The Benefits Of Swimming

    *

      Swimming just once a week will add variety to your routine, you’ll find it makes all the difference you look forward to your other workouts as you won’t be doing them so often.
    *

      You’ll be working different muscles than you normally do, adding another dimension to your fitness programme.
    *

      Swimming can be a really hard workout, during half an hour of vigorous swimming a 10 stone individual burns 360 calories, the equivalent of running at 12 kph for the same time.
    *

      The cooling effect of the water means that you’re not consciously sweating as much as you would in the gym, allowing you to exercise longer and harder.
    *

      The water supports you as you swim, so although you’ve just had a workout your muscles will feel more relaxed than if you’d just left a class.

Points to remember:

   1.

      You need to be swimming energetically to get the most out of your time in the water, you’re not on holiday now so wear a pair of goggles and be prepared to get your hair wet!
   2.

      Different strokes work different muscles, don’t just stick to one and don’t be afraid to try something new.
   3.

      Swimming etiquette does exist and faster swimmers can get quite funny if you don’t let them pass at the end, there’s no need to be intimidated just make sure you pick the right lane.
   4.

      It may not seem like you’re losing fluids but you are, if you’re planning on being in the water longer than thirty minutes take a water bottle of stop for drink breaks to avoid dehydration.
   5.

      A swimming workout is just like any other so make sure you perform a warm-up, cool-down, and stretches (for the shoulders especially).

Why not try:

    *

      Using a float or pull buoy to concentrate solely on your arms and legs
    *

      Adding sprints into your session, swim one length as fast as you can using one stroke and swim back at a comfortable speed using another.
    *

      Having a swimming lesson. If you were not taught how to swim by a professional, just one lesson can make all the difference to your technique. An efficient technique really enables you to get more enjoyment out of each.

Copyright 2007 Kristoph Thompson BA MA CSCS. Kristoph runs a successful personal training business in the UK, working with a variety of groups and individuals from professional footballers to those with disabilities, and most recently, Britain’s Strongest Man.

How Lavender Oil Might Not Send You To Sleep!

I read a magazine article some time ago that told me what to do if I could not sleep. Their advice was to ‘sprinkle a few drops of lavender on your pillow before you go to bed’. Having been an aromatherapist for some 20 years now, rather than be glad that aromatherapy was becoming so popular that magazines wrote about it, the article made me angry. In my world, aromatherapy is a science, so the questions that came into my mind immediately where, how much is a few drops, and which lavender are they talking about?

There are over 500 different types of lavender plants. Some are cloned, some are seeded, some are grown high up in the French mountains and others are grown in Norfolk, England. While all lavender plants contain essential oil, the oil in each plant is different chemically. They all might resemble the lavender aroma, but will not have the same pharmacological effects on the body. For example, if you sprinkle a few drops of spike lavender on the pillow, rather than drop off to sleep, you could be dancing all night! Some lavender oils are better for arthritis, some for asthma, some for burns and skin complaints and some for stress and insomnia. The lavender oil needed to help promote sleep is True Lavender – Latin name Lavandula angustifolia. This lavender is not usually found in the shops in its original, unadulterated form and so even if you do buy a bottle of lavender with the right name on it, chances are, it will have been adulterated or it could even be a synthetic creation. True Lavender, to be effective, should be steam distilled and put straight into a bottle. Aromatherapists supply this type of essential oil – it is important that the therapist uses good quality essential oils to promote health and harmony in the client. The oil is not being used to freshen the air or polish furniture, but to bring about health and a sense of well-being.

Next we come to the ‘few drops’. Is this 2 drops or 20 drops? With the potency of essential oils, this is an important question indeed. Especially since 2 drops of true lavender will certainly promote sleep, but 20 drops will have the opposite effect! Just as the specification for the lavender oil is important, so is the dosage, especially with children and the elderly or frail.

Essential oils are energy in a bottle. Just the right amount of energy needs to be given to the individual to encourage the needed response. So instead of reading magazines, we should be visiting our local therapists for professional advice. Aromatherapy is more serious and more potent than the modern world would have us believe. While we can buy ‘aromatherapy’ shower gels, shampoos etc, we should realise that these simply refer to the product having a nice smell rather than affecting health.

