The Death Of The Diet ----YEAH!!!!!!!!

Diet's Demise
Good riddance to fad diets and fake food — there are better ways to lose our jiggly bits
By Jill Waldbieser, additional reporting by Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H., Women's Health

Diet foods and fads: We knew you, but we didn't love you. Call us heartless, but we're happy to see you go. We could tell the end was near when we started seeing headlines like "Fad Diets Less Popular Today Than Five Years Ago" and when Weight Watchers kicked off its 2008 ad campaign, "Stop dieting. Start living." According to the Calorie Control Council (CCC), an international nonprofit representing the low-calorie and reduced-fat food and beverage industry, die-hard dieting has seen its last days — the number of Americans on restrictive meal plans, according to the CCC's national survey, has dropped from 20 percent to 13 percent since 2004, and the word diet is one of the least-preferred terms on nutrition labels. "Diet has a very negative connotation," says Beth Hubrich, R.D., the CCC's executive director. Now that we've wised up to the fact that there's no magical way to thinner thighs, we can say good riddance to meals that taste like the box they come in and march into bikini season with a smarter, more successful strategy for shaking off our belly jiggle once and for all.
AMERICAN HISTORY XXL
Food gimmicks and fad diets may seem as if they were spawned by Satan himself, but as far we can tell, mere mortals are the ones to blame. The first diet book came out of London in 1864: William Banting's A Letter on Corpulence promoted a punitive diet of lean meats and dry toast. The first known weight-loss product was cooked up a few decades later, in 1930, in the back of an American beauty parlor: Dr. Stoll's Diet Aid, a combo of milk chocolate, starch, and an extract of roasted wheat and bran. Setting a precedent for the thousands of diet products to follow, it failed to deliver.
But the diet industry didn't truly explode until the 1980s, when several studies shifted the focus from food itself to specific components — specifically, fat, sugar, and salt. Store shelves suddenly began to spill over with fat-free, sugar-free, and low-sodium versions of favorite foods promising to help the average American girl achieve Olivia Newton-John's sticklike figure. Ironically, many of these products contained preservatives or, in the case of fat-free offerings, extra sugar, making them no less fattening than regular food. "We used to think noncaloric sweeteners were going to be the panacea that would save all of America," says James Painter, Ph.D., chair of the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Eastern Illinois University. "But during the same period that they started being used in products, obesity was doubling in this country."
THE GREAT "LITE" HYPE
It doesn't take Alan Greenspan to decipher the cause of Americans' waist inflation. We simply have too much fattening food available all the time. "Thirty, 40 years ago, you couldn't find places where you could get food in one minute," Painter says. "Now you have to go past 1,000 drive-thrus just to buy your gas. Because we can eat whenever we want, we overeat." The antidote, until recently, has been to suddenly and severely change our eating habits to lose weight quickly — in other words, go on a diet. But here's why that strategy belongs six feet under:
It screws with our minds
Over the past 15 years, the number of restaurants and stores offering diet options has increased dramatically — a change that has done more harm than good. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Marketing Research found that we eat more calories when a food is labeled low-fat, probably because we don't experience the guilt that would otherwise make us put on the brakes mid-binge. "People think, 'Oh, this is sugar-free or fat-free, so I can eat as much as I want,'" Painter says. Filling up on these foods (and on hope) only to end up heavier than before can be dejecting, so it's understandable that chronic dieting is linked with depression, low self-esteem, and increased stress.
We can't stick with it
Diets do work — while you're on them. But up to two-thirds of dieters end up heavier after five years than when they started out. And in clinical studies, the more time that passes between the end of a subject's diet and the time she's reassessed, the more weight she will have regained. The most likely reason for the rebound is that as soon as dieters stop following a strict set of rules (no eating after 7 P.M., no snacking between meals...), they lapse into the same habits that made them gain weight in the first place.
Our bodies rebel
Depriving yourself in this way can slow your metabolism to a snail's pace and make losing weight even harder. "Once your body realizes it's not getting as much food, it starts to conserve energy," Painter says. Thanks to evolution, your inner cave girl is fattening up for what she thinks could be another ice age. Continue to starve yourself and you'll suffer from intense cravings and loss of lean body tissue, aka muscle; that further compromises your body's ability to burn calories.
We have a need for speed Getting results fast is the American way, but losing more than one or two pounds a week is self-sabotage. Researchers have discovered that leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells, helps control appetite by binding to receptors in the brain to tell you you're full. But leptin and fat are a package deal: Lose fat and you lose leptin, too. "When leptin levels are low, the body reacts by conserving energy expenditure so much that you stop burning calories at a normal rate," says Andrea Giancoli, M.P.H., R.D., national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "And that triggers weight regain."
WEIGHT LOSS REBORN
As satisfying as it feels to kick the restrictive, taste-deficient, fat-obsessed plans of the past out the door, the last thing we want to do is check ourselves into the DoubleChin Hotel for life. The average adult gains about one and a half pounds every year after age 30, says John Foreyt, Ph.D., a professor of medicine and the director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. But even if their personal trainer looks like Matthew Fox, most women can't spend two or more hours a day at the gym. So how do we take a bite out of our bloat? The key, experts say, is the opposite of quick fixes and trick foods: small, gradual, healthy, permanent changes.
Think forever
"If you can't see yourself eating or exercising a certain way for the rest of your life — say, consuming raw food and running five miles every day — you shouldn't be doing it to lose weight in the first place," says Linda Spangle, R.N., M.A., author of 100 Days of Weight Loss. The only changes that work are those you can continue indefinitely. If you reach your goal weight when you're hitting the gym three times a week and cooking your own meals instead of getting takeout — and those are changes you know you can live with — then they're going to work a whole lot better than any short-term shtick. "Weight management has to be an uncompromising, non-negotiable, everyday thing, like brushing your teeth," Spangle says.
Think small
Before you revamp your eating habits, take a few weeks to write down everything you eat, Painter says. "Don't count fat, protein, calories, portions — just keep track of what you've already consumed before you put the next thing in your mouth. It gives your brain a chance to say no." Once you see it all on paper, look for small, simple ways to scale back. It's easier than you think: Switch from a roast beef sandwich on a bun with provolone and mayo to roast beef in a whole-wheat pita with light Swiss and mustard. Instead of eating cocktail peanuts, munch on pistachios that you have to peel one by one. "These small-scale techniques sound insignificant, but they are the answers we're all looking for," he says.
Think physical
It's called the "French Paradox": the totally unfair way Parisian women linger over multicourse, très riches dinners, drink all the wine they want, and have dessert, yet still look great in their La Perla. The reason: studies show is that the French rely more on internal cues (like when they're comfortably full) and Americans rely on external cues (like when Desperate Housewives ends). "We're not paying attention to what we eat or how much," Spangle says, "and often, not even to whether we're really physically hungry. People eat for social reasons, or because they've had a bad day, or for comfort." To retrain yourself to heed hunger cues, imagine your stomach as a gas tank. After every bite, check in to see where the dial is hovering. Close to empty? Right in the middle? Learn to never let it push past full.
Think action
In an on-going study of dieters who maintained a weight loss of 30 pounds for at least one year, 90 percent report that regular physical exercise is the key to sustaining their loss. And a study conducted at Baylor College of Medicine suggests that diet and exercise are more effective for losing and maintaining weight than diet alone. Researchers assigned 127 subjects to one of three interventions for one year: diet only, exercise only, or diet plus exercise. All participants lost similar amounts of weight in the first year, but when they were reassessed during year two, the diet-only crew gained two pounds over the weight they started at, while the groups that included exercise remained five pounds below. An exercise routine may be a bitch to start, but thanks to the happy-hormone rush we get when we break a sweat, it can quickly become a healthy addiction.
Sure, taking off the extra flab is more work than putting it on probably was, but even when the going gets tough, it's better than eating nothing but cabbage soup, avoiding the bread aisle, or choking down food you hate. "People no longer have to make themselves miserable in order to lose weight," Spangle says. In other words, dieting may be dead, but your beach-ready bod will live on.

