Tuesday, January 31, 2012

More bad news about fructose – and why only sugar is sugar | Food Identity Theft

More bad news about fructose – and why only sugar is sugar | Food Identity Theft
Another article to read that explains why High Fructose Corn Syrup is NOT sugar, like the makers would have you believe! With an opportunity to sign a petition with your thoughts at the end of the article.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

10 Tips for Healthy Frugal Grocery Shopping

As a wife and mother on a budget for over 10 years, I've learned a thing or two about saving money on my family's weekly food budget. Let's face it, when the bills are all due and something needs to give, the grocery budget is the easiest to cut down. So I've compiled a top 10 list of my favorite strategies for saving money at the grocery store, while still eating healthy.

1. NEVER shop hungry!
Going to the grocery store with an empty stomach is a recipe for budget and diet disaster! When you're hungry, you're much more likely to reach for those quick and easy processed snack foods that we all know are not healthy or cheap. So grab a quick, healthy snack before heading to your local grocery store. It will save you both money, and unwanted calories.

2. ALWAYS plan your weekly meals!
Having a plan for your weekly meals means that you'll lessen the chances of ordering in, or heading to the nearest drive through for your family's dinner. If you sit down for a few minutes before you make your shopping list, and plan out what's for dinner each day of the week, you can spend less and provide healthier home cooked meals for you and your family.

3. Make a list!!
I can't stress this one enough! Now that you have your meals planned out, go through your fridge, freezer, cupboards, and pantry to see which ingredients you have, and which ones need to be purchased. Include necessary staples like milk, bread, eggs, and anything else your family uses on a regular basis. It may seem redundant to add things you buy every week to the list, but you just never know what you could overlook adding to your cart if you're distracted or in a hurry.  Making a list will insure you have all the foods you need on hand for the week. Saving you time and money by avoiding last minute dashes to the store for those items that were forgotten.

4. Stick to your list!
Now that you've made your list, STICK TO IT! If you make a thorough list and only buy what's on it, you can avoid making those dreaded impulse buys looming at the end of every isle and surrounding you at the checkout lanes.

5. Shop alone!

We all love our kids and our spouses, but lets face it, they can bring chaos to our grocery shopping trips. They have a knack for getting us to cave in to unhealthy and expensive foods increasing our total at checkout and our waistline at home. Not to mention they can be distracting, causing us to forget items, and keeping us from comparison shopping to get the best prices. So when at all possible, leave the family at home and take your time to shop stress free.

6. Shop the perimeter of the store!
Grocery stores are all pretty much laid out the same way. All of the fresh, healthy, natural, unprocessed, lower cost food are for the most part on the outside walls of the store. Like the produce, meat, fish, bakery, and dairy departments. While all of the processed, unhealthy, high priced foods are in the interior isles. This of course isn't true 100% of the time, and the occasional walk down a center isle can be necessary, but as a general rule it will save you money and provide healthier foods for you and your loved ones.


7. Look up and down before grabbing your item!
Most stores place their highest priced version of a product at eye level. With the hopes we all have blinders on and will grab it because we see it first. But if when you locate the item your looking for you take a quick look above and below your item, you'll probably find cheaper version, that taste just as great.


8. Buy Generic!
I know, this probably isn't going to be a popular one! But often times the generic or store brand versions of your favorite foods have the same ingredients as their higher priced counterparts, and taste the same or at least very similar. Seriously, give them a try! The worst thing that could happen is you find out you don't like the generic and next week you can buy your old favorite brand. BUT, you might find you like the generic every bit as much as the national brand, and you can start saving on those items each week!

9. Coupons!
Most of us don't like to clip a million coupons a week or scour the internet for printables like those Extreme Couponers on TV. I think it's also safe to say that we won't be dumpster diving for your neighbor's discarded coupons to save a dime. However, if you take a minute or two before heading out the door to glance through your newspaper coupon inserts, you just might find a few coupons in there for items already on your list. Saving a buck keeps it in your wallet, and those dollars can add up over time.


