10 Analogies for a Great Leader

Leaders of required to posses several supreme personality traits such as competence,

commitment,courage, focus, generosity, passion, responsibility, vision, problem solving attitude and
self-discipline. Below analogies are given for the leaders for their self audits which constitute for
the transformation from 'effectiveness to greatness' as per Stephen R Covey's book "The
8th Habit":

1- The Great Leader is like the Lion: He does not fear in any kind of tragic circumstances and
grabs the 'Lion's share' (market share for his company) and also gives us the protection from other
dangers. He faces the difficulties with courage, meets them, treats them and defeats them.
2- The Great Leader is like the Foundation of a Building: He penetrates enough in the roots in
order to strengthen the foundation of the company. By penetrating means he has strong grip on the
policies, procedures, products and services. This helps company grow more and more.
3- The Great Leader is like the Rocket: When in action, he focuses on the target with full zeal and
zest. He does not get distracted by any other disturbances and challenges in his path.
4- The Great Leader is like the Doctor: Who knows the real root cause of the diseases (issues). He
isanalytical in his approach. He not only take corrective actions in order to fix the issues but also
takes preventive actions in order to overcome the diseases/problems so as to eliminate them
permanently.
5- The Great Leader is like the Train Engine: He has a clear destination in his mind. He makes sure
that all of the passengers (employees) reach their destination. The passengers (employees) belong
to so many categories (low/high performing, active/inactive, sick/healthy, poor/rich etc) however
he takes all of them along with him towards the target destination and steadily reaches there.
He keeps the engine up and running to ensure that target is achieved by all means.
6- The Great Leader is like the Professor: He teaches his followers with theoretical, practical,
pictorial, verbal, friendly and/or commanding ways of trainings. He is effective in
communication and clearly elaborates his requirements/targets so that every single member clearly
understands the target and his/her role.
7- The Great Leader is like the Servant: He facilitates the tasks and paves the way for his clients
(team members), eventually the clients focus on their major responsibilities.
8- The Great Leader is like the Newspaper: He highlights and summarizes the critical happenings
so that the readers (followers) are up-to-date about surroundings and adjust their work related
strategies accordingly.
9- The Great Leader is like the Water: He cleanse the system by removing the dirt, by reducing

the impurities.
10- The Great Leader is like a Cricket Captain: He organizes the players/resources based on the
demand. He performs for his team and not for his personal achievements. For him, team comes first
so his intentions from his team and company's perspective are WIN-WIN.
What other analogies you have in your mind for Great Leaders?

Story: The Mountain Principle

"A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, his son falls, hurts
himself
and
screams:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain:
"AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?"; And
then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!";The voice answers: "I admire
you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!". He receives the answer:
"Coward!". He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?". The father smiles
and says: "My son, pay attention." Again the man screams: "You are a champion!".
The
voice
answers:
"You
are
a
champion!".
The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People
call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world,
create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve
your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life. Life
will
give
you
back
everything
you
have
given
to
it."

Your life is not a coincidence. It's a reflection of you!"

-- Unknown Author

22 Things to Keep

You are what you eat -and what you don't eat. Similarly, life depends on
what you keep and what you don't keep. There are many things in life
that people may keep, but only a few are truly worth keeping. Here is a
list of what to keep (and how) for a brighter, happier and more
fulfilling life.
1) Keep calm. Life
can be unnerving and if you don't make an effort to keep collected and
focused, you could easily lose your cool. Take regular, conscious deep
breaths to calm and center yourself.
2) Keep your chin up.
Not only is it good for your posture and diminishes your double chin,
it also helps you maintain an "I can handle it" attitude. By keeping
your chin up, you can keep your head above water.
3) Keep your spirits high.
Always maintain a positive and joyful attitude. Remember that no one
can perk you up like yourself. Keep your spirits high when the going
gets rough by focusing on your dreams and counting your blessings.
4) Keep your word.
The true measure of a man is if he keeps his word.
Honorable and trustworthy is the man who stands by what he says and
promises. It is important to think well before speaking because once a
word is uttered and released into the universe, its vibrations could no
longer be erased.
5) Keep in time with your inner drummer.
Don't be swayed by others into following the confusing beat of their
drums. Although it is sometimes necessary to adjust to the pace of
others, it is best to keep in step with your personal rhythm and to
dance to your own music.
6) Keep in touch with the child in you. The
source of creativity in your life is that little child within you. He
questions, he marvels, he imagines and invents. Stay in touch with him,
and be young and creative for life!
7) Keep abreast of the times.
The world is moving so fast. Know what's happening, what's in style,
what's au courant, what's relevant, what's important. Learn the hottest
trends and the latest in technology. Don't be caught in a time warp or
you'll be left behind.
8) Keep in shape.

Your shape shows your state of health. Your body is the vessel that you
journey through life in. Keep it healthy and strong. Don't be one of
those people who say, "I'm in shape; round is a shape!"
9) Keep your mouth shut.
People talk too much. We language ourselves to our own destruction and
defeat. Know when to talk and when to shut up. Avoid being too verbose.
Oftentimes, silence speaks more eloquently than words.
10) Keep good friends.
Good friends are hard to find. Nurture friendships that make your
plight through life easier, more wonderful and meaningful. Truly poor is
the man who has no good friends.
11) Keep great memories, not heavy objects.
In the very end, good memories of life are what we will be left with,
not jewels and riches that we can't bring when we finally go. Live each
moment beautifully. Linked together, these magical moments create
a magnificent life.
12) Keep a diary.
Writing a journal is therapeutic. Record the important events in your
life, your dreams and aspirations, even your failures and
disappointments. When you trace back events in your life, you are bound
to learn lessons from them as well as find great inspiration and
strength.
13) Keep saying grace and thanks.
Blessed is he who says grace before he eats and gives thanks for all
the gifts he receives daily. Maintain a thankful attitude and focus on
your blessings instead of disappointments.
14) Keep on moving forward.
The universe moves forward in time. Don't get stuck in yesterday; make
an effort to move
ahead to a
better life. Drop those unnecessary pieces of material and emotional
baggage that weigh you down and keep you from flying to your loftiest
dreams.
15) Keep out of danger.
He who exposes himself to danger finds it. Don't court danger; avoid
it. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Look
out for number one (that's you!), and always stay safe and sound.
16) Keep up the good work.

Success is built upon success. The more you do, the more you achieve;
the more you achieve, the better you get at doing it. Make success a
habit by keeping up the good work.
17) Keep young.
Do everything in your power to stay strong, supple
and youthful.
Think young; feel young. A wise man once said "It is never too late to
be what you might have been." Remember that age is a number and that
youth is an attitude.
18) Keep on Enjoying.
Life is a dance through space and time. Embellish whatever life
plays for you with your own fresh orchestration and creative
choreography. Be excited in your heart and keep your feet light with
happiness.
19) Keep on loving.
Love is the reason we were created. Love diminishes when hoarded but
multiplies when shared. Give it and feel it overflow in your heart. Love
cures all sadness, pain and sorrow. Lonely is he who does not give love
away and therefore gets none in return.
20) Keep on dreaming.
Most men, even if they are young, are dead - that is, if they can no
longer dream. Our dreams are what keep us young and alive; they give us
that sparkle in our eyes. Our dreams keep us going even while everything
around us says, "Stop."
21) Keep on hoping.
Never lose hope. Tomorrow will be another day that will bring new hope
and greater blessings. Keep faith in the abundance of the universe and
the mystery and perfection of life. Hope for nothing but the best and
that's what you will be granted.
22) Keep on believing. Belief is the mother of reality. What you believe becomes your truth. Believe
in yourself, believe in the magic of the
universe, believe in the power of your
dreams. And most of all, believe you can do it, so you can have all your heart's desires!
These You Must Not Keep
1) Don't keep up with the Joneses.
Just because your neighbor bought a red Ferrari, you, too, must get
one. Don't join the bandwagon and keep away from the "herd mentality."
Too much unhappiness in this world is caused by comparisons - comparing
yourself and trying to measure up to other people. There is really no

need to live up to others' expectations if it would just bring you

inconvenience and misery.
2) Don't keep issues and grudges.
The reason most of us stay miserable is because we keep issues,
grudges, and problems. Detox yourself of complaints and issues that keep
you from being the best that you could be. Try to solve all problems
that beset you; never leave anything unresolved. The questions and
puzzles of life are what make it challenging and exciting.
3) Don't keep resentments and memories of painful experiences.
Life is not a bed of roses so you must learn to let go of negative
feelings and memories of painful experiences. It's hard to go on living
with a heavy heart. Pardon, forgive, forget

Home Remedies for Sore Throat

Are you having a sore throat? Is it hard for you even gulp down your saliva? It must be the first
sign of an upcoming cold.
The common symptoms of sore throat are burning, scratchiness and pain, which result in
difficulty to swallow and even talk. There are many causes that can lead to this problem, topmost
being the presence of bacteria or viral infections. Other causes include exposure to dry heat and
smoking. It may also take place because of some allergic reactions.
There are a large number of over the counter drugs available to treat sore throat, but who need
these drugs when we have such amazing, natural home remedies, which can relieve your
problem of sore throat in an instance. Here they are:
Salt water
When you encounter the problem of sore throat one of the best ages old remedies it salt water.
Maybe your grandma has already told you to do that. Anyway, take a glass of warm water and
add half a teaspoon of salt to it, mix well. Gargle with this water 3 to 4 times a day, especially
before going to bed. This salt water acts as an antiseptic. It also helps to clear excess phlegm by
drawing out water from the mucous membrane. Salt water also soothes your throat by relieving
the pain. You can also substitute salt with baking soda and reap the same benefits.
Honey
Honey is known for its anti-bacterial properties. Take a tablespoon of warm honey, add black
pepper powder to it and a few drops of ginger juice. Consume it warm. This mixture will ease
out the pain and would also heal your sore throat. Honey can also be called hypertonic osmotic,
because it has the power to draw water away from the inflamed tissues, as a result swelling is

reduced. You can also take the benefits of honey by consuming a teaspoon in a cup of warm
water or green tea.
Tea
Tea can help your body to combat with various types of infections. The tea leaves contain some
essential antioxidants which boost your immune system. You can pick any kind of tea, herbal or
non herbal, all of them will provide benefits for your sore throat. The best option is green tea,
mixed with a teaspoon of honey.
Chicken soup
You may have tried this remedy many times to treat cold, and you must be aware of the fact that
how much effective this remedy is. You can also get its benefits for your sore throat. The key
component in the broth is sodium which acts as an anti-inflammatory. The warm broth soothes
your throat and also provides your body with extra energy to combat infections.
Marshmallows
The Marshmallow plant's sap has been used since ancient times for the treatment of common
cold, sore throat and cough. But you don't have to find its sap to get the benefits. Just treat your
sore throat with these sweet treats. The marshmallows available today in the market soothe the
sore throat by coating your throat with gelatin. The best part is that they are sweet and easy to
swallow.
Lemon
Lemon is an effective remedy to treat sore throat, because of its antimicrobial properties. The
vitamin C contents present in them cure infections and also boost your immune system. Here are
some of the tips you can try. Cut a lemon into half, sprinkle some salt on it and lick it. You can
also consume warm lemon water to treat your problem. Just add the juice of 1 lemon in a glass of
warm water, to enhance its flavor you can add 1 tablespoon honey to it. This remedy will provide
you with an instant relief. You can also take help of other citrus fruits too to treat the problem of
sore throat.
Cinnamon
Another amazing ingredient with anti-bacterial property is cinnamon. Take 2 cups of water and
add a piece of cinnamon stick and a pinch of black pepper to it, boil for 5 minutes, strain and add
1 teaspoon honey. From sore throat to common cold, this drink will bring an instant relief from
all. Cinnamon also has some anti-inflammatory properties which help to reduce the swelling of
the inflamed tissues of the throat. You can also use cinnamon oil drops mixed with honey, use it
twice a day to soothe your aching throat.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a powerful ingredient to heal sore throat. Make a gargle with the help of its seeds

by adding 2 tablespoons of them in 6 cups of water; allow it to boil for half hour. Now strain this
solution and gargle with it 3 times a day. Fenugreek is known for its anti-inflammatory
properties and also helps to dissolve mucus.
If your condition does not improve within a week after using these remedies then it is suggested
to visit your doctor.

Super Health Benefits Of The Sesame Seeds

Can you imagine a seed so tiny having benefits so magnificent? You might start worshiping these
seeds once you will get to know what they can do to your health.
We are talking about the sesame seeds, the seeds that are the key to good health. We all love to
add them to our meals, sprinkle them on the buns and breads, coat the prawns with them before
frying or add the secret taste to the soups by putting sesame seed oil in them. But have you ever
imagined where these seeds come from.
Sesamum indicum is being cultivated for as long as 5000 years. Its use in the field of medicine
dates back to 3600 years, during the era of Egyptian civilization. The women of those times used
a mixture of these seeds and honey to enhance their beauty and to regain youth (you can try it
too). For the Roman soldiers this mixture was used as a tonic to regain strength.
Because of its medicinal properties it is extensively being used in Indian Ayurvedic and
Traditional Chinese medicine. A lot of scientific discoveries have been made regarding its health
benefits for the past two decades.
We will give you some reasons why these magical seeds should always be kept in your kitchen
cabinet. First take a quick look at the powerful nutrients present in these seeds.
These super seeds are loaded with essential minerals like iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium,
copper and zinc. You get a combination of the B-complex vitamins such as niacin, thiamin (B1),
riboflavin and pyridoxine (B6). It contains an important fatty acid known as oleic acid. What
oleic acid can do to your health would be discussed later in this article. You keep reading because
there is more coming up for you.
The seeds are rich in proteins. 20% of the seed is composed of high quality protein. How do
these nutrients work for you let's find out.
Good for the Heart
The culprit LDL or bad cholesterol is responsible for adversely affecting your heart. Here comes
the role of oleic acid present in the sesame seeds. This heart healthy mono-unsaturated fatty acid

will lower your LDL, increase HLD or good cholesterol. Therefore, it will support your heart and
will also save it from arteriosclerosis and strokes.
Lower High Blood Pressure
Sesame seeds as well as their oil have been found beneficial for lowering high blood pressure. To
get the maximum benefits substitute your regular cooking oil with sesame seed oil. The
components responsible for lowering your blood pressure are peptides found in these seeds. The
use of its oil is also beneficial for lowering stress, which is one of the hidden causes of high
blood pressure and heart disease.
Promote Oral Health
Are you worried about your oral health? Sesame seed oil can be your perfect mouthwash. Just
gargle with it for a few minutes and get rid of tooth decay, bleeding gums, halitosis and gingivitis
and get strengthened teeth and gums. It can compete with any other chemical mouthwash.
Sesame Oil for Healthy Babies
Sesame oil massage can give your baby a sound sleep and also improves the baby's health. This
has been proven by an Indian research where 2000 babies were given sesame oil massage and
was compared to mineral oil massage. The babies who were given sesame oil massage enjoyed a
sound sleep after the massage and showed improvement in health.
The Power of B-complex
As mentioned earlier the seeds are the best source of vitamin B-complex. These vitamins are
vital for the maintenance of your eyes, hair, skin, muscles, nervous system and other organs.
Works as a medicine for the Diabetics
Studies reveal that sesame seeds can lower blood sugar levels to such an extent that it can be
substituted with the drug for diabetic patients with Type 2 diabetes called Glibenclamide.
Treats Arthritis and Osteoporosis
Studies reveal that copper is beneficial for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Lucky for you these
seeds have reserved a reasonable amount of copper for your body and can help you get rid of this
problem. The seeds are also loaded with calcium which is again essential for promoting bone
health. The presence of zinc saves you from osteoporosis.
Combat Cancer
Sesame seeds can help you fight various types of cancers. The calcium content present in them
fights colon cancer. It has proven effective for some other types of cancers as well such as, lung
cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia and pancreatic cancer. This is because of the
antioxidants present in them, which are 20 times more powerful in killing free radicals than
melatonin. These powerful antioxidants also strengthen the immune system.

Works as an Antidepressant
Don't use sleeping pills or antidepressants when you have sesame seeds. These seeds are not only
beneficial for relieving stress but they also help you get rid of depressive feelings.

Story: Mr. Educated and Mr. Wisdom

Several years back Mr. Taleem Yafta (The Educated Person) was very famous for his knowledge and
good speech. Once he was requested to deliver a lecture in a rural area. Mr. Taleem-Yafta went to
his teacher Mr. Siana (Mr. Wisdom) and informed him that he will be visiting this village for the
sermon.
"How will you go the Village"
"I shall take the bus and then I shall have to walk for 15 minutes in the fields to reach the village
where some people will be waiting for me to take me to the rest home"
" In the fields there might be guard dogs taking care of sheep flock so they might harm you"
"Then I shall keep a stone with me to scare"
"You won't be able to control them with a stone; only one dog will run away when you throw the
stone but rest of the dogs will attack you"
"Then I shall take a big wood or tree branches to scare them"
" They might be 4-5 dogs and it will be hard for you to control all of them"

Now Mr. Taleem Yafta started pondering to find another solution. Since this was his first such
experience so he had no idea about the solution however he didn't want to feel insulted or ashamed
in front of his teacher so he kept thinking for quite some time desperately. Then finally he asked
Siana toadvice him.
The teacher replied: "without disturbing any dog just go to the sheep flock boy and ask him that
you want to cross the fields and he will assist you with assurance of no harm to you from any of his
dogs"
For most of our problems we, the educated people, start making our own assumptions and logics to
find the solutions. Sometimes we find good solution but in reality better solutions also exist for the
same problem but we are not aware of those because of less knowledge or experience. Also we do
not consider the real root of the issue, nor we consider taking advice from the relevant people. So
in summary:
1- Asking questions or taking advice is not a bad thing at all as long as you are asking from your
well wisher or from a stranger who is harmless.
2- For a decision having big impact in life, it is recommended to seek advice from multiple people.
This will increase your horizon and expose you to wider angle of the situation and would give you
more vision to consider multiple options for better decisions.
3- Developing Analytical Skills helps a lot. You can breakdown the big problem into smaller
problems and then address them one by one, although this comment not applicable to this story)
4- Sometimes it wise to behave like Mr. Siana to give advice to someone if you have good one. Mr.
Sianaempathic approach explored the mind of Mr. Taleem-Yafta first and then gave him advice. He
didn't impose his comments all of a sudden instead he followed slow approach to understand the

perspective of Taleem-Yafta and then shared his knowledge.

5- Gaining knowledge is equally good but without experience, the knowledge may not be helpful. The
wise approach will be to learn things (knowledge) and then analyze from multiple angles in order to
have an insightful understanding of things (wisdom).

Story: The Manager And The Worker

One day a construction supervisor from 6th floor of building was calling a worker working on
the ground floor. Because of construction noice, the worker on ground floor did not hear his
supervisor calling.
Then, to draw the attention of worker, the supervisor threw a 10 rupee note from up which fell
right around in front of the worker.
The worker picked up the 10 rupee note, put it in his pocket continued with his work.
Again to draw the attention of worker, the supervisor now threw 500 rupee note the worker did
the same, picked 500 rupee note, put it in his pocket started doing his job.
Now to draw attention of the worker, the supervisor picked a small stone threw on worker. The
stone hit exactly the worker head. This time the worker looked up the supervisor communicated
with the worker.
This story is same as of our life. Lord from up wants to communicate with us, but we are busy
doing our worldly jobs. Then God gives us small gifts we just keep it without seeing from where
we got it.
Then God gives us amounts (gifts) we are the same. Just keep the gifts without seeing from
where it came without thanking God. We just say we are LUCKY.
Then when we are hit with a small stone, which we call problems, then we look up we
communicate with God.
So every time we get gifts, we should thank God immediately, and not wait till we are hit by a
small stone, and then communicate with God.

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is an ages old spice that is being used for the past 4000 years in Southeast Asia,
initially as a dye for holy robes. Even today there is hardly any Indian dish that is completed
without adding turmeric to it. It is cultivated in tropical regions of Bengal, India, Pakistan, China,
Sri Lanka and Indonesia. It is a relative of ginger and has a bitter taste and mild fragrance.

Due to its deep orange-yellow color the spice is also known as, Indian Saffron; although the
two shouldnt be confused as both vary in tastes and benefits. The name turmeric is derived from
Latin word Terra Merita meaning Meritorious Earth. Other common names are yellow root,
haldi, haridra and jiang huang. Its botanical names are Curcuma Longa and Curcuma Domestica.

It is amazing how some commonly found spice on kitchen shelves could have so many health
benefits. Natalie Kling from Natural Healing Institute of Neuropathy says, As an antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antiseptic, its a very powerful plant.
It is one of the best health supplements and is undoubtedly a gift of nature as something so
inexpensive has benefits, so worthwhile. It is one of the cheapest spices worldwide.

Turmeric plant in botanical gardens, Singapore

Besides the fact that it adds flavor to the curries, it has proven to be highly beneficial as an
antiseptic and anti-inflammatory and has been used in Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine.
Here are some key benefits of the herb:

Currently it is being used in beauty products and has been able to cure many
skin related problems. To avoid skin pigmentation or to gain even skin tone,
mix a pinch of turmeric powder with cucumber and lemon juice and apply it
to face for some time and wash it off. A frequent use of this mixture can give
a perfect glow to your face

If your hand or any other part of your body is burned accidently, take a tea
spoon of turmeric powder and add to aloe gel, apply it to the burned area. It
is the best, quickest and easy remedy for all kinds of burns

For minor cuts and bruises a turmeric paste can help heal the skin quickly. For
bumps the paste can act as an ice pack and reduce swelling

A glass of hot turmeric milk is helpful in healing bones that have been
fractured and also act as a pain killer

It helps cure gum and throat infections. For those who have gum infections a
mixture of turmeric, mustard oil and rock salt can prove very beneficial, if
applied to the affected area twice or thrice a day. Use warm water to wash
your mouth after application. For throat infections use a spoonful of turmeric
mixed in hot milk and drink, it will soothe your throat and help cure the
infection as well

Throw away all those expensive creams for reducing stretch marks, just apply
a mixture of turmeric with yogurt and apply it to the abdomen for 5 minutes.
It will help the skin maintain its elasticity and you will notice a visible
difference

Turmeric contains an essential component called Curcumin; recent studies by

the doctors conducted at UCLA proved that Curcumin helps cure Cancer by
blocking the enzymes that promote growth of malignant cells of head, neck
and breast. Further, a decrease in the size of brain tumors by 81% in animals
has also been noticed by (replace: with) the use of Curcumin

Turmeric provides protection against diseases like Alzheimers. Studies show

a very low rate of neurological diseases in elderly people in India due to a
regular intake of the spice

For anemic patients a teaspoon turmeric and honey can prove to be

beneficial

Diarrhea can also be cured if turmeric powder is taken mixed with water

Turmeric prevents the negative effects of processed foods and even help cure
smoking hazards

It protects DNA from damaging pollutants and therefore helps to prevent

leukemia

Cant get rid of acne? You may have tried various products, a cheap and easy
remedy is: mix some turmeric with sandalwood powder and make a paste
with water and apply on face

According to Randy J. Horwitz, M.D. at the Arizona Center for Integrative

Medicine, turmeric serves as the most powerful anti-inflammatory. He

conducted a study on rats injected with rheumatoid arthritis and found

turmeric helpful in reducing the symptoms

Turmeric helps to reduce gas in people having indigestion; also it helps in

production of bile by stimulating the gallbladder and helps detoxify the liver

Uveitis, a disease in which inflammation of the iris of the eye occurs, is

curable with Curcumin found in turmeric

It reduces the risk of heart diseases such as atherosclerosis. Studies have

proven a reduction in bad cholesterol and blood clots along the walls of the
arteries, by the use of turmeric

A study conducted in Thailand published by a journal called Diabetes Care,

proved that Curcumin found in turmeric helped cure diabetes in adults having
pre-diabetes symptoms

The drug has also been found useful in curing depression and maintaining
body weight

Exercise and Diabetes

Exercise is an important part of managing your diabetes. It helps lower your

blood sugar without the need for pharmaceutical medications. Exercise can
help you lose weight, if you are overweight, and prevent weight gain. Exercise
reduces your risk for heart disease and can reduce your stress. Dont expect
immediate results from exercising; it may take several months after you start
your routine before you see improvements to your health.
If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, physical activity is an
important tool to help you gain control of the disease. Exercise provides many
benefits such as:

controlling your blood glucose;

managing your weight;

lowering your blood pressure;

helping to raise your HDL (high-density lipoprotein)good cholesterol

levels; and

helping to lower your LDL (Low-density lipoprotein)bad cholesterol

levels.

In addition to helping you manage your diabetes, exercise has other general
health benefits. By exercising regularly, you will sleep better, improve your
mental state, and have more energy.
How much exercise should you do?
Experts recommend that you exercise at least five days per week. Each
session should be of moderate intensity and should last at least 30 minutes.
Here are some simple activities that are classified as moderate-intensity
exercise:

fast walking;

swimming;

cycling;

dancing;

rowing; and

mowing the lawn.

Moderate-intensity exercise will burn about five calories per minute. You
should expect to see your breathing rate increase and your heart rate slightly
increase. Before starting an exercise program, discuss your current health
condition with your wellness professional. If you have not exercised in a while,
start with a little light exercise and build up slowly over time. You can add
additional time and increase intensity each week, and soon you will be feeling
refreshed after each daily routine
10 Things That Define A True Professional

You may be a brilliant developer, a highly skilled net admin, or a crackerjack DBA
but if you're unprofessional, your career is likely to fall short. Alan Norton offers
some attributes to strive for.
________________________________
The term professional is thrown around quite a bit these days, perhaps too much. I
do it myself. But what exactly does it mean to be a professional? As you read
through the items below, consider how you compare with each trait.
Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Put customer satisfaction first
Understanding and satisfying your customer's needs are the cornerstones of a
successful business. Do what is necessary to meet those needs. After all, without
the customer, there is no professional.
You may not view those you work with as your customers, but in many cases, they
are. I remember when one of my managers perceived that I was overly stressed.
He pulled me aside and sat me down in his office where he told me stories and
jokes for the better part of half an hour. He recognized my needs and acted
accordingly.
Professionals identify and satisfy their customer's needs.
2: Make expertise your specialty
The very word professional implies that you are an expert. Technical competence is
essential in IT.
Become an expert in the skills and tools necessary to do your job.
Always perform to the best of your abilities.
Keep your knowledge up to date.
Professionals know their trade.
3: Do more than expected

Professionals aren't bound by a time clock. They are given wide latitude in their
daily self-management. They are expected to manage their time and work habits.
Don't abuse the privilege. If you take an hour for personal needs, give back two
hours.
The reality is that professionals are expected to exceed the standard 40-hour
workweek. There are times when you may be asked to work weekends. You may
have to forego a vacation or work 12-hour days to complete an important project.
All are part of the job description of most professional positions.
Professionals are expected to produce results. Strive to complete deliverables
before their due dates and under budget.
Professionals meet or exceed expectations whenever possible.
But this does not mean that you sacrifice your family life. The idea is that you
must manage your work as much as you and produce desirable results.

4: Do what you say and say what you can do

This is one of my favorite sayings especially in view of the fact that talking the
talk is so prevalent and walking the walk so rare in this age of sound bites. You
should "engage brain" before speaking can you really do what you are about to
say? If you can't, the wizard behind the curtain will eventually be revealed and
hard-earned trust can be lost.
Professionals deliver on promises made.
5: Communicate effectively
I go out of my way to patronize a dentist who has excellent communication skills.
He takes the time to explain the available options, make recommendations, state
the total costs, and promise a date when the work can be completed. I then feel
empowered to make the right decisions.
I recently ordered Internet and phone service from the cable company. I told the
salesman that the existing cable had been ripped out during a landscaping project.
Perhaps I wasn't clear or perhaps the salesman wasn't listening it doesn't really

matter. The message didn't get through and the wrong person was sent to do the
installation. As a result, Qwest, not the cable company, got my business. Not only
did the commissioned salesman lose his sale, he and his company both looked
unprofessional in my eyes.
Resist the urge to blame the customer when communication goes awry. Effective
communication is ultimately your responsibility not your customer's.
Whether verbal or written, professionals communicate clearly, concisely,
thoroughly, and accurately.
6: Follow exceptional guiding principles
Appreciate and support those you work with. Practice good manners and proper
etiquette. Have high ethical and moral standards. Be honest and fair in all of your
dealings with others. Obey the law. These may sound like the attributes of a Boy
Scout, but they are basic values that all professionals should follow. Many
companies have a document that outlines their operating principles. Have you read
yours?
Professionals adhere to high values and principles.
7: Praise your peers not yourself
Respect and acknowledge the talents of your peers. There is nothing more
unprofessional and self-serving than telling others how wonderful you are.
Professionals are humble and generous in their praise of others.
8: Share your knowledge
When I was hired at Hughes Aircraft, a second person with similar skills was hired
with me. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that one of us wasn't going
to survive. The competitive nature of the situation was palpable. I am no stranger
to the belief that it is not in your best interest to share your knowledge with your
associates, AKA the competition.
It is easy to find yourself in that comfortable place with "unique" knowledge. If

you are a hoarder of information and are of the opinion that all of the nuts you
have squirreled away grant you immutable job security, think again. The harsh
reality is that nobody is irreplaceable.
Information isn't a limited resource. Contrary to what some might think, your mind
won't be emptied by giving away kernels of wisdom or experience. Think of
knowledge as an ocean of facts and not a stream of data. It is possible to share
what you know and still keep one step ahead of the competition simply apply
yourself and learn something new daily.
Professionals help their peers and are respected for doing so.
9: Say thank you
I always tried to find a way to thank others for their help. When their help was
above and beyond the call of duty, I would buy them a Coke - a testament to the
marketing power of Madison Avenue and Mean Joe Greene.
The items I value the most in my personnel file from Hughes Aircraft are two
AVOs (Avoid Verbal Orders memos) to my manager from frontline employees. The
AVOs thanked me for the support I provided that helped them do their job
better.
Silly me what was I thinking? I was sharing a Coke when I should have been
sharing my thanks in a printed internal document to the employee's manager.
Professionals thank others in a meaningful way that most benefits the recipient.
10: Keep a smile on your face and the right attitude in your heart
This has been the hardest item for me to do consistently over my working years. I
believed I was lying to myself and the world by smiling when I was miserable or
unhappy with an ongoing issue at work.
I now realize it's not dishonest to be pleasant when you are having one of those
lousy days. It is in fact thoughtful to care about how your attitude affects those
you interact with. Share your unhappiness with your manager only. "Share the
misery" is not the mark of a professional.

