Veltis Angel

5 Ways To Fix When You Cheat On A Diet

2011-12-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

So you’ve overindulged in a treat or maybe you’ve been seduced by the angel food cake and now feel you have the devil to pay for it. Never fret, I’ll be your angel, with really good tricks that will help you to undo any diet straying you may have done… or will do.

1) Take your weight, divide by 2 and drink that number in ounces of water. You’ll feel fuller and flush out those naughty extras in your body.

2) Get better at choosing your naughty moments well. Do you choose the lesser of two evils or just satisfy the present craving? Well the cool thing about cravings is that your body wants this thing… or perhaps it needs it. Scientists have studied this stuff and yet it still boggles the mind. Consider that your body really needs. If you haven’t eaten milk chocolate in a while, perhaps your body is craving calcium or just the stress relieving benefits of chocolate. What next? Go for the craving (IN A SMALL PORTION). Get it out of the way so your body can stop wanting it. Do it and then get back on track again. It’s not going to ruin everything. You are still in control, not your hunger.

3) Divide your naughty meal or snack into portions of two or more. Eat half now, half later or tomorrow. Keep your portion sizes small, but keep your metabolism high by eating more often during the day. So breaking one cheat meal into several cheat meals throughout the day will do the trick.

4) Be proud of your decision. Release the pressure hold. Tomorrow, you’ll say, “That’s behind me and I’m good now.” Take the pressure off. You definitely are still in control.

5) Do not change your physical routine. The tendency is to feel so guilty about the rash decision to cheat on your diet might make some people work out more intensely and overdo it, or completely feel overwhelmed that they will give up. Don’t change a thing. Just continue on as normal. Don’t punish yourself and don’t dwell on it longer than the moment it existed. Move on. This is about feeling good and being in control. And, come on let’s face it, YOU’RE TOO AWESOME!

Is Depression Related To Physical Pain?

2011-12-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

One morning I woke up with pain all over my body. I could barely walk without limping. Pain relievers did help a little, but I couldn't really feel them kick in. It is often that I will just wake up like this after something has happened. I become anti-social and just want to be alone.

I've researched this before, but it was awesomely clear to me on this particular morning that this physical pain I was experiencing was related to my unhappiness and stress. Various personal disappointments and feelings of stagnation are easier triggers. These emotions tap into the past, rehashing failures, rejection, and traumatic experiences.

I have been accused of self diagnosing myself in many occasions. So in this case, I have plenty of proof within the articles below how depression has a direct affect on the physical body and is more common than not.

o Physical Pain a Sign of Depression - Pain Triples Depression Risk By Daniel J. DeNoon.
o Depression and pain - Hurting bodies and suffering minds often require the same treatment by Harvard Mental Health.
o When Depression Hurts By Hara Estroff Marano.
o The Link Between Depression and Physical Symptoms By Madhukar H. Trivedi, M.D.

An Inspirational Poem: Somebody Said That It Couldn’t Be Done

2011-12-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face.

If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed:

“Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it”;

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiting it,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

-By Edgar A. Guest

My mom used to read this poem to me when I was a child and I never forgot what it taught me.

My New Year’s Resolution For 2011

2011-12-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

My resolution list this year will be less specific goal oriented and focusing more on the bigger picture. This is my mission for the year.

o Be a better / more conscious wife, daughter, sister, friend, and human being.
o Use my talents for good in the world.
o Further nourish my mind, creativity and evolution.
o Encourage ways the world can be a peaceful and more harmonious place for us all.
o Inspire myself and others to reach for the stars where our dreams await us.
o Preserve and nurture my ability to be patient with others and a positive outlook on life.
o Create a phenomenal year.

Tips To Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

2011-12-23T21:28:00.000-08:00

Every year, the world sets out anew on January 1st with resolutions for the year ahead. There is a frenzy of positive goals and perhaps even purchases to help us on our way. By February, all mention of our resolutions disappear and the humdrum of daily life drowns out the motivation we once had.

I had a tradition of writing very long lists of things I wanted to change in my life for my New Year’s resolution. I would duplicate it (so I could keep it handy) and mail the original copy to myself (like a special wish sent out into the universe). I kept it closed until December 31st to see if I accomplished any of the things I wanted. Here are some of my tips for keeping New Year resolutions going all year.

