The salto family

The salto family
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

sun protection tips

Yes, all summer is upon us and all need to be aware. I found a great article from health and beauty write L Beattie. Scary fact according to AAD one in five American are expected to get some kind of skin cancer in one's lifetime. Another fact both UVA and UVB rays can cause cancer.
Unfortunately for TAN lovers: this is the number one culprit.
What tanning can do: Tanning is actually skin's defense against the skin damage that is accruing, the darker the tan the more damage.
Also causes wrinkles sagging and brown spots. SUNBURN has been directly linked to melanoma.
You are really not safe even in a tanning salons. Do not be fooled, the tanning bed is just as dangerous by exposing your body to excessive radiation. I am not making this up. Look up in the AMA and CDC-both strongly advise against all forms of indoor tanning.

PROTECT Yourself
USE sunscreens correctly. Look for a combination of screens that will prevent the UV from reaching your skin. Reapply sunscreen frequently, APPLy before you go into the sun.
Apply after getting wet and after heavy sweating.

Remember to also cover up when possible with light-colored fabrics.
Wear a wide brim hat.
Protect your eyes with UV-blocking wrap around eye glasses.

Be proactive and you can still enjoy being in the sun.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

secrets of adulthood

people don't notice your mistakes as much as you think
It's okay to ask for help
Do good, feel good
Bring a sweater
By doing a little bit each day, you can get much done
Turning the computer off usually fixes the glitch
If you can't find something, clean-up
HAPPINESS doesn't always make you happy
You don't have to be good at everything
OVER_the-counter medicines really work
What's fun for other people might not be fun for you and vice- versus (my favorite)
You can't change your children's natures by nagging
No deposit, not return

THIS IS really true People actually prefer you buy the wedding present off the registry or give MONEY.

happy endings

Some great desserts that will not break the diet and still give you a treat once in awhile. HEY!

1/2 TBSP Kahlua plus 2 tablespoon hot espresso plus 1/2 cup frozen yogurt. Scoop yogurt into tall class stir in liqueur with espresso pour yogurt.

Blueberry turtle: 7 TBSP cocoa, bittersweet ch chips plus 1/4 cup dried wild blueberries plus 1/4 cups sliced almonds. Microwave ch. in glass bowl until melted. Stir in blueberries and nuts, dropped rounded tablespoons onto parchment paper. Cool in fridge until firm.

Honey lime fruit cup: 1 cup fresh fruit such as pineapple, kiwi, assorted berries. plus 1/2 TBsp honey plus 1 small lime. Place fruit in a med serving bowl. Zests and juice the lime, whisk lime juice and zest into the honey until well blended; drizzle over fruit and toss.

Any body else come up with some great ideas for a summer desserts, send on over.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Raise your hand

if you have a bad habit or two. We all do. These habits or personality traits can effect your eating habits. Did you know this? Probably! but in my pursuit for weight loss and happiness, I have found some hints that have helped me. Taken from article by Rebecca Pratt

Extrovert or introvert- in our pursuit, we might want to try to keep a b balance.
The extrovert has a tendency to let social situations dictate your choices. Try to organize your social activities enabling you to have time for sit down meals and scheduled workouts.
try for fitness activities that involve classes, team sports and busy places.
The introvert have tendencies to be more task oriented. They tend to want to be alone, and not getting the motivation from their friends. They can balance this by learning about fitness, going to gyms with a friend. Measure your current goals with past accomplishments but make sure they are including some kind of socialise.

Planner of impulsive?
Planner: make effort to branch out once in-a-while. Every detail of life does not have to be planned to the minute. Be carried along with the moment, rather with eating or your exercise. Try not to overbook.
Improviser: try to pick avenues that give you a chance to change on quick notice. Pair up with others to open yourself to new ideas. Still, commit to a regular weekly exercise routine and watch what you are eating.

Intuitive or analytical? Both of these approaches can be successful but it is better to try and find a middle ground.
Intuitive generally resist record keeping. Keep it simple in goals and calories.
Analytical: Don't be obsession about record keeping. Be realistic in your goals. Keep activities in small portions. Avoid getting bogged down in the small stuff. Learn what you can about nutrition and exercise.

Design a fitness style to help with your personality traits. Know yourself, it really will help in this ongoing process.

Friday, June 18, 2010

How much caffeine

I have been told to watch my caffeine intake due to my reflux and lack of sleep. So did you know?:
plain brewed coffee has 135 mg of caffeine
instant coffee 95 mg
Espresso 30-90 mg
Decaf 5-15 mg
Green tea: 25-40mg, black-40-70 mg
Mountain dew 55 mg
Milk chocolate 1.5 oz 9 mg - -sweet chocolate 27 mg dark ch 31 mg
Snickers 60 mg
NODOZ 100mg has 32mg
Red Bull 80 mg
Excedrin 1 tablet 65 mg
WOW make sure you check the labels.

Tomato and spinach chicken

Found a great new recipe I wanted to share..
2 skinless chicken breast
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 package spinach
salt/pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
1 slice of bacon
2 cups cooked rice

Mix together spinach and tomatoes. Place chicken breast on top of mixture. Season with onion, garlic, salt and pepper
Lay bacon strip of top, cover with foil and bake 350 degrees oven till chicken tender.
Place rice on plate and put one chicken breast on top.
serves two but can be doubled easily.

Away for a couple of days

Hi ALL, I'm back from Vermont. Helen and her cousing and myself had a great time. The weather was sunny but cool. Seem to be running around all the time but saw many great tourist items. I was even able to stick to my diet. This great time leads into my next post about putting ourselves first, which most of us do not do but should.