Professionals are pleasant even during trying times.

The final word
Working with professionals is a pleasure, and I have been fortunate to work with
some truly exemplary ones. There have been a few who liked to be treated as
professionals without having to work and act like one.
You don't have to look any further than the medical profession to see examples of
true professionals. Think back upon those doctors you've liked the most and model
your professionalism after theirs.
So, how do you measure up? Don't feel bad if you need some work in one or more
areas. Demeanor that is less than professional can lead to an image problem for you
and your company. Negative images are hard to shake. Recognize any shortcomings
you might have and begin working on your professional image today.

Beggar and Servant Boy - Story For Your Kids

There was a boy who used to be a servant for a rich family. They provided him
accommodation, food and everyday some money for tea or snacks. This boy after
finishing his morning works used to go to tea stall nearby and spend sometime
drinking tea, eating and talking to regular customers. One day he was out to tea
stall as usual. There was one beggar newly arrived and stayed put near tea stall.
This boy found some kind of attraction towards this beggar. May be sympathy? He
bought a tea and some snacks for the beggar and sat near him talking. While
leaving he gave beggar whatever money left with him.
This became a routine and continued for sometime. On the other hand, beggar's
regular collections started reducing because people now used to him. But he didn't
want to move to other place for better income for the beggar felt somewhat
attached to the servant boy. Sometimes all the beggar's collection for whole day
was what the boy gave to him. The beggar didn't like to move out of their meeting
place. One day the boy didn't appear as usual. Beggar got worried but thought he
might have some work to finish. Next day also the boy was not seen. Thus gone ten
days. By now beggar concluded that the boy might have either gone to his native or
found a new job. But beggar was more worried for the boy didn't inform him about

these. So he finally decided to move to a better place next morning. That night,
somebody disturbed beggar's sleep. When he woke up, he saw the boy sitting near
to him and crying. Boy was looking tired. He was locked up inside the house where
he worked as servant. He was not given food to eat and allowed to go out for the
rich man suspected the boy to stole the necklace of his wife.
Later after ten days of torture, when they found necklace, they thrown him out of
their house. It was not boy stole the necklace but the rich man's wife forgotten
where she kept. Though mistake was of rich women, the boy was thrown out of
house where he served sincerely for many years! Beggar listened to the story
patiently. The boy was crying for he still couldn't understand why he was thrown
out. Beggar was too matured to get emotional like the boy. For him, these are
common and already witnessed things. He advised the boy not to worry and he
promised to take the boy with him next morning. Next day beggar took the boy
with him and fed him stomachful. After finishing the breakfast, they left for a
new place searching for a new experience. Later it's heard that, the boy found a
new house to serve. The beggar fixed a place in near area to take care of the
boy.
Moral
s
of the story:
1. The boy didn't expect anything in return when given to beggar. All he had was
sympathy towards the beggar.
2. Rich family treated boy very well for they want a good faithful servant. But
when something went missing the faithful servant became the first suspect. For
rich, it's easy to suspect and target poor.
3. When the rich man found his wife to be blamed for missing necklace, he didn't
care to punish her or seek pardon from the boy. Instead he thrown the boy out of
his house.
4. The boy was careless and spent all money he got for he was not matured to
understand - the situations can't be same always. He thought his life will be same
always.
5. Even while boy spent money, he spent it for a good cause which came to his
rescue when he was in need. Even savings wouldn't have instantly helped as the
beggar did.
6. Beggar was faithful for the hands that fed him. When got a chance he was happy
to pay it back.

7. Life is a long journey. We don't know who will support us when in need. So
treating everyone nicely is important saving for future.
8. Who to give and whom to give, who to connect with whom all decided by previous
births. The boy was particularly attracted by this beggar shows some kind of past
connection between them. So to fight or to embrace someone is what decided by us
through our karma.
9. Also the people we meet, we love, we like, we hate, we fight, we depend are sort
of steps towards our journey.

Why You Should Drink Lemon Water In The Morning

The lemon (Citrus limon) is a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the trees ellipsoidal
yellow fruit. The fruits juice, pulp and peel, especially the zest, are used as foods. The juice of
the lemon is about 5% to 6% citric acid, which gives lemons a sour taste. The distinctive sour
taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as lemonade, cocktails
and soft drinks.

Lemon juice is also used as a short-term preservative on certain foods that tend to oxidize and
turn brown after being sliced, such as apples, bananas and avocados, where its acid denatures the
enzymes that cause browning and degradation.

Apart from the above mentioned use of lemons, here we are presenting you with a few reasons
why you should drink lemon water in the morning with flat tummy.

No! here we are not asking you to stop drinking your soothing morning cup of coffee which is
great in taste and the warmth, smell it welcomes you with is just indescribable, just postpone that
cup for a good 30 minutes. Facts listed down here will surely make you give it a try and please
try it for at least 28 days. Why 28? because thats how long it takes to form any habit.

Alkalizing in Nature
Human body performs best when its more alkaline, on the other hand acidic bodies are prone to cancer
cell formation. Lemon although being an acidic fruit acts as an alkalizing agent when it enters the human
body and lowers the acid levels.

Due to the foods we eat, things our skin is exposed to and the environment we are living in most
of the people have very acidic body and lemon water helps decrease the pH level.

Packed with essential nutrients

Lemon is vitamin-rich and contains vitamin C (anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial & effective for
supporting the immune system), vitamin B (increases energy), riboflavin (protects against tissue
damage) and also contain minerals like phosphorus, calcium and magnesium which are
important for building bones and teeth.

Helps Liver Eliminate Toxins and Waste Products

Our liver is responsible for detoxification, protein synthesis and production of bio chemicals to
support our digestive system. Lemon water benefits the liver by increasing the level of
detoxifying enzymes, as a result liver function is improved. Lemon being diuretic in nature
increases the rate of urination and therefore it purifies the blood.

Cheap Remedy for Wrinkles

Lemon helps to remove wrinkles and also improves the appearance of the skin. The presence of
too many toxins in our body makes it look unhealthy and since lemon water fights that, youll get
a clear glowing skin. The citric acid contents present in the lemon also helps fight acne. So the
cheapest remedy for glowing acne and wrinkle free skin is a small cup of lemon water every
morning.

Easy Weight Loss Remedy

A liver containing high amount of toxins can slow down the process of metabolism as a result more
accumulation of fat takes place in the body. Not only does the lemon eliminate those harmful toxins but
also help to burn fats. A healthy diet, regular exercise and a glass of lemon water can help reduce the
excess fat effectively. Lemon can also control hunger craving because of the high pectin fiber contents
present in it.

Cures Respiratory Problems & Freshens Breath

If you need to get rid of cough and chest infections then lemon water is an ideal remedy for you.
In fact, you can consider it as a vitamin C supplement. It is also beneficial for asthma patients
and people having allergies.

Toothache, gingivitis and other oral health related problems can be effectively treated with its
use. It also makes your breath fresh. But when using lemon, be careful as it can damage the tooth
enamel.

The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as
lemonade, cocktails and soft drinks

To conclude for this session here is how you can make one for yourself from tomorrow morning:

Fill a glass with warm water (you can take water at room temperature or cold it doesnt
really matter but people with digestive problems, use warm water)

Squeeze the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon into glass of water. (The water will turn cloudy)

Mix well and drink

* Avoid taking bottled juice because the sulphites present in them may cause an allergic reaction.

Some More Facts About Lemon

On average a single tree produces about 500 to 600 pound lemon in one year

According to the food historians the cultivation of lemon dates back to the first century
A.D.

It was the period of the California Gold Rush when lemons got their fame for preventing
scurvy. Because of this property the demand for it rose and the miners paid heavy amount
of money to get a single lemon, for this reason it was abundantly cultivated throughout
California.

During the period of the European Renaissance, lemon juice was used to redden the lips,
and it was considered as a fashion statement.

Arizona and California are the largest producers of lemon crops in the U.S., almost 95%
of the crop is cultivated in these regions.

Enterprise is Better Than Ease

If we are involved in a project, how hard should we work at it? How much time should we put
in?
Our philosophy about activity and our attitude about hard work will affect the quality of our
lives. What we decide about the rightful ratio of labor to rest will establish a certain work ethic.
That work ethicour attitude about the amount of labor we are willing to commit to future
fortunewill determine how substantial or how meager that fortune turns out to be.

Enterprise is always better than ease. Every time we choose to do less than we could, this
error in judgment has an effect on our self-confidence. Repeated every day, we soon find
ourselves not only doing less than we should, but also being less than we could. The
accumulative effect of this error in judgment can be devastating. Fortunately, it is easy to reverse
the process.
Any day we choose we can develop a new discipline of doing rather than neglecting. Every time
we choose action over ease or labor over rest, we develop an increasing level of self-worth, selfrespect and self-confidence. In the final analysis, it is how we feel about ourselves that provides
the greatest reward from any activity.
It is not what we get that makes us valuable; it is what we become in the process of doing that
brings value into our lives. It is activity that converts human dreams into human reality, and
that conversion from idea into actuality gives us a personal value that can come from no other
source.
So feel free to not only engage in enterprise, but also to enjoy to its fullest along with all the
benefits that are soon to come.

Health: What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made in the body by the
liver. Cholesterol forms part of every cell in the body and serves many vital
functions. Our bodies need cholesterol to:

Maintain healthy cell walls

Make hormones (the body's chemical messengers)

Make vitamin D

Make bile acids, which aid in fat digestion

Sometimes, however, our bodies make more cholesterol than we really need, and
this excess cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream. High levels of cholesterol in
the blood can clog blood vessels and increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Our bodies can make too much cholesterol when we eat too much saturated
fat - the kind of fat found in animal-based foods such as meat and dairy
products.

In addition to making cholesterol, we also get a small percentage of our

body's cholesterol from the foods we eat. Only animal-based foods such as
meat, eggs, and dairy products contain cholesterol. Plant foods such as
fruits, vegetables, and grains do not contain cholesterol.

The Different Types Of Cholesterol

There are different types of cholesterol - and not all cholesterol is harmful.

Low-density lipoprotein (or LDL) cholesterol is a bad type of cholesterol that

is most likely to clog blood vessels, increasing your risk for heart disease.

High-density lipoprotein (or HDL) cholesterol is a good type of

cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps clear the LDL cholesterol out of the
blood and reduces your risk for heart disease.

Facts About Cholesterol

More than one-half of American adults have blood cholesterol levels that are
too high.

Lowering your cholesterol level has a double payback: For every one percent
you lower your blood cholesterol level, you reduce your risk for heart disease
by two percent.

Even if you already have heart disease, lowering your cholesterol levels will
significantly reduce your risk for death and disability.

As blood cholesterol exceeds 220 ml/dl risk for heart disease increases at a
more rapid rate.

All adults should have their blood cholesterol level measured at least once
every five years.

The liver makes most of the cholesterol in our bodies-only a small

percentage comes from food. But the more saturated fat we eat, the more
cholesterol our bodies make.

Most people can bring down their blood cholesterol levels without medication
by changing the way they eat and by becoming more active.

Only animal foods contain cholesterol; plant foods do not contain cholesterol.

A medium egg contains about 213 milligrams of cholesterol, a three-ounce

portion of lean red meat or skinless chicken contains about 90 milligrams of
cholesterol, and a three-ounce portion of fish contains about 50 milligrams
of cholesterol.

What Causes High Blood Cholesterol?

Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. Last updated on January 31st 2011
Many factors can contribute to high blood cholesterol levels or cholesterol levels
that are out of balance. Some of these factors are within your control, and some
are not.
To some extent, your genetic make-up determines your cholesterol level.

Some people inherit a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia, which

means that very high cholesterol levels run in the family.

Some people may simply be more likely than others to react to lifestyle
factors(such as lack of exercise or a high-fat diet) that push up cholesterol
levels.

Other people, especially people for whom diabetes runs in the family, inherit
high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are another type of blood fat that can
also push up cholesterol levels.

Besides your genetic make-up, many lifestyle factors affect cholesterol levels and
cholesterol balance:

What you eat. Eating too much saturated fat (the kind found in high-fat
meats and dairy products) and cholesterol can cause your body to make more
cholesterol, raising your blood cholesterol levels. You can lower your
cholesterol level by cutting down on animal fat and other fats and eating

foods rich in starch and fiber, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains.

How active you are. Regular exercise not only reduces total
blood cholesterol, but it lowers the bad kind of cholesterol (LDL cholesterol)
while raising the good kind of cholesterol (HDL cholesterol).

What you weigh. Being overweight contributes to rising blood cholesterol

levels. Fortunately, changes to lower cholesterol levels also help you control
your weight, a double benefit.

Your hormones. Women get a natural boost in their HDL cholesterol (the
good kind of cholesterol) from their hormones until they reach menopause.
After menopause, taking estrogen can help maintain higher HDL cholesterol
levels.

What Is The Best Way Lower Blood Cholesterol?

Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. Last updated on January 31st 2011
Making gradual and permanent changes in your diet and lifestyle can help you lower
your cholesterol levels. Not only will these changes reduce your risk for developing
heart disease, but they will also reduce your risk for other serious conditions such
as high blood pressure, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
The main lifestyle changes to help you lower your cholesterol levels are:

Reduce fat and cholesterol in your diet.

Eat more foods rich in carbohydrates and fiber, such as fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains.

Increase your level of physical activity.

Maintain a healthy body weight.

In addition to lowering cholesterol levels, if you smoke cigarettes or have high

blood pressure, quitting smoking or moderating your sodium intake can also
significantly reduce risk for heart disease.
How -To Information:
Consider taking a systematic approach to lowering cholesterol, one step at a time:
1.
Find your starting point, or think about what needs to be changed.
Sometimes this means keeping a diary for a few days to record your normal food

intake or patterns of exercise.

2.
Once you have identified your problem, make a commitment to change.
3.
Plan how you will start to make a change. If many changes are required, plan
which change you will make first.
4.
Check up on yourself to see how well you are carrying out and keeping up the
changes.
Of course, it is unrealistic to expect to make many lifestyle changes all at once.
However, as you will see, there is plenty of overlap. For example, regular exercise
will help you lower your cholesterol and lose weight, which further lowers your
cholesterol.
When making changes, you need to pace yourself. Make adjustments to your way of
living in whatever order is easiest and don't rush. Gradual change is more likely to
be permanent than many rapid and drastic changes. When you change your diet or
exercise routine, don't think of it as going on a temporary diet or exercise
program. Instead, think of it as adopting a healthier way of living to continue for
life.
Also, don't feel you have to give up any favorite food completely when making
dietary changes. If you really enjoy certain high-fat foods:

Eat them in smaller portions (example, one cookie instead of three).

Find a version of the food that is lower in fat (example, ice milk instead of
ice cream).

Find a substitute for the food that you like almost as well (example, popcorn
instead of peanuts).

All of the above changes are healthy for the entire family. Not only will these
changes help you lower your cholesterol level, but they will also help reduce the
entire family's risk of developing chronic health disorders such as heart disease,
cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Reducing Total Fat
Ounce for ounce, fat contains over twice the calories that protein or
carbohydrates do. So even if saturated fat is the type of fat most likely to raise
harmful blood cholesterol levels, you should limit intake of all fats. Eating too much
fat, no matter what kind, can make you put on excess weight. Eating too much fat
can also increase your risk of certain types of cancer, such as breast or colon
cancer.
To limit total fat intake:

Broil, bake, boil, or roast foods rather than fry.

Use non-stick pans or coat pans with a thin layer of non-stick spray.

Add less fat to food during both cooking and eating. Some examples include
using jam instead of margarine on toast, a non-fat or low-fat salad dressing
instead of a high-fat dressing, lemon juice instead of butter on vegetables,
or salsa instead of sour cream on baked potatoes.

Experiment with butter substitutes, spices, and other flavorings as

alternative to fat.

Look for low-fat alternatives to foods, such as a bagel instead of a doughnut,

pretzels instead of potato chips, or a round steak instead of a t-bone steak

Try new fat-free products like yogurt, cookies, or crackers.

Read labels, which offer excellent information to help you compare fat
content of prepared foods.

Reducing Saturated Fat And Cholesterol

To reduce the fat and cholesterol intake in your diet, start with changes that are
relatively easy to make. For example, many people find it easy to switch from 2%
milk to 1% or skim milk. Once you have adjusted to one change, pick another change
to work on.
Here are some simple changes that will help you greatly reduce saturated fat and
cholesterol in your diet.
Egg yolks:

Eat no more than three eggs yolks weekly.

Eat as many egg whites as you like - they contain no cholesterol.

Meats:

Buy lean meats such as fish, poultry, veal cutlet, pork tenderloin, or flank
steak.

Trim as much fat off meat as possible.

Broil, barbecue, or roast meat on a rack rather than fry them. This allows
some of the fat to escape during cooking.

Limit the amount of hamburger you eat, and buy the leanest type available.

Replace high-fat prepared meats like sausage and luncheon meats with
lower-fat meats like lean turkey or chicken.

Remove the skin from chicken or turkey before you cook or eat it.

Try to eat fish twice weekly. Fish contains a type of fat called omega-3 fat
that may help prevent heart disease.

Dairy products:

Use margarine instead of butter, choosing a margarine that has a liquid oil
rather than a hydrogenated oil listed as the first ingredient.

Choose a lower-fat milk. If you use whole milk, switch to 2%. If you use 2%,
switch to 1% or skim milk. (All types of milks have the same amount of
calcium and other vitamins and minerals.)

Use non-fat or low-fat yogurt.

Use plain non-fat yogurt instead of sour cream.

Cut down on the amount of regular cheeses you eat. Look for lower-fat
cheese that contains less than 3 grams of fat per ounce.

Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on food to give it a cheesy taste. Parmesan

cheese is strong tasting, so a little goes a long way.

Tropical oils and processed oils:

Check food labels to see what the main type of fat in the food is. Limit
foods that list palm oil, coconut oil, or a hydrogenated oil as one of the first
type of fats. (Food labels list ingredients in order from greatest to least by
weight.)

Be suspicious of commercial baked goods such as doughnuts, sweet rolls,

brownies, and cookies, which are a major source of saturated fat.

Nice To Know:
About 60% of the saturated fat in the American diet comes from three food
sources:

Hamburger

Cheese

Whole milk

Cutting down on these foods, or cutting them out, can go a long ways toward helping
you cut down saturated fat and cholesterol.
Increasing Starches And Fiber
Including more starches and fiber in your diet can help you lower your cholesterol
level, as well as reduce your risk for obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, and
other diseases. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, and
legumes are naturally low in fat, cholesterol-free, and rich in starches and dietary
fiber.
A certain type of dietary fiber, called soluble fiber, may help lower cholesterol
levels by sweeping cholesterol out of the body before it gets into the bloodstream.
Foods rich in soluble fiber include oat bran, dried beans and peas, some fruits, and
psyllium seeds (the main ingredient in Metamucil, a fiber supplement).
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds also contain antioxidants,
which are substances that help protect body cells from damage. Examples of
antioxidants are:

Vitamin C (in citrus fruits)

Beta-carotene (in carrots)

Vitamin E (in vegetable oils)

To damage artery walls, cholesterol must first be chemically changed through a

process called oxidation. Antioxidants help prevent cholesterol from being
chemically changed and help prevent cholesterol from moving out of the blood and
into the lining of the blood vessels.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid recommends that you
eat the following number of servings of these plant foods daily:

6-11 servings of grains (1 serving equals 1 slice of bread, of a bun, cup of

pasta or rice)

3-5 servings of vegetables (1 serving equals 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables or

cup cooked vegetables)

2-3 servings of fruits (1 serving equals 1 medium apple, peach or orange;

cup of berries; or 3/4 cup juice)

How-To Information:
To include more starches and fiber in your diet:

Keep a food diary showing the number of servings of fruits, vegetables, and
grains you get daily. If the number is low, gradually try to increase servings
of the groups lacking by adding fruits, vegetables, or whole grains as side
dishes or snacks.

Buy breads and cereals that list a whole grain as the first ingredient - they
contain more fiber and vitamins and minerals.

Whenever possible, choose raw fruits and vegetables rather than processed
ones.

Steam vegetables until crisp-tender, rather than boiling them until soft.

Whenever possible, leave skin on fruits and vegetables.

Add lemon juice, butter flavoring, or other seasoning to vegetables rather

than fat.

Try including several meatless meals weekly. Start with breakfasts, then
gradually add two or three lunches or dinners weekly.

Eating Out
Eating out is certainly possible but requires more careful planning for low-fat, lowcholesterol eating. When eating out:

Choose a restaurant with heart-healthy items marked on the menu.

Ask how foods are prepared, and don't hesitate to make special requests,
such as for the sauce or dressing to be served on the side.

Avoid foods described as fried, breaded, creamed, or buttered, as well as

salads that already have a dressing on them.

Order fresh fruit or sherbet for dessert. For a special treat, share a rich
dessert with several people so you all get a taste but no one overdoes it.

If you must eat at a fast-food restaurant, order a plain hamburger or a

vegetarian pizza with a thick crust and half the cheese. Try to avoid or limit
fries, onion rings, chicken nuggets, and other fried foods.

Reading Food Labels

Use food labels to help you identify foods high in fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol. Start by searching the front of the food package for nutrient claims
such as "low-fat" or "low-calorie." These terms now have standard definitions and
provide dependable information:

"Fat-free" means less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.

"Low-fat" means 3 grams or less per serving.

"Reduced fat" or "less fat" means at least 25% less per serving than a
similar food.

"Light" means 33% fewer calories or 50% less fat per serving than the
reference food.

Next, read the "Nutrition Facts" panel, usually found on the side or back of the
food package. The Nutrition Facts panel lists the total calories per serving near
the top of the panel. It also lists the calories from fat.
To figure the percentage of calories from fat in an individual food, simply divide
fat calories by total calories and multiply by 100. Remember, a low-fat diet means
that less than 30% of calories come from fat. If one food provides 50% of calories
from fat, you must balance it with other lower-fat foods to stay within the 30%
guideline.

The Nutrition Facts panel also lists the grams of total fat, saturated fat,
polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat and the milligrams of cholesterol in
a serving of the food. The "% Daily Value" shows what percentage of total
recommended intake of fat and cholesterol the food provides, based on a 2,000calorie diet.
Controlling Your Weight
If you weigh more than you should, losing weight is an important step toward
lowering your cholesterol levels. To lose weight, you will need to cut calories and
boost your activity level. Fortunately, when you lower your fat and cholesterol
intake and eat more starches and fiber, you automatically lower your calorie level.
Cutting your calories involves changing both the type of food you eat and the way
you eat. Since fat is a very concentrated source of calories, eating more of the
low-fat foods that help you lower your cholesterol levels (such as fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains) will also help you cut your calories.
If you tend to eat even when you are not really hungry, you may also need to
change the way you eat. To help you cut calories:

Eat three main meals, including breakfast.

Plan for low-fat snacks in the morning and afternoon.

Keep a food diary to help you identify problem areas or situations that
trigger overeating.

Always eat in the same place when you are home, which will help keep you
from nibbling frequently.

Sit down while you eat.

Keep problem foods out of the house (or at least off the counter and less
accessible).

Find substitutes for favorite foods that are high in calories; for example,
angel food cake instead of richer types of cakes, pretzels instead of potato
chips, bagels instead of doughnuts.

For most people, permanent weight loss is impossible by reducing calorie intake
alone. When you cut calories, some of the weight you lose comes from muscle tissue
in addition to fat loss. When you severely cut your calorie intake, your body reacts

as though it were being starved, slowing down its metabolism and making it harder
to lose weight.
Exercising regularly helps you lose weight in several ways:

Exercising while cutting calories helps you maintain muscle tissue and burn a
higher percentage of body fat.

Exercising re-sets the body's metabolism, countering the effects of calorie

restriction.

Exercise burns calories.

Exercise keeps you out of the kitchen and away from food.

Exercising Safely
Most people think they have to really work up a sweat for physical activity to
count. Although deliberate forms of exercise such as walking, jogging, or swimming
are great, smaller periods of less intense physical activity also help lower
cholesterol, control weight, and reduce your risk for heart disease.
Experts now recommend that all adults accumulate at least 30 minutes or more of
moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. This
doesn't mean, however, that you need to jog or swim 30 minutes a day. You can also
benefit from several shorter periods of physical activity throughout the day.
The best activities for your heart are those that use the large muscles of your
body, particularly those in your legs, making them demand more oxygen to do their
work. Examples of such "aerobic" activities include:

Walking

Running

Rowing

Bicycling

Swimming

Skating

Cross-country skiing

In addition to these deliberate forms of exercise, try to include more activity

throughout your day:

Park farther from work and walk the extra distance, or better yet, walk to
work if possible.

When shopping, park farther away and walk more between stores.

Take walking breaks at work.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Clean your own house.

Mow the lawn yourself.

Choose leisure-time activities that get you moving. Golfing, skiing, bowling,
dancing, or playing tennis or basketball can all add to your overall activity
level.

Almost everyone can do some form of exercise, but to exercise safely you must
start very slowly and build up gradually. You should check with your doctor before
beginning a vigorous exercise program if you:

Are a man over 40 years of age

Are a woman over 50 years of age

Have risk factors for heart disease such as high blood chole
sterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, or cigarette smoking

Have symptoms of heart disease (pain in the chest, neck or shoulder during
exercise, shortness or breath, faintness, or dizziness) or known heart
disease

Start by finding out how much exercise you are getting now. Look back on the last
three days and write down the approximate length of time you spend being
physically active. Then gradually increase the minutes you spend being physically
active, adding a few minutes each week.

When you are exercising vigorously, check your heart rate periodically by counting
your pulse at the neck or wrist. Count your heartbeats for 10 seconds, then
multiply by 6 to get the beats per minute.
In the early stages of your exercise routine, try to keep your heart rate within
65% to 70% of your maximum heart rate (your maximum heart rate is 220 minus
your age). As you get in better shape, you may be able to let your heart rate climb
to 75% of your maximum heart rate.
For example:

A 60-year-old man has a maximum heart rate of 160 beats per minute (220
minus 60).

So 65% to 70% of this figure is 104 to 112 beats per minute.

Thus, this man should count 17 to 18 beats during a 10-second pulse check.

Be sure to include a five-minute warm-up and cool-down period of light stretching

before and after exercise to warm up your muscles and avoid injury and
stiffness. If you experience any of these warning signs, stop exercising and check
with your doctor:

Lightheadedness or dizziness

Headache

Nausea

Shortness of breath

Cold sweat

Pain or pressure in the chest, neck, shoulder, or arms, especially on the left
side

How many times a week do you get at one or

least 30 minutes of activity?
less
2 to 3
more than
How many eggs do you eat weekly?
3
2 to 3
How often do you eat red meat
(beef, pork, or lamb) weekly?
5 or more 3 to 5

5 or more
1 or less
2 or less

What kind of milk do you drink?

whole
low-fat 1% or skim
How often each week do you eat
cheese or ice cream that is not lowfat?
5 or more 3 to 4
2 or less
How often do you eat baked goods
like doughnuts, pastries, or cookies? 4 to 5
2 to 3
1 or less
Including breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, how many meals do you eat
weekly that include fruits and
vegetables?
5 or less 6 to 13 14 or more
As you can guess, the ideal way of eating is shown in the right-hand column, which
represent an aggressive approach to lowering cholesterol. If you have blockages of
the arteries, this approach can even shrink these blockages.
After three months of making changes, test yourself again with this same selfassessment. If you have more answers in the right columns, you making changes in
the right direction.
Cholesterol intake should be less than 300 milligrams daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. Last updated on January 31st 2011
Q: Does caffeine raise blood cholesterol levels?
A: Caffeine is found in many soft drinks, coffee, tea, and to a lesser extent,
chocolate.Caffeine does not raise blood cholesterol levels, and research has
yielded conflicting results on whether caffeine increases risk of heart disease.
Based on current evidence, a moderate intake of caffeine does not seem to be
harmful.
Q: Should a person avoid eating eggs entirely?
A: Health experts advise limiting cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams or less
daily. One large whole egg yolk contains about 215 milligrams of cholesterol. The
American Heart Association recommends limiting egg yolk consumption to three to
four times weekly and focusing on the total diet instead of just one food. The
cholesterol in eggs is found in the yolk portion, so you can use as many egg whites
as you want. Eggs contain B vitamins, iron and other minerals and are a good source
of high-quality protein.
Q: Can fat substitutes help lower blood cholesterol?
A: Many low-fat foods and fat replacers have made reducing fat intake easier.
Often, however, these fat substitutes are used in foods such as cookies, chips, or

desserts. While lower in fat, such foods often contain the same number of calories
as their comparable counterparts. Overeating on low-fat foods can still contributes
to obesity, which in turn contributes to high blood cholesterol and other health
problems. Further, these foods often lack the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other
healthy substances found in alternative food choices such as fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains.
Q: Should a person avoid dairy products to lower cholesterol?
A: Skim milk and low-fat dairy products contain only small amounts of saturated
fat and cholesterol and can easily be included in a low-fat, low-cholesterol eating
plan. In addition, dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, a mineral that
may help prevent the development of osteoporosis, or brittle bones, later in life.
Q: Should people trying to lower their cholesterol level use margarine or
butter?
A: Although butter is high in both saturated fat and cholesterol, some margarines
may not be much better than butter. Stick margarines that have been
hydrogenated, or chemically changed, contain trans-fatty acids, a type of fat that
can raise blood cholesterol levels. Choose liquid vegetables oils or soft margarines
over stick margarines or butter. The softer a margarine is, the more unsaturated
it is. As a general rule, shop for margarine with no more than 2 grams of saturated
fat per tablespoon and with liquid vegetable oil listed as the first ingredient.
Q: Can fish oil help lower cholesterol?
A: Although fish oil may lower levels of blood triglycerides (another type of fat)
and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, it does not seem to
significantly lower the LDL, or bad type of cholesterol. However, fish is a great
protein source that is very low in fat and saturated fat. Eating fish two to three
times weekly does helps to lower risk for heart disease, possibly by interfering
with the ability of blood to clot. The American Heart Association recommends that
people eat fish regularly but does not advise taking fish oil supplements.
Q: Should people use oat bran to lower cholesterol levels?
A: Oats and oat bran contain generous amounts of soluble fiber, which helps to
lower the bad LDL cholesterol and raise the good HDL cholesterol. However, some
oat bran muffins can be high in fat and calories, so read labels carefully. Although
oat bran may help lower cholesterol, many other foods, particularly legumes and
certain fruits, are also rich in soluble fiber. The body needs both soluble and
insoluble fiber to function properly.
Q: How do I know the amounts of fat, cholesterol, and sodium in the foods I
eat?

