Blogging For SEO

If you've never heard the term SEO, let me explain briefly what it is, what it does and what it's for.

SEO is the abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. This is a web design technique that, when done effectively, draws positive attention from search engines. When your site is optimized for search engines you will discover that search engine users can find your web presence easier to locate when potential customers conduct their first online search.

When developing a site for SEO a web site owner needs to make sure they utilize a well researched keyword or key phrase that will be noticed by the search engine. The optimum number of times the keyword or phrase should be used is around 3-5%. If you use the term less it may not be noticed and if you use it much more it may be considered a spamming technique thus panelizing your site. You may also find that the content is hard to read if you insist on placing the keyword or phrase in locations that do not read naturally.

You'll notice that the title of this article has to do with blogging. When you conduct a web search using various keywords or phrases you will often find blogs that are listed among the top ten for the phrase you chose. What this means is that if you develop a business blog to benefit your online business you should also work to ensure your core keyword or phrase is evident in your posts.

If you're wondering why blogs might rank better than a standard business site it's because blogs are updated more often than full websites. Search engines love to find new content so their interest in your site may be strong due to the new content you are making available. It is possible for a business blog to actually outperform a primary business website in terms of search engine rankings simply because there is more new information to consider and that often translates into improved trust and rank position. What this means is you may have more visitors to your blog than to your primary site. However this scenario is exactly why your business blog can be an important marketing tool for your primary site.


Here's the equation…

Optimized blog + high search engine rankings = increased traffic to primary site

You just need to make sure that every blog post includes a reason for visitors to come to your primary site and you need to make sure a link is provided with every post on the profile page.

Did you know that when you blog for Search Engine Optimization you are also working to improve the overall traffic flow to your primary site? You do that by consistently blogging with a laser focus utilizing a very specific keyword or phrase.

Consider your business blog a funnel that helps direct the curious to a better answer to the questions they have about the very search term they used to find you. In other words, make it easy to find your site – and visitors will.

Recover Damaged Mail and Data in Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is the de-facto standard for office communication. A typical office employee's entire workflow consists of tasks, contacts, and email exchange in Microsoft Outlook. But what happens if one day a system crash happens, or a hard drive fails, or some malware targets and corrupts your Outlook data? Does this mean the end of the day for your entire office?

Are you betting on the chance that corruption is unlikely to happen? Consider the following. In a typical office environment, Outlook PST and OST files that contain all email, tasks, appointments and contacts are the files accessed most frequently. Computers read and write to these files all the time during the working day, except for the lunch break. If there is one file that is likely to be damaged or corrupted during a power outage, that would be an Outlook storage container. If Windows crashes at the moment Outlook was accessing a PST or OST file, the corruption will occur almost inevitably. If that happens, Microsoft Outlook will not be able to access that data, and it will report a corrupt database.

Modern hard drives are made to barely survive through the warranty period. Chances of hard drive failure increase exponentially after about 3 years of use. Don't let a hard drive failure to get you unprepared!

Power outages, black-outs and brown-outs are becoming all too common. A UPS can save you from power outages, firewalls can protect against viruses and malware, and regular backups will get you back on track if the unpredictable happens. But what if the backup is a few days old, and you're in the middle of something important? What if you cannot afford to lose several days of work? Consider repairing the corrupt Outlook database to save you days of work!

Outlook has a built-in recovery mechanism. If Outlook detects corruption in a PST or OST file, it rejects the file automatically, not allowing you to continue your work.

Microsoft provides another level of recovery in the form of a special Inbox Repair Tool to recover corrupt databases called ScanPST.exe. It claims to recover corrupt Offline Folders (*.ost) and Personal Folders (.pst). Unfortunately, this level of data recovery can only cope with small problems, and frequently fails if more serious damage is done to the database. Even worse, sometimes its recovery attempt produces files even more damaged than the originals. Microsoft warns that using that tool can result in data loss.

If everything else fails, refer to a third-party solution such as Recovery ToolBox for Outlook http://www.recoverytoolbox.com/outlook.html. The product maximizes your chances of successful data recovery of your mailbox files with all email folders, tasks, appointments, contacts and any other data stored in the PST and OST files. Unlike many similar tools, Recovery ToolBox for Outlook can repair PST and OST files that are seriously damaged, and can even deal with the harsh consequences of running Microsoft ScanPST.

Recovery ToolBox for Outlook allows you to access PST and OST files directly, bypassing Microsoft Outlook completely. It implements its own algorithm of accessing Microsoft proprietary formats and optionally converting data into a set of regular .eml files. The toolbox is not limited to just data recovery, allowing you to convert your *.pst and *.ost files into a set of *.eml and *.vcf files, or convert *.pst files into *.ost format.



Download your copy from http://www.recoverytoolbox.com/outlook.html and keep it installed on all PCs in your office and at home to be able to get back to work instantly in case of an unpredictable event!

What is an Article?

Basically, an article is a body of text that imparts information. Whether this is done in a scientific language, with an informal voice or in a more serious manner, is usually decided by the subject and type of article, and to whom it is aimed.

A scientific or medical article aimed at professionals will use the first example, i.e. scientific language. The same article aimed at the general population must be written in layman's language that everyone can understand. An article written on a serious subject should have a similar tone of writing, while something aimed at teens or young adults about entertainment, clothing or sport eg, will take on a bright and more breezy note.

To get a human face on the issue being discussed in an article, many editors require two anecdotal pieces to be included. These will come from interviews with people who have first hand experience of the topic. In an article about home-schooling for instance, you can interview people whose children are home schooled. If you don't know of anyone, support organizations can help by supplying names and phone numbers. They are willing to do this because your article will help to spread the word about their work.


An article usually has five sections:

· Headline - Yes, this is important, as it will inform the reader what the article is about. If it is catchy, or has a hook of some kind, so much the better. The reader will be curious to find out what it is all about and read on. Look through a paper or magazine and note some of the headlines.

· Introduction - One paragraph is usually enough for the introduction. It should build on the headline and explain the content of the article without giving it all away.

· Main body - This will contain all information that is required about the topic along with anecdotes if any.

· Conclusion - The conclusion need only be one or two paragraphs to sum up and round off the information presented. In the case of how-to articles, it should give the reader a pat on the back for all the hard work that has been done and point out the benefits. Eg, "Now you have the most unique gizmo on the block and your friends will be envious."

· Bibliography - This is not always necessary. Some editors like to see a list of your information sources, but don't necessarily publish them. A longer article that contains specific important information on say, health issues or scientific topics may require a bibliography.


The how-to article is a little different than other types of articles. It should be written in imperative voice, eg, "Grasp the leaf and pull down." Not, "You should grasp the leaf and pull down." Warning on safety, if necessary, should be presented early in the body of the text and unusual terms and names explained clearly. Let the reader know what the project entails in the introduction – they might not want to paint 200 copies of that flower after all. A list of tools and materials will be required, but it is a good idea to leave writing this list until the last, even though it should appear at the beginning. This is so no mistake can be made in the type of tools and materials used.

In general, the how-to article will be written in steps. It is important that these appear in the proper order of doing, so the reader will not be confused. Do a quick summary of what the project should look like at various stages so the reader will know whether the job is going right. Visualize each step carefully as you write. The how-to article is one of the easiest types of articles to write. If sketches are required and you cannot supply them, just do a rough job to give the general idea. Magazines usually have their own artists who will work from what you supply.

Articles about VIP's have been done to "death", so try and find an unusual angle to slant the information from. One writer who had tried to interview a celebrity, but failed due to the man's 'sniffles', still wrote the article, but based it on his failure. Another wrote about a golfing personality and interspersed the article with golfing jokes. Editors and readers alike love a touch of humor.

