Monday, June 29, 2009

23 Ways To Improve Your Health and Change Your Life

23 Ways To Improve Your Health and Change Your Life-in two or three minutes.
By Dr. Kathleen Hall. You can find this and other great articles at www.pinkmagazine.com! This article is shared with you by www.Mom-Stuff.com

If you are the kind of woman who puts yourself last on your own to-do list as you work to pursue your dream and make a difference in the world (while caring for so many others), here are a few simple things you can do to change your life – without taking a whole lot of time from living.

1. Play an online game. A few minutes of playing Scrabble, Word Whomp or PoppIt will make you feel less stressed and more alert mentally than before you played. Check out pogo.com and see for yourself.

2. Sing. Singing your way to work releases physical tension, oxygenates the blood, exercises your muscles and liberates suppressed emotions. The University of California found that Immunoglobulin A, a protein used by the immune system to fight disease, increased 150 percent during singing rehearsals and 240 percent during performances.

3. Go barefoot. “It feels great to walk around the house barefoot, especially after my morning three-mile run,” says Roxanne Housley, vice president of sales and marketing for Canyon Ranch. The soles of your feet have more than 7,200 nerve endings.

4. Text a message to a friend. It’ll boost your serotonin and endorphin levels. According to a California Department of Health Services study of 7,000, people who had the strongest social ties had dramatically lower rates of disease and premature death versus those who feel isolated and alone.

5. Jump rope. A woman of average weight (130 to 155 pounds) can burn about 25 calories by jumping rope at a moderate speed for two minutes. “Not only is it fun and a wonderful balance and agility exercise,” says Michael Hewitt, Ph.D., director for exercise science at Canyon Ranch, “but the mild jarring force of skipping rope also provides a bone health benefit.”

6. Look into the eyes of someone you love. The brain chemical oxytocin is produced during bonding experiences. This hormone increases trust, according to a study in Nature.

7. Breathe consciously. Concentrate on your breath – inhaling and exhaling to a count of four. “I practice Pilates, and breathing allows me to concentrate on the movement and eliminate all distractions,”Housley says. “I also find that a couple of deep in hales and exhales help me focus just before a presentation or meeting.”

8. Place a vase of flowers on your desk. A behavioral research study conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School reveals that people feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety, and feel less depressed when freshly cut flowers are present.

9. Hug someone. A team from the University of North Carolina studied the effects of hugging in 38 couples and found that hugs reduce blood pressure, which cuts the risk of heart disease.

10. Chew gum. It curbs your appetite while increasing mental alertness. U.K. psychologists found that people who chewed throughout tests produced significantly better scores than those who did not.

11. Do a breast self-exam. Just a couple of minutes can save your life. “By doing this regularly, you become familiar with how your breasts look and feel normally and are equipped to recognize any changes,” says Deborah Lindner, M.D., an expert with Bright Pink, a national nonprofit for women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancers.

12. Enjoy color. Keep a shawl in your favorite color in a drawer nearby and occasionally wrap yourself in it. Behavioral science researchers have found that we can use color to positively affect our blood pressure, stress, energy level and even our ability to get a good night’s sleep.

13. Eat chocolate! Just a little, left to melt slowly in your mouth while you saturate your taste buds, will make you happy and even boost your immune system. German researchers found that a 30-calorie piece of dark chocolate – about the size of a Hershey’s Kiss – not only helps lower blood pressure but also raises levels of nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels.

14. Forgive somebody. Anger has been strongly associated with chronically elevated blood pressure and with aggregation of platelets, which may increase vulnerability for heart disease – especially if the expressions of anger are frequent and enduring, according to a study in Psychological Science.

15. Laugh! Laughter actually makes blood flow more efficiently. Artery diameter increases 22 percent during laughter and decreases 35 percent during mental stress, according to a study by the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

16. Show gratitude. Write a note to someone who has made a difference in your life. Long-term research has found that individuals who report a high level of gratitude and optimism have a 23 percent lower risk of health-related death.

17. Floss your teeth. It might actually be the secret to longevity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that people with gingivitis and periodontitis have a mortality rate that is 23 to 46 percent higher than the rate for those who don’t. Poor gum health is linked to increased rates of cardiovascular disease and strokes.

18. Lift weights. Keep a 5-pound weight (or a heavy book) by your desk and lift it repeatedly for a minute with each hand. One 12-month study of postmenopausal women conducted at Tufts University discovered 1 percent gains in bone density, 73 percent increases in strength and 14 percent increases in dynamic balance with just two days per week of progressive strength training.

19. Dance. Close your office door and let loose. The many benefits are obvious. Dancing gives you a certain “high” through the release of endorphins and reduces stress, decreases blood pressure and improves coordination.