A: Read food labels. The labels on the packaging of the foods you buy will list
these amounts, as well as other helpful information such as fiber and vitamin
content. The quantities given on food labels are on a "per-serving" basis. The top of
the label will define what a "serving" is for that particular food.

Health: What's Causing Your Gas?

It's no surprise that eating a heavy meal or enjoying too many refried beans can
contribute to gas, but there are a number of nonfood-related habits that can
cause gas, abdominal pain and
belching.

"We tend to think of foods as being a fantastic answer to gas, but it's usually not,"
says Mark DeLegge, M.D., spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological
Association and professor of medicine and director of the Digestive Disease
Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. "Oftentimes it
ends up being caused by some other habit that the patient has."

Whether your stomach gets bloated after eating a specific food or two or from
one of these nonfood habits varies widely from person to person. The trick is
figuring out what triggers your symptoms.

"The only way for us to find out is to really stop the habit, completely for a week
or two and see if it makes a difference," says DeLegge.
And while symptoms of bloating, belching and passing gas are not typically life
threatening, DeLegge says that if they become persistent or if the pain starts to
interrupt your quality of life or if you develop nausea, vomiting, fever or have a
major change in your bowel movements, you should see your doctor. These
symptoms could be a sign of something more serious like irritable bowel syndrome,
a partial bowel obstruction, or gastroparesis, says DeLegge.

Read on to learn about the most common nonfood causes of gas.

Eating Too Fast

Sometimes it's not what you eat but how fast you eat it.
"When you're eating or drinking rapidly, food and liquid are going down, but so is
air," says DeLegge.
Slowing down is imperative. We're all in a hurry, but DeLegge says to allow 20 to
30 minutes to eat a meal, which should give you enough time to adequately chew
your food (ideally until it's pulp like) before swallowing.

Chewing Gum
Chronic gum chewers tend to swallow more air, which can fill the gut.
"If your stomach is full of air, you may belch," says DeLegge. "Or, just like with
food, some of that air moves from the stomach quickly into the small intestines and
then you can end up withbloating or you may pass it through your rectum with
[gas]."

Drinking Too Many Carbonated Beverages

Those fizzy bubbles that make carbonated drinks appealing are actually made up of
gas -- carbon dioxide. Depending on how much and how rapidly you drink, they can
result in belching, passing gas or bloating.

Enjoying Excessive Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

Your sweetener packets can lead to tummy troubles. Just like carbohydrates and
foods that are high in sugar, pure sugar and artificial versions get converted to gas
quickly as bacteria in the gut try to break them down.

"Sugars, fructose and sucrose sometimes aren't well digested by the bacteria in
the gut, and what those bacteria make as their waste product is gas," says
DeLegge.

Taking Antibiotics
Antibiotic use can change the bacterial makeup of your gut and result in the
overproduction of gas, which causes belching, bloating and abdominal discomfort.
The symptoms should resolve once you complete the course of the medication and
begin eating regularly, says DeLegge. But if you're on long-term antibiotics, talk to
your doctor about switching medications or taking a probiotic, which can help
repopulate your gut with good bacteria.

Eating or Drinking Very Hot or Very Cold Foods

In addition to eating slowly, eating your food at room temperature is one of the
best things you can do to reduce excess gas or bloating, says DeLegge. When you
eat or drink something too hot or too cold, you often try to neutralize it by
swallowing air.
"You try to change the temperature yourself. You don't realize you're doing it, but
that's what you're doing and you swallow air."

Sensitive Stomach
The roll of the genetic dice may have left you with a stomach that is simply more
sensitive to gas.
"You might have the same amount of gas in your gut as I, but you may feel like
you're about to explode, and I feel perfectly fine," says DeLegge. "That has to do
with the nerves in the gut and the sensation those nerves in the gut send to your
brain."

A sensitive gut, along with increased gas, may be signs of irritable bowel syndrome,
says DeLegge, in which case you should see your doctor.

Swallowing Too Much Air

While you might consciously breathe through your nose during yoga class, what
about when you're not doing sun salutations? Some people tend to breathe through
their mouths a lot more than their noses without even thinking about it, says
DeLegge.
"While some of that air is going into your lungs, some of it is going down through
your esophagus and into your gut."

Teacher's notes: Love for Writing

It is important to help children develop a love for writing at an early stage of
their schooling. Developing writing skills, in general, and teaching and learning
of English as a second or foreign language, in particular, have always been
immensely significant and equally perplexing for both students and the
teachers in our part of the world.
It has been seen that academic writing in our state-run institutions and even in
the more than 80 per cent of our so-called English-medium private schools, is
mistaken for a theoretical subject that stands for learning a prescribed piece of
text by heart to reproduce during examinations later on. Meanwhile, no
importance is given to understanding the meaning or grammatical structure of
even a single sentence in that text. Most of our students are not even aware
of the basic principles of writing. It is after all a skill to be developed with
practice and guidance and something that can be memorized. Therefore we
often hear statements such as I have learnt three essays or But Teacher, I
cant write a paragraph on My village as I have not memorized it. You did not
dictate it to us and it is not in our course anyway.
During a secondary-level examination, a student saw the question paper and
whispered into his class fellows ear, Oh my God! There are no essay topics
covered by the teacher in the options given to us in this paper. And the
second student replied, Dont be silly! Cant you see My father in the options
list? The teacher had dictated an essay on My best friend. Use a bit of

common sense and replace father with friend here. So, the first student
started his essay with, I have many fathers, but Ali is my best father ...
Such kind of silly mistakes happen, and they will continue to happen unless
we take an initiative to develop a love for writing among students. It is so
strange to hear students inquiring about the syllabus of story writing, essay
writing, letter writing, etc. And it is even worse to find some teachers
prescribing a few letters, essays and stories for them read in order to make up
a syllabus for them.

Free writing
The first and foremost technique for developing genuine writing skills is free
writing in which a teacher allows 10 minutes or so to the students to write
whatever comes to their minds without deliberately focusing on any idea or
worrying about making grammatical or spelling mistakes. The students must
be assured that this work will not be checked by anyone. Then after 10
minutes, the teacher can ask them to stop writing and go through their content
before selecting an appealing sentence or expression from it to make their
essay topic. Finally, the students are told to show their piece of writing to any
student or to the teacher, but only if he or she feels confident enough about it.
The activity will not only pave the way for smooth flow of writing, it will also
give a boost to students creativity.

Diary writing
Maintaining a daily journal or diary can be another valuable exercise. It offers
an outlet for emotions, too. If a person makes penning down all the important
incidents of the day, using short and simple sentences, a habit before going to
bed each day, he or she will feel the difference within days.
Unfortunately, many of our teachers suffer from inflexible attitudes. They
discourage and even condemn the students urge for writing poetry as they
think it a wastage of time. This is a sheer injustice because such restrictions
nip many beautiful roses in the bud. Teachers must encourage their students
poetic and literary endeavours. It will definitely spur their natural flow of
expression of feelings and thoughts.

Writing stories
Developing a story from beginning to end is also an equally interesting and
useful tool for cultivating a smooth flow of writing while doing some
brainstorming. The teacher may write the first part of a story to spark off her
students imagination and then leave it for them to continue and finish.
As far as the role of subjective teaching, explanation of formal and generic
writing, gridlines for paragraph and essay or letter writing, grammatical rules
and vocabulary building are concerned, they are all quite significant, too. But
these can always be taught at a later stage after the students have developed
a love for writing.
100 Rules for Project Managers
Lessons Learned as Compiled by Jerry Madden , Associate Director of the Flight
Projects Directorate at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center: (Jerry collected
these gems of wisdom over a number of years from various unidentifiable sources.
They have been edited by Rod Stewart of Mobile Data Services in Huntsville,
Alabama.). January 1, 1995. Updated July 9, 1996.
The Project Manager
Rule #1: A project manager should visit everyone who is building anything for his
project at least once, should know all the managers on his project (both
government and contractor), and know the integration team members. People like to
know that the project manager is interested in their work and the best proof is
for the manager to visit them and see first hand what they are doing.
Rule #2: A project manager must know what motivates the project contractors
(i.e., their award system, their fiscal system, their policies, and their company
culture).
Rule #3: Management principles still are the same. It is just that the tools have
changed. You still find the right people to do the work and get out of the way so
they can do it.
Rule #4: Whoever you deal with, deal fairly. Space is not a big playing field. You
may be surprised how often you have to work with the same people. Better they
respect you than carry a grudge.

Rule #5: Vicious, dispicable, or thoroughly disliked persons, gentlemen, and ladies
can be project managers. Lost souls, procrastinators, and wishywashies can not.
Rule #6: A comfortable project manager is one waiting for his next assignment or
one on the verge of failure. Security is not normal to project management.
Rule #7: One problem new managers face is that everyone wants to solve their
problems. Old managers were told by senior management"solve your own darn
problems, that is what we hired you to do."
Rule #8: Running fast does not take the place of thinking for yourself. You must
take time to smell the roses. For your work, you must take time to understand the
consequences of your actions.
Rule #9: The boss may not know how to do the work but he has to know what he
wants. The boss had better find out what he expects and wants if he doesn't know.
A blind leader tends to go in circles.
Rule #10: Not all successful managers are competent and not all failed managers
are incompetent. Luck still plays a part in success or failure but luck favors the
competent hard working manager.
Rule #11: Never try to get even for some slight by anyone on the project. It is not
good form and it puts you on the same level as the other person and, besides,
probably ends up hurting the project getting done.
Rule #12: Don't get too egotistical so that you can't change your position,
especially if your personnel tell you that you are wrong. You should cultivate an
attitude on the project where your personnel know they can tell you of wrong
decisions.
Rule #13: A manager who is his own systems engineer or financial manager is one
who will probably try to do open heart surgery on himself.
Rule #14: Most managers succeed on the strength and skill of their staff.

Initial Work

Rule #15: The seeds of problems are laid down early. Initial planning is the most
vital part of a project. The review of most failed projects or project problems
indicate the disasters were well planned to happen from the start.
Communications
Rule #16: Cooperative efforts require good communications and early warning
systems. A project manager should try to keep his partners aware of what is going
on and should be the one who tells them first of any rumor or actual changes in
plan. The partners should be consulted before things are put in final form, even if
they only have a small piece of the action. A project manager who blindsides his
partners will be treated in kind and will be considered a person of no integrity.
Rule #17: Talk is not cheap; but the best way to understand a personnel or
technical problem is to talk to the right people. Lack of talk at the right levels is
deadly.
Rule #18: Most international meetings are held in English. This is a foreign
language to most participants such as Americans, Germans, Italians, etc. It is
important to have adequate discussions so that there are no misinterpretations of
what is said.
Rule #19: You cannot be ignorant of the language of the area you manage or with
that of areas with which you interface. Education is a must for the modern
manager. There are simple courses available to learn computerese,
communicationese and all the rest of the modern "ese's" of the world. You can't
manage if you don't understand what is being said or written.

People
Rule #20: You cannot watch everything. What you can watch is the people. They
have to know you will not accept a poor job.
Rule #21: We have developed a set of people whose self interest is more
paramount than the work or at least it appears so to older managers. It appears to
the older managers that the newer ones are more interested in form than in
substance. The question is are old managers right or just old? Consider both
viewpoints.

Rule #22: A good technician, quality inspector, and straw boss are more important
in obtaining a good product than all the paper and reviews.
Rule #23: The source of most problems is people, but darned if they will admit it.
Know the people working on your project to know what the real weak spots are.
Rule #24: One must pay close attention to workaholicsif they get going in the
wrong direction, they can do a lot of damage in a short time. It is possible to
overload them and cause premature burnout but hard to determine if the load is
too much, since much of it is self generated. It is important to make sure such
people take enough time off and that the workload does not exceed 1 1/4 to 1 1/2
times what is normal.
Rule #25: Always try to negotiate your internal support at the lowest level. What
you want is the support of the person doing the work, and the closer you can get to
him in negotiations the better.
Rule #26: If you have someone who doesn't look, ask, and analyze; ask them to
transfer.
Rule #27: Personal time is very important. You must be careful as a manager that
you realize the value of other people's time (i.e., the work you hand out and
meetings should be necessary). You must, where possible, shield your staff from
unnecessary work (i.e., some requests should be ignored or a refusal sent to the
requestor).
Rule #28: People who monitor work and don't help get it done never seem to know
exactly what is going on (being involved is the key to excellence).
Rule #29: There is no greater motivation than giving a good person his piece of the
puzzle to control, but a pat on the back or an award helps.
Rule #30: It is mainly the incompetent that don't like to show off their work.
Rule #31: There are rare times when only one man can do the job. These are in
technical areas that are more art and skill than normal. Cherish these people, but
get their work done as soon as possible. Getting the work done by someone else
takes two or three times longer and the product is normally below standard.

Rule #32: People have reasons for doing things the way they do them. Most people
want to do a good job and, if they don't, the problem is they probably don't know
how or exactly what is expected.
Rule #33: If you have a problem that requires additional people to solve, you
should approach putting people on like a cook who has under-salted the food.

Reviews and Reports

Rule #34: NASA has established a set of reviewers and a set of reviews. Once
firmly established, the system will fight to stay alive, so make the most of it. Try
to find a way for the reviews to work for you.
Rule #35: The number of reviews is increasing but the knowledge transfer remains
the same; therefore, all your charts and presentation material should be
constructed with this fact in mind. This means you should be able to construct a
set of slides that only needs to be shuffled from presentation to presentation.
Rule #36: Hide nothing from the reviewers. Their reputation and yours is on the
line. Expose all the warts and pimples. Don't offer excusesjust state facts.
Rule #37: External reviews are scheduled at the worst possible time, therefore,
keep an up-to-date set of business and technical data so that you can rapidly
respond. Not having up-to-date data should be cause for dismissal.
Rule #38: Never undercut your staff in public (i.e., In public meetings, don't
reverse decisions on work that you have given them to do). Even if you direct a
change, never take the responsibility for implementing away from your staff.
Rule #39: Reviews are for the reviewed an not the reviewer. The review is a failure
if the reviewed learn nothing from it.
Rule #40: A working meeting has about six people attending. Meetings larger than
this are for information transfer (management science has shown that, in a group
greater than twelve, some are wasting their time).
Rule #41: The amount of reviews and reports are proportional to management's
understanding (i.e., the less management knows or understands the activities, the
more they require reviews and reports). It is necessary in this type of environment

to make sure that data is presented so that the average person, slightly familiar
with activities, can understand it. Keeping the data simple and clear never insults
anyone's intelligence.
Rule #42: Managers who rely only on the paperwork to do the reporting of
activities are known failures.
Rule #43: Documentation does not take the place of knowledge. There is a great
difference in what is supposed to be, what is thought to have happened, and
reality. Documents are normally a static picture in time that get outdated rapidly.
Rule #44: Just because you give monthly reports, don't think that you can
abbreviate anything in a yearly report. If management understood the monthlies,
they wouldn't need a yearly.
Rule #45: Abbreviations are getting to be a pain. Each project now has a few
thousand. This calls on senior management to know hundreds. Use them sparingly in
presentations unless your objective is to confuse.
Rule #46: Remember, it is often easier to do foolish paperwork that to fight the
need for it. Fight only if it is a global issue which will save much future work.

Contractors and Contracting

Rule #47: A project manager is not the monitor of the contractor's work but is to
be the driver. In award fee situations, the government personnel should be making
every effort possible to make sure the contractor gets a high score (i.e., be on
schedule and produce good work). Contractors don't fail, NASA does and that is
why one must be proactive in support. This is also why a low score damages the
government project manager as much as the contractor's manager because it
means that he is not getting the job done.
Rule #48: Award fee is a good tool that puts discipline both on the contractor and
the government. The score given represents the status of the project as well as
the management skills of both parties. The project management measurement
system (pms) should be used to verify the scores. Consistent poor scores require
senior management intervention to determine the reason. Consistent good scores
which are consistent with pms reflect a well-run project, but if these scores are
not consistent with the pms, senior management must take action to find out why.

Rule #49: Morale of the contractor's personnel is important to a government

manager. Just as you don't want to buy a car built by disgruntled employees, you
don't want to buy flight hardware developed by under- motivated people. You
should take an active role in motivating all personnel on the project.
Rule #50: Being friendly with a contractor is finebeing a friend of a contractor
is dangerous to your objectivity.
Rule #51: Remember, your contractor has a tendency to have a one-on-one
interface with your staff. Every member of your staff costs you at least one
person on the contract per year.
Rule #52: Contractors tend to size up the government counterparts and staff
their part of the project accordingly. If they think yours are clunkers, they will
take their poorer people to put on your project.
Rule #53: Contractors respond well to the customer that pays attention to what
they are doing but not too well to the customer that continually second-guesses
their activity. The basic rule is a customer is always right but the cost will escalate
if a customer always has things done his way instead of how the contractor planned
on doing it. The ground rule is: never change a contractor's plans unless they are
flawed or too costly (i.e., the old saying that better is the enemy of good).
Rule #54: There'is only one solution to a weak project manager in industryget rid
of him fast. The main job of a project manager in industry is to keep the customer
happy. Make sure the one working with you knows that it is not flattery but onschedule, on-cost, and a good product that makes you happy.
Engineers and Scientists
Rule #55: Over-engineering is common. Engineers like puzzles and mazes. Try to
make them keep their designs simple.
Rule #56: The first sign of trouble comes from the schedule or the cost curve.
Engineers are the last to know they are in trouble. Engineers are born optimists.
Rule #57: The project has many resources within itself. There probably are five or
ten system engineers considering all the contractors and instrument developers.
This is a powerful resource that can be used to attack problems.

Rule #58: Many managers, just because they have the scientists under contract on
their project, forget that the scientists are their customers and many times have
easier access to top management than the managers do.
Rule #59: Most scientists are rational unless you endanger their chance to do their
experiment. They will work with you if they believe you are telling them the truth.
This includes reducing their own plans.

Hardware
Rule #60: In the space business, there is no such thing as previously flown
hardware. The people who build the next unit probably never saw the previous unit.
There are probably minor changes (perhaps even major changes); the operational
environment has probably changed; the people who check the unit out in most cases
will not understand the unit or the test equipment.
Rule #61: Most equipment works as built, not as the designer planned. This is due
to layout of the design, poor understanding on the designer's part, or poor
understanding of component specifications.
Computers and Software
Rule #62: Not using modern techniques, like computer systems, is a great mistake,
but forgetting that the computer simulates thinking is a still greater mistake.
Rule #63: Software has now taken on all the parameters of hardware (i.e.,
requirement creep, high percentage of flight mission cost, need for quality control,
need for validation procedures, etc.). It has the added feature that it is hard as
blazes to determine it is not flawed. Get the basic system working first and then
add the bells and whistles. Never throw away a version that works even if you have
all the confidence in the world that the newer version works. It is necessary to
have contingency plans for software.
Rule #64: Knowledge is often revised by simulations or testing, but computer
models have hidden flaws not the least of which is poor input data.
Rule #65: In olden times, engineers had hands-on experience, technicians
understood how the electronics worked and what it was supposed to do, and layout

technicians knew toobut today only the computer knows for sure and it's not
talking.

Senior Management, Program Offices, and Above

Rule #66: Don't assume you know why senior management has done something. If
you feel you need to know, ask. You get some amazing answers that will astonish
you.
Rule #67: Know your managementsome like a good joke, others only like a joke if
they tell it.
Rule #68: Remember the boss has the right to make decisions. Even if you think
they are wrong, tell the boss what you think but if he still wants it done his way; do
it his way and do your best to make sure the outcome is successful.
Rule #69: Never ask management to make a decision that you can make. Assume
you have the authority to make decisions unless you know there is a document that
states unequivocally that you can't.
Rule #70: You and the Program Manager should work as a team. The Program
Manager is your advocate at NASA HQ and must be tied into the decision makers
and should aid your efforts to be tied in also.
Rule #71: Know who the decision makers on the program are. It may be someone
outside who has the ear of Congress or the Administrator, or the Associate
Administrator, or one of the scientistssomeone in the chain of command
whoever they are. Try to get a line of communication to them on a formal or
informal basis.
Program Planning, Budgeting, and Estimating
Rule #72: Today one must push the state of the art, be within budget, take risks,
not fail, and be on time. Strangely, all these are consistent as long as the ground
rules such as funding profile and schedule are established up front and maintained.
Rule #73: Most of yesteryear's projects overran because of poor estimates and
not because of mistakes. Getting better estimates will not lower costs but will
improve NASA's business reputation. Actually, there is a high probability that

getting better estimates will increase costs and assure a higher profit to industry
unless the fee is reduced to reflect lower risk on the part of industry. A better
reputation is necessary in the present environment.
Rule #74: All problems are solvable in time, so make sure you have enough schedule
contingencyif you don't, the next project manager that takes your place will.
Rule #75: The old NASA pushed the limits of technology and science; therefore, it
did not worry about requirements creep or overruns. The new NASA has to work as
if all projects are fixed price; therefore, requirement creep has become a deadly
sin.
Rule #76: Know the resources of your center and, if possible, other centers. Other
centers, if they have the resources , are normally happy to help. It is always
surprising how much good help one can get by just asking.
Rule #77: Other than budget information prior to the President's submittal to
Congress, there is probably no secret information on a projectso don't treat
anything like it is secret. Everyone does better if they can see the whole picture
so don't hide any of it from anyone.
Rule #78: NASA programs compete for budget fundsthey do not compete with
each other (i.e., you never attack any other program or NASA work with the idea
that you should get their funding). Sell what you have on its own merit.
Rule #79: Next year is always the year with adequate funding and schedule. Next
year arrives on the 50th year of your career.

The Customer
Rule #80: Remember who the customer is and what his objectives are (i.e., check
with him when you go to change anything of significance).

NASA Management Instructions

Rule #81: NASA Management Instructions were written by another NASA
employee like you; therefore, challenge them if they don't make sense. It is
possible another NASA employee will rewrite them or waive them for you.

Decisionmaking
Rule #82: Wrong decisions made early can be recovered from. Right decisions
made late cannot correct them.
Rule #83: Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. It is also occasionally the
best help you can give. Just listening is all that is needed on many occasions. You
may be the boss, but if you constantly have to solve someone's problems, you are
working for him.
Rule #84: Never make a decision from a cartoon. Look at the actual hardware or
what real information is available such as layouts. Too much time is wasted by
people trying to cure a cartoon whose function is to explain the principle.

Professional Ethics and Integrity

Rule #85: Integrity means your subordinates trust you.
Rule #86: In the rush to get things done, it's always important to remember who
you work for. Blindsiding the boss will not be to your benefit in the long run.
Project Management and Teamwork
Rule #87: Projects require teamwork to succeed. Remember, most teams have a
coach and not a boss, but the coach still has to call some of the plays.
Rule #88: Never assume someone knows something or has done something unless
you have asked them; even the obvious is overlooked or ignored on occasion,
especially in a high stress activity.
Rule #89: Whoever said beggars can't be choosers doesn't understand project
management, although many times it is better to trust to luck than to get poor
support.
Rule #90: A puzzle is hard to discern from just one piece; so don't be surprised if
team members deprived of information reach the wrong conclusion.

Rule #91: Remember, the President, Congress, OMB, NASA HQ, senior center
management, and your customers all have jobs to do. All you have to do is keep
them all happy.
Treating and Avoiding Failures
Rule #92: In case of a failure:
* a) Make a timeline of events and include everything that is known.
* b) Put down known facts. Check every theory against them.
* c) Don't beat the data until it confesses (i.e., know when to stop trying to
force-fit a scenario).
* d) Do not arrive at a conclusion too fast. Make sure any deviation from normal
is explained. Remember the wrong conclusion is prologue to the next failure.
* e) Know when to stop.
Rule #93: Things that fail are lessons learned for the future. Occasionally things
go right: these are also lessons learned. Try to duplicate that which works.
Rule #94: Mistakes are all right but failure is not. Failure is just a mistake you
can't recover from; therefore, try to create contingency plans and alternate
approaches for the items or plans that have high risk.
Rule #95: History is prologue. There has not been a project yet that has not had a
parts problem despite all the qualification and testing done on parts. Time and
being prepared to react are the only safeguards.
Rule #96: Experience may be fine but testing is better. Knowing something will
work never takes the place of proving that it will.
Rule #97: Don't be afraid to fail or you will not succeed, but always work at your
skill to recover. Part of that skill is knowing who can help.
Rule #98: One of the advantages of NASA in the early days was the fact that
everyone knew that the facts we were absolutely sure of could be wrong.
Rule #99: Redundancy in hardware can be a fiction. We are adept at building things
to be identical so that if one fails, the other will also fail. Make sure all hardware
is treated in a build as if it were one of a kind and needed for mission success.

Rule #100: Never make excuses; instead, present plans of actions to be taken.

How To Win an argument

It can be difficult for people to get their point across without hurting one another in the process. Here are some tips
for effectively resolving a problem by stating your views, while being collected and reasonable. Also included are
tips on winning an argument.

Stay calm Keep a steady low tone.The energy you give off is usually picked up
on by the other person; if you are
calm they sense you mean no harm and relax more. Even if you get emotional, try to
keep your dignity and don't lash out unexpectedly. Also consider your tone of voice;
try to keep a steady, low tone and volume, not fluctuating to much in speed and
sound. Try to sound as relaxed as possible and avoid high-pitched sounds. Also
consider your body language: have a good firm posture that makes your feel
powerful but not agressive.
Don't insult the other person.Avoid to, in any way, say something that might be
taken as an insult. When people are angry they are much more sensitive and will
take even the smallest comment as an insult.
Express that you are willing to listen to the other person and respect
them.Even though you might not agree with what the other person is saying you
need to remember that they might feel just as strongly about their views as you do
about yours.
Be reasonable.The outcome of the argument might not be exactly what you
wanted, but never expect to get everything you want.Don't let it last too long,
the argument degrades if it's held out.Allow each person to speak and make
their point.
Set healthy boundaries.If the person with whom you are arguing is angry,
obnoxious or verbally abusive, should you really be interacting with them? It may
be better to walk away.
If the argument is with a clerk, salesperson, etc. ask to speak with their
supervisor. If a supervisor isn't immediately available, get a phone number.
Think about the possible arguments for and against your side, and the opposite

side. If there is any major weakness in your argument, you must fill it before
coming to a confrontation with the opposition, or risk losing the argument.

Identify any major pitfalls your opponent can step into. A gentle nudge here and
there to get them to make some sort of fallacious statement that allows you to
close the bear trap is psychologically damaging and can win an argument on the
spot. Also try to take each argument to its logical conclusion.

Always take full advantage of any illogicality or fallacy in your opponent's

argument. Return any illogical points with as many relevant logical facts as possible,
to completely quash their point. If this is not possible, take their point and use it in
your favor logically.

It's always possible to lose an argument, especially if your argument has major
weaknesses. Accept it if that the case. However, arguments do sometimes come to
standoffs, where no side is stronger than the other and nobody wins or loses. when
this happens, learn to leave the argument as nothing can be gained by continuing to
confront your opponent. When this happens, don't lose control or get desperate.

Parsley ?????? The Wonder Herb

Have you ever wondered how valuable a commonly growing plant in the backyard called,
Parsley could be? The importance of vibrantly colored, deliciously tasting and highly
nutritious parsley is often left ignored and so are its countless benefits.
This relative of celery derived its name from the Greek word, Petroselinon meaning Rock
Celery. In ancient times the Greeks used its wreaths to adorn the tombs and crowned the victors
at the Isthmian games with garlands made up of parsley.
Parsley is the most commonly used herb and is available year round, where the most common is
curly- leaf, the most pungent is Italian parsley (flat leaf) and the uncommon one is Parsnip
rooted also known as Hamburg parsley; however, the pungent one is preferred more for
cooking. There are almost 30 varieties of parsley. Mediterranean and European cooking are
popular for the use of this herb.
The herb cum spice cum vegetable is rich in essential nutrients like Vitamin A, B, C, E and K
also it is rich in Calcium, Iron, Manganese, Phosphorous, Folic Acid and Potassium.

The benefits of parsley can be analyzed by Turners statement, if parsley is thrown into
fishponds it will heal the sick fishes therein. Lets see what it can do for you!
Fights Cancer
Contained in this magical herb are some essential oils such as limoene, myristicin, eugeno and
alpha thujene; all of these work as antioxidants. These oils help counterbalance the effects of
various carcinogens (like benzopyrenes found in the smoke of cigarettes) and thus reduce the
chances of developing cancer.
The benefits of parsley can be analyzed by Turners statement, If parsley is thrown into
fishponds it will heal the sick fishes therein.
Heals your Heart
Using parsley as a garnish on (a) regular basis can help keep a healthy heart. The amino acids
called Homocyteine when increases, threatens the blood vessels of the body but have no fear
since parsley is here! It contains folate or vitamin B9 that neutralize the effects of these
dangerous molecules. It can also ward off chronic heart diseases such as stroke, atherosclerosis
and heart attack.
Essential for curing menstrual problems
Women having menstrual problems such as amenorrhea (absence of periods) should have a
regular intake of this herb as it help increasing the blood flow. It regulates the release of various
hormones such as estrogen, and is also helpful in menopause and premenstrual syndrome. It also
reduces cramps during menstrual cycle.
Pregnant women can use it as well, as it is rich in folic acid but too much intake of the herb may
cause early contractions that could result in abortions.
Cure for Hypertension
Adding a little bit of parsley to the daily diet reduces the risk of high blood pressure and related
problems like hypertension. It also lowers the blood sugar and helps in blood cell production.
Blessing for healthy Kidneys
Parsley is a blessing for kidneys due to its diuretic nature. It regulates healthy working of
kidneys by helping them to get rid of sodium and other elements that are harmful for the body.
Fresh parsley juice can also help get rid of kidney stones, without the involvement of other
medicines.
Remedy for Bad Breath
Cant get rid of that bad breath? Just chew some parsley leaves and the odor will be gone within
seconds. The secret lies in its chlorophyll that contains anti-bacterial properties.