One of the problems of lavender being so frequently used and widely available in less than organic, therapeutic form, is that members of the public are now developing sensitivities to it, particularly linalool, a component part of synthetic and natural lavender. Because of this it is usually best to do a skin test first or inhale the oil – but making sure the ‘few drops’ is controlled and used appropriately.

Training is absolutely essential if you want to be any sort of Complementary Therapist. There are no short cuts and no easy ways through – although training is usually enjoyable. To be a successful therapist, the greatest quality we look for as a school is a genuine desire to help people and an ability to listen to their problems. Aromatherapy, reflexology and massage in all its different forms are the most popular forms of complementary therapy and all of these areas are open to all kinds of people as long as the heart is in the right place! 

Making New Friends

Friends are important. They can help us to cope with the difficulties of life and help us celebrate our success. They can be a shoulder to cry on, a sympathetic ear to listen to our moans about the unfairness of life, and someone who gives us a hug and a big smile when we succeed.

They can do more than this – friends can help us lead long and happy lives. The Harvard Study of Adult Development has been following 800 men and women since the 1930’s and has established that one of the most important factors in achieving a long and happy life is maintaining strong social relationships. This means spending quality time with loved ones, making time for friends, and contributing to the community around you. Surprisingly the quality of your social network seems to be a more accurate predictor of how long you will live than the longevity of your parents, the quality of your childhood or the number of stressful events in your life.

So how can we build our social network and have more ‘real’ friends? Many people have lots of acquaintances, but few people they would consider true friends – people they can confide in and show their weaknesses – ‘real friends’ are people we show our ‘real selves’ to. And that is a clue to what we need to do. Part of building friendship is exposing our weaknesses and uncertainties to others. Many people feel they have to appear confident and successful in order to attract and retain friends – they feel that if they showed the ‘real me’ no one would like them. But think about the people you like – they’ve almost certainly all got weaknesses. When you get to know people’s weaknesses, you feel you are getting to know the real person behind the social mask. This level of intimacy (which has nothing to do with sex) feels good. There may be people you admire and want to be like; people who appear totally confident and on top of things, but chances are you will feel a bit inferior, a bit inhibited with them, as you too try to appear totally confident and in charge of your life. You may find it difficult to become friends with people like this, because you don’t feel able to be yourself.

Showing the real you can seem a risky business, and, yes, you may get hurt, mocked and let down. Even so, being like this means you are more likely to find real friends. Staying shut in is risky too. If people feel you are reserved and uncommunicative, they are less likely to want to be friends with you. Not only is it good for you to be yourself, but also in being yourself you give other people permission to be themselves; this can lead to true and lasting friendships that survive the ups and downs of life.

Making new friends is important. This is particularly true as you get older. Sadly good friends die, and it is easy to feel more and more lonely as the years go by. Your social circle can narrow as you lose people to illness and old age. It may seem daunting to try making new friends as you get older, but it’s worth making the effort. New friends can bring interest and excitement back into our lives. They can introduce us to new hobbies, new people and new places. Other people are also in the same position. Having lost loved ones and friends they need new friends too.

It’s not just older people who need to make new friends. Younger people may have been busy working or raising a family or been in another town or country so lack a local social support network of good friends.

So how do you make new friends? Most people feel nervous and embarrassed at the idea, but the trick is to think about other people, not yourself. There are other people out there who are short of friends. Think about how nervous and embarrassed they are, and think about how happy they would be to have a friend like you. Make the effort; you won’t ‘click’ with everyone, but persist and find the friends you and they deserve. You would make a good friend, wouldn’t you?

Stop Food Cravings

Many people suffer from food cravings. They spend a lot of time thinking about food, fantasising about food and trying (and not always succeeding) in restraining themselves in order to lose weight or eat healthily. If you’re one of these people, what can you do about it? Do you often feel ‘hungry’ even when you should be full. You know you’ve eaten enough, but somehow you still feel vaguely hungry and dissatisfied. You tell yourself you’ll leave the rest of the packet for another day, but somehow 15 minutes later the packet is just back in your hand.
It Could Be Food Allergies

If you often get the urge to eat something and feel almost immediately better after you eat it, you could be allergic to what gives you this good feeling. If you find yourself saying,” I’d be happy if I could live on X”, whatever X is may well be an allergen for you. If you sympathise with the woman who broke a plate glass window to get at some chocolate, you know how an allergy to a food can drive you insane! Food allergies tend to be addictive – you crave the allergen. No one knows for sure why this is so, but it seems to be linked to endorphin production; endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers.