The Nut Case

Don't be fooled by their fat. These snacks in a shell are healthier than you think.
By Betsy Noxon, Runner's World

Nuts have long had a bad rap for being high in fat and calories, prompting weight-conscious runners to relegate nuts to their lists of forbidden foods. But as researchers take a closer look at walnuts, almonds, and other nuts, they're discovering these delicious, crunchy foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And that fat we were so wary of? Turns out it's good for our hearts — and our running.
That was the conclusion of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which released a qualified health claim in 2003 that states eating 1.5 ounces (about a handful) of nuts a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. That's because most of the fat in nuts is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, which have been shown to lower levels of LDL (so-called "bad" cholesterol). "These fats are important for runners because they have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body," says Nancy Clark, R.D., "and can help repair tiny muscle injuries that create inflammation."
Not just any nut will do, however. The FDA includes six nuts in its qualified health claim, but a few others didn't make the cut, including Brazils, macadamias, and cashews. These nuts have relatively high levels of saturated fat, which over time can clog arteries and lead to heart disease. It's also a good idea to steer clear of prepackaged nut mixes, which are often coated in oils and salt. Instead, buy the following types of nuts raw and toast them in the oven or on the stove top to bring out their full, rich flavor.
WALNUTS
Why: Walnuts are very rich in the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid ALA. This type of fatty acid isn't as effective as the kind found in fish, but a recent study indicates that ALA decreases inflammation that can damage arteries and may help reduce the breakdown of bone. Studies have also shown that walnuts can increase levels of HDL (known as good cholesterol) while lowering LDL.
How: Add walnut oil to salad dressing or use crushed walnuts to make a pesto sauce. Saute chopped walnuts and mix into taco meat for added crunch.
One ounce = 14 halves 185 calories, 4 g protein, 19 g fat
ALMONDS
Why: A recent study found that the fiber in almonds actually blocks some of the nut fat from being digested and absorbed; participants also reported feeling satisfied after eating almonds, so they naturally compensated for the calories in the nuts by eating less during the day. One serving of almonds provides 35 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that may help protect against diseases such as Alzheimer's.
How: Add almonds to your breakfast cereal or yogurt. Mix into chicken salad, or indulge in a few dark-chocolate-covered almonds for a double boost of antioxidants.
One ounce = 23 nuts 163 calories, 6 g protein, 14 g fat