I discovered that, I did actually accomplish about one third of my list in one way or another. Those things were part of something I call the goal method. My special tip for setting goals for the year is to set ultimate goals and narrow them down to small steps that lead up to them. Try to map out how long it will take and give yourself some room for things in your life that may pop up. So you may actually have a five year plan on your hands. Your goals may not all fit in the span of one year.

From my resolution, there would always be about two thirds of the list that didn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of coming happening because they were more like wishes instead of goals. The wish list method is good. Wishes are the heartbeats that keep our hopes alive. My tip for adding wishes to your resolution list is to wish for things that are totally possible, like being a better person. Being a better person is totally possible because, you can always improve yourself by taking a class, reading, or applying time and practice at something. However, wishing to hit the lottery is actually something that could happen, but it depends on the outside world, chance, and things you can’t influence.

Most resolution lists are forgotten because they aren’t placed in good places for reminding. Keep you list where you can see them. Some good spots would be, the refrigerator door, bulletin board, in your phone, calendar, or on your bathroom mirror. Whatever works, that you never forget them.

Ultimately the problem with New Year’s resolutions is that it fosters the idea that accomplishments in your life will happen in a year, when in actuality it could happen during a lifetime. And hopes of achievement don’t just begin on January first but every day of your life. One shouldn’t wait until the end of the year to build a new tomorrow. It should be in our hearts every day. This leads up to my best tip of all which is not to name your list “New Year’s Resolution” but simply “Goals” or even “My Life Resolution”. Another Jedi mind trick to this method is that when February swings around and you see that you haven’t anything accomplished your New Year’s list, you won’t be discouraged because it’s not dated. These are your goals to accomplish at any point.

My last tip is to reinforce your goals with motivating inspiration, like pictures, books, movies, and role models. Sprinkle little motivating reminders around your home or even set up alarm reminders on your phone. Get creative.

Good Luck!

10 Of My Favorite Christmas Songs And The Artists I love Singing Them

2011-12-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey

White Christmas – Bing Crosby

Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Andy Williams

We Need A Little Christmas – Johnny Mathis

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland

O Holy Night – Celine Dion

The Christmas Song (AKA Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) – Nat King Cole

O Come All Ye Faithful … - Nat King Cole

Carol Of The Bells – Celtic Woman

How To Survive The Holidays Single

2011-12-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

The hardest holiday to survive single is Valentine’s Day, hands down, but going through any holiday solo can be extremely hard. You’ll want to NOT fall into the trap of feeling sorry for yourself. No pity parties here! Be proactive! Here’s what you can do…

Option 1:
Depend on your friends and family to get you through. Remember you aren’t going to just spend time with them because you’re single. Make it part of your tradition. You can do that by preparing a unique signature dish or preparing some kind of performance. It will keep your mind off of your dating life and into the project at hand.

Option 2:
Network with other singles and don’t be afraid to tell everyone and anyone that are looking for something to do for the holidays. Set it up well in advance of the holiday. You may hear from the grapevine about a gathering that could use one more for the festivities. You! And perhaps you may meet someone special.

Option 3:
Take charge of your destiny, so to speak, and host your own affair. Invite your family and friends or form a group of singles to bond with. Have a potluck or gathering at a local hotspot. For many years, I threw Valentine’s Day parties on that dreaded holiday and each time it was so much fun. And one year a few roommates and I hosted a wonderful Christmas dinner and invited a few other friends we knew were away from home.

Option 4:
Volunteer. Several weeks or months in advance, sign up for a soup kitchen or charity event happening during the holidays. The feeling after contributing to a needy cause is priceless.

Option 5:
Spoil yourself with a special treat. Indulge yourself with a little getaway, spa, cruise, or even a short train ride out of town. Take a tour through the nearest city’s attractions. Travel or just arrange some time to pamper yourself even if it is for a few hours.

Option 6:
Get into the spirit of the holiday. Rent your favorite holiday movie. Sing holiday songs and consume your favorite holiday treats. Embrace the holiday and celebrate being alive.

Option 7:
Be obsessive about not being obsessive about the things in your life that is not the way you’d like it. Force yourself to think positively and visualize GOOD possibilities.

Good luck!

Enjoy gritty eye-opening dating advice from me at the "DATING EMERGENCY ROOM".

Ways To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2011-12-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

Whether you have a big family or spending the holidays alone, there will be many festivities leading up to New Years with many chances for you to sample all sorts of naughty holiday treats. But, beware. Santa is watching. He’ll leave you with a few extra pounds to squeeze into your Christmas stockings.

