Monday, June 16, 2008

Weight Loss: The Exercise Trap

By Donovan Baldwin Read anything about weight loss and you will see something about exercise. It might be referred to as “physical activity”, but that’s just a codeword. They mean exercise. Actually, many people have tried exercise and given up on it because it just didn’t seem to work for one reason or another. Here are some explanations of why someone might think that exercise ISN’T working, when it IS! THE BEGINNING OF THE EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Exercise is activity, movement you might say. People have been moving all their lives, so they know how to do it, right? Well, if you are just talking about “getting some exercise”, you might be right. However, if you are talking about exercise for the purpose of losing weight, things change a little. At the beginning of a weight loss program, the person has probably been sedentary for some time and has experienced an overall deterioration in the body’s ability to deal with, or react favorably to, physical activity. At this point, almost any activity above the normal level becomes “exercise” for this individual. Over time, the body will adjust to the new level of activity and assume a new homeostasis, or overall balance of physical ability, fat, muscle, body weight, and metabolism. It then becomes time to adjust the activity upwards in order to arrive at a new balance. Once an acceptable balance, usually a target weight, has been arrived at, the individual can change from a weight loss program to a weight maintenance program. Unfortunately, people tend to be a little ignorant on the subject of exercise and sabotage themselves at the start of their weight loss program through several different mechanisms. Beginners usually: Try to do too much Don’t do enough Don’t increase the level Do the wrong exercises Have unrealistic expectations Don’t understand what exercise is going to do Some of these items cross lines, so it is difficult to talk about one without talking about another one or two. For example, if someone has unrealistic expectations, they may try to do too much or too little. If they do not understand what exercise is going to do, they may choose the wrong exercises. Most of these problems are directly related to ignorance about exercise. This is why, if you are interested in using exercise as part of a weight loss program, you either do a little studying on the subject, or get yourself a good personal trainer. Let’s briefly talk about the situations above. TOO MUCH EXERCISE This can cause you to fail in many ways. You can strain muscles, make yourself feel sick, or even injure yourself. After a day or two of too much exercise, your body and your brain will be screaming at you to “knock it off!” To be effective for weight loss, exercise should become a regular activity and if you are dreading the next workout, you will eventually find ways to avoid it altogether. You need to start small and build yourself up. This can create a problem also. TOO LITTLE EXERCISE As I mentioned above, for the sedentary individual, almost any activity will be classified as “enough exercise” at first. However, the body soon adapts to this small unit of activity and settles in at a new level, usually without really exhibiting much in the way of weight lost. INCREASE THE LEVEL OF EXERCISE Once the body has achieved its new level of “fitness” relative to the starting point, it becomes necessary to increase the intensity or duration of the exercise, or both. The person who starts out trying to run a marathon will fail. The person who starts out walking to the mailbox must eventually start walking past the mailbox and down the street, or they too will fail. THE WRONG EXERCISES Exercises can be divided roughly into three groups. In my high school days (don’t ask how long ago) we would talk about strength, endurance, and flexibility. These days you hear things like resistance training, cardiovascular training…and flexibility. As pointed out, at the beginning, almost any movement will qualify for pretty near all three types. As you progress, you will have to separate out each and, for the purpose of overall health, give each its due. However, for weight loss, cardiovascular activities will probably give most people the most weight loss bang for their buck. Be aware that strength training will also benefit weight loss in the long run due to the formation of muscle tissue which can aid in burning calories. UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS Exercise works, but it generally works from the inside out. While someone who is overweight may experience an initial weight loss, most of what is happening is going to take time. If you want to look in the mirror in a couple of days or step on the scale and see obvious evidence of weight loss, you are bound to be disappointed. You will have to accept the fact that even the most perfectly designed and executed exercise program is probably going to take weeks or even months to produce inspiring results. At the start, you may just have to keep going on faith. However, EXERCISE DOES WORK! EXERCISE’S LITTLE SURPRISE This actually happened to my wife. She was trying to lose weight and began exercising. A few days later, I could tell that she was experiencing benefits. She was more active, perkier, her complexion was glowing, she was walking around the house singing more than usual, and she looked “tighter” to me. One night we were talking, and she was going on and on in an excited way about how much looser her clothes were getting. In fact, they were getting so baggy; she was saying that she would have to go shopping for more. She was in a great mood when I left the room. A few seconds later, I heard her exclaim, “Oh no!” I stepped back into the room and she was crying. She had stepped on the scale and her weight had GONE UP since the last time she had weighed herself. Even though I had explained to her what was going to happen, like most people who have tried and tried to lose weight, her immediate reaction was that her exercise program “wasn’t working.” She felt like another promise had failed her. We will leave aside the fact that everybody’s weight fluctuates from day to day and from hour to hour. If you are checking your weight daily, you are setting yourself up for failure. If you MUST weigh yourself, do it once a month or even once every two months. If you have been eating properly during that time and doing your exercise, increasing it as you achieve each new level of ability, you will have lost at least a few pounds. What got her, and a lot of other people, is a simple physiological process which was, in a few days, going to work in her favor. When someone who has NOT been exercising begins to exercise, they usually build some lean muscle mass and burn off some fat. Unfortunately, at first, the weight of lean muscle mass that is added is sometimes greater than the amount of fat that is lost. Therefore, someone may find that they are actually GAINING WEIGHT for the first few days or even weeks of their exercise program. In time, if the program is continued, the muscle mass will plateau, and the fat will continue to be burned and the weight will come down. Remember how my wife was saying that her clothes were looser? That’s because she was burning fat and adding lean muscle mass. The lean muscle takes up less space than the fat that has been burned. Even though she had gained weight, her body size was actually smaller…and she was healthier. If you are going to start a weight loss program, make sure you learn a little bit about exercise and use that in addition to monitoring your nutritional intake. Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has a blog on the subjects of diet and weight loss, and a page where he posts information about weight loss products. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donovan_Baldwin http://EzineArticles.com/?Weight-Loss:–The-Exercise-Trap&id=243091 foreign lenders for bad credit loans for americans organizations that provide small personal loans for people who have bad credit paycheck felt when told his boss to take his job and shove it lyrics johnny paycheck lyrics
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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Five Things You Should Know About Niche Marketing

