How to Eat Healthy During Your Pregnancy

There are lots of things you need to do as a mother-to-be in order to keep both you and your baby healthy but one of the most important things is eating properly. You and your baby need lots of nutrients and vitamins. Things you need to focus on Calcium, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Iron and Fatty Acids.

Calcium- You need calcium while you are pregnant in order to maintain your bones while still providing for the development of your baby's skeletal system. Great sources of calcium are milk, cheeses, yogurt, turnip greens, broccoli, almonds and caned beans.

Vitamin D - Helps your intestines ability to absorb the calcium and use it in the way your body needs. Sources of vitamin d are soy beverages, margarine, fish like salmon and egg yolks.

Folic Acid- This is extremely important because it helps decrease the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). It also helps your body support the extra blood volume, and the growth of your maternal and fetal tissues. There are lots of sources like cooked spinach, orange juice, romaine lettuce, green peas, corn, raspberries, blackberries, roasted peanuts and wheat germ. Other foods are sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, strawberries, banana, grapefruits, white bread and breakfast cereal.

Iron- Iron helps supply the red cells to the placenta. If you consume less iron than recommended you run the risk of a premature delivery, having a baby with low-birthweight or even experiencing fetal loss. Foods rich in iron are cooked beans, ground beef, chicken, ham, lamb, pork, peaches, apricots and prunes.

Fatty Acids- Fatty acids help promote fetal visual and neural development. Foods you can consume that contain fatty acids are canola oils, salad dressings, tofu and veggie burgers.

Also remember to take a prenatal pill but never take more than one in a day. Talk to obstetrician about the best foods and vitamins for your individual needs.

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On the Honda Civic Tour with Cobra Starship!

Guitarist Ryland Blackinton gives us a tour on the bus and explains how his band is like breakfast cereal



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuHOuFhsy6U&hl=en

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Strategies for Building Your Business

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How do you know which strategy will grow your business most effectively in the short and long term? Market penetration, market extension, product development or diversification are the primary strategies for building your business. You can also grow organically (growth in your own business) or by acquisition (of another business). This article summarises what these strategies are, and when you would be most likely to use them.

Market penetration is based on taking the opportunities to sell more of your products or services into your existing market, or penetrating deeper into your market.

Since it costs on average 5-10 times more to source new customers than to work with your existing customers, it makes sense to adopt this strategy if you can.

It will be most applicable if:

- You have a reasonably large base of potential customers in your existing markets

- There is an opportunity for you to sell more of your products/services to your existing customers, and to sell to new customers from the same existing market segment

- You want to sell more of you existing products/services

- Your products/services are still competitive

How to implement this strategy:

- More aggressive promotion and marketing

- More, or more effective, channels to market (whether direct sales or via third party distributors)

An example of this strategy would be Telstra and it's mobile service. Telstra has penetrated deeply into its existing market (Australia in broad terms), using extensive promotion and advertising, and a continually expanding distribution channel of resellers and its own retail outlets. As a result, it has the largest share of the mobile market.

Market extension is when you identify new markets to sell your existing products and services into, whether they are new geographic markets (interstate, regional, international) or new segments in the same geographic market.

It will be most applicable if:

- You have secured a strong customer base in part of your defined market, and still have other areas or segments that still offer opportunities to you.

- You are reaching saturation in your existing market (you have the dominant share)

- You are able to access new markets through the right distribution channels or through your own presence in those markets

- You have the cashflow to fund the time and cost it takes in breaking into new markets

- You have researched the market thoroughly and understand the potential gain and the risks

- You have the ability to service those new markets well

A simple example of this is when companies open offices or branches interstate, to replicate the success they have had in their own market.

Product development is when you develop new or improved products for your existing markets. Product development may take the form of a new product altogether (for example a new software package), an extension to a product (for example a new feature set/enhancements to the existing software package), or a product add-on (for example, a new software module).

- Products and services are often developed when there is customer demand for them, or when technology results in newer versions being available or created by your competitors, or when you have a great idea and research indicates there would be a market for it.

- Product development requires funding, planning, research, testing, marketing, selling through appropriate channels and more testing.

- If you develop new products or services you must do so objectively, and listen to your customers, take notice of the market research and feedback, and be honest about how competitive your new products will be. Don't waste time or money launching products or services that won't sell, or won't sell enough.

- Product development must be an ongoing process to some extent, as no company can survive on an unchanging product or service, year in and year out.

- Generally it's fair to say that if you don't develop and enhance your products, then your competitors will and will overtake you.

An example of somewhat extreme product development is Coca-Cola now selling Lemon Coke, Caffeine-Free Coke, and Vanilla Coke into its existing markets, alongside regular Coke and Diet Coke. This strategy has similarities to the one used back in the '80s, when Coca-Cola had Classic Coke, New Coke (when they changed the original formula), Cherry Coke, regular Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Diet Coke, Tab, Caffeine-Free New Coke and Caffeine-Free Tab. It created a lot of consumer confusion, and eroded the brand power of the original Classic Coke.

A simpler example of product development is the breakfast cereal manufacturers developing breakfast cereal bars, for breakfast 'on-the-go'.

Diversification is the strategy of developing new products for new markets. This strategy requires a cautious approach as it is based on many unknowns: a new market, an untested product, probably new distribution channels, and probably existing suppliers already competing in the target markets.

Use this strategy if:

- you have a large budget for product development and market research

- you can support this strategy (and the time it takes to start generating revenue) with existing cashflow from the business

Acquisition is a strategy used to fast-track business growth by acquiring, rather than building, new business. You may acquire another company for several reasons:

- to acquire their customer base

- to acquire their revenue and profits

- to generate economies of scale (and reduce costs) for the combined entity

- to acquire their products

- to acquire their expertise

- to access new markets

- etc.

The acquiring company retains overall control of the combined business, and may agree to buy all or part of the other business.

© 2007 BOSS Management Group Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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Metal Massacre Atack - Massacration

Metal Massacre Atack no Planeta Atlantida Metal Bucetation www.youtube.com Metal MIlkshake www.youtube.com Metal Cereal Metal www.youtube.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgbWF-injo&hl=en

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Pee Wee's Big Adventure - Mr. T Cereal

Pee Wee enjoys his breakfast with a healthy dose of vitamin T.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffD1RlO87O4&hl=en

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Cereal Killer

Nathan can't find his cereal. Hopefully no one is trying to kill it.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pABkeUWsfCE&hl=en

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What is Pellets Apart from Fuel for Pellet Stoves

Pellets is a fuel source that is burned in pellet stoves. It is a heating source of today and of the future. It has many advantages that makes it really interesting both from the perspective of heating your home a reasonable price, in other words of interest for you as a consumer and potential pellet stove owner. It also has environmental advantages making it of interest for you as a world citizen caring for the health of our planet.

Pellet are about the size of bran breakfast cereal and are a common domestic heating fuel in North America used in different stoves. It is used in specially designed corn pellet heating stoves, wood pellet stoves or regular pellet stoves.

The fuel for pellet stoves is nothing less than pure recycled power. It is made from 100% recycled sawdust with no additives. Pellet is is a heating source made from manufacturing by-products that would otherwise end up at the landfill. Pellets can also be made from wood chips, bark, agricultural crop waste, waste paper, and other organic materials. It is truly quite remarkable how stuff that seems like waste can be turned into great warmth for you home.

Pellets is as mentioned above also a cheap heating source for your pellet stove. Pellets is probably one of the least expensive heating sources. This includes that it has a high BTU*, leaves minimal ash and only has 5% moisture (wood has up to 50% moisture). The abbreviated term BTU means British Thermal Unit, which is the amount of heat needed to increase the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. One Btu equals 252 calories, 778 foot-pounds, 1,055 joules or 0.293 watt hours.

A question that might arise for you is where to buy pellet for your pellet stove? Pellets are readily available in 40-pound bags at several major home centers, feed stores, wood heater stores, and also at some supermarkets. You might also find a saw mill or two in your vincinity that will be able to provide you with pellet for your pellet stove.

Pellet stove fuel for a pellet stove is normally sold in 40 pound (that is 18 kg for all of you outside the US) bags at about $3-$4 each, or about $120-$200 a ton. You can estimate how much pellet stove fuel you will need for a heating season by noting that one ton of pellets is equivalent to approximately 1.5 cords of firewood. So get the calculator out to figure how much you might need for the season.

