For me, a perfect workday incorporates many of the tips below, but never all of them at once. I use a combination of strategies to ensure that most of my days are fairly relaxed. Do I still get stressed? Undoubtedly. But it’s a far less frequent thing than in the past.

Here’s how I do it.

1. Do less. Those of you who know me by now saw this one coming. It’s very difficult to have a relaxed workday if you have too much going on. Instead, learn to reduce what you do, but choose the most impactful tasks and projects — the ones that will mean the most over the long term. I choose three important things to achieve each day, as I’ve said before. Those are the three things I can do today that will have the most impact in my life.
2. Create a morning routine. And make it a relaxing one. That could include some of the things below, such as exercise, a hot bath, or quiet working time. For me, it means getting up earlier so I’m not so rushed, and then doing little rituals (like having a quiet cup of coffee and reading) that will ensure I start the day perfectly.
3. Prepare the night before. An evening routine is also essential to starting your day right. This might include things like choosing your three Most Important Tasks for the next day, so you know what you’re going to do when you wake up. It might mean getting your clothes ready. For me, it includes getting a jump start on prepping my kids’ lunches, so it’s just about done before my day even starts.
4. Start the day with a relaxing shower or bath. I like a hot shower, but if you have time, a good bath can be a perfect way to start off the day. It gets you in a relaxed mood, which is much better than starting the day stressed out.
5. Get in some morning exercise. I don’t get to exercise every single morning, but I do it on a majority of mornings. A nice morning run is a wonderful thing for me. It relaxes me, and gives me a sense of well being and accomplishment.
6. Work when it’s quiet. I like to do work early in the morning, when everyone is sleeping. For others, that might be late at night instead. Whatever works best for you. When I was working in an office, I liked to get in before everyone else, so that I could get in some solid work before things got busy. I would also work during lunch while everyone else was out — I just liked the quiet. I would eat two smaller lunches before and after the normal lunch hour. Getting in early also allowed me to leave early, so that I could spend time with my kids or get in some evening exercise.
7. Create a clutter-free environment. This is key for me, as you might also know by now. I like my desk clear of any clutter. Right now, the only thing on my desk is my iMac (I’m paperless now). But it’s OK to have a couple family pictures or an inbox, but too much stuff it just visual distraction. Clear your walls of everything but a nice picture or other art piece or two. Clutter-free surroundings create a peaceful working environment.
8. Turn off the distractions. That means phones, email notification, instant messaging, anything that will break into your focus and make you jump from one thing to another.
9. Cut back on your commitments. Evaluate all the things you’ve got going on in your life, and see what isn’t essential. This means choosing 4-5 essential things in your life, and trying to eliminate the rest over time.
10. Cut out meetings. If you have the ability to opt out of meetings, do so. They are generally a waste of time. Sure, it’s possible that a meeting is the most productive way to do something, but it’s rarely done. Usually the point of a meeting could be accomplished with email, or an IM. Cutting out meetings could free up a lot of time and make your workday more relaxed.
11. Single-task. For me, focus is everything. Writing this article would take twice as long, and be much less peaceful, if I was constantly interrupted, if I was constantly switching between this and email and surfing the web and other tasks I have to do. I like to focus on one task at a time, if possible, and really lose myself in the writing.
12. Take breaks and stretch. While focusing on one task at a time is important, it’s also important to take breaks when you can. Get up, stretch, get a glass of water. Massage your shoulders, neck and head. It keeps you relaxed throughout the day.
13. Go for a walk. I also like to take a break and go for a walk. It helps me get perspective, to think, to get a better overall picture on my workday and my life. Plus it gets the blood circulating.
14. Eat lunch in quiet. I’m kind of a shy guy, and while many people do lunch meetings, I would rather eat at my desk with a good book or take my sack lunch to a park for a peaceful, meditative eating break.
15. Do mini-meditations. This doesn’t require a mat or a temple or soothing tapes or anything. Just sit where you are, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing — on your breath as it comes into your body, and then goes out. This helps me to center myself, no matter what is going on with work.
16. Learn to focus on the present. Related to the mini-meditations and single-tasking. Basically, instead of worrying about what you have to do in the future, and instead of reliving things you did in the past, focus on what you’re doing right now. This can be difficult, as our minds have a tendency to wander to other things, but it’s simply a matter of practice - be aware of where your mind is, and when it drifts to other things, gently bring it back to the present. This helps keep your mind in a peaceful place all day long.
17. Roll with the punches. There will always be things that go wrong. What is important is how we react to them — do we go all Drama Queen, and get stressed and upset? Or do we accept what has happened, and make a calm decision about what to do now? When things get overwhelming, take a step back to get some perspective, and realize that in a few months, none of this will really matter much — and then take steps to eliminate the non-essential and focus on what’s really important.

Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention in one area. The practice comes with a myriad of well-publicized health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness.

Although a great number of people try meditation at some point in their lives, a small percentage actually stick with it for the long-term. This is unfortunate, and a possible reason is that many beginners do not begin with a mindset needed to make the practice sustainable.

The purpose of this article is to provide 20 practical recommendations to help beginners get past the initial hurdles and integrate meditation over the long term:

1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time (preferably two times a day) to be still.

2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is an ideal way to begin practice.

3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.

4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!

5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think “hey, what am I doing here” or “why can’t I just quiet my damn mind already”. When this happens, really focus in on your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.

6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed, etc.

7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the right path.

Pick a specific room in your home to meditate. Make sure it is not the same room where you do work, exercise, or sleep. Place candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.

9) Read a book (or two) on meditation. Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefits of deep meditative states. This will get you motivated. John Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are is terrific for beginners.

10) Commit for the long haul. Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefit most by NOT examining the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and then let it go!

11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.

12) Generate moments of awareness during the day. Finding your breath and “being present” while not in formal practice is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.

13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not insuring peaceful practice conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that the phone might ring, your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not be able to attain a state of deep relaxation.

14) Notice small adjustments. For beginning meditators, the slightest physical movements can transform a meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal. These adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean everything for your practice.

15) Use a candle. Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting a candle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your attention with a visual cue. This can be very powerful.

16) Do NOT Stress. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. No matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it. This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation is what it is, and just do the best you can at the time.

17) Do it together. Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderful benefits, and can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set agreed-upon ground rules before you begin!

18) Meditate early in the morning. Without a doubt, early morning is an ideal
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.

19) Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.

20) Notice when your interest in meditation begins to wane. Meditation is
hard work, and you will inevitably come to a point where it seemingly does not fit into the picture anymore. THIS is when you need your practice the most and I recommend you go back to the book(s) or the CD’s you listened to and become re-invigorated with the practice. Chances are that losing the ability to focus on meditation is parallel with your inability to focus in other areas of your life!

Meditation is an absolutely wonderful practice, but can be very difficult in the beginning. Use the tips described in this article to get your practice to the next level!

This interesting picture claims to say that all major areas of the body can be connected to your feet.

You have to be skeptical considering all the money they are trying to make selling foot detoxifying pads. But the facts remain. Asian culture has been doing things to heal through feet for centuries; like soaks, massage, and even pins and needles. Also these foot pads do turn color, a yelowish type of color that you would connect with toxins. Also after a while the pads do not turn color making what you would think that the toxins are then removed and do not change the pads a differant color.

So as a skeptic what would make you think it does not work?

Logic would question how you can pull toxins through your skin and if you could how could just putting a pad on your foot do this process.

Well after weighing both possibilities I would say most likely they do work and if it doesn’t extract much still for the small price any extraction of toxins you might get out of it is worth it.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Body+Purifying+Foot+Pads 

Also interesting to see just what the countries average life is.

Cloudy apple juice is better for you than clear varieties, say researchers.

Polish scientists found the levels of antioxidants which protect against heart disease and cancer are almost double in cloudy apple juice.

The antioxidants, called polyphenols, are also found in red wine, berries and dark chocolate.

In the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, the researchers said the manufacturing process led to fewer polyphenols in clear apple juice.

The researchers at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw measured the amount of procyanidins, the main compounds containing polyphenols in apples, in two varieties of clear and cloudy apple juices.

They also measured the antioxidant activity in the four juices.

Juice made from the Champion variety of apples was found to have higher levels of polyphenols than juice made from Idared apples.

But overall cloudy apple juice, which contains more pulp, was found to have higher concentrations of antioxidants and showed more antioxidant activity in experiments.

There was a four-fold difference in polyphenols between the best and worst juices.

Study leader, Dr Jan Oszmianski, said they had found they same results for clear and pureed or cloudy strawberry juices.

“I recommend cloudy juices as they contain more polyphenols and pectins.

“Health benefits are expected mainly in the case of cloudy apple juice consumption.”

Polyphenols

Previous research has shown that polyphenols contained in fruit and vegetables help to protect against diseases such as cancer, by mopping up free radicals which can cause damage to cells.

Apples themselves contain a wide variety of polyphenols but when processed into apple juice some of these may be lost.

The manufacturing process used to make clear apple juice, which include using an enzyme to break down the pectin in apple cell walls and spinning to remove pulp, considerably decreases the levels of polyphenols in the end product, Dr Oszmianski explained.

Dr Paul Kroon, senior research scientist at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich said clear apple juices tended to be more popular and are more stable giving them a longer shelf life.