PEANUTS
Why: Peanuts are technically not nuts — they're legumes and belong to the same family as beans and peas. They have a low glycemic index, which means they're digested slowly and help maintain a balanced blood-sugar level. Peanuts also contain resveratrol, the same phytochemical found in red wine thought to protect against heart disease.
How: Use peanut butter as a sauce base for a Thai noodle dish. Lightly brown peanuts in a skillet and add them to a stir-fry, or chop and bake them into muffins.
One ounce = 28 nuts 166 calories, 7 g protein, 14 g fat
PISTACHIOS
Why: These tasty, little green nuts are high in lutein, an antioxidant typically found in dark leafy vegetables that's been shown to protect our eyes from macular degeneration. In one recent study, participants who ate 1.5 ounces of pistachios every day lowered their total cholesterol levels, while participants who ate three ounces a day saw an even more dramatic drop.
How: Sprinkle pistachios on shrimp or scallops (or on ice cream for dessert). Add crushed pistachios to meat loaf in place of some of the beef or bread crumbs.
One ounce = 49 pistachios 158 calories, 6 g protein, 13 g fat
PECANS
Why: A 2004 study ranked the antioxidant capacity of 100 different foods and found that pecans are one of the top 15 sources of antioxidants. In another study, pecan antioxidants were shown to prevent LDL from building up in arteries and lowered total cholesterol levels. Compared with other nuts, pecans have one of the highest levels of phytosterols, a group of plant chemicals that may help protect against cardiovascular disease.
How: Add pecans to pancake batter, or coarsely chop and toss with pasta. Mix finely chopped pecans with bread crumbs and use as a coating on any broiled fish.
One ounce = 19 halves 196 calories, 3 g protein, 20 g fat
HAZELNUTS
Why: Hazelnuts have the highest nut level of folate, a B vitamin known to reduce the risk of birth defects. Research indicates that it, along with other B vitamins, may also lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and depression. Hazelnuts contain moderate levels of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, all of which can help lower blood pressure.
How: Add roasted hazelnuts to asparagus with lemon vinaigrette. They also go well with sweets, like granola yogurt parfaits.
One ounce = 21 nuts 178 calories, 4 g protein, 17 g fat

Just a Few
Eat nuts with saturated fat sparingly
Brazil
One Ounce Equals: 6 nuts, 186 calories, 4 g protein, 19 g total fat
The Bad News: 4 g saturated fat per one-ounce serving
The Good News: Highest amount of selenium of any food; this mineral helps eliminate free radicals that can lead to cancer
Macadamia
One Ounce Equals: 11 nuts, 204 calories, 2 g protein, 21 g total fat
The Bad News: 3 g saturated fat and more calories than any other nut
The Good News: High in thiamine, a type of B vitamin that helps metabolize carbohydrates into energy
Cashews
One Ounce Equals: 18 nuts, 157 calories, 5 g protein, 12 g total fat
The Bad News: 2.5 g saturated fat per one-ounce serving
The Good News: Rich in copper and magnesium, as well as zinc, which is important for a healthy immune system.