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A Religious Sect Accidentally Created a Great American Industry

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During the Civil War years of the 1860's the Seventh Day Adventists opened the original Western Health Reform Institute in Battle Creek, Michigan. This religious group was keenly interested in healthy living and undertook some of the earliest research on the benefits of foodstuffs naturally derived from Native American crops. The result was their creation of the earliest breakfast cereals.

For the rest of the 19th century the Seventh Day Adventists consumed their breakfast cereals made from oats, corn, wheat and sorghum. They never really attempted to fully commercialize their recipes for these cereals.

Their original health institute became the famous Battle Creek Sanitarium. One of the doctors at the sanitarium was named W. K. Kellogg. Dr. Kellogg, a devoted follower of the Seventh Day Adventists, was keenly interested in healthy diet and the effect of diet on sick patients. While seeking a foodstuff to replace bread in the diet of his patients, he stumbled into an answer that created an iconic American industry.

Dr. Kellog was boiling a pot of water that contained wheat. His attention became diverted and the wheat overcooked, thus softening. He removed the softened wheat and let it dry. When he returned later he found that the overcooked wheat had begun to turn brittle. He began to break apart the wheat and it broke off into little flakes. Amazingly, the wheat flakes had a most enticing taste. Dr. Kellogg had accidentally invented the process essential to mass-produce wheat cereals and corn flakes.

Today we know the Kellogg Company as one of America's great brand names and purveyors of numerous popular breakfast cereals. The Kellogg Company was later followed by C. W. Post and General Mills in making the prepackaged breakfast cereal industry one that is uniquely American.

Dr. Kellogg spent the rest of his life seeking to create healthy products that would improve and extend life. However, the accidental discovery of the process necessary to produce dry cereals is his great legacy. Every day millions of people all over the world start their day with a tasty, nutritious bowl of cereal that owes its provenance to an overcooked pot of wheat.

Many great inventions and product improvements owe their existence to accidents, mistakes that open new doors and plain dumb luck. The key to commercially profiting from these errors is to always keep an open mind in the face of the unexpected. Dr. Kellogg was looking for a new type of bread. His mistake in overcooking a pot of wheat has contributed to making his name one of the most famous in the world.

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The State Season 1 - Episode 2 "Cereal Commercial Skit"

This was a skit called "Cereal Commerical" from the show "The State" that aired on MTV in 1993 - 1995 All Rights Reserved to MTV2 and The State



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXVO0j-RUAY&hl=en

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The Soup, Salad and Cereal Diet - What Are the Advantages of This Diet?

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The soup, salad and cereal diet have one thing in common, fiber. The only concern is what you mix along with these foods but in general, they are one of the best, most nutritious foods that will do your body much good. Of course there are other nutrients that the body will need too. Soups, salads and cereal diet will have to be augmented later on with other foods but for starters, it is an excellent way to get healthy. Even when you stay at it for only a week, results are immediately visible.

The Soup

Soups that are mixed with beans and meat are good sources of proteins. Get variety in your recipe. Stews are great ideas for dinners. Add a little sodium for taste. Forget the warnings against sodium. What is taken in moderation never hurt so why punish your self. A little sodium in fact makes us sweat and makes us thirsty. Drinking a lot of water keeps the body hydrated, it is also a good vehicle to move out the toxins that has been staying there and doing us harm.

The Salad

Salads are mostly made from vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibers and most of them are highly thermogenic that improves metabolism. When the body needs more protein, you could add grilled chicken to it and some other meats, boiled egg also mixes well with most salads.

The Cereals

Choose high protein cereals. There are a host of high protein cereals that are available in the market. Multi grain cereals are excellent and so is wheat. Keep changing the preparation, add variety to the cereals, add nuts also to get more earthy flavors.

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A Fukuoka Inspired Permaculture Garden Pt3

www.permacultureplanet.com Emilia Hazelip (1938 - February 1, 2003) was an organic Permaculture gardener who was born in Spain and began gardening seriously in the late '60s. A former Merry Prankster and pioneer of the concept of synergistic gardening, her farming methods were inspired by the work of Masanobu Fukuoka. Where Fukuoka focused most of his attention on orchards and the rice crop rotation, Emilia Hazelip focused on creating and maintaining market gardens of vegetables and herbs. Emilia Hazelip, who introduced the concept of permaculture to France over a decade ago, drew on many sources as she continued to develop gardens. The work of Permaculturist Marc Bonfils with self-fertile cereal production and the microbiological research of Alan Smith and Elaine Ingham are frequently mentioned. To see more videos by the maker of this film and for contact information on how to purchase a high quality full length version (SVHS) on DVD please visit: www.youtube.com A French language version of this video can be found on Youtube here : www.youtube.com For More Information on the Global Permaculture Movement Please Visit: www.permacultureplanet.com Pour voir plus de vidéos par le producteur de ce film et pour des informations de contact sur la façon d'acheter une haute qualité de version complète (S-VHS) sur DVD, s'il vous plaît visitez www.youtube.com La version Francaise de ce clip se trouve sur Youtube ici : www.youtube.com Pour plus d'information sur le Mouvement mondial ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQmPT6jfttc&hl=en

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Yummy Lentil Soup Recipe

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This lentil soup recipe is a great cold weather treat. It can be served as is - vegetables only - or you can add some white rice or short pasta to make it an even heartier Italian soup recipe. Your choice!

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound lentils of your choice (I use the brown kind), rinsed and sorted
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 quarts water plus two bullion cubes (or chicken or vegetable broth)
2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsp salt

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic and let cook until all these veggies begin to tenderize a bit, approximately 6 minutes.

Add the water or broth. Throw in the rest of the ingredients, minus the bullion cubes and salt. Bring them all to a boil over high heat, then add the seasonings. (Remember don't add the bullion cubes if you are using stock!) Turn the heat down to low, stir the soup, and let simmer until the lentils are tender...about 35-40 minutes.

If you like, you can add some rice or pasta about 10 minutes before the soup is done cooking. If you do this you may need to add an additional cup to two cups of water. Otherwise, remove the soup from the stove, serve with crusty Italian bread and enjoy!

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Should I Eat Breakfast Cereal to Conceive a Son Or Boy?

I often write articles that help couples chose their baby's gender. The other day, I got an email from a woman who asked me: "should I be eating a heavy breakfast or cereal if I want to conceive a boy?" I'll answer this question (and give you an explanation of my answer) in the following article.

The Study That Linked Breakfast Cereal And Conceiving Boys: The source behind the reader's question was a 2008 survey which followed only 740 pregnancies. The study found that women who had higher energy sources (more calories) conceived boys a very SLIGHTLY higher percent of the time. This higher amount of calories often included breakfast.

The study indicated that of the women who ate cereal each and every day, fifty nine percent had boys. This gives you about a nine percent advantage over the approximate 50 / 50 odds that are typical. So, these odds are not that statistically significant, but it certainly can't hurt to consume cereal. However, I'd like to explain to you why cereal may be effective and how you can use this knowledge to raise your odds to higher than ninety percent (which are odds that are statistically significant.)

The reason that cereal may help is that it's often high in sodium, potassium, and calcium. These substances are generally alkalizing which means that they will lower your body's acidity. Why is this important? Because the sperm that produces a boy are weak. They can not withstand a vaginal PH that is high or acidic and will generally die off very quickly in this environment.

But, if you are able to lower your PH and acidity (which you can do through diet and douching), then you make your reproductive tract much more friendly to the boy sperm (who are also much faster than girl sperm.) So, if you can stack your vaginal tract with a nice supply of these fast little guys, then you've obviously upped your odds. Food lists, douche recipes, and PH testing strips can make this process a bit easier.

Other Things (Besides Cereal) That Can Help You Conceive A Boy: Lowering your PH is an important, necessary step. But, it's not the only one. Understand that if you want a son, your only goal is to really ensure that the Y (boy sperm) fertilizes your egg. Becoming more alkaline is one way to do this, but it's not the only way.

You also need to appropriately time your conception. Boy sperm don't live for long, so you want to conceive on the day of ovulation. If you go any earlier than this, you'll have these little guys in a weakened, deteriorated state where they aren't racing as fast as they should. Make sure you have a very reliable ovulation predictor (I like saliva) and use it. You really can't leave this to chance.