10. Use cash!
Swiping that credit or debit card through the machine is WAY easier then doling out our hard earned cash at the check out line. Figure out how much money you need to pay for the items that made your list, with a SMALL buffer for miscalculations. (to avoid that embarrassing moment when we realize we don't have enough money to pay for our items) Paying with cash keeps us from adding things to our cart that didn't make our list, because we simply don't have the money to pay for them. Paying with paper also makes us much more aware of how much money we're spending each week, and less likely to overspend.

One last tip is to shop at your local discount grocery store, such as Aldi. This tip didn't make my top ten because not everyone has a store like this available in their community. While you can't usually utilize your coupons because most of the items they sell are their own store brand, you can still save a lot of money because their prices are much lower then the big box stores. They stock their shelves with the basics, and you might not find everything on your list, but your staples are there and they're cheap! So check them out, you might find that you can shave valuable dollars and cents off of your grocery budget every week on the things you need.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

All You Magazine for just $1!!!

Get six issues of the deal filled magazine "All You" for only $6!!! Don't miss this deal! Just click the picture!

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Newspaper Coupon Insert Preveiw: Sunday Jan. 29, 2012

Here’s what’s coming in this Sunday’s newspaper for Jan 29, 2012:  
Red Plum, RP Unilever, Smart Source and Proctor & Gamble:

Smart Source
Air Wick $1.50/1 Freshmatic refill (2/26/12)
Air Wick $1/1 Flip & Fresh (2/26/12)
Air Wick $2/1 Freshmatic Ultra Starter Kit or Gadget Only Pack excludes free item packs (2/26/12)
Alka-Seltzer $1/1 product (4/30/12)
Alka-Seltzer $2/1 Plus product (4/30/12)
Bayer $1/1 Aspirin product 20+ (4/30/12)
Biz $2/1 any size (3/31/12)
Biz $4/both any Biz and Disney’s Lady & the Tramp Blu-ray combo pack dnd (3/31/12)
Blue Diamond $1/1 almonds 6oz+ can (4/30/12)
Boston Market $1/1 large turkey or meatloaf individual meal (2/26/12)
Boston Market $1/1 sandwich, sandwich combo or entree salad (2/26/12)
Boston Market $33/1 family meal for 5 or 6 (2/26/12)
Chex $.40/2 4.5oz+ Mix or 100 Calorie Snack (3/24/12)
Colgate $.40/1 adult or kids manual toothbrush excluding Plus and Extra Clean (2/18/12)
Colgate $.50/1 toothpaste 4oz+ (2/18/12)
Colgate $1/1 360 battery powered toothbrush or refill (2/18/12)
Dole $.75/1 Parfaits (4/30/12)
Dole $.75/2 Gels (4/30/12)
Don Francisco’s $.75/1 coffee (3/15/12)
Don Francisco’s $1/1 Family Reserve coffee (3/15/12)
Efferdent/Effergrip $.75/1 product (3/30/12)
Eggland’s Best $.50/1 eggs (6/30/12)
Eggland’s Best $.75/1 cage free dozen or organic dozen eggs (6/30/12)
El Monterey $.75/1 Mexican snacks (4/30/12)
Everybody’s Nuts $1/1 7oz+ bag (5/31/12)
Fiber One $.50/1 cereal (3/10/12)
Foster Farms $1/1 Frozen Cooked Chicken(excludes Breast Nuggets) or Turkey Meatballs (4/30/12)
Frigo $.55/1 Cheese Heads string cheese 10oz+ (4/30/12)
Hartz $1/1 Crunch’n Clean (3/15/12)
Hasbro $5/$15+ Sesame Street Plush purchase (2/19/12)
Hill’s $2/1 Science Diet Ideal Balance cat or dog food (3/31/12)
ICAPS $2.50/1 Eye Vitamin and Mineral Product (3/30/12)
Irish Spring $.50/1 multi-bar pack 3pk+ (2/18/12)
Irish Spring $1/1 body wash excluding 2.5oz size (2/18/12)
Irish Spring $1/1 deodorant (2/18/12)
Kaukauna $1.50/2 varieties or sizes of cups, balls or logs (4/30/12)
Kleenex $.75/1 hand towels (3/26/12)
MiraLAX $1/1 10 or 14 dose (3/11/12)
MiraLAX $3/1 30 dose (3/11/12)
Nature Made $1/1 product (2/29/12)
Nature Made $3/2 products (2/29/12)
Old El Paso $.50/1 product excluding refrigerated, frozen or soup (3/24/12)
Opti-Free $1.50/1 RepleniSH or Express 10oz+ solution (3/30/12)
Palmolive $.25/1 Ultra dish liquid (2/18/12)
Palmolive $.50/1 Ultra Soft Touch dish liquid 20oz+ (2/18/12)
Pillsbury $.40/2 Crescent Dinner Rolls (4/21/12)
Pillsbury $.40/2 Refrigerated Pizza Crust, Breadsticks, Loaves or Dinner Rolls (4/21/12)
Planters $1.50/2 peanuts 4-21.25oz dnd (4/30/12)
Prevacid B1G1 free 42 count up to $29 MAIL IN REBATE
Revlon $1/1 beauty tool (2/26/12)
Softsoap $.40/1 hand soap pump 8oz+ or refill (2/18/12)
Softsoap $.50/1 bar soap 2 bar pack+ (2/18/12)
Softsoap $.75/1 body wash 12oz+ (2/18/12)
Speed Stick B1G1 free Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick antiperspirant/deodorant ets up to $3.99 (2/15/12)
Systane/GenTeal $1/1 product (3/30/12)
Tai Pei $.55/1 regular or Stir Fry Creations snack or entree 7.8-24oz (3/31/12)
Totino’s $.35/1 Rolls snacks (4/21/12)
Totino’s $.75/1 Pizza Stuffers (4/21/12)
Totino’s $.75/3 Crisp Crust party pizza (4/21/12)
Vlasic $.75/1 any jar of pickles (3/31/12)