Don’t worry; I’ve got your back. Take a look at these easy ways to stay the same weight all through the holidays. Heck, you might even lose weight.

o Mentally, get focused and motivated. You’ve got to get a little excited. It’s the holidays. Keep your eyes open and think on your feet.

o The big lights and hoopla around free food sounds great if you are strapped for cash on groceries during the holidays. Then you’d really better know your food calories or else

o Many of our favorite holiday treats are sinfully delicious. Some of us think about them all year round. But those precious treats and dishes aren’t so gracious in the calorie department. Learn all you can about holiday food. What ingredients and how many calories go into your favorite treats. Figure out how many you can have without changing your current calorie intake… which brings us to my next tip.

o Never go below or over your normal daily calories you intake. If you go over, obviously, you’ll gain weight if you don’t have time to exercise it off. If you go below your calorie intake, you could put yourself in danger by putting your body in starvation mode. Keep your calorie intake as close to normal as possible.

o Stay away from so-called low calorie alternatives or substitutions. They are usually not as satisfying and that is just a waste of calories you could be enjoying. Have the real thing or nothing.

o Eat something satisfying and healthy before going to any holiday parties. There will be lots of naughty snacks to resist sampling, snacking, and pigging out will diminish if you are hungry. Feed yourself good and resist the bad.

o Don’t over celebrate with alcohol. Alcohol has heavy calories and it also impairs the ability to resist holiday treats and the overindulgence in them. Factor drinks into your calorie intake for the day. One tasty holiday drink to particularly limit is eggnog. Eggnog has about 350 calories per cup full. Think about lower calorie drink choices.

o Ask to take some treats home if someone is insisting that you try one of their world-famous hoobly-bobs or a dingly-floobs. Have them at your leisure. Many dishes and treats can also be frozen and microwaved weeks later.

o If you can bring food to a party or you are the master of ceremonies try emphasizing healthy holiday treats like a fruit tray or veggie carousel.

o Concentrate on your time spent with friends instead of focusing on the holiday food and drinks.

o Exercise whenever possible. Take the stairs walk, just keep it moving. Take as many chances as you can to dance at your holiday parties.

o Willpower. Don’t get overwhelmed with all of the cakes, pies and cookies you see. You have to remember that they are not always for eating. They are a part of the spectacle of the holidays like ornaments on the tree and lights. Enjoy looking at them, but don’t eat them If you eat them, you will get thrown off. So don’t get thrown off! I’m rooting for you!

Good luck!

10 Reasons To Like Christmas

2011-12-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

1) The spirit of Christmas / good will to all
2) People are extra polite to one another until New Years
3) It’s a day or two off work for many of us
4) The Christmas TV specials (tear jerkers)
5) Christmas decorations
6) Christmas carols everyone can sing along to
7) Eggnog and other festivity spirits
8) Christmas cookies, desserts, and treats
9) Christmas presents
10) Mistletoe

Aging Gracefully In Slow Motion

2011-01-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

Getting older is a part of life. Fortify your body now, in order to age gracefully… in s.l.o.w. m.o.t.i.on.

Preserve your age and even reverse the effects of aging.

Cellular Anti-Aging: Protect your vital organs and maximize muscular & cardiovascular health

o Ubiquinol (The most absorbable form of CoQ10)

o Red wine (supplement with extract or resveratrol)

o Exercise (tones skin as well and removes toxins from the body)

o Warm temperatures (cold temperatures dry out the skin)

o Curcumin (anti-inflammatory /the most absorbable form of turmeric)

o Acetyl L-Carnitine

o R-Fraction Alpha Lipoic Acid
o Colostrum
o Essential Fatty Acids

o Magnesium

o Mushrooms

o Berries (Anti-oxidants)

o Green Tea (or the extract)

o Garlic (or the extract)

Skin:

o Moisture

o CoQ10

o Vitamin E

o Sunscreen (your face & neck especially)

o Massage

o Stearic Acid (exfoliation of the skin helping to increase collagen production)

o Acetyl Hexapeptide-3

o Eating green vegetables

Cognitive Virility:

o Acetyl L-Carnitine

o Citicoline

o Phosphatidylserine (ground breaking in "reducing demntia in the elderly" according to the FDA)

o Ginko Biloba

o Vinpocetine

o Huperzine A

o Bacopa

Immune & Stress:

o Vitamin C

o Vitamin B (complex)

o Vitamin D

o L-Theanine

o Melatonin (great for your skin too)