One of the easiest articles to write is the "10 tips to a great (whatever)" type. The ten tips form the body of course, while the introduction explains why you need this information. The brief summary recaps the information and gives a call to action, eg, "Now you know the best way to catch that fish, go out there and do it."

You should always keep the 'writer's voice' out of your articles. People want to know what's in it for them, not why you thought you should write it, or how you got the idea for it. And if you are writing about a topic that is so unusual that few people know about it, try to use an analogy that is familiar to them. In general, you don't need hooks or gimmicks to start an article, simply find the point where the useful information starts and go from there.

The Organized Writer's Six Rules

Are you trying to get organized so you have more time to write? Here are six rules guaranteed to make you more productive and more organized when you add them to your life.


1. Work with Yourself, Not Against Yourself

When you're trying to become more organized, it's tempting to try and fit into the existing organizing system of an "expert." They seem organized and they promise that if you try it, you'll be organized, too.

What's more effective is to understand your personality and what works for you. There are MANY solutions and you may have to experiment to find the system that best fits the way you work--your mind, your body and the way you think. And this might be a combination of ideas from many different experts.

Give something new a fair trial, but if after a month or so it feels awkward or counterintuitive, let it go and find something else!

2. Focus and Pay Attention

If you find that you always seem to be busy but that you never have anything to show for it, this could be the most important tip for you.

When possible, do one thing at a time. Don't let your mind or hands wander to another task. Picture the finished project in your mind, and focus only on that. Get in the "zone" – you're able to be so much more effective when you're giving your whole mind, thought and attention.

When we split our attention between different tasks ("multi-tasking"), most likely none of them will get done right, if at all. As well, you can find yourself in a perpetual state of having many "open projects" started but not completed. Each project moves forward just an inch at a time.

If you choose ONE, you can move it forward to completion much faster. To choose one, you need to estimate which project will give you the best results when it's finished. It sometimes takes an outside perspective and feedback to help you make that choice, and a coach is a great tool for this.

Putting aside other projects clears the clutter from your mind, attention, desk, workload and focus.

3. Invest Your Time

Just like we invest our money, we have to invest our time in the best way. Setting up your new organizing systems can be considered an investment.

Applying this tip can have the greatest impact on your level of organization. By investing your time at the beginning of a project to examine how you can complete it most efficiently, you can save yourself a lot of frustration later. Saving just 20 minutes each day gives you an extra 120 hours each year.

For example, set-up a mailing station with all of the supplies you'll need to ship out book orders. You can also set-up a schedule of weekly errands such as the bank and the post office. If you know you'll be heading out to the post office on Wednesday, then when an order comes in on Friday you don't need to stop what you're doing and prepare that order immediately. You know you have a different time set aside for shipping.

4. Make a Habit of It

Once you have these plans in place, work at making them a habit. You can create a new habit (or lose a bad one!) in 21 days. For only three weeks of effort, you can create a lifetime of good working habits.

As you are creating a habit, you'll need some kind of trigger to remind you to do it – alarms on your computer (Outlook or PDA), a "to do" list or a written schedule for the day with time blocked out for your specific tasks.

Start small with one new habit at a time, and then see if you can add more (pull back if it gets to be too much).

5. Use the Right Tools

Make sure you have the right tools handy when you need them.

From the low-tech (I only use retractable pens – the kind that "click" on and off – because there's no caps to lose!) to the high-tech, there are many ready-made solutions out there to keep you organized. As we mentioned in Rule 1, it's important to find tools that work FOR YOU.

Another example – did you know that if you use PayPal as your shopping cart, they're automatically tied in with the US Post Office and you can print your shipping labels right from the PayPal site? This has been a huge time-saver for me when shipping my Organized Writer CDs.

6. Work Forward

Organize for your work ahead; don't organize what's already finished. We're often tempted to organize our old bills, receipts and invoices. Sometimes we're afraid or hesitant to move forward until we've finished old stuff.

It's much more important to set-up the system and files for what's coming at you next. Look at what has been creating the biggest stress in your life and start by improving that area going forward. Then, when you have more of your future work under control, you can deal with the old paperwork (the old bills, receipts and invoices).


As you work on bringing these six rules into your life, you'll be amazed at how much more time and energy you have to pursue your writing and remember the number one rule – only use what works for YOU!

Including Salary on a Resume Is a Really BAD Idea!

Never include salary range in a resume or cover letter unless the potential employer has explicitly stated (within a job posting or advertisement or told you personally) that it is a required. Adding this information when it is not requested is the fastest way to get knocked out of contention for the position.

Salary is a sensitive and serious subject, and should only be discussed at the interview phase, once you have had a chance to determine what the position entails and the employer has a grasp on your abilities. You are in a much better bargaining position at this time also; especially if the potential employer is really interested in having you join his team.

However, if an employer does request salary information with your application, include the information on the cover letter only – never directly on the resume. Placing this information on the resume is distracting and takes focus away from the critical elements of your resume.

Within your cover letter, include a brief statement, generally second paragraph from the bottom of the letter. Make a brief and somewhat general statement about your salary range. Always make it sound like you are willing to negotiate for the right opportunity.

For example:

Given my relevant industry experience and proven expertise, salary range is $75,000-$90,000 annually; depending on benefits offered and is negotiable based on the scope of the position.

The above statement speaks of your confidence in you're your skills and abilities; exhibits your flexibility and willingness to negotiate for the right opportunity and most importantly, offers room for negotiation in the event that your stated salary range is not in line with the employers' budget. The mention of "depending on benefits" lets the employer know that you are looking for a long term position. Since the cost of employee training is so expensive to any company, this is always welcome news to employers.

Is Your Job Stressful? Add a Little Harmony

Every job has stress. Some stress is due to the nature of the job, some stress we apply to ourselves, and some stress is caused by those around us, be it demanding bosses, unreasonable customers or unproductive and scheming co-workers.



Malcolm S. Forbes once said, "If you have a job without any aggravations, you don't have a job."

So if workplace stress is a given, then how we handle this stress has a large impact on how well we perform and how much we enjoy our job.

The fact is that living and working with others is not always easy. You don't have to like the people you work with, but you do need to be able to co-exist and co-operate with them. You can start by remembering that everyone has their place and the more harmony you can bring to the situation the more enjoyable it will be for everyone.

Why not try bringing a little harmony to the workplace by imagining your job as being a member of a choir. In a choir some people sing too loud, others too softly and some out of tune, but we're all still part of the same choir. If you sing louder to compete with the loud singers or sing so softly that you are not heard or sing out of tune just to fit in, then you do nothing to help the choir-you don't add anything to the harmony.

You can't change how another sings, you can only do the best that you can and hope that others follow your lead.

The Roman philosopher Sallust said, "Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay."

Wise words, indeed. Whatever you do, don't add to the disharmony, this will only make matters worse and drag the choir further out of tune.



Your performance should be based on how well you perform, and not the performance of others. The more harmony there is in a choir the better it sounds. The more harmony we can create at work the less stressful our job becomes. Don't let someone else singing off key ruin your song.

Stress Management : Sensory relaxation exercises

Relaxation Exercises

One of the best forms of relaxation using the mind is imagination. With using imagination relaxation exercises you will not only become more relaxed but also have clearer thoughts.



Before starting the relaxation exercises, find a some where you won't be disturbed for 20 minutes or so. Sit in a nice comfortable chair or lay down in a comfortable place and close your eyes.

At the start of the relaxation exercise, begin by taking several deep, calm and relaxing breaths. In through your mouth and out through your nose. Try not to expand your chest but instead allow your belly to gently rise and fall. After doing this for a few minutes and you feel you are more relax than you were when you first started, start the relaxation exercises.

Begin with your visualisation. Imagine yourself outside in the fresh air, on a deserted beach, in a quiet woods or alone away from busy places. Enjoying the solitude you now have.