People with allergy cravings often wake with a ‘hangover’ even when they haven’t been drinking. They wake feeling tired, headachy and possibly thirsty. Some people with severe allergy addictions feel compelled to get up in the middle of the night and eat or drink the thing they crave. It’s always the same food that weaves its magic spell. Do you wake up, eat or drink it, and then you snuggle down and easily fall asleep again? It may be the middle of the night, but food (or a cup of tea or coffee) is calling you. If so, that food or drink is likely to be an allergen.

What can you do about it? You can switch off allergy reactions quickly using a simple allergy tapping technique. This will not stop you reacting to the substance in the future, but will almost certainly give you immediate relief from your cravings and any other symptoms. The great thing about this procedure is that you don’t need to know what is causing the problem; you can just switch off the problem using this acupuncture tapping technique. If you want to turn off your allergies permanently, I suggest you find a health kinesiology practitioner, who knows techniques to do just that.
It Could Be Nutritional Imbalances

Craving particular foods can be a sign of a need for a nutrient that is in the food that is craved, e.g. a deficiency of potassium may result in a craving for avocados and bananas, and a shortage of zinc may stimulate a desire for sunflower seeds and oysters.

When there was lead in petrol, I found that a lot of clients who had a problem with lead loved apples. These are an excellent source of pectin, which helps to remove lead from the body. You may know little about nutrition, but instinctively your body is trying to do the right thing.

So, if you crave a food, check out its nutritional content, and consider whether it is possible you could be deficient in that vitamin and minerals. Consider taking a good quality multi-vitamin supplement to cover all your bases.
It Could Be Blood Sugar Problems

It is important for health that blood sugar levels stay within reasonable limits. This is taken care of by two hormones – glucagon and insulin produced by the pancreas. Glucagon stimulates the conversion of glycogen into glucose and so raises blood sugar levels. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels by stimulating the conversion of glucose into glycogen, which can then be stored until needed, and also by allowing glucose to enter cells through special glucose channels.

Most of the time this works fine, but sometimes blood sugar levels can drop. Low blood sugar has a very detrimental effect on the functioning of the brain. As this can threaten your survival, low blood sugar is treated by the body as an emergency situation. When blood sugar drops suddenly a really primitive reflex tells you to eat immediately. It is difficult to ignore this command, and in general you eat whatever happens to be handy and is sufficiently rich in carbohydrate. This is not necessarily nutritious food. Other signs of badly fluctuating blood sugar levels include headaches, trembling, panic attacks, sudden sweating and anxiety.

From this you can see that maintaining stable blood sugar levels can be vitally important in reducing cravings, but how do you do that? There are two important things you can do – avoiding high glycaemic index food and making sure you have an adequate supply of nutrients that affect blood sugar levels.

High glycaemic foods cause the blood sugar level to increase suddenly and then drop steeply. Avoiding high glycaemic index food can help to stabilise blood sugar.

Chromium, a trace mineral, can help the body use insulin more effectively, and can help stabilise blood sugar. Good food sources of chromium include brewers yeast, whole grains, legumes, nuts and molasses, but if your blood sugar is very erratic you would probably do better to take a chromium supplement at least for a while.
It Could Be Emotional

Sometimes people crave foods that they associate with comfort. Usually this is fairly easy to spot because it’s often one food, and you know the origin. May be it was what your mother cooked for you when you were sick.

There are other less obvious emotional connections. Some people eat to reward themselves or to suppress emotions or to counteract boredom. Are you one of these? Do you keep stuffing food down to stop yourself opening your mouth and expressing your emotions? If this is the true, try taking some flower remedies or seeing a therapist. Do you find the evening is the worse time for cravings? Is that because you are bored? If so, get a good book to read, take up a new hobby or go out and meet new people.

Food cravings don’t have to rule your life, but you do need to take action to change what’s happening in your body.

23 Health tips for bloggers

Twenty-Three Health Tips For Bloggers

1. Before you drink coffee in the morning, drink a glass of water (keep a steady supply of water at your desk). This will help minimize the negative fidgety-buzz that coffee can give you.

2. Start your day off with a 20 minute walk

3. Walk away from the computer at least once every two hours and take a step outside

4. Keep at least one 10-25 pound dumbell by your desk, and use it at least once a day when you notice that your in the middle of a productivity funk.