Hormonal Balancing & Virility:

o Maca

Things To Avoid:

o Eating sugar or sweets. That includes natural sweets as well. You may want to try the extracts of your natural anti-oxidants to avoid the sugars that may be in them. Diabetes, emotional wellness, hypertension, sugar highs lead to fatigue.

o More than 1 hour of direct sunlight to the skin in a day without sunblock. The sun also dries the skin, for a lack of a better term, “cooks” the skin.

o Smoking. Dries the skin from the inside out. Toxins create free radicals. (try green tea gum as a substitute or a way of naturally breaking the habit.)

o Alcohol abuse. Cortisol belly fat, liver damage

o Frowning

o Feeling of being stressed for too long.

o Lack of sleep though not entirely necessary always.

Do your own research and click on the links provided on this post. Ultimately your body is your own and you should be the designer of your anti-aging protocol along with the recommendations of your doctor.

How often do you need to take these supplements suggested? You don’t have to have all of these recommended supplements every day. You can adjust them every other day or weekly. The younger you are the less you’ll probably have to worry about missing out on any of these. The younger you start your anti-aging regiment, the more possible aging gracefully will be to achieve.

Keep checking this list as the medical community and anti-aging experts continue to make new discoveries about slowing down the process of aging. We WILL post them here!

10 Great Ways To Stick To Your Diet While Dinning Out

2010-12-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

When often on a special or strict diet, dinning out could possibly throw you totally off course. I’ve been on several diets for weight management and to avoid various allergies to foods, so I’ve got some really good tricks to use while dinning out. It’s not always possible to do them all, but if you can, you won’t stray from your dietary plans… or at least not by very much. Thus, you will be less likely to feel guilty about your night out.

1) Look at the menu before walking in to see if they serve things that are on your allowed diet. If there isn’t anything on the menu, be firm and move on to another restaurant. If you are dinning with friends, do alert them to your special needs whether temporary or permanent.

2) Ask the waiter to remove the breadbaskets if your fellow dinners are ok with it. If they want to munch on the bread, bravely forego any nibbling unless you are on a bread diet. Casual nibbling can add up to 300 to 700 extra calories if you are indeed on a weight loss diet. You may want to save those calories for the actual meal.

3) Drink plenty of water while reviewing the menu. You’ll want to examine each dish while you do this and pick choices that closely match your dietary needs. If you have a craving for something, you might want to go with the appetizer version of the dish. And remember that if you order an appetizer ask the waiter to bring it out at the same time your party’s entrées arrive.

4) When you order, do ask for the ingredients for any sauces the dish is served in. Many sauces mysteriously contain ingredients that are not on your dietary list. For instance, I am allergic to honey, so that’s one of my main questions when I go to a restaurant. And if you are on a weight loss diet, you may not want a sauce that is loaded with fat or sugars. You could also ask for the sauce to accompany the dish on the side.

5) Ask if you can substitute items for another to suit your needs. Most establishments will gladly do this. Some establishments won’t do this, because their dishes are pre-prepared or simply just not willing to. You could check with the hostess before you are seated about this. Don't feel compelled to comply with what ever you get because ultimately, you need to be in control of what you put into your body... diet, allergies, or not.

6) Continue to drink plenty of water while waiting for the meal. The water will help your digestion and help you to feel full. Carbonated water is even better for this.

7) Eat slowly and enjoy every single bit of the meal. You'll benefit from a better digestion of the meal and believe it or not, you'll feel full faster.

8) If you get an entrée, try to consume only half of the meal and have the rest wrapped to go. You must use your judgment on this because you’ll want to remember that the human stomach is no bigger than your fist and most entrées served at restaurants are twice as large. If you are on a weight management diet, the extra meal later will help your metabolism stay revved up.

9) Ask for coffee, tea, or a lemon wedge to wash down your meal and give you a little pick-me-up instead of a desert. Avoid over taxing your tea or coffee with lots of milk and sugar.

10) Drink more water while you wait for the check and your leftovers. The benefits of drinking extra water are endless but mainly it will decrease your chances of feeling hungry again later on and again, assist in the digestion of your meal.

Good luck and remember that if you do not stick to all of the 10 things, DON’T feel guilty about it. Having your meal will be useless if you don't actually enjoy your special moment.

My First Memories

2010-12-29T18:13:00.000-08:00

First Memories feat Veltis Angel directed by Glen Graham II

10 Ways To Promote Yourself On The Internet!

2010-12-27T06:51:00.000-08:00

You have a product, service, talent, or event you’d like to get noticed by the public but you don’t exactly know how to go about doing it. Here are 10 easy ways to get yourself started.