Finally, you'll want to use sexual positions that give you deep penetration. This allows the boy producing sperm less vulnerability, since they are spending less time in your vaginal tract and it takes them less time to get where they need to go.

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Let's Play Spy Fox: Part 1

I really should have sung "Freefallin'" when Spy Fox was falling out of the plane. Then again, then you'd hear me sing, which isn't good. So it all worked out for the best.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye_q16AS0vU&hl=en

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Kick the Caffeine Habit With These 3 Coffee Alternatives

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Kick back, relax and feel better and healthier with coffee alternatives.

I wonder how many people in the world drink coffee every day. (If you have the stats, let us know!) We're sure it's millions, and I used to be one of the many who have made the ol' cup of joe a daily habit. I still drink coffee (I just can't resist the aroma), but in moderation.

No, I'm not going to go and on about some of the benefits of coffee nor its disadvantages to our health. (There are already so many sources out there that can tell you that.)

It just hit me that there is always a better, healthier, greener alternative to things that we're all used to, and this is why today we're sharing some of the best alternatives to coffee if you're trying to kick the caffeine habit.

If you've already started replacing coffee with say, a green smoothie, well good for you! But for those who are just starting out, here's our advice: it's not easy to say goodbye to something you're used to doing (or in this case, drinking) every day of your life, so take it slow. Start skipping coffee a few days a week, and do it at a pace you're comfortable with. No pressure here.

Enjoy these healthier substitutes to coffee - without that caffeine jolt!:

Green Tea

This one's perhaps the best substitute for coffee. And for very good reasons! According to research, green tea is loaded with cancer-fighting compounds, lower cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. It's also packed with antioxidants so you get nothing but healthy goodness in a cup!

Green smoothies made from fresh fruits and/or veggies

Friends of mine who live a very active lifestyle swear by the green smoothie. It's a favorite of many athletes and health buffs, and here's why: it's a powerhouse of nutrients! There's nothing quite like the zing of fresh fruits to wake you up and energize you, plus all those nutrients from veggies are doing wonders for your brain and organs.

Cereal drink

This one's rising in popularity. Cereal drinks combine the amino acids of oats and rice to those of soya. You get your dose of fibers and protein from a nourishing cereal drink, and it's a delicious and refreshing alternative to coffee and milk.

Now we know it's hard to go cold turkey. It may be hard to break you relationship with your local Starbucks or coffee house, especially when you're on a first name basis with the barista. In that case, maybe you can order one of their non-coffee alternatives, or try ordering a decaf version. Once you can get over the physical addiction to caffeine, you'll find it is a lot easier to switch.

What other coffee alternatives do you drink or can you think of?

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10 Foods Diabetics Should Avoid

Most diabetics know to avoid sugar. It only makes sense: if your blood sugar is too high you shouldn't complicate the situation by ingesting more of the same.

But sugar in your diet is not the only food that will raise your blood glucose. Carbohydrates and alcohol raise your blood sugar (blood glucose level) about as quickly as eating sugar straight from the bowl. Proteins and fat are converted into energy for the body as well but don't raise the blood sugar nearly as much nor nearly as quickly.

Of course, sugar in the blood is not exactly the same as sugar in your food. The human body uses glucose as its energy source. Table sugar is sucrose, fruit sugar is fructose, and milk sugar is lactose. There are other sugars as well, but basically these sugars are converted to glucose in the human body.

Not everyone has a sweet tooth, but I certainly do. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that diabetics should avoid eating anything made with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup including: candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, donuts, marshmallow cream, circus peanuts, soda pop, Kool-aid, sports drinks, sweet tea or fruit drinks, hot chocolate, caramel corn, candy corn, jello, pudding, Popsicles, sherbet, syrup, whipped cream, pie, Cracker Barrel chocolate cake, custard, jelly, Nutella, milkshakes, Captain Crunch, etc. If I missed your favorite, add it to the list.

The following 10 foods should be avoided as well.

1. White bread. The processed flour turns to glucose almost as quickly as sugar itself. In fact, white bread is rated the same as glucose on the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a ranking according to how quickly a particular food raises blood glucose levels. High is bad, low is good. Both glucose and white bread are rated 100. Stone-ground whole wheat bread and pumpernickel bread have a much lower glycemic index.

2. White bagels. They look a lot like white bread, don't they? The yummy bagels are much higher in calories than regular bread, too. Two slices of bread equals about 150 calories whereas a good-sized bagel is twice that. Not that you can't eat bagels, but get a whole-grain variety and remember that eating a big bagel is like eating 4 slices of toast.

3. Saltine crackers. If you were the baker, you'd notice that white bread, white bagels, and crackers all start off with white flour. The same is true of standard pretzels. Whole grain crackers and pretzels are better for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.

4. White potatoes. Strangely, sweet potatoes have a lower glyemic index and raise the blood sugar less than white potatoes do.

5. White rice. Are you noticing a pattern here? Some diabetic patients choose to avoid anything white.

6. Most breakfast cereal. Unless it's made with whole grains, breakfast cereal, too, will be processed like sugar. Even quick oatmeal raises blood sugar. Stone-cut oatmeal is much better for you and is now available in standard grocery stores, right next to the "regular" oatmeal. However, the stone-cut variety takes much longer to cook, easily half an hour or more to soften the grain to the consistency of regular oatmeal.

7. Instant pasta or macaroni mixes. Almost anything "instant" or processed breaks down into sugar more quickly than the natural forms.

8. Popcorn. Yes, another white item - however, amount is the key. A cup of popcorn (unbuttered) won't raise your blood sugar much whereas eating a large theater popcorn is like eating a few candy bars.

9. Sweet fruits. The especially sweet fruits like watermelon and pineapple contain more fruit-sugar than the less sweet fruits, but again, amount is the key. A few bites won't hurt you.

10. Alcohol. Not only does it elevate your blood sugar, but it may impair your judgment regarding your diabetes. Best to avoid this altogether.

Copyright 2010 Cynthia J. Koelker, M.D.

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.99 Cent Stores Helps You Get a Bikini Body on a Bite-Size Budget!

You Don't Have to Be Wealthy to Eat Healthy. Yes, your Real Life Fit Living Expert Laurel House decided to prove a point: you can grocery shop for healthy food on a budget. 8 bags of groceries filled with fresh produce, proteins and dairy for $25 spent... point proven. Smart and Skinny Chicks grocery shop at the 99 Cents Only Store. For more of Laurel's fit tips and workouts visit: bit.ly



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ZVpIp4OGM&hl=en

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Introducing The Only Child Rearing Book a Parent Will Ever Need

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Are you a parent? Potential parent? Expecting parent? Do you ever read parenting books just to celebrate the fact that you aren't a parent and still have your freedom? If so, you're going to love my new book, Kids You Can Count On.

Kids You Can Count On is guaranteed to help you raise perfect children effortlessly. How can I make such a statement without biting my bottom lip until blood comes out? Simple! Every technique I used to raise my three beloved kids to become bright, happy, polite, and well-adjusted is not in the book. Why? Because none of the techniques worked. My kids' behavior had me drinking Maalox out of industrial sized containers -- but the important thing is now I know what went wrong! Now I get it! And that's what's in the book. Why suffer years of frustration raising kids through trial and error, when I've already done the suffering for you?

Here are some sample insights and real life examples from the book, guaranteed to save you time, reduce stress and most importantly --raise the type of child you'd admit was yours even if you weren't being interrogated by the police!

What I Learned About Teaching Respect for Adults:
Never let your child call an adult by their first name. Why? Because right from the beginning a child who refers to you by your first name believes she is your equal, two days later she's convinced she's your superior and four days later, you're convinced she's your superior. Here's an excerpt from a conversation between my 44-year old babysitter, Katherine, and my three-year old daughter Annie, who had been encouraged to call Katherine by her first name.

Katherine: Annie, honey, it's time for your nap.

Annie: I'm not sleepy, Kathy, but thanks for your concern. Would you be a dear and get me another juice box?

How to fix it so your kid never calls anyone by their first name again? See page 43!