8 Things Not To Say During A Job Interview!

Interviews are nothing if not opportunities to drive yourself crazy. When talking with a potential employer, sounding like you're following a script can prevent a good conversation. Just remind yourself to look good, appear confident, say all the right things and don't say any of the wrong ones. It shouldn't be so hard to follow these guidelines except you'll be on the receiving end of an endless line of questions. Factor in your nerves and you'll be lucky to remember your own name. Don't fret. If you walk into the interview prepared, you can make sure you know what right things to say, and you can stop yourself from saying the following wrong things.
1. "I hated my last boss." Your last boss was a miserable person whose main concern was making your life miserable. Of course you don't have a lot of nice things to say; however, don't mistake honesty, which is admirable, for trash-talking, which is despicable.
"If you truly did hate your last boss, I would be prepared to articulate why your last organization and relationship was not right for you," says Greg Moran, director of industry sales and partnerships for Talent Technology Corp. "Then be prepared to explain what type of organization is right for you and what type of management style you best respond to."
2. "I don't know anything about the company." Chances are the interviewer will ask what you know about the company. If you say you don't know anything about it, the interviewer will wonder why you're applying for the job and will probably conclude you're after money, not a career. "With today's technology," Moran says, "there is no excuse for having no knowledge of a company except laziness and/or poor planning -- neither of which are attributes [of potential employees] sought by many organizations."
3. "No, I don't have any questions for you." Much like telling the interviewer that you don't know anything about the company, saying you don't have any questions to ask also signals a lack of interest. Perhaps the interviewer answered every question or concern you had about the position, but if you're interested in a future with this employer, you can probably think of a few things to ask. "Research the company before you show up," Moran advises. "Understand the business strategy, goals and people. Having this type of knowledge will give you some questions to keep in your pocket if the conversation is not flowing naturally."
4. "I'm going to need to take these days off." "We all have lives and commitments and any employer that you would even consider working for understands this. If you progress to an offer stage, this is the time for a discussion regarding personal obligations," Moran suggests. "Just don't bring it up prior to the salary negotiation/offer stage." Why? By mentioning the days you need off too early in the interview, you risk coming off presumptuous as if you know you'll get the job.
5. "How long until I get a promotion?" While you want to show that you're goal-oriented, be certain you don't come off as entitled or ready to leave behind a job you don't even have yet.
"There are many tactful ways to ask this question that will show an employer that you are ambitious and looking at the big picture," Moran offers. "For example, asking the interviewer to explain the typical career path for the position is fine." Another option is to ask the interviewer why the position is open, Moran adds. You might find out it's due to a promotion and can use that information to learn more about career opportunities.
6. "Are you an active member in your church?" As you attempt to make small talk with an interviewer, don't cross the line into inappropriate chitchat. Avoid topics that are controversial or that veer too much from work. "This sounds obvious but many times I have been interviewing candidates and been asked about my personal hobbies, family obligations, et cetera," Moran says. "Attempting to develop a rapport is essential but taking it too far can bring you into some uncomfortable territory."
7. "As Lady Macbeth so eloquently put it..." Scripted answers, although accurate, don't impress interviewers. Not only do they make you sound rehearsed and stiff, they also prevent you from engaging in a dialogue. "This is a conversation between a couple humans that are trying to get a good understanding of one another. Act accordingly," Moran reminds.
8. "And another thing I hate..." Save your rants for your blog. When you're angry, you don't sway anybody's opinion about a topic, but you do make them like you less. For one thing, they might disagree with you. They also won't take kindly to your bad attitude. "If you are bitter, keep it inside and show optimism. Start complaining and you will be rejected immediately," Moran warns. "Do you like working with a complainer? Neither will the interviewer."

My Favorite Wonderful Wino Has Passed Away!

Comedian George Carlin dies at 71
The Associated Press • June 23, 2008

LOS ANGELES — George Carlin, the dean of counterculture comedians whose biting insights on life and language were immortalized in his “Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV” routine, died of heart failure Sunday. He was 71.

