The Gay Mantra

Sail away!

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

Top foods to keep you young

Most of us are keen to stay looking as fresh and young as possible, and although there's no way to pause or turn back the clock, there are few age-proof strategies we can employ to make sure we stay looking good. Maintaining a healthy and well-balanced diet is one approach, and the good news is that there are some foods that are thought to give you extra ammunition when it comes to combating the signs of aging.


Green tea: There is no end to the benefits of this super drink; green tea boasts a wealth of benefits that earns it the top spot in our anti-aging food list. Green tea is believed to help regulate blood pressure, lower blood sugar, boost the immune system, lower cholesterol and studies have even shown that green tea can be effective at preventing cancer. That's as close to the elixir of life as you can get.


Leafy greens: Whilst eating spinach won't be enough to turn you into Popeye, it's certainly excellent for boosting the body's immunity from illness. Spinach and other leafy foods like kale and collard are high in folate which is vital in preventing DNA and blood vessel damage. If you can maintain a healthy circulatory system you are reducing your risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.


Dark chocolate: Who would have thought this sweet treat would feature in an anti-aging list, but the good news is chocolate can help fight against some signs of aging due to its cocoa content. Cocoa is rich in a group of antioxidants called Flavinoids which help preserve healthy function of the blood vessels. And healthy youthful circulatory system lowers risk of high blood pressure, type II diabetes, kidney disease and dementia. Don't go overboard though, a square a day is a good guide and make sure you go for the over 70 per cent cocoa bars.


Soy products: Like fish, soy products such as tofu are also a great alternative source of protein than red meat or even dairy, since they have little or no saturated fat. A diet that's low in saturated fat will reduce your risk of developing heart disease and lower blood pressure. As a staple part of the Japanese diet, soy products are great at helping keep down cholesterol and are a useful addition to a healthy diet.


Yogurt: Judging from their frequently bad press, you might assume that all forms of bacteria are out to get you. Thankfully, this couldn't be further from the truth. 'Good' bacteria is great for regulating the immune system, by increasing its antibodies and preventing the rise of pathogenic organisms like salmonella and E.coli. Many yoghurts include a high volume of 'good' bacteria that help maintain gut health and diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness. Yogurt is also rich in calcium, which can help stave off osteoporosis.


Red wine: A glass of red wine adds up a good dose of anti-aging elements including polyphenol antioxidants, minerals, and resveratrol. Resveratrol which helps to increase 'good cholesterol' levels in the body and prevents blood clotting and a healthy circulatory system. Resveratrol found in red wine may also be beneficial for women during the menopause by reducing the risk for conditions for example breast cancer and osteoporosis that result from reduced oestrogen levels. Like the chocolate, it's not carte blanche to guzzle as much as you want; we suggest a standard glass every other day is a good approach.


Water: Few people — whether active or not — drink sufficient water, and side effects of even slight dehydration include headaches, fatigue and low concentration levels. Yet increasing fluid intake can increase energy levels, aid digestion, give skin a boost and help boost your anti-aging armoury. Concentrate on drinking little and often throughout the day, being extra vigilant after exercise or when you've been confined in a dry, overheated or air-conditioned environment.


http://ph.she.yahoo.com/photos/top-foods-to-keep-you-young-slideshow/green-ta-photo-1335757910.html

Relationships 102

It's not the presence of someone that brings meaning to life, but the way someone "touches your heart" gives life a beautiful meaning.


Good relationships don't just happen, they take time, patience and two peope who want to be together.


Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent-free in your head. Life is way too short!


3 Things in life, that destroy a person...
GREED
PRIDE
ANGER


The past is not a good place to visit, BUT not a great place to stay.

Changed for a better you

May God bless you

Never retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Pay them back with a blessing... and God will BLESS YOU! - 1 Peter 3:9

So help me Lord

The Food List Challenge

not satisfied with the list, BALUT should be included in the list..

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The Food List Challenge tests people on their culinary mettle. The more you’re able to tick off from the list of 100 foods to try before you die, the more likely you’re a bona fide foodie.

As of April 10, more than 1.7 million Facebook users have taken the challenge.