By Lucy MacDonald If your private practice is not growing niche marketing can help. How can clients find you and purchase your services if you are a generalist? Being a generalist is useful when you live in a small town or remote area. Niche marketing is a specialized area of work that sets you us as an expert. You can market your niche by writing articles, creating e-books or tip sheets, and letting the media know that you are available to give interviews based on your area of expertise. 1. Niche marketing is marketing your service or product to a segment of potential consumers (aka your target market). 2. A niche can be based on an endless number of segments of the population: age group (e.g. teenagers), a geographical location (e.g. the city of Montreal), an industry (e.g. the mining industry), a group of professionals (e.g.lawyers), a life stage (e.g. menopause), a special interest group (e.g. pet lovers). 3. Finding a niche market helps you to focus your marketing dollars and efforts on people with unique needs who will purchase your specilized services. 4. Niche marketing makes it easier for you to develop longterm relationships with clients or customers by targeting their needs. 5. Developing a niche sets you apart from, sets you up as a specialist and an expert which makes you recognizable in the crowded marketplace. Lucy MacDonald, M.Ed. is a business and marketing advisor to counselors, therapists, psychotherapists, and health care professionals. She is the creator of the R.E.A.L. Marketing system for private practitioners. Lucy is the author of How to Start and Market a Successful Private Practice and is a conference presenter. http://www.marketingyourprivatepractice.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_MacDonald http://EzineArticles.com/?Five-Things-You-Should-Know-About-Niche-Marketing&id=89352 personal loan with bad credit international online loans faxless payday loans in texas payday loans debt consolidation loan mortgages quick loans
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Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Relationship: Say It With Words

By Julia Jones There was an article that said, I lost a friend today as I could not at say I love You, I thought it was clear in my eyes, in my actions but he did not want me he wanted the words. Well how right the writer was, at times it is the words that make all the difference in our relations. At times we have to remind our lovers that we love them by words and only words. Words of love spoken to a person make all the difference. Time and again you have to tell your partner that you love and care for him or her. Words as I love you, I care for you, I need you often repeated never let your love relationship fade. It makes your partner aware that you love him or her. Never leave an opportunity to mention that you care and love your partner. Words have the power to move the strongest of men in the world. Let the power of words strengthen your love life. Lovers often have taken the support of words to express their love. Its only words and word all I have to take your heart away, the words from a famous song that have helped many lovers to express their love, proves the power of words. Always make it a point to express your love through a number of ways and say it in words. Hug her and say I could love you like that for ever. Surprise your love with notes kept at unexpected places. It could be near the pillow when you know your partner is going to return late night, it could be stuck on the bathroom door when you leave early morning without saying a good bye to your partner as he/she is fast asleep. You can also keep love notes in each others suitcase when either of the partners is going on a trip. Slip an I love you note in places where you are sure your partner finds them. Be creative and find ways to say you care. Repeat words I love you again and again. You have to constantly remind you partner that you love him or her. Keeping a married life is essential and for that you have to speak it up. Speak up and prove your feelings. Say what you mean. When you say you love a person then your body language should too be saying that, never say what you dont mean. It would spoil your relationship. When words are spoken with meaning they touch the heart of people so make sure to speak out with honesty. It is wonderful to fall in love and hear the words I Love You. Let these key words a part of your married life and always feel the touch of romance in your married life. Find more information visit: Relationship: Say it with Words We at Keepcondom.com are providing you the choices you can make, to select your condom brands according to your needs. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julia_Jones http://EzineArticles.com/?Relationship:-Say-It-With-Words&id=355112 bad credit personal installment loans homemade payday dessert fort worth unsecured small business loan impact financial payday loan
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Friday, May 30, 2008

The School Dark Sides

By Sharon White It’s been often said that school is for students. However, a recent survey reveals that many students dislike or even hate school. What are the reasons for this aversion? Are students just lazy, undisciplined or unfair? The answer to this question seems to be more complicated. Students usually identify school with teachers. Many of them complain that teachers are unjust, strict, subjective, intolerant, hypocritical or malicious. They often ridicule students or denigrate them. They are also accused of exerting a strong mental pressure on students and suppressing their individuality. A student should only listen, take notes and learn. Many young people feel that they should not be treated as addle heads but as equals who have a right to hold and express their own opinions. However, not only teachers are to blame. Most students claim that school is no longer a safe and nice place and they all agree that violence is probably the greatest problem school has to cope with these days. Some young people think that the only way to improve their status at school is through aggression. They believe that violence encourages others to respect them as a force to be reckoned with. Therefore many schools, especially the technical ones, are under the control of gangs which intimidate and terrorize the powerless students. The victims of aggression are often the younger or weaker students on whom the older fellows often wreak their rage. The ways of harassing the victims range from threatening behaviour to inflicting actual body harm on them. The cases of beating up, thrashing with a hose or belt, or even beguiling the intimidated students out of their money are not uncommon. The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com. Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at buying essays. Get some useful tips for custom essays and order term papers . Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_White http://EzineArticles.com/?The-School-Dark-Sides&id=378568 poor credit car loan unsecure debt consolidation loans loan but i have bad credit sba loan programs
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Questions Your Pastor Will Hate – Part Two

