to stop it is to have Imodium and Pepto-Bismol to stop it. If the diarrhea doesn’t go away and/or gets worse, seek a doctor. 
• It’s better to be safe than sorry, and your doctor can give you advice on what to eat and the local remedies for diarrhea.

3. Cholera

What? - Cholera is a severe bacterial disease affecting the intestines, creating vomiting and watery diarrhea.The disease is fatal if left untreated. It’s an extreme type of travel diarrhea.

How? - The germ is spread by drinking contaminated water or infected food. The source of the contaminated water is often due to other cholera patients’ diarrhea let through into the waterways.
Remember that even shellfish living in affected waterways can cause this infection.

Where?

• This disease can be found in Indonesia, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.
• Prevention:
• There is a drinkable vaccine (Dukoral), two doses will keep you safe for two years (with the second dose taken a week after the first). Use the same precautions as for normal Travel Diarrhea.

4. Hepatitis A & B

What? - Both Hepatitis A and B are viral infections of the liver, however Hepatitis B is transmitted differently and it takes longer to get well.

How?

• The most common transmission for hepatitis A is via contaminated food and water. The virus breaks down in the discharge and spread via contaminated water that people drink, as well as food that has been in contact with contaminated water.
• Often you don’t notice that you’re infected because there are little to no symptoms and the symptoms can come a long time after you’ve been infected (Hepatitis A 2-6 weeks, Hepatitis B 2-6 months), but the symptoms can also make you feel sick for months. Typical symptoms are nausea, fever, malaise and abdominal problems.
• Hepatitis B is transmitted via blood – blood transfusions or needles - and sex with an infected person.

Where? - Most common in less developed countries and regions with poor hygiene standards. Africa, Southern Asia and Latin America are common places, but it exists everywhere.

Prevention:

• Vaccinations are 95-100% effective when taken at least 4 weeks prior to trip. A second vaccine (Havrix) boost 6-12 months later and then it lasts for the next 20+ years. There is a vaccination that covers for both hepatitis A and B called Twinrix.
• This one has to be taken 3 times for 20 years of coverage: The second one 1 month after the first, and the third one 6 months after the first dose.

5. Typhoid Fever

What? - A bacterial infection in the intestines, and sometimes the bloodstream.

How? - It’s transmitted by contaminated food or water with salmonella. Typical symptoms are severe headache, nausea, massive loss of appetite and fever.

Where? - It exists everywhere but the risks are highest in poor countries in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, as well as in the Indian subcontinents and Mexico.

Prevention:

• The vaccine is only between 50-80% safe so stay away from water that could be contaminated (like tap water) and uncooked food. Take the vaccine two weeks before travel.
• Well, there you go – not the nicest article to read I know, but it is important to educate yourself on what is out there, so you are prepared while traveling.

Oat Meals - Health Benefits and Facts

Oats and oatmeal, have been a part of human food for at least 3,000 years.Oats were probably eaten accidentally to begin with as a weed growing in wheat or other grain crops for quite some time before coming into its own. Only five percent of oats grown world wide are used for human food. The rest is mostly used to feed horses and poultry with some used in cosmetics and medicinally, mostly in alternative medicine.
With all the benefits of eating oats, you’ve probably heard that eating oatmeal can lower your cholesterol, but this common, even lowly grain can do a lot more than that.

Health Benefits and Facts of Oat Meals

• It contains more soluble fiber than other grains, which is why it works to lower your cholesterol. It slows the reabsorption of bile which makes your liver have to get the cholesterol it needs from your blood instead of bringing more in from the food you eat.
• This water soluble fiber also keeps you full longer since once it’s dissolved in the liquid in your system, it becomes a thick gel like fluid which moves slowly through the digestive tract.
• Since it moves so slowly it slows the absorption of glucose and that means you won’t get a sugar high and then a sugar low.
• Because of these properties, oatmeal is useful in treating high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.
• Outside the body, oatmeal soothes itching and irritated skin by lowering localized inflammation. A warm bath with a cup of pulverized oatmeal added to the water will calm and nurture your skin. Eczema, sunburn, psoriasis, chickenpox and measles respond well to this treatment.
• It’s a gentle exfoliant for your face and body and helps even out complexions because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
• It’s warming and soothing in a foot bath to help care for chronically cold or tired feet.
• Oatmeal neutralizes odors so a small bowl of it in the refrigerator will help keep it fresh.
• If you have old oatmeal and don’t want to eat it, use it to absorb oil and grease spots in the garage or driveway. Use it generously, let it set for an hour or so then clean it up.
• Oats are usually overlooked as a source of good food and skin treatment. As an inexpensive product, oatmeal could be beneficially added to food and beauty treatments by anyone.

