New Beginnings

As a result of some person issues I've been unable to write for a while. I've also put on some weight and lost muscle. Not working out, and eating quick meals will do that to you ;-)
I've been really dreading starting to work out again. It's been on mind for days, yet I just couldn't seem to find the motivation to start.

This afternoon I figured, I'll just start small. I went for a 30 min walk, then started riding the exercise bike for 10 minutes. The 10 minutes soon turned to 20, I was feeling really good. In the end I managed to do a short weight routine, and a bit of work on the fit ball.

I feel more energized than I have for months, it's awesome. I love how working out can make you feel so alive, even though your tired and sore. I'm so glad that I've started again, I'm not going to rush things though, the last thing I want is to hurt myself and have to stop again. I just want to feel fit and healthy once more.

The hardest thing is finding the motivation to start. This is the same for most things in life, just finding the strength in yourself to start, no matter what it is you want to do. Once you start it's easy, once you start it's hard to stop.

Growing Sprouts In 6 Easy Steps

A high source of protein and energy, beans are an important part of a healthy diet, especially if you're trying to loose weight. I like to grow sprouts from my beans, they are easy to grow, and make a healthy addition to any salad.

You can sprout many beans including; alfalfa, barley, broccoli, buckwheat, cabbage, fenugreek, garbanzo, green peas, lentils, mung beans, radishes, red clover, wheat, soy beans, sunflowers and more. Make sure that you always purchase beans, which have been packaged for sprouting, no other type will do.

Growing sprouts in a jar
The easiest method is to grow sprouts in a glass jar, any size will do. To provide plenty of fresh air, cover the top of the jar with muslin, cheese cloth or nylon mesh screen and secure with a rubber band. You can also buy specially sprouting lids designed for this purpose.

Step One: Soaking
In a litre jar, put 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of small seeds, and up to 1 cup of larger seeds, like green peas or garbanzor. Cover top of jar with cloth or sprouting lid and rinse the seeds in warm (not hot) water. Drain and refill so that water is about an inch above the seeds. Let the seeds soak 8-12 hours (overnight). Protect from light by covering with a dish towel or placing in a cupboard.

Step Two: Rinsing
Rinse 2 to 3 times per day for 3 to 4 days (depending on the temperature). After thoroughly draining the rinse water, lay the jar on its side to spread out the seeds. Do not expose to light. After 3 to 4 days the sprouts should be filling up the jar. Sometimes I keep doing this for 5 days, it depends on how you like your sprouts, experiment and see what you like.

Step Three: Removing Hulls
After