Be Positive (31)

Research  on physical activity finds that exercise increase self-confidence, which in turn strengthen self-evaluations.  Regular exercise, including brisk walks, directly increases happiness 12 percent, and can indirectly make a dramatic contribution to improving self-image.

Fontane 1996

Sesame & Coconut Protein Conditioner.....Growing your hair with natural help

One of the things that I always do for my hair to keep it's health every two to three months is a protein treatment.  I'm always looking for ways to help my hair improve and stay in it's best state of health.  That means making a lot of my own products at home, which means a lot of work.  With that said, I like to take a day or two usually to prepare some of my products to use when I need them.  This simple protein conditioner combine with my hair care as help my hair very much.  I usually make 4 cup of coconut milk 4 cup of coconut oil to last me a few weeks.  I always have a jar of honey or two at home along with my other oils.  Making your own natural products at home do take time, but in the end if you prepare the things you can it makes it much easier to use.  You get the maximum nutrition and health benefits of the products.

Ingredients:
2 tbs coconut milk
2 tbs honey
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs light sesame oil
2  eggs

Directions:
Mix ingredients in bowl, then heat in microwave for 20 seconds to warm. Apply to damp hair before shampooing. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse, then do a second shampoo.

Be positive (30)

An analysis of volumes of previous research on the subject shows a strong consensus that volunteering contributes to happiness by decreasing boredom and creating an increased sense of purpose in life.  Volunteers, on average, are twice as likely to feel happy with themselves as non-volunteers.

Crist-Houran 1996

Iron for your Body

What is Iron?
Iron is an important mineral for the body, It is needed to help our red blood cells deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. Plenty of vitamin C helps your body absorb a lot more iron. Women need to maintain their iron level much more than men. It is the only nutrient that women have a higher daily requirement than men. In the United States a (RDA) Recommended Daily Allowance of 10 milligrams of iron for men and 15 milligrams for women.

Main Functions
Transport and storage of oxygen.
Aid in energy production and cell diffusion.
Helps the immune and central nervous systems.
Having a low-level of iron can cause an individual to develop iron deficiency anemia, Along with that it can cause their blood to contain low levels of oxygen. Some common symptoms that can be detected to prevent iron deficiency are:

Fatigue
Weakness
Rapid heartbeat
Fainting
Susceptibility to infection, and
Swelling of the tongue

Healthy adults absorb about 15% of the iron in their diet. Your Iron absorption refers to the amount that you incorporate in your everyday diet. A healthy adult on a daily basis diet should be about 15% of iron. You should know the amount of iron your body store before you can figure out how much your intake should be. It works this way, if your body barely has any iron it will demand more from the food you are eating. If you keep your Iron level high, your body will demand less iron and you will always have extra Iron store. Make sure to control your Iron levels because too much can be a bad thing also, Your body will developed haemochromatosis. Most individuals do well base on their diet, but if you feel the need for iron supplements contact your doctor first. If too much iron is taken damage to the liver and heart can happen.
Your main source to getting iron is red meat, other sources include but not limited to some fish, beans, dried fruits, and spinach. For those of you who enjoy breakfast cereals, iron can be found in most of them.

Boost the Iron in your diet with these foods:
Red meat
Egg yolks
Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)

Be Positive (29)

Research on athletes who came close but lost in Olympic finals finds that those who spend the least time on counterfactual thought-thinking about how things might have ended differently-are the most satisfied with their experience.

Gilovich and Medvec 1995

Be Positive (28)

Researchers found that there were no differences in overall happiness between those who mainly relied upon friends for companionship and those who mainly relied upon family.  People have the capacity to create happiness from the relationships available to them and do not need all their relationships to fit an ideal image.

Takahashi, Tamura, and Tokoro 1997

Be Positive (27)

In a study using surveys and daily observation, the availability of material resources was nine times less important to happiness than the availability of 'personal' resources such as friends and family.

Diener and Fujita 1995

Positive you (26)

Rooting for a local sports team was found to have positive effects by providing a common interest with others in the community and increasing happiness by 4 percent.

Shank and Beasley 1998

Your 5 tips for training when running

Training as a runner comes with not just getting up and running but strengthening your body as well. Excluding strength training from your workout can mean weaker legs and less endurance when you go out running.  Treat your body as a whole and strength train on the days that you are not running. If you plan on starting a running routine try these strength trading to help you get stronger.

1. Side Sit-Up
Lie on one side with both legs extended and raised slightly off the floor. The side of the upper torso in contact with the floor should lie relaxed on the floor. Place the hand of the bottom arm on the floor to the front so that the arm is perpendicular to the body. Place the hand of the top arm lightly on the back of the head. (Do not pull on the head or neck during the exercise.)