Here’s the list in full:

Abalone
Absinthe
Alligator
Baba Ghanoush
Bagel and Lox
Baklava
Barbecue ribs
Bellini
Bird’s Nest Soup
Biscuits and Gravy
Black Pudding
Black Truffle
Borscht
Calamari
Carp
Caviar
Cheese Fondue
Chicken and Waffles
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chile Relleno
Chitlins
Churros
Clam Chowder
Cognac
Crab Cakes
Crickets
Currywurst
Dandelion Wine
Dulce de Leche
Durian
Eel
Eggs Benedict
Fish Tacos
Foie Gras
Fresh Spring Rolls
Fried Catfish
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Plantain
Frito Pie
Frog’s legs
Fugu
Funnel Cake
Gazpacho
Goat
Goat’s Milk
Goulash
Gumbo
Haggis
Head Cheese
Heirloom Tomatoes
Honeycomb
Hostess Fruit Pie
Huevos Rancheros
Jerk Chicken
Kangaroo
Key Lime Pie
Kobe Beef
Lassi
Lobster
Mimosa
MoonPie
Morel Mushrooms
Nettle Tea
Octopus
Oxtail Soup
Paella
Paneer
Pastrami on Rye
Pavlova
Phaal
Philly Cheese Steak
Pho
Pineapple and Cottage Cheese
Pistachio Ice Cream
Po’Boy
Pocky
Polenta
Prickly Pear
Rabbit Stew
Raw Oysters
Root Beer Float
S’mores
Sauerkraut
Sea Urchin
Shark
Snail
Snake
Soft Shell Crab
Som Tam
Spaetzle
Spam
Squirrel
Steak Tartare
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweetbreads
Tom Yum
Umeboshi
Venison
Wasabi Peas
Zucchini Flowers

http://ph.she.yahoo.com/list-foods-makes-foodie-122224050.html

Lightning, thunder and rain

Think of positive thoughts only

Caffeine risk: Good or Bad

though i have read a long term study before about the risk of caffeine..here is another good article about too much intake of caffeine.. not sure if the Italians were the number one coffee drinkers and then next were the Americans.. read on..

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Coffee culture carries caffeine risk

Bae Ji-sook

The Korea Herald

Publication Date : 23-03-2012

Koreans are definitely caffeinated: They love coffee, cola and chocolate as well as foods that contain a large amount of the stimulant.

Though it has been less than two decades since global coffee shop franchises were introduced to the country, industry insiders said about 37 million cups of coffee are sold every day, which means that 24 million economically active people drink more than one cup of coffee a day.

“I love coffee. I started with easy ‘coffee mix,’ powdered coffee extract with powdered cream and sugar. But now I am addicted to brewed coffee, which smells and tastes better. I drink about 4-5 cups a day,” said Kim Seo-yeon, a 32-year-old office worker. “Right after I wake up in the morning, after I have my lunch, during an afternoon break and while I watch TV at night, I always sip coffee.”

In addition to the frequent consumption of cola and chocolate, caffeinated energy drinks are gaining popularity among teenagers, who struggle to stay up at night to study.

However, experts warn that excessive caffeine intake could be harmful, especially since they are disguised with flavors, making easy to consume too much.

Caffeine is known for its short-term relief of fatigue or drowsiness since it stimulates the brain and nervous system. It is also known to speed up the dissolution of fat, which may lead to weight loss.

Usually, caffeine leaves the body through the urine system hours after it has been consumed, so there is not much to worry about in regards to intake. But if excessively consumed, it could lead to a fast heart rate, anxiety, depression, difficulty in sleeping, nausea, restlessness, tremors, frequent urinating or vomiting. It even has some reported withdrawal symptoms of drowsiness, headaches, irritability, nausea and vomiting.

“About 400 milligrams of caffeine is tolerable for adults, 300mg for pregnant women, or 2.5 milligrams per kilogram of weight,” said Dr. Seo Jeong-wan of Ewha Womans University Medical Centre. “It is equivalent to three-four cups of brewed coffee. But it could easily be filled by drinking 250 millilitres of cola, one canned coffee and 1 gram of chocolate, too. Therefore, people should watch what they are eating.”

Seo said teenagers should be extra alert about caffeine intake since they are in a critical stage of bone formation.

“If you drink caffeinated drinks instead of dairy, the facilitation of urination will take away the essential calcium and curb the growth of bone. If you are an adult, osteoporosis could be forecasted, too,” he added.

He advised teenagers to not rely on caffeine to overcome drowsiness.