1. Identify yourself. Who are you? What do you do and why is it interesting to others? Come up with a tagline or punch phrase that accurately describes you in a nutshell. You’ll also want to extend that brief explanation into a more detailed explanation of one to two sentences or more.

2. Identify your audience. Identify from who you want attention. There must be some connection to what you are offering and what your audience wants. Be realistic about your audience. You can’t get a majority of your attention from moms when your product is a men’s magazine.

3. Research. What is your business? What are the top key words you’d used to describe your business? Search for those key words on line. Identify similar sites, brands, and people within your key word search. List them from the most popular to the least. List which sources you can actually make contact with, via twitter, email, Facebook, and more. This contact list will be your guide.

4. Internet tools. Use social networks to connect with your industry contacts. People in search of things in your genre will want to network with you as well, even customers / clients / fans / followers. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, & Linked In are perfect for this.

5. Events. Use events to meet the people. It’s especially useful to connect with on line contacts and their supporters. Use events to talk about yourself, mustering up some interest on a personal level.

6. Make friends. Never look at any similar brands or entities as your competition. They will be your teachers, guides, and inspiration. If you work together, it will only strengthen your position. The internet is a friendly place for just that. Never take things personally. If you approach an entity that is hostile to making friends or networking, find the next contact on your list and move forward.

7. Follow internet etiquette. Don’t be too anxious or pushy. Don’t promote yourself at the expense of others without their permission and be respectful of their internet space.

8. Be patient. Attention will not happen overnight. You will have to work on it over time. Never lose your internet presence. Applications like Tweet Deck and HootSuite are excellent for scheduling updates in advance. You will still need to interact with your contacts and stimulate conversations.

9. Continuously analyze your work and stay up to date with the trends. If twittering is what’s new, then twitter. Follow where your contacts are doing the most internet promotions and people are responding. Identify the status updates and gimmicks that are getting the most attention.

10. Be Yourself. It’s important to do the things that will make you successful, however, if it compromises who you are as a person or your morality you might want to go on and do something different. It is often the unusual that strikes a chord with an audience. Carve out your niche. Have fun with it.

Here is some recommendations for further reading:
o Shameless Self Promotion
o Book Promotion for the Shameless: 101 Marketing Tips That Really Work (Spilled Candy Books for Writers)
o Promote your Business or Cause using Social Media - A Beginner's Handbook

My Favorite Things To Do On Sundays

2010-12-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

Although Saturdays are also part of the lovely fragment of our lives in what is called “the weekend”, it's more of a day to do all of the things you wish you could fit in all week which usually covers more work or working on that “special” weekend project. All bets are off on Sundays though. The universal consensus is to lounge on such a day. For some, Sunday is a holy day. On the 7th day God declared it a day of rest to appreciate our lives and working on Sunday is strictly prohibited. I adore that instruction with vigor. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes there were 7 Sundays in the week. What many people don't know about me, is that I had to work on Sundays for many years to make ends meet. So now that I have Sundays off again, here are some things I enjoy doing when given the chance to:

1) Listen to the church bells chime.
2) Photographing my surroundings as I walk around town.
3) Having brunch with friends.
4) Setting my goals for the week.
5) Sleep in really, really late. :D
6) Cook up one of my original recipes.
7) Watch the sun set.
8) Reading the New York Times.
9) Perusing the local Barnes & Noble.
10) Browsing my television for marathon episodes of shows I never have time to watch.

Good times, good times.

Spending Diet - Spend Less Grocery Shopping!

2010-12-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

In these lean times, it's so very important to stay well within our budgets and then some, but this happens to us all. We take the time to jot down all of the "must have" items we need from the grocery store, from our favorite breakfast treats to toiletries and cleaning supplies. When we finally get to do our grocery shopping, we are tempted beyond control to get ice cream, candy bars, chips, dips, and anything that isn't on the list. Sometimes we'll forgo a few items of necessity for these impulse buys. This defeats the purpose of having a grocery list, the ability to stay within our budgets and possibly even disturb our dietary needs.

Well I have a trick that will keep you on track and buy the things you need.

Eat before you go grocery shopping!

Yes, I noticed that if I eat before going grocery shopping I actually stick to the list. When your body is hungry, it tells your brain that it needs every and any type of FOOD and presented with a buffet of choices at the grocery store. When your body is not hungry, your mind ignores the buffet and gets down to business.