The Right Way to Communicate with Your Child:
Military philosophy may be "Don't ask. Don't tell," but for parents and kids it should be "Don't ask. Tell!" What happens when you stop giving your kids choices? You get your life back, that's what! Here's an excerpt from a school day breakfast discussion between my children and my wife --before we knew any better:

Mother: What would you like for breakfast?

Annie: Bacon and eggs.

Jim: Pancakes with sausage.
Cathy: Oatmeal.

Mother: There's no time. You all took thirty-minute showers. How about cereal or toast?

Annie: I want bacon and eggs.

Jim: If we're not having pancakes then I don't want anything.

Cathy: Cereal and toast!

Mother: Let me see what I can do.

A smart lawyer never asks a question in a courtroom without already knowing the answer. Conversations with children should be handled no differently. Here's an excerpt from a school day breakfast discussion between my wife and children after she read Chapter 6, How to Say "I'm Only Saying This Once" and Mean It:

Mother: What would you like for breakfast this morning? I'll give you a hint. It's corn flakes and you have ten minutes to finish eating.

Need a handy reference for replacing common open ended questions with time saving imperative sentences? Look no further than page 119!

Television: Friend or Foe?
For years we let our kids watch television whenever they wanted until one day, my wife and I tripped down a flight of stairs together, sustaining coma-inducing injuries. While we lay in a tangled heap on the floor, our children watched television until the power company turned off the electricity. Our lifeless bodies were finally discovered by our panic stricken children, who in spite of their harrowing ordeal had the presence of mind to call our neighbors and ask politely if they could watch TV at their house.

Don't wait for a coma to get the wakeup call that your kids are spending way too much time in front of the television.

TV troubles in your home? Consult Chapter 9, From Couch Potatoes to Planting Potatoes, includes simple two-step program for turning off the television and turning on your kids ...to the simple pleasures of back breaking yard work!

How to Slay the Birthday Party Goliath
I realized our children's birthday parties were getting out of line when one of the tigers, I can't remember now whether it was Siegfried's or Roy's, pounced on my mother-in-law during our daughter Cathy's first birthday celebration. Luckily Cathy wasn't traumatized by the event since she didn't wake up from her nap until fifteen minutes after 224 of her closest friends and relatives headed for home. While there is no such thing as debtor's prison anymore, my wife and I were so deeply in hock from charging our children's birthday bashes that the state legislature briefly discussed opening a local debtor's prison just for us. Kids You Can Count On shows you how to say adios to $10,000 birthday party singalongs with Willie Nelson and hello to $30 pizza parties!

Can't make smores without flying Emeril Lagasse in for the weekend? Turn to Appendix II, Simple Dishes Even You Can Cook.

Testimonials Keep Pouring In!
Here's what parents who've read Kids You Can Count On have to say about my book:

"Since using the techniques outlined in your book, my children's behavior has improved so much friends stop them on the street to ask if they've been adopted." -- Terry K, Orlando, FL.

"My wife and I have adapted your time saving 'Don't ask. Tell!' philosophy and the resulting peace and quiet has been so rewarding, we've taken the philosophy one step further by requiring our children to submit all questions to us in writing. Who would believe a home with five children could be more tranquil than a monastery?" -- Eddie Jondo, Lincoln, NE

The Offer You'd Be a Fool to Pass Up!
I'm so convinced that Kids You Can Count On is the only book you'll need to keep your kids in line, I've raised the price from $29.99 to $39.99. Order today and I'll even throw in my award winning pamphlet for kids, "You're the Reason Why Santa Isn't Coming This Year." Operators are standing by...

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Easy Crafts For Kids That Do Not Cost a Fortune

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With easy crafts for kids you want to keep your toddlers busy but not have it cost a fortune. Well with these easy crafts your kids can do them for hardly anything or even completely free. So take a look below at some of these simple to do kids crafts.

Rock painting for kids

A real simple old fashioned craft for kids to enjoy. Why not on your next walk in the country or even just around the neighborhood. Keep a look out for some medium size stones or pebbles. Collect these up and take them home. Then outside lay the rocks out and get a bucket of water and a small brush. Then get your kids to clean them up and lay them out to dry.

Then later your toddlers can use kids acrylic paints to paint some designs on them. They could simply put spots on them or even suggest they do one with stripes and a few spots. This craft activity with the walk and the cleaning. Then the painting could occupy them for a good part of the day.

Make a collage picture

Now this a really simple one for a child of any age. Save a breakfast cereal packet. Then cut out one side of the box and use it gray side up for the base of the collage. Next collect together all sorts of odd and ends. Old magazines that can have pictures cut out. Bits of ribbons, old buttons. Bits of cotton wool odd bits of fabric, basically anything that is not too heavy.

Then place all your items onto the table around your collage base. Then give you toddler glue stick(the kind that winds up like a lipstick). Then tell them to do some cutting and sticking (let them use child friendly scissors). You may need to help them cut things like the fabric. There you have it a really great way for your little one to be really creative. also to work on their motor skills using the glue stick and scissors.

Paper plate faces

Most of us with kids have paper plates at home from parties of one kind or another. So give a plate to your toddler and ask them to make it in to a face of someone they know. We have used pipe cleaners and different size buttons and some old ribbon amongst other things to make the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. You can also use knitting wool to create the hair. Anything can be used as long as it will stick. So why not give this a try and see how much your little one enjoys making a paper face.

Important Point

With all toddler crafts you must supervise at all times. One to stop them sticking glue everywhere. Far more importantly to stop them putting small items into their mouths and swallowing. This could very easily lead to your child choking. So only get involved with craft activities with very young children when you have the time to watch over them. They will also want you to share this kind of activity with anyway.

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Jackson 5 Alpha Bits Commercial

Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 for AlphaBits Cereal. The Jackson 5 appear behind a fence and talk about learning the alphabet (and magic tricks!) while eating breakfast. For licensing and rates, please visit: www.filmarchivesonline.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l3R5h9BUuE&hl=en

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80's Commercials Vol. 28

These commercials aired during the 1984 Olympics on ABC on August 12th, 1984. These are from a 24 year old beta tape that my Aunt and Uncle recorded, so the quality isn't the best. 1. Atari 5200 (That guy looks so disappointed when he's called out) 2. TV Spot for "Dreamscape" ("Quaid, Start the Reactor!") 3. Nissan 300ZX 4. Promo for "Webster" (How sad...) 5. Swanson Ford (Looking at these car prices is even sadder) 6. Gerard Tires 7. Promo for "Taxi" 8. McDonald's 9. Levi's Cords (There's nothing in this ad that doesn't scream 1984) 10. Northwestern Mutual Life (That makes it TWO ads in this volume with random middle aged businessmen discussing where to buy things) 11. Promo for CFA College Football 12. Pacific Bell 13. Pennzoil 14. KNTV Bumper 15. Olympics Commercial Bumpers for Nissan, Miller Lite and Levi's 16. Champion (I thought they only made socks) 17. Uniroyal Tires at K Mart (Featuring the voice of Ernie Anderson) 18. Promo for "Good Morning America" (With Joan Lunden) 19. Crispix ("Hogwash!") 20. Lipton Iced Tea Mix with NutraSweet 21. Coke (I refuse to believe soda cans were the same volume back then. Look how monstrous that thing is!)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdyg5IvyrzU&hl=en

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Weight Watchers- What's for Breakfast??!!

* i am in no way affiliated with the companies mentioned in this video * all products mentioned in this video were purchased by me for my personal use * i am in no way being compensated for mentioning these products =)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfnRQpRqKE&hl=en

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Smoked Salmon Meals Are a Great Change of Pace

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Are you the one who does most of the cooking for your family? It can get monotonous to cook the same family favorites day after day, especially if you have little ones or other picky eaters who won't try new foods. It can be frustrating, can't it, when you're dying to branch out, but you have your families needs to consider as well? It may seem like you're going to be stuck with macaroni and cheese and baked chicken for the rest of your life, but that just isn't true. Why not give a smoked salmon meal a try?

You may be wondering how in the world you're going to get your picky eaters to try smoked salmon, but don't worry, we'll get to that in a minute. First, let's talk about why a smoked salmon meal is such a good option. The first reason is for your health. Did you know that smoked salmon is low in calories? Surprising, I know, but smoked salmon has less calories than the same portion of even baked chicken. This makes it a great low calorie option for the protein in your meal.