Red Plum – Unilever
Abreva $3/1 product (8/29/12)
Advantage Brands $1/1 Tagamet 30ct, Debrox, Gaviscon, Sominex, Nytol, Gly-Oxide or Massengill 4pk (4/30/12)
Bertoli $1/1 frozen meal or meal soup (2/26/12)
Best Foods $.40/1 product 16.5oz+ (2/26/12)
Breathe Right $1.50/1 12ct or smaller (3/15/12)
Breathe Right $2/1 26ct+ (3/15/12)
Caress $.75/1 12oz+ body wash or 6 bar pack+ ets (2/26/12)
Citrucel $1.50/1 Fiber product (4/30/12)
Degree $1/1 Men Adrenaline Series anti-perspirant & deodoratn ets (2/26/12)
Degree $1/1 Women Premium anti-perspirant & deodorant or body mist ets (2/26/12)
Dove $.75/1 go sleeveless or go fresh anti-perspirant/deodorant excludes trial size, multi-packs and Men+Care (2/26/12)
Dove $1/1 Beauty Bar 6 pack+ excludes trial size and Men+Care (2/26/12)
Dove $1/1 body wash 12oz+ excludes trial size and Men+Care (2/26/12)
Dove $1/1 Hair Care product ets (2/26/12)
Dove $1/1 Men+Care antiperspirant 2.7oz or deodorant 3oz ets (2/26/12)
Dove $1/1 Men+Care Body and Face Bar 6 bar pack+ ets (2/26/12)
Dove $1/1 Men+Care Body and Face Wash 13.5oz+ or Active Clean Shower Tool ets (2/26/12)
Dove $2/1 Clinical Protection anti-perspirant/deodorant excludes trial size, multi-packs and Men+Care (2/26/12)
Ecotrin $1.50/1 Aspirin Therapy product (4/30/12)
Hillshire Farm $.55/1 Rope Smoked Sausage dnd (3/24/12)
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! $.50/1 product (2/26/12)
Keebler/Sunshine $1/2 Keebler Crackers and/or Sunshine Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers 8oz-16oz (3/25/12)
Knorr $.50/2 Recipe/Sauce/Gravy Mix products (2/26/12)
Knorr $.50/2 Rice and Pasta Sides (2/26/12)
Lipton $.40/1 Tea Bags, To Go or Iced Tea Mix (2/26/12)
Lipton $.50/1 Tea Bags (2/26/12)
Mars $1/2 Valentine’s Day products dnd (2/14/12)
Monterey Gourmet Foods $1/1 pasta or sauce dnd (3/31/12)
Nalley $1/1 Pickle 16oz+ (3/24/12)
Os-Cal $1.50/1 Calcium Supplement product (4/30/12)
Pedigree $1/2 Dentastix 5.5oz+, Marrobone 8oz+, Jumbone 6.34oz+, Breathbuster or Goodbites (3/3/12)
Porcelana $2/1 product (3/31/12)
Q-tips $.30/1 cotton swabs product 170ct+ (2/26/12)
Ragu $.50/1 pasta sauce ets (2/26/12)
Tums $1/2 24ct+ (3/29/12)
Vaseline $1/1 Intensive Rescue 3oz+ ets (2/26/12)
Vaseline $1/1 Total Moisture, Aloe Fresh or Cocoa Radiant 3oz+ ets (2/26/12)
Wildwood Organic $.50/1 Emerald Valley Kitchen Organic Salsa or Hummus dnd (3/31/12)
Wildwood Organic $.75/1 Water Pack or Vacuum Pack Tofu dnd (3/31/12)
Wish-Bone $.50/1 dressing ets (2/26/12)