Whilst doing the relaxation exercises look around you. Is there anything you can imagine that should be there like grass or flowers. Are there any other things there.

Now imagine you pick something up. Notice the weight of it. Gently caress it noticing if it is wet or dry, soft or hard etc. Notice how it feels in your hand.

If it is a flower, bring the flower to your nose and imagine the smell of the sweet fragrance.

Bring the flower to your ear and wave it. Hear the sound it makes as the flower moves through the air.

Use these relaxation exercises methods. Now imagine taking a walk and finding other wonderful things. With your imagination use all of your senses.

* Sight
* Sound
* Smell
* Taste
* Touch

Practice focusing on one sense at a time.

Finishing the exercise
After about 20 minutes or so, imagine sitting down and gently opening your eyes. When sitting up do so in a relaxed manner. Any sudden movements will activate an increase in your bioelectricity and chemistry from its calm state. Moving calmly and relaxed will prolong this pleasant tranquil feeling.



After doing the relaxation exercises, not only will you relax more, your seeing will become clearer, your listening ability will become fine tuned, your sense of smell and taste will increase and things you touch will have more feeling.

Article Writing Tips From Spongebob Squarepants

Wisdom can be found in the most unexpected places. Today, wisdom bubbled up from a pineapple under the sea. I suddenly realized that everything you'd want to know about writing articles for your website can be taught by SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends.


When you write for your newsletter, blog, or website, which character are you most like?


Squidward: Squidward is B-O-R-I-N-G. When writing articles, are you a Squidward? Do you just get the words down on paper or are you finding a fun twist to entertain your audience and keep them coming back for more? Take time to make your articles stand out from the thousands of other dull articles out there by including personal stories or just having fun while writing. For instance, this article could be entitled "How to Write a Good Article", but would it stand out from the hundreds of other articles about article writing? Probably not.

Mr. Krabs: This crustacean is focused on one thing and one thing only, making more and more and more money. Only a cartoon could actually have dollar signs drawn in his eyes. He thinks of no one, only how he can benefit. Are your articles focused on you or on the reader? Are you providing information or do you have blinders on, thinking only about how you can make money from the article you are writing? If your article reads like an ad or is self-serving or full of affiliate links, you might write like Mr. Krabs.

Patrick: SpongeBob's best friend, the starfish, has a good heart, but isn't the brightest creature in the sea. Do your articles make you sound like an expert? Are you providing valuable content or just pushing out sloppy articles as fast as you can? Always double check for typos and grammatical errors. If you're challenged by spelling and grammar, hire a Virtual Assistant or Copywriter to proofread and submit your article for you. Or slow down, set your article aside for a day and then reread it before you click the "submit" button

Plankton: The smallest creature in the sea is also the sneakiest. He'll do anything and hurt anyone to steal someone else's work (the Krabby Pattie secret formula). Write your own material. Don't be Plankton. Don't copy and paste someone else's work, edit it, and try to pass it off as your own. You will be caught, and it just isn't worth it. Take the same amount of effort and work on your own thoughts and ideas. Plankton never gets away with his schemes, either. He's on Plan "Z" and is still pathetically failing at his attempts to steal the secret formula.

SpongeBob: This little guy always tries to do the right thing, and is a hard worker. He may not always end up getting the results he hoped for, but he bounces back and tackles his work with a renewed vigor. SpongeBob works very hard, he's a good friend, he always thinks of others, and tries to have fun no matter what he is faced with. Hardworking, friendly SpongeBob is the guy to be when writing articles.



Although this is a silly lesson in article writing, I hope you'll remember the important messages our underwater friends have taught us.

1. Be entertaining. Not boring.

2. Write articles to help others, not with dollar signs in your eyes.

3. Proofread your articles carefully, and provide valuable information.

4. Write your own material. Don't copy others.

5. Be a SpongeBob! Hard work and persistence pay off.



Before you know it, you'll develop a following for having informative and entertaining articles and you'll be King or Queen of the sea.

Five Stumbling Blocks To Successful Networking And How To Overcome Them

The ability to connect with people is essential to success in any business. Professional networking events present opportunities to interact with others on a personal level and to develop profitable relationships. These occasions are critical for anyone who wants to grow a business or promote a career.

Many people are simply not comfortable walking into a room full of strangers and striking up conversations. Here are five common stumbling blocks that you may face and tips to help you overcome them.




A RELUCTANCE TO TALK TO STRANGERS.

You were taught at an early age not to speak to people you don't know. It's not safe. In certain situations today this is still good advice. In business, however, talking to strangers is a way to generate interest and support for your products and services. If you only talk to the people you already know, you will miss out on opportunities to make new connections and establish valuable contacts.

To get past your discomfort in talking to strangers, set a goal for yourself before you attend any networking event. Decide how many new contacts you want to make or how many strangers you want to meet. In some cases, you may specifically target individuals whom you'd like to know.

Next come up with some icebreakers or conversation starters. Have questions prepared that you can ask anyone you meet at the event. You may want to inquire about other people's business, their connection to the sponsoring organization or their opinion of the venue.


LACK OF A FORMAL INTRODUCTION.

It's much easier to make a new contact when there is someone else to handle the introduction and pave the way. If you wait for another person to make the move you may not meet anyone. At networking events, the goal is to meet as many people as possible.

This is the time to take the bull by the horns, walk up to people you don't know, introduce yourself and start a conversation. You can do this if you have prepared your self-introduction in advance.

You will not introduce yourself the same way on every occasion. Perhaps it is your first time to attend an association meeting. In that case, you might want to say that as part of your introduction. Let people know who you are, why you are there and give them a reason to ask more about you


FEAR OF BEING SEEN AS PUSHY.

You may think that you will turn people off if you are assertive and that if they want to talk to you, they will make the first move. If this is your line of thinking you will find yourself spending your time alone at the reception or meeting function and leaving without a single new connection. Being open, friendly and interested does not turn people off.

You will not come across as overly aggressive if you seek out the "approachable" people. These are the ones who are standing alone or who are speaking in groups of three or more. Two people talking to each other are not approachable because they may be having a private conversation and you would be interrupting.


THINKING THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE YOU.

There is always the risk that the other person is not interested in you and doesn't want to meet or talk to you. It happens. If that is the case, don't take it personally. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. When you get a cold shoulder, smile, move on and say to yourself, "Next?"


HAVING YOUR INTENTIONS MISUNDERSTOOD.

Approaching someone of the opposite sex to begin a conversation may seem more like flirting than networking. This is more of an issue for women than men. Women have an equal place in the work arena and need to make professional connections the same as men do. Women in business can no longer afford to hold back when there is opportunity at hand.




Neither men nor women will have their motives misinterpreted if they present themselves professionally in their attire and if they keep the conversation focused on business issues or topics that are not personal or private.

Whatever your stumbling blocks, face them before the next networking event and devise a personal plan for getting past them. Once you do, you will find yourself connecting with confidence and courtesy on every occasion and the results will be reflected in your bottom line.

4 Simple Tips To Fix A Scratched CD or DVD

In this article, I will be showing you 4 little known tips to fix scratched CD or DVD and recover the data within, Every user has had trouble with a scratched CD or DVD. The theory goes like this - A CD/DVD reader or player uses a laser beam to read the data on the disk. This laser beam crosses the protective plastic layer and reads the real recording metal layer. If the protective plastic layer is scratched, the laser will be unable to pass resulting in non-readable disc. In the case of data CD the CD/DVD reader is unable to read the CD/DVD properly resulting in reading errors while in case of audio/video discs, the CD player skips when we play it.

If somehow we manage to re-smooth this protective layer then the laser will reach the data and read it, now there are many ways we can achieve this using common household item's as discussed below:

1). Toothpaste - Yups! Toothpaste is our very first scratched CD/DVD fixer, you can use any non-gel based toothpaste for this, just put a very small amount of it on the scratched area and polish it gently using a cotton swab, sometimes the paste may cause new minor scratches but they are just superficial. Now just wash the cd using water.