“It could lead to insomnia if you take it for too long. Open the window, do stretching and eat food that are abundant in vitamin C such as citrons and other fresh fruits,” he said.

http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/news.php?id=28922&sec=9

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Signs of Caffeine Addiction

U.S.News & World Report LP

Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment – Wed 18 Apr, 2012 10:27 AM IST

Miss your morning cup of coffee and get a pounding headache? Feel grumpy if you haven't had a cup of Joe in hours? Caffeine addiction is easy to develop and hard to kick. Though caffeine is prevalent and legal, it's the most commonly used drug in the world. In addition to coffee, it can lurk in soda, tea, energy drinks, chocolate, gum, vitamins, snacks like "caffeinated peanuts," and even some over-the-counter medicines. Last year, "caffeine withdrawal syndrome" was recommended for inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which is used by mental health professionals to diagnose and research disorders. That's because caffeine can alter mood and behavior and caffeine withdrawal can interfere with sleep, work, and the ability to function at peak capacity. (The proposed revision has not yet been approved.)

"People are hesitant to think of [caffeine] as a drug of addiction because it doesn't have a lot of the health and adverse social consequences associated with our classic drugs of addiction," says Roland Griffiths, a professor in the departments of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "Yet the basic mechanisms by which it hooks people are very much like our classic drugs of addiction."

Most people experience mild to modest withdrawal, Griffiths says, which is relieved by drinking coffee in the morning after abstaining from it overnight. Many people say, "'I really don't get going until I have coffee, [and] then I feel great.' What they're not recognizing is that if they didn't consume coffee [at all], they would wake up feeling great," Griffiths says.

Griffiths' research suggests that it only takes 100 milligrams of caffeine a day--the amount found in a moderate-strength 8-ounce serving of coffee--to trigger at least mild withdrawal symptoms. And coffee isn't the only culprit--any type of caffeine can cause withdrawal. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms typically appear 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from coffee, and peak within 24 to 48 hours. They include: headache; lethargy and drowsiness; depressed mood; anxiety; nausea; vomiting; muscle pain and stiffness; and inability to concentrate. For those who are more caffeine-sensitive, symptoms could begin within three hours and last for up to a week. Those with the heaviest habit usually experience the most severe side effects.

More severe than caffeine addiction and withdrawal? Caffeine intoxication. It's a recognized clinical syndrome that causes nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, stomach problems, tremors, rapid heartbeat, restlessness, and pacing. It can even lead to death. Caffeine intoxication cases typically stem from caffeine pills and overdosing on energy drinks, though the DSM defines caffeine intoxication as recent consumption of more than 250 mg. of caffeine (about two to three cups) coupled with five or more symptoms that occur during or shortly after caffeine use.

Luckily, kicking the habit is doable. Most experts suggest cutting back gradually, drinking one fewer can of soda or a smaller coffee each day. That helps your body adjust to lower levels of caffeine, lessening potential withdrawal effects. Opting for decaf coffee or green tea is also smart, as is keeping a written tally of caffeine consumption each day.

http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/signs-of-caffeine-addiction.html

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Study finds coffee lovers may live longer
AFP Relax


If you love your morning coffee, a new study finds that your daily habit could protect your health. In a study by researchers from the National Cancer Institute in the US, older adults who drank coffee -- caffeinated or decaffeinated -- had a lower risk of death overall than others who did not drink coffee.

The java drinkers -- especially those who drank three or more cups a day -- were less likely to die from a number of illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and infections -- although researchers found no link with cancer. Results of the study were published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Head researcher Neal Freedman and his colleagues examined the association between coffee drinking and risk of death in 400,000 American men and women ages 50 to 71 who participated in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.

"The mechanism by which coffee protects against risk of death -- if indeed the finding reflects a causal relationship -- is not clear, because coffee contains more than 1,000 compounds that might potentially affect health," said Freedman. "The most studied compound is caffeine, although our findings were similar in those who reported the majority of their coffee intake to be caffeinated or decaffeinated."

Still, while more research needs to be done to fully understand the protective components of coffee, Freedman adds that "these results do provide some reassurance that coffee drinking does not adversely affect health."

Coffee has also been shown to improve brain function in mice studies, with researchers probing the possibility of using coffee as a treatment for people with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in Portugal also recently found that the consumption of caffeine could protect against memory loss associated with advanced diabetes.