Red Plum
Advil/Dimetapp/Robitussin $1/1 bottle or package of congestion relief ets (3/31/12)
Advil/Thermacare $1/1 bottle or package of Advil 40ct+, Advil PM 16ct+, Children’s Advil 4oz+ or Thermacare 2ct+ ets (3/31/12)
Carnation $.50/2 12oz cans of evaporated milk (4/30/12)
Centrum $1/1 bottle or package of Centrum, Centrum Specialist, ProNutrients or Caltrate ets (3/31/12)
Coffee-Mate $.55/1 Natural Bliss product (4/22/12)
DiGiorno $2/2 large pizzas (2/5/12)
Dole $.50/2 cans of pineapple (4/30/12)
Emerald Nuts $1.50/2 products 9oz+ dnd (3/11/12)
Fancy Feast $1/1 3lb+ dry cat food bag (4/29/12)
Fancy Feast $1/18 cans Elegant Medleys (4/29/12)
Fancy Feast $1/24 cans (4/29/12)
Fancy Feast $1/4 2oz trays Appetizers for Cats (4/29/12)
Kettle Brand $1/1 chips 4oz+ dnd (3/11/12)
L’Oreal $1/1 Paris lip product (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $1/1 Paris nail product (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $1/1 Paris skincare product ets (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $2/1 Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition product (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $2/1 Excellence or Excellence To-Go shade (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $2/1 True Match makeup or Paris face cosmetic product excludes Magic Perfecting Base .17floz mini size (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $3/1 11oz standard size Elnett hairspray excludes 2.2oz trial size (3/25/12)
L’Oreal $4/2 Paris face cosmetic product excludes Magic Perfecting Base .17floz mini size (3/25/12)
Marcal $1/1 Small Steps Towel 8 roll+ or $1/1 Bath Tissue 12 roll+ or $1/2 Napkins (3/10/12)
Minute Rice $.50/1 product (4/30/12)
Nasoya $.75/1 pasta product (4/30/12)
Nasoya $1.25/2 products (4/30/12)
Nestle/Wonka $1/2 fun size bags 9oz+ (2/29/12)
Pop Secret $.50/2 products dnd (3/11/12)
Pringles $.50/1 Snack Stack ets (2/29/12)
Pringles $1/4 Super Stack cans 180g+ ets (2/29/12)
Purina $.75/1 6lb+ Cat Chow or Kitten Chow (3/25/12)
Purina $1/1 4lb+ bag of Puppy Chow, Dog Chow, Active Senior 7+, Little Bites, Healthy Morsels or Fit & Trim (3/4/12)
Purina $1/1 7lb+ Tidy Cats (4/29/12)
Purina $1/1 T-Bonz or Tiny T-Bonz (4/29/12)
Purina $1/2 Whisker Lickin’s (4/29/12)
Purina $2/1 4.5lb+ bag of Chef Michael’s Canine Creations dry dinners (2/26/12)
Purina $2/12 cans or $2/1 12 ct variety pack of Mighty Dog (3/19/12)
Purina B4G2 free cans of Chef Michael’s Canine Creations up to $1.86 (2/26/12)
Sarna $2/1 anti-itch product (3/31/12)
Stouffer’s $2/1 multi-serve entree 28-96oz (4/30/12)