Smoked salmon meals also have other health benefits as well. Smoked salmon is a great source of omega three fatty acids, which are important for your kids, and essential for the adults in the family? What are omega three fatty acids, you may be asking? Well, it's possible that you've read about them in the paper, or heard about them on the news. Omega three's are naturally found in salmon, and their an important part of heart health. So eating foods rich in them, like smoked salmon, is a great idea.

Smoked salmon meals are also great because smoked salmon is such a versatile ingredient, and can be used in so many different ways. It's also something that has a rich, bold taste that almost everyone loves, including kids. Studies have shown that young children will eat only half of the ingredients you introduce, so as you try to expand their palate, it's important to introduce a lot. It has also been shown that it can take up to ten tries to get a small child to appreciate a new taste, so don't give up!

There are many great and easy meals that you can make with smoked salmon. One of my favorites is smoked salmon alfredo. It's simple, easy, and rich, and your family is sure to love it. Simply cook some of your favorite whole wheat pasta until it's al dente, and cover it with a low fat alfredo sauce. To this, sprinkle liberally some smoked salmon chunks. It's a simple and delicious smoked salmon meal the family will enjoy.

So what are you waiting for, it's the perfect time to create a delicious smoked salmon meal for your family. It's simple, and not time consuming, and you know it will be great for them. It's a wonderful way to introduce a new food, and get yourself out of your culinary box!

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Twenty-One Days to a New You

Well, I've heard it said that it only takes twenty-one days to change a habit. Can we really make some changes in twenty-one days that will change our weight loss efforts? Just give some of these simple lifestyle changes a try and see if it doesn't make a difference in your life. After a while they will become second nature to you and you may even wonder how you ever lived without them. Maybe in twenty-one days you will have some new habits that will change your life forever.

Let us go over some pretty simple things we can do for just twenty-one days to make sure we keep to the straight and narrow when it comes to sticking to our weight loss program, or our weight maintenance efforts. And here they are:

When we go to the grocery store we are faced with a cornucopia of food choices. Many of us, in fact most of us really need to be careful about those choices. With the obesity epidemic looming in our minds, if not in our bodies (yet), we want to be sure we are making the food choices that are going to support our efforts to stay out of the "Fat Zone" or to support our efforts to lose weight. What to do? What to do?

First, always have a plan. Before you go to the grocery store, know what the following week menus are going to be. You don't have to know every detail of every little crumb of food your family is going to consume for the week, just have a broad generalized plan, like all snacks are going to be apples, oranges and grapes. Preplan dinner meals and allow for a couple of nights of leftovers. Make homemade meals as much as possible by preparing crock pots of food supplemented with rice or pasta. Throw in a salad or two and voila, you have complete meals. Put together plans that stretch your meals. Make pots of soup over the weekend. Keep the fat content low by using fat free broth and lots of vegetables and lentils which will increase the fiber. Not only will your planning benefit, but so will you wallet and your weight loss program.

Secondly, forget about the coupons. Forget about them? Those things only give discounts on expensive junk foods. They are pretty good for cleaning products if you use that brand, but the food products are usually for high fat, high calorie junk. You are better off without them. If you don't usually eat a product, don't get it just because there is a coupon for it. You are better off preparing your own food for school lunches, work lunches or any of the activities where you may have to have a quick meal.

Third, stick to the outside isles. This is where the fresh foods are kept in most stores. If not, (like at my grocery), stay in the areas where the fresh meats, dairy, deli and produce are kept. Again, stick to the low fat milk products for yourself and your family.

Fourth, learn to read labels. If you have to buy prepackaged foods, learn to read the labels. Just because a food is screaming "LOW FAT" doesn't mean it is low in fat. Take a simple package of low fat hot dogs. Now from the surface it seems like the product would be okay because it is low fat. Looking more closely you can find that that product is anything but low in fat. The calorie content of one hotdog is 120 calories and the fat calories are 90 calories. That hot dog is almost 100% fat. So look a little closer and calculate just how many of the calories of the entire product the fat calories actually make up. You will be surprised to find that many low fat products will actually have 50% or more of the calories of that product coming from fat. Avoid them like the plague. They are a killer for your weight loss plan or program.

Fifth, be careful of warehouse stores. If you like to shop in those warehouse stores like Costco. They can definitely mean savings, but they can be tempting for large purchases of junk food. They are so cheap and you get so much. These kinds of food in these large amounts only encourage gluttony which causes weight gain. Keep your purchases to toilet paper and other essentials, not frozen pizzas.

Sixth, eliminate sugary drinks. There is no need to quench your or your families thirst with apple juice, regular soda or sugar Kool Aid. Water is a perfectly fine drink as are the sugar free drinks, sugar free iced tea and sugar free Kool Aid. These are acquired tastes, but anyone, including children and spoiled adults can learn to drink these free drinks. No one can afford to down an extra 200 calories just because they are thirsty.

Seventh, purchase the tools and use them. And of course the last and the first thing everyone can do to help their weight management or weight loss plan is to invest in a set of measuring cups, a set of measuring spoons and a small food scale. Read and learn more about what is the actual serving size for the food you want to eat. Most Americans eat about 2 cups of cereal when having cereal for breakfast. The actual serving size for cereal is ½ cup. It may seem a little small, but this is why Americans are so overweight. Gluttony is at the root of our problems. Everyone seems to think that they can just eat as much as they want, (like when they were kids) or as much as they feel like eating. Not so.

Stand up for yourself. When you go to a restaurant, have the server bring you the takeout box at the beginning of your meal and immediately put half of your meal in the box before you even touch your food. It may look funny, but with the huge serving sizes the restaurants serve us, it is the only way to avoid eating it all.

In the end, it is all up to you. Take the challenge and implement these simple changes for twenty-one days and see if you don't notice a difference in yourself and your ability to manage your weight loss program or our weight management plan or just plain everyday relationship with food and your family. I am betting you will be glad you did.

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Breakfast Prank: Part 3 ( MILK)

In this video, you'll learn how to easily booby trap a gallon of milk. You're victims will make fools of themselves when they spill milk all over the place! This video featured the voice of: Ashley from Broke the Interweb.... Check her out! www.youtube.com twitter.com www.ashleycarey.net Follow Nextraker on Tweeter- twitter.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Myspace: www.myspace.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiUx13xAUGI&hl=en

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Early Lucky Charms Commercial

One of the first animated Lucky Charms breakfast cereal commercials. Lucky is alot different than he looks today. for more early cereal ads and classic ads on dvd visit us at www.vintagetvcommercials.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRBZBEjsGPo&hl=en

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BOYFRIEND Tag!

TWITTER: twitter.com Are you watching the World Cup? Who is your favorite team? Questions: she's sitting in front of the tv what is on the screen? you're out to eat what kind of dressing does she get on her salad whats one food she doesnt like you go out to eat and have a drink what does she order what size shoe does she wear if she was collecting anything what would it be what is her favorite type of sandwich what would this person eat everyday if she could what is her favorite cereal whats her fav music whats her fav sports team whats her eye color who's her best friend what is something you do that she wishes you wouldnt whats her heritage/where she's from you bake her a cake for her bday what kind of cake did she play any sports what could she spend hours doing what is one unique talent she has -Erin



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGwT5kc0YUY&hl=en

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How to Make Pickles Like Grandma

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Well, pickling cucumbers are ON at the farm where we get our vegetables, so I thought it would be fun to share a fermented foods pickle recipe.

We choose to make fermented pickles instead of vinegar pickles because not only do we love the way they taste, we love the health benefits of eating fermented foods. It's one of our favorite fermented foods recipes.

The process of fermentation not only helps to preserve food, it breaks food nutrients down into more digestible forms, improves the bioavailability of minerals, and creates new nutrients including B vitamins (folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and biotin). Fermented foods are also live foods, full of beneficial bacteria.

We are trained in our culture to think of bacteria as bad, but what John and I have learned is that many bacteria actually live symbiotically within our bodies and a healthy population of these beneficial bacteria is vital to good health.

Eating our pickles in fermented form carries these beneficial bacteria directly to our digestive systems where they greatly aid digestion. Our sauerkraut recipe on this site is another fermented foods recipe.

So, how do you make fermented pickles?