2). If the above trick does not work try some metal polish like Brasso gently wiping with a soft cotton ball followed by application of Vaseline.

3). Baking Soda - make a small quantity of baking soda paste and apply using a soft cotton cloth buffing the bad scratch. Clean the baking soda before using the disc.

4). You can also try using some oil as a polishing agent this also works many times.



There are many daily use products that can be used to get the cd working just keep on experimenting, please note that you must take special care while using the above tips to fix a scratched CD/DVD.

Secrets for Success in Meeting her Parents

There is nothing as stressful and intimidating as
having to meet the parents of your girlfriend for
the first time. But, if you know how to handle
this, you will see that can be a real interesting
experience.

It comes a day in your life when you figure out
that your relationship with your girlfriend is
getting serious and she has to take you to meet
her parents and family. This is a big step in
your relationship and it is very important to
make a good impression from the beginning, if you
want that they agree to meet their girl anymore.

There are several occasions in which you can meet
her parents, such as a holiday or birthday,
picking her up for a date, or just a dinner in
family prepared special for the meeting. No
matter in which circumstances you meet, for
impressing her parents you must be prepared.

First of all, dress to impress. You must be
presentable at your meeting, that's why the best
to wear is probably a suit. Your performance will
be judged by the first impression you make in
their eyes.

Before the big meeting make sure to find out from
your girlfriend all the details about her family,
so you will know what to talk with them. Ask
where her parents work, about their personality
if they are very serious or they have sense of
humor, and if they like funny people or much
reserved, to know how to act with them. It is
important to know some details, to not refer to
her grandparents if you don't know if they are
still alive.

Also asking questions about her family will show
her that you really care, that you are interested,
and ready to do all the sacrifices that are
necessary to make their parents like you.
Remember that in the first meeting you must make
sure that they observe your good manners, to
prove her parents that you deserve to be with
their daughter.

If the meeting takes place at their home,
don't forget to bring a gift, such as flowers, a box of
chocolate or a some cookies to show that you
are polite. Be confident, give her father a firm
handshake, and as a sign of respect call him Sir.

You have to make a good conversation, but also be
prepared for many questions towards your family.
Don't panic, relax and look in them eyes and
answer as nicely as you can. Be prepared to
answer at the question about what do you want to
do in the future. Speak about your job, family,
sports, but don't bring any discussion about
money, politics or personal questions. Asking
questions about their family will show your
interest about them, as far as your aim is to get
along with both partners, to get on their good
sides.

Keep a smiled face to show you are friendly; be
personable, polite and respectful. Flatters her
mother's look or clothing and compliment her
cooking by finishing your plate. You may offer
your help to clean up the dishes; this will
certainly impress her mother.

Be yourself, to see from the beginning how you
are, and don't show too much affection towards
your girlfriend in their presence, one kiss is
enough, to not think her parents that you are
over reacting.

Before you leave tell her parents that it was a
pleasure meeting them and they have a very
special daughter.

You will see that it will be harder with her
father which wouldn't accept easy that now it is
another man in his daughter life except him, but
if you conquered her mother you will see that she
will be the one which will invite you for dinner
and will defend you in front of her husband if
she really likes you.

So, meeting her parents can't be so bad, and if
you really success with this meeting it will base
a great friendship between you, which will have a
big positive effect on your relationship.

Stress And Work Life Balance

Technically stress is the adverse reaction an individual has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them. In the workplace, the negative, damaging, effects of stress can arise at times when pressures are extreme, such as peak busy periods, but equally can be caused by continuous exposure to stressful conditions, such as being in an unsuitable job or being treated unfairly. Outside work, negative stress can be caused by major change events, such as a death in the family, but equally by continuous pressure of having a life constrained or dominated by the work situation.

Stress is personal in that stress affects individuals in different ways. In similar situations or conditions some people cope, even thrive, on the pressure, whilst others find it difficult to cope and suffer negative stress as a result. It is also personal in the sense that the amount of control that the individual has, over their workplace conditions, events, and work-life balance, will influence the amount of negative stress that they suffer from. Those individuals with greater control will tolerate and manage stress levels, or avoid them altogether, more successfully.

Work-life balance is, literally, balancing the demands, the amount of time and effort, given to work and the workplace, and that given to the individual's domestic, personal, family, and social life. A vital factor in achieving an appropriate work-life balance is ensuring that the work element does not dominate, and-or that it is not causing damage to the individual through the effects of negative stress. It is most unusual to find people with a work-life balance that is dominated negatively by their life outside the workplace. It is almost always the workplace activity that dominates and often negatively. For professionals undertaking personal and career development activities, the positive activity of personal development must be actively managed in order to ensure that it does not have a negative effect on stress levels and cause damage to the individual's work-life balance.

The increased awareness of the importance of managing stress and work-life balance effectively has given rise to approaches such as time management, managing stress, achieving work-life balance, managing personal development, and related approaches such as coaching and mentoring. The tools and techniques within these approaches are valuable in helping individuals to manage stress and work-life balance more successfully. All of these are worth exploring in more depth. However, here we will focus on simple, well established actions that any individual can take themselves.

There are some well established, simple to implement, approaches that will help to reduce the effects of negative stress and help to maintain an appropriate work-life balance. These include: Recognising the symptoms that will alert you to the fact that you may be under stress. Commonly experienced symptoms are: Poor health - headaches, upset stomach, sleep problems, change in appetite, tense muscles, indigestion, exhaustion, stomach, intestinal and skin problems, and heart attacks (extreme but not uncommon in severe cases); Personal behaviour - constantly worrying, irritated, feeling depressed, unable to cope and make decisions, being less creative, excessive smoking, excessive use of alcohol, not sleeping; Unsatisfactory work situation - low job satisfaction, poor relationships with colleagues, focusing on unproductive tasks, deadlines missed, performance level falling, opportunities missed, poor appraisal outcomes, feeling de-motivated; Personal life:stopping social activities, being irritated and argumentative with family and friends, personal relationships deteriorating.

Many of these symptoms can be experienced in normal life, but become symptoms of stress when several are experienced at the same time, or when there is no obvious cause, or when one or more symptom becomes overwhelming. We need to remember, however, that whilst the symptoms often are more visible, and potentially damaging, in the workplace, they are not necessarily caused by workplace pressures. Many are, but not all and not always.

Identifying the sources in the workplace: As individuals working in a business world that is continuously changing at an ever-increasing pace, we need to be adaptable and flexible. In order to avoid negative stress we need to be aware of, prepared for, and able to manage, the impact of: time pressures; demanding deadlines; increasing complex relationships with others; peaks and troughs of too much or too little work; multiple, overlapping business or work changes; threats of redundancy or unwanted job change; pressure from senior managers; unfair or discriminatory actions of management; travel pressures; increases in performance expectations; more visible scrutiny through technology and surveillance; requirements to undertake continuous personal professional development activities.



Identifying the sources in life outside work: Outside the workplace there are regularly occurring events and pressures that are a normal part of our lives, but which can be either a source of stress, or satisfaction, or both. These include: death of friend or family member; a relationship breakdown leading to separation or divorce; personal or family member injury; moving house; taking on large financial commitments such as for a mortgage; holiday periods where personal relationships are refreshed and renewed, or put under intense pressure; giving up a habit such as smoking; the birth of a child; getting married; and so on.

Knowing what your natural response will be: Individuals adapt and adjust to external pressures in different ways, depending on their personality type. The range of types is very wide, but two broad bands of personality type have been identified. Type "A" people are described as competitive, aggressive or hasty, whilst Type "B" people behave in a passive, non-competitive, slow to react way. Type "A" people tend to pass on stress to others, Type "B" tend to internalise the effects of stress. Whilst these are established, proven categories that most people fall into, other factors, such as age, gender, health, financial situation and access to support will strongly influence the response to causes of stress, regardless of personality traits. Knowing your personality type can be helpful, but can only play a small part in managing stress successfully.