Proctor & Gamble (Expires 2/29)
Bounce/Gain $1.50/1 dryer bar ets
Bounty $.25/1 towels or napkins
Cascade $.50/1 ActionPacs
Charmin $.25/1
Clairol $2/1 hair color ets
Clairol $5/2 Natural Instincts hair color ets
Covergirl $1/1 product ets
Covergirl $2.50/2 products ets
Crest $.75/1 Rinse 458mL+
Crest $1/2 toothpastes 4oz+ or liquid gel
Crest $10/1 3D White 2 Hour Express, Professional Effects or Intensive Professional Effects Whitestrips
Dawn $.50/1 Power Clean, Oxi or Bleach Alternative
Downy/Gain $2/1 Unstopables or Fireworks
Duracell $.50/1 CopperTop, Ultra Power, Ultra Photo Lithium or Specialty batteries
Duracell $1.50/1 rechargeable batteries, charge or 6pk+ hearing aid batteries
Duracell $1/1 Ultra Power
Febreze $1/1 candle excludes Home Collection
Febreze $1/1 Luminary device refill
Febreze $1/1 Set & Refresh
Febreze $2/1 Home Collection Diffuser or Candle
Febreze B1 Fabric Refresher, G1 Air Effects or Fabric Refresher free up to $5.50
Febreze B1 Flameless Luminary Wooden Lamp Base, G1 Scented Shades refill free up to $5.99
Febreze B1 NOTICEables refill, G1 NOTICEables warmer free up to $3.29
Gillette $1/1 body wash ets
Gillette $1/1 deodorant ets
Gillette $1/1 Fusion ProSeries skin care product ets
Gillette $1/1 Fusion Shave Prep ets
Gillette $3/1 Fusion ProGlide razor wyb 4ct+ cartridge ets
Head & Shoulders $1/2 shampoos or conditioners ets
Iams $3/1 dry dog or cat food
Ivory/Safeguard $.25/1 Ivory bar or body wash or Safeguard bar ets
Metamucil $1/1 ets
Metamucil $1/1 Fiber Singles, Capsules or Wafers ets
Olay $1/1 bar, body wash or in-shower body lotion ets
Olay $5/1 Pro-X facial moisturizer ets
Olay B1 Professional Pro-X, Regenerist or Total Effects Facial Moisturizer or Smooth Finish Facial Hair Removal Duo, G1 4-bar soap pack free up to $5.99 ets
Old Spice $.50/1 body spray or fragrance ets
Old Spice $.50/2 products ets
Old Spice B1 deodorant, get $1 off body wash ets
Oral-B $.75/1 floss or floss picks 30ct+
Oral-B $.75/1 Pulsar, 3D White, Pro-Health or Complete or $.75/2 Indicator or Cavity Defense manual toothbrushes
Oral-B $20/1 Pulsonic or Professional Care rechargeable toothbrush MAIL IN REBATE
Oral-B $5/1 replacement brush heads 3ct+
Pampers $.60/1 wipes 60ct+
Pampers $1.50/1 diapers or pants
Pantene $1/2 products ets
Prilosec OTC $2/1
Puffs $.25/3 singles or $.25/1 3pack
Scope $1/1 mouthwash 710mL+
Secret $1/1 Outlast ets
Swiffer $.50/1 refill or Dust & Shine ets
Swiffer $1/1
Swiffer $1/1 Dusters 6ct, Dry Cloth 32ct, Wet Cloths 24ct, WetJet pads 17ct+ ets
Tide/Downy $.50/1 Tide detergents, Downy Bounce or Tide Stain Release ets
Tide/Downy $1/2 Tide detergents, Downy Bounce or Tide Stain Release ets
Tide/Downy $2/3 Tide detergents, Downy Bounce or Tide Stain Release ets
Vicks $1/1 product excludes trial and Vapo drops
Vicks $3/1 Nature Fusion product