By Dennis Diehl Answers to Biblical questions are rather relative to the background and the perspectives of the one asked the question. There are answers of course. Often, many different answers given to the same questions. Obviously, a priest may answer much differently than a Baptist minister and a Lutheran pastor differently from an Adventist. A closed mind will answer differently from an open one. Many of the answers that one would hear are listed above. These are questions that have no easy answer along denominational lines. These are questions that ask not so much what does the story mean, but rather, why does it contradict what is said over in another gospel? Why is this here and nowhere else? How can this be in our real world of time and space? These are questions that usually leave the minister or priest wishing he had never gone to seminary and was not sitting at his desk with YOU knowing enough about the book to ask the question in the first place. An apologist will talk of the contradictions in Paul’s conversion accounts as supplemental and not contradictory, but that is what they have to say because the book has to be flawless and perfectly accurate word of God. It would never do to think the accounts are written by people who had human perspectives, made mistakes in transmission of the alleged facts and even a few political reasons for tweeking the story. The usual answer to this inquiry is that Paul did indeed quote Jesus, but even once or in principle is good enough to answer this problem. Or he was preaching Christ crucified and leaving the rest to others. Neither is really a satisfying reason for why the man who gets to write most of the New Testament and inform us all about the reason and meaning of Jesus rarely, if ever, refers to the teachings of the teacher, especially when it would be to his advantage to do so in his writings. Paul could have referred to Jesus and the Lord’s prayer, for example, instead of telling people that the Holy Spirit would groan out their prayers when they didn’t know what to pray. But he didn’t know the Lord’s teaching on how to pray, it seems. There are more serious answers to these questions as well. Some might be that the story is Midrash or Pesher which are terms that few in the pews and far too often in the pulpit have ever heard. Simply put, it is a way to mine the scriptures of the past for meaning in the present. The author of Matthew was very good at this. It doesn’t mean the proof text was literally pointing to something in the future, but can be used to tell a story in a way that one wants the story to be told and with the meaning it needs to have for the present time. It is what Matthew as doing over and over when he looked back into the Old Testament to find scriptures to tell his and only his story of Jesus. He found scriptures that never meant in reality what he made them to mean, but it was a way to tell his story. Not unlike my using Lord of the Rings to show how Tolkien, in his time, really spoke of the war in Iraq in our time. Other real answers might admit that there are politics at play here in the text. For example it is easy to see that Paul had no use for the leadership of the Jewish Church in Jerusalem. In Paul’s telling of his story in Galatians 1 and 2 we find a man who learned nothing of his teachings from men. He was called from the womb like Jeremiah, John and Jesus. He got his gospel directly from the risen Christ. After his conversion he went to the wilderness for three years for what he never says. He makes a point of NOT going to Jerusalem to see the Apostles until he was good and ready. He mentions seeing James and Peter for a couple weeks, and then a full 14 years later Paul goes up to see the Peter, James and John, who he labels as men who seemed to be pillars. Funny way to describe these Apostles. This is not a man who wanted to hear any teachings or advice from the men who spent a lot of personal time with the earthly Jesus. Jesus for Paul was a cosmic Christ and not a historical figure, it seems. So Paul goes up to see them because he wants to and not because they may have told him to show up. Paul was not a man one told to do anything he didn’t want to do. Paul was a much more distrusted figure among the disciples of Jesus than Luke in Acts would have us believe. But that is another story. Paul may have felt the same way himself and had Luke tell the story of Annanias and Sapphira in Acts 5 to send the message that Peter was not worthy of leadership. In that story we find Peter pronouncing death upon two church members who said they would give one amount of money to the Church and ended up giving less. Strange way for the man Peter, who said he would never deny Jesus and then did three times, to act. Peter, who promised to do one thing and then did another just as now these two before him had done. Peter pronounces death upon them for not coughing up the shekels when Peter got to be an Apostle after dening he ever knew Jesus. Those who read the story would not miss the irony. This is the story behind the story of Peter punishing with death these two members of the young church for saying one thing and doing another. It was more a political statement against Peter’s duplicity and disqualification in leadership than an event that probably really happened. Politics. Questions to ask about the Birth Narratives of Jesus. Question. Pastor…What difference does it make for Matthew and Luke to show us Jesus family connections from Mary and Joseph back to King David and Adam, when God was his real Father? Aren’t geneologies meaningless since Joseph was a stop father, and all coming before him would be step ancestors to Jesus. So Jesus can’t be connected back to King David as the line breaks between Jesus and Joseph. Right? Question. Pastor… If the Holy Spirit, which I think you said was a person in the Trinity, begot Mary, isn’t the Holy Spirit really Jesus literal father? Would this not then make God Jesus uncle of sorts, or Jesus his own Father, since they are three in one, coequal and co…oh you understand. This is a mystery isn’t it? Question. Father… Why do I have to call you Father, when Jesus said to call no man Father except his? Question. Pastor… Matthew 1: 17 says that Jacob was Joseph’s father, but Luke 3:23 says that Heli was Joseph’s father. Was Joseph’s father Jacob Heli Rubinstein or something? Question. Pastor…Why does it always seem that women in the Bible who give birth to important men, like Elizabeth being John the Baptist’s mom, are always barren and really old. (Luke 1:7). But then, women who give birth to gods are never barren but always pure virgin, and really young like her relative Mary. Question. Pastor… Why in Luke 1:18-20 does the Angel make the old husband of Elizabeth unable to speak for not believing that he would have a son? Seems like a normal thing not to believe at his age. And yet, in Luke 1: 34 Mary tells the Angel she can’t believe that she will have Jesus the King because she doesn’t even have a husband. At least Zechariah had an old wife. Yet, the angel doesn’t make her mute for not believing him. Do you think the Angel had a quota on how many people a day he could make blind and mute? Question. Pastor… In the same story, in verse 41, old Elizabeth praises Mary for being the mother of her Lord. How did she find out that Mary was going to give birth to a god? Is that the kind of story you think the family passed on to her prior to Mary coming for a visit? And pastor, do you think it is strange that an old woman who is just now in life having her first son would instinctively praise a young virgin for being pregnant? Just a thought. Question. Pastor… In that same account in Luke 1:46, and Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden,’ sound more like something that Elizabeth would say since she was doing all the talking up to that point? And don’t you think it amazing that this bursting into song of Mary is so much the same as the story of Hannah, an old barren woman in I Samuel 1, who gave birth to Samuel? And isn’t it interesting that a razor was not to come on Samuel just like Elizabeth’s baby John? And how about that part where Hanna can’t speak either, just like Elizabeth’s husband Zechariah? Oh and how about when Elizabeth said in verse 18, Let your maidservant find favor in your eyes. Wow, sounds a lot like what Mary just said about herself in Luke. Could it be that Luke is using the Hannah story to tell the Mary and Elizabeth story. And could it be that it was really Elizabeth, the old barren woman, still speaking in Luke and not Mary at all about her joy like the old barren Hannah, but someone attributed what Elizabeth was more like to say to Mary? Know what I’m sayin? Questions. Pastor… See in Luke 1:56 where it says that and Mary stayed with her about three months, and then Elizabeth had John in vs. 57? Since the whole chapter is really about Elizabeth and Zechariah, doesn’t it sound like that when it says Mary stayed with HER that the her is the one who just got done speaking what Mary is said to have said? You know, Elizabeth really and not Mary…really? Editors did stuff like that right? Question. Pastor… Why do you think that no other Gospel or really anyone in the New Testament ever mentions this story again? Do you think it is here to be sure that everyone understood John was second to Jesus no matter what anyone else might think? Question. Ok, these birth stories are great, but I have a lot of questions about them. Are you up for this? Great! Question. Pastor… Since Matthew and Luke read just as well without the birth stories of Jesus, do you think they might have been added much later to the books? I mean really we don’t go to the hospital to see a famous person born and the exciting special birth stories aren’t usually written until after the baby grows up and becomes famous right? Like Yassir Arafat always saying he was born in Jerusalem, because that’s the great place to be born, but in fact he was born in Cairo. Or like politicians who are born somewhere else, but need to be from a certain place to run for office. Just a thought. Question. Pastor… Why doesn’t Mark know anything about Jesus birth stories? Question. Pastor… Why , in the Gospel of John , in chapters 7 and 8 is there this big argument of how Jesus is a born of fornication (8:41) and Jesus tells a story about a woman taken in adultery and forgiven (8:1) which lies right between a big argument over knowing that Jesus is from Galilee and not Bethlehem as the scripture says? (7:41) and Jesus exploding and telling them they are all sons of the devil. Wow, seems not everyone knew anything about what Matthew and Luke had to say about Jesus birth! Question. Pastor… Why does Matthew say that Isaiah 7:14 predicts the Virgin birth of Jesus when the story of Isaiah has absolutely nothing to do with a virgin giving birth to a son that was really God? Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ‘Behold a virgin shall be with child and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.’ ( Matthew 1:22-23). Isn’t Isaiah talking about a baby born as a sign to Ahab, king of Israel, that some northern invasion back then would not be the end of them? And what’s with that same story in Isaiah saying, that the boy baby would eat butter and honey and BEFORE he knew to refuse the evil and choose the good, the bad guy would be beaten? (Isaiah 7:15-16) Does this mean that Jesus did evil too before he was prophecied to do good? What parts of this are prophecy and what parts are just history that has nothing to do with Jesus? And no one ever called him Emmanuel. They called him Jesus. I can see where the Israelites might call him God with us, meaning God was with us in the defeat of our enemy, but I can’t see it meant the baby of Isaiah was God in the flesh. Any comments? Question. Pastor… In Matthew 1:1-4 it says that the Wisemen came asking about where Jesus was because they had seen his star in the East. First of all, if they came from Persia, which is East of Jerusalem, how do you see a literal star in the East and then follow it West where it turns south and stops over a house in Bethlehem? I mean if they saw his star in the East, why go West, why not East? Maybe it’s just me. Question. Pastor… In the same place it says Herod seems not to know anything about this Jesus or his star. Could he not see it and if he could, could he not follow it himself? Then it says Herod got together all the helpers on such topics and I wonder, could they not see it either? Question. Pastor… In reading the story of this star, it also says that it reappeared to the Wise men to continue to show them the way. Was this a star that only they could see and could stop and go until the Wisemen were reading to keep moving? Question. Pastor…How does a moving star, stop over a specific house? Question. Pastor…While we are at it, how come Matthew tells us Jesus was born in a house that Mary and Joseph seemed to already own in Bethlehem (Matthew 1:11). I thought they lived in Nazareth and came had to have Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem? You know, no room at the Inn and all. Well, at least that is what Luke 2 says where he doesn’t mention the home in Bethlehem, just as Matthew doesn’t mention the worldwide tax that brings Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem to begin with from their home in Nazareth. So which is it…home in Bethlehem as Matthew says, or in Nazareth as Luke says and moving from manger to home won’t cut it. Question. Pastor…Matthew 1:12-16 says that an Angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt from Herod who was going to kill all the babies under two years old to get at Jesus. Wow, lots of questions here! Does this mean that in order for Jesus to die for us, the babies in Bethlehem had to die for Jesus? Question. Pastor…Do you think Mary, being a typical mother left town in a hurry telling her friends, I know something you don’t know. I wish you and your babies a good Sabbath? I don’t think mothers really think that way. Question. Pastor…Matthew 1:17-18 fulfills Rachel weeping for her children in Rama, but from what I can tell, again Matthew is making this up. That story in Jeremiah 31:15 has nothing to do with the women weeping for their dead babies. I believe the Jeremiah story took place during the trek into captivity as they passed through Rama, not Bethlehem. Kinda stretching the point isn’t it? Question. Pastor…After Herod dies, the family comes back from Egypt and Matthew says this fulfills Hosea 11:1. But I looked at that, and Out of Egypt I have called my son, is talking about the exodus story, not Jesus. Is it just me again misunderstanding? How comes Matthew gets to make things mean in the Old Testament what they never meant? Question. Pastor…In Matthew 1:19-22 an Angel gives the all clear to go back home, to Bethlehem and the house, I assume. But then Joseph finds an even more evil bastard lives there so has another dream to head to Nazareth where it was evidently safer. Did the Angel screw up and send them into harms way and God had to give Joseph a dream to save them from the Angel not knowing what was going on in Judea? Don’t they have briefings for Angels for stuff like this? Question. Pastor…In Matthew 1:23 we see that Matthew says since they went to Nazareth, there is some place that says this fulfills He shall be called a Nazarene. But no one seems to know where the Bible says that. I know it means branch such as in Isaiah 11:1, but again, those are not stories or prophecies about Jesus. So isn’t Matthew reaching again? Did Matthew think a Nazarite, was the same as a Nazarene maybe? You know, no razor, no haircuts, no wine. Kinda like Hippie Baptists. But then Jesus wasn’t that way either. Oh well. Any thoughts? Question. Pastor…How come only Matthew mentions Wisemen, wandering stars, killing the babies and fleeing to Egypt when Luke, in his account, mentions none of this. In fact, Luke just says that after eight days Jesus was calmly, well i don’t know about calmly, circumcised and then Mary did the 40 days of purification after the birth while meeting Simeon and Anna who blessed Jesus in the Temple, and then calmly walked back home to Nazareth. No run for your life from Herod story here, and right where you ‘d expect it. Did Luke never hear about Matthew’s thus it was fulfilleds, and simply have the family go back home to Nazareth? Can’t both be true, right? Question. Pastor…As long as I am at it, can you tell me why the Apostle Paul only knows that Jesus was born of a woman in Galatians 4:4. Nothing special really. Did Paul not know that Jesus, Mary and Joseph had all these wonderful birth adventures? Maybe he didn’t care. Question. Pastor…I guess what I am asking here is how come history knows of no tax and certainly no tax where all had to leave home and move around the empire to be taxed in that way for Luke to get Mary and Joseph down to Bethlehem? I won’t even ask if you knew Cyrenius, depending on how you spell it, was not Governor of Syria until ten years later than the events of Herod in Matthew. Seems like Luke may have not gotten the history right here. Question. Pastor…Do you think it was responsible and necessary for Joseph, who I suppose had the property in Bethlehem, hey the house!, to take a very pregnant Mary on a hundred mile donkey ride through the wilderness of Judea? Was that necessary. And if he had a house there, why did they not live there to begin with. Well actually Matthew said they did, but in Luke it says no. I’m confused. Question. Pastor…Why would all the Angels and Heavenly hosts go out and sing this glory to God in the highest and peace on earth, goodwill to men, to a few shepherds in the field. How about a bigger audience, like Jerusalem or at least the whole town of Bethlehem? Question. Pastor…How come Luke says Mary kept all these wonderful things and pondered them in her heart, and yet in Mark, she and Jesus brothers come down to Jerusalem to take Jesus home as an adult because they thought he was insane? (Mark 3:21). Did Mary forget all the things that the Angels had said and all the miracles of Matthew and Luke at Jesus birth? And why was this one lone account in Mark edited out of Matthew and Luke. Was it embarassing? It seems Mary knew Jesus was special at least to age 12 (Luke 2:51) when he wandered and was found debating in the temple. Hey, and what’s with that? It even says his parents sought him sorrowing, so they were pretty afraid for him. Did Jesus not think to honor his parents with telling them he was at the temple and not to worry? Or did he just think they’d say no you can’t go, and he’d have to not obey them and break another commandment? END PART TWO Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Diehl http://EzineArticles.com/?Questions-Your-Pastor-Will-Hate—Part-Two&id=173963 wal-mart paycheck stubs what is a sba 504 loan program online payday loans with no faxing or credit check christmas bad credit cash advance
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Saturday, May 24, 2008