MagicHoldem Poker Calculator

Poker is one of a kind is usually loses a hand. If you do not have MagicHoldem! This poker tool is a one-of-a-kind holdem calculator that can help turn a novice player becomes a serious contender for a serious player, or turn a professional. In real time chance when you play Texas Hold'em, can lead to a significant improvement in your game. To take chances on your side you can improve your betting and bluffing. You can become a player who is out of opponents strategies are easy confidence that comes from knowledge.

The mathematics of poker and the possibilities

The human brain is a computer pretty amazing, but it can not be compared with the advanced poker calculator software called MagicHoldem!

Here's a quick test of brain poker:

* You probably know how many cards are in a tire. But ...

* Do you know how many cards are in four clusters? Six decks?

* What are their chances of attracting a king, if one is already in your hand? What if you use four bridges? What if you play six games?

Accurately determine the chances of your head can quickly become more than many players can handle, so you can enjoy a quality poker calculator.

When you use MagicHoldem, you have instant access to your chances of winning and much more. MagicHoldem.com can be set up to show your best chances to win the opponent, the chances that a particular card will be posted on the flop, turn and river, and the chances that the card is especially in the hand of your opponent more. Once you enter your room online poker favorite, MagicHoldem read the table and gives you useful real-time information and statistics.

Natural way to lower cholesterol

Scientists are discovering that getting high cholesterol levels in check isn't only about the foods you forgo (such as those containing artery-damaging saturated and trans fats). A host of recent research suggests that regularly including some of Mother Earth's most nutritious fare in your meals can be just as effective at lowering total cholesterol levels. Turn the page for five powerful cholesterol-slashing staples; add them to your diet and watch your numbers drop.

Eat more of these:

Mushrooms

• Consuming shiitake, maitake, or enoki mushrooms daily can lower blood cholesterol levels by as much as 25% after 4 weeks, reports a study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Beans

• "Just 1/2 cup of pinto beans daily for 8 weeks can lower cholesterol 8%," says Carol Johnston, PhD, RD, a professor and chair in the department of nutrition at Arizona State University. 
• Their soluble fibers inhibit the absorption of cholesterol.

Fatty fish

• Replacing saturated fat with omega-3s found in fish like salmon, herring, and sardines helps lower cholesterol. 
• And research from Loma Linda University showed that eating two servings of fatty fish a week for 1 month raises "good" HDL cholesterol by 4%.

Oats

• A Columbia University study found that eating two servings of cereal containing oats daily for 6 weeks lowered total and "bad" LDL cholesterol by 4.5% and 5.3%, respectively. 
• Beta-glucan in oats absorbs LDL cholesterol, which your body then excretes.

Walnuts

• People who noshed on 1.5 ounces of whole nuts 6 days a week for 1 month lowered their total cholesterol 5.4% and LDL cholesterol 9.3%, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Note :- 33% of women who monitor their diets to control cholesterol

What are the best workday snack foods

Spending your entire day at the office shouldn’t limit your snack choices. Come to work prepared with healthy snacks, and you’ll improve focus, increase productivity, and avoid packing on pounds. Snack on the five foods below to stay satisfied.

Walnuts

• Health benefits: Walnuts are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
• Snack tip: Pair a handful of walnuts with a piece of low-fat cheese, your favorite fruit, or a bowl of oatmeal for a fiber-rich morning snack that will help you feel full longer.