5. Eat one small meal every 2-3 hours

6. Start your day off with twenty minutes of Yoga or Pilates. I’m personally a fan of the GAIAM series.

7. If you can’t sleep, take a sleeping pill. Sleep is critical to your overall well being. Just make sure not to take sleeping pills more than 3 days in a row.

8. If you feel sluggish, get down on the floor and do some push-ups

9. If your mind feels twitchy, it’s probably because you’ve had too much coffee. Drink some water and get some fresh air.

10. If you feel depressed or sad, immediately find a friend on AIM or in a private forum to talk with. It does wonders.

11. Buy an odometer/speedometer for your bike. Then go for a bike ride around 2pm each day. It’ll give you a "second-wind" for the day. Challenge yourself to go a little bit further and a little bit faster each day.

12. If you’re in a healthy relationship, have sex at least once every 3 days. I’m dead serious about this. It can be critical to both mental and physical stability.

13. If you’re addicted to IMing, porn, RSS reading, movie watching, shoe shopping, music searching or whatever else dominates your time…. TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOURSELF and YOUR TIME … addictions of any kind are not healthy - a healthy person has full control over him or herself.

14. Once a quarter, try something new. A hobby, an online project, a daily habit. Trying something new and succeeding at it is both physically stimulating and mentally liberating.

15. Buy a dog. While a puppy may result in mental torture and sleep deprivation for a few months, the benefits are pricless. Dogs lift your spirit and can give you the incentive you need to take a walk. But please don’t buy a dog unless you are serious about giving it a walk at least twice a day.

16. Try detoxing your body for a week. When I’m feeling really bad physically, I use two principles: A) Drink nothing but water and B) Eat nothing but fruits, vegetables and nuts

17. Get some sun. Seriously. Half an hour of good skin exposure to the sun can revive the body.

18. Find an excercise partner to help stay motivated. If you can’t find an exercise partner, motivate yourself through the habit forming stage with a massively enticing reward (50 inch Samsung LCD with a PS3 anyone)?

19. Minimize your intake of processed breads and carbs. Keep a healthy stash of nuts and fruits (grapes and walnuts are a great snack) to satisfy your snack cravings.

20. Guys, challenge yourself to work on the beer gut everyday for 10 minutes and stick with it. Take that challenge as seriously as you take your latest internet project or fantasy football team. Girls, challenge yourself to work on the cellulite areas. Take that challenge as seriously as you take your latest internet project or the your desire to get your 101st handbag.

21. Don’t drink alcohol after 7pm. Not only can it prevent you from sleeping deeply, but it can also result in more carb-based weight gain. Or…you might wake up the next day with a bad headache;-)

22. Challenge yourself to save alcohol and desserts only on the weekends. Your body will feel much more stable during the week if you keep it toxic free.

23. Your mental health demands that you are working on projects that you enjoy and that elicit creativity. If you find yourself bogged down in meaningless, tedious work, start taking the steps to transition into healthy, rewarding work by carving out time each day to pursue your own interests (rather than those of your boss - even if your boss in an alter-ego of yourself;-)

Backgammon

What is backgammon? This is an online backgammon site that many people play. The BackgammonMasters.com offers this online backgammon game and it is the largest Backgammon in the world.

BackgammonMasters is where you can find a modern and innovative to online backgammon. The BackgammonMasters.com site are dedicated to offer you players the best service that you will have fun and enjoy backgammon at its supreme finest. There service is open 24/7 of supporting staffs that will help players whenever you have problems that you will encounter or have questions or concerns regarding that you have.

The site also has a team. What is the purpose of this team? This team is a devoted team that protect your privacy of each players of that end, they also make the most data-encrypted security systems, that is to ensure the data integrity and the security.

The BackgammonMasters.com also have a team that is devoted to protect the privacy of their players and of that end, they also make the most data-encrypted security systems, that is to ensure the data integrity and the security.

This site also operates its own propriety backgammon software, through this will enables the company to answer or respnd quickly to the challenges. The team is also dedicated to fair play in every portion of your backgammon game. 

 The site operates its own proprietary backgammon software, this enables the company to answer quickly to the aggressive challenges. The team is dedicated to a fair play in every portion of you backgammon game.