Identifying strategies and actions that will help you to cope: As we have seen, individuals react differently to stress, so each of us will need to adopt different coping strategies. The following are well established, proven actions and strategies for managing stress and achieving work-life balance: be aware of your own weakness and strengths; understanding and accepting that certain things cannot be avoided or changed; taking action to reduce or remove the pressure; breaking down problems into smaller parts and setting targets to tackle each part in sequence; implementing personal time management techniques; replacing negative relationships with positive, supportive relationships; adopting a healthy living style; develop outside work interests, such as hobby, educational, social or sporting activity; undertaking positive professional career development activity; seeking advice and support from others, including professionals if appropriate; accepting that managing stress and work-life balance is a permanent continuous activity.

Corporate support mechanisms: Some organisations have recognised that stress and work-life balance are issues that need to be supported by corporate action. Individuals in these organisations should, where appropriate, take advantage of support mechanisms such as: Flexible working hours: allowing employees to organise working hours to accommodate important aspects of their home lives; Self managed teams:where teams work out their own hours, responding to each others' needs; Using a buddy system:pairing with a colleague to provide cover for each other, enabling each to take time off when necessary, knowing that their buddy will take over their duties and responsibilities; Flexible locations:working from different locations, or from home, either regularly or occasionally, to help with family responsibilities and reduce or eliminate commuting time; Special leave availability: such as paid or unpaid leave, to give time to cope with personal crises and emergencies, without using formal holiday allowance; Career breaks:for study or research sabbaticals, travel, family commitments, or voluntary work; Health programmes - offer counselling and advice, for a range of issues; Private health insurance; Fitness programmes and gymnasium membership subsidies; Childcare/eldercare facilities or subsidies:workplace nursery or subsidised places in local nurseries or nursing homes. All of these are highly valuable support opportunities, which, if available, should be taken when needed.



For most managers and specialists, in all sectors of business today it is an essential requirement, that professionals undertake courses in management development, or in specialist disciplines such as quality management, project management, accountancy, human resources, or marketing. The objective of this activity, from the individual's point of view, is usually to obtain higher financial rewards, higher status, increased job security, and-or to increased opportunities and career choice. From the organisation's point of view it is rightly aimed at improving the knowledge, understanding, skills, and ultimately the performance of the individual and the workforce collectively. The impact on the individual, regardless of these contrasting objectives, is that work-life balance is affected, pressure will rise and will need to be managed to avoid this resulting in negative stress. For any individual undertaking professional development activity, especially those studying at home, in part or in full, it is essential that this is recognised as a potential source of negative stress, and that the individual builds the monitoring and control of this pressure into their development plans.

In order to manage stress and to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance, it is necessary to avoid the most common pitfalls that professionals encounter. These include: Believing that suffering from stress is a weakness, it is not, but positive, corrective action is needed to redress the situation. Allowing yourself to suffer from stress and an out of balance work-life equilibrium, when simple, easy to apply solutions are at hand, is a weakness; Keeping stress to yourself is the best approach, it is not. All the evidence shows that seeking advice and support is the key to reducing and eliminating negative stress and restoring an appropriate work-life balance; Assuming that others are to blame for your stress and the imbalance between your work and your outside work life, they may be the causes, but you are responsible for allowing the negative situation to continue; Cutting back or eliminating social, sporting, or personal interests activity is the answer to restoring a work-life balance, it is not, because these are essential positive elements necessary to achieve a healthy work-life balance and a relatively stress free life; Ignoring the warning signs, these are easy to identify, if not by you then others will see them; Not identifying the sources of stress and reasons for imbalance, a simple analysis of your situation, perhaps with some help from a professional advisor, colleague, partner, or friend, will identify the main causes of your problems; Not looking after yourself in terms of health and happiness, if you are unhealthy, unfit, or in an unhappy relationship, or not in any relationship and are lonely and isolated, you will find it difficult to manage stress and your work-life balance effectively; Believing that there is a single solution to your negative stress and work-life imbalance problems, there is not. You need to take a holistic approach to managing your life, at work, at home, and socially. This encompasses your work, your aspirations, your personal development, your fitness, your lifestyle, your health, your relationships, your general attitude to life, everything that makes you an individual, a unique person.

This has been a first look at the links between workplace stress and work-life balance, and has been specifically aimed at those professionals who are adding to the pressures of workplace and home life by taking on professional development activities. Continuous personal professional development, for managers, professionals, and specialists, in all sectors is essential. Even entrepreneurs and those leaving organisations to be self-employed risk being overwhelmed by workload and pressures from work-related activities. The solution to avoiding the negative effects of stress, and maintaining an appropriate work-life balance, when taking on additional personal development workload, are the same for those in organisations. You will need to be aware of the dangers, be alert to the symptoms, put in place defensive mechanisms, and then pro-actively manage your work life and personal life in a way that protects you from the dangers of negative stress and enables you to maintain a healthy and satisfying work-life balance.

Naturopathy - A Way to Relieve Stress Naturally

Since life has become more fast and pressurized stress and its induced ailments started its work by affecting both the genders in all walks of life which made people feel the need for remedies that are new and harmless. So on learning about Naturopathy which has crossed more than a century has been learnt that it is effiective and handy way to relieve stress and its related ailments. Naturopathy, as such, is not a single entity, but comprise of Color therapy, Aroma therapy and Flower Essence therapy.




Remedial Treatment Using Colors - Color Therapy

Since color among many things color is considered to have some specific emotional infuence on the mind and behaviour of individuals, it is also staying as one of the components of Naturopathy to cure stress induced physical and psychological disorders. Each and every color shows its own effect on your emotions and they are specific in nature.. For example,

1) Yellow color will provoke your intellectual
2) Blue color will give a soothing effect and calm down your nerves
3) Red color will provoke your though process

These colors are being used by the therapists to bring the desired balance in the mind-body structure and that will in turn react chemically in the healing process. Recently, these therapists have started using color with acupuncture called color puncture to treat emotional and energy related ailments which restores the stressed out mind-body to its earlier primitive state.


Remedial Treatment using Fragance - Aroma Therapy

Fragrance plays a vital role in stress related problems and that's how when the therapeutic power of essential oil from Lavender flower was found the concept of Aroma Therapy came into existence during the last decade especially in stress related problems. At present, nearly about fifty varieties of essential oils that are extracted from flowers and plants are being used in curing health disorders mainly for stress induced disorders.

It is necessary to take into consideration about your heart conditions, physical conditions and your overall support systems when you are recommended to undergo a aroma therapy. This treatment will first reduce the stress effects in you and gives a feeling of well being which will help to set the motion for healing process in you. The combined therapy of massage and acupressure along with aromatherapy is an established fact that the effectiveness of the therapy is high and will help to release your emotional stress and reduce your physical and mental stress.


Remedial Treatment using The Essence of Flowers - Flower Therapy

The treatment with the essence of flowers is done with the aim to bring you closer to your soul by doing at the "Soul Level" where you can find or experience peace falling on you and relieving your stress.

This therapy helps to make u take a back seat for the negative qualities of your soul like hate, fear, negativeness and bring out the noble qualities like Love, humility, courage, positive approach, equanimity of body and mind. Since stress and stress related disorders couldn't coincide and exist with the noble qualities of the soul in the same globe, the stress and the stress induced ailments make a rapid departure and eventually leave you completely.

DIA datang!!!!!!

Dia mai dah.. Huh, teruk benar rasanya...


'Dia datang dengan lenggang-lenggoknya,
dia datang dengan senyum manisnya,
dia datang..'