20. Encourage yourself. Giving ourselves positive messages combats negative self-talk. Research tells us that our thoughts and emotions release powerful chemicals into our bodies that affect our mental, physical, and spiritual health and well-being. One affirmation to try: “I am strong. I am resilient. Keep letting go.” Go to mindfullivingtv.com for more.

21. Keep dried blueberries in your desk drawer. “Berries have the highest density of antioxidant phytochemicals of nearly all foods,” Hewitt says. Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with aging.

22. Use aromatherapy. Keep a little bottle of your favorite scent in your office and bring it out as needed. Lavender, chamomile and vanilla help you relax. Peppermint and orange provide mental clarity.

23. Let someone pull in front while driving. About 8 percent of the heart attacks among people in one German study were directly related to traffic. Let people pass if they are in a hurry; they could be injured, or in labor, or just late. The release of stress hormones can be lessened by practicing compassion

You can find this and other great articles at www.pinkmagazine.com! This article is shared with you from www.Mom-Stuff.com

Friday, June 26, 2009

Summer Is Here!!! Now What???

Mom-Stuff.com has some great ideas to help you and your children enjoy Summer. Summer is time for picnics in the park, vacations, playing in the water, and spending time together. With our kids out of school we all wonder what are we going to do with all their free time. We have come up with some fun summer activities to beat the summer boredom. Make sure to check out our family fun section for “Schools Out! Now What? Also check out the scrapbooking section for a unique ways to scrapbook your vacation pictures. In the kids craft sections learn how to make fun crafts for summer activities for kids of all ages. Check out the recipe sections for summer fun recipes. Make sure to check out the romance section for almost free date ideas. This month’s product review “Whats for Dinner” is a unique recipe and menu book. We have also have summer activities to help children become more aware of our impact on our environment.
We are adding a full shopping cart if you have ever wanted to make money selling your hobbies, crafts or informational products check out our Making Money Online section.
It is our goal to help all moms to enjoy this wonderful time of the year. This is the season to have some fun,. Summer is a celebration of life with parades, picnics, BBQ’s, fireworks, vacations, camping, hiking, biking, swimming and all kinds of out door activity's. Get outside and enjoy this beautiful world we live in!!!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Mom-Stuff gives Mamapedia a Five Star Rating

Mom-stuff.com tells you about the latest and greatest new products for moms. Have you heard about the new mom’s site www.mamapedia.com? It is the greatest!!! It is a social network site like “ask” You ask your questions and other moms answer them. It is the best moms-supporting-moms site ever.

For mothers with kids of all ages
Questions by moms, answered by moms who’ve been there
Over a million answers on everything from Acne to Zoos
Easily searchable and browsable
Updated daily
100% free
You can search sections by
kids by age
all about me
health
finances
house and home
toys and gear

Lots of buzz on the web about “mamapedia”. Do a google search and see how many people are talking about it. Then go and see for your self what all of the excitment is about and join the conversation. See you there mom-stuff is a member. Mom-Stuff gives Mamapedia a five star rating.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

To Our Soldiers, Happy Father’s Day


Happy Father’s Day
to all who wear our country’s uniform.
Thank you for your sacrifice.

A Father’s Love Knows No Boundaries


This year for Father’s Day, http://www.mom-stuff.com/ would like to honor all of our soldiers. This message is for all who wear our country’s uniform; the Army, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the Marines, the Air Force, the National Guard and all of our Veterans.

We are living in the freedom your sacrifices have purchased for us.

We thank you, we love, and we prey for your safety.

We want to express our gratitude for the hard ship and sacrifice of all of our soldiers and their families on this Father’s Day. We want to honor the sacrifice these families are making to keep us safe. They make the ultimate sacrifice and we want them to know how much we appreciate them.
This is a picture of my son-in-law and my grandson that was scrapbooked for mom-stuff,com. This is one of my favorite pictures. My son-in-law was able to come home for the birth of his son and then had to return to Iraq. Such joy in seeing his first born come into the world and such pain leaving him to return to Iraq, missing so much of his early life. This picture represents all of our soldiers (a father, a husband, a son, a brother, a friend) leaving his home and the ones he loves to fight for his love of his country. What a sacrifice. What love!!!

Please forward this to everyone on your list that has a soldier in his or her family. Let them know how much we appreciate their service.

Resources that thank our soldiers

Jorden Leigh’s heartfelt music video Soldier I love You. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhX5ET5PNv8

Great web site http://www.thanksyousoldier.com/

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

School is out, Summer is here.

Get some help from an expert. Tara Aronson gives you 5 easy rules to simplify your summer. Summer is here. Our little darlings will be at home – with us – ALL DAY! How will we (and our homes) survive the onslaught of mud, finger-paints and toys? Simple. We’ll set our ground rules for summer now. And stick to them.

Visit mom-stuff.com to get the scoop and ENJOY THIS SUMMER!!!.