Backgammon Masters

There are many sites nowadays that offers online games. There are many types of online games and one of the most players play  online backgammon. BackgammonMasters.com is the biggest Backgammon in the world.

What is Backgammon? This is the site where you can find an innovative approach to online backgammon. The BackgammonMasters.com are devoted to offer you a higher service to enjoy backgammon at its supreme finest. They have a 24/7 support staff that will help you whenever you have problems, questions or concerns that you have.

The BackgammonMasters.com also have a team that is devoted to protect the privacy of their players and of that end, they also make the most data-encrypted security systems, that is to ensure the data integrity and the security.

 The site operates its own proprietary backgammon software, this enables the company to answer quickly to the aggressive challenges. The team is dedicated to a fair play in every portion of you backgammon game.

One of the highlights or feature of the site is the blackjack. Who loves to play the blackjack ? Just go to the site and feel the enjoyment that the site offers. To improve your backgammon experience, the site also provide a state-of-the-art software that will bring you a realistic experience.

GENERAL WATER SAVING TIPS

   1.

      Create an awareness of the need for water conservation among your children. Avoid the purchase of recreational water toys which require a constant stream of water.
   2.

      Be aware of and follow all water conservation and water shortage rules and restrictions which may be in effect in your area.
   3.

      Encourage your employer to promote water conservation at the workplace. Suggest that water conservation be put in the employee orientation manual and training program.
   4.

      Patronize businesses which practice and promote water conservation.
   5.

      Report all significant water losses (broken pipes, open hydrants, errant sprinklers, abandoned free-flowing wells, etc.) to the property owner, local authorities or your Water Management District.
   6.

      Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
   7.

      Support projects that will lead to an increased use of reclaimed waste water for irrigation and other uses.
   8.

      Support efforts and programs to create a concern for water conservation among tourists and visitors to our state. Make sure your visitors understand the need for, and benefits of, water conservation.
   9.

      Encourage your friends and neighbours to be part of a water conscious community. Promote water conservation in community newsletters, on bulletin boards and by example.
  10.

      Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don’t waste water just because someone else is footing the bill such as when you are staying at a hotel.
  11.

      Try to do one thing each day that will result in a savings of water. Don’t worry if the savings is minimal. Every drop counts. And every person can make a difference. So tell your friends, neighbours and co-workers to "Turn it Off" and "Keep it Off". 

SAVING WATER OUTDOORS

   1.

      Don’t over water your lawn. As a general rule, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in the summer and every 10 to 14 days in the winter. A hearty rain eliminates the need for watering for as long as two weeks. Plant it smart, Xeriscape. Xeriscape landscaping is a great way to design, install and maintain both your plantings and irrigation system that will save you time, money and water. For your free copy of "Plant it Smart," an easy-to-use guide to Xeriscape landscaping, contact your Water Management District.
   2.

      Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
   3.

      Don’t water your street, driveway or sidewalk. Position your sprinklers so that your water lands on the lawn and shrubs … not the paved areas.
   4.

      Install sprinklers that are the most water-efficient for each use. Micro and drip irrigation and soaker hoses are examples of water-efficient methods of irrigation.
   5.

      Regularly check sprinkler systems and timing devices to be sure they are operating properly. It is now the law that "anyone who purchases and installs an automatic lawn sprinkler system MUST install a rain sensor device or switch which will override the irrigation cycle of the sprinkler system when adequate rainfall has occurred." To retrofit your existing system, contact an irrigation professional for more information.
   6.

      Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than a closely-clipped lawn.
   7.

      Avoid over fertilizing your lawn. The application of fertilizers increases the need for water. Apply fertilizers which contain slow-release, water-insoluble forms of nitrogen.
   8.

      Mulch to retain moisture in the soil. Mulching also helps to control weeds that compete with pants for water.
   9.

      Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees. Once established, they do not need to be watered as frequently and they usually will survive a dry period without any watering. Group plans together based on similar water needs.
  10.

      Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from these areas. Using a hose to clean a driveway can waste hundreds of gallons of water.
  11.

      Outfit your hose with a shut-off nozzle which can be adjusted down to fine spray so that water flows only as needed. When finished, "Turn it Off" at the faucet instead of at the nozzle to avoid leaks.
  12.

      Use hose washers between spigots and water hoses to eliminate leaks.
  13.