Apples

• Health benefits: Apples are loaded with pectin, which helps suppress your appetite.
• Snack tip: Eating an apple mid-day helps control blood sugar and may aid in weight loss. Have it with a spoonful of nut butter (cashew, peanut, almond) to add muscle-building protein and healthy fat.

Greek Yogurt

• Health benefits: Packed with whey protein, Greek yogurt has twice as much protein as regular yogurt. Plus, it contains healthy bacteria, known as probiotics, to keep your digestive tract healthy.
• Snack tip: Top 6 to 8 ounces of Greek Yogurt with ¾ cup of berries for a mid-day snack.

Green Tea

• Health benefits: Research has shown that green tea helps lower cholesterol and decreases the risk of diabetes and stroke. What’s more, it boosts metabolism to help you burn fat.
• Snack tip: Drink two to three cups of green tea throughout the day to reap the benefits. 
• If you’re sensitive to caffeine, don’t drink green tea after 3 p.m.

Beef jerky

• Health benefits: Beef jerky is a great source of protein and comes in a bunch of flavors for variety. Opt for the 96% fat-free jerky when possible.
• Snack tip: Eat 1 to 2 servings of jerky with a piece of fruit, such as an apple or pear, for a balanced snack.

Tips for a healthy diet

You don’t have to cut all fat out of your diet, but you should limit the amount of fat you eat. Try to eat foods made with unsaturated fat and avoid foods that are high in saturated and trans fats. Other things you can do include:
  
Limit junk food or don’t eat it at all

• Whatever junk food you have in your kitchen, throw it out and replace it with healthy foods and snacks.  
• Look into other ways to comfort yourself and think of food as nutrition, not entertainment or emotional fodder. 

Go on a healthy food shopping spree

• Don’t look at prices.  Buy items that are healthy and appealing.  
• Fill your cupboards, pantry and fridge with healthy foods so you will not feel like your kitchen is empty.

Limit eating out 

• Most restaurant food has high amounts of sodium, sugar and fat.  
• There are few exceptions.  Spend more time with family or friends cooking together, or enjoy cooking for yourself.

Visit a farmer’s market

• Because farmers markets make buying healthy food fun and interesting.  
• Most of the produce will be freshly picked, and taste heavenly compared to the refrigerated and thawed produce we get at grocery stores.  
• Many farmer’s markets have healthy homemade jams, local honey, hot sauce, or pickled this and that.

Cut out the white stuff 

• Sugar has zero nutrition.  Cut out high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, too.  
• Sugar is linked to the growing obesity epidemic in the US and the rising rates of diabetes.  
• It is also linked to heart disease, which remains the number one killer of people in the US.  
• Use natural sweeteners in baking like raw honey, date sugar or molasses, which retains high amounts of nutrients.

Exercise

• No level of nutrition can make up the difference for lack of exercise.  
• Walking counts, as does taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  
• Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard’s School of Public Health places exercise at the foundational base of his food pyramid.

Eat at a table

• According to Michael Pollan’s latest book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual “No, a desk is not a table. 
• If we eat while we’re working, or while watching TV or driving, we eat mindlessly, and as a result eat a lot more than we would if we were eating at a table, paying attention to what we’re doing. 
• When eating somewhere other than a table, stick to fruits and vegetables.”

Eat smaller portions by buying smaller plates

• I gave my giant-sized dinner plates to the Salvation Army and bought smaller square plates.  And I eat less because of it.  
• According to Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think in a study focused on size illusions, "People with a large bowl and a three-ounce scoop dished out 57 percent more ice cream than those given a smaller bowl and smaller scoop."

Cut out ‘beverages’ and drink water

• Water is free, whereas most beverages come with a price – a health price and a financial price.  
• One popular 12-ounce soda boasts a whopping 150 calories, and it offers no nutrition.  As a treat, drink tea instead of soda.

5 Ways to Boost Energy Levels Naturally

Dieters often complain of a lack of energy. Part of this is attitude—boredom due to removing a favorite pastime—eating unhealthy foods. If you’re addicted to sugar or chocolate, for example, and you can’t get your fix, part of the withdrawal process is feeling sluggish.

Instead of relying on unhealthy methods to increase your energy level, try some of the proven natural methods for boosting your energy. You’ve got nothing to lose except weight and lethargy, so let’s get started!