Still health experts don't recommend overdoing your coffee intake. The US-based Mayo Clinic suggests no more than two to four cups a day, since more than that can cause insomnia, upset stomach, and anxiety.

http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-coffee-lovers-may-live-longer-112209926.html

The Shoe Repairman

great advertising..

Remain Forever Near

As we walk our path of life,
We meet people everyday.
Most are simply met by chance
But, some are sent our way.

These become special friends
Whose bond we can't explain;
The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.

Their love contains no boundaries.
So, even we are apart,
Their presence enhances us
With a warmth felt in the heart.

This love becomes a passageway,
When even the miles disappear.
And so, these friends, God sends our way,
Remain forever near.

as posted in tagged..

Of Good and Evil

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life.

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

One is evil.

He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good.

He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee replied simply, "The one you feed."

Cherokee Wisdom

(as posted in fb by Tita Tes Marfil)

4 To-Dos for the "Someday" Entrepreneur

By Adelaide Lancaster

I talk with a lot of people who want to start a business “someday.” And as a result, I often think about the factors that determine which “someday” entrepreneurs will actually become business owners, and which will continue to say “I wish” for years to come.

Surprisingly, the ability to take the plunge has a lot less to do with people’s personalities, and a lot more to do with how accessible and familiar the experience of entrepreneurship is to them. Those who can picture themselves running a business often do. And those who continue to think of entrepreneurship as a big, scary thing that other people (perhaps more gregarious, sales-oriented, or risk-tolerant people) do tend to never move forward.

So, if you, too, dream of someday being your own boss, an important first step is just getting acquainted with the nature of the beast. Here are four things that will help you do just that.


1. Make New Friends
One of the best ways to learn what entrepreneurship is really like is by getting to know some entrepreneurs. Not necessarily the fancy, media darling types, but just normal, low-key people who work for themselves. To start, connect with entrepreneurs who match your own demographic—it helps you to start thinking “hey, if they can do it, so can I!” But be sure to branch out from there, and also to meet people in a wide variety of industries. There are lots of styles of entrepreneurship, so the more diversity you can experience, the better!

If you don’t know any entrepreneurs, just start asking people to make some introductions. Or, join groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, and start paying attention to the discussions that are happening. Ask someone you find interesting to have coffee and take it from there. Pick their brain about useful resources, groups, or meetings, and see if they can introduce you to even more entrepreneurs.


2. Pick Some New Role Models
In addition to making some new pals, it’s important to identify role models who are a little more established in the business world. You might not be able to take them to coffee, but you can learn a lot by observing them and their companies from afar.

Select three brands or companies that you like and admire. Find as many ways to follow their leaders as possible—be it their blogs, articles, or Facebook profiles. Read their books if they have them. Read their press and interviews that they’ve done. Think about how their personalities and leadership styles have shaped the brands and the companies they run. Stay abreast of their company news, and take note of what they share about their own experience.


3. Fall in Love with Small Business as a Customer
There’s a certain romance to small business. As a customer, there’s always something more special about the experience. Sometimes it’s witnessing changes over the years, other times it’s the connection to the owner, others it’s the attention to detail that’s given to the product or service.

And there’s a lot to learn from that! So, in addition to making friends with entrepreneurs themselves, it’s important to also make relationships with some actual businesses. Think about the small businesses that you currently patronize, or the new start-ups whose products you love. What do you know about their owners or story? What are their goals and where are they going? What do they do that’s memorable, distinct, or unique? What do they do particularly well? Thinking about your own experiences as a customer will give you tons of insight into running your own show.


4. Demystify “Business” Speak
Most would-be entrepreneurs get scared off by the “business” side of things. They overestimate the skills and knowledge that are needed to run a business and assume that there are huge mountains to be climbed and learning curves to overcome before even getting started.

But it’s important to confront the monster under the bed—it’s not as hard as you might think, and you certainly don’t have to have an MBA to do it. Pick a small business magazine like Inc. or Fast Company and invest $15 to get a subscription. Peruse it each month, but feel free to read only what’s interesting to you. You’ll soon see how un-mysterious business can be. From behind-the-scenes business profiles to questions about how to handle particular challenges, you’ll begin to learn a lot about the experience of entrepreneurship.

As you start talking to people, expanding your reading list, and thinking more and more about the what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, you’ll soon see that it’s not as big and scary as you might think. And that “someday” will inch a little bit closer to today.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/03/07/4-to-dos-for-the-someday-entrepreneur/