      Do not leave sprinklers or hoses unattended. Your garden hoses can pour out 600 gallons or more in only a few hours, so don’t leave the sprinkler running all day. Use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn it off.
  14.

      Check all hoses, connectors and spigots regularly.
  15.

      Consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water. If you wash your own car, park on the grass to do so.
  16.

      Avoid the installation of ornamental water features (such as fountains) unless the water is recycled. Locate where there are mineral losses due to evaporation and wind drift.
  17.

      If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter. A single back flushing with a traditional filter uses from l80 to 250 gallons or more of water. 

Water Conservation - Save Water Indoors

SAVING WATER INDOORS

   1.

      Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
   2.

      Verify that your home is leak-free, because many homes have hidden water leaks. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
   3.

      Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year which will add to the cost of water and sewer utilities, or strain your septic system.
   4.

      Check for toilet tank leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as test is done, since food coloring may stain tank.)
   5.

      Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
   6.

      Take shorter showers. Replace you showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water temperature knobs.
   7.

      Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full. Stopper tub before turning water. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot water later.
   8.

      Don’t let water run while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth first while waiting for water to get hot, then wash or shave after filling the basin.
   9.

      Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.
  10.

      Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or properly set the water level for the size of load you are using.
  11.

      When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
  12.

      Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
  13.

      Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your microwave.
  14.

      Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste instead of using a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals also can add 50% to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to malfunctions and maintenance problems.
  15.

      Consider installing an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don’t have to let the water run while it heats up. This will reduce heating costs for your household.
  16.

      . Insulate your water pipes. You’ll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
  17.

      Never install a water-to-air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Air-to-air models are just as efficient and do not waste water.
  18.

      Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum amount of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness. Turn softeners off while on vacation.
  19.

      Check your pump. If you have a well at your home, listen to see if the pump kicks on and off while the water is not in use. If it does, you have a leak.
  20.

      When adjusting water temperatures, instead of turning water flow up, try turning it down. If the water is too hot or cold, turn the offender down rather than increasing water flow to balance the temperatures.
  21.

      If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.

10 Ways to Help the Oceans

          *

            Choose items with reusable or recyclable packaging.
          *

            Don’t litter—this will help reduce the chance of sending litter to the oceans where it could entangle or choke sea turtles, seals, and other wildlife.
          *

            Use rechargeable batteries.
          *

            Dispose of toxic waste such as paints, old batteries, and medicine bottles through proper toxic waste facilities and pick-up services.
          *

            Promote the use of non-toxic cleaners at home and at school.
          *

            Keep lawns free of chemicals or fertilizers at home and school.
          *

            Walk or bike whenever possible, rather than ride in a car.
          *

            Turn off lights when leaving the room.
          *

            Turn off appliances (such as TVs, VCRs, and computers) when they are not in use.
          *

            When traveling, stay at ocean-side resorts that do not endanger coastal habitats (such as beaches, dunes, and marshes) through practices like excessive night lighting, over-development, and high-impact recreational activities.

Tips for Living Green from Greenpeace

"We are all part of the environment and what we do to the environment, we do to ourselves".  Choose from a list of categories on their website (TIPS FOR LIVING GREEN) for more information:

        *

          Reduce, reuse, recycle
        *

          Green tips for everyday
        *

          Basic ingredients for green cleaning
        *

          Basic recipes for green cleaning
        *

          In the kitchen
        *

          In the bathroom
        *

          In the laundry room
        *

          Indoor pests
        *

          In the yard
        *

          Outdoor pests
        *

          Starting a compost
        *

          At work
        *

          After school
        *

          In your community

Homemade Natural Cleaning Products

A lot of over-the-counter cleaning products are harsh, abrasive and even potentially dangerous to your home and family. If you are concerned about risks to your health or the environment, you may want to consider using homemade, all-natural cleaning products instead. Read on find some easy-to-make and effective homemade cleaning products.

White Vinegar (Don’t use Malt!)
The queen of getting it clean, white vinegar, is mildly acidic and disinfecting. It’s great for removing calcium deposits, such as those in your humidifier. It’s also a potent grease and stain remover. You can use it to clean hard surfaces such as countertops and glass.

White Vinegar Recipes:

Dusting Spray: Combine 1 tsp olive oil and ½ cup of vinegar. Store in a squirt bottle or keep in a jar. Apply small amount of mixture to a soft cloth for use on your wooden furniture.