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.“He was a genius and I will miss him dearly,” Jack Burns, who was the other half of a comedy duo with Carlin in the early 1960s, told The Associated Press.Carlin’s jokes constantly breached the accepted boundaries of comedy and language, particularly with his routine on the “Seven Words” — all of which are taboo on broadcast TV and radio to this day. When he uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, freed on $150 bail and exonerated when a Wisconsin judge dismissed the case, saying it was indecent but citing free speech and the lack of any disturbance.When the words were later played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government’s authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language during hours when children might be listening.“So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I’m perversely kind of proud of,” he told The Associated Press earlier this year.Despite his reputation as unapologetically irreverent, Carlin was a television staple through the decades, serving as host of the “Saturday Night Live” debut in 1975 — noting on his Web site that he was “loaded on cocaine all week long” — and appearing some 130 times on “The Tonight Show.”He produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, a couple of TV shows and appeared in several movies, from his own comedy specials to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” in 1989 — a testament to his range from cerebral satire and cultural commentary to downright silliness (and sometimes hitting all points in one stroke).“Why do they lock gas station bathrooms?” he once mused. “Are they afraid someone will clean them?”He won four Grammy Awards, each for best spoken comedy album, and was nominated for five Emmy awards. On Tuesday, it was announced that Carlin was being awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which will be presented Nov. 10 in Washington and broadcast on PBS.Carlin started his career on the traditional nightclub circuit in a coat and tie, pairing with Burns to spoof TV game shows, news and movies. Perhaps in spite of the outlaw soul, “George was fairly conservative when I met him,” said Burns, describing himself as the more left-leaning of the two. It was a degree of separation that would reverse when they came upon Lenny Bruce, the original shock comic, in the early ’60s.“We were working in Chicago, and we went to see Lenny, and we were both blown away,” Burns said, recalling the moment as the beginning of the end for their collaboration if not their close friendship. “It was an epiphany for George. The comedy we were doing at the time wasn’t exactly groundbreaking, and George knew then that he wanted to go in a different direction.”That direction would make Carlin as much a social commentator and philosopher as comedian, a position he would relish through the years.“The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things — bad language and whatever — it’s all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition,” Carlin told the AP in a 2004 interview. “There’s an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. ... It’s reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have.”Carlin was born May 12, 1937, and grew up in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan, raised by a single mother. After dropping out of high school in the ninth grade, he joined the Air Force in 1954. He received three court-martials and numerous disciplinary punishments, according to his official Web site.While in the Air Force he started working as an off-base disc jockey at a radio station in Shreveport, La., and after receiving a general discharge in 1957, took an announcing job at WEZE in Boston.“Fired after three months for driving mobile news van to New York to buy pot,” his Web site says.From there he went on to a job on the night shift as a deejay at a radio station in Forth Worth, Texas. Carlin also worked variety of temporary jobs including a carnival organist and a marketing director for a peanut brittle.In 1960, he left with Burns, a Texas radio buddy, for Hollywood to pursue a nightclub career as comedy team Burns & Carlin. He left with $300, but his first break came just months later when the duo appeared on the Tonight Show with Jack Paar.Carlin said he hoped to would emulate his childhood hero, Danny Kaye, the kindly, rubber-faced comedian who ruled over the decade that Carlin grew up in — the 1950s — with a clever but gentle humor reflective of its times.Only problem was, it didn’t work for him, and they broke up by 1962.“I was doing superficial comedy entertaining people who didn’t really care: Businessmen, people in nightclubs, conservative people. And I had been doing that for the better part of 10 years when it finally dawned on me that I was in the wrong place doing the wrong things for the wrong people,” Carlin reflected recently as he prepared for his 14th HBO special, “It’s Bad For Ya.”Eventually Carlin lost the buttoned-up look, favoring the beard, ponytail and all-black attire for which he came to be known.But even with his decidedly adult-comedy bent, Carlin never lost his childlike sense of mischief, even voicing kid-friendly projects like episodes of the TV show “Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends” and the spacey Volkswagen bus Fillmore in the 2006 Pixar hit “Cars.”Carlin’s first wife, Brenda, died in 1997. He is survived by wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; son-in-law Bob McCall; brother Patrick Carlin; and sister-in-law Marlene Carlin.

Watch Out For Electrolyte Imbalances

Stay Hydrated! Keep An Eye On Your Electrolyte Balance

Mrs Tracye found out the hard way the other day about electrolyte imbalance and what happens to you when this occurs! She fainted and fell and injured herself pretty badly. She also spent 24 hours in the hospital. I am on my way back to health but the foggy brain (the lick I took to the head was significant) will take time to clear... as will all the scrapes and bruises! SO please boys stay hydrated! DRINK plenty water; gatorade; powerade; eat fruit..... Take care of yourselves!!