Exercise

• We all know people who exercise routinely, who never complain about being tired. You wonder how they can leave you in the dust on a bad day. 
• When most people are ready to drag their sorry bodies home after a hard day at work, the serial exerciser is just stepping into dancing shoes. Why is that?
• Studies have consistently shown a relationship between increased exercise and increased energy. 
• Regular exercise has even proven to diminish fatigue even in people with medical conditions that sap energy. 
• Exercise also releases endorphins, which make you feel a little high and naturally fight depression, a leading cause of fatigue.

Breathe Deeply

• Most people breathe shallowly, leading to an oxygen deficit, which causes fatigue. 
• Take deep breaths, filling the abdominal region. 
• After a few deep breaths, you’ll feel invigorated. That’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to boost your energy naturally.

Eat More Protein and Colorful Vegetables

• Pastries, candy and cookies all lead to an eventual crash. 
• Substitute protein and non-starchy vegetables to keep your energy level stable. 
• Try a green smoothie with a helping of bee pollen or some nuts or seeds to ward off the mid-morning and mid-afternoon slumps.
• As an added benefit, they’ll also keep you full until your next meal.

Drink a Cold Glass of Water

• Dehydration happens even before you feel thirsty, and it robs you of energy. 
• A cold glass of water provides just the reboot you need—increasing metabolism, rehydrating, flushing toxins from your system and giving you a little boost of energy.

Get up and Stretch

• Endless computer work tires your eyes, cramps your neck muscles and drains your energy. Make it a habit to get up and walk away from the computer at least once an hour. 
• Perform a few stretches while breathing deeply to relax tight neck and back muscles. 
• When you get back to the computer, without the fatigue albatross hanging around your neck, you’ll find that increased energy equals increased productivity.
• Prevention is the key: Incorporate these tips into your daily life so that you fight fatigue before it even begins.
• Relying on these natural energy boosters will ensure that you have enough energy to make it through the day with energy left over for the activities that make life worth living!

Best Diet for Women

Although healthy foods provide nutritional benefits to people of all ages, ethnicity and genders, certain types of food may be particularly beneficial for women. Science has revealed that certain foods may help prevent the diseases and symptoms women are prone to such as heart disease, osteoporosis, breast cancer and hot flashes.
Broccoli

• Broccoli is practically unrivaled among all foods when it comes to protecting against cancer. Its powerful phytonutrients not only help neutralize carcinogens, but they also stimulate detoxifying enzymes that help the body rid itself of cancer-causing and other harmful toxins. 
• Indole-3-carbinol, another compound found in broccoli, is particularly healthy for women; it’s been shown to reduce the risk of breast and cervical cancers and helps suppress the spread of existing cancer. 
• This green vegetable also happens to be one of the richest food sources of the flavonoid kaempferol, which has shown protective benefits against ovarian cancer.
• What’s more, broccoli is a superior source of folate, a B vitamin that’s needed for making and protecting DNA, producing new blood, forming new cells, and synthesizing protein.
• Folate is one of the most essential nutrients for pregnant women. It supports proper development of the fetal nervous system and protects against neural tube (birth) defects. 
• Second, research shows that women are twice as likely as men to experience depression, and numerous studies have linked folate deficiency with depression. The good news: There’s also evidence showing that boosting folate levels can increase serotonin levels and improve symptoms of depression.

Onions

• Onions have many healing and health-promoting properties: They’re anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and a natural blood thinner. Rich in chromium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber, onions are also a good source of manganese, vitamin B6, tryptophan, folate, and potassium.
• This bulbous vegetable is used to combat cancer, arthritis, and osteoporosis, and it helps fight infections, colds, fevers, and asthma.
• Onions also help prevent constipation, increase blood circulation, improve gastrointestinal health, promote heart health, and are thought to help lower blood pressure and triglycerides.
• They’re particularly good for women, who are four times as likely as men to develop osteoporosis—and who are at even higher risk for osteoporosis during and after menopause. 
• Onions help prevent bone loss by destroying osteoclasts, a type of bone cell that’s responsible for the breakdown of bones. 
• But unlike those potent drugs, onions bust up osteoclasts without dangerous side effects. 
• And, like broccoli, onions are a potent cancer-fighting food; high onion consumption has been linked to a whopping 25 percent reduced risk of breast cancer and a 73 percent reduced risk of ovarian cancer