Glass/Hard Surface Cleaner: Combine ½ cup white vinegar with a gallon of water. Soak cloth, ring it out slightly and use on your surface. Keep a clean chore towel handy for drying.

Fabric Softener: Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to your washer’s final rinse cycle.

Pure Soap
Pure soaps, such as Castile, don’t contain any synthetic colours, scents or additives and are usually available in health and natural product stores. Pure soap is great for basic light cleaning and can be combined with a few drops of an essential oil for an added air-freshener effect.

Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a great grease-cutter. When washing your dishes, add it to your water along with a pure soap. Lemon juice is also great for cutting through grease on porcelain and aluminum.

Lemon Juice Recipe:

All-Purpose Cleanser: Combine ½ cup of pure soap, such as Castile, with one gallon of hot water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice.

Salt
Salt is a great basic scrub that will give you extra cleaning power. Great for smaller jobs like removing tea stains from the inside of cups or cleaning out the coffee pot. Just fill pot with ice-cubes, pour in some salt and swirl.

Baking Soda
Baking soda is another effective scrub and a gentler alternative to salt. You can also place an open box in your fridge and freezer to help eliminate odors.

Recipes for Baking Soda:

Bathroom Tub and Tile Cleaner: Soak a firm bristle brush in a good all-purpose cleaner. Then add baking soda for extra cleaning power. You can also clean grout by combining one part water and three parts baking soda to make a scrub.

Sink Scrub: Combine equal amounts of salt and baking soda to make a scrub for your kitchen sink

Bath bomb supports Bali terror suspect

Money raised from Lush’s new fizzy bath bombs would be dona

ted to Guantanamo Bay inmates, the Daily Mail reported.

The Lush "ballistic", called the Guantanamo Garden, is orange to represent the prison camp’s jumpsuits and when it  dissolves in the bath a waterproof photo of a prisoner is found inside.

British Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, whose brother was killed in the Bali bombings, was angry over what he called a "tacky" gimmick.

Mr Ellwood called the bath bomb a "disgusting publicity stunt".

Mr Ellwood’s brother Jonathan was one of 202 people killed when terrorists detonated bombs in the Kuta nightclub district. Eighty-eight Australians died.

Prime suspect Riduan Isamuddin, also known as Hambali, was captured a year later and has been held at Guantanamo Bay since.

Mr Ellwood has spent years campaigning for the closure of the controversial Cuban camp and wants Hambali to stand trial and face justice.

"Why are Lush doing this? Is it because they want to promote themselves by using a controversial subject or is it because they have a genuine concern for the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay?," he told the Daily Mail.

"I suggest it is the former rather than the latter. I think the whole idea is tasteless. I imagine the target audience who buys Lush products are relatively young.

"There must be better ways of educating younger generations on international terrorism rather than Lush making a tacky bath bomb."

Lush launched the bath bomb campaign after being approached by human rights’ group Reprieve, which came up with the idea.

Defended

Lush today defended the campaign - which has not been executed in Australia - saying it  communicated two simple messages: that everyone is entitled to a fair trial, and; no-one should be tortured.

 “By standing up for the rights of prisoners in Guantanamo, we are standing up for the rights of everyone," said Lush Campaigns Manager, Andrew Butler.

"Snatching people from the streets, torturing them and holding them without trial makes the world a more dangerous and less just place.

"The UK Team are proud of our support of Reprieve and endorse the work they are doing to uphold international laws and human rights conventions.”

Reprieve’s Legal Director Clive Stafford Smith, said:  “The most effective counter-terrorism strategy any Government can employ is the universal enforcement of human rights, and Reprieve is delighted that the staff at Lush UK have taken up the fight for justice for the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay”. 

Demi sucked in by radical treatment

The 46-year-old has revealed she is a fan of a detox treatment that involves being covering in blood-sucking leeches, reports The Daily Mail.

The star, who is married to actor Ashton Kutcher, 30, recently visited Austria to receive the "leech therapy".

While on a visit to New York to promote her new movie Flawless, the star told U.S. talk show host David Letterman: "I feel like I’ve always been someone looking for the cutting edge of things that optimize your health and healing.

"I was in Austria doing a cleanse and part of the treatment was leech therapy.

"These aren’t just swamp leeches though - we are talking about highly trained medical leeches. These are not some low level scavengers - we’re talking high level blood suckers."