Beauty secrets hidden in Parsley

Hair loss is a common problem now a day, but dont worry! Give parsley oil a try. It has proven
to be beneficial for curing hair loss and increasing its volume. Moreover, the oil is also good for
maintaining soft smooth skin and removes dryness. It also prevents wrinkles from appearing.
Treatment for Partial Deafness
Today many herbal medicines are being made out of parsley, that are beneficial for treating ear
related problems such as ringing in the ear, ear infections and partial deafness.
Vitamin C Enriched
Loads of Vitamin C and Iron are found in Parsley that helps in curing anemia and reduces
fatigue. It improves the elasticity of blood vessels and also helps repair blood cells, as a result
blood quality is improved and immune system is strengthened. Vitamin C also reduces the risk of
developing arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Parsley as an anti-inflammatory
Parsley tea maintains the bodys acid and alkaline balance and reduces inflammation along with
other types of pain occurring from bruises, cuts and insect bites. It also helps in healing broken
skin and also stops bleeding.
What can you do with the parsley? There are a variety of dishes you can make as it goes well
with chicken, mushrooms, mussels, lentils, peas, fish, potatoes, rice, tomatoes, lemons and
countless other foods. You can use it as a garnish for almost every dish and even the stalks are
useful for adding flavor to soups, stew and stocks.
Dont know how to store it? Simply rinse, wrap in paper towel, seal in a plastic bag and keep in
refrigerator, it will last for 3 days or just chop and freeze if you like.
It is easy to grow parsley and once you sow this aromatic biennial plant it will keep on growing
year after year, but the leaves that appear for the first time are the best as they are fresher and
crisper. A German poet described its beauty by saying that if we combine the fragrances of all the
plants and soil and turn it into a new plant, we would get parsley.

Benefits of Aloe Vera Juice

Shall we tell you about the benefits of such a plant that has been overlooked by you for a long
time? We are talking about Aloe Vera! Now you may have heard about its usage as a natural
moisturizer and there are millions of beauty products containing this wonderful plant. We even
have Cleopatras beauty secret to share with you. Yes of course, its Aloe Vera!

Most of the botanists agree to the fact that the plant originated in the deserts of Africa where the
climate was warm and dry. Today this plant is found worldwide because it is readily adaptable
and its amazing benefits made people carry it from one place to another, since ancient times.
Without the help of much official promotions, the plant has been able to win its reputation as the
most widely used component for healing burns and bruises, especially in the US.

Taking Aloe Vera juice before meal aids your body to absorb the vital nutrients from your food
Here we are not just asking you to apply it externally, but requesting you to drink its juice and
add it to your diet. We know that it will leave a bitter taste in your mouth, but lets concentrate on
the benefits and not on the taste. We are offering you a convincing deal regarding the benefits of
the Aloe Vera juice:

Aloe juice- the most nutritious drink

When you are drinking aloe juice you are taking a vitamin and mineral cocktail. Youll be
surprised to know that this bitter tasting juice contains a large variety of vital minerals and
vitamins. You will get vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, Niacin and Folic Acid. Wait! Thats not
all it contains minerals like Sodium, Iron, Calcium, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese
and Chromium, and not to forget the 19 amino acids out of which 8 are those that our body
cannot produce itself.

Essential for absorption of important nutrients

If you take Aloe Vera juice before every meal it will aid your body to absorb the vital nutrients
from your food, it even enhances the absorption of multi-vitamins that you take, on daily basis.
Now we wont force you to drink a glass or so, just 80gms of juice 3 times a day is enough to
play its part.

Aloe Vera as a Weight Loss remedy

Theres a component named collagen found in Aloe Vera, what it does is that it feeds the cells
present in your hair and skin. This collagen is very hard to digest and requires a lot of energy for
digestion, resulting in a massive weight loss. You may have tried all those weight losing
medicines and tips, for once just give Aloe Vera a chance.

Aloe Vera as an Immunity Booster

The anti-oxidants found in Aloe juice provide natural support to our Immune System. Our
immune system is combating with free radicals and environmental pollutants 24/7. The aloe juice
regulates the processes of the hard working body by enhancing the immune system.

Cure for constipation

If you are having constipation drink aloe juice, wait for 10 minutes and see the results for
yourself. This juice encourages the movement of the bowels and helps to get rid of chronic
constipation. However it is not suggested to take the juice in large quantities as it damages the
lining of the intestines.

Anti-inflammatory properties of Aloe Vera

There are 12 substances found in Aloe Vera that are known to inhibit inflammation. So for people
with arthritis aloe juice can prove to be the best medicine ever. It has been found helpful in
reducing swelling, stiffness and pain in the joint.

Useful for healthy digestive system

It aids the digestive system by helping it to absorb essential nutrients and by improving bowel
movements. It also decreases the growth of bacteria and yeast in the gut. Aloe Vera has also been
found helpful in soothing heartburns and other problems related to the digestive system.

Effective for Diabetic Patients

Researches prove that this wonderful plant juice can cure diabetes if taken for 3 months, by
controlling the blood sugar levels. It is also known to boost the blood circulation and reverses the
conditions of sludge blood. The peripheral neuropathy syndrome (numbness of hands and feet)
in diabetic patients can also be cured by it.

Good for maintaining beautiful skin

As mentioned earlier a component called collagen is found Aloe Vera which is essential for
maintaining skin health. The collagen serves as a nutritional building block for the skin and
combats skin ageing. Aloe Vera is very helpful in soothing minor cuts, burns and skin irritations.

It is wise to add aloe juice to your diet. However, it is suggested that Aloe Vera juice should not
be taken more than 2 to 4 oz. in a day because if we exceed this quantity it might cause some
allergic reactions and nausea, similar to the case, when vitamins are taken in large quantities.

21 Indispensible Qualities of a Leader

1. Character: Be a Piece of the Rock.
2. Charisma: The First Impression Can Seal the Deal.
3. Commitment: It Separates Doers from Dreamers.
4. Communication: Without It You Travel Alone.
5. Competence: If You Build It, They Will Come.

6. Courage: One Person with Courage is a Majority.

7. Discernment: Put an end to Unsolved Mysteries.
8. Focus: The Sharper It Is, the Sharper You Are.
9. Generosity: Your Candle Loses Nothing When It Lights Another.
10. Initiative: You Won't Leave Home Without It.
11. Listening: To Connect with Their Hearts, Use Your Ears
12. Passion: Take This Life and Love It
13. Positive Attitude: If You Believe You Can, You Can
14. Problem Solving: You Can't Let Your Problems Be a Problem
15. Relationships: If You Get Along, They've Go Along
16. Responsibility: If You Won't Carry the Ball, You Can't Lead the Team
17. Security: Competence Never Compensates for Insecurity
18. Self-Discipline: The First Person You Lead is You
19. Servant hood: To Get Ahead, Put Others First
20. Teachability: To Keep Leading, Keep Learning
21. Vision: You Can Seize Only What You Can See

Ten Tips For Success

Top Ten Tips For Success by Donald J. Trump who is an American business
magnate, socialite, author and television personality. He is the Chairman and CEO
of the Trump Organization, a US-based real-estate developer. Trump is also the
founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts, which operates numerous casinos and
hotels across the world.
Here's a list that addresses students as well as professionals:
1. Be focused. Put everything you've got into what you do every day.
2. Believe in yourself. If you don't, no one else will.
3. Be tenacious.
(tough, persistent)
4. Trust your instincts.

(natural way of thinking, acting)

5. Maintain your momentum and keep everyone moving forward
6. See yourself as victorious and leading a winning team.
7. Be passionate about what you do.
8. Live on the edge. Do not become complacent.
9. Leadership is not a group effort. If you're in charge, then be in charge.
10. Never give up!

How to Make an Awesome First Impression: 6 Powerful Tips

First impressions are important.

Everyone stereotypes everyone on first impression, even if we are reluctant to do

it.
We all get a first impression of a new person that creates a mental image of his or
her personality in our minds.
That image of you often lasts and can affect the relationship that follows.
Another thing is that we often play different roles in relationships. With our
parents we play one role, with friends another, with someone we are interested
in/in love with a third, when shopping for clothes in a store a fourth. And so on.
Here are some of the things I've learned about improving first impressions. Of
course, different environments like business meetings with suits and ties or parties
with colorful drinks come with different goals and expectations. So figure out
what's appropriate and useful in each meeting.
1. Don't think too much.
First, perhaps the most important tip: don't think too much. This will help you let
the conversation flow easily and you won't become self conscious and nervous. Try,
as much as possible, to stay focused on the people you are talking to rather than
focusing on yourself.
2. Act as if you are meeting a good friend.
If you just imagine that the person you will met/have just met and are talking to is
one of your best friends you'll probably adjust unconsciously and start to smile,
open up your body language to a very friendly and warm position and reduce any
nervousness or weirdness in your tone of voice and body language. This technique is
also a great help to stop over-thinking and it puts you in the present moment again.
Don't overdo it though, you might not want to hug and kiss right away.

The nice thing about this is that you may also start to feel positive feelings
towards this new person, just as you do with your friend when you meet him/her.
This is a pretty good starting point for getting them to reciprocate and for
developing a good relationship.
3. Stand and sit up straight.
Keeping a good but relaxed posture certainly improves on the impression one
makes. Don't slouch. Sit or stand up straight.
4. Be positive.
Sometimes you can go in all positive in a first meeting. Sometimes it may not be the
best approach to go in too positive as it can be seen as bit abrasive or feel like a
bit too much for the other person. A better way to convey a positive attitude in a
first meeting can then be to read the mood of person(s) before you start talking by just watching them - and then match it for a short while. Then - when you have
an emotional connection - you can let your positivity arise a bit more.
Regardless if you start out positive from the get-go or a short while into the
meeting, be sure to positive. If you, for instance, start a first meeting by
complaining, there's a big chance the people you meet will mentally label you as a
complainer or a negative person.
5. Mentally rehearse before you even enter the room.
Visualize how great the events will unfold - see and hear it - and also how great will
you feel at this meeting.
See yourself smiling, being positive, open and having a great time. See the
excellent outcome in your mind. Then release by visualizing that it has already
happened, that the meeting is over with the desired result. This is surprisingly
effective and will get you into a great and relaxed mood before even stepping into
the first, second or twentieth meeting.
You may want to not think much at all (tip #1) or act as if you are meeting a good
friend (tip #2) or use a positive mental rehearsal before a meeting. Try them all
and see which one - or combination - that works best for you.
6. The words you use to start the conversation with aren't always that
important.
As long as you use some of the tips above it will usually not really matter too much
what word or phrase you use to start the conversation. The words are only 7
percent of your communication. 93 percent is in your tone of voice and your body
language. Sure, those numbers - that comes from a study that psychologist Albert
Mehrabian did - may not always be completely accurate in a conversation.
But the point is; don't over-think things. A simple "Hi!" backed up by a relaxed and confident
smile may do just fine.

7 Signs That An Employee Is Ready For A Prmotion

Ive been managing people for few years now, but it was only when I started reporting to a
new manager a few weeks ago that I was first asked the question, Which of your
employees deserves to be promoted?

My new boss wasnt freely doling out new titlesshe was simply trying to get a feel
for the team she was now heading. Regardless, it got me thinking: Sure, my
employees career advancement had crossed my mind beforebut as a mid-level
manager with only a few years of experience, it never seemed within my power to
actually promote anyone.
But when it comes down to it, I do have the powerand its something I should be
thinking about on a daily basis. If I want my employees to succeed and move up the
career ladder (which I do, of course!), I need to be on the lookout for signs that
theyre ready to be promoted.
If youre not quite sure how to identify your most promotable employees (hint: its
more than just meeting expectations), here are a few things Ive learned to look
for to identify the best of the best.
1. They Have the Numbers to Back Them Up

Numbers certainly arent the only factor you should consider when awarding
promotionsbut they can be a good place to start. When you can quantify
performance on some level, youll be able to easily prove (to yourself and to your
higher-ups) which employees have really gone above and beyond.
Ive found it helpful to have some sort of tracking measure in place to stay aware
of employees performance, like a spreadsheet to keep track of project closures
and client feedback. This will allow you to see patterns emerge (e.g., Jennifer
always manages to exceed her sales goal during the last week of the month), so
youll be able to immediately pinpoint the employees who should be on track for
promotions.
2. They Dont Clock Out at 5 PM

OK, that sounds a little harsh. I dont actually expect my employees to stay late,
skip lunch, or refuse to take breaks in order to be promoted. But when it comes to
identifying team members who are ready to move up, I do think theres a big
difference between those who do exactly whats expected and those who
are willing to put in a little extra effort.
For example, when theres an urgent situation that needs to be addressed, I take
note of an employee whos willing to skip his or her morning break to help out
instead of retorting with a snide, Um, Im on break.
Pay attention to the employees who are willing to jump in wherever (and whenever)
theyre needed. This doesnt mean they always need to stay latebut its nice to
know that in a pinch (and when given more responsibility), they wont leave you or
their clients in the lurch.
3. They Voice Solutions Instead of Complaints

Everyone complainsemployees, managers, and probably even the CEO. So,

standout employees arent necessarily the ones who dont complain at all, but the
ones who, after the complaints have been voiced, develop viable solutions for the
less-than-ideal situations. (Think your account manager who might not exactly
enjoy working with your toughest client, but who dreamed up a new online report
that really wowed her.)
In doing this, your employee is proving that he or she is ready to step up and take
responsibility for what goes on with the team and help everyone succeedinstead
of complacently accepting whatever happens by chance and not doing anything to
change it.
4. They Seek Out Opportunities to Share Knowledge

In my company, the difference between two levels of the same position (e.g.,
Project Manager I and Project Manager II) is often that the higher-level role is
supposed to be a teacher and coach, recognizing areas in which other employees
are weak and bringing them up to speed.

So as youre pinpointing promising employees, look for the ones who take initiative
to train new hires and teach other employees. By generously sharing their
knowledge, theyre proving that theyre invested in the success of the department
and company as a wholeand will do the same as they move up.
5. They Further Their Own Knowledge

On the flip side, your promotable employees probably wont know everythingbut
thats OK. That can actually provide a great way for you to identify employees who
are ready to move upbecause the most motivated and self-starting employees will
take it upon themselves to find out what they need to know, no matter what it
takes.
Pay attention to how your employees find out new information. Do they specifically
ask to attend trainings in areas where theyre weak? Do they seek out resources in
other departments (instead of just asking you to find it for them)? Maybe they
just dive in and try their hand at something new, eventually refining their skills
simply by being willing to do it.
6. They Ask for Feedbackand Take it Well

Not many people enjoy getting feedback (come on, does anyone actually look
forward to annual reviews?), so if you have employees who constantly request it,
take note.
By proactively asking you about the level of their current performance, how they
can improve, and what they should be doing differently, theyre showing initiative
and the desire to grow within their roles.
And further, carefully observe what they do with the feedback you give. If you
see that they put it into action and continue to improve with each project and task
you assign, you can take it as an indication that theyll continue to strive for great
thingsespecially in a higher role.
7. Theyre Vocal About Their Career Advancement

Ive found that its pretty typical for employees to casually mention (or even joke
about) raises. But its not as common for them to initiate a conversation about how
to progress in their careers.
So, listen carefully when you meet with your team members: Do they ask about how
the promotion process works? Do they want more information about a position at
the next level, or how they can work their way up to that role? If they do speak up,
its a great sign that theyre not only motivated to advance, but that theyll do what
it takes to make it happen.
The employees who are that eager for a promotion wont let you forget about it
which will make it almost impossible for you to overlook them the next time
someone asks you, Whos ready for a promotion? (And even if theyre not ready
quite yet, theyll surely stay on your radar.)
Your employees promotions are a joint effort: They, of course, have to be
deserving of the higher role. But you, as their manager, also need to be aware of
whos ready to move up, so you can make a great recommendation. When youre on
the same page, your whole team will be on track for success

Foods to Improve Thyroid Health

Are you feeling exhausted and stressed out? Having weight issues? Feeling depressed and losing
hair? Is your heart beating faster and are you having problems with breathing? If your answer is
yes then you need to see a doctor because you might be having a thyroid disease.

According to an article, Todays Dietitian, 20 million Americans are suffering from this
disease. The thyroid glands are found in the front of the neck and are responsible for producing
hormones that regulates energy levels, metabolic rate, weight, digestive system and body
temperature; it also affects muscles, bones, heart and cholesterol levels. The two major types of
hormones produced are thyroxin and triiodothyronine (T3). There may be two conditions one is
hyperthyroidism in which the production of these hormones increases. The other is
Hypothyroidism which occurs due to the deficiency of hormones produced by the thyroid glands.
What can thyroid problems do to your health? It can cause serious problems of the heart and
bone, and may also cause thyroid storm that is yet again a very serious condition.

Although synthetic medications for treating thyroid disease are available, but adding and
subtracting a few things from your diet can reduce the risks of developing the disease.

In both the cases, Hyper and Hypothyroidism careful selection of foods should be made. Here we
would tell you what to eat and what not to eat if you are having thyroid disease.

Goitrogens

The most important thing to be learned is what is goitrogens? They are natural substances found in most
of the foods and have the ability to enlarge the size of the thyroid glands also called goiter.

Now in hyperthyroidism conditions the goitrogens act as anti-thyroid drugs and slows down the
excess production of the hormones and ultimately cause hypothyroidism. So goitrogen foods
should be taken in huge quantities by patients having hyperthyroidism conditions and should be
avoided by those having hypothyroidism symptoms.

The most common sources of goitrogens are broccoli, kale, spinach, turnip cauliflower, cabbage,
strawberry, peaches, peanuts, pine nuts, soy and mustard. These goitrogen foods work more
effectively if taken in raw form.

Coconut Oil
Oils that are being commercially produced have a negative effect on the thyroid. The unsaturated
fats contained in these oils slow down the tissue response to the hormones produced by the
thyroid. For cooking meals choose coconut oil as it helps to regulate metabolic rate of the body.
It helps the thyroid gland to perform better. 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil daily can give
good results if swallowed or used in cooking or salads.

Iodized Salt
For the proper functioning of the thyroid glands iodine is required. Approximately one- fourth of the U.S.

population is iodine deficient. Iodized salt can be substituted with the regular table or sea salt to prevent
this deficiency.

High Fiber Foods

In most cases the patients having thyroid disease develop constipation and their body weight may also
increase, in such cases foods that are rich in fiber can prove to be beneficial.

You may find high fiber in vegetables, fruits and cereals. The high fiber vegetables are eggplant, beans,
cabbage, carrot, mushrooms, and potatoes with skin, peas, spinach, broccoli, cabbage and pumpkin.
Fruits with high fiber are apples, dates, bananas, berries, orange, pear, guava and prunes. Other
available high fiber sources are bran cereals and breads, beans, lentils and nuts like almonds, peanuts,
cashew nuts and walnuts.

Soy
Soy plays two roles; it acts as a goitrogen and also inhibits the absorption of thyroid hormones. It
is suggested not to over consume soy especially in the processed forms like soy milk, soy bars,
powders and shakes.

It is better to consult a nutritional practitioner before adding more soy to your diet, if you are having
hyperthyroidism problems.

Coffee and Calcium Fortified Orange Juice

It is highly recommended not to take orange juice that is calcium fortified and coffee with
thyroid medications. The reason is that they interfere with the absorption of medicines taken in
thyroid conditions. In case you feel the urge to drink a glass or so, wait for at least 3 to 4 hours
after taking the medicines. Same is the case with calcium and iron supplements.

In any case it is highly suggested that you consult your doctor before adding any of these foods
to your diet. The thyroid disease may not be completely cured by taking or avoiding these foods
but can be reduced to some extent.

People say: Time pass away! No Time stays, People pass away!

Every one in the world, in East or West, whether he or she is living

in a developing country or in developed country, rich or poor, has
one thing in common.
Every one has got twenty-four 24 hours in a day!
However, some people achieve more and more in the same 24 hours
and some people are unable to achieve much. Why? Is it due to time
management or self-management?
Ideas from the book: Eat that Frog 21 Great ways to stop
procrastinating and Get more done in less time; -- by Brian
Tracy (www.briantracy.com)
Here, the FROG refers to the task which seems most difficult one
and we are not willing to do it, though we know that we HAVE to do
it. So EAT THAT FROG i.e. do that dreadful task first!
A great formula from the book is six P formula. What is it?

Proper - Prior - Planning - Prevents - Poor - Performance.

To begin with, a person is required to set the table first. How? Very
simple acts to read but difficult to do:
1. Determine the goals What do I want to do?
2. Write the goals down Pick a paper and pen and start writing
3. Dead line please Some one defined a goal as a dream with a
dead line; If there is no target date, it is difficult to track
performance and ensure that the task really gets done.
4. Prepare a list of all tasks which are required to done to

ensure that the goal is achieved

5. Act on plan immediately and keep on moving set some reward
for yourself once the task is accomplished.
One of the tools provided by Brian Tracy in this book is
ABCDE categorization of the work which we do i.e. all tasks which
we perform on daily basis should be categorized as A, B, C, D or E.
A - CATEGORY TASK - considered as something that is very important.
It is something that we must do. It is something that carries with it
serious consequences (e.g. some task given by our Boss!).
B - category task- a task that we should do but has only mild
consequences. These items are the tadpoles of our life. We should
make it a habit to never do a B task when there is still an
A task left undone.
C - category task is denoted as something that would be nice to
do. Whether or not we do it, there are no consequences at all. This
sort of task has no effect at all on our work or personal life.
D- CATEGORY TASK- is referred to as something we can delegate to
someone else.
E- category task - is something that we can get rid of altogether
and it will not make any real difference nor pose any serious effects.
Take time to think --Am I trying to do every thing at the same time and as a result, not
getting any thing done? Do I have any priority of my work? Am I
doing with work which should not be done at all, some thing from E
category? Am I doing some work which can be delegated, some
thing from D category?

Enterprise is Better Than Ease

If we are involved in a project, how hard should we work at it? How much time should we put
in?
Our philosophy about activity and our attitude about hard work will affect the quality of our
lives. What we decide about the rightful ratio of labor to rest will establish a certain work ethic.
That work ethicour attitude about the amount of labor we are willing to commit to future
fortunewill determine how substantial or how meager that fortune turns out to be.
Enterprise is always better than ease. Every time we choose to do less than we could, this
error in judgment has an effect on our self-confidence. Repeated every day, we soon find
ourselves not only doing less than we should, but also being less than we could. The
accumulative effect of this error in judgment can be devastating. Fortunately, it is easy to reverse
the process.
Any day we choose we can develop a new discipline of doing rather than neglecting. Every time
we choose action over ease or labor over rest, we develop an increasing level of self-worth, selfrespect and self-confidence. In the final analysis, it is how we feel about ourselves that provides
the greatest reward from any activity.
It is not what we get that makes us valuable; it is what we become in the process of doing that
brings value into our lives. It is activity that converts human dreams into human reality, and
that conversion from idea into actuality gives us a personal value that can come from no other
source.
So feel free to not only engage in enterprise, but also to enjoy to its fullest along with all the
benefits that are soon to come.

Health: What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is made in the body by the
liver. Cholesterol forms part of every cell in the body and serves many vital
functions. Our bodies need cholesterol to:

Maintain healthy cell walls

Make hormones (the body's chemical messengers)

Make vitamin D

Make bile acids, which aid in fat digestion

Sometimes, however, our bodies make more cholesterol than we really need, and
this excess cholesterol circulates in the bloodstream. High levels of cholesterol in
the blood can clog blood vessels and increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.

Our bodies can make too much cholesterol when we eat too much saturated
fat - the kind of fat found in animal-based foods such as meat and dairy
products.

In addition to making cholesterol, we also get a small percentage of our

body's cholesterol from the foods we eat. Only animal-based foods such as
meat, eggs, and dairy products contain cholesterol. Plant foods such as
fruits, vegetables, and grains do not contain cholesterol.

The Different Types Of Cholesterol

There are different types of cholesterol - and not all cholesterol is harmful.

Low-density lipoprotein (or LDL) cholesterol is a bad type of cholesterol that

is most likely to clog blood vessels, increasing your risk for heart disease.

High-density lipoprotein (or HDL) cholesterol is a good type of

cholesterol. HDL cholesterol helps clear the LDL cholesterol out of the
blood and reduces your risk for heart disease.

Facts About Cholesterol

More than one-half of American adults have blood cholesterol levels that are
too high.

Lowering your cholesterol level has a double payback: For every one percent
you lower your blood cholesterol level, you reduce your risk for heart disease
by two percent.

Even if you already have heart disease, lowering your cholesterol levels will
significantly reduce your risk for death and disability.

As blood cholesterol exceeds 220 ml/dl risk for heart disease increases at a
more rapid rate.

All adults should have their blood cholesterol level measured at least once
every five years.

The liver makes most of the cholesterol in our bodies-only a small

percentage comes from food. But the more saturated fat we eat, the more
cholesterol our bodies make.

Most people can bring down their blood cholesterol levels without medication
by changing the way they eat and by becoming more active.

Only animal foods contain cholesterol; plant foods do not contain cholesterol.

A medium egg contains about 213 milligrams of cholesterol, a three-ounce

portion of lean red meat or skinless chicken contains about 90 milligrams of
cholesterol, and a three-ounce portion of fish contains about 50 milligrams
of cholesterol.

What Causes High Blood Cholesterol?

Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. Last updated on January 31st 2011
Many factors can contribute to high blood cholesterol levels or cholesterol levels
that are out of balance. Some of these factors are within your control, and some
are not.
To some extent, your genetic make-up determines your cholesterol level.

Some people inherit a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia, which

means that very high cholesterol levels run in the family.

Some people may simply be more likely than others to react to lifestyle
factors(such as lack of exercise or a high-fat diet) that push up cholesterol
levels.

Other people, especially people for whom diabetes runs in the family, inherit
high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are another type of blood fat that can
also push up cholesterol levels.

Besides your genetic make-up, many lifestyle factors affect cholesterol levels and
cholesterol balance:

What you eat. Eating too much saturated fat (the kind found in high-fat
meats and dairy products) and cholesterol can cause your body to make more
cholesterol, raising your blood cholesterol levels. You can lower your
cholesterol level by cutting down on animal fat and other fats and eating
foods rich in starch and fiber, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains.

How active you are. Regular exercise not only reduces total
blood cholesterol, but it lowers the bad kind of cholesterol (LDL cholesterol)
while raising the good kind of cholesterol (HDL cholesterol).

What you weigh. Being overweight contributes to rising blood cholesterol

levels. Fortunately, changes to lower cholesterol levels also help you control
your weight, a double benefit.

Your hormones. Women get a natural boost in their HDL cholesterol (the
good kind of cholesterol) from their hormones until they reach menopause.
After menopause, taking estrogen can help maintain higher HDL cholesterol
levels.

What Is The Best Way Lower Blood Cholesterol?

Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. Last updated on January 31st 2011
Making gradual and permanent changes in your diet and lifestyle can help you lower
your cholesterol levels. Not only will these changes reduce your risk for developing
heart disease, but they will also reduce your risk for other serious conditions such
as high blood pressure, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
The main lifestyle changes to help you lower your cholesterol levels are:

Reduce fat and cholesterol in your diet.

Eat more foods rich in carbohydrates and fiber, such as fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains.

Increase your level of physical activity.

Maintain a healthy body weight.

In addition to lowering cholesterol levels, if you smoke cigarettes or have high

blood pressure, quitting smoking or moderating your sodium intake can also
significantly reduce risk for heart disease.

How -To Information:

Consider taking a systematic approach to lowering cholesterol, one step at a time:
1.
Find your starting point, or think about what needs to be changed.
Sometimes this means keeping a diary for a few days to record your normal food
intake or patterns of exercise.
2.
Once you have identified your problem, make a commitment to change.
3.
Plan how you will start to make a change. If many changes are required, plan
which change you will make first.
4.
Check up on yourself to see how well you are carrying out and keeping up the
changes.
Of course, it is unrealistic to expect to make many lifestyle changes all at once.
However, as you will see, there is plenty of overlap. For example, regular exercise
will help you lower your cholesterol and lose weight, which further lowers your
cholesterol.
When making changes, you need to pace yourself. Make adjustments to your way of
living in whatever order is easiest and don't rush. Gradual change is more likely to
be permanent than many rapid and drastic changes. When you change your diet or
exercise routine, don't think of it as going on a temporary diet or exercise
program. Instead, think of it as adopting a healthier way of living to continue for
life.
Also, don't feel you have to give up any favorite food completely when making
dietary changes. If you really enjoy certain high-fat foods:

Eat them in smaller portions (example, one cookie instead of three).

Find a version of the food that is lower in fat (example, ice milk instead of
ice cream).

Find a substitute for the food that you like almost as well (example, popcorn
instead of peanuts).

All of the above changes are healthy for the entire family. Not only will these
changes help you lower your cholesterol level, but they will also help reduce the
entire family's risk of developing chronic health disorders such as heart disease,
cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity.
Reducing Total Fat
Ounce for ounce, fat contains over twice the calories that protein or
carbohydrates do. So even if saturated fat is the type of fat most likely to raise
harmful blood cholesterol levels, you should limit intake of all fats. Eating too much

fat, no matter what kind, can make you put on excess weight. Eating too much fat
can also increase your risk of certain types of cancer, such as breast or colon
cancer.
To limit total fat intake:

Broil, bake, boil, or roast foods rather than fry.

Use non-stick pans or coat pans with a thin layer of non-stick spray.

Add less fat to food during both cooking and eating. Some examples include
using jam instead of margarine on toast, a non-fat or low-fat salad dressing
instead of a high-fat dressing, lemon juice instead of butter on vegetables,
or salsa instead of sour cream on baked potatoes.

Experiment with butter substitutes, spices, and other flavorings as

alternative to fat.