Electrolytes are substances that become ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. The balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs.Common electrolytes that are measured by doctors with blood testing include sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. The functions and normal range values for these electrolytes are described below.Sodium: Sodium is the major positive ion (cation) in fluid outside of cells. The chemical notation for sodium is Na+. When combined with chloride, the resulting substance is table salt. Excess sodium (such as from fast food hamburger and fries) is excreted in the urine. Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in critical body functions. Many processes in the body, especially in the brain, nervous system, and muscles, require electrical signals for communication. The movement of sodium is critical in generation of these electrical signals. Too much or too little sodium therefore can cause cells to malfunction, and extremes (too much or too little) can be fatal. A Normal blood sodium level is 135 - 145 milliEquivalents/liter (mEq/L), or in international units, 135 - 145 millimoles/liter (mmol/L).Potassium: Potassium is the major positive ion (cation) found inside of cells. The chemical notation for potassium is K+. The proper level of potassium is essential for normal cell function. Among the many functions of potassium in the body are regulation of the heartbeat and function of the muscles. A seriously abnormal increase of potassium (hyperkalemia) or decrease of potassium (hypokalemia) can profoundly affect the nervous system and increases the chance of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), which, when extreme, can be fatal.The normal blood potassium level is 3.5 - 5.0 milliEquivalents/liter (mEq/L), or in international units, 3.5 - 5.0 millimoles/liter (mmol/L).Chloride: Chloride is the major anion (negatively charged ion) found in the fluid outside of cells and in blood. An anion is the negatively charged part of certain substances such as table salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) when dissolved in liquid. Sea water has almost the same concentration of chloride ion as human fluids. Chloride also plays a role in helping the body maintain a normal balance of fluids.The balance of chloride ion (Cl-) is closely regulated by the body. Significant increases or decreases in chloride can have deleterious or even fatal consequences:Increased chloride (hyperchloremia): Elevations in chloride may be seen in diarrhea, certain kidney diseases, and sometimes in overactivity of the parathyroid glands.Decreased chloride (hypochloremia): Chloride is normally lost in the urine, sweat, and stomach secretions. Excessive loss can occur from heavy sweating, vomiting, and adrenal gland and kidney disease.The normal serum range for chloride is 98 - 108 mmol/L.Bicarbonate: The bicarbonate ion acts as a buffer to maintain the normal levels of acidity (pH) in blood and other fluids in the body. Bicarbonate levels are measured to monitor the acidity of the blood and body fluids. The acidity is affected by foods or medications that we ingest and the function of the kidneys and lungs. The chemical notation for bicarbonate on most lab reports is HCO3- or represented as the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). The normal serum range for bicarbonate is 22-30 mmol/L.Fitness Tips > Fitness ProductsUnlike protein, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins do not yield usable energy when broken down. They assist the enzymes that release energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats, but they do not provide energy themselves. (thus, beware of claims for "energy vitamins" or for diets that replace foods with vitamin supplements)

Vitamins and minerals are widely available from the natural foods we eat. So, before you reach for the vitamin jar, try eating your vitamins from natural foods. Here are some of the best sources for electrolytes:Note the nutritional powerhouses: spinach and broccoli. Now you know why your mother always forced you to eat your vegetables as a child!

Minerals or Electrolytes: (what they do and where to find them naturally)

Sodium

Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissionssalt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats

Chloride

Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestionsalt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats

Potassium

Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmissionpotatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk

Calcium

Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clottingmilk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli

Phosphorus

Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains acid-base balanceall animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk)

Magnesium

Supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immunity

spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut

Iron

Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body's cells)

artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, clams, shrimp, beef liver

Zinc

A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus

spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice,lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese

Selenium

Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation

seafood, meats and grains

Iodine

Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate

salt, seafood, bread, milk, cheese

Copper

Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes

meats, water

Manganese

Facilitates many cell processes

widespread in foods

Fluoride

Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay

fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood

Chromium

Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose

vegetable oils, liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts

Molybdenum

Facilitates many cell processes

legumes, organ meats

Happy Father's Day Daddy; Thanks For EVERYTHING!

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise.

This is my Father's world: he shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Happy Daddy's Day!

Anyone can become a father but it takes someone special to be a DADDY!

Daddy,

Thank you for all the times we spent fishing, thank you for forcing me to meet Jerry Clower, thank you for driving me to see Churchhill Downs, but more than anything else thank you for loving me!

I love you,

Tracye

I'm Up To The Challenge ---- Are You?

Take The Presidents Challenge With Me ---- I Am Headed Toward A Bronze Medal! So Who Else Is In?

If you're already active and want a new challenge, this program is for you.The Presidential Champions program challenges you to see just how high you can raise your activity level. The guidelines are simple. You can choose from a variety of activities. We'll give you a personal activity log to help track your progress along the way. There's even a special option for performance athletes and others who train at more advanced levels.Your goal is to see how many points you can earn by being active. You'll earn points for every activity you log. Points are based on the amount of energy each activity burns. So the more active you are, the more points you'll get.The first goal to aim for is a Bronze award. Then you can keep going for a Silver or Gold. So what are you waiting for?
http://www.presidentschallenge.org/the_challenge/presidential_champions.aspx
The Rules:
1. Choose an activity.
Just about any physical activity where you're using large muscle groups and burning energy counts. Going running. Playing golf. Martial arts. They're all on the list of activities. You can take the Challenge by yourself, or together with friends and family.
2. Get active.
You'll earn points for every activity you log. Points are based on the amount of energy each activity burns. So the more active you are, the more points you'll get. This program has a 750-point daily cap to encourage staying active every day. Earning a Bronze award takes 20,000 points. For example, if you run 5 miles every day, you can reach that amount in about six weeks. More moderate activities will take a little longer.
3. Track your activity.
Our personal activity log makes it easy for you to track the time you spend on activities, right online. You can log your time as often as you want, in amounts as short as 5 minutes. Although you can't log time for activities you haven't done yet, you can go back up to 14 days to enter past activities.
4. Order your award.
When you reach your goal, your activity log will remind you that you've earned an award. You can order it right online or by mail. Then you can continue on in the Presidential Champions program for a Silver or Gold award.
That's all there is to it.
The only thing left is to sign up and pick your first activity.