Leafy Greens

• Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, watercress, cabbage, turnip greens, collard greens, and arugula share similar nutrient profiles, featuring impressive scores of vitamins K, A, and C; calcium; potassium; beta-carotene; manganese; folate; magnesium; iron; and dietary fiber.
• Well-known research tracking 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study found a 40 percent decrease in the incidence of ovarian cancer in women with the highest dietary kaempferol intake as compared to women with the lowest intake. Along with broccoli, kale is one of the best sources of kaempferol—which has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Kaemperfol is also found in tea as well as in Brussels sprouts and other greens.
• Spinach is extremely high in iron, which protects the immune system and helps the body produce energy. It’s especially important for menstruating and pregnant women, who require higher levels of this nutrient. However, iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies for all women. Iron deficiency causes anemia and low energy due to decreased oxygen being delivered to the cells. You can find iron in most leafy greens; other good sources include chard, mustard greens, and romaine lettuce.
• Dark leafy greens like Swiss chard, spinach, kelp, and turnip greens are also excellent sources of magnesium, which plays a significant role in many key biological processes. This miracle mineral has been credited with a slew of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, strengthening the immune system, strengthening bones, aiding in sleep, relaxing muscles, and relieving stress and anxiety.
• Magnesium has been shown to reduce the severity and recurrence of migraine headaches. And a study of 60 women with urinary urge incontinence found that magnesium supplementation improved the symptoms of overactive bladder in nearly half of participants. Magnesium also aids in calcium absorption, playing a significant role in preventing osteoporosis; several studies on humans have shown that magnesium helps maintain bone mineral density.
• Depression has been linked to low levels of calcium and magnesium, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a study comparing the bone mass of depressed premenopausal women to their nondepressed peers found that the depressed women had reduced bone mass and the most thinning in their hip bones, putting them at higher risk of fractures.

Beans

• No matter what type of bean you choose, each tiny package is bursting with a rich array of nutrients. Beans are an incredibly rich source of folate, fiber, tryptophan, protein, iron, magnesium, and potassium, and they’ve been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast cancer.
• Hands-down one of the best food sources of fiber you can find, one cup of cooked pinto beans contains nearly 15 grams of fiber (along with a score of other essential nutrients)-but you’ll find plentiful fiber in all bean varieties. Fiber is a wonder nutrient that fills you up, regulates digestion, lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, helps control weight, and has a preventive effect on diabetes and heart disease.
• Potassium is vital to the health of every type of cell in our bodies, and you can find good amounts of this mineral in lima, pinto, and kidney beans. Potassium plays an essential part in bone strength, muscle function, and nerve function.
• In addition, the Nurses’ Health Study, which recorded data from 91,731 female participants over a 12-year period, found that women with the highest dietary potassium intake were only 65 percent as likely to develop symptomatic kidney stones as compared to their peers with the lowest dietary potassium intake.
• Like other beans, soybeans are an excellent source of dietary fiber. And just one cup of cooked soybeans also provides a whopping 29 grams of protein. Furthermore, studies have linked the isoflavones found in soybeans with improved bone density in postmenopausal women who previously had low bone mass; researchers believe these compounds may play a significant role in preventing bone fractures.