Slowly raise the torso, contracting the abdominal muscles on the top side of the trunk and raising the legs at the same time. Slowly lower the upper torso and the legs back to the starting position on the floor to complete one rep. Don't let the upper body fall to the floor in an uncontrolled manner. Complete 15 reps on one side and then 15 on the other.

2. High Lunge
Stand on a six-inch platform or step so that the forward, lunging foot will undergo an exaggerated downward acceleration. Start with erect posture and feet directly under the shoulders; step down and forward with one foot. After the forward foot makes contact with the ground, move into a squat position so that the thigh of the forward leg becomes almost parallel with the ground. The upper body may incline forward slightly as this happens. Emphasize action of the gluteal muscles and hamstrings to reverse the squat and return the forward leg onto the platform, under the trunk. Complete one rep by returning to the start position.

3. Low-Back Extension with a Twist
Lie on the stomach with arms by the sides, hands extended toward feet, and palms touching the floor. Contract the back muscles to lift and twist the upper body to one side during the first rep. Return to the starting position and then lift and twist the torso to the other side during the second rep. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions. Be sure to fully untwist the upper body each time the trunk moves back toward the ground so that the stomach and chest, not the sides, touch the ground. Perform these movements rhythmically and smoothly while maintaining good control.

4. Sprint Hop
Hop as quickly as possible for 20 meters, or 66 feet, on one foot, emphasizing extremely quick contact with the ground and forceful forward explosions each time the foot hits the ground. Without stopping or resting, hop 20 more meters on the other foot. Without interruption, repeat the exercise on the first foot and then the other foot. Recover by doing one minute of light jogging. Repeat this hopping and recovery sequence five more times.

A key progression with sprint hopping is to begin performing some of the reps on a hill. Start with a gently sloping incline of about three percent and gradually work up to a 10 percent incline, if possible, and hop both uphill and downhill. Maintain good form and balance at all times and avoid the temptation to look down at the hopping foot.

5. Two-Leg Hurdle Hop
Position eight hurdles in a row, 45 inches apart, with the height of each hurdle set at 23 inches. Starting from one end, jump over each hurdle, landing and taking off on two legs until all eight hurdles have been cleared. Maintain continuous movement. Minimize ground-contact time with each landing, and try to be as explosive as possible. Once you have cleared the eighth hurdle, jog back to the beginning point and repeat four more times for five reps in all. Avoid taking little hops between hurdles and making more than one contact between hurdles. This exercise may also be performed on one leg at a time as a progression.

Tone Up With 5 Fast-Firming Moves

Working out to firm your body in a few easy steps and very few equipment can be beneficial to your body. Setting a schedule to get your body tone up can be archive with working out twice a week, use as little off equipments as weights, plyo or a box. The ideal day to start is on a Monday and your next day a Wednesdays, you will be more willing to get your workout in.  Acquire about a 8 to 10 pounds of weights along with plyo box and set your workout area up. Practicing a three sets of 12 reps of each exercise on your two workout days to see the best results.


1. Hammie Hip Thrust: Rest upper back on side of a box or bench, feet on floor, knees bent. Holding one weight at waist, raise right foot off floor to start. Lift hips as high as you can. Slowly lower back to start; repeat on opposite side for one rep.

Works: Hamstrings, butt, thighs, hips: this will help you work on those areas and strengthen your lower body.


2. Dumbell Raise: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand; bend forward at waist, driving hips back. Draw weights to chest. Lower; repeat.

Works: Back, butt, legs: get great legs, back, and have your but looking its best.

3. Curl and Press: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand at sides, palms facing thighs. Curl weights to shoulders; press overhead. Return to start; repeat.

Works: Biceps, shoulders: get great shoulders to show off and have your biceps look great when they are out.
 
4. Weighted Half Squat: Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand. Do a semisquat so thighs are at a 45-degree angle to floor; hold for three counts. Return to start; repeat.

Works: Legs, butt

5. Crisscross Reach: Lie faceup on floor, legs extended, arms at sides. Crunch up, raising left leg and reaching right hand toward toes. Return to start; repeat on opposite side for one rep.
Works: Abs, obliques

**to get the most out of this running exercise make sure to keep it but and not lap off for a week or two, take a little time to rest your muscles and eat the right foods.

Be positive (25)

Prevalent criticism within relationships reduces happiness up to one-third. 

O'Connor 1995

Make Your Mark on the World...You Have a Purpose!

You are not here to fill space or to be a background character in someone else's movie.  Consider this: nothing would be the same if you did not exist.  Every place you have ever been and everyone you have ever spoken to would be different without you.  We are all connected, and we are all affected by the decisions and even existence of those around us. 

Be positive (24)

The difference between those who have happy personal relationships and those who have unhappy personal relationship is not the amount of conflicts they have.  Indeed, each group has a similar number of conflicts.  Instead, it is a greater commitment to following through on agreed-upon changes that contributes to the success of relationships and the 23 percent greater happiness of the individuals involved. 