Healthy Chicken Recipes : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network

Healthy Chicken Recipes : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network

Picture of Chicken Fingers With Curried Ketchup Recipe  
Photo: Chicken Fingers With Curried Ketchup Recipe
Rated 5 stars out of 5
  • Total Time: 35 min
  • Prep: 5 min
  • Cook: 30 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Level: Easy

     

    Ingredients

    • Cooking spray
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • 2 teaspoons curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • Kosher salt
    • 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
    • 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch-wide strips
    • 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
    • 3/4 cup ketchup
    • Juice of 1 lime

     

    Directions

    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a rack on a baking sheet and mist with cooking spray. Whisk the eggs, mustard, 1 teaspoon curry powder, the cumin and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. Mix the panko with 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in another bowl.
    Dip the chicken strips in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then coat with the panko. Place the chicken on the rack and mist all over with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot with a steamer rack or basket in place. Add the broccoli, cover and steam until crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Mix the ketchup, lime juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in a small bowl. Serve the chicken strips with the curried ketchup and broccoli.

    Per serving: Calories 330; Fat 5 g (Saturated 1 g); Cholesterol 155 mg; Sodium 1,190 mg; Carbohydrate 34 g; Fiber 3 g; Protein 37 g

    Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

    Sunday, January 22, 2012

    Free NeilMed Sinus Rinse Bottle or NeilMed Neti Pot

    Free NeilMed Sinus Rinse Bottle


    1. Click here to visit the Sinus Rinse facebook and like them.
    2. Then on the “Free Sinus Rinse Bottle” tab, click either “Click here to request your FREE NeilMed Sinus Rinse Bottle with two packets”
    3. Fill out their form
    4. Allow their app
    5. Watch their quick video
    6. Once it’s over just click done
    Free NeilMed Neti Pot

    1. Click here to visit the Netipot facebook and like them.
    2. Then on the “Free Neti Pot” click either “Click here if you are a user of NeilMed NasaFlo® Neti Pot” or “Click here if you use another saline rinse”
    3. Fill out their form
    4. Allow their app
    5. Watch their quick video
    6. Once it’s over just click done

    Friday, January 20, 2012

    Thursday, January 19, 2012

    BodyMedia FIT Armband....My Honest Opinion.

    A couple of years ago, I was at my wits end with my weight. I was finished having babies after being blessed with three beautiful children. Each pregnancy pushed my weight up past my "highest" point more then the last. I was fat, unhealthy, tired, and depressed. I desperately wanted to do it right this time. So I set out on the web to find my "cure". I didn't want a quick fix, or some stimulant filled miracle pill, I wanted to be fit and healthy....not just slim.

    That's when I found the BodyMedia FIT website!! Which is the same company that makes the arm bands used on the hit TV show "The Biggest Loser". Could this be it, I wondered as I read on about the products and services they offered. With each paragraph I read, I grew more and more excited about the possibilities! Their site is filled with studies, scientific research and explanations, video tutorials, testimonials, and straight forward easy to understand information about their products.