For this fermented foods pickle recipe, you will need:

2-one gallon crocks or glass jars
4 lbs. of cucumbers
3D4 cup kosher salt
1 bunch dill weed
1 head of garlic, peeled
1 onion, sliced
pinch of black peppercorns (optional)
10 grape leaves
1 gallon boiling water

First, wash your cucumbers and remove any remaining blossoms. Poke them with a bamboo skewer, inserting it a few inches into one end, but not going all the way through.

Slice the onions, peel the garlic and rinse the grape leaves.

Boil the water and dissolve the salt in it and set aside to use later.

Place 2 or 3 grape leaves in the bottom of the jar(s). Place as many cucumbers as will fit in a single layer on the grape leaves. Add 5-6 cloves of garlic, a handful of onion slices, a handful of dill weed, and a pinch of black peppercorns. Put another layer of grape leaves on top.

Continue layering in this way until the jar is full. Finish with grape leaves.

Pour the hot brine into the jar(s) until full. Use a chopstick or knife to poke down into the jar (around the sides) to remove air bubbles.

Find a plastic lid (called a follower) that you can fit into the jar by bending it, and that will expand to mostly cover the grape leaves on top.

Place a weight on top of the follower (We use a mason jar filled with rocks and water) to keep the pickles under the brine. They should be covered by at least one inch of brine once the weight is in place.

Let sit at room temperature for 3-7 days, checking daily for desired taste.

When they taste right to you, cut them into slices and store them in jars covered with brine and with lids on top, in your refrigerator. You've made fermented foods!

Refrigerating will stop the fermentation process and allow you to store your pickles for a year or more.

This year, I also made fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut. The more I learn about the health benefits of eating fermented foods, the more I find myself eager to experiment.

If you would like to know more, check out...

Sandor Ellix Katz's book, Wild Fermentation. It has more fermented pickle recipes and MUCH more! Also check out Nourishing Traditions, by Sallon Fallon. There is a ton of information about fermented foods, recipes, and more!

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A Princess Party Menu With Plenty of Sweet Treats

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It's oh so glamorous and oh so much fun at any Princess party! The guests can come to worship you or come to feel like royalty themselves. It's your party after all and you can decide how it goes. The food of course can be campy for your princess theme or super elegant also depending on how you are feeling. Here are a few of our favorite things for a great and highly satisfying dinner buffet!

Sweet potato casserole is as easy as can be to prepare. Buy the two pound can of sweet potatoes and empty into a three quart casserole dish. Fold in one quarter cup each of brown sugar and butter or margarine cut into small pieces. Top with miniature marshmallows and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Open faced turkey sandwiches served with a scoop of mashed potatoes and prepared packaged turkey stuffing and covered with jar or canned turkey gravy will make a simple to prepare yet elegant birthday meal. Make sure to serve piping hot with firm bread that won't get too soggy under the gravy. A cold pea salad might be a fun way to connect with the princess and the pea fairy tale. Better yet a seven layer salad with peas as one of the main ingredients makes this a meal fit for royalty.

It doesn't have to take you forever to put together that Princess party menu. Many party foods can be prepared ahead of time and just heated in the oven or served at room temperature. In addition party supplies are a great way to decorate and many are quick to put up and take down after the party. If you find that the kids are really active at your parties, be sure to have some party games on hand to use up excess energy.

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How To Prepare "Texas Soup"

Embed this somewhere. Please? A forum. A MySpace. A Facebook. Anywhere will do. Thanks:) In this second installment of "A Pinch Of Loaf" chef Andric LeCorn prepares a bowl of Texas Soup. Ingredients: 1 cup of soda pop 1 bowl of ice cream 3 cookies 1/2 cup of breakfast cereal Preparation is a cinch, as this video will demonstrate!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F9gEVy2DgI&hl=en

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Skipping Meals Is Not A Smart Way To Lose Weight

The average person living in America today has a weight problem. There are many reasons why people become overweight, but I believe the main causes of weight problems are related to bad eating habits and too much volume. Too much of anything but water, will make you fat. Too many people eat what they want to eat when they feel like it. They don't take in consideration their food intake, whether their meal balances with their previous meal. Others just don't eat and skip meals believing that it can help them with their weight loss.

Skipping meals will never help you lose weight. Actually, it can help you gain weight since it causes your metabolism to slow down and encourages the storage of calories as fat. It lowers your blood sugar therefore causes sudden hunger pangs, food cravings and you end up bingeing.

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and studies show that a nutritious breakfast improves physical and mental performance. Skipping breakfast is no shortcut to a slimmer you and it's likely to shortchange your body on essential nutrients. After an all-night fast, your glucose level is low and a good breakfast will replenish your supply of your blood sugar and keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

You wouldn't run your car around town with the gas gauge on empty and expect to get anywhere, so you can't run your body without a little breakfast. The fact is you can't eat too big a breakfast and you shouldn't skip breakfast.

A hearty American Style breakfast consisting of 2 eggs, 3 ounces of ham, bacon or sausage, 1 cup of milk, and 2 slices of toast with butter and a spoonful of jam is considered a "too big breakfast". This type of breakfast would meet the entire days protein needs and you could very well manage eating all that amount of calories in a whole day.

A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods, like low-fat protein, fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. For example, fresh fruit with wholegrain breakfast cereal and low-fat milk or toast with tomato and cheese and a glass of low-fat milk.

Breakfast should contain protein. It helps stimulate alertness and keeps mid-morning hunger away, which is common after having a doughnut and a coffee. Ideally, your breakfast should contain a third of your day's protein needs. A person at an ideal weight of 120 pounds would need about 43 grams of protein a day.

If you want to add protein to your breakfast, for most of us, the first food that comes to mind is eggs. Eggs are an ideal source of protein but also contain a significant amount of cholesterol. You can find other kind of protein in other foods such as; low fat cottage cheese, peanut butter, smoked salmon, turkey, cheese wedge, milk, low fat yogourt or you might just want to add nuts to your cereal.

Another important part of breakfast is juice or fresh fruit that contains Vitamin C. Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, guavas, melons, papayas, etc. Homemade fresh juice is the best choice, but if you're not up to making your own, the fresh from concentrate juice would be your best buy.

You should also include carbohydrates into your breakfast menu. Carbohydrates, important for your energy needs, can be found in foods such as whole grain breads or cereals, bran and oatmeal muffin. Try to limit the fat and sugars you put on your cereals, bread or muffin. When buying cereal, read the label and look for a cereal that contains at least 3 or more grams of protein per 1 ounce serving.

A beverage after all this can aid in digesting your foods and will give you a feeling of satisfaction. America's favorite breakfast drink is, of course, coffee. Breakfast wouldn't be the same without it. If you can't go without a coffee, have your juice first then your breakfast and drink your coffee last. That way there will be a little food in the stomach to absorb the acid and maybe you'll be too full to finish the whole cup.

The most popular cold beverage besides juice is milk and if you are serious about reducing your fat intake, switch to low-fat or skim milk. Do it gradually, by combining both, using a bit more low-fat and adding a bit of whole milk.

If you're not a breakfast eater, start slowly by incorporating a glass of juice or eating a piece of fruit in the morning. Then gradually build up to a balanced meal by adding foods from the different food groups.

If you need to lose weight, the best way to achieve is by eating the right foods for your body at regular intervals. Food portions have grown so learn to recognize and control food portions.(check out the USDA Food Guide Pyramid for the recommended serving size) If you want a healthy body, a slim body, you need to eat a proper balance of foods. Every meal is important and eating smaller meals and snacks can help your metabolism going throughout the day, allowing you to burn more calories. It will give you more energy and in return you will feel much better.

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The Recipes of Ghana

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The Republic of Ghana whose name means 'The Warrior King' was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient kingdoms, including the Ga Adangbes on the eastern coast, the inland Empire of the Ashanti and various Fante states along the coast and inland.

Ghana is agriculturally a very productive country and is the world's third largest producer of cocoa. Fishing is also a major part of the economy and many Ghanaian dishes are based on fish. Local plants such as bananas, avocados, grapefruits, mangos, papayas, coconut and plantains are also highly prized and used in the country's cuisines. Chillies are also an important component of Ghanaian cuisine and provides significant vitamin C in the diet. Another feature of Ghanaian cookery is the use of boiled eggs as a garnish.