Tuner 1994

creating Your Own Happiness

We assume that happy and unhappy people are born that way.  But both kinds of people do things that create and reinforce their moods.  Happy people let themselves be happy.  Unhappy people continue doing things that upset them.  

Be Positive (23)

Research on the effect of religion on life satisfaction found that regardless of what religion people affiliated themselves with, those who had strongly held spiritual beliefs were typically satisfied with life, while those who had no spiritual belief typically were unsatisfied. 

Gerwood, LeBlanc, and Piazza 1998

Be positive (21)

In research on highly educated professionals, almost half of the subjects could not become satisfied even as they accomplished their apparent goals because they did not recognize their accomplishments and instead created an irrational negative image of  themselves. 

 

 

Thurman 1981

Your body and 'IRON'

What is Iron?

Iron is an important mineral for the body, It is needed to help our red blood cells deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. Plenty of vitamin C helps your body absorb a lot more iron. Women need to maintain their iron level much more than men. It is the only nutrient that women have a higher daily requirement than men. In the United States a (RDA) Recommended Daily Allowance of 10 milligrams of iron for men and 15 milligrams for women.

Main Functions

1. Transport and storage of oxygen.
2. Aid in energy production and cell diffusion.
3. Helps the immune and central nervous systems.

Having a low-level of iron can cause an individual to develop iron deficiency anemia, Along with that it can cause their blood to contain low levels of oxygen. Some common symptoms that can be detected to prevent iron deficiency are:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fainting
• Susceptibility to infection, and
• Swelling of the tongue

Healthy adults absorb about 15% of the iron in their diet. Your Iron absorption refers to the amount that you incorporate in your everyday diet. A healthy adult on a daily basis diet should be about 15% of iron. You should know the amount of iron your body store before you can figure out how much your intake should be. It works this way, if your body barely has any iron it will demand more from the food you are eating. If you keep your Iron level high, your body will demand less iron and you will always have extra Iron store. Make sure to control your Iron levels because too much can be a bad thing also, Your body will developed haemochromatosis. Most individuals do well base on their diet, but if you feel the need for iron supplements contact your doctor first. If too much iron is taken damage to the liver and heart can happen.

Your main source to getting iron is red meat, other sources include but not limited to some fish, beans, dried fruits, and spinach. For those of you who enjoy breakfast cereals, iron can be found in most of them.

 

Boost the Iron in your diet with these foods:

• Red meat
• Egg yolks
• Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
• Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
• Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)
• Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
• Turkey or chicken giblets
• Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
• Liver
• Artichokes

And here's a tip: If you eat iron-rich foods along with foods that provide plenty of vitamin C, your body can better absorb the iron. Check out my page below for health supplements and other nutritional needs  for your health.

Be Positive (21)

Studies of thousands parents found that there were negatives associated with being very proactive, including increased time spent worrying and a generally high level of stress.  In sum, being more proactive does not offer people more life satisfaction or contentment

Voydanoff and Donnelly 1998

Positive you (20)

In studies of families, regularity in household routines improved daily personal satisfaction by about 5 percent.

Henry and Lovelace 1995

A Little Help From Your Natural Ingredients the coconut

  With so many products out on the market sometimes the simple decisions can seem so hard. I love to keep things as natural as possible when it comes to my products, that means cheaper and healthier products. With so many products available right in my kitchen I usually make a lot of personal home care for my hair and skin. My number 1 oil that I use for my hair is coconut oil, you can buy this oil or if your like me make it at home. Coconut has been amazing in my hair, I make a scalp conditioning oil mix with it plus I also had it to my conditioner.

  Coconut MILK and OIL can be used extensively to strengthen and condition hair. Moving over to Avocado, it’s full of essential fatty acids, its creamy state makes a great home-made conditioner. I used this mask when I feel like my hair has been drying out and need a little extra love.

  Olive oil which I have talked so much about is a mediterranean source used for thousands of years. With a powerful conditioning natural, it also seals in moisture into your hair. This oil will give your hair all the love it needs to grow properly and retain your length over the years.

  Eggs are a must for me every month, I always make sure I do a protein mask for my hair. In the beginning I would use store-bought protein treatment, but I have realize that my hair do much better with the natural protein. Eggs are an excellent source of proteins that helps prevent breakage by strengthening your hair strands. If you want your hair length to stay on your head, you have to take care of the hair that has already grown out.

 Honey is a wonderful hummectant that boots shine and help soften coarse hair. Apple cider vinegar is also of great source to cleanse your scalp and makes your hair shine by closing the cubicles.

Positive you (19)

Surveys and an analysis of previous studies show that age is simply unrelated to levels of personal happiness. 

Kehn 1995