Look for low-fat alternatives to foods, such as a bagel instead of a doughnut,

pretzels instead of potato chips, or a round steak instead of a t-bone steak

Try new fat-free products like yogurt, cookies, or crackers.

Read labels, which offer excellent information to help you compare fat
content of prepared foods.

Reducing Saturated Fat And Cholesterol

To reduce the fat and cholesterol intake in your diet, start with changes that are
relatively easy to make. For example, many people find it easy to switch from 2%
milk to 1% or skim milk. Once you have adjusted to one change, pick another change
to work on.
Here are some simple changes that will help you greatly reduce saturated fat and
cholesterol in your diet.
Egg yolks:

Eat no more than three eggs yolks weekly.

Eat as many egg whites as you like - they contain no cholesterol.

Meats:

Buy lean meats such as fish, poultry, veal cutlet, pork tenderloin, or flank
steak.

Trim as much fat off meat as possible.

Broil, barbecue, or roast meat on a rack rather than fry them. This allows
some of the fat to escape during cooking.

Limit the amount of hamburger you eat, and buy the leanest type available.

Replace high-fat prepared meats like sausage and luncheon meats with
lower-fat meats like lean turkey or chicken.

Remove the skin from chicken or turkey before you cook or eat it.

Try to eat fish twice weekly. Fish contains a type of fat called omega-3 fat
that may help prevent heart disease.

Dairy products:

Use margarine instead of butter, choosing a margarine that has a liquid oil
rather than a hydrogenated oil listed as the first ingredient.

Choose a lower-fat milk. If you use whole milk, switch to 2%. If you use 2%,
switch to 1% or skim milk. (All types of milks have the same amount of
calcium and other vitamins and minerals.)

Use non-fat or low-fat yogurt.

Use plain non-fat yogurt instead of sour cream.

Cut down on the amount of regular cheeses you eat. Look for lower-fat
cheese that contains less than 3 grams of fat per ounce.

Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on food to give it a cheesy taste. Parmesan

cheese is strong tasting, so a little goes a long way.

Tropical oils and processed oils:

Check food labels to see what the main type of fat in the food is. Limit
foods that list palm oil, coconut oil, or a hydrogenated oil as one of the first

type of fats. (Food labels list ingredients in order from greatest to least by
weight.)

Be suspicious of commercial baked goods such as doughnuts, sweet rolls,

brownies, and cookies, which are a major source of saturated fat.

Nice To Know:
About 60% of the saturated fat in the American diet comes from three food
sources:

Hamburger

Cheese

Whole milk

Cutting down on these foods, or cutting them out, can go a long ways toward helping
you cut down saturated fat and cholesterol.
Increasing Starches And Fiber
Including more starches and fiber in your diet can help you lower your cholesterol
level, as well as reduce your risk for obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, and
other diseases. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, and
legumes are naturally low in fat, cholesterol-free, and rich in starches and dietary
fiber.
A certain type of dietary fiber, called soluble fiber, may help lower cholesterol
levels by sweeping cholesterol out of the body before it gets into the bloodstream.
Foods rich in soluble fiber include oat bran, dried beans and peas, some fruits, and
psyllium seeds (the main ingredient in Metamucil, a fiber supplement).
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds also contain antioxidants,
which are substances that help protect body cells from damage. Examples of
antioxidants are:

Vitamin C (in citrus fruits)

Beta-carotene (in carrots)

Vitamin E (in vegetable oils)

To damage artery walls, cholesterol must first be chemically changed through a

process called oxidation. Antioxidants help prevent cholesterol from being

chemically changed and help prevent cholesterol from moving out of the blood and
into the lining of the blood vessels.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid recommends that you
eat the following number of servings of these plant foods daily:

6-11 servings of grains (1 serving equals 1 slice of bread, of a bun, cup of

pasta or rice)

3-5 servings of vegetables (1 serving equals 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables or

cup cooked vegetables)

2-3 servings of fruits (1 serving equals 1 medium apple, peach or orange;

cup of berries; or 3/4 cup juice)

How-To Information:
To include more starches and fiber in your diet:

Keep a food diary showing the number of servings of fruits, vegetables, and
grains you get daily. If the number is low, gradually try to increase servings
of the groups lacking by adding fruits, vegetables, or whole grains as side
dishes or snacks.

Buy breads and cereals that list a whole grain as the first ingredient - they
contain more fiber and vitamins and minerals.

Whenever possible, choose raw fruits and vegetables rather than processed
ones.

Steam vegetables until crisp-tender, rather than boiling them until soft.

Whenever possible, leave skin on fruits and vegetables.

Add lemon juice, butter flavoring, or other seasoning to vegetables rather

than fat.

Try including several meatless meals weekly. Start with breakfasts, then
gradually add two or three lunches or dinners weekly.

Eating Out

Eating out is certainly possible but requires more careful planning for low-fat, lowcholesterol eating. When eating out:

Choose a restaurant with heart-healthy items marked on the menu.

Ask how foods are prepared, and don't hesitate to make special requests,
such as for the sauce or dressing to be served on the side.

Avoid foods described as fried, breaded, creamed, or buttered, as well as

salads that already have a dressing on them.

Order fresh fruit or sherbet for dessert. For a special treat, share a rich
dessert with several people so you all get a taste but no one overdoes it.

If you must eat at a fast-food restaurant, order a plain hamburger or a

vegetarian pizza with a thick crust and half the cheese. Try to avoid or limit
fries, onion rings, chicken nuggets, and other fried foods.

Reading Food Labels

Use food labels to help you identify foods high in fat, saturated fat, and
cholesterol. Start by searching the front of the food package for nutrient claims
such as "low-fat" or "low-calorie." These terms now have standard definitions and
provide dependable information:

"Fat-free" means less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.

"Low-fat" means 3 grams or less per serving.

"Reduced fat" or "less fat" means at least 25% less per serving than a
similar food.

"Light" means 33% fewer calories or 50% less fat per serving than the
reference food.

Next, read the "Nutrition Facts" panel, usually found on the side or back of the
food package. The Nutrition Facts panel lists the total calories per serving near
the top of the panel. It also lists the calories from fat.
To figure the percentage of calories from fat in an individual food, simply divide
fat calories by total calories and multiply by 100. Remember, a low-fat diet means
that less than 30% of calories come from fat. If one food provides 50% of calories

from fat, you must balance it with other lower-fat foods to stay within the 30%
guideline.
The Nutrition Facts panel also lists the grams of total fat, saturated fat,
polyunsaturated fat, and monounsaturated fat and the milligrams of cholesterol in
a serving of the food. The "% Daily Value" shows what percentage of total
recommended intake of fat and cholesterol the food provides, based on a 2,000calorie diet.
Controlling Your Weight
If you weigh more than you should, losing weight is an important step toward
lowering your cholesterol levels. To lose weight, you will need to cut calories and
boost your activity level. Fortunately, when you lower your fat and cholesterol
intake and eat more starches and fiber, you automatically lower your calorie level.
Cutting your calories involves changing both the type of food you eat and the way
you eat. Since fat is a very concentrated source of calories, eating more of the
low-fat foods that help you lower your cholesterol levels (such as fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains) will also help you cut your calories.
If you tend to eat even when you are not really hungry, you may also need to
change the way you eat. To help you cut calories:

Eat three main meals, including breakfast.

Plan for low-fat snacks in the morning and afternoon.

Keep a food diary to help you identify problem areas or situations that
trigger overeating.

Always eat in the same place when you are home, which will help keep you
from nibbling frequently.

Sit down while you eat.

Keep problem foods out of the house (or at least off the counter and less
accessible).

Find substitutes for favorite foods that are high in calories; for example,
angel food cake instead of richer types of cakes, pretzels instead of potato
chips, bagels instead of doughnuts.

For most people, permanent weight loss is impossible by reducing calorie intake
alone. When you cut calories, some of the weight you lose comes from muscle tissue

in addition to fat loss. When you severely cut your calorie intake, your body reacts
as though it were being starved, slowing down its metabolism and making it harder
to lose weight.
Exercising regularly helps you lose weight in several ways:

Exercising while cutting calories helps you maintain muscle tissue and burn a
higher percentage of body fat.

Exercising re-sets the body's metabolism, countering the effects of calorie

restriction.

Exercise burns calories.

Exercise keeps you out of the kitchen and away from food.

Exercising Safely
Most people think they have to really work up a sweat for physical activity to
count. Although deliberate forms of exercise such as walking, jogging, or swimming
are great, smaller periods of less intense physical activity also help lower
cholesterol, control weight, and reduce your risk for heart disease.
Experts now recommend that all adults accumulate at least 30 minutes or more of
moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. This
doesn't mean, however, that you need to jog or swim 30 minutes a day. You can also
benefit from several shorter periods of physical activity throughout the day.
The best activities for your heart are those that use the large muscles of your
body, particularly those in your legs, making them demand more oxygen to do their
work. Examples of such "aerobic" activities include:

Walking

Running

Rowing

Bicycling

Swimming

Skating

Cross-country skiing

In addition to these deliberate forms of exercise, try to include more activity

throughout your day:

Park farther from work and walk the extra distance, or better yet, walk to
work if possible.

When shopping, park farther away and walk more between stores.

Take walking breaks at work.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Clean your own house.

Mow the lawn yourself.

Choose leisure-time activities that get you moving. Golfing, skiing, bowling,
dancing, or playing tennis or basketball can all add to your overall activity
level.

Almost everyone can do some form of exercise, but to exercise safely you must
start very slowly and build up gradually. You should check with your doctor before
beginning a vigorous exercise program if you:

Are a man over 40 years of age

Are a woman over 50 years of age

Have risk factors for heart disease such as high blood chole
sterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, or cigarette smoking

Have symptoms of heart disease (pain in the chest, neck or shoulder during
exercise, shortness or breath, faintness, or dizziness) or known heart
disease

Start by finding out how much exercise you are getting now. Look back on the last
three days and write down the approximate length of time you spend being

physically active. Then gradually increase the minutes you spend being physically
active, adding a few minutes each week.
When you are exercising vigorously, check your heart rate periodically by counting
your pulse at the neck or wrist. Count your heartbeats for 10 seconds, then
multiply by 6 to get the beats per minute.
In the early stages of your exercise routine, try to keep your heart rate within
65% to 70% of your maximum heart rate (your maximum heart rate is 220 minus
your age). As you get in better shape, you may be able to let your heart rate climb
to 75% of your maximum heart rate.
For example:

A 60-year-old man has a maximum heart rate of 160 beats per minute (220
minus 60).

So 65% to 70% of this figure is 104 to 112 beats per minute.

Thus, this man should count 17 to 18 beats during a 10-second pulse check.

Be sure to include a five-minute warm-up and cool-down period of light stretching

before and after exercise to warm up your muscles and avoid injury and
stiffness. If you experience any of these warning signs, stop exercising and check
with your doctor:

Lightheadedness or dizziness

Headache

Nausea

Shortness of breath

Cold sweat

Pain or pressure in the chest, neck, shoulder, or arms, especially on the left
side

How many times a week do you get at one or

least 30 minutes of activity?
less
2 to 3
more than
How many eggs do you eat weekly?
3
2 to 3

5 or more
1 or less

How often do you eat red meat

(beef, pork, or lamb) weekly?
5 or more 3 to 5
2 or less
What kind of milk do you drink?
whole
low-fat 1% or skim
How often each week do you eat
cheese or ice cream that is not lowfat?
5 or more 3 to 4
2 or less
How often do you eat baked goods
like doughnuts, pastries, or cookies? 4 to 5
2 to 3
1 or less
Including breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, how many meals do you eat
weekly that include fruits and
vegetables?
5 or less 6 to 13 14 or more
As you can guess, the ideal way of eating is shown in the right-hand column, which
represent an aggressive approach to lowering cholesterol. If you have blockages of
the arteries, this approach can even shrink these blockages.
After three months of making changes, test yourself again with this same selfassessment. If you have more answers in the right columns, you making changes in
the right direction.
Cholesterol intake should be less than 300 milligrams daily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. Last updated on January 31st 2011
Q: Does caffeine raise blood cholesterol levels?
A: Caffeine is found in many soft drinks, coffee, tea, and to a lesser extent,
chocolate.Caffeine does not raise blood cholesterol levels, and research has
yielded conflicting results on whether caffeine increases risk of heart disease.
Based on current evidence, a moderate intake of caffeine does not seem to be
harmful.
Q: Should a person avoid eating eggs entirely?
A: Health experts advise limiting cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams or less
daily. One large whole egg yolk contains about 215 milligrams of cholesterol. The
American Heart Association recommends limiting egg yolk consumption to three to
four times weekly and focusing on the total diet instead of just one food. The
cholesterol in eggs is found in the yolk portion, so you can use as many egg whites
as you want. Eggs contain B vitamins, iron and other minerals and are a good source
of high-quality protein.
Q: Can fat substitutes help lower blood cholesterol?

A: Many low-fat foods and fat replacers have made reducing fat intake easier.
Often, however, these fat substitutes are used in foods such as cookies, chips, or
desserts. While lower in fat, such foods often contain the same number of calories
as their comparable counterparts. Overeating on low-fat foods can still contributes
to obesity, which in turn contributes to high blood cholesterol and other health
problems. Further, these foods often lack the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other
healthy substances found in alternative food choices such as fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains.
Q: Should a person avoid dairy products to lower cholesterol?
A: Skim milk and low-fat dairy products contain only small amounts of saturated
fat and cholesterol and can easily be included in a low-fat, low-cholesterol eating
plan. In addition, dairy products are excellent sources of calcium, a mineral that
may help prevent the development of osteoporosis, or brittle bones, later in life.
Q: Should people trying to lower their cholesterol level use margarine or
butter?
A: Although butter is high in both saturated fat and cholesterol, some margarines
may not be much better than butter. Stick margarines that have been
hydrogenated, or chemically changed, contain trans-fatty acids, a type of fat that
can raise blood cholesterol levels. Choose liquid vegetables oils or soft margarines
over stick margarines or butter. The softer a margarine is, the more unsaturated
it is. As a general rule, shop for margarine with no more than 2 grams of saturated
fat per tablespoon and with liquid vegetable oil listed as the first ingredient.
Q: Can fish oil help lower cholesterol?
A: Although fish oil may lower levels of blood triglycerides (another type of fat)
and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, it does not seem to
significantly lower the LDL, or bad type of cholesterol. However, fish is a great
protein source that is very low in fat and saturated fat. Eating fish two to three
times weekly does helps to lower risk for heart disease, possibly by interfering
with the ability of blood to clot. The American Heart Association recommends that
people eat fish regularly but does not advise taking fish oil supplements.
Q: Should people use oat bran to lower cholesterol levels?
A: Oats and oat bran contain generous amounts of soluble fiber, which helps to
lower the bad LDL cholesterol and raise the good HDL cholesterol. However, some
oat bran muffins can be high in fat and calories, so read labels carefully. Although
oat bran may help lower cholesterol, many other foods, particularly legumes and
certain fruits, are also rich in soluble fiber. The body needs both soluble and
insoluble fiber to function properly.

Q: How do I know the amounts of fat, cholesterol, and sodium in the foods I
eat?
A: Read food labels. The labels on the packaging of the foods you buy will list
these amounts, as well as other helpful information such as fiber and vitamin
content. The quantities given on food labels are on a "per-serving" basis. The top of
the label will define what a "serving" is for that particular food.

Health: What's Causing Your Gas?

It's no surprise that eating a heavy meal or enjoying too many refried beans can
contribute to gas, but there are a number of nonfood-related habits that can
cause gas, abdominal pain and
belching.

"We tend to think of foods as being a fantastic answer to gas, but it's usually not,"
says Mark DeLegge, M.D., spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological
Association and professor of medicine and director of the Digestive Disease
Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. "Oftentimes it
ends up being caused by some other habit that the patient has."

Whether your stomach gets bloated after eating a specific food or two or from
one of these nonfood habits varies widely from person to person. The trick is
figuring out what triggers your symptoms.

"The only way for us to find out is to really stop the habit, completely for a week
or two and see if it makes a difference," says DeLegge.
And while symptoms of bloating, belching and passing gas are not typically life
threatening, DeLegge says that if they become persistent or if the pain starts to
interrupt your quality of life or if you develop nausea, vomiting, fever or have a

major change in your bowel movements, you should see your doctor. These
symptoms could be a sign of something more serious like irritable bowel syndrome,
a partial bowel obstruction, or gastroparesis, says DeLegge.
Read on to learn about the most common nonfood causes of gas.

Eating Too Fast

Sometimes it's not what you eat but how fast you eat it.
"When you're eating or drinking rapidly, food and liquid are going down, but so is
air," says DeLegge.
Slowing down is imperative. We're all in a hurry, but DeLegge says to allow 20 to
30 minutes to eat a meal, which should give you enough time to adequately chew
your food (ideally until it's pulp like) before swallowing.

Chewing Gum
Chronic gum chewers tend to swallow more air, which can fill the gut.
"If your stomach is full of air, you may belch," says DeLegge. "Or, just like with
food, some of that air moves from the stomach quickly into the small intestines and
then you can end up withbloating or you may pass it through your rectum with
[gas]."

Drinking Too Many Carbonated Beverages

Those fizzy bubbles that make carbonated drinks appealing are actually made up of
gas -- carbon dioxide. Depending on how much and how rapidly you drink, they can
result in belching, passing gas or bloating.

Enjoying Excessive Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

Your sweetener packets can lead to tummy troubles. Just like carbohydrates and
foods that are high in sugar, pure sugar and artificial versions get converted to gas
quickly as bacteria in the gut try to break them down.
"Sugars, fructose and sucrose sometimes aren't well digested by the bacteria in
the gut, and what those bacteria make as their waste product is gas," says
DeLegge.

Taking Antibiotics
Antibiotic use can change the bacterial makeup of your gut and result in the
overproduction of gas, which causes belching, bloating and abdominal discomfort.
The symptoms should resolve once you complete the course of the medication and
begin eating regularly, says DeLegge. But if you're on long-term antibiotics, talk to
your doctor about switching medications or taking a probiotic, which can help
repopulate your gut with good bacteria.

Eating or Drinking Very Hot or Very Cold Foods

In addition to eating slowly, eating your food at room temperature is one of the
best things you can do to reduce excess gas or bloating, says DeLegge. When you
eat or drink something too hot or too cold, you often try to neutralize it by
swallowing air.
"You try to change the temperature yourself. You don't realize you're doing it, but
that's what you're doing and you swallow air."

Sensitive Stomach
The roll of the genetic dice may have left you with a stomach that is simply more
sensitive to gas.

"You might have the same amount of gas in your gut as I, but you may feel like
you're about to explode, and I feel perfectly fine," says DeLegge. "That has to do
with the nerves in the gut and the sensation those nerves in the gut send to your
brain."
A sensitive gut, along with increased gas, may be signs of irritable bowel syndrome,
says DeLegge, in which case you should see your doctor.

Swallowing Too Much Air

While you might consciously breathe through your nose during yoga class, what
about when you're not doing sun salutations? Some people tend to breathe through
their mouths a lot more than their noses without even thinking about it, says
DeLegge.
"While some of that air is going into your lungs, some of it is going down through
your esophagus and into your gut."

Miracle Drink- Apple, Beetroot and Carrot Juice

What do you get when you mix together apple, carrot and beetroot juice? You get Miracle drink.

The drink has gained fame by the name, Mricale Drink because the countless benefits it gives
to your brain and body is truly a miracle.

This powerful drink was introduced by Chinese Herbalists for the treatment of lung cancer and
many other diseases ages ago. But currently it has gained massive popularity all over the world
because of its magical health benefits.

The drink is simple to make all you need is a juicer, apples, carrots and beetroots. Juice them
with their skins on and consume right after making it. Do not store. How many carrots, apples or
beets you add to the juice is up to your own taste. You can either add more carrots or increase the
quantity of apples. For best results, try to take them in equal quantities. You can even add lime
juice to enhance its taste but do not add sugar.

Packed in this juice are the power of two vegetables and one fruit, all enriched with plentiful
amount of lifesaving antioxidants. Apples contain nutrients like Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, E and
K, Folate, Niacin, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron, Calcium, Sodium and
Manganese. Also the dietary fibers found in apples are very beneficial for health. Carrots contain
a wide variety of vitamins such as Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E and K, Folate, Niacin and
Pantothenic Acid. There are minerals like Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and
Selenium packed in it. One of the most important components found in carrots is beta-carotene.
You can get the best of these nutrients by juicing the carrots. And the heart friendly Beetroots are
enriched with nutrients like vitamin A, C, B-complex, potassium, iron, magnesium and copper.
They contain anti-aging agents as well.

With the combined effect of the three you can get enough nutrients that will not just keep you
going through the day but would also have long term beneficial effects on your health. Here is
the list of some of the miracles it can do to your health:

This drink is a hope for cancer patients. In fact few years back a Chinese herbalist
recommended this drink to his patients suffering from lung cancer. By taking the drink
daily for 3 months the patient recovered from this life threatening disease. Its not only
effective for lung cancer but cures almost all types of cancer by inhibiting the growth of
cancer cells

It is very effective in maintaining the health of other organs of the body such as kidney,
liver and pancreas and protects them from various diseases. It can also strengthen the
organs like heart and lungs

As mentioned earlier that miracle drink contains the heart friendly beetroots. Also there
are some components present in carrots that promote heart health such as alpha and beta
carotenes and lutein. Together the two vegetables along with the goodness of apple help
keep the levels of bad cholesterol down, keep blood pressure in control and protect the
heart from many diseases. Miracle drink also saves you from heart attack

Researchers say that the Miracle drink is a gift from God for spotless skin. It is very
helpful in keeping away the pimples and also halts the aging of the skin. So a glass of
miracle drink gives you fresh, radiant younger looking skin that you always dream of

The drink is good for the digestive system. Not only it helps maintain the health of the
stomach but also protects it from ulcers. It also regulates the bowel movements and gives
relief in chronic constipation

It is one of the best drinks you can supplement your brain with. It sharpens your memory
and enhances the brain functioning

The drink has a soothing effect on the eyes too. Working for long hours on computers can
cause the dryness of the eye. The drink can eliminate dryness, redness and tiredness of
the eye. It also sharpens the vision

It is good for boosting immune system while protecting the body from various infections
and allergies. People who are prone to suffer from Hay fever should take miracle drink. It
can cure throat infections too

The drink is helpful in detoxification of the liver and purification of blood. It increases
the production of red blood cells

Women having severe menstrual pain should try this drink, as it will give relief in the
cramps and pain. People facing pain due to strenuous exercise should also take this drink

The drink is also suitable for those who are planning to lose weight as it can give
maximum energy with minimum number of calories

Miracle drink is also good as an anti-inflammatory

How to use miracle drink

For the best results take miracle drink with empty stomach, early in the morning. One hour after
consuming the drink you can take your regular breakfast. You can even take it twice a day, one in
the morning and the other glass of it before 5 p.m. in the afternoon.

The time period for the miracle drink to work varies from person to person. In some cases taking
the drink for a month is enough while in other cases 3 months time is required for the drink to
actually start its work. You can make it a part of your daily diet for long term benefits and BTW
you can find a health supplement cheaper than the Miracle drink.

Positive Momentum

Even if you're not sure exactly what you'll do next, go ahead and do what you can do first.
The way to establish positive momentum is to get started, and to proceed with
determination and commitment.
When you're in motion, momentum is a powerful positive force that can keep you moving
forward. But if you're doing nothing, the momentum of idleness will work against you and
hold you back.
So by all means, using whatever it takes, get yourself going. Even a little bit of effort and
forward progress can begin to change momentum in your favor.
Set a small goal and do the work to reach that goal. Then move immediately on to bigger
things.
The process of achievement feels good, even though it may be difficult and challenging.
Get yourself enjoying and looking forward to that good feeling of making a difference, and
put the momentum of achievement on your side.
There is something good and meaningful you can achieve right now, once you choose to
make it happen. Get going, get busy making a difference, and get the power of positive
momentum pushing you forward.

Health Benefits of Bananas

Health Benefits of Bananas

Who wouldnt love to eat bananas? This sweet tasting exotic fruit can tickle your taste buds and
refresh your mind. Something hard to believe is that banana is the 4th staple food that is eaten all over
the world, right after rice, wheat and corn. It is the most consumed fruit in the US; apple is the second most
consumed fruit.

The banana is believed to be cultivated way back in 5000 BCE (some say 8000 BCE) in New Guinea.
Each year 80 million tons of bananas are produced all over the world out of which less than 20% are
exported and the rest of them are used for local consumption. In India and sub-Sahara it is
commonly used as a staple food. In Islamic culture banana is considered as food of Heaven.

In some of the tropical regions of south-east Asia the fruit and its leaves are used in cooking, the
leaves are usually used as fish wraps. Bananas that can be cooked are also known as plantains and
are green in color. In English and American cooking this fruit is used to make exotic drinks and
smoothies and also used a lot in baking and desserts. The bananas that are used in raw and ripe
form are known as desert bananas.

What essential nutrients the bananas contain? The bananas are rich in essential vitamins such as A,
B complex, B-6 and C. 75% of banana is composed of water, and the other important nutrients found
in it are potassium, manganese, protein, phosphorous, calcium, iron, carbohydrates and fiber.

Best food for Improving Digestion

The contents of dietary fiber and carbohydrates present in bananas help to regulate bowel
movements which then result in healthy digestive system. It is ideal for getting rid of chronic
constipation due to the pectin contents present in it. It helps reduce stomach ulcers and also
diminishes the risk of developing gastric cancer. It is a natural remedy for curing acidity in the
digestive track due to its antacid effect (personal experience).

Banana as a Mood fixer and Stress reliever

Next time, when you feel stressed out or if you would need something to fix your bad mood, try
eating a banana. Why? Because the tryptophan contents found in bananas have a soothing effect on
the brain. Tryptophan is a kind of amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter, which is helpful in
stabilizing mood. When we are stressed out our body loses potassium, eating banana could prove to
be the best source for maintaining a balanced potassium level.

Improves Kidney functions

This amazing fruit is rich in antioxidant phenolic compounds; these compounds are beneficial for
maintaining healthy kidneys. The potassium contents found in bananas also aid the kidneys by
reducing the production of kidney stones. It also regulates the amount of calcium that is excreted
with the urine. Studies (published) by (the) Internal Journal of Cancer also revealed that the fruit
reduces the risk of developing kidney cancer if taken 4 to 6 times a week.

Strengthens Bones
The prebiotics called fructooligosaccharide are essential for the absorption of essential nutrients
by our body; these prebiotics are present in bananas. It also helps the body to absorb calcium; as a
result we get strong bones. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis that many people develop at a later
age because the potassium contents found in bananas prevent the loss of calcium by the body.

Reduces Blood pressure

It is highly recommended for the people having high blood pressure to increase the intake of this
fruit. The low sodium and high potassium contents make an ideal combination to reduce the chances
of stroke and also prevents hypertension.

Banana as a ready source of Energy:

Banana is a power boosting fruit; the healthy carbohydrates present in bananas helps (remove S) to
increase energy. The reason why bananas are recommended to be taken at breakfast is that they
contain all the power giving elements that will get you through the day. It is also recommended for
the people executing strenuous workouts. So throw away those energy drinks and eat bananas
instead.

Positive effects on Vision

Eating a banana on daily basis can have a positive effect on vision. To avoid the risk of macular
degeneration (loss of vision with growing age) 3 servings of banana is suggested per day. A study
revealed that out of people who had 3 servings of banana per day 36% didnt develop macular
degeneration at all.

Ideal food for dieting

The fruit contains 108 calories, the fiber contents present in bananas are found effective in
lowering overeating habits. The vitamin B6 present in the fruit is effective for reducing obesity.

Effective in Diarrhea
In uncomfortable conditions like diarrhea electrolytes are drained out of the body, causing
weakness. These electrolytes can be restocked with the help of potassium levels present in bananas.

Quit smoking-take bananas help

You might have tried to quit smoking many times before, but the sick feeling, headaches, stomach

cramps, irritation and stress may have forced you to start smoking again. Give banana a chance and
try to quit smoking. The rich source of potassium, magnesium and other vital vitamins present in the
banana gives your brain a soothing effect whenever it screams for nicotine. It also makes up for the
energy levels that you feel to be drained out without smoking and ease out the cramping legs.

Good source of Vitamin B6

There are a number of benefits vitamin B6 has, to maintain bodys health. The vitamin B6 found in
bananas has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the risks of developing type II diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases and obesity. Vitamin B6 also maintains the lymphoid gland functioning, which
are responsible for the production of white blood cells and thus protects the body from infections.

Last but not the least this vitamin also helps in formation of brain cells and proper functioning of
the nervous system.

Researchers suggest that at least 4 bananas should be eaten in a week to supplement your body
with powerful nutrients. Also there are a lot of varieties of Banana available in the market; red,
green and yellow, but it is suggested to make the most healthy and delicious choice. The bananas
with yellow skin and dark spots on them are 8 times more effective in enhancing the functionality of
white blood cells than the green bananas.

5 Facts you MUST know when appyling for a loan

APPLYING FOR A SECURED LOAN WITH BAD CREDIT
Having bad credit history can be like carrying a backpack full of worries. You dont only have to face the
elevated rates on credit cards and loans, but acquiring any type of credit can seem like an unbearable
obstacle to overcome.

Some people with bad credit think that all odds are against them when trying to apply for credit
or loans. However there are those who are willing to take the plunge in risky waters for you
provided that you pay them back in the end. Secured loans use an item of monetary value as a
safe keep known as collateral. The information that follows has reference to requesting a secured
loan w/unfavorable credit.
SECURED LOANS
Secured loans use personal property to secure the repayment of a loan. This means that the
possibilities of getting a secured loan with bad credit are much higher than an unsecured loan.
Their characteristics are that of being much more common and have lower interest rates. The

interest rate that accompanies a secured loan depends on the value of the collateral being used
and its place in the stock exchange should the lender have to sell it.
COLLATERAL
A kaleidoscope of items can be used as collateral for a secured loan. But those that have a higher
monetary value then the loan amount itself tend to be the best collateral. Some items that are
purchased with loans serve as their own collateral as in the case with mortgage and automotive
loans. Nonmaterial collateral such as capital built up in real estate often fulfills the duties for
better collateral for a secured loan than any other item.
SHOPPING FOR A LOAN
Its just as important to look around for a secured loan as it is to get a second opinion from a
doctor. When shopping around for a secured loan, the following suggestions should never be
overlooked.
*Take the time to investigate different banks, finance companies and lenders in your area who
offer the best interest rates or loans.
*Online lenders which can often feature better interest rates
*Once you have all the information, make comparisons to see which loan suits you the best.
APPLYING FOR YOUR LOAN
Once youve found your loan, the application must be submitted. Even though a great looking
shoe doesnt always secure a perfect fit, its essential to have other proposals at hand. If all fails
and you still havent found your match, it may be time to expand your horizons & undertake
other options to facilitate the quest for the best loan that suits your needs.