Here are two traditional Ghanaian recipes for your enjoyment:

Steamed Black-eyed Bean Dumplings

Ingredients:

300g black-eyed beans

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground crayfish or prawns optional

1 Maggi cube

1 onion, finely chopped

2 hot chillies eg Scotch Bonnet

120ml groundnut oil

1/2 tsp curry powder

Method:

To prepare the black-eyed beans: Soak the beans over night. Drain the beans then, the following day crush lightly with a rolling pin or potato masher to loosen the skins. Rub the beans firmly between your hands to slough the skins off. Add to a pot along with plenty of water. Swirl to loosen the skins and allow them to rise to the top of the water. Add more water and simply allow the skins to drain away. Continue rubbing the beans and raising the skins away until all the skins have gone.

Combine the beans, onion, tomato paste, chillies and the salt in a pestle and mortar or food processor and pound to a smooth paste. Add the powdered prawns if using, curry powder and the Maggi cube then mix in the bean paste. Wrap 2 tbsp of the mixture in banana leaves, corn husks or greaseproof paper. Tie each parcel securely and place in a steamer. Steam over boiling water for about 45 minutes, or until the dumplings are firm and hold together.

Tomato and Okra with Sliced Eggs

Ingredients:

120ml groundnut oil

4 tomatoes, chopped

300g okra, stemmed and sliced into rings

650g cooked rice

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp hot chilli powder

salt, to taste

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

Method:

Heat the oil in a frying pan or skillet then add the onion, tomatoes, okra and chilli powder. Season with salt then bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally add a little water if necessary.

To serve, place 1/4 of the cooked rice on a plate, spoon the sauce over the rice then top with a boiled egg halved lengthways.

It is almost impossible to give the true culinary flavour of an entire country in just two recipes. But I hope that your curiosity is piques sufficiently for you to explore Ghanaian cookery further.

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MartyBTv: Cap N Crunch

Martellus Gets mad at Dessie for not getting big bowls and spoons for his Cap N Crunch....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CyDIiZZSDc&hl=en

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Snack on Popcorn Anytime

From earliest Colonial America through the days of frontier settlement, lightly sweetened popcorn was served as a breakfast cereal with milk. It was a precursor to modern breakfast cereals. Today, any variety of flavored popcorn could make a quick part of a grab-and-go breakfast for the busy commuter. Make a bag of microwave popcorn while bustling around the kitchen in the morning routine. Let a sweet cinnamon or vanilla flavor substitute for that heavy, fat-laden Danish with the requisite morning coffee. Instead of toast and jam, a fruit-flavored variety makes a great choice as a companion to orange juice.

At midday or dinner, the savory cheddar, chili, garlic, Parmesan or jalapeno flavors make a great alternative to croutons in a salad. These flavors can also be used as a beautiful garnish for a steaming bowl of soup. Use the flavors mixed together or alone. Sprinkle a bit of spicy popcorn seasoning over the top of that soup or salad for an extra taste explosion. With the amazing array of flavor options available today, boring greasy chips pale in comparison as a counterpart to that lunchtime sandwich.

Around the office, popcorn makes an excellent afternoon snack. It gives that little energy boost needed to get through the afternoon without being so filling that it causes afternoon drowsiness. That familiar popping sound from the break room microwave always draws a crowd willing to partake. A decorative tin filled with a variety of flavors also makes great gift on any occasion for that difficult-to-buy-for coworker.

For a weekend hike or bike ride, mix any plain or flavored popcorn with a fruit and nut trail mix for a trail food lighter in calories. After hitting the gym, it is a great way to replenish carbohydrates after a tough workout without that weighed down feeling. When at home, that buttery crunch is a must when it is time to watch the big game or that favorite flick.

Morning, afternoon or evening, on the go or relaxing at home, sweet, salty or savory, popcorn makes snacking sense.

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Green Bench Commercials

www.greenbench.tv A series of commercial spoofs by Green Bench Productions.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgUwK2Y3sFA&hl=en

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Famous Sicilian Food Recipes

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If you like good food, Sicilian cuisine is well worth knowing about. Sicily is famed for its seafood. Finnochio con sarde, or fennel with sardines, is popular. Grilled swordfish is typical and small fish like red snappers are often cooked in a sweet vinegar sauce. Cuttlefish is served in its own black sauce, with pasta on the side.

An eggplant, olive, celery and caper salad called caponata is very popular as an appetizer in Sicily and there is also a version of this dish using artichoke instead of eggplant. Panella is a fried paste made from powdered or crushed garbanzo beans. You can also make maccu, a Sicilian soup recipe, with garbanzo beans. Arancine are meat or cheese stuffed rice balls, which are then fried.

Meat is very popular in Sicily, especially goat and lamb. Veal marsala is a famous Sicilian recipe and you can use chicken instead of veal for a similar result. Veal spleen sandwiches are also typically Sicilian, but these do not sound quite so tempting!

Delicious Sicilian Pizza

Sicilian pizza is a type of pizza from Palermo in Sicily. With Sicilian pizza, or sfinciuni as it is called in the Sicilian language, the cheese goes under the toppings, rather than on top. An authentic Sicilian pizza recipe will feature chopped anchovies and pecorino cheese. Focaccia alla messinese is a variety of pizza from Messina in Sicily and this is topped with anchovies and endive.

A Sicilian pizza in the United States is normally square and has a deep dough. This kind of pizza is also known as tomato pie. It is popular in Italian-American parts of New Jersey and New York, especially Utica, New York, where most of the large Italian-American population is Sicilian. Tomato pie is often served in an aluminum baking sheet.

Sicilian Gelato and Other Desserts

Cassata is a sugary cake with a sweetened ricotta filling. Cannoli are tubular crusts with the same filling. Ricotta in Sicily is made from sheep's milk so it has a different taste from the ricotta available in the United States.

Sicilian style gelato is an intense flavored ice cream recipe which is made simply with milk, sugar, cornstarch and flavoring. The following recipe for Sicilian chocolate gelato serves six people and you will need an ice cream maker to make it.

Chocolate Gelato Sicilian Style

You will need:

4 oz roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups whole milk

How to make it:

Warm 2 cups of the milk over a medium heat and remove it from the heat when it starts to simmer. Add the chocolate and stir until it melts. Mix together the cornstarch, sugar and the rest of the milk, and then pour this mixture into the hot milk and chocolate mixture.

Bring the pan to a slow simmer and cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture is thick. This will take about 10 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then put it into a bowl, cover it and refrigerate it overnight. Process it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

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A&E Intervention: Cereal Pt.1

This is the story of Bruce and his addiction to a Saturday morning favorite....Cereal



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJbrGErROYg&hl=en

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Low Carb Solution For Hot Cereal!

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Here is a low carb solution for hot cereal for this cold weather we are experiencing. I love a hot bowl of oatmeal on cold mornings. We seem to have an over abundance of those mornings lately. One big problem I find is regular oatmeal is not allowed on a low carb eating program. (5 grams of carbs, or less) This morning I set out to look for a solution to my dilemma!

I am on the Metabolism Miracle program and woke up craving a bowl of hot cereal. I got out my book, and low and behold, I found recipe for "A Taste of Hot Cereal". This is listed as a no carb count. I am posting the recipe below for anyone who misses oatmeal as much as I do!

A Taste of Hot "Cereal"?

1/4 cup finely chopped almonds (I used prepackaged sliced almonds)
1/4 cup finely chopped Brazil nuts (I substituted walnut halves)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup light cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 packet Splenda
Pinch of salt

In a food processor, finely process the almonds, Brazil nuts (or walnuts) and sesame seeds. Place the nut mixture in a microwave-safe cereal bowl.

Add the butter, light cream, cinnamon, Splenda, and salt (if desired) and mix well. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Stir, close your eyes and think "hot cereal." I was really pleasantly surprised and hope you will be too.

As an update on my progress on the Metabolism Miracle program... December was not a good month to start a new eating program. Faced with 4 birthdays, a Christmas gathering with some dear friends, Christmas and New Year's, I must admit towards the end I strayed from what I should have been eating.