Tetiba teringat kat lirik lagu ni pulak.. Yea, dia datang...



Dia??? Apakah 'Dia' itu???

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MALAS...


Ya, malas.. Malas semalas malasnya.. Tetiba ja..
Memang malas yang amat.. Tak tahu kenapa.. Huh.. Xpe la...

Learn How to Use Commas Properly

The comma is the most frequently used internal mark of punctuation. Of all the marks of punctuation, it has the widest variety of uses.


Using commas with dates, addresses, greetings, names, and large numbers

* Commas are used with full dates (month, day, and year) but omitted with partial dates (month and year):

1. Gas has been first used by the Germans on October 14, 1914, when they fired a prototype of modern tear gas from artillery near Pyres. – Paul Fussel
2. In June 1985 Beth Henley was working on her fifth play.

Exception: No comma is used to separate parts of a date that begins with the day.

The atomic bomb was first dropped on 6 August 1945.


* Commas are required between most of the elements in place names and addresses:

1. Miami, Dade County, Florida
2. Writing Lab, University of California, Riverside

Exception: # Do not use comma to separate street number from the name of the street:

15 Amsterdam Avenue

# Do not use comma to separate a state from zip code:

5625 Waverly Avenue, La Jolla, California 92037


* In complete sentence, a comma must follow the last element of place name, addresses, or dates:

1. He shot himself twice, once in the chest and then in the head, in a police station in Washington, D.C., with the cops looking on. – Red Smith
2. July 4, 1776, was the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.


* Commas are used to set off the names of someone directly addressed in the sentence:

A few years ago, Mr. Taplow, I spoke to you about the possibility of a summer job.


* Commas are used after the greeting in a friendly or informal letter, and after the closing of the letter of any kind:

Dear Mary,
Sincerely,
Yours truly,


* Commas are used to set off titles or degrees after a person's name:

Barbara Kane, M.D., delivered the commencement address.

Exception: But Jr., Sr. may be written without commas:

Sammy Davis Jr. started his singing career at age four.


* The comma is used after the last part of a proper name when the last part comes first:

Lunt, George D.


* Commas are used to mark groups of three digits in large numbers, counting from the right:

Antarctica is 5,400,000 square miles of ice-covered land.

Using commas with conjunctions


* The comma is used before a conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) linking two independent clauses:

Canadians watch America closely, but most Americans know little about Canada.

Exception: Some very brief independent clauses may not require a comma.

1. We dickered and then we made a deal. – Red Smith
2. I have seen the future and now I'm tired of it. – Gerald Nachman

* If one or both independent clauses have internal punctuation (especially commas), a writer might choose to separate two clauses with a semicolon and a coordinating conjunction so that the reader can easily see the main division of the sentence.

Genetically, we are nearly identical to mankind fifty thousand years ago; and some of us delight in the continuity represented by this, while others may be appalled. – Edward Hoagland


* Comma alone should be used between two independent clauses (comma splice):

"I plan to travel to England", my friend said happily. "I want to visit Shakespeare's birthplace."

* When a conjunction adverb joins the independent clauses in a compound sentence, it is preceded by a semicolon:

Petra was absent on Friday; consequently, she missed the chemistry test.


* The use of a comma to join coordinate clauses is more common in novels, stories, and some types of journalistic writing than it is in serious expository prose. Although it is hard to make general statements here, it is safe to say this practice is the exception, not the rule. The comma is used by most writers to join coordinate clauses in the following situation:

# When the series of sentences takes the form of a climax:

1. I came, I saw, I conquered.
2. The leaves are turning to gold, squirrels are fattening, hunting time is near.



# When the statements form an antithesis, or are arranged in the "it was not merely this, it was mainly that" formula:
1. It was more than an annoyance, it was a pang. – Winston S. Churchill
2. To allow the Mahdi to enter Khartoum would not merely mean to return the whole of the Sudan to barbarism, it would be a menace to the safety of Egypt herself. – Lyton Strachey

Stop Stress Now: Ten Proven Techniques

There's no such thing as a stress-free life. We face challenges every day, and our bodies are designed to react automatically, equipping us to achieve more than we thought possible. But we were also designed to deal with stressful events quickly and then recuperate during a period of rest before facing the next threat. Many of the things that cause us stress today are not easily handled by fighting or fleeing. As a result, our bodies are trapped in a constant state of alert, and it's killing us.



Stress management tips can be found everywhere, but which ones really do the trick? After compiling and comparing the favorite techniques of experts from around the world, a tally of the votes revealed the list that appears below: ten proven techniques guaranteed to stop stress.


10. Improve your diet.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. By increasing your antioxidant intake, you'll also be fueling your immune system. Choose high-fiber carbohydrates like whole grains or sweet potatoes. The slower acting carbohydrates will help you relax without the sugar "crash." Cut down on caffeine and drink more water.

9. Get enough rest.

Our bodies are designed to repair, recharge, and refresh while we sleep. Without enough sleep, our bodies can't keep up with the daily damage of stress. In fact, researchers have discovered that the amount of sleep we get predicts how long we'll live.

8. Put events in perspective.

When you are being stressed by some event or situation, consider its true importance. Is it really a matter of life or death? How important will it be a month from now? Or even tomorrow?

7. Think positively.

Think in terms of solutions, not problems. Evaluate each day by reviewing progress and accomplishments instead of difficulties and setbacks. It probably wasn't really the worst day of your life.

6. Take a time out.

When you've been doing battle for a few hours, it's OK to call time out. Step away from whatever is getting to you. Give yourself a few minutes to take a deep breath, say a prayer, listen to music, or do nothing at all. The few minutes of work you give up will be more than compensated by the fresh perspective you get from your change of focus.

5. Exercise.

Exercise prepares us for the battle with stress. It helps us look and feel better, increases our energy levels, and improves our general mood. Exercise enhances our self-esteem and confidence, and helps us think more clearly. A health club or home gym is not required. Just do something that's fun and gets you moving.

4. Simplify your life.

Not everything in our life needs to be in our life. We all accumulate excess baggage. Simplify by clearing out the physical clutter. Give things you no longer need to people who could use them. Evaluate your everyday tasks and commitments, and delegate what you can. Keeping your life simple may mean saying no to some things so you can concentrate on what's valuable.

3. Do the stuff you hate first.

Try to tackle your most difficult or stressful tasks early in the day. We are most resilient to stress after a good night's sleep. Hitting these tasks early puts the source of our stress behind us. Don't procrastinate and let tasks accumulate. Learn how to break big projects up into manageable bits and get started.

2. Do something that you love.

Find something you love doing, something just for you, and do more of it. At least once a week spend some uninterrupted time doing something that makes you happy. Hike in the forest. Write a poem. Take up a hobby. Time spent doing something you love will refuel your sense of enjoyment and refresh your peace of mind.

1. And finally, the number one stress management technique: Laugh.

There's no other way to say it: laughter really is the best medicine. Studies have confirmed that laughter actually changes our brain chemistry. It reduces the levels of at least four stress hormones. A good belly laugh produces the same cleansing effect as deep breathing exercises. Laughter strengthens our immune system and alters our perception of pain. Develop your sense of humor. Look for the humorous side of every situation. Think of ways to inject more humor into your day. Laugh!




There are numerous ways to manage stress, but there's no one-size-fits-all solution. You need to discover what works best for you. These top ten techniques are a good place to start your quest for a happier, healthier and longer life.

Tattoos for couples

So sweet!!

Very good idea to leave on his body half-images … And then the answer to all that the second half of your half … Do you approve of it?

Smarter Data Recovery

Recovering data lost due to system malfunction or user error requires hours of work preceded by hours of research from unsuspecting victims. Educate yourself about possible ways to recover data from damaged disks and corrupted flash memory cards before the failure happens.