These Shoes Were Made For Walkin'

Walking a little can go a long way

Story Highlights
*Walking every day brings many health benefits
*A brisk walk in the afternoon will help you get a better night's sleep, experts say
*You can significantly reduce breast-cancer risk by walking, one study says
*Walking may help ward off Alzheimer's disease, studies say

By Lambeth Hochwald

What if there was something simple you could do every day that would burn calories, be good for your heart, and help you stay young. You'd do it, right?

Researchers and doctors say walking cuts breast-cancer risks, protects your bones, helps you sleep, and more.

Well, that's why researchers and doctors are so gung ho about walking, especially in light of new research that credits it for everything from cutting breast-cancer risks to helping you sleep.
Walking is not just a weenie activity for the nonathletic, says Michelle Look, M.D., national medical consultant to the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and a physician who specializes in sports medicine in San Diego, California: "It's good for just about anybody, and the health benefits are particularly significant for women." Here, eight reasons to start walking -- or just walk a little more often. Health.com: Sneak more walking into your life
1. It's great for the heart
In a recent study conducted at Duke University Medical Center, researchers found that walking briskly for 30 minutes every day lowers your odds of developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Roughly 24 million women in the United States have metabolic syndrome. Don't have time for a daily half-hour walk? Try multitasking: A British study found that active commuting (incorporating walking and cycling into your sedentary commute) is associated with an 11 percent reduction in heart-disease risk, especially among women.
2. It cuts breast-cancer risks
Walking, even for a few hours a week, significantly reduces breast-cancer risk, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The thinking is that walking helps reduce levels of body fat, a source of estrogen. The research looked at 74,000 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79. Those at a normal weight lowered their risk by 30 percent; those who were overweight, by 10 to 20 percent. Younger women may also gain similar benefits.
3. It helps you sleep
A brisk walk in the afternoon will help you get a better night's sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Experts say that walking may boost levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, which relaxes you. Or, the rise in body temperature brought on by walking may signal the brain to lower your temperature later, which promotes sleep. (Avoid a walk two hours before bed --that's too late to cool down.)
4. It cuts down on aches and pains
Walk the "Chi" (pronounced chee) way and you could have fewer achy days. Nine years ago, Danny Dreyer, an ultra-marathoner then living near San Francisco, California, invented ChiWalking, which incorporates ideas from Tai Chi, yoga, and Pilates. It looks like regular walking but, because you consciously relax, improve the alignment of your body, and involve arm movements, puts less stress on the legs while you walk. That means fewer aches. "ChiWalking can cut down any risk of injury," says Alice Peters Diffely, a ChiWalking instructor in Portland, Oregon. "Your whole body will feel better."
5. It makes you happy
Walking can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress. Just one 30-minute walk may make you feel better when you're down, University of Texas researchers found. Head out for 90 minutes five times a week and you'll get the biggest boost, according to a new study from Temple University. One possible explanation: Walking helps the body produce endorphins, the mood-boosting chemicals linked to "runner's high." Health.com: Get the most out of your walk
6. It keeps you slimmer
Walking for 30 minutes a day can prevent weight gain in most people who are physically inactive, according to another Duke study. And researchers from Brown University and the University of Pittsburgh showed that women who walked for an hour five days a week and consumed 1,500 calories a day lost and kept off 25 pounds over the course of a year. The reason walking helps control your weight: It's easy! "The harder the exercise is, the less people will do it," says Johnny Benjamin, MD, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida. Health.com: How one woman lost 45 pounds by walking with friends
7. It staves off senior moments
Several studies in older people suggest that walking -- even for as little as 45 minutes a week -- helps ward off Alzheimer's disease. Regular strolls are also linked to mental sharpness in seniors. But regardless of your age, walking is likely to help keep your mind active, Benjamin says-particularly if you stroll with friends; walking while talking is a surefire brain booster.
8. It protects your bones
Just 30 minutes of walking three times a week does wonders to prevent and treat thinning bones. This kind of exercise, which uses 95 percent of your muscles, actually pushes your bones to get stronger so they can handle the load. "Walking," Look says, "is not just for cardio."

It doesn't matter who my father was;

it matters who I remember he was.