Change The Shape Of Your Nose In Minutes: Non-Surgical “Rhinoplasty”

By Nelson Lee Novick Youve stared at your nose in the mirror for years wishing that something could be done to improve the bump on the bridge, eliminate the indentation in the middle, or raise up the tip. But, you could never gather up the courage or the money for a surgical nose job, what doctors call a rhinoplasty. Maybe you just could not bear the thought of a painful recovery or afford the added expense of the two-week downtime away from work. Now, with non-surgical rhinoplasty you may just be able to have your cake and eat it. Two state-of-the-art soft-tissue filler materials, Radiesse and Restylane, may be just the answer for you. Both are FDA-approved materials, and their safety has been well established in human use. Neither Radiesse, a synthetic bone-like material made up of calcium hyroxylapatite nor Restylane, a synthetically produced hyaluronic acid derivative, require pre-treatment allergy testing. Each has been injected successfully to correct certain nasal irregularities. The areas to be treated usually require a small amount of local anesthetic. The filler is then injected and molded into place to correct the deformity or irregularity. Treatment usually takes only a few minutes. Afterward, you may experience some redness, mild swelling, and tenderness, which may last one to two days. Occasionally, you may develop slight bruising that can last several days, but is easily coverable with makeup. For a drooping nasal tip, a very common occurrence with aging, tiny droplets of Botox Cosmetic, which has been used so successfully to treat the dynamic wrinkles of the face, may be given to the sides of the nose and to the tip directly to weaken those muscles responsible for pulling the nose downward and to allow others that draw the tip upward to do so unopposed. The net result is that the tip is repostitioned to a more youthful appearance. Re-treatment may be necessary every few months to maintain this improvement. The results with Radiesse may last twelve to eighteen months and those of Restylane for eight to twelve months before a touchup may be necessary. Your doctor will discuss with you whether non-surgical rhinoplasty is appropriate for you, the benefits of each agent, and the best agent or combination of injectables for your particular needs. Now what are you waiting for? Dr. Nelson Lee Novick is a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, an Attending Physician, and a former OPD Clinic Chief within the department of dermatology of the Medical Center. He also maintains a private practice in Cosmetic Dermatology and Cosmetic Dermasurgery on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. His biography has been included in the most recent 46th through 61th editions of Who’s Who in America, and he has been listed in Consumer Research Council of Americas Guide to Americas Top Physicians–2003-2006. He is also the author of nine trade books, over a hundred by-lined articles, and more than a half dozen audiotapes on skin care. He has written for many popular magazines and newspapers and has been quoted in all the major print venues, including the The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today. He is a familiar face to network media and has been featured with Oprah Winfrey, Paula Zahn, Matt Lauer, and Joan Hamburg. http://www.skinsavvy.fromyourdoctor.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nelson_Lee_Novick http://EzineArticles.com/?Change-The-Shape-Of-Your-Nose-In-Minutes:-Non-Surgical-Rhinoplasty&id=259123 approvalcardcreditonline payday form las vegas payday loans cash call loans christmas bad credit cash advance
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Stress, Cortisol and Weight Gain