What Your Nails Say about Your Health

Do you know that your nails can serve as a warning sign for your health issues? Yes, it is true;
your nails reflect your health. They can show signs of an infectious disease, malnutrition and
other chronic diseases.

Your nails and hair are made up of the same material. Nails are formed with a special type of
protein called keratin, the same protein you will find in hair and skin. You can divide your nails

in 6 parts; the hard protective part is called the nail plate, the skin surrounding it is called nail
folds, and the skin underneath the nail plate is called nail bed. At the base of the nail plate you
will find a crescent moon-shaped structure called lunula. The tissue that overlaps the nail base is
called cuticle.
Every month your finger nail grows from 2 to 3mm and your toe nails grow up to 1 mm. The
nails grow out of the area under the cuticle called matrix.

As mentioned before your nail health reflects your physical health. Following are some of the
health issues that can be detected by your nails:

Cardiovascular Problems
There are certain changes in the nails that can help to indicate cardiovascular diseases. Splinter
hemorrhages is(replace with: are) one such condition in which thin reddish brown lines appear on the nail
bed, it indicates vasculitis or heart valve infection. These splinters are actually blood lines.

Clubbing is another condition in which the nails get soft, becomes round and wide and appears to
be floating above the nail bed. This condition is caused by congenital heart abnormalities.

Pale blue or yellow tinge of nails and spoon nails also indicate cardiovascular disease.

Stress and Anxiety

50% of the kids and teenagers in the US are nail-biters. Nail biting indicates conditions like stress, anxiety
and boredom. You can avoid biting your nails by stress management techniques and by applying
something bitter to the nails, like aloe vera juice.

Diabetes
Painting your nails frequently can cause your nails to develop a yellowish hue, but if your nails remain
yellow even without applying nail color then they might indicate diabetes.

Diabetes can cause the skin and nails to get pale. The nails get pale when glucose connects with
the collagen protein present in the nails. If you have yellow nails with other symptoms like
increased urination and thirst then you should go for a diabetes checkup.

Thyroid Disorders
The thyroid disorders are usually detected with the help of unusual gain or loss in weight. Doctors also
link changes in the appearance of nails with thyroid problems.
Onycholysis or Plummers nail is a condition in which the tips or sides of the finger nails or toe
nails get separated from the nail bed. This condition takes place in hyperthyroidism and most
often the nails of the ring finger or little finger are affected. Plummers nail can further lead to
fungal or bacterial infections so it would be wise to consult a doctor so that you may get
treatment for this condition and also for its underlying cause.

Another condition of nails caused by hypothyroidism is spoon nails, in which nails look
scooped away and concave.

Diseases related to arthritis

There are more than 100 types of arthritis. If your nails are weak because of selenium deficiency then
there are chances that you are having osteoarthritis. Splinter hemorrhages, yellow nails or rippled nails
are common in conditions like psoriasis. Sometimes connective tissue disorders, also called lupus are
indicated by puffy nail folds. In such a condition the skin near the nail base swells.

Sometimes shedding of nails is caused by Kawasaki disease. In conditions like rheumatoid

arthritis the lunula turns red.

Pulmonary Problems
If you have blue nails this means you might be having some oxygen related problem such as asthma,
low hemoglobin, pneumonia, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Apart from these problems, blue nails
also indicate heart problems. If you consistently have blue nails it is suggested to consult a doctor.

Injury
Sometimes white spots appear on the nail bed; this condition does not indicate any nutritional deficiency.
Instead, these white spots are like bruises and are caused by mild trauma or injury to the nail bed.

Melanoma
Melanoma is one of the worst kind of skin cancers. Acral lentiginous melanoma is also a particular kind of
skin cancer that is detectable by observing the nails. If there are dark lines on the nail bed it is better to
consult a doctor.

Infections
Fungus infects about 12% of the American population. If your nails become crumbly and thin and if their
color changes to blue-green tone then it is better to consult a doctor.

Bacterial infections harm the skin surrounding the nail and also the skin underneath it, this may
result in nail loss.

The chances of bacterial infections increase because of vigorous manicuring and also because of
unsterilized manicure equipment. It is better to buy your personal manicure tools.

Nutritional Deficiency
Nutritional deficiencies can also be predicted with the help of nail color. Pale nails indicate iron
deficiency and anemia.

BTW you can maintain your nail health by consuming lots of proteins and omega-3 fatty acids.
We will cover this topic in our coming articles with depth.

Rules to Live by
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short enjoy it.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.
5.
Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9.
Be economical in your spending.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12.
Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you need
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye, but don't worry, God never blinks.
16.. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in many ways.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19.. It's never too late to be happy. But its all up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special
occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24.
The best is yet to come...
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27.
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

28. Forgive
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative of dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

What to Learn to Become a Great Manager?

Delegating : Learn how to choose what to delegate, match employee and delegated assignment,
and set the stage for success by both developing your employees and freeing up your time for
critical managerial tasks.
Goal Setting : Learn how to set realistic goals, prioritize tasks, and track milestones to improve
performance and morale.
Managing Upward : Learn insight into developing a mutually rewarding relationship, with
skills for communicating and negotiating with your manager, presenting problems or
opportunities to your supervisor and accepting responsibility for your proposed actions.
Meeting Management : Learn about planning and conducting meetings from start to finish;
preparation, keeping the meeting on track, and follow-up and dealing with problem behaviors
exhibited by meeting participants.
New Manager Transitions : Learn what it means to be a manager, as well as how to navigate
the complex and often stressful transition from individual contributor to a new manager.
Presentation Skills : Learn about preparing and delivering presentations that command
attention, persuade, and inspire, rehearsal techniques, creating and using more effective visuals,
understanding your objectives and your audience to create a presentation with impact.
Stress Management : Learn the difference between positive stress that enhances productivity
and negative stress that breeds tension, lowers productivity, and undercuts job satisfaction,
strategies for dealing with underlying causes of worry and stress, tactical coping mechanisms for
immediate problem management.
Time Management : Learn how to analyze how you currently spend your time and pinpoint
opportunities for improvement, set goals, prioritize tasks, plan your time efficiently using
scheduling tools, control time-wasters, and evaluate your schedule once it is underway.
Writing Skills : Learn how to accomplish your business objectives and extends your influence
as a manager, create clearer, more effective written communications, guidelines for preparing
memos, letters, emails, and other common business documents.
Career Management : Learn how to manage your career--including how to identify your
business interests, professional values, and skills in order to target your most exciting career
possibilities.
Change Management : Learn how to manage change constructively and navigate the ups and
downs that inevitably accompany a change effort.
Coaching : Learn how to strengthen your coaching skills to facilitate the professional growth of
the employees you coach.
Developing Employees : Learn how to encourage your employees to learn and grow, while

maximizing the return on the management time you invest in employee development.
Difficult Interactions : Learn how to discuss and resolve difficult interactions in the
workplace--whether with employees, peers, bosses, or even suppliers and customers.
Feedback Essentials : Learn when and how to give effective positive or corrective feedback,
how to offer feedback upward, and how to receive feedback.
Global Collaboration : Learn critical skills required to manage a cross-cultural collaboration,
including negotiating, building trust, overcoming language barriers, and navigating the
geographical and technological challenges of working across continents.
Hiring : Learn how to identify the particular skill set needed for a job, and then how to research
and interview leading candidates until you find the one who best fills your need.
Leading and Motivating : Learn about the essential tasks of leadership: setting direction,
aligning people, and motivating others. Learn how to recognize the skills and characteristics of
effective leaders, create an inspiring vision, and energize people to support and work toward
your goals.
Performance Appraisal : Learn how to prepare for, conduct, and follow up on performance
evaluations--in ways that link employee performance to your company's and group's goals.
Retaining Employees : Learn strategies for attracting and keeping top performers, how to
handle common obstacles to retention such as burnout and work/life imbalance, and how to
develop programs that address the diverse needs and interests of your workforce.
Team Leadership : Learn how to establish a team with the right mix of skills and personalities
and create a culture that promotes collaborative work, steps to leading an effective team and
includes innovative, easy-to-implement self-evaluation tools.
Team Management : Learn how to diagnose and overcome common problems - such as poor
communication and interpersonal conflict - that can impede team progress, learn to take
corrective measures to remove team problems and improve team performance.
Virtual Teams : Learn how to create concrete suggestions for forming virtual teams, including
assessing their technology and communication needs, structuring the team to build trust, and
keeping the team on track

Budgeting : Learn about the budget process, different types of budgets, and common budgeting
problems--so you can allocate resources wisely to meet your goals.
Business Case Development : Learn how to create an effective business case, from defining the
opportunity and analyzing alternatives to presenting your final recommendations.

Business Plan Development : Learn the process of preparing an effective plan for a business
proposal, applicable to launching a new internal product as well as seeking funding for a new
start-up business.
Crisis Management : Learn a practical, hands-on method for looking at crises--from developing
a crises audit to avoid and prepare for crises, to managing an actual crisis, to learning from past
events.
Customer Focus : Learn how to target the right customers and build their long-term loyalty by
developing systems for learning about--and responding to--their needs.
Decision Making : Learn how to identify underlying issues related to a decision, generate and
evaluate multiple alternatives, and then communicate and implement your decision.
Diversity : Learn how to manage diversity to extract maximum value from your employees'
differences -- including how to recruit diverse talent, resolve diversity-related conflicts, and
communicate with employees and customers from other cultures.
Ethics At Work : Learn how to identify and execute sound choices based on ethical standards
and how building a culture of integrity and cultivating an environment of trust among
employees, customers, and other stakeholders lays a foundation for sustained success.
Finance Essentials : Learn the essential concepts of finance--budgeting, forecasting, and
planning, for managers who are not financial managers.
Innovation and Creativity : Learn how to manage an intellectually diverse work group and
their environment to produce more--and better--ideas that encourage innovation when
developing products and work processes.
Innovation Implementation : Learn how to implement an innovation--from crafting a vision
statement to gaining support and managing resistance--and turn an idea into reality.
Marketing Essentials : Learn the fundamentals that will help you better understand the
importance of marketing and how it relates to you, especially for non-marketing managers.
Negotiating : Learn how to become an effective negotiator, the negotiation process: assessing
your interests as well as those of the other party, developing opportunities that create value,
avoiding common barriers to agreement, and implementing strategies to make the negotiation
process run smoothly.
Performance Measurement : Learn how to review financial and non-financial measures used in
all areas of organizational performance, addresses both standalone measures (including ROI,
EVA, and BET) and measurement frameworks such as dashboards, quality models, and the
Balanced Scorecard, systematic processes for tracking performance of initiatives.
Persuading Others : Learn the art and science behind successful persuasion -- changing others'
attitudes, beliefs, or behavior to create win-win solutions, -- accomplishing work through others
-- rather than simply issue orders.

Process Improvement : Learn what business processes are; why improving them is essential;
and how to carry out a business process improvement (BPI) initiative.
Project Management : Learn the nuts and bolts of project management, including project
planning, budgeting, team-building, execution, and risk analysis, useful tools and techniques
such as GANTT and PERT charts, Work Breakdown Structure, and variance analysis.
Strategic Thinking : Learn how to shape and execute organizational strategy, analyzing
opportunities, challenges, and the potential consequences of high-level action plans, addresses
identification of broad patterns and trends, creative thinking, analysis of complex information,
and prioritization of actions

How to Treat and Prevent Gout Naturally with Home Remedies

Gout is a form of arthritis that causes sudden severe pain, inflammation and tenderness in your
joints. Gout is connected with the foods that a person eats, so diet plays a big part in preventing
outbursts. Men seem to be more prone to getting gout then women, though post-menopausal
women are more at risk.
Symptoms of Gout
Gout can cause such excruciating pain, it can wake you up during the night from the pain.
Other symptoms include:
Acute Pain in the Toe
Swelling
Knee joints tender
Pain attack occurs around midnight or early hours
Fever
Cause of Gout
The main causes of gout is the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints, skin, and kidneys.
Uric acid forms from the body's chemical processes. When the level of uric acid increases, it can
turn into gout attack.
Bad Habits That Can Cause Higher Levels of Uric Acid.
Excessive Alcohol
High intake of alcohol (beer in particular) can increase chances of gout.
Rich Foods
High amount of red meats, oily fish and yeast are very susceptible to gout.
Lack of Exercise
Not getting enough exercise can lead to gout attacking joints.
Stress
A high stress level life can bring on gout.
Ten Home Remedies for Treating Gout

Self care is an important step for treating gout. You should let your doctor know if you think you
have gout, but in most cases, it can be treated easily at home.
1. Rest
If you suffer from a gout attack, make it appoint to rest and do not try to use the affected joint.
Instead rest with the affected joint elevated if possible.
2. Ice packs
Applying cold packs can reduce inflammation.
3. Hemorrhoid cream
You could also try applying hemorrhoid creams to the affected area to reduce inflammation.
4. Drink water
Make sure that you keep yourself well hydrated to prevent further gout attacks.
5. Eat Cherries
Sweet or sour cherries is a popular treatment for gout. Consume about twenty cherries a day until
gout disappears. After, ten cherries a day can keep gout away.
6. Vegetable Juices
Vegetable juices are an effective treatment for gout. Drink a couple of glasses a day.
7. French Beans
Drink 150 ml of the juice from string beans daily until gout passes.
8. Apple
Eating apples for the malic acid will neutralize the uric acid that causes gout. Eat one apple after
each meal.
9. Banana
Bananas can help in the treatment of gout. Try eating only bananas for three to four days to seek
relief from gout.
10. Lime
The Vitamin C in limes can strengthen joints. The citric acid will help the levels of uric acid as
well. Squeeze lime into glass of water twice a day.
Preventing Gout
To keep gout away, changing your diet is the key factor. Try these steps to preventing gout from
returning.
Healthy Diet
Eat a well-balanced diet of natural foods, with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Avoid Acid Producing Foods
Avoid acid-producing foods like meats, fish, tea, sugar and its products, and all processed and
fried foods.
No Caffeine
Stay away from coffee and any other caffeinated drinks.

25 Sure-fire Ways To Motivate Your Team Members

Of all the resources utilized during a project, the team working on the project is the most
complex to manage. When motivated, your project team can take up Herculean tasks and not
break a sweat but when things go wrong there is little saving the ship unless you find a way to

change course in time. Motivation is a complex art, while the rule of the thumb is appreciation
and reward, the same incentives do not work on all individuals.
1. Always start with yourself; to motivate others you have to be motivated yourself and should
look for positives in all situations. As a role model, if you are energetic and inviting your team
will have confidence in you and will follow willingly.
2. Share the information you have about the project and give them a sense of ownership. It is
their project; they should know the circumstances and limitations surrounding the project.
This can lead to team members coming up with good suggestions as well.
3. When you face a work related problem your team is your best resource, and one that can
rise to the occasion if you manage to motivate them.Take your problems to them; discuss and
look for ideas and ways out of trouble. Once they feel you are a part of the team it is easier to
rev them up good.
4. While discipline is important, strive to keep your work environment as informal as possible.
People usually work better without the boss breathing down their neck so push for deadlines
but in a manner that makes it a team goal they can take pride in achieving instead of an order
that precedes insults on failure.
5. Projects are divided into phases; a good PM motivates his team by pointing out the
milestones within the project. Usually you can arrange for special celebrations upon reaching
the milestones on time. Plan your work parties ahead of time, or plan them during work hours so
the team can all gather around and enjoy instead of worrying about other commitments.
6. Always appreciate your team members, even the small tasks that result in the leader saying
thank you can make people strive harder for appreciation. While communicating, choose your
words wisely; be humble, use words like we instead of I.
7. During evaluation do not try to pin the blame on anyone as it creates an environment of
distrust. For a good team environment you have to make them believe it is a team
accomplishment or team failure.
8.Provide feedback in a positive manner; give them what was done right, mention the
shortcomings and how the team can do better. Be a part of the team when there is blame to
take but end your feedback on a positive note.
9. Everyone eats,take individual team members out to lunch, discuss trivial things as well as
work related matters and just let them enjoy the time. Its free lunch to them and your time is

well spent because at the end of it you have established a relationship from which you get
fresh ideas and a willing worker who knows he is valued.
10.Listen to your team members talk; give them your ear from time to time and really listen.
This should be a ritual every few days to get their perspectives. You can get new ideas and
things they say can help you improve your policies and even benefit your business.
11. When a team member comes to you with a problem be positive in your analysis, try to find a
definite solution and back him to work it out, even if you have to roll up your sleeves and
help.Earning respect with deeds goes further than words.
12.Always support your team, give them confidence and give them opportunities to fulfill your
confidence. It is imperative that you tell them you are there to support them in case they are
stuck.
13. Not everyone can handle every job. As a leader it is up to you to pick the right person for
the right job because while an under confident member can gain loads from successfully
achieving his goal, failure has a huge negative impact on morale.
14.Eating together can be a relationship builder, have team lunches where someone gives a
work related presentation. You basically end up killing two birds with a single stone.
15.Let your team be creative. Your teams productivity is likely to go up if you give them a day
where they can try out their ideas, as long as it has something to do with the project at hand,
let them enjoy themselves.
16. What do people work best for? Something they have stakes in, those can be monetary
stakes and they can be emotional or personal attachments. If you instill a sense of ownership
in the team they will take the team goals as their personal goals, you need not worry about the
end product after that; it is going to be their best effort.
17. Give them something fun to look forward to. That can be some time off at a board game
or you can have a bake off or something similar. It is good to pit the junior members against
the seniors and let them enjoy the competition. Or you can have work parties, give people
responsibility to arrange them and bring people out of their shells so they take up
responsibilities as well. The whole program helps lighten the mood and you share something
good to eat too.
18. Encouragement goes a long way within a team and individually. When someone does well,be
generous in your praise. An email to recognize a good idea, a pat on the back for a quick

delivery or praise in front of the team or senior management is an excellent way to tell them
they are appreciated.
19. When you ask for ideas and input it is usually the shy team members that lag behind. Give
them time as well as the opportunity to come forward and speak.Listen carefully and evaluate
ideas on merit, make sure not to discourage anyone though; telling them off for a bad idea
means they probably will not speak again.
20. During a discussion, if there is a point that needs clearing up find the time to clarify or ask
for a clarification. Misunderstandings can lead to huge blunders and these can be detrimental
to how you feel about your team members. Avoid conflict and resolve situations before they
can damage the team morale, or that of individuals.
21.Spot the motivators within your team; there are individuals that put a spark in the
atmosphere, they are active and they compel others to show the same energy without ever
saying it. If you have a good motivator prioritize his career development plans so even if there
is no room for vertical growth, he gets satisfaction from horizontal growth within the
organization.
22.Brainstorming sessions produce some great ideas and when they are one on one they show
your team members they are considered important. Along with importance should come
responsibility so give them roles they can fulfill according to their capabilities and interests.
23. Divide the project into parts where you can give individuals smaller achievable goals. This
gives them the freedom to do things their way while letting them gain in confidence as well as
motivation to do the best they can.
24. Achievement of organizational goals should lead to benefits. These can be monetary
benefits as well as packages that provide the team members, e.g. medical cover or something
similarly advantageous.
25. Last but not the least, keep Maslows Hierarchy of needs in mind; not every individual has
the same motivational needs and while a certain incentive would work for one team member it
would not motivate the other and can even backfire. For instance, if a member is financially
insecure he will value a raise more than anything else, but the same raise will not work on a
financially secure member, he can be concentrating on job security or his own safety,
therefore it is of utmost importance to get to know your team. Once you have worked out
where they stand on the hierarchy of needs, you can work out the best motivational incentive
for them. Macro-management does not pay the dividends.

10 Tips to Simplify Your Life

Over the last decade or so life has consistently been enriched because of more and
more facilities, on-going gadgets inventions and day by day increment in luxuries.
This is quite exciting however during the same period of time, people have
increased their love for materialistic things abruptly which has directly or
indirectly reduced their overall happiness index. Now a days, we have more luxuries
but less delights and high stress levels. We have more sugar, blood and heart
patients then it used to be a decade back. The reason for all thestressand
anxiety is simple that we are not living a simple life.

Below are some tips which can simplify your life and may amplify the happiness scale of
your life.

1-Avoid getting influenced:You don't have to follow every single trend in

society. If your friend has purchased a new BMW, you don't need to buy a Mercedes to
impress. Live for yourself not for others. If you purchase a high-end luxury car today,
your love for this will end soon and you will be selling it at considerable financial loss
though I am not forbidding to purchase luxury things once in a considerable duration of
time.
2-Avoid impulse buying:You don't need to buy every single gadget instantly which
you like in this shop. Do your Needs Vs Wantsanalysis. Buy only if it is really increasing
your peace of mind. Remember that now a days the standard life of every gadget (phone,
tablet, laptop, jewelry etc) is more or less 6 months because of new and new products
release by several companies.
3-The 6 months Rule:Generally speaking, anything which has not been used in last
6 months will not be used in next 6 months most likely. Give such things (shoes, garments,
toys, mobiles, house hold items) in charity. This will help spreading happiness in society and
reducing your space at home.
4-Avoid Credit Cards Usage:Avoid this as much as you can. Debt is a silent
stress and eating up your mental health slowly. Your brain might get old while you are
young at heart. You might develop high BP or sugar because of stress due to credit. Live a
credit-free life.
5-Learn to say No: Don't accept every single attractive offer from the bank

representative or a car loan company. Do your "Needs Vs Wants" analysis. Careful spending
is always recommended.
6-Reduce too much social gatherings: Stay at home. Spend quality time with your
spouse and kids forempowered relationships. You don't have to say yes every time to
your friend who is coming to pick you from home to join another late night social get
together.
7-Reduce your love for money: Careful spending and saving is important but don't
allow your brain to keep doing the calculations all day long. You love for money is pulling
your brain strings and damaging your peace of mind silently. Stay away from too much
thoughts about your financials.
8-Less TV more Books:It is proven that people who watch more movies generate
high level of stress. Read quality books to learn wisdom and attain high degree of
happiness.
9-Spend time with Nature:Instead of going to cinemas and malls repeatedly,
spend time in parks. This will relax your brain, body and soul.
10-Change your eating habits:why eating lavish foods by visiting costly restaurants
again and again in a week. The purpose of food is to fill your belly for some hours. So the
suggestion here is to go for simpler and healthier food. Remember, most of the food items
in the market are fried which are increasing your cholesterol level silently hence making
you a heart patient in the long run!

Effect of Different Colors on Human Mind and

Body
Take a minute and imagine the world around you without colors, how boring and unexciting life
would be. Colors play a vital role in our daily lives and it has been proven that our activities and
responses are influenced by them. Kenneth Fehrman, co-author of the book, Color: The Secret
Influence states that, Most people are unaware of the profound effect color
has on their behavior.

Every color has a unique effect on individuals and stimulates various responses e.g. the fast food
companies use red, yellow and orange colors in their restaurants and product packaging as these
colors are found to be helpful in increasing appetite. A research by the University of British
Columbia has proven that blue color enhances creativity whereas; the color red helps to be

focused and has a positive effect on memory. The Blackfriars Bridge made of black iron when
painted green, showed a decline in suicide rate up to 30%. Studies show that pink color is
beneficial for stimulating responses from females whereas dark green color has a motivational
effect on males. Lets take a look at how some colors affect our mind and
body.

Every color has a unique effect on individuals and stimulates various responses

Red

The color Red is the most vibrant of all the colors. It stimulates the adrenal gland and the
neurons. This color is ideal to wear for a walk or exercise as it is an invigorating color. However,
too much exposure to the color red can cause stress; it may also cause frustration and provoke
anger.

The color red symbolizes love; it stimulates heartbeat and breathing. Researches show that men
feel more affectionate towards women wearing red. Wear red and you might get lucky in
grabbing attention but may appear heavier than your original body size.

If one says Red

the name of color and there are fifty people

listening, it can be expected that there will be fifty reds in their minds. And one can be sure that
all these reds will be very different. Josef Albers

Yellow

Have you ever wondered why Smiley is yellow? The reason is that yellow helps to release a
chemical in the brain called Serotonin, essential for causing a happy mood.

Studies have proven that yellow color enhances concentration and gives the brain and nervous
system a wake-up call. Too much of yellow color
can cause fatigue. Studies show that babies cry more in yellow rooms. It is the most difficult
color on the eye and people might lose temper more often in yellow rooms. It is also beneficial
for speeding up metabolism and is a common food color.

Yellow is capable of charming God.

Vincent Van Gogh

Blue

If you want some creative juices spilling out of your mind then get exposed to the color Blue. It
is believed to have a soothing effect on human mind as it helps to produce some calming
chemicals in the brain. However, too much exposure to this color may cause depression. Blue is
used a lot in cooperate sector as it denotes loyalty. It is also proved that materials in blue color
appear to be light in weight; this is one of the reasons why weightlifters find it easier to handle
heavy weights in gyms painted blue.

The color blue is a non food color as it gives a toxic effect to edibles; moreover research has
proven that when people are served with food dyed in blue they tend to lose appetite. For weight
watchers blue kitchen can be very helpful, studies reveal that diners eating in a blue room eat 3
times less calories than in rooms painted yellow and red.

Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of

delight. John Ruskin

Black

Black signifies power and authority, it represents knowledge and intelligence. It is the most
popular color in the fashion industry because of its association with style and it makes people
wearing it look thin. A food product packed in black color may bring in more profits because it is
perceived to be higher in quality. Black is the most aggressive color, studies found that hockey
teams wearing black jerseys were penalized more for fouls.

Ive been 40 years discovering that the queen of all

colors is black. Pierre-Auguste Renoir

White

White is considered to be the most neutral color. Baby products come usually in white to
symbolize innocence and cleanliness. White is used by doctors and nurses to show sterility. In
clothes, white is associated with sophistication. A research showed that people having hand
tremors didnt shake much in white rooms proving that the color has a
calming effect.

White covers a multitude of sins.

Jonathan Milne

Green

Green represents nature and currently it is the most popular color that is being used in interior
decoration. The reason is its soothing effect on the eyes. Green gives a relaxes the body and
alleviates stress. Researchers have proven that the color improves vision. This could be the
reason why classroom boards are in green color. Middle aged brides wear green to signify
fertility. Green has a healing and hygienic effect and for this reason it is used a lot in hospitals.

People working in green offices have proven to be more satisfied with their jobs. Other surveys
have also found that consumers spend more time shopping in shops painted green.

Green how I want you green. Green wind. Green

branches. Federico Garcia Lorca

Pink

Pink color is considered to be the most romantic of all the colors. It is the most tranquilizing
color and is associated with femininity. Often sports teams use pink color to paint the locker
rooms for the opposing team. It has been found beneficial in reducing anger and anxiety and this
is the reason why prisons in US are painted pink to keep the prisoners calm.
Dr Alexander Schauss, from American Institute of Biosocial and Medical Research explains that,
Even if a person tries to be angry or aggressive in the presence of pink, he
cant. The heart muscles cant race fast
enough.

Purple

Purple color symbolizes royalty, luxury and sophistication. People wearing purple color are
perceived to be wealthy. It develops spirituality and deep thoughts. Purple color has also been
found helpful to intensify sexual activity.

Orange

Something you need to turn up your bad mood? Orange is the color for you. It is derived by the
combination of red and yellow color therefore it has combining effects of the two. It stimulates
mental abilities and is an ideal color to wear for exams. It is also useful for increasing appetite.

How can Alcohol be good for your heart?

Addiction, alcohol poisoning, drunk driving, liver disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease,
obesity, diabetes and heart attack, these are the problems that have been linked with the
consumption of alcohol. We have been hearing so many negative things about alcohol for a very
long time that it has become nearly impossible for us to believe that it can actually be good for
our health.

So whats new? Surprisingly true, recent researches suggest that alcohol might benefit people
with heart disease, if they consume it in moderate amount.

Moderate consumption of alcohol can save you from atherosclerosis, a condition in which
arteries become narrow and clogged and one of the major causes of heart attack. The major
factor that contributes to atherosclerosis is cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance; if the blood becomes too much concentrated with it, sticks to the
artery walls and becomes plaque. The platelets present in the blood get stuck to the plaque and
cause the blood to clot. These blood clots restrict the flow of the oxygen-rich blood to reach the
heart, causing heart attack.

How can alcohol help?

It helps

to increase HDL or good cholesterol

It increases

apolipoprotien A1, this protein plays a vital role in

lipid metabolism and is also an important component of HDL
Decreases

fibrinogen, which is responsible for blood clotting

It prevents

plaque formation in the arteries

It prevents

blood clots and platelets from clumping

As we know there are two types of cholesterol, LDL or bad cholesterol and HDL or good
cholesterol. Low levels of HDL and high levels of LDL can cause plaque formation in the
arteries. A study published in the journal Circulation, in 2000, revealed that alcohol helps to
boost HDL levels and the major contributing factor present in alcohol is ethanol.

There is another study that supports the fact that alcohol can improve cardiovascular health. This
study was conducted in 2008, by Danish researchers who examined 12000 participants for 20
years. The effects of alcohol and exercise were observed on the hearts of participating men and
women. Following were the results of the research:

Positive relationship

between regular exercise and decrease in

heart disease was observed, in fact there was a reduction in the heart disease risk up to 32%
Participants

who were very active and did not had any

consumption of alcohol showed a 30% drop in the risk of heart disease
Those who

consumed alcohol and also took regular exercise

showed a reduction if the risk of heart disease up to 50%
Non-active

alcohol drinkers showed a reduction in the heart

disease risk up to 30%, compared to the non-active participant who didnt drink

Overall it was concluded that people drinking alcohol and taking regular exercise had the lowest
chances of developing heart disease. An important thing to notify here is that the participants in
this study only had one alcoholic beverage in a week.