Give it a try. Have a satisfying snack before going to buy groceries.

Networking Outside The Box Using Interactive Party Props

2010-12-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

At the event I co-hosted featuring female bloggers back in 2010, I had the pleasure of meeting the makers of an awesome silent short, "Copernicus Comes Around" for the 48 Hour Film Project.

Click here if the embedded video does not play.

Besides being young, talented, and driven, they had an interesting way of promoting their film at some events for Internet Week in 2010 with the use of tennis balls to start up a dialogue. The film’s marketers placed a colorful tennis balls in the hands of the attendees with a message on it. Instinctively, we all had to ask about our party favor. Well they explained the film’s quirky premise and from there laughs ensued. At some point in the evening, even I sat down and helped them prepare for their next networking stop by writing their verbiage on their creative networking props.

Innovative and interactive!

They have more films in development and I for one am definitely looking forward to them.

Links:
o The 48 Hour Film Project
o Follow these filmmakers on Twitter.

10 Things To Say To Yourself In The Morning For Inspiration – Daily Affirmations

2010-12-23T20:30:00.000-08:00

Veltis Angel

Some people are morning people, but some of us are not. I run somewhere in the middle, but I think what is common in my mornings is that it could always use a boost of inspiration. Daily affirmations have always worked for me. It’s better than a hot cup of coffee, though many coffee lovers would probably disagree. These are a few that I say to myself in the morning when I need a little pick me up.

o Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present. I intend to love and appreciate this gift.
o I will remember where I came from and appreciate what I have now.
o My dreams are not dreams, they are goals.
o I will make one tiny step towards my goals today no matter how seemingly insignificant.
o I will let no one define my goals. Advice and criticism will come, but it is only up to me to decide what’s best for me.
o When I am tired, I will push myself a little further, and a little further than that.
o I will be a vessel of positivity. I will think positively, say positive things, and be around positive people.
o I will be at peace with the things that I cannot change.
o I will do the things that I CAN do effectively.
o I will trust the journey that life is taking me towards my destiny with all of my heart.

How To Beat Panic Attacks – Anxiety Busters

2010-12-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

Anxiety something I have a long history with. I used to plan events for months in advance, and then when the day of the event arrived, I’d totally lose it. The night before, I’d stay up with frantic anticipation. The day of, I’d just sit around staring blankly into space as I had heart palpitations, sleep deeply or just sob uncontrollably. What was I doing? This was my moment to shine. What was happening to me?

Those were classic panic attacks that I have on occasion. When I was in 7th grade, I was in a short story reciting where we had to recite a poem that we remembered. I studied that poem inside and out, but once I got to the stage, my brain blanked out and my mouth wouldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. It was embarrassing, but it was the very first panic attack I remember.

Since then they’ve become more common in simpler settings in daily life. So far, I identified many of my attacks dwell in conjunction with an actual fear of success. The fear of success often occurs when someone feels as if they have something to prove and has one big chance to win it or blow it. So, the thought pattern is, “don’t blow it.” It’s overcompensation.

Common symptoms include but are not exclusive to:
Insomnia
Difficulty breathing
Irregular heartbeat
Numb nerves
Jumpy reflex nerves or muscle spasms
Fidgety behavior
Irregular Perspiration
Inability to focus on thoughts
Overactive communication
Lack of ability to speak
Sleepiness or sudden fatigue

These are pretty common symptoms, but for more severe panic attacks I would suppose seeking the help of a doctor would be in order. I have never had the unfortunate situation, but some who suffer from panic attacks may even lose control of their bodily functions altogether.

I haven’t beaten my anxiety attacks completely, but I am getting better at dealing with it. I am sharing a few of my special tips for beating panic attacks with you so I can remember them too.

You’ll want to avoid these like the plague:
Coffee, green tea or any caffeine (jitters).
Desserts, candies, and things loaded with any form of sugar.
Being around negative people.
Thinking about the future; what will happen after your moment.
Avoid self-medicating with, alcohol, pills, or drugs.

The main goal should be to CALM DOWN. Start a few days in advance of an event or situation you are anticipating.

Mentally:
Be sure to tell yourself over and over that everything is going to be just fine. You’ve come this far in life. You’ve got this!
Be around supportive people.
Concentrate on your present. Keep your mind on the right NOW.
Some natural supplements that have been used to help with anxiety by assisting the brain are lemon balm, St. John's Wort, omega-3 fatty acids, kava root, valerian root, SAMe, passion flower, and 5HTP. You’ll want to try these a few weeks in advance to get the advantage.