While there is no lack of data recovery tools on the market, downloading and trying one after another is the worst idea ever. A badly executed unsuccessful attempt to recover lost files can and does cause irreparable damage to corrupted data.

How would you choose the right data recovery tool to do the job? There are several criteria to data recovery software that you should be aware of.

First, there are tools designed to recover your files and data, such as Office documents, archives, pictures and other stuff, and there are tools that repair the damaged disk structures such as the file system (FAT or NTFS), MBR and partition table. Note that the second class of recovery tools cares little about what happens to your data, often messing up with your files while repairing the damaged system structures.

Second, if you are new to data recovery, you need a tool that is as easy to use as possible. You don't want data recovery tools advertised as 'professional', as only the real professionals can benefit from using those. Let us be honest: you're more likely to screw things up with these tools as they deliberately lack any protection against possibly disruptive actions on your side.

Third, get only those tools that can demonstrate their ability to recover data instead of taking their word on it.



Smart Data Recovery (http://www.smartpctools.com/data_recovery) by Smart PC Solutions is a perfect solution for rush data recovery. If you have no specialized experience in data recovery, but need your data back right away with no risk, Smart Data Recovery is an ideal tool for you.

Fixing your files and recovering your data, Smart Data Recovery (http://www.smartpctools.com/data_recovery) is designed as a fully fool-proof solution. A simple step-by-step wizard guides you through the recovery process, asking you questions that are easy to understand and to answer, such as asking you to pick a disk that contains files to recover. To make things run even smoother, Smart Data Recovery has a U3/USB edition that runs from a flash memory card, minimizing unnecessary writes to the damaged disk.

Smart Data Recovery (http://www.smartpctools.com/data_recovery) can often recover files even if your disk has been reformatted (on FAT formatted disks). Smart Data Recovery can recover data from disks formatted with all versions of FAT or NTFS. The pre-recovery preview demonstrates you exactly what the recovered file will look like, making you sure that the recovery is actually possible. Don't take our word on it!

Summary: Recovering data lost due to system malfunction or user error requires hours of work preceded by hours of research from unsuspecting victims. Educate yourself about possible ways to recover data from damaged disks and corrupted flash memory cards before the failure happens.

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Cancer and Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is the use of means, in addition to, or instead of conventional, to treat disease or pain. There is lots of controversy surrounding alternative medicine, especially in the cancer arena, because most of it is unproven, as far as the medical world is concerned. To be proven, a treatment must have undergone peer-reviewed, controlled studies. However, if you know where to look, you can find plenty of research to support the efficacy of many alternative therapies.


Every day, more and more of us are becoming fed up with conventional medicine's way of doing things; I mean, let's face it … Western medicine's focus is managing a disease once it occurs. Many alternative methods can be used as preventive instead of management. Once I started thinking about it, I knew there just had to be a better way. That's when my alternative journey began.

The many different avenues of alternative medicine, can be overwhelming and there are many with which I do not have personal experience. But, this is your starting point … a broad overview, not all-encompassing, by any means, of breast cancer alternative medicine. Some of these methods are palliative (help manage pain and discomfort of cancer and its treatment), some are complementary (to be used in addition to conventional), some are intended to be preventive, and others look promising as adjuvant treatments.




Manual Healing and Physical Touch

This is a huge category that includes acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, and Reiki, to name a few. Acupuncture is derived from Chinese medicine and involves inserting tiny needles through the skin into specific energy pathways on the body. This method interrupts the energy that flows through the body and is based on balanced Qi. There is lots of controversy surrounding whether acupuncture can be used as a method of treating cancer, itself, but it is thoroughly documented to alleviate pain and nausea from cancer and its treatments.

Chiropractic is the correction of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system. It is achieved by adjustments to the spine and neck. There are traditional chiropractors who adjust the entire spine and then there are Direct Non-Force Technique chiropractors who alleviate neurotransmitter interference, throughout the body, by specific, targeted adjustments. The thinking, here, is that the body has the means to heal itself and seeks to maintain balance within itself. Correcting the musculoskeletal disorders helps to regain the balance that has been lost.

Massage has been found, by recent studies, to provide more alertness and less depression, stress, anxiety, and pain. There are many different forms of massage, ranging from deep tissue to a basic relaxation massage. Many health care providers are proponents of massage therapy in addition to conventional treatment.

Reiki is a Japanese word that means universal life energy. This is a method that is typically performed in person but can be performed from a distance. The thinking behind Reiki is that, when the energy pathways of the body are blocked, it results in disease and/or pain. A Reiki practitioner can unblock these pathways, resulting in less pain and muscle tension, and increased ability for the body to heal itself.



Herbs, Minerals, Vitamins, Diet, and Nutritional Supplements

This is one of the roads I've chosen, for myself, based on careful research and consideration. There is evidence that shows that what we eat plays a big role in cancer prevention and it's in the news all the time. In the evolution of our society, our foods have become more and more processed, and less and less nutritious. Farmers use pesticides to keep the bugs from getting our produce. They use hormones to grow our chickens, cattle, and pigs larger faster, so they can make money off them sooner. Of course, it doesn't occur to them, or maybe they just don't care, that those substances are then consumed by us. I didn't even realize those things were used until after I had been diagnosed. You mean I'm eating estrogen in my meat???? Wow, was that ever a wakeup call.

Most practitioners don't endorse the use of nutritional supplements simply because they haven't been approved by the FDA … this premise amazes me because there have been many drugs, that have been approved by the FDA, that have caused serious injury and/or death. There are many nutritional supplements that show serious promise in the prevention, and possibly even treatment, of breast cancer. The studies are out there, if you know where to look.

Naturopathy

Naturopathy is another technique that uses the body's innate ability to heal itself. It is based on the concept that everything, within the body, is related and that if you have pain or illness, that is an alarm your body sets off to get your attention and let you know something is wrong. The naturopathic way of thinking is that your body begins to let you know something is out of balance … perhaps you aren't digesting your food correctly, or you have some hormones out of balance … and it begins a snowball effect, throughout your organs, until it gets your attention. Everything is related and, if there is a problem in one area, another area tries to take up the slack and becomes overworked, and so on. Naturopaths use natural means, such as homeopathic remedies, natural agents, manipulation, or electrical treatment to obtain balance so that the body can heal itself.

Homeopathy

This is the practice of using minute doses of active ingredients to produce the body's own defense and healing process. It, like naturopathy, strives to achieve homeostasis (balance) so the body can heal itself. Homeopathic remedies work much like a vaccine does to our bodies and is based on the premise of like fixes like. Homeopaths prescribe substances that would cause symptoms, in a healthy person, for the purpose of healing those same symptoms in a sick person. For example, a homeopath would prescribe minute amounts of thyroid to someone whose thyroid was overactive for the purpose of the thyroid building a defense to this and slowing itself down.



This is, by no means, an exhaustive overview of alternative therapies, but is, as stated, an overview.

Useful Tips To Improve Your Diet

We all workout for our own reasons. Some people want to trim down and shed a few pounds, while others workout to compliment a sport such as baseball or hockey. However to get the full benefit of your workouts you need to also focus on your diet. Here are just a few tips to help improve your diet and help you reach your goals.


1.) Fruit with an excellent Thermogenic/Carbohydrate Ratio include: Apples, Blueberries, Grapefruit, Peaches, Strawberries vs. Inferior Thermogenic Effect Fruits: Bananas, Dried Fruit, Raisins, etc., Watermelon.

2.) Good sources of insoluble Fiber:
~Whole wheat products
~What oat
~Corn Bran
~Flax seed
~Vegetables such as green beans, cauliflowers, and potato skins
~Fruit Skins and root vegetable skins.