Another study conducted in the U.S. in 2007, focused on men consuming one to two drinks in a
day. It was revealed that such men had fewer incidences of heart attacks.

A research was conducted at The University of Buffalo, in 2001. The participants involved
women who already had heart disease and consumed one drink in a day. These women were at a
lower risk of having a heart attack as compared to the women who didnt consume alcohol at all.

Moderate consumption of alcohol can save you from atherosclerosis

All the above mentioned studies focus on the moderate consumption of alcohol. In the U.S. the
standard size of a drink is 12 ounces of beer and 5 ounces of wine, both containing 14 grams of
ethanol. Men can consume 1 to 2 drinks per day and for women not more than one drink is
recommended per day.

Out of all the alcoholic beverages red wine is considered the best. The antioxidants along with
the anti-clotting compound known as resveratrol found in it are very beneficial for the heart.

The American Heart Association does not consider alcohol intake as a heart-healthy activity and
does not encourage relying on alcohol for treating heart disease. Instead, it focuses on healthy
eating, limiting the intake of salt and taking regular exercise.

Alcohol is also responsible for increasing the levels of triglycerides in the blood; it raises blood
pressure and also causes liver disease. The scientist at the University of Buffalo discovered that
consumption of alcohol, even in moderate amounts, increases the chances of developing breast
cancer in women.

So we can conclude that Alcohol is clearly a double-edged sword.

10 Great Companies that Started Out Selling Something Else

Good companies start by selling what people want. Great companies adapt to what people want
and start selling what they're going to want.
As you'll find in this post, sometimes that means completely changing your product or service.
Here are 10 great companies that started as something completely different than what they're
known for today.

Companies Started by Selling Something Else

#1 3M

Formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3 M's, get it?), 3M
started in 1902 as a mining company that sold a popular mineral to grinding wheel
manufacturers.
From a mineral, they began selling sandpaper, then masking tape, then "Scotch Tape", and today
they sell over 55,000 different products including everything from car care products to touch
screens.

#2 Abercrombie Fitch
Founded in 1892 by David Abercrombie and Ezra H. Fitch, Abercrombie Fitch started as a
sporting goods shop and outfitter.
They didn't become a clothing store until The Limited acquired them in 1988. Now they have
over 300 stores in the U.S. and they're expanding internationally.

#3 Avon
David H. McConnell started Avon in 1886 as door-to-door book salesman. Sales were tough at
first but he realized that he could gain women's attention by offering perfume samples.
Soon those perfume samples became more popular than the books, so he founded the California
Perfume Company in New York, NY and it eventually became Avon.

#4 Colgate

Colgate was originally founded in 1806 by a soap and candle maker named William Colgate.
They started by selling soap, candles, and starch.
Colgate didn't start selling toothpaste until 1873 and they sold it by the jar.

#5 Flickr
In 2004, Flickr started as a chat room with real-time photo sharing for the web-based multiplayer
game,Game Neverending. Soon thereafter, they shelvedGame Neverending, expanded the
uploading and filing of photos, and buried the chat room.
In March 2005, Yahoo! acquired Flickr for $35 million.

#6 Microsoft
Bill Gates and Paul Allen started what eventually became Microsoft in 1968 when a local
computer company gave the 13-year-olds access to a computer. They were quickly banned after
they learned how to hack the system and crash the files. But the company ultimately re-hired
them to find bugs and fix weaknesses in their systems.
Over the next five years they received sporadic programming gigs until Gates enrolled at
Harvard. One year in, Allen showed Gates the latest issue ofPopular Electronicsfeaturing
the Altair 8800 and Allen convinced Gates to drop out so they could develop software for
personal computers.

#7 Nintendo

Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo in 1889 as a playing card company. The game, Hanafuda,
became very popular in Japan but they knew the market wasn't that big. So they began to
experiment in other industries. Between 1963 and 1968, Nintendo set up a taxi company, a hotel
chain, a TV network, and a food company.
Finally, in 1974, Nintendo entered the video-gaming industry and today they're third most
valuable listed company in Japan.

#8 Nokia
Nokia got its start in 1865 as a paper mill the original communications technology. In 1868,
Frederick Idestam opened his second pulp mill near the town of Nokia, Finland.
After a century of mergers and acquisitions, Nokia entered the mobile communication in the
1980s with the Mobira Talkman.

#9 Twitter
Twitter originated from a "daylong brainstorming session" between Jack Dorsey and his
podcasting company, Odeo, with the goal of creating an online SMS service to communicate
within a small group. It was codenamed, Twttr, after being inspired by Flickr.
At first, it was used internally by Odeo employees and they launched Twitter to the public on
July 15, 2006.

#10 Wrigley

Like Colgate, the William Wrigley Jr. Company started by selling soap and baking powder in
1891. Like Avon, William Wrigley began by selling his products door-to-door and he enticed his
customers by packaging each can of baking powder with chewing gum.
The chewing gum steadily became more popular than the baking powder. Today several brands
of chewing gum are owned by Wrigley, including Juicy Fruit, Extra, Orbit, Hubba Bubba, and 5.

Bonus: Google
Mark my words, years from now our generation will be saying, "Remember when Google was
just a search engine?" And we'll be like, "Yeah, dude, I remember the first time I used it back in
middle school."

What's the Point?

One of the biggest excuses young people give for not starting a business is, "I don't have an idea
yet."
They're just sitting back and waiting for that big idea. You know, that one-in-a-million idea. They
think it'll fall out of the sky and into their lap when they least expect it. And that's when they'll
get started.
If you want to be successful, just start selling something, anything. Figure out what people are
buying and sell it to them. Michael started his journey by selling Pokmon cards to his
schoolmates as an 8-year-old.
What you're selling will likely change over time, but the principles will stay the same.
Do you know of other companies that started out selling something completely different?

Life After 60

An interesting article from The Hindu.

Life can begin at 60, it is all in your hands! Many
people feel unhappy, health-wise and security-wise,
after 60 years of age, owing to the diminishing
importance given to them and their opinions. But, it
need not be so, if only we understand the basic
principles of life and follow them scrupulously. Here
are ten mantras to age gracefully and make life after
retirement pleasant.
1. Never say I am aged' :
There are three ages, chronological, biological, and psychological. The
first is calculated based on our date of birth; the second is determined
by the health conditions; the third is how old we feel we are. While we
don't have control over the first, we can take care of our health with
good diet, exercise and a cheerful attitude. A positive attitude and
optimistic thinking can reverse the third age.
2. Health is wealth:
If you really love your kit and kin, taking care of your health should be
your priority. Thus, you will not be a burden to them. Have an annual
health check-up and take the prescribed medicines regularly. Do take
health insurance coverage.
3. Money is important:
Money is essential for meeting the basic necessities of life, keeping
good health and earning family respect and security. Don't spend
beyond your means even for your children. You have lived for them all
through and it is time you enjoyed a harmonious life with your spouse. If
your children are grateful and they take care of you, you are blessed.
But, never take it for granted.
4. Relaxation and recreation:
The most relaxing and recreating forces are a healthy religious attitude,
good sleep, music and laughter. Have faith in God, learn to sleep well,
love good music and see the funny side of life.
5. Time is precious:

It is almost like holding a horses' reins. When they are in your hands,
you can control them. Imagine that everyday you are born again.
Yesterday is a cancelled cheque. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today
is ready cash - use it profitably. Live this moment; live it fully, now, in the
present time.
6. Change is the only permanent thing: We should accept change - it is
inevitable. The only way to make sense out of change is to join in the
dance. Change has brought about many pleasant things. We should be
happy that our children are blessed.
7. Enlightened selfishness:
All of us are basically selfish. Whatever we do, we expect something in
return. We should definitely be grateful to those who stood by us. But,
our focus should be on the internal satisfaction and the happiness we
derive by doing good for others, without expecting anything in return.
Perform a random act of kindness daily.
8. Forget and forgive:
Don't be bothered too much about others' mistakes. We are not spiritual
enough to show our other cheek when we are slapped in one. But for the
sake of our own health and happiness, let us forgive and forget them.
Otherwise, we will be only increasing our blood pressure.
9. Everything has a purpose:
Take life as it comes. Accept yourself as you are and also accept others
for what they are. Everybody is unique and is right in his own way.
10. Overcome the fear of death:
We all know that one day we have to leave this world. Still we are afraid
of death. We think that our spouse and children will be unable to
withstand our loss. But the truth is no one is going to die for you; they
may be depressed for some time. Time heals everything and they will go
on.

5 Home Remedies for Whiter Teeth

Are you too embarrassed of your stained yellow teeth?
Or you are hesitant to reveal your teeth while smiling?

Sparkling white teeth are every persons dream. Not just they enhance the beauty of your smile
but also contribute to give you a magnetic personality. So you might be thinking its about time
you should visit a dentist and finally get rid of the yellow stains. Wait a minute! You can have a
glowing smile without wasting hundreds of dollars on bleaching trays and other so called
whitening solutions.

Here are some easy remedies, coming out straight from your kitchen shelf and giving you a wide
white smile.

You can have a glowing smile without wasting hundreds of dollars on bleaching trays and other
so called whitening solutions

Banana Peel
Banana is a fruit with many essential nutrients for the body. Who says banana peels are a waste?
Next time when you are about to throw those banana peels rub them on your teeth for two
minutes. After 15 minutes, brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste. Repeat this process
twice or thrice a week. After some time you will notice a visible difference.

How can banana peel help to whiten teeth? Banana peel contains some essential mineral like
potassium, manganese and magnesium that penetrates into the teeth and helps to whiten them.

Strawberries
The sweet tasting bright colored strawberries can brighten up your smile as well. All you have to
do is take one to two strawberries, mash them up and apply them to your teeth for 2 to 3 minutes.
After this procedure you can simply rinse off with water or you can brush your teeth.
Strawberries help in two ways. Firstly, they are a rich source of natural enzyme known as malic
acid. Louisa Mccan-Graves, beauty expert and author of the book, Hollywood Beauty Sectrets:
Remedies to the Rescue, says that malic acid is the key component in many teeth whitening

tooth pastes. Dentistry expert, Dr. Steven Roth says that the fiber found in strawberries act as a
natural cleanser and helps remove bacteria, specifically from the mouth and teeth.

Lemon Peel and Juice

Another fruit that works as an effective teeth whitener is lemon. The high acid level contained in
the peel of the lemon work as a powerful whitener or bleaching agent. Dr. Roth says, Just as
they naturally bleach your hair, lemons will lighten and brighten your teeth,

You can either rub the lemon peel or apply its juice to the teeth. Take lemon juice and mix with
equal quantity of water e.g. if you are taking one teaspoon of lemon juice then mix it with 1
teaspoon of water. Do not use lemon for more than twice a week. The lemon being too acidic can
cause tooth decay and destroy the enamel by degrading its calcium, if used very frequently.
Other fruits such as pineapple and oranges also help to keep the teeth clean.

Crunchy Carrots
Feel happy when the next time you hear the crunching sounds of the carrots in your mouth.
Why? Because raw carrots are very beneficial in scrapping off plaque from your teeth and are
also known as natural cleaner. Dr. Jeffrey Gross at the Case Western Reserve University School
of Dental Medicine says, It may sound hard to believe, but some people swear that rubbing raw
carrot sticks on your teeth will make them look brighter.

They also kill the bacteria by maintaining the acid-alkaline balance of the mouth. So every time
you crunch on that carrot you are getting whiter teeth along with healthy gums.

Apple and celery are also equally important as teeth whiteners. This is what Dr. Michael Apa, a
specialized cosmetic dentist has to say, These foods are high in Vitamin C, which prevents gum
disease and gingivitis and kills odor-causing bacteria.

Baking Soda
All the dental experts agree to the fact that one of the safest and strongest teeth whitener is
baking soda. It is an excellent acid neutralizer and helps to remove stains while protecting the
enamel. Mix a little salt with baking soda i.e. a pinch of both, apply it to your teeth with a help of
a soft tooth brush. Leave it for two to three minutes and then rinse off with water. You will get
white sparkling teeth in an instant(Personal experience).

There are many whitening tooth pastes available in the market containing baking soda, but if
your tooth paste does not contain it you can sprinkle it on your tooth paste before brushing.

To ensure better teeth and gum health, calcium enriched dairy products such as milk and cheese
can be very useful. Black tea and coffee can stain your teeth so it is better if you add a little milk
to them. It is also suggested to use a straw for drinking dark beverages such as grape juice and
soda. Dr. Roth says, The straw allows food dyes to bypass teeth altogether.

Flossing your teeth twice daily can also brighten up your teeth.

These home remedies are harmless and best of all inexpensive and would provide you with
beneficial results.

Tremendous Powers of Words You Speak

Think about the tremendous power of words:

Do you keep telling yourself how difficult life is? If you do, you will always see
difficulties everywhere.

Do you keep telling yourself how poor you are? If you do, your subconscious mind
will always be busy justifying these thoughts.

Change the words and sentences you use, and you will get different results. The way you
phrase a sentence will always affect the results, and some results could be quite dramatic.
This applies to words you repeat in your mind, words you say aloud, and words you read.
Different words affect people and differently and cause different reactions. This applies to
work interviews, dating, advertising, relationships, conversations and every sort of
communication.

The words you repeat in your mind, in your inner conversations, also have a tremendous
power. If you change them, you can change your life, and also how people treat you.
Pay attention to the words you constantly repeat in your mind. Be aware of what is going on
in your mind, when you are not too busy, such as while waiting in line, travelling by bus or
train, walking, or at any other time you are mentally not busy.
What kind of words do you repeat in your mind?
If you always say:

I am weak

I am poor

I cannot...

This is a problem

Change the words, and instead say:

I am strong.

I am rich.

I can.

This a solvable challenge

Say these words with faith and conviction, not just uttering them without believing them.
This might be difficult at first, but if you persist, the inner resistance will get weaker, and the
words would sink into your subconscious mind. When this happens, things would start
changing in your life.
Remember that words have power:
1. Words can change your life
2. Words affect how you feel
3. Words affect how you react
4. Words affect how you treat people, and how you treat them
5. Different words bring different results

Are you seeking to improve your life, earn more money, develop new habits, achieve
success, or make changes in your life?
Learn how to use affirmations effectively. This is easy and simple.
Everything you need to know about affirmations and how to use them for every goal and
situation.

Choose Right!

Eight Choices You Can Make Today that Will

Change Your Life Forever
by Chris Widener
The direction of our lives is determined by the choices we make every day. They accumulate and
add up to our ultimate destiny. Here are eight choices you can make - choices that will create for
you a life of abundance and prosperity in all areas of your life.

1. Choose to grow personally. This sounds simple but many people only wish to grow
personally. They never choose to grow by taking action, such as actually exercising, saving more
money etc. Make a decision today to be a person who is on the never ending journey of personal
growth.

2. Choose to always treat others right. We come across all sorts of people, many of whom will
treat us poorly. We can choose to treat them right, no matter how they treat us. When they lie, we
will tell the truth. When they cheat, we will play by the rules. We may get the short end of the
stick some times, but in the long-run we will win. And most importantly, we will be able to sleep
at night.

3. Choose to break a bad habit. Take the biggie first. Tackle it head on. If you don't know what
it is, ask a friend. Then spend every effort you can to break that habit. Forget about the others, as
you will get to them later. Stop smoking, get out of debt, lose your excess weight. Exercise the
power to choose!

4. Choose to work smarter. Many people I work with feel like they are out of balance. One of
the first things I do is try to find out how much time they are wasting at work, which makes them
work longer, which throws the rest of their life into chaos. Getting your work done by diligently
working in the time you have will free your life up extraordinarily.

5. Choose to see your work as a way to help others, and not a way to make money. If you put
your heart into helping others, the money will most assuredly come. Spend time helping others
grow and your finances will grow with it.

6. Choose to become balanced spiritually, emotionally and physically. Our lives are best
when we have these three major areas in balance. Spend some time cultivating your spirituality,
becoming emotionally healthy, and physically fit.

7. Choose to sow more than you reap. There are many takers in this world, but our lives will be
better as we become givers. The world will become better as we become givers. Give away your
time, give away your money, give away your love.

8. Choose to get home for dinner more often. The family is the most important group of people
you will ever belong to. Make a decision today to grow in your relationship with your parents,
siblings, spouse and children. This one choice you will never regret.

9 Rules for Staying Positive

1- I must develop the power of not looking back in the past to read the
old chapters of life again and again because I cannot go back to my past to fix
things. Whatever has happened has happened. Now is the time to review the
lessons learnt once and then focus on to improve my present and future.

2- I have to stay away from negative souls which means I have to avoid
spending time with people doing backbiting, criticising, cursing, complaining,
conspiring, corrupting and complicating. (More about the 6 Cs can be read at this
link).
3- I have to stop judging others for their actions. I must mind my own
business instead of interpreting their actions and commenting in negative way.

Thinking and speaking about others pollutes my thoughts and steals my peace of
mind.
4- I must develop the habit of gratitude. Which means that at the end
of each day I must refresh the fact that I am better than billions of the people of
the world. Being healthy, not in debt, sleeping on the bed, eating 3 times a day and
using internet are the great blessings billions of people dont enjoy. (Some
pictures here). People possessing high level of gratitude strengthen positive
powerful thoughts.
5- I must spend time in reading good books, visiting websites on
positivity, liking Facebook pages containing quotes and reading inspirational stories
on daily basis. This will help remove negative impurities from my personality and
empower my positive personality trait.

6- I must stop being explosive and reactive to people and situations. I

must stay positive about others feelings and respect their opinions because
every soul is unique in thinking so I should avoid imposing my thoughts to others. I
must confess the fact that I can be wrong at times so understanding others
perspective be being empathic is very important for me to avoid building stress
reducing my self-positivity-index.
7- I must be positive about my circumstances even if they are not so
good. I have to understand the fact that time does not stop so I have to start
taking the necessary actions to expedite the change process. One thousand plans
cannot be equal to the power of one great step taken right now!!!
8- I must of focus on spiritual awakening acts such as a) frequent
attacks of smiling, loss of ability in conflicts, loss of ability to judging others,
ability to react to things as they happen instead of living in fears and so on.

9- I must focus on improving the quality of my thoughts because quality

of thoughts determine the level of peace of mind. (Reasons for Negative thoughts
can be read here)

10 Things That Define A True Professional

You may be a brilliant developer, a highly skilled net admin, or a crackerjack DBA but if
you're unprofessional, your career is likely to fall short. Alan Norton offers some attributes to
strive for.
________________________________
The term professional is thrown around quite a bit these days, perhaps too much. I do it myself.
But what exactly does it mean to be a professional? As you read through the items below,
consider how you compare with each trait.
Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Put customer satisfaction first
Understanding and satisfying your customer's needs are the cornerstones of a successful
business. Do what is necessary to meet those needs. After all, without the customer, there is no
professional.
You may not view those you work with as your customers, but in many cases, they are. I
remember when one of my managers perceived that I was overly stressed. He pulled me aside
and sat me down in his office where he told me stories and jokes for the better part of half an
hour. He recognized my needs and acted accordingly.
Professionals identify and satisfy their customer's needs.
2: Make expertise your specialty
The very word professional implies that you are an expert. Technical competence is essential in
IT.
Become an expert in the skills and tools necessary to do your job.
Always perform to the best of your abilities.
Keep your knowledge up to date.
Professionals know their trade.
3: Do more than expected

Professionals aren't bound by a time clock. They are given wide latitude in their daily selfmanagement. They are expected to manage their time and work habits. Don't abuse the privilege.
If you take an hour for personal needs, give back two hours.
The reality is that professionals are expected to exceed the standard 40-hour workweek. There
are times when you may be asked to work weekends. You may have to forego a vacation or work
12-hour days to complete an important project. All are part of the job description of most
professional positions.
Professionals are expected to produce results. Strive to complete deliverables before their due
dates and under budget.
Professionals meet or exceed expectations whenever possible.
But this does not mean that you sacrifice your family life. The idea is that you must manage your work as much as
you and produce desirable results.

4: Do what you say and say what you can do

This is one of my favorite sayings especially in view of the fact that talking the talk is so
prevalent and walking the walk so rare in this age of sound bites. You should "engage brain"
before speaking can you really do what you are about to say? If you can't, the wizard behind
the curtain will eventually be revealed and hard-earned trust can be lost.
Professionals deliver on promises made.
5: Communicate effectively
I go out of my way to patronize a dentist who has excellent communication skills. He takes the
time to explain the available options, make recommendations, state the total costs, and promise a
date when the work can be completed. I then feel empowered to make the right decisions.
I recently ordered Internet and phone service from the cable company. I told the salesman that
the existing cable had been ripped out during a landscaping project. Perhaps I wasn't clear or
perhaps the salesman wasn't listening it doesn't really matter. The message didn't get through
and the wrong person was sent to do the installation. As a result, Qwest, not the cable company,
got my business. Not only did the commissioned salesman lose his sale, he and his company both
looked unprofessional in my eyes.
Resist the urge to blame the customer when communication goes awry. Effective communication
is ultimately your responsibility not your customer's.
Whether verbal or written, professionals communicate clearly, concisely, thoroughly, and

accurately.
6: Follow exceptional guiding principles
Appreciate and support those you work with. Practice good manners and proper etiquette. Have
high ethical and moral standards. Be honest and fair in all of your dealings with others. Obey the
law. These may sound like the attributes of a Boy Scout, but they are basic values that all
professionals should follow. Many companies have a document that outlines their operating
principles. Have you read yours?
Professionals adhere to high values and principles.
7: Praise your peers not yourself
Respect and acknowledge the talents of your peers. There is nothing more unprofessional and
self-serving than telling others how wonderful you are.
Professionals are humble and generous in their praise of others.
8: Share your knowledge
When I was hired at Hughes Aircraft, a second person with similar skills was hired with me. It
didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that one of us wasn't going to survive. The competitive
nature of the situation was palpable. I am no stranger to the belief that it is not in your best
interest to share your knowledge with your associates, AKA the competition.
It is easy to find yourself in that comfortable place with "unique" knowledge. If you are a
hoarder of information and are of the opinion that all of the nuts you have squirreled away grant
you immutable job security, think again. The harsh reality is that nobody is irreplaceable.
Information isn't a limited resource. Contrary to what some might think, your mind won't be
emptied by giving away kernels of wisdom or experience. Think of knowledge as an ocean of
facts and not a stream of data. It is possible to share what you know and still keep one step ahead
of the competition simply apply yourself and learn something new daily.
Professionals help their peers and are respected for doing so.
9: Say thank you
I always tried to find a way to thank others for their help. When their help was above and beyond

the call of duty, I would buy them a Coke - a testament to the marketing power of Madison
Avenue and Mean Joe Greene.
The items I value the most in my personnel file from Hughes Aircraft are two AVOs (Avoid
Verbal Orders memos) to my manager from frontline employees. The AVOs thanked me for the
support I provided that helped them do their job better.
Silly me what was I thinking? I was sharing a Coke when I should have been sharing my
thanks in a printed internal document to the employee's manager.
Professionals thank others in a meaningful way that most benefits the recipient.
10: Keep a smile on your face and the right attitude in your heart
This has been the hardest item for me to do consistently over my working years. I believed I was
lying to myself and the world by smiling when I was miserable or unhappy with an ongoing
issue at work.
I now realize it's not dishonest to be pleasant when you are having one of those lousy days. It is
in fact thoughtful to care about how your attitude affects those you interact with. Share your
unhappiness with your manager only. "Share the misery" is not the mark of a professional.
Professionals are pleasant even during trying times.
The final word
Working with professionals is a pleasure, and I have been fortunate to work with some truly
exemplary ones. There have been a few who liked to be treated as professionals without having
to work and act like one.
You don't have to look any further than the medical profession to see examples of true
professionals. Think back upon those doctors you've liked the most and model your
professionalism after theirs.
So, how do you measure up? Don't feel bad if you need some work in one or more areas.
Demeanor that is less than professional can lead to an image problem for you and your company.
Negative images are hard to shake. Recognize any shortcomings you might have and begin
working on your professional image today.

10 Latest Research Studies About Human Brain

The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is larger
than any other in relation to body size. The human brain is almost twice as large as the brain of
the bottle-nose dolphin, and three times as large as the brain of a chimpanzee. Much of the
expansion comes from the part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, especially the frontal
lobes, which are associated with executive functions such as self-control, planning, reasoning,
and abstract thought. The portion of the cerebral cortex devoted to vision is also greatly enlarged
in humans.

Here we are presenting 10 different studies carried out about human brain at different parts of
world which might give you a few insights of human brain.

1. A 2011 study from Columbia University found that people have been relying more on the
Internet, less on their brains. Which means your brain is going to forget more things over time

2. In June 2012, a nine-year longitudinal study showed that participants with diabetes who
didnt control their blood sugar levels suffered from cognitive decline. Take control of your
diabetes or prevent the disease completely by swapping everyday foods high in sugar for
healthier choices, staying active with exercise, and seeing your doctor regularly

3. Findings from a 2012 study reveal exciting new evidence that brains front-most region, the
frontopolar cortex, helps predict future events from past experiences. Its not exactly psychicsuperpowers, but your brain is able to make short-term predictions and think strategically about
the future by drawing conclusions from recent patterns

4. In an isolated 2012 study, researchers found that people in a simulated gambling task could
teach themselves to be more cautious bettors. With more research, scientists believe they can
help with new developments in treating addiction and impulse-control disorders like ADHD

5. Exercise helps more than just keeping your bones strong and heart pumping. Art Kramer,
from the University of Illinois, found that memoryone component of brains many functions

that declines with agecan improve with treadmill usage just three days a week, working up to
an hour a day. Exercise increases blood flow to brain, which delivers vital oxygen and glucose.
MRIs revealed that areas pivotal for decision-making, planning, and multitasking also improved
in those who went on the treadmill.

6. Brain games dont do any good for your brains computational or memorizational health. In
a recent study, 11,430 volunteers aged 18 to 60 completed a series of online tasks for a minimum
of 10 minutes a day, three times a week, for six weeks. Even though participants improved at the
tasks, researchers believe that there wasnt a boost in general memory and learning abilities.
Want to get sharp in your downtime? Listen to more music: Stanford University researchers
found that it helps me better organize chaos, pay attention, make predictions, and update memory

7. New research from the National Institute of Health showed that less than an hour of
cellphone use can speed up brain activity in the area closest to the phone antenna. Although the
verdict isnt out yet on cell phone usage and cancer, many more studies reveal cellphone
radiation to be linked with other disturbances, like sleep problems

8. A recent report found that those who meditated for about 30 minutes a day for eight weeks
showed significant changes in my parts linked to memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress. Try
silently repeating a calming word again and again to prevent distracting thoughts from
inundating your brain, or focus on your breathing to be more in the moment

9. Amygdala and hippocampus (two parts linked to depression) light up when we hear laughter,
as does the brain nucleus accumbens, which is a key player in pleasurable feelings. Chuckling
reduces stress hormones and lowers blood pressure too, decreasing your chance of heart attack
and stroke. In one 2012 study, researchers found an increase in oxytocin (also known as the love
hormone, which enhances brains reward centers), when subjects listened to infant laughter

10. A study from Columbia University found that people have been relying more on the Internet,
less on their brains. That means your brain is going to forget more things over time

This complete our list of 10 latest research studies about brain. If you know some more please
send it our way through the comments thread.

26 TIPS FOR MANAGING #STRESS

1. Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per day.
2. Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool
down.
3. Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling
everybody else.
4. Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.
5. Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give your body the best
for it to perform at its best.
6. Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant -- not everyone is as
capable as you.
7. Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?
8. Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid to share your
feelings with others.
9. Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time.
10. Judge your own performance realistically; don't set goals out of your own
reach.
11. Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way
others treat you.
12. Stop alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception
and behaviour.

13. Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you
earn.
14. No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.
15. Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and family, can be a great
way to relax.
16.Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a
part of the bigger picture.
17. Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you
too.
18. Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less.
19. Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don't overheat
yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.
20. Treat yourself once a week with some shopping, dinner out, the parks:
Moderation is the key.
21. Understand things from the other person's point of view.
22. Verify information from the source before exploding.
23. Worry less, it really does not get things completed better or quicker.
24. Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space, make holidays
part of your yearly plan and budget.
25. Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your
priorities in your career, relationships, etc.

THE GIFT OF FAILURE

Almost everyone knows that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball
team. But most don't know that Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper for a
lack of ideas and his first cartoon production company went bankrupt. Everyone
loves Lucy but Lucille Ball was told that she had no talent and should leave Murray
Andersons drama school. With all of Dustin Hoffmans success its hard to believe
he worked as a janitor and an attendant in a mental ward because he failed in his
first attempt as an actor in New York.
Can you imagine Bob Dylan getting booed off the stage at his high school talent
show? What would have happened if Dr. Seusss actually burned the manuscript of
his first book, which he wanted to do after it was rejected by 27 publishers. Its also
hard to fathom Steven Spielberg not getting accepted to UCLA film school because
of average grades. And its easy to forget that Steve Jobs was fired from Apple at
thirty years old and Oprah Winfrey was once told she wasnt fit for television and
was fired as a news anchor. *Thanks to Joe Green, author of THE ROAD TO SUCCESS
IS PAVED WITH FAILURE for these great examples.
The fact is everyone fails in life but it is a gift if you dont give up and are willing to
learn, improve, and grow because of it.
Failure often serves as a defining moment, a cross road on the journey of your life. It
gives you a test designed to measure your courage, perseverance, commitment and
dedication. Are you a pretender who gives up after a little adversity or a contender
who keeps getting up after getting knocked down?
Failure provides you with a great opportunity to decide how much you really want
something. Will you give up? Or will you dig deeper, commit more, work harder,
learn and get better? If you know that this is what you truly want you will be willing
to pay the price that greatness requires. You will be willing to fail again and again in
order to succeed.
On the other hand, sometimes failure causes you take a different path that is better
for you in the long run. When I lost my race for city council of Atlanta at the age of
26 I realized politics and all its negativity wasnt for me. This set me on a new
course and ultimately led me to move my family to Florida and find my purpose of
writing and speaking. Sometimes we have to lose a goal to find our destiny.
Sometimes a failure helps us see that we really dont want it and we want
something else.
Whatever path failure guides you towards, it is always meant to give you a big
serving of humble pie that builds your character, gives you perspective, grows your
faith, and makes you appreciate your success later on. If you didnt fail you wouldnt
become the kind of person who ultimately succeeds.