I want to encourage everyone who has set out to lose weight and either following this program or any other for that matter, do not give up. I have had a hard time getting back to basics but am determined to succeed. Sad to say this past week was the first week I was able to "totally" be true to what I should be doing. In any event, I have not gained back any of the weight I lost (15 pounds) and have lost another two or three. So I encourage you all when you have times where you slip away from your eating program, DO NOT GIVE UP!! The weight did not suddenly appear on your body overnight and contrary to what we would like to see, it is not going to melt away overnight.

I hope that you enjoy this "Hot Cereal recipe. I have tried recipes on other programs in the past and even my pets would not eat what I had prepared. The Metabolism Miracle book has quite a few recipes in it and everyone that I have tried so far have been very tasty. Even my grandchildren have said they thought they tasted good.

Learn more about what I do at http://fullservicemarketingtools.com

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Adventures in Cooking - Building and Using a Simple Box Solar Cooker

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I don't remember for sure exactly how this project got started but I was over at Brad and Gina Shaw's house here in Cotahuasi, Peru, where we work as missionaries. Brad was talking about trying to make solar cookers to help the people here. One of our church members was looking for a new burro to replace his mother's burro that had died. She needed the burro to haul firewood for cooking. Because Cotahuasi is a large village and a majority of people still use wood cooking fires, the nearby sources of firewood have been depleted. It takes her a full day every week to go and get a week's worth of firewood. Without a burro, she would have to go oftener and bring back less wood each time; only what she could carry on her back. Our area usually gets eight to nine months of sunshine a year so solar seems like a good option for a supplemental cooking source. Brad also mentioned the need for more fuel-efficient wood stoves, rather than just a fire on the ground with three stones to support the pot.

Brad had seen a large parabolic solar cooker in Tomepampa, a village about 20 minutes away. He suggested we go look at it so we hopped in the car and went right away. The cooker wasn't at the home where he had previously seen it, but they told us where it currently was and we were able to go and look at it. It was about five feet in diameter, made of shiny sheet metal attached to a framework of angle iron and a parabolic dish made of one-inch wide metal bars. We were told that it cooked quite rapidly and worked well, so we took measurements and lots of pictures to guide us in making one. However we knew it wouldn't be an immediate solution to the mother's problem because the shiny metal wasn't available here in Cotahuasi.

That evening I did some research on the Web to learn as much as possible about solar cookers and hopefully find some plans for building one. I did see a photo of one that looked very similar to the one we saw, but there were no plans for making it. One of the best sites I found was that of Solar Cookers International, based in Sacramento, CA. Their website is included below, they have many different types of cookers and the plans to make them available as downloadable PDF files. I was anxious to make one right away, rather than waiting until after my next trip to Arequipa where I could hopefully find the materials for the large one we had looked at.

They had smaller parabolic ones, some of them using an umbrella for the parabolic form, others required building your own out of cardboard or wood. The plans that caught my eye were for a box cooker, lined on the inside with aluminum foil and using a piece of glass on top to trap the heat inside of the box. That appeared to be the easiest to build with the limited materials I had available, especially as I could see a large box on a pile of stuff on the other side of the room from where I was sitting at the computer. I excitedly went through the list of materials to see what else was needed. I soon found a big problem; I didn't have any aluminum foil. They didn't recommend using glass mirrors, which I knew I could get in Cotahuasi, and aluminum foil wasn't available. The mission of Solar Cookers International is to promote solar cooking in third world and developing nations, where many people are still dependent on wood fires. The plans had a section on substitute materials that could be used in areas that don't have access to all of the normally used items. Instead of aluminum foil, it said that aluminized polyester film (Mylar®) could be used, although I didn't notice the warning until after I had built the cooker. It said not to use it on the inside of a box cooker because it could melt and give off fumes, but neither of those has been a problem.

I knew I had seen some material like that somewhere in my house so I started searching around. I soon found it! Every morning I have a half of a small bag of Angel Zuck Cereal for breakfast. It is available in larger bags but they are more expensive per gram than the smaller ones, as is often the case here in Peru. They are "plastic" bags but the inside is a shiny reflective surface, just like the Mylar balloons that are so popular. I dug through my garbage for as many as I could find there, and then emptied a few more bags into a plastic container to come up with what looked like enough to line the inside of the box. I buy the cereal by the case and now I had an empty cardboard box as well as the empty bags. About this time I came up with the exciting idea of packaging everything needed to make the solar cooker, along with instructions, inside the large cereal box. Then you could give the whole box to a needy family, they could eat the cereal and then make the solar cooker!

I soon realized that this wouldn't work as you need two boxes, and one has to be larger than the other, along with a piece of glass too big to fit into the cereal box. So I went and got the first box I had seen, it had contained panetone, which is a Peruvian fruitcake, popular at Christmas time. The boxes weren't quite as big as recommended, but the cereal box would fit perfectly inside the panetone box, leaving room to put the necessary insulation between the boxes. It was now late and I needed to get to bed, but I could hardly wait until morning to start building the cooker.

I had everything I needed now except the glass and the adhesive to attach the shiny plastic to the box. Still trying to make it as simple as possible, so that those with limited resources could duplicate it, I checked the substitution list and was reminded that you could make a paste from flour and water. I started on the construction and all was going well. I used crumbled up newspaper and cardboard scraps to insulate the airspace between the boxes, although it says you can use dry plant fibers, feathers or wool, items most people here would have, but I didn't. When it came time to attach the plastic foil, I mixed up some flour and water paste and attempted to glue the foil onto the inside of the box. But as the directions also stated, it can be hard to get it to stick. The flour paste didn't hold it at all so I had to go buy some glue at the stationery store. That worked better but still didn't hold the edges well, plus there were lots of bumps and wrinkles in the foil. The directions also said not to use tape on the inside of the box, but I had some high temperature shiny foil tape that I had bought in the U.S. so I used that. I use the tape to make ultra light backpacking stoves out of aluminum soda cans (search the web for "Pepsi can stoves" if you are interested). I did feel bad about using something that I didn't think was available here, but I just saw a similar tape at the new Maestro (Ace Hardware) Home Center in Arequipa.

The only thing left now was to make the lid for the cooker, which takes another piece of cardboard, that came from one of my storage boxes (originally my kitchen stove box). I have a friend who used to have a hardware store here; he came by while I was working on the cooker. He said he would be gone all day but he still had some glass and would cut me a piece when he got home in the evening. However he never showed up and didn't answer my phone messages. After a few days I gave up and went to the glass shop to get a piece there. The owner was out of town and the shop was closed. It was about two weeks later before he got back and I finally found the store open to get the glass. Finally I finished the cooker, but it was too late in the day to try it out. I was very eager to test it the next day but then we had a couple of unusual cloudy days during our normally sunny dry season.

At last the time arrived, a beautiful sunny day. I decided to keep it simple for the first try and just made plain white rice. I put too much water in it so it was quite sticky, but it worked! It was time for the real test - pot roast. The beef here is not hung and cured, so it is normally very tough. A crock-pot slow cooker works the best for making a pot roast, taking about eight hours on low. It was a perfect test for a solar slow cooker. On my first try, the weather turned cloudy after about 4 hours so I had to finish it in the oven. Then I was busy (and there were a few more cloudy days) so I couldn't try it again for a couple of weeks. It also isn't possible to buy roast beef here every day. It is usually only available a few times a week, early in the morning (6 or 7 am) on the day they butcher. I stopped at the meat market and the owner said they would have some early in the morning so I asked them to hold two kilos of boneless beef for me until I got there.

In the morning, after getting the beef and peeling carrots and potatoes, it was 10:30 before I set the cooker out in the sun. I turned the box every two hours or so to keep it aimed at the sun, and brought it in at 4:30 when the sun went behind the mountain (a disadvantage to living in a canyon - late sunrises and early sunsets). It smelled so good and it looked done, just like in the crock-pot. The taste test confirmed success, all was cooked and the beef was fairly tender. On my second try a few weeks later I set the box out in the sun to preheat while I was cutting up the veggies, and then browned the meat in a fry pan like the crock-pot recipe book says, to give it a head start. Again it was good, but not falling apart tender like eight hours in the crock-pot. Looks like I will have to get up earlier next time and have it ready by 9:00 when the sun hits my cooking area.

Besides making a larger, parabolic cooker, I plan on experimenting with more efficient wood burning stoves as well.

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