3.) You should have planned cheat meals and you should cycle carbs. Because if you stay on a to restrictive diet your metabolism slows. You're body is a furnace and food is the coal. More food means your metabolism goes up (i.e. furnace heats up) but too much "coal" and it starts to collect. So essentially you need to eat to lose weight.

4.) Do not work out on a empty stomach first thing in the morning. Rather eat a piece of fruit. Since a piece of fruit reglycongenates your liver which helps in fat utilization. here is a link about it: http://www.parentsurf.com/p/article..._22/ai_n6170379

5.) Adaptation is your worst enemy when you are cutting as such you should cycle everything including conditioning, lifting, and food by varying intensity, duration, and quantity.

6.) Do not be insanely restrictive, if you are the odds are you will binge and gain the weight right back. the idea is to change your life style.

7.) If you are going to use fat burners do not use them in the beginning. Use them after you have plataued or stopped losing weight this way you got something up your sleeve for later.

8.) Stay away from sweets and sugars including soda.

9.) Fructose in high amounts can hinder fat and does not get transformed to glycogen, thus doesn't affect the muscles.

10.) You will want to maintain a high protein intake at a level of one gram per pound of lean body mass. Your carb intake should be reduced and come from complex sources.

11.) When cycling your carbs and calories you should be either +/ 900 from your BMR. Adult Male: BMR = 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) (6.8 x age in years). So M F you get 2,000cals then on sat sun around 2,900 no more though.

12.) 1g of protein= 4 cals, 1 g of carbs= 4 cals, 1g fat= 9 cals, 1g alcohol= 7 cals.

13.) Most people can only lose 1lb 1.5 lbs a week without losing muscle.

14.) In the beginning, you should keep a diet log of what you eat so you can see where you need to improve

15.) Workout wise, you should have reps from 6 10 with about 30 to 1min rest between sets.

Six Steps To Unleashing The Peace Within

We live in a hectic and uncertain world, with violence and chaos surrounding us every minute of the day. We are getting busier and busier and being bombarded with commercialism and adverts from every angle. Just like many of us I have been looking for a way to break the constant information overload to help give my mind a chance to relax and after many years of studying and test trying the art of meditation by many of the religions like Budhism. I have found a simple six step formula that helps me to unleash the inner peace that really wishes to come out.


Step 1

Find a cool quiet place

The first step in unleashing your inner peace is to find somewhere that will allow you to feel safe whilst meditating and undisturbed. Some of the sorts of places you might consider are sitting on the ground in the garden, near a river, or if you are like me and bound to the city, simply sitting in your lounge room will suffice. There are though a few key things that you must consider -

There should be little traffic noise

There is nothing worse than to just start meditating to hear the sound of the air brakes on a truck going off or an ambulance or police car going past.

Be Free From Distractions

When you first start meditating you will find it maybe difficult to get started but with a little practice, and that is the fun part, you will find over time that you will get better at it but in the early stages a little distraction from your children or noise can make it very difficult.

You Must Feel Safe

With todays society being the way that it is, you must have a sense of well being before starting your meditation. If you have a sense of insecurity you will find that it is very difficult to release your anxieties and most importantly your thoughts.

Be Comfortable

Most meditation periods usually will last around 20 minutes. When you first start off you may find that it takes a good 10 minutes to get to a point of being relaxed so make sure that you sit on a comfortable surface before starting the meditation process. I am a great believer in sitting on the floor however if you find it difficult to sit upright for any period of time, simply sit against the wall. Doing this can also help you with your sense of feeling safe. If you find it more comfortable sitting in a chair, try your meditation that way. I do not recommend sitting on a couch simply because you run the risk that you may fall asleep and whilst that is great before going to bed, it is not recommended as the outcome to the meditation process.

Step 2

Use a Light Incense

Depending on where you are, you may find that a light incense will help you break through the barriers when you first start meditating. If you are like me and are constantly on the rush and stressed, when you first stop you might find that it is really difficult to focus on your meditation because of the buzz running through your blood so using a light incense like lavendar can certainly help.

You can purchase incense from any number of stores like chinese food stores, oriental food stores or even some of the mystics stores and there are certainly many places on the web where you can purchase a light incense. Be warned though that it is illegal in some countries to buy incense via mail order and more so only buy from a reputable dealer as you never know what you could be importing.

Step 3

Put some quiet music on

The saying, "Music Soothes the Savage Beast" is never a more truer statement then when trying to find your inner world of peace. Playing some quiet music will certainly help soothe the buzz you have after a hard day but be very cautious on the type of music you choose. You need to ensure you choose music that will slow you down rather than increase your heart rate.

Many meditation gurus will recommend music like flowing water, a rushing stream or the sounds of the great outdoors, which will all certainly be suitable for this process but what I find the most useful is music from the Baroque period.

The music from this period has particular elements that make it suitable and more conjucent to helping you find that inner peace. Baroque music is built on 60 beats per minute, which funnily enough is the same as what our hearts should be doing. What some research has shown is that listening to music that has 60 beats per minute actually increases the alpha waves that cause calmness on both the left and right side of the brain. The outcome of this is that you will becom calm and relax, similar to if you whistled a tune. Research has also shown that this "alpha state" can help in your learning process, creativity and more importantly becoming more calm.

Step 4

Focus on Your Breathing. Breath In and Out

Now that we have the elements we need to meditate, it is now time for you to try . My preferred way to sit when I meditate is to cross my legs and to place my hands on my knees with my open palms up. If you can not cross your legs simply sit with your legs layed out flat. If you are sitting in a chair, simply spread your leg apart a little and place your hands on your knees.

The next step in the path towards peaces is to close your eyes and to breath in deeply and then slowly exhail the air. You need to consistently repeat this process but whilst you are doing this, there are a few important things to remember. When you first start to meditate you will find that as you relax, the things that bothered you during the day will start to resurface and come to the forefront of your mind and we need to stop this during your meditation period because if you do not, you can end up being more stressed then when you started. Whilst you are breathing, simply look into the depths of the darkness and clear you mind.

If you are finding it difficult to let go, try this technique. Whilst breathing in slowly, concentrate in your minds eye on the number one and focus on the number as you exhail. Then as you take your second breath, change the number one to a number two and then focus on the number two and maintain that focus as you exhail. With each new breath, focus on the next number. However, if at any time your focus gets away from you and you start thinking about making dinner or what you are going to do tomorrow, then simply restart from the number one. You will find that after a while using this process will really help you to maintain that focus and start to bring out that inner peace a lot quicker.

If you are having difficulty sleeping I find that using the counting process and the breathing process really helps a lot. Once again it does take time to master the technique but the more you practice the better you will get at it.

Step 5

Clear Your Mind

Once you have mastered the process of breathing and getting into a relaxed state, the next stage is to clear your mind. This can take a little bit of work and will take a while to conquer but when you do conquer it, you will really no what inner peace is. To clear your mind, you will simply not think of anything but just exhist. The key to clearing your mind is to focus on the space around you (whilst your eyes are closed) without thinking about a thing.

When you do this, an overwhelming sense of peace will come over your. You will find that the endorphins will give you a tingling feeling through out your body and you will be extremely calm. You will find as time goes on that you can in fact turn the tingling on at your own will but that comes with practice.

Step 6

Feel the Rush of Peace

The Budhists talk of meditating to reach enlightenment and whilst it can take a life time or two to achieve that, I can certainly say that when you do get to that point where you have let go of your surroundings and you are at peace its certainly feels like a whole new world. At the very least, not being stressed and feeling that constant buzz caused by the pressures of our day-to-day lives, will certainly give you a new definition of normal.





When you feel that your time for meditation is over, slowly allow your mind to start to think. You will find that its actually a lot easier than you think. Then slowly open your eyes and become more aware of your surroundings. Give yourself a good five minutes before you rush to get up but when you do, you should feel a sense of calm and peace around your body, mind and soul.