So the next time you fail dont let it keep you from the life you were born to live and
the future you were meant to create. See failure as a test, a teacher, a detour to a
better outcome and an event that builds a better you.
Failure is not meant to be final and fatal. It is not meant to define you. It is meant to
refine you to be all that you are meant to be.
When you see failure as a blessing instead of a curse you will turn the gift of failure
into a stepping stone that leads to the gift of success.

Seven Habits of Highly Ethical People

People are ethical because of social norms, religious beliefs
and laws. Ethical foundations in an individual define the way
he lives the life by differentiating between right and wrong and
behave in a way which improves the situation directly or
indirectly however doesnt harm it at any cost. Ethics have
been defined by relevant governmental and religious
authorities for several domains of life however below article
occupies blanket coverage for all norms of life.
Below are top seven qualities of highly ethical people.
1They are Empathic: Ethical people have high degree
of emotional intelligence. They understand things from
multiple perspectives covering all the direct and indirect stake
holders.. They seek first to understand than to be understood.
They have strong observatory, listening and analytical skills to
understand things deeply. This quality makes them unique
which enables them to win the trust of others; consequently,
people share their problems with them with open heart and
seek their support.
2- They Forgive and Forget: It requires a brave heart to
forgive and forget. Ethical people dont keep grudges for long
duration. They have the tendency to establish peace all the
times hence keeping the brawls open does not suit them. They

stay away from such complications and move ahead with

life by forgiving and forgetting the matters.
3- They are Always willing to Help: Highly Ethical people
always want to improve the situation regardless of their
relationship with a person who is in trouble. They take either
corrective, preventive or suggestive initiatives for resolving
issues. Corrective approach ensures that the matter is fixed by
doing some specific actions. Preventive approach guarantees
that such particular matters do not appear again. They use
preventive approach to reach the root cause of the issue so as
to fix it permanently so as to avoid further frequency of such
incidents. Suggestive methodology is used by them for guiding
someone to do some specific act in order to overcome a tragic
situation.
4- They are Implosive: Ethical people are not hyper
sensitive or explosive personalities. They possess a cool mind
and a soft heart. They avoid frequent mood swings in order to
develop a consistent and stable personality. They handle
indecencies with decency. They know how to ignore hard and
harsh comments and still converse softly. They know how to
handle idiotic situations. They have high degree of anger
management skills which further empowers their implosive
personality trait.
5- They Mind Their Own Business: A lot of people have the
habit of having serious curiosity about every other persons
life. This habit causes them talk about people too much,
spreading rumors and scattering false news in the society
without any verification. Unlike those, ethical People do not
interfere in others lives unnecessarily; they mind their own
business. Ethical people understand the fact the character
assassination is equally a great sin so they dont give attention

to rumors and focus on crystal clear matters; and avoid

peeping into others personal matters.
6- They are Flexible adaptable: The wise says, it is better
to bend than to break. Ethical people possess a great deal of
elasticity. They adapt themselves according to the situation.
They dont stick to one mind set. Their continuous thought
process enables them to change their minds easily in order to
improve a situation without making it a matter of ego. They
are not stubborn at all instead portray a flexible behavior in all
kind of tough situations.
7-They Do not criticize: Too much criticism is the root of
several social and professional problems. Ethical people do not
criticize at first place. In case they need to condemn or
criticize something they follow a positive methodology to
approach the relevant person and advice in a way which
doesnt hurt anyone and convey the message in an effective
way.
Story: The Wise Farmer of China
Many years ago, in a poor Chinese village, there lived a farmer and his son.
His only material possession, apart from the land and a small hut, was a horse he had
inherited from his father.
One day, the horse ran away, leaving the man with no animal with which to work the land.
His neighbours, who respected him for his honesty and diligence, went to his house to say
how much they regretted his loss. He thanked them for their visit, but asked:
"How do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?"Someone muttered to a
friend: "He obviously doesn't want to face facts, but let him think what he likes, after all,
it's better than being sad about it."
And the neighbours went away again, pretending to agree with what he had said.
A week later, the horse returned to its stable, but it was not alone; it brought with it a
beautiful mare for company.
The inhabitants of the village were thrilled when they heard the news, for only then did
they understand the reply the man had given them, and they went back to the farmer's

house to congratulate him on his good fortune.

"Instead of one horse, you've got two. Congratulations!" they said.
"Many thanks for your visit and for your solidarity," replied the farmer. "But how do you
know that what happened was a blessing in my life?"
The neighbours were rather put out and decided that the man must be going mad, and, as
they left, they said: "Doesn't the man realise that the horse is a gift from God?"
A month later, the farmer's son decided to break the mare in. However, the animal bucked
wildly and threw the boy off; the boy fell awkwardly and broke his leg.
The neighbours returned to the farmer's house, bringing presents for the injured boy.
The mayor of the village solemnly presented his condolences to the father, saying how sad
they all were about what had occurred.
The man thanked them for their visit and for their kindness, but he asked:
"How do you know that what happened was a misfortune in my life?"
These words left everyone dumbstruck, because they were all quite sure that the son's
accident was a real tragedy. As they left the farmer's house, they said to each other:
"Now he really has gone mad; his only son could be left permanently crippled, and he's not
sure whether the accident was a misfortune or not!"
A few months went by, and Japan declared war on China. The emperor's emissaries
scoured the country for healthy young men to be sent to the front.
When they reached the village, they recruited all the young men, except the farmer's son,
whose leg had not yet mended.
None of the young men came back alive. The son recovered, and the two horses produced
foals that were all sold for a good price.
The farmer went to visit his neighbours to console and to help them, since they had always
shown him such solidarity.
Whenever any of them complained, the farmer would say: "How do you know that what
happened was a misfortune?"
If someone was overjoyed about something, he would ask: "How do you know that what
happened was a blessing?"
And the people of the village came to understand that life has other meanings that go
beyond mere appearance.

27 Email Etiquette Tips for Professionals

Even after the advent of social media and improvements in text messaging, email is still
the mode of communication that continues to prevail in the professional realm. The ability
to give direction, put out fires, and more without being face-to-face has enabled many

businesses to use email as a productivity tool. However, there are times when
professionalism goes out of the window, and etiquette rules are forgotten. Today, we will
take a look at 27 email etiquette tips for business professionals.

1. Greeting
s and Send-offs

I never start an email with the contents. An email always begins with a sound
introduction or with the recipients name. This will, in the beginning, let them
know to whom they are speaking with. When you begin by acknowledging them by
name (e.g. Hello, John Doe), you will let them know whom you intend on talking with.
When you are done with an email, always finish by saying Thanks or
Cheers, to practice good etiquette and respect.

2. Know When to Call

Not all communication has to occur through email. Once conversation begins to
mention specifics, it may be wise to schedule a phone call this can prevent
misunderstandings and can even expedite your correspondence. It is also
respectful to pick up the phone when a meeting, scheduled by email, is cancelled.

3.Mind Your Punctuation

Professionalism involves knowing how to mind your punctuation. In a standard email
correspondence, you should use periods and question marks about 95% of the time.
Leave exclamation points to when your conversation is light-hearted, and you re
familiar with the recipient.

4.The Clock is Ticking

When dealing with business, never keep them waiting. As the saying goes, time is
money. You should never let a recipient wait more than two days for your reply.
Just like a phone call, waiting on an email can hold up progress on whatever project
you are attempting to establish. After all, isn t that why youre emailing and not
using snail mail?

5.Write it Right
Grammar and spelling should be two considerations when emailing in a professional
environment. Even though the content isthe star of the email, ensuring that your
grammar is in check allows the business acquaintance to know that you are taking
the conversation seriously. Most email clients have spelling and grammar checks, so
use them!

6.Consider Company Culture

Lets be honestwhile grammar and tone should be professional, we must still
consider the companies that we are contacting. Inner business emails between
more relaxed companies will of course be a bit different from, let s say, the
White House. While minding your grammar, continue to give off an approachable
vibe while emailing.

7.Engineer the Perfect Subject Line

The first thing your recipient sees is the subject line. Frankly, they will discern
the importance of an email by a subject line before reading its contents. Make sure
you leave a great impression by being mindful of capitalization, being concise, and
to the point.

8.Reply vs. Reply-All

Nothing is more embarrassing than sending a mass email that was intended for only
one recipient. This is the result of an email that began with multiple recipients.
When replying, you will have the option to Replywhich emails the senderor
Reply-All, which sends your message to everyone the original message was sent
to. Double check before sending, or youll be sorry.

9.Consider The Privacy of Others

There will be instances when youll have to send business emails to multiple
recipients who may not know each other. The recipient s email address is added
to the To: section in average emails, but in multiple recipient emails, you should
add the addresses to the BCC or Blind Carbon Copy section, to prevent others
from viewing recipient addresses.

10.Tailor a Signature
Unlike a greeting or send-off, an email signature is automatically added to the
bottom of a message, where you can add a small biography and contact information.
This doesnt replace a quality greeting, but it does allow a new acquaintance to
learn more about you and to know where to get in contact with you.

11. Go in Vacation Mode

Several times a year, during vacation, I usually find myself separated from my
email. As seen in tip #4, time is of the essence, and it s rude to leave an email in
your inbox unanswered. To alert individuals of my absence, I add an auto-responder
(through Gmail, but also available on other clients) mentioning of why I m gone
and when I will return.

12. Be Mindful of Links

Hackers have found ways to add viruses and malware to attachments and links.
When forwarding emails, ensure that the links and attachments are safe. Also,
reduce the number of chain messages you forward and never send any from an
unknown recipient.

13. Create a TL:DR Summary

TL:DR is an acronym standing for Too long, didnt read. Its quite blunt and
is the case for many busy business acquaintances who simply are too busy to read
long email conversations. For this reason, when forwarding or periodically when
replying to conversations, summarize previous points in bullets to keep recipients
up-to-speed on email contents.

14.Job Search Tip: Resume and Cover Letter

When searching for a job, email etiquette is of the utmost importance. When
replying to a job board, always ensure that you include your resume and cover
letter. By default, these should be attachments unless they explicitly are against
them.

15.Ask Before Attaching

The reason companies dont like large attachments is because companies are given
a specified storage space they pay for. Your large attachment eats up their
storage allowance. Before sending a large attachment, or multiple ones, always ask
for permission from the recipient.

16.When is Irony Appropriate?

Irony is a popular form of comedy for most people. However, in a business setting,
you should shy away from it. Irony in any written form can be misunderstood at
best, and at worst be taken as offensive. Save the irony for emails within your
company.

17. Rethink Your Font

A company email isnt a PowerPoint presentation from your sixth grade English
project: leave the fancy fonts for another time. Not only does it come off as
unprofessional, some companies may not have the email clients that can present
such fonts. Besides, who wants to read Edwardian Script font anyway?
Professional Fonts to Use

Times New Roman

Georgia

Veranda

Arial

Book Antiqua

Calibri

18. Documents Open for All

Obscure file types can prevent companies from being able to open the attachments
you send, which can slow down business operations and projects. Leave attachment
file types to PDFs, .doc, .txt, or .jpeg. They usually are of a reasonable size and can
be opened on most machines and operating systems.

19. Separate Work from Play

Its not wise to use your company email to send personal messages to friends and
relatives. Use your business email for colleagues and business acquaintances only,
for two reasons: to maintain the professional nature of your inbox, and to limit
wasteful use of email storage space.

20. Ensure Your Email Wasnt Trashed

If you havent heard back from a receiver, chances are that they are busy.
Inquiring on whether or not they got your message could make it worse, but there
are times when emails are quite pertinent. Wait a week to a week-and-a-half if
time allows, and if you still dont have a reply, call them ordispatchanother
email.

21. Make Your Intentions Clear

When recipients only have a minute or two to read an email, you should make your
message as concise and to the point as possible. Provide an outline in the beginning
of the email of what you expect from the recipient before going a bit in depth.

22. Connect Email to Your Phone

To prevent recipients from waiting, connect your business email to your phone to
ensure that you are able to reply to them in a timely manner. In the settings of
most smart phones, you are able to adjust your signature.

23. Inner Company Acronyms

While acronyms are ill-advised to new acquaintances, creating company acronyms
between co-workers can be a clever way to ensure that they understand the
importance or intent of the message. Acronyms like NRN (No Reply Needed)
can allow colleagues to know what messages are urgent and what can wait.

24. Extend Whats in Email

Its easy to blame forgetting or misunderstanding a meeting request given
through an email. Most email clients don t have alarm systems. This means its
your responsibility to apply outside the inbox what is relevant (creating calendar
alerts for meetings, etc) to be productive.

25. Consider Time Differences

It can be aggravating to request a call or meeting through email and not hear back
within a timely manner. It is necessary, however, to ensure that this isn t due to
time zone differences. If you are requesting a call from an Australian acquaintance
and youre in New York, ensure time zone differences are worked out.

26. Check Your Calendar

To prevent unnecessary back and forth emailing, it is wise to be mindful of
traditions and holidays in the culture or religion of your recipient. If you are in a
country where Christmas isnt widely celebrated, it may not be wise to schedule a
meeting for December 24th when the rest of your location is on business as usual.

27. Inform Employees on Etiquette

Its fine and dandy to follow all of these email etiquette tips yourself, but if you
are the only one following them, it still gives your business a bad image. Share
valuable email etiquette tips with your co-workers to ensure the business name is
kept sound.
Let us know in the comments below of a moment when your email etiquette left a
good impression on the recipient. Also, let us know when email etiquette was tossed
out the window, and its outcome.

6 Scary Food Ingredients We have Everyday

There are some of us who eat to live but the majority live to eat and for them What to eat and
what not to eat has always been an unanswered dilemma. But whatever you eat keep one thing
in mind, Healthy food, Healthy You. The unlimited choices of foods and endless lines of edible
products in the grocery stores have made it hard for us to choose the best option.

Beware of what you are eating. At least ensure that whatever you take is actually food. Have
you ever wondered why the number of cancer and heart disease patients is growing at an
alarming rate?

Please! Do not fall a victim of the marketing tactics of the food industry that will make you eat
whats not suitable for you. We might get lured by the attractive packaging and amazing aroma
of the packaged foods but its time to open your eyes and read the ingredients given on the
packaging.
Do not fall a victim of the marketing tactics of the food industry

In 1960s Nutrition Labeling and Education Act was passed by Congress which made the food
companies put labels on more than 45,000 edible products. Even these labels can be deceiving,
unfortunately. The FDA, Food and Drug Administration has allowed more than 3,000 food
additives.

Today we will tell you about the reality of some of these additives that will become hard for you
to digest.

So all you food lovers out there! You might lose your appetite after reading this.

Artificial flavoring or Castoreum

Have ever wondered why the raspberry flavor in beverages tastes so good and from where does
that exotic flavor comes? The key ingredient in such drinks is castoreum. From where is it
extracted? Any guesses? You wont even have a clue that this component is obtained from anal
glands of a semi-aquatic rodent called beaver. The yellow ooze called castoreum is excreted by
the castor sacs of the beaver along with the urine. A beaver makes use of this secretion to mark
its territory. This component is used in perfumes and for artificial flavoring of raspberry and
vanilla products such as ice-creams, flavored milk, yogurts, candies and teas.

What does FDA has to say about this? They claim it to be safe as a food additive. Its industrial
consumption is more than 300 pounds, annually.

Milk Containing Estrogen

Who says milk is good for your health? At least not the one containing estrogen in it. Recent
studies found that milk containing estrogen is the major cause of cancer all over the world.
Thanx to the modern dairies which have made it commonly available. The modern dairies are
milking cows for 300 days in a year, regardless of the fact that some of these cows are pregnant
most of the times. Cows are believed to release a hormone called estrogen in large quantities
during the later stages of their pregnancy.

So how can this estrogen be so harmful for human consumption? Researchers believe that it is
100,000 times more harmful than the similar compounds found in the pesticides. Its consumption
has proven to be the leading cause of breast cancer and testicular cancer in men between the ages
of 20 to 39. Even other milk products such as cheese and butter from this milk can cause cancer.

Parabens
How can 5 to 6 months old ice-creams remain fit for consumption? Parabens are the
preservatives synthetically produced to inhibit the growth of yeast and mold in the ice-creams.
The worst part about parabens is that they can cause hormonal imbalances in humans. According
to a study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, the daily ingestion of paraben by rats
revealed a decrease in the production of sperm and testosterone. It has also been found to be
associated with breast cancer. You will find paraben in your favorite Baskin-Robbins sundaes.

Hydrogenated Oil
Whats the secret behind those yummy nuggets or popcorn shrimps? Maybe the artery clogging
trans fats found under the label of partially hydrogenated oil could be the reason for their great
taste. There are two terms used for labeling trans fat.

One is 0 gram trans fat, while the other one is trans fat-free. It is suggested not to confuse
the two terms. The FDA has allowed the companies offering products with half gram of trans fat
per serving to label their products as 0 gram trans fats. 2 grams are the most you should consume
in a day, but not more than that. So say a big NO to the products that are labeled as partially
hydrogenated oil because such products can clog your arteries.

BHA
To prevent the rancidity of certain oil containing foods a preservative called BHA is used. Also
known as Butylated Hydroxyanisole, BHA is linked with the cause of cancer in mice, rats and
hamsters. This research has been published in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research and the
researchers claim that BHA was reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen.

But why FDA hasnt banned its use? FDA justifies this by claiming that as the study has been
conducted on rodents and these rodents have an organ called forestomach which humans dont
have, therefore the study does not hold true for humans.

We suggest that you avoid taking products that contain BHA. You can find these in Cocoa
pebbles and fruity pebbles.

Caramel Colorings
Once upon a time the caramel color to the beverages was given by the help of heating sugar and
water. But now that is not the case. Today for colorization the beverage industries treat sugar
with ammonia. The chemical reaction between the two compounds produces some harmful
carcinogens. Now you must be thinking how harmful these carcinogens are? A study by the
Centre for Science in the Public Interest states that the caramel coloring of the soda accounts for
more than 15,000 cancers in the U.S. every year.

Examples are Coke and Pepsi. They are also listed among the worst 20 drinks in America.

Whats hard to swallow is the fact that although most of these harmful additives are in the
knowledge of FDA, but still they are permitted in the foods. What we can suggest you is that you
think smart when you choose your favorite foods. The least you can do is look for the ingredients
mentioned above on the labels.

Story: The Missing Watch

There once was a farmer who discovered that he had lost his watch in the
barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him.
After searching high and low among the hay for a long while; he gave up and

enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn.

He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded.
Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn, went through and around
the entire stack of hay but still could not find the watch. Just when the
farmer was about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy went up to
him and asked to be given another chance.
The farmer looked at him and thought, "Why not? After all, this kid looks
sincere enough."
So the farmer sent the little boy back in the barn. After a while the little
boy came out with the watch in his hand! The farmer was both happy and
surprised and so he asked the boy how he succeeded where the rest had
failed.
The boy replied, "I did nothing but sit on the ground and listen. In the
silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and just looked for it in that
direction."
Moral: A peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind.
Allow a few minutes of silence to your mind every day, and see, how sharply
it helps you to set your life the way you expect it to be...!

Love Your Irritations

A psychiatrist was consulted by a man whose marriage and career were both in serious trouble.
His problem was his constant irritability and bad temper. He was concerned about this himself, but
if any one tried to discuss it with him, he exploded in anger. He constantly told himself that
everyone was picking on him and that he had to defend himself against them.
To counter the negative auto suggestion, he advised him to use positive auto suggestion.
Several times a day in the morning, noon, and at night prior to sleep he was to repeat to himself.
From now on,I shall grow more humor,

joy,

happiness,and cheerfulness are now becoming my natural states of mind.

Every day I am becoming more and more lovable and understanding.
I will be center of cheer and goodwill to all those around me, infecting them with my good spirits.
This happy, joyous, and cheerful mood is now becoming my normal, natural state of mind. I am grateful.
After a month, his wife and his coworkers remarked on how much easier he was to get along
with.
The things that drive you crazy are actually giant opportunities.The people who press your
buttons are actually your greatest teachers. The issues that make you angry are actually your
biggest gifts. Be grateful to them. Love them.

 The people or circumstances that take you out of your power have extraordinary value: they
reveal your limiting beliefs, fears and false assumptions. The celebrated psychologist Carl Jung
once said: "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
Powerful point. The things that irritate, annoy and anger you are entry points into your evolution
and elevation as a human being. They are signposts for what you need to work on and the fears you
need to face. They are gifts of growth. You can blame the people who trigger you and make it all
about them. Or you can do the wise thing and look deeply into yourself to discover the reason for
your negative reaction. Use the challenges to grow self-awareness. Because how can you overcome a
fear you are not even aware of? And how can you transcend an insecurity you don't even know you
have?
As you begin to shed light on your personal weaknesses and take responsibility for them,
you actually begin the very process of shedding them. You become stronger. More powerful. You
begin to see the world through a different set of eyes.
Khalil Gibran, one of the greatest thinkers, once wrote:"I have learned silence from the talkative,
tolerance from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am grateful to those teachers"

Story: Giving Comments About Others

Once an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested.
Days later the young man was proven innocent.
After being released he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.
In the court, the old man told the Judge: "They were just comments, didn't harm anyone."
The judge told the old man: "Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Cut them up and
on the way home, throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence."
Next day, the judge told the old man: "Before the hearing starts, go out and gather all the pieces of
paper that you threw out yesterday."
The old man said: "I can't do that! The wind spread them and I won't know where to find them."
The judge then replied: "The same way, simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an
extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can't speak well of someone, rather don't say anything."
Giving comments about others have several disadvantages:
1-we become slaves of our words what we have uttered.
2-We lose our own respect in society/colleagues because of doing consistent character
assassination.
3-Most of time, we are not sure whether we are right or wrong because being human our judgment
can be wrong so we fall in the category of liars.
4-Negative trait of our personality becomes prominent which becomes of character in the long run

90+ Activities To Reduce Stress

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier
2. Prepare for the morning the night before
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes
4. Avoid relying on chemical aids

5. Set appointments ahead

6. Don't rely on your memory ... write it down
7. Practice preventive maintenance
8. Make duplicate keys
9. Say "no" more often
10.Set priorities in your life
11. Avoid negative people
12. Use time wisely
13. Simplify meal times
14. Always make copies of important papers
15. Anticipate your needs
16.. Repair anything that doesn't work
properly
17. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
18. Break large tasks into bite size portions
19. Look at problems as challenges
20. Look at challenges differently
21. Un-clutter your life
22. Smile
23. Be prepared for rain
24. Tickle a baby
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat
26. Don't know all the answers
27. Look for a silver lining
28. Say something nice to someone
29. Teach a kid to fly a kite
30. Walk in the rain
31. Schedule play time into every day
32. Take a bubble bath
33. Be aware of the decisions you make
34. Believe in yourself
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself
36. Visualize yourself winning
37. Develop your sense of humor
38. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better
today
39. Have goals for yourself
40.Get enough sleep

41. Say "hello" to a stranger

42. Ask a friend for a hug
43. Look up at the stars
44. Practice breathing slowly
45.Practice a monster smile
46.Keep a journal
47.Quit trying to fix other people
48.Have a support network of people, places and
things
49. Read a story curled up in bed
50. Do a brand new thing
51. Stop a bad habit
52. Buy yourself a flower
53. Take time to small the flowers
54. Find support from others
55. Ask someone to be your "vent-partner"
56. Do it today
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic
58. Put safety first
59. Do everything in moderation
60. Pay attention to your appearance
61. Strive for Excellence NOT perfection
62. Stretch your limits a little each day
63. Look at a work of art
64.Talk less and listen more
65. Maintain your weight
66. Plant a tree
67. Feed the birds
68. Practice grace under pressure
69. Stand up and stretch
70. Always have a plan "B"
71. Learn a new doodle
72. Memorize a joke
73. Be responsible for your feelings
74. Learn to meet your own needs
75. Become a better listener
76. Know your limitations and let others know
them, too

77. Tell someone to have a good day in Latin

78. Throw a paper airplane
79. Exercise every day
80.Freely praise other people
81. Get to work early
82. Clean out one closet
83. Play patty cake with a toddler
84. Go on a picnic
85. Take a different route to work
86. Leave work early (with permission)
87. Put air freshener in your car
88.. Eat popcorn
89. Write a note to a far away friend
90. Go to a ball game and scream
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional
love
93. Remember that stress is an attitude
94. Remember God several times a day.
95.Remember you always have options

Cabbage
Did you know this amazing fact??
When you take steam inhalation for your colds and sinuses, try adding cabbage
leaves while boiling the water. You will see the difference.
Let us also get to know some more facts about the cures of cabbage!
1. Raw cabbage is one of the best vegetables you can take to ease inflammation of
the joints.
2. Try eating raw cabbage to cure a headache.
3. Cabbage is considered to be an excellent home remedy for obesity. Research
has shown cabbage contains a chemical called tartaric acid, which inhibits the
conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat.

4. Just one cup supplies 91 percent of the recommended daily amount for vitamin
K and 50 percent of vitamin C
If you haven't had the habit of eating raw cabbage, start now! We must
remember that the right food can be medicinalnot just something to satisfy our
taste buds. By eating more whole foods as medicine, we may just see those trips
to the doctor become less frequent. Eat wisely, stay healthy!

How to Focus on Studying || Tips for Students

PART ONE: THE DOS

1. Find a suitable studying environment.Your bedroom or classroom isnt always the best
possible place. Find a nice, quiet place with a large, comfortable chair, like your sitting room,
preferably without a television, a computer or a cell phone within your reach.

The library is usually a nice place to study because its quiet. Perhaps your parents office is
another potential location, provided its quiet and offers few distractions.

2. Collect revision materials before you begin studying. Do not plan to look for pens,
highlighters, rulers, etc. in the middle of studying. It can be really distracting at times, so prepare
everything you think you need.

3. Find a study partner.Pick someone who is sensible and focused like you are on the same
task. Dont always pick your best friend, as you may ruin both your concentrations by
chitchatting. Having a study partner is a great idea, as you can bounce ideas off each other, and
see things form a different perspective as yourself.

Some people find study partnersdistracting. Chances are if you are an extrovert, meaning you
really like other people and love talking, a study partner probably wont be the best option for
you. If you are an introvert, meaning you generally keep to yourself and are a bit shier, a study

partner might work great for you. Just make sure that your study partner isnt too extroverted,
or else theyll be gabbing away while youre trying to learn.

Choose someone who is smarter than you. It sounds basic to say, but a lot of people overlook
this. If you want to learn, choose a study partner who is smart, dedicated, and doesnt mind
teaching. Your study sessions will be a whole lot better.

4. Collect suitable revision snacks.No energy drinks or coffee, because sooner or later, you
will crash out. Granola bars, fruit, and water are good, because they are simple and effective at
releasing carbohydrates.

5. Take short breaks.After 45 minutes of studying, take a 10 minute break and do something
different. Try to get back to your studying after the break; the break shouldnt be longer than 20
minutes.

Plan your breaks out with alarms. If your breaks are planned, youre less likely to miss them in
the first place, and more importantly, less likely to accidentally take more time than is
needed.

Why take breaks? Your brain needs time to recharge after it processes a bunch of information. In
some studies, taking a break and walking around improved memory recall and simple test scores
in subjects.

6. Get Motivated.If you do your revision well and prepare for the exam, you will do fine. Get
to a point with your revision so you can enjoy the exam when it happens. Do not think that the
exam is a big deal, think of it as something to challenge your learning.

Set a goal for yourself, even if its a bit unrealistic. Push yourself to do better than what you
think you can do, and who knows, maybe youll surprise yourself.

Motivate yourself with a reward. This takes a bit of self-control, so ask someone in a position of
authority to help you out if you need help.

Tell yourself why studying is important. Remind yourself of why youre working hard and tell
yourself its worth it.

7. Sit down and study. You have everything you need in front of you and theres nothing left
to procrastinate with. Its just you and the material. Well? What are you waiting for?

Use flash cards and notes to your advantage. Flash cards are helpful for some people, as they
contain important information in very little space. Use them if you feel they are helpful for you.
Lay them out sequentially, or order them according to a different scheme if you want to give them
a little more meaning.

Make sure you know the most important information first, and then move onto the rest. Study and
understand key concepts before you branch out. This will give you a basic level of understanding
to build on.

PART TWO: THE DONTS

1. Dont Panic!When you panic, you make mistakes, so keep calm throughout. If you
successfully planned your revision, you will have no need to panic when the exam comes. Take a
deep breath, tell yourself I can do this, and cool down.

2. Minimize computer use.Especially the internet. You learn better when you write things out
yourself. Also refrain from using your cell phone as you will be replying to texts every minute,
which is very distracting.

Turn your internet off if you know youll be tempted. Turn your computer off or ask your friend
to hold onto it. Basically, try to ensure that youre not whiling away your time on the internet
when youre supposed to be studying.

3. Dont listen to music unless it helps you study. Some people need music in order to help
them study, but try not to give your brain anything else to focus on while youre studying. One
more distraction, even if its calming music, is another thing your brain has to process in
addition to the information youre trying to learn.

4. Dont stray off-topic. We all catch ourselves going off-topic from time to time. Sometimes
its because the information were supposed to learn is boring; sometimes its because the
information we dont need to know is exciting. Whatever it is, wait until after youve studied
to really dig deeper and explore different subjects.

Always ask yourself: How likely is it that this information will show up on my test? Is youre
really focused, you can rank the information from the most likely to the least likely, giving the
most likely material the majority of your time and the least likely the rest of it.

5. Dont get discouraged. Studying for a test can be daunting, especially in the beginning.
Take things in manageable chunks and dont worry about getting things perfect the first time
around. Remember, youre here tolearn, not necessarily ace a test. Try to understand the
big picture if youre having trouble understanding the concept. This should make the
details easier to understand.

Parents are also requested to share with their Kids.

Wish you all the success today and always! May there be success at every turn of life
and all your dreams come true!
Keep writing and sharing your thoughts.

Thank You!