“A lot of polyphenols are lost when you make a clear juice. It could also be that because you’re retaining that cloudiness and pectin there’s the additional benefit of fibre.

“If you’re interested in health, you should go for a non-clarified apple juice.”

Dr Kroon said eating an apple would be better than drinking apple juice, although farmers had been growing sweeter less astringent varieties with fewer polyphenols.

“Before we knew about the them, polyphenols were bred out of apples and now we’re looking at putting them back,” he said.

Judy Moore, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and registered dietitian said: “Almost doubling your intake of apple polyphenols by switching from clear to cloudy juice seems an easy option for apple juice drinkers.

“Don’t forget that eating apples offers more health benefits than drinking apple juice as you also get the fibre in apples.”

NEWSTART stands for:
N-nutrition
E-xercise
W-ater
S-unlight
T-emperance
A-ir
R-est
T-rust in the Lord

We will get more information on this theory shortly.

Most people assume that there is not much difference between antiperspirant and deodorant, but you might be surprised. Antiperspirants use chemicals to obstruct pores, which prevents the release of perspiration. Deodorants, on the other hand, allow perspiration to occur but counteract the odor.

Many people worry that they will offend others if they forego using antiperspirant. Even if they use a deodorant to minimize unpleasant odor, they may be uncomfortable with appearing “sweaty” or fear that they are just covering up one smell with another.

Contrary to popular opinion, most deodorants do not just cover up odor with fragrance. They actually have antiseptic properties that work to kill bacteria, which is what causes odor to begin with.

However, both products may have adverse effects on your health. Some medical professionals believe that blocking the pores and obstructing the body’s natural method of lowering body temperature is unhealthy. More important, many believe that the chemicals used in antiperspirants, specifically aluminum compounds, may be linked to serious health problems.

While the subject continues to encounter heated debate, at least a handful of studies show a connection between the regular use of antiperspirant and the risk of breast cancer. At least one study shows the risk to be elevated if antiperspirant is applied directly after shaving underarms.

There is also research that indicates that aluminum compounds can be absorbed into the blood stream, and eventually build up in the brain. Researchers have tied this phenomenon to the increase in cases of Alzheimer’s disease.

Deodorant was believed to be a safer alternative, but a new study links parabens found in many deodorants to breast cancer as well. One study used autopsy results from women who died of breast cancer, which discovered parabens in their breast tissue. For many professionals as well as consumers, this is enough of a correlation to cause concern.

Some members of the medical community are not convinced that there is any validity to these concerns. Healthcare professionals and some health agencies claim the cited studies are flawed, and believe that any danger thought to be caused by antiperspirants or deodorants is just a myth. However, there are strong arguments on both sides of this issue.

This subject is likely to be debated for some time, and further study is indicated. In the mean time, consumer watchdogs as well as some health professionals advise consumers to reconsider using antiperspirants. They also advise checking deodorant labels to insure that they do not contain parabens.

Increasing questions about the safety of everyday products have led many people to choose natural alternatives. Natural deodorants are available in many health stores and online, and may provide a healthier choice. Consumers should still read labels to insure that such products do not contain dangerous chemicals. Not everything that is advertised as “natural” is made from 100% natural ingredients.

Some people have gone so far as to make homemade natural deodorant, mixing equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch and adding a few drops of essential oil for fragrance. This mixture can be applied by dabbing it on with a damp cloth. This concoction washes away easily and is believed to be a safer alternative than some of the commercial products available today.

Sweat of any person is without fragrance. Sweat makes lots of bacteria and smells.

One should use deodorants to control the growth of bacteria and smells.

There are large numbers of deodorants from many reputed companies available in the market.

People can easily make deodorants at home in a few minutes.

–

Homemade Deodorants:
Stick Homemade Deodorant
Ingredients:

* 2 ounces of baking soda
* Vodka about one ounce
* Beeswax- 8 ounces
* Cornstarch—4 ounces
* Liquid chorophyll—1 ounce
* Distilled water—about 2 ounces
* 10-15 drops of rose, honeysuckle, coriander oil according to the choice

Procedure:

Except chorophyll and wax, put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix and stir well. And then melt beeswax in a double boiler at low heat. After this add chorophyll and wax and blend it gently. Now leave it for cooling by before solid, mix essential oils and liquid clorophyll. And after this pour this mixture into a mold and leave it for solid. Remove the prepared deodorants from mold and keep in dry cool place.
No-Sweat Tea – homemade deodorants
Ingredients:

* One full teaspoon of dried hops
* One full teaspoon of fresh rose petals
* Stinging nettle, one teaspoon
* Four full cups of hot water
* Dried leaves of strawberry, one teaspoon
* Dried leaves of sage, three full tablespoons
* Fresh leaves of walnut-one full teaspoon