    I was definitely convinced.....I had to try this out, so I placed my order. Once I received my box I used the armband and the activity manager religiously. Tracking my steps, my activity levels, my sleep quality, my daily caloric intake and expenditures, all the while I was shedding my excess weight. Wearing the armband made me very conscious about the food I was eating and the amount of exercise I was getting. It actually became a game to see how well I could follow my calorie and activity goals each and every day.

    I was thrilled that the weight was coming off and it wasn't difficult. There was no starvation dieting, no off limit foods, no insane workout schedule, and I was still shedding the pounds. The secret is simple, calories in, calories out. With this system you know what your caloric intake is because you track it easily online. You also know how many calories you're burning because the armband keeps track for you. So as long as you burn more calories then you eat each day, you'll lose weight.

    It's been two years since I started using BodyMedia FIT, and to date I've lost about 70 lbs. At my lowest weight I had lost over 80 lbs! Which may not seem like a lot for two years, but I have to be honest and say that I faltered a few times. I would be really good about wearing the band, and tracking my foods for a while, and then I would fall out of the habit of wearing it and back into bad eating and a more sedentary lifestyle. Which made me gain back some of the weight that I had worked so hard to lose.

    Being over weight is a daily battle, but when using BodyMedia FIT, it can be won. I've dusted off my armband, and I'm happy to say that I'm back on track. It's been about a week and a half and I've already lost 6 lbs. I had forgotten just how easy it is to drop the weight while utilizing the band and the online tracking software. This time I plan on taking my weight loss all the way to the finish line, and I know that with BodyMedia FIT on my side I'll get there!

    New Smartphone App from BodyMedia With BodyMedia FIT, you can take control and achieve your weight loss goals!

    Wednesday, January 18, 2012

    Tuesday, January 17, 2012

    The Health Benefits Of Water

     Author: Jim Plummer

    There are several health benefits of water, and your body needs an adequate supply of water in order to function properly.

    The human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water depending on age, gender and amount of body fat, and water is essential to human life. Water forms the basis for all fluids in the body, such as blood and digestive juices, and it's the catalyst in all metabolic functions throughout the body.

    Your body is dynamic and always changing, and this is especially true with regard to water in your body. You lose water routinely when your body performs normal functions such as breathing, sweating and eliminating waste. In a typical day, you need to consume a substantial amount of water to replace this routine loss.

    Here are the primary health benefits of water:

    *Drinking an adequate amount of water prevents dehydration.
    *Water removes toxins and waste products from the body.
    *Water carries nutrients to the cells of the body.
    *Water regulates vitamin and mineral metabolism.
    *Water is a natural appetite suppressant.
    *Water helps the body metabolize stored fat.
    *Water enhances digestion and helps prevent constipation.
    *Drinking more water can often reduce joint pain and back pain.

    The first benefit is especially important because mild to moderate dehydration is actually a very common problem. Mild to moderate dehydration can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, poor concentration, headaches and dizziness. Many people who suffer from one or more of these ailments have no idea that dehydration is the cause, and that getting relief is as simple as consuming more water.

    It's commonly said that you should drink eight glasses of water a day to stay healthy, but this is just a general rule. The amount can vary widely from person to person depending on factors such as age, physical condition, activity level and climate. If you drink enough water so you rarely feel thirsty (by the time you become thirsty it's possible to already be slightly dehydrated) and you produce urine that's clear or light yellow, your water intake is most likely adequate.

    You also need to make sure that the water you drink is as clean as possible. This is why I recommend drinking filtered water instead of tap water or bottled water. Tap water often contains lead and trace amounts of toxins, and there's also the risk of bacterial contamination. Bottled water is less strictly regulated than tap water. Companies that sell bottled water do not have to divulge to consumers the water's source, how the water has been purified, and what chemical pollutants the water may contain. Also, all plastic bottles leach plastic byproducts, like phthalates and BPA, into the water. Using a water filter is the only way to ensure that the water you drink is clean and contaminant-free.