By Mikki Reilly Despite the abundance of information on diet and exercise in the media, Americans are continuing to get fatter. According to a recent analysis, an estimated 30 percent of adults – over 60 million – are obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and, an estimated 65 percent of adults are overweight or obese, defined as having a BMI of 25 or higher. While increased food portion sizes, consumption of high-fat fast foods, and lack of exercise are the most common reasons cited for the overweight and obesity epidemic, another possible explanation is a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands in response to the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the pituitary. Metabolically, cortisol increases the concentration of blood glucose by converting amino acids into carbohydrates (gluconeogenesis), inhibiting glucose uptake, and breaking down lipid stores into adipose tissue (lipolysis). Cortisol, Stress and Weight Gain Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” and is secreted in response to all forms of stress. These include environmental stress (heat, cold, and noise, etc.), psychological stress (worry, fear, etc.), chemical stress (pollution, drugs, etc.), biochemical stress (nutritional deficiencies, simple sugar consumption, etc.), and physical stress (overexertion, trauma, and infection, etc.). During the “fight or flight” response, the adrenal glands secrete large quantities of adrenal cortical hormones. These hormones mobilize the body’s energy supplies and direct all of the body’s resources toward survival. This response worked well when our primitive ancestors actually faced life threatening situations, but is not well suited for today’s modern world since most stressful situations do not require us to fight or run away. The body’s response to modern stressful situations causes problems because although there’s no physical activity in response to the “threat,” cortisol signals the body to refuel as though there was. This signal to refuel, or increased appetite, leads to weight gain in the chronically stressed. Ways To Reduce Cortisol Exercise: Aerobic exercises such as running, roller blading, cycling and cross-country skiing increase the production of endorphins. Endorphins (“endogenous morphine”) interact with the opiate receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain much like the effect of morphine or codeine. Endorphins also produce an overall feeling of euphoria, commonly known as the “runners high,” in response to prolonged exercise. These chemicals counteract the harmful effects of stress by lowering cortisol levels. Avoid overconsumption of simple carbohydrates: Eating simple carbohydrates without proteins or fats to slow down the absorption rate causes the body to generate a strong insulin response which can produce a dramatic drop in blood sugar several hours after the meal was eaten. A fall in blood sugar triggers the secretion of cortisol. This situation can be avoided by eating balanced meals which include proteins, fats and fiber along with carbohydrates. Rest: Get enough sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation increases stress and makes weight gain more likely. Researchers have found that those between 32 and 59, who slept four hours or less per night, were 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who slept between seven and nine hours per night. Practice stress reduction techniques: Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, and yoga are effective methods of stress reduction. Feel free to use this article in your publication or website. The only requirement is the inclusion of the following, after the article… Article by Mikki Reilly, BA, MFS, of FitnessTransform.com. Visit her web site, http://www.fitnesstransform.com, for the the most up-to-date news, information and tips that will help you transform your health, fitness and overall quality of life. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mikki_Reilly http://EzineArticles.com/?Stress,-Cortisol-and-Weight-Gain&id=361278 baton rouge bad credit new car loan 60 day loan long term no credit check loan loan payday short term military loans
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Monday, May 19, 2008