Procedure:

Take and Mix all ingredients and steep them for about 60 minutes. After this, strain the tea and take with honey.
Cream Deodorant
Ingredients:

* Glycerine one full tablespoon
* Cocoa butter—half ounce
* Rosewater one full tablespoon
* Beeswax—half ounce

Procedure:

Take beeswax and cocoa butter in a large boiler and melt them well. And then add rosewater and glycerine after removing from heat. After this, add a few drops of essential oils such as eucalyptus, lemon, sage, calendula, lavender, coriander, thyme or rosemary. If cream is separated, stir the deodorants before using it.
Herbal Deodorant Powder
Ingredients:

* Take one part of powder of white oak bark as an astringent
* Take two parts of powder of sandalwood for anti-microbal and fragrance properties
* Take one part of powder of lovage root

Procedure:

Take all powder in a food processor and blend them well until all powders change into a fine powder. Transfer this powder into a dry or clean iron skillet. Before using it pat bags on the feet and under arms.
Deodorizing Foot Bath:
Ingredients:

* Take 5-6 tablespoon of Epson salts
* White vinegar half cup
* Warm water about one gallon

Procedure:

Mix all ingredients and Soak the dirty feet in the solution to prevent sweat and bad smell.
Sage Deodorizing Foot Powder
Ingredients:

* Sage essential oil—2 or 3 drops
* Baking powder—One full tablespoon

Procedure:

Mix oil and baking powder in a bowl and shake well. And then leave it to dry for a few minutes.

The goal is to help you live 35% longer and a whole lot younger! How? By fighting life’s Major Agers. We’ve created a 14-day action plan, based on cutting-edge science, to help you extend your natural warranty and live to a ripe old age with all the vim and vigor of your youth.

The website has great tools and advise as well here Website

We recomend getting the book at Costco, it’s only about $14 to $15 bucks.

Mormons have less heart disease — something doctors have long chalked up to their religion’s ban on smoking. New research suggests that another of their “clean living” habits also may be helping their hearts: fasting for one day each month.

A study in Utah, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based, found that people who skipped meals once a month were about 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than those who did not regularly fast.

People did not have to “get religion” to benefit: non-Mormons who regularly took breaks from food also were less likely to have clogged arteries, scientists found.

They concede that their study is far from proof that periodic fasting is good for anyone, but said the benefit they observed poses a theory that deserves further testing.

“It might suggest these are people who just control eating habits better,” and that this discipline extends to other areas of their lives that improves their health, said Benjamin Horne, a heart disease researcher from Intermountain Medical Center and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

He led the study and reported results at a recent American Heart Association conference. The research was partly funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Roughly 70 percent of Utah residents are Mormons, whose religion advises abstaining from food on the first Sunday of each month, Horne said.

Researchers got the idea to study fasting after analyzing medical records of patients who had X-ray exams to check for blocked heart arteries between 1994 and 2002 in the Intermountain Health Collaborative Study, a health registry. Of these patients, 4,629 could be diagnosed as clearly having or lacking heart disease — an artery at least 70 percent clogged.

Researchers saw a typical pattern: only 61 percent of Mormons had heart disease compared to 66 percent of non-Mormons. They thought tobacco use probably accounted for the difference. But after taking smoking into account, they still saw a lower rate of heart disease among Mormons and designed a survey to explore why.

It asked about Mormons’ religious practices: monthly fasting; avoiding tea, coffee and alcohol; taking a weekly day of rest; going to church, and donating time or money to charity.

Among the 515 people surveyed, only fasting made a significant difference in heart risks: 59 percent of periodic meal skippers were diagnosed with heart disease versus 67 percent of the others.

The difference persisted even when researchers took weight, age and conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol or blood pressure into account. About 8 percent of those surveyed were not Mormons, and those who regularly fasted had lower rates of heart disease, too.

Horne speculated that when people take a break from food, it forces the body to dip into fat reserves to burn calories. It also keeps the body from being constantly exposed to sugar and having to make insulin to metabolize it. When people develop diabetes, insulin-producing cells become less sensitive to cues from eating, so fasting may provide brief rests that resensitize these cells and make them work better, he said.

But he and other doctors cautioned that skipping meals is not advised for diabetics — it could cause dangerous swings in blood sugar.

Also for dieters, “the news is not as good as you might think” on fasting, said Dr. Raymond Gibbons of the Mayo Clinic, a former heart association president.

“Fasting resets the metabolic rate,” slowing it down to adjust to less food and forcing the body to store calories as soon as people resume eating, Gibbons said.