Physically:
Get a massage if time allows or self-massage if you can even for a short few moments.
Stretch or do your exercise warm-up routine.
Exercise, run, dance, or anything aerobic.
Make sure you eat a good meal before your event. Chew slowly. Savor the moment.
Be patient with yourself and your body. You CAN overcome this moment of panic. Trust that you can.
Get your sleep the night before. Melatonin, magnesium, and chamomile tea can help.

I can only tell you from actually experience that these work for me and I hope they can work for you too.

The Parable Of The Starfish - Author Unknown

2010-12-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

“One morning an elderly man was walking on a nearly deserted beach. He came upon a boy surrounded by thousands and thousands of starfish. As eagerly as he could, the youngster was picking them up and throwing them back into the ocean.

Puzzled, the older man looked at the young boy and asked, ‘Little boy, what are you doing?’

The youth responded without looking up, ‘I'm trying to save these starfish, sir.’

The old man chuckled aloud, and queried, ‘Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?’
Holding a starfish in his hand, the boy turned to the man and, gently tossing the starfish into the water, said, ‘It will make a difference to that one!’"

Isn't it beautiful?

I was introduced to this parable while working with the Starfish organization in 2004, while they were starting their New York Chapter. If you aren't familiar with Starfish, it is an organization helping to support the orphans of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. It is a horrific epidemic that in many ways seems like an endless battle. They use this parable as the mantra for the organization and I feel honored to be able to share it with you.

I believe that the children who have been impacted in a positive way by adults will grow up make a positive impact another child’s life, and another. We must remember to teach this, and remind / teach each other.

Low Calorie Cocktails

2010-12-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you could spoil your diet by having a cocktail and adding whopping calories to your daily caloric intake? Maybe you did, but it's often harder to remember what we shouldn't have, rather than remember the things we can indulge. You can celebrate any occasion in style as long as you order your libations keeping in mind their caloric value. Here is a list of some that are a little kinder to your waistline than most.

Cosmopolitan (200 cal.)
Bellini (135 cal.)
Bloody Mary (125 cal.)
Margarita (150 cal.)
Mimosa (90 cal.)
Mojito (150 cal.)
Screwdriver (165 cal.)
Sex on the Beach (185 cal.)
Tequila Sunrise (185 cal.)
Vodka Martini (150 cal.)
Gin & Tonic (140 cal.).

Here are a few videos I found on low calorie cocktails:

What Would I Tell My Younger Self If I Could?

2010-12-23T18:57:00.000-08:00

o Put down the art and fashion and pick up a Forbes magazine! Madonna was right. It is a material world.

o Work hard, but never work anywhere for more than 2 years without a raise. It’s a big waste of your time.

o Appreciate what you have and the people in your life. Never underestimate the power of friendship.

o On the opposite spectrum, if someone can’t see your value, they are not worth being around.

o What people think of you = 0 in the big picture. What people know about you is what counts.

o You don’t talk to yourself enough. Get in touch with your feelings.

o Don’t beat yourself up when you make mistakes. There will be others to do that for you. Concentrate on learning to do things the right way instead of giving up hope entirely.

o Learn everything you can about science and technology. It’s really the wave of your future.

As I think more about it, if I could tell my younger self anything, I really shouldn’t. I would change everything about where I am and all the things I’ve learned. I would miss the opportunity to meet so many wonderful friends and I probably wouldn’t have met my husband. I would not have loved and hurt enough to write about it and share my stories or my secrets to moving on. I would undo all of the things in life that I actually did right.

I really have no regrets, just things I wish I hadn’t done or had done better, but part of the failure is part of the success. The saying that things “happen for a reason” is very true in my case. But if an older ME could somehow tell me anything, I would listen.

My Silent Movie Project: "A Time For Love"

2009-12-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

I was inspired to create this silent movie after watching a few of them on television. I hope that I have captured the whimsical hilarity of a lost film art and given you a few chuckles in the process. I hope you like it.

All music by Kevin MacLeod: http://www.incomptech.com

Special Thanks to Jim for acting in this short silent film.

This video was filmed with the Sony Bloggie HD MHS PM5 and edited with Windows Movie Maker.