Ridiculous or really worthwhile? Tell us what you think of Demi’s latest beauty treatment by filling in the story feedback form below.

Leech therapy has a long history - ancient Egyptian doctors once considered them a cure-all.

She continued: "They have a little enzyme that when they are biting down in you it gets released in your blood and generally you bleed for quite a bit - and your health is optimized.

"It detoxifies your blood - I’m feeling very detoxified right now. I did it in some woman’s house laying on her bed. We did a little sampler first, which is in the belly button.

"It crawls in and you feel it bite down on you and you want to go, ‘You bastard.’ Then you relax and work on your Lemaze breathing just to kind of relax.

"You watch it swell up on your blood, watching it get fatter and fatter - then when its super drunk on your blood it just kind of rolls over like it is stumbling out of the bar."

Demi said had to prepare for the leeches by shaving and taking a bath in turpentine.

She is convinced the therapy is effective and plans to return to Austria for more sessions.

She said: "You first feel worse then you feel better. But I’m going back - I only got 4 leeches and I feel a bit cheated."

Quipped Letterman: "Are you sure this isn’t just menopause?"

Chris Rock Testifies in Pellicano Trial

Comedian Chris Rock has admitted he hired shamed Los Angeles private investigator Anthony Pellicano to snoop on a woman who accused him of rape.

The funnyman testified in California’s Federal court on Friday morning in Pellicano’s ongoing wiretapping trial, where he was quizzed about his links to the private detective.

Rock paid Pellicano to look into the background of Monica Zsibrita, who had initially claimed the star had fathered her child. When DNA tests proved Rock was not the baby’s daddy, Zsibrita changed her story and accused Rock of raping her at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1998.

Rock’s conversation with Pellicano was leaked onto the Internet last month in a 31-minute telephone recording.

On the taping, Pellicano can be heard telling Rock how he plans to help him fight the bogus rape charge.

An apparently stressed Rock tells the detective, "Once you’re accused of rape, you’re just f**ked, you know?"

Pellicano responds, "That’s why I want to blacken this girl up, totally. I want to make her out to be a lying, scumbag, manipulative c**ksucker… stupid bitch."

Rock agrees, telling the detective, "I’m f**ked. I’m better getting caught with needles in my arm–way better–needles, with pictures. There’s Chris Rock shooting heroin–much better blow to the career."

In his testimony on Friday, Rock denied knowing anything about Pellicano’s tactics, and reiterated his innocence in the rape claims: "I’m here a free man, I didn’t do anything wrong. You know I didn’t do anything wrong."

Rock’s testimony lasted just 15 minutes, according to TMZ.com. He is just one in a long list of celebrities to be linked to Pellicano. Other stars include Tom Cruise, Steven Seagal, Farrah Fawcett and Warren Beatty. 

Aries April 5,2008

Your sweet disposition is making you very popular with the

people who are in power right now, therefore you are in a good

position to have them give you just about whatever you want —

time, advice, affection, even money! But you need to be wise

with this power and use it judiciously. Think long and hard

before you use it, because your spontaneous commands might

satisfy your momentary whims, but they could also cause you to

regret a few things later on in the day.

Taurus April 5,2008

Of course you really want to get the perfect gift for someone’s

upcoming birthday or anniversary, but the-perfect-gift ideas

have been escaping you so far. Before you panic and just rush

out and purchase something flashy or expensive because you’re

at a loss, ask around. Mutual friends might have a good

suggestion about what you should get. You have the time to shop

around and find something that fits their personality ‘to a T.’

Relax, and shop around.

Gemini April 5,2008

Just when you thought you had given up hope that that certain

someone would ever notice you, today brings some promising

attention. Maybe you’ve been waiting for your boss to praise

all of your hard work. Maybe you’ve been hoping that the

teacher would see how involved you been in discussions. Perhaps

you’re wondering when on earth that cutie will give you the

time of day. Whoever has been testing your patience will

finally come to their senses and see you for who you are,

today.

Cancer April 5,2008

An authority figure in your life could create some friction

within your group — they aren’t exactly known for their

management skills, and are encouraging in some dastardly

in-fighting. You are probably going to escape any real conflict

with another person, but the day’s energy will have some stress

in it. To combat this, keep in contact with your friends

throughout the day — start an email conversation so you’ll

have something to go back to when you need a touchstone.