To Sue Or Not To Sue: Injury Attorneys

By Jeff Lakie Injury attorneys might better decide making the decision to sue. Okay that’s sounds like double talk but its true. Dealing with the dilemma and choice of whether to sue or not to sue is better left to the professionals. They are better equipped to decide whether a lawsuit will prove successful than you or I. Deciding to proceed with a lawsuit is indeed a large decision. There are many variables that can frighten people. And in some cases your life is dragged across coals and seemingly irrelevant issues about your personal life are brought to light. Proper counsel is imperative in order to survive the attacks from the opposing counsel. As an example we can say your injury attorneys have determined your slip and fall was due to negligence on the part of a large grocery chain. Your physician says you will have chronic back pain for the rest of your life. Deciding on a lawsuit is just the beginning of a long journey toward judgment in your favor. Once you have established a case whereby the injury attorneys are willing to represent you, mediation hearings and doctor visits will become your life. Documenting every emotion, every prescription and each and every day you miss work will fall into your hands. Injury attorneys do their part by investigating the grocery chain. Discovering other negligent cases that were won is always a positive factor. On the hope that your case would be won and monetary compensation will be paid to you there will be choices to make there too. In the situation where a minor is involved in receiving the monies the guardians will control the decisions on how settlements are to be distributed. Structured settlements are a wise decision for any minor. In reality most adults are not mature enough to receive a large sum of money and make wise decisions. A fixed annuity can be an excellent tool to satisfy each part involved in an injury settlement. Negotiations can adequately address the needs of all parties involved. An annuity is simply a contract or agreement by which a person receives fixed payments for a lifetime or a specified amount of time. Jeff Lakie is the founder of Injury Attorney Information a website providing information on Injury Attorneys Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Lakie http://EzineArticles.com/?To-Sue-Or-Not-To-Sue:-Injury-Attorneys&id=78798 bad credit auto loan refinancing sba loans tx online loan sources no credit check apartments in austin tx
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Thursday, May 15, 2008