-Anne Sexton

Getting The Right Number Of ZZZZZs Per Time Mag

Q: How much sleep is ideal?

A: Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hr. and 7.5 hr. a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hr. or more, or less than 6.5 hr., they don't live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hr. Sleeping 8.5 hr. might really be a little worse than sleeping 5 hr..
Morbidity [or sickness] is also "U-shaped" in the sense that both very short sleep and very long sleep are associated with many illnesses—with depression, with obesity—and therefore with heart disease—and so forth. But the [ideal amount of sleep] for different health measures isn't all in the same place. Most of the low points are at 7 or 8 hr., but there are some at 6 hr. and even at 9 hr. I think diabetes is lowest in 7-hr. sleepers [for example]. But these measures aren't as clear as the mortality data.
I think we can speculate [about why people who sleep from 6.5 to 7.5 hr. live longer], but we have to admit that we don't really understand the reasons. We don't really know yet what is cause and what is effect. So we don't know if a short sleeper can live longer by extending their sleep, and we don't know if a long sleeper can live longer by setting the alarm clock a bit earlier. We're hoping to organize tests of those questions.
One of the reasons I like to publicize these facts is that I think we can prevent a lot of insomnia and distress just by telling people that short sleep is O.K. We've all been told you ought to sleep 8 hr., but there was never any evidence. A very common problem we see at sleep clinics is people who spend too long in bed. They think they should sleep 8 or 9 hr., so they spend [that amount of time] in bed, with the result that they have trouble falling asleep and wake up a lot during the night. Oddly enough, a lot of the problem [of insomnia] is lying in bed awake, worrying about it. There have been many controlled studies in the U.S., Great Britain and other parts of Europe that show that an insomnia treatment that involves getting out of bed when you're not sleepy and restricting your time in bed actually helps people to sleep more. They get over their fear of the bed. They get over the worry, and become confident that when they go to bed, they will sleep. So spending less time in bed actually makes sleep better. It is in fact a more powerful and effective long-term treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills.

My New Addiction ---- STRIDE GUM!!!!!!!!

Chew This to Turn Off the Munchies


You could crush that 3 p.m. cookie craving just by chewing a little of this: gum. That's right. A study found that chewing gum can really put the kibosh on your afternoon appetite in a big way. Countering the Snack AttackPeople who chew either sweetened or sugar-free gum after lunch feel full longer, have fewer hunger pangs, have fewer cravings for sweets, and eat fewer afternoon snacks -- compared with people who don't chew gum. (Check out this additional tasty way to eat less, not more.) Tickled Taste Buds Signal "Full"How does chomping gum suppress hunger? It's simple. When you eat, your taste buds are stimulated by the food. But the cool thing is that exposure to the tastes and smells of food also lessens how good it tastes. That, in turn, is one of the cues that signal your brain that you're full, so cravings go away. Chewing gum may have this same effect -- but without all the calories! (Discover why skipping meals increases cravings for the wrong foods.) Mindful ConsumptionYou can make the gum trick work even better by thinking about how many snacks you've eaten. Then, try these other tips for better snack management:
Don't snack in front of the computer. Here's why.
Discover your emotional snacking triggers. Here's how to find them.
Grab a tall drink of water before every snack. Here's what you might discover.

The Best Burger

Grilled Portobello Burgers

by Auntie Tracye

8 portobellos (wiped cleaned with a damp wet rag)

2 cups calorie free italian dressing

2 cups calorie free balsamic vinegar dressing

4 teaspoons minced garlic

Paul Purdommes meat magic seasoning

In two large zip lock baggie combine:

4 Portobellos

1 cup italian dressing

1 cup balsamic dressing

2 teaspoons minced garlic

zip bags closed and place in fridge for 2 hours turning every 30 minutes of so

take out of bags and put directly on grill

sprinkle with meat magic

grill over medium heat for 10 minutes per side

when you turn the portobellos do so with tongs and add more meat magic to other side

Each bun gets two portobellos each-----

I enjoyed mine on a whole wheat hamburger bun (check you calories and fat) with Kraft Free mayo (one tablespoon), spicy mustard, and low fat Kraft cheddar slice).... I served a side salad of baby greens (1 cup of greens) with no calorie ranch dressing and a half of a baked sweet potato (pre packaged potato)

My version was

172 calories for the burger

7 calories for salad

130 for potato

This is a great way to enjoy grilling out with your family without all the calories, fat, and cholesterol! ENJOY!

So What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

I want to be Audrey Hepburn...

I don't want much now do I LOL!

Just to be a classic beauty, who has grace and a to die for accent!

A girl can dream though can't she?

So who or what do you want to be when you grow up? hummmmm?