Other original and creative videos can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/angel503z

Top 10 Reasons Why Some People Refuse To Use Networking Websites

2009-12-27T08:33:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why people will not join or actively use a social networking website. Here are some reasons that I found to be interesting:

1) They are unwilling to do anything that seems trendy even though we are about 6 years into the trend. However, there is a shred of a chance they may join, but their activity will be limited.

2) They are just too busy with work or an active lifestyle to devote the time to navigating and up keeping their profile.

3) They are afraid that they are being monitored by governmental or corporate trackers. You know, the big conspiracy theory.

4) They dislike the level of privacy that is revealed in them and rather not be represented on the Internet, which in turn may hurt their livelihood or other relationships.

5) Their livelihood forbids the use of these formats for their employees.

6) The ex factor: They are avoiding the temptation of snooping around in their ex’s profiles that could lead to negative feelings and vice versa of their exes.

7) They are feeling distrust with society and media technology as a whole.

8) They want to be different secretly rebelling a world slowly vanishing into virtually.

9) They want people to contact them in person only because they feel online social networking is too shallow of a contact method.

10) They feel as if it’s a big fat waste of time.

Maybe they have it right or maybe their wrong, but for the daredevils in us all that participate in this social media society we are willing to take the risk.

How To Smell Good From The Inside Out

2009-12-27T08:07:00.000-08:00

We all think that we smell good, but the true judge of that are actually people who can smell you. Sometimes in that rare occasion we can smell ourselves. If you are noticing a foul odor from your body and you’ve just bathed, perhaps the smell coming from your body is actually coming from inside of you and nothing you do on the outside can help it.

Well I do believe that ABC Nightly News a few years back about a young attractive woman afflicted with chronic bad odor and the terrible impact it had on her life. The disease is called Trimethylaminuria (TMAU) due to ones inability to break down foods producing trimethylamine (TMA) in the digestive system into its odorless form trimethylamine oxide (TMAO). People can actually lose this ability over time as well.

There is no cure but scientists are working on it. I was curious about the story and did a bit of research on the Internet. According to my findings some people can alter their bodily scent by following a special food regimen to help the digestive system break down TMA. It startled me, but it also brings to light the sentiment, “You are what you eat.”

o Before starting a new eating regimen you’ll need to get rid of any possible foul smelling TMA in your body. Get a safe detox kit or natural cleanse (stay away from drugstore laxatives). Detoxing any existing TMA in your digestive tract will ensure that your efforts will work most effectively. Lots of water will help as well. Any good detox kit or cleanse will take approximately 3 days.

o Fortify your digestive tract with probiotics, chlorella, and spirulina once your digestive tract is empty.

o Help your body’s N-oxygenation process that encourages the body produce the odorless TMAO by taking vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), chlorophyll (considered a natural internal deodorizer), and cooper daily. You'll want to take this first thing in the mornings so your body can fight odor all day.

o Shorten and minimize the length of time foul smelling TMA stays in your digestive tract with a gentle natural laxative, activated charcoal or high fiber. Again, water can also help this along.

o Avoid eating large quantities of foods that produce TMA containing choline, nitrogen, sulfur, and lecithin. These foods are barley, wheat, beans, potatoes, saltwater fish, tomatoes, cauliflower, eggs, bread, oranges, coffee, and meat. It’s impossible to avoid all TMA forming foods but do your best to keep them at a minimum in your diet.

o Great TMAO friendly foods are rice, egg whites, corn flour, celery, carrots, berries, cucumbers, kale, lettuce, squash, zucchini, apples, grapes, lemons, limes, pears, spinach, almonds, shiitake mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, asparagus, pineapple, onions, pickles, parsley, turnips, and beets.

o Ask someone you trust to smell you to see how you are progressing. Simply smelling yourself will not be accurate. Remember that the breath is the principal indicator of "foul play" in your digestive system so you might want to have it checked by your designated smeller first.

o Give your new diet some time to work and be patient with yourself if you are having trouble sticking to the diet. Try, try again. It could take months to get your digestive system to play along.

Some great off site resources for you to do your own research on TMAU and possible alternative treatments:
o Wikipedia
o Foods with TMA causing choline
o Livestrong: Low Choline Content Foods
o ABC: Model Who Smells Like Dead Fish (The original story that inspired me.)

The Wonders Of Joining Facebook

2009-12-27T07:21:00.000-08:00

There are still many Facebook virgins out there that I am sure have their good reasons for it. But I am also sure that there are many people who urge them to join to connect with old friends or network. For all of the cases for and against Facebook, this video parody of what it is like to be a member is humorously on point.