The Open Secret Of Weight Loss: Calories In – Calories Out

By Dr. PJ Prakash Extra body weight is being perceived as an epidemic in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older – over 60 million people – are obese. About 60-65 percent people in the U.S. alone are overweight. This increase is not limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens aged 6-19 years, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are considered overweight. One common measure to determine ideal body weight is body mass index (BMI), which is a ratio of height and weight multiplied by a factor. This ratio should be less than 25 for both men and women. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI equal or over 30 is clinically obese. Obesity has also been linked to other nutritional disorders, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardio-vascular diseases. Shockingly, the numbers of teen obesity in the United States is also leading to teen diabetes. One factor that is chiefly responsible for the accumulation of extra body weight among Americans is the fast food culture. These fast foods chiefly include burgers, sandwiches, fries, pizza and soda. All these foods are high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt the main enemies of ideal body weight and optimum health. They are also low in essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements) and fiber the friends of good health and general well being. So why is this fast food culture overpowering us? Face it – any food that is high in fat, sugar and salt tastes so good. And fast food well qualifies for this category. In addition to the taste temptation, fast food is also readily available and unfortunately cheaper than the healthy food. The other factors that contribute to excess body weight are lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyles, and improper eating habits leading to decreased metabolism, certain medical conditions and their drug after-effects. Weight loss, weight gain and weight maintenance is no magic. It is simply a ratio of calories-in and calories-out. By calories-in we mean how many calories you are obtaining from your food on a daily basis, and by calories-out we mean how many of these calories you are burning in the same day. In order to lose weight, your calories-out should be more than your calories-in everyday until you reach your weight loss goals. For maintaining weight, there should be no significant difference between your calories-in and calories-out on a daily basis. For gaining weight (for example, for underweight people), your calories-in should be greater than your calories-out until your reach your desired body weight. It is recommended that a big part of the calories-in for the people trying to gain weight should come from protein sources, so they gain muscles rather than body fat. Now, the question is how do we calculate calories-in and calories-out. Your calories-in can be calculated with the help of a dietician, who would calculate the calorie equivalent of the food that you consume in general on a daily basis. There are also software available to do the same calculations that you can search over the internet. The calories-out are in general more than your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the amount of calories that your body burns without any activity. Many dieticians and gymnasiums offer the RMR calculation tests. Also, there are software available to calculate your RMR that you can search over the internet. In order to lose weight, the general rule is that you need to consume fewer calories per day that your body burns naturally anyway. Either with the help of a dietician or these nutrition software, you can come up with certain foods or their quantity to cut down from your daily diet in order to start losing weight. At this point, it is extremely important to know that you only need to cut down on your calories-in, but you still need all other nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and fiber, for optimum health. If your weight loss plan includes cutting down on certain foods and / or their quantity, it will be a good idea to include the supplements of these vitamins and minerals to ensure optimum nutrition. It should be noted that carbohydrates, fats and proteins provide the calories in the food. So obviously one has to cut down on these nutrients in order to restrict ones calorie intake. When it comes to carbohydrates, you should cut down on the bad carb intake that are high in calories and also burn fast making you hungry again. The bad carbs are mainly derived from processed foods and sweet snacks and desserts, such as, candies, cookies, chips, doughnuts, brownies, Danish, etc. Rather, these bad carbs should be substituted with good carbs. The sources of good carbs are whole grains like rice, wheat, oat, barley, whole grain cereals, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, etc. The nutrition recommendation is that less than 30 percent of your total calorie intake should come from fat. This fat consumption should be lower in saturated fat and should include unsaturated fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, as they are beneficial for heart and general health. The good sources of these beneficial fats are vegetable oils, fish oil and olive oil. As far as proteins are concerned, about 40-50 percent of the human body mass is composed of proteins. Therefore, one has to be really careful when it comes to protein nutrition. One should cut down on red meat foods that are although high in proteins, are also high in fat. One should increase the intake of vegetarian sources of proteins, such as soy, beans, pulses, as they are generally low in fat. The good sources of animal proteins are chicken and fish as they are in general low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. About author: Dr. PJ Prakash holds a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Rhode Island (U.S.A.) and a Post-Doctorate in Human Nutritional Biochemistry from the Tufts Medical School, Boston (U.S.A.). He previously worked as a nutrition scientist at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston where he published several research papers in prestigious nutrition journals. Currently, he is a nutrition consultant and personal weight loss coach (http://www.healthyme4ever.com/) and also a freelance writer in the field of human nutrition. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._PJ_Prakash http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Open-Secret-Of-Weight-Loss:-Calories-In—Calories-Out&id=104402 christmas instant cash advance no credit check bill consilidation loan low interest personal loan quick cash unsecured loans
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Can You Suggest a Home-produced Formula for Cleansing the Body?

By Foras Aje Sure, I can. In this day and age when several people are looking to delay the aging process, cleanse the body of debris and toxins and quite simply want to stay healthy without the use of side-effect laden concoctions and pills, it comes as no surprise that I would receive an e-mail with the caption above. Since I was able to provide the client with the information, I figured I could do some more good and share it with the rest of the world. That said, I will present this simple home-produced formula for cleansing the body with other tips to augment and even assist this procedure for natural detoxification of the body. Ingredients for A Home-produced formula for cleansing the body As an alternative to the Master Cleanser, pioneered by Stanley Burroughs, Juicing of vegetables and even fruits through a juicer (which I dont necessarily advocate) I offer the following ingredients for a less time consuming juice that is both tasty and nutritious. Now as far as juice fasting, from my experiences, you could try this recipe out for yourself as a means of cleansing: -Grade B Maple Syrup (Organic preferably) -Organic Valencia Oranges -Chilled Water (distilled, reverse osmosis or filtered) The basic recipe is this For each medium size to large orange and 2.5 (or slightly less) oz of maple syrup, add enough cold water to make a pints worth of juice. For the Sedentary 1.5 to 2 quarts of this juice (which is 3-4 oranges and 8-10 ounces of Grade B genuine maple syrup) should suffice as an excellent juice fast. For the more active, a maximum of 6 oranges and the Maple Syrup would prove to be more than sufficient. Also ensure that you: 1. Get as Much Fresh Air as possible. 2. Get as Much Rest as Possible 3. DON’T use microwaves…at all. 4. Avoid negative mass media and suggestions. 5. Don’t overexert yourself, at least not till you feel up to physical activities 6. Don’t break a fast with just any food…fruits are your best bet. I will be quick to add that other tips that could be used in combination with this formula could include the use of restricted diets of mono-meals of fruit, exercises such as Yoga, Pilates and the Yoga-esque Royal Court and the consumption of a Mucus-less (alkaline) diet of raw and or properly cooked Fruits and Vegetables. Well, I hope this home-made formula with the accompanying tips could help you in your quest to cleansing the body and consequently attaining a cleaner you. To Health in 07 Aje Foras Aje is an independent researcher and co-founder of BodyHealthSoul LLC. Stop by His Fasting for Weight Loss Blog today for more information on The Homemade recipe for detoxification of the body. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Foras_Aje http://EzineArticles.com/?Can-You-Suggest-a-Home-produced-Formula-for-Cleansing-the-Body?&id=406624 auto title personal loans in maryland capital one platinum cash advance limit buy appliances utah county monthly payments no credit check cash loans for poor credit
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