    In conclusion, don't underestimate the health benefits of water. Drinking plenty of good, clean water is an easy and effective way to boost your health.

    Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/the-health-benefits-of-water-1553088.html

    Monday, January 16, 2012

    Keep Your Family Safe with These Safety Tips

    Author: Family Safety

    Protecting your family can be quite a challenge, and it's only natural to want to do everything possible to ensure they remain safe and healthy. Unfortunately it impossible to protect your family from every bad thing in the world, but when it comes to your home there are things everyone can do to help keep safe. Just like a sports team working towards a goal, a family working together, can help ensure family safety. Here are 5 family safety tips that can help your family conquer some common household dangers.

    1) A fire is reported every 45 seconds, and almost 180,000 people a year are hospitalized for burns in the U.S. According to the American Red Cross, the most common disaster in the country is household fires. The first step is to install a smoke alarm on every floor of your house, and in any room where the door is commonly kept closed. Just be aware that it takes more than a smoke alarm and early warning to protect your family from a house fire, it takes planning. It's imperative to develop an escape plan for the family in case of an emergency. A monthly practice drill is vital so that everyone knows instinctively what to do and where to go, if a fire should happen. Another step is to conduct monthly tests to check if each fire alarm is working properly, and to make sure to replace the batteries every six months.

    2) Get your home tested for radon leaks. The Surgeon General warns that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon is found all over the U.S. and comes from natural radioactive gas that you can't detect, since it has no odor. Getting your home's radon level tested is easy and relatively inexpensive, plus it's the only way to know if your home has a leak. If tests show excess amount of radon in your home, the leak can usually be fixed with proper repairs.

    3) Protect your family from carbon monoxide. It is estimated that 200 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning each year, and that number could be higher. Many times the victim will suffer the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning without knowing it. So it's important to know the symptoms of CO poisoning. The symptoms of CO poisoning are very similar to the flu. Symptoms include; nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue and weakness, headaches, sleepiness, and confusion. If anyone in your family start showing signs of CO poisoning, immediately open windows and doors and go to the emergency room, and report the suspected CO poisoning. Carbon Monoxide Detectors are an excellent way to get early warning of a carbon monoxide leak in your home. Just as with fire detector CO detectors should be installed on every level of your home as well as in any routinely closed room. Never use a gas range burner, or ignite coals inside your home. Keep your garage ventilated to reduce car emissions, and don't let your motor run while inside a closed garage.

    4) Defend your home from burglaries and home break-ins. FBI reported, in 2009 that the average home burglaries value was over $2k. Their research also showed that more home burglaries occurred during daylight rather than at night. Protecting your family from burglaries will take team work. Teach the kids to never open the door unless they can see and identify the person, and if they don't recognize them, then they must verify with an adult if the person has a legitimate reason for knocking at your door. Home burglary is generally a crime of opportunity, and the criminal will always try to avoid drawing attention. This makes home security systems a good deterrent to have. In fact a third of all home break-ins, the burglar found his way in through unlock doors or window. All family members must take responsibility for always locking doors and bedroom windows. Another preventive measure is to install motion activated lights in order to deter intruders from hiding in the dark. To monitor your home while you're away, installing security cameras can help you keep an eye on your property.

    5) Falls are the leading cause on nonfatal injuries seen in hospital emergency rooms for all ages. Use home safety devices, such as sensors or guards on windows to keep children from falling or climbing out of windows. Grab bars and rails in bathrooms help reduce accidents, especially for the elderly. Make sure everyone does their part to keep stairways, and hall ways clear of debris, toys, or anything that can cause someone to trip. For households with young children, gates at the top of stairs help keep children from falling. And lastly nightlights to illuminate dark rooms and pathways at night make it easy to avoid accidents while getting up from bed.

    Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-security-articles/keep-your-family-safe-with-these-safety-tips-5254170.html

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