Wild Salmon

• Wild salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and iron, and it’s a high-quality source of protein. A word of caution: Independent studies comparing the nutritional content of wild and farmed salmon showed the farmed variety had drastically reduced levels of protein and healthy omega-3 fats. Farmed salmon were also found to have significant levels of carcinogenic substances and other toxins, as well as higher levels of inflammatory omega-6 fats. If you’re eating for health, opt for the wild variety.
• Salmon is one of the few food sources naturally rich in vitamin D, which is needed to absorb calcium, maintain proper levels of calcium in the blood, and promote normal bone growth. Due to these qualities, vitamin D is regarded as an important nutrient in helping prevent osteoporosis. Sockeye salmon scores the highest in vitamin D; a four-ounce serving of sockeye provides 739 IU of vitamin D-compared to Chinook salmon, which provides 411 IU for the same size serving.
• Vitamin D’s benefits extend beyond good bones, however. Medical and health experts now recognize this nutrient as playing an essential role in overall health. Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is a widespread problem that has been linked to depression and multiple sclerosis, two conditions that women are at a higher risk for than men. Researchers have additionally linked low levels of vitamin D with obesity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Walnuts

• A 2008 study performed by the American Institute for Cancer Research found that eating two serving of walnuts each day is directly linked to the prevention of breast cancer, along with the reduced growth of tumors in the breast. 
• Since women are at risk for breast cancer, adding walnuts to their diet is an important step to take toward prevention.

Cranberry Juice

• According to Cooking Light’s Callahan, cranberry juice helps prevent and treat urinary tract infections in women. 
• Callahan reveals that cranberry juice contains certain antioxidants known as proanthocyanins which keep the infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the bladder walls where it can breed infection.

Milk and Lowfat Yogurt

• According to Nursingdegree.net, lowfat yogurt is one of the top 100 foods that women should be eating, along with milk and other calcium-rich foods. 
• Foods high in calcium are important for women since they fortify and strengthen the bones, which decreases and may even prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Dietary Fats: What is Good & Bad Fats

Certain fats should be part of your healthy diet. They can lower your risk of disease. But you should make sure that you’re eating “good” fats instead of “bad” fats.

Why do I need fat in my diet?

• Your body uses fat for energy. It also uses fat to build nerve tissue and hormones and to control inflammation. 
• Fat also helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K from the foods you eat.
• Fat calories turn into body fat more easily than carbohydrates or proteins. 
• Fat in your diet can confuse your appetite, so you can't tell when you are full. 
• Some fats also raise your total cholesterol and blood pressure, and may increase your risk of some cancers, heart disease and diabetes.

How much is too much?

• Fat contains 9 calories per gram – more than twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein, which have 4 calories per gram. Everyone has different calorie needs. 
• Your doctor can help you figure out how many calories you need and how many of these can come from fat.
• If you are overweight, the American Heart Association recommends that you get less than 30% of your total calories from fat.
• So, if your body needs 2,000 calories a day, you can have up to 65 grams of fat each day.

What are the “bad” fats?

Limit or avoid these fats:

• Saturated fat is usually found in animal products, such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products such as cheese, cream and whole or 2% milk. Palm, coconut and other tropical oils, as well as cocoa butter, also contain saturated fat. Many snack foods, such as desserts, chips and French fries, are high in saturated fat. A diet high in saturated fats can increase your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and can put you at risk for heart disease.
• Trans fats are a type of hydrogenated man-made fat usually found in processed foods, such as cookies, cakes, doughnuts, crackers, snacks and frozen foods, and in fried food, such as French fries and onion rings. Trans fat is especially bad for you. It lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol while raising your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides. All food manufacturers are now required to list trans fat on nutrition labels. However, foods can have up to .5 grams of trans fat per serving and still be labeled trans-fat free. To avoid them completely, check the ingredients list and avoid partially hydrogenated oils.

The American Heart Association recommends that you get less than 7% of your total calories from saturated fats and less than 1% from trans fats. So, if your body needs 2,000 calories a day, you should eat less than 15 grams of saturated fat and less than 2 grams of trans fat.

The good fats

• Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, olive, avocado, and peanut and other nut oils, as well as in legumes (dried beans and peas), olives, seeds, nuts, nut butters and fresh avocados.
• Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils like corn, sunflower and safflower oil, as well as sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, corn, soybeans, and many other kinds of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are usually found in seafood, such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel. They can also be found in flaxseeds, flaxseed oil and walnuts.

Studies have shown that these fats, if used in place of saturated fat, can help you lower your total cholesterol level. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially beneficial—studies have shown that they can also decrease your risk of inflammation or heart attack if you are at risk for heart disease.