Start with yourself to help reach other goals...STOP the Merry-go-round I want to get off seems to my daily saying. Where does all the time go? One has to take care of oneself before you can be of help to others. We all know this, so I have come up with a few suggestions that might be a reminder for all of us with the help of Rebecca Pratt.

Preserve your physical health with sleep, exercise and nutrition.
Value your emotional health as well..be supportive, laugh, be friendly.
Schedule fun activities on a regular basis.
Watch out for other "busy " people who could be sucking you into more activities. Learn the fine art of say NO. Save the the YES for the beneficial events that will help you and or your family.
Don't try to change every problem you think you have at one time. Spread the change out and get yourself under control.

Try to think of your life as a checking account and balance it periodically with small items, such as a peaceful walk, catching up with old friends eating a nutritious meal. BE GOOD to yourself!!.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

basic of skin care

Guess I am on a roll about skin care. I just love the AVON products and would recommend any of them for all types of skin. If you are not impressed that is ok just take of your skin. It is the only covering for your great body that you will have.

First step for great skin any time of year is cleansing to remove the dirt makeup, and pollution of everyday living. Always use a gentle touch when washing and don't rub to much.

Toning: Only use a toner if your skin is oily and feels sticky. Select one for sensitive skin and use sparingly.

Moisturizing is an optional step. IF you have oily skin you do not have to do this step. Dry skin needs this step to help prevent wrinkles and lines.

Exfoliating (love this word). Since your skin is constantly renewing itself (yes really) you have to somehow get rid of the dead cells. There are two basic ways to accomplish this process--physical or chemical. Physical uses a buffer pad or grainy scrub. Stay away from products containing ground up nut shells or apricot shells, as these have rough edges)who knew)! Chemical exfoliation uses AHA to loosen and remove dead skin. With this process less is better. This will improve skin tone and texture.

The hint that I did not know at all WEAR your Vitamins: WHAT? Number 1 retinol Vitamin A
Vit C another skin powerhouse. Several products contain Vit K for dark circles or bags under eyes.
So come on guys and girls take the extra time to care of your skin. Start young and continue. The benefits will be worth the time.

Summer skin care

Be prepared this summer to take care of your skin. Wear some kind of skin protection even if just for a walk. Avon sells sunprotection as well as the GREAT bug protection.

I just read a great article from Leanne Beattie about summer skin protection and problems. Found it very helpful and will pass on some tips.
Acne: can be found all over your body not just the face. Hot humid weather often prompts the excess oil to clog up pores on your body. It is a lot harder to get rid of. Try wearing loose clothing. Clean up as soon as possible after being in the sun or working out.

DRY SKIN: Sun exposure, dehydration and repeated dips in the pool can cause this condition. Keep yourself oiled up after being in the sun and make sure to rinse after being in pool and hydrate your skin with lotion. Try facial scrubs and buffer pads to help with exfoliating process.
A little fun hint-put lotion or gels in refrigerator for a cool burst.

Poison whatever: Be very cautious when hiking or camping. Contact with any of the various poison plants can ruin a good trip. Familiarize yourself with these plants and try to avoid. Wash any part of your body if you suspect any contact, as well as cloths. IF contacted use cool wet compresses to relieve itch. You can also try a paste made with oatmeal or baking soda.

Sunburn. I am sure that at one time or another you have experienced sunburn. Apply sunscreen frequently and avoid direct exposure when possible. After the fact try cold compresses, aloe gel, calamine lotion. Drink plenty of liquid to rehydrate yourself. Ask your doctor about taking aspirin for the pain and see a doctor if beyond your ability to treat.

Monday, June 7, 2010

DO Nothing

Thought this article from REAL SIMPLE magazine on line was great. This is my new model. The original writer was John Coolidge who became a self created idler.

Some ways to become an idler or ENJOY DOING nothing:
Banish the guilt-we Americans have so much guilt when we are not busy that it is not funny. If we can go back into history and understand that many philosophers and other leaders embraced the contemplative, simple life, maybe we will feel better about this new pursuit and enjoy some idle time.
Choose the right models--Some great musicians and poets where idlers. Let us take the time to enjoy this thought and take after them.
When you just have to do something ;Sketch a flower, tree or flowing river. Even you are not an artists the process helps you slow down and study the concept.
Go "bumbling" or wandering with no purpose. ENJOY the surroundings-soak in the day.
Bring back the old fashion SUNDAY. It seems people now use Sunday as just another day to play catch up on the other activities. SLOW down and enjoy the real reason God created Sunday-to rest!
Gaze at the clouds, the sky the horizon. What a great way to relax.
My favorite which I really have a hard time ever doing TAKE A NAP!. It is good for your health and your soul. Finally we Americans are beginning to accept this concept, it is called a power nap. Try it while your young. NAPS are not just for the very young or the old. A nap can give one more energy to continue your day.

Don't put off the life you want

Ralph w Emerson "We're always getting ready to live, but never living"
What a quote. Does this affect you. Sometimes I think it certainly does me. I sometimes fell, I am just running around thinking I am living but if fact am just spinning away.
How can we avoid this trap. Not really sure but have come up with a few suggestions that are helping me. TRY to rediscover the natural wonders that are around you. Let your mind be grateful for a break. Sometimes just don't think. Remember your favorite times. Listen to heart. Listen to the rain, smell the flowers. Celebrate the creative genius when your surrounded by buildings instead a nature. See hope, see happiness and even notice the grief. These are all apart of life. Thank people today for their friendship. The old saying "live for today" might still be a good motto for all of us. AND if you can for a moment every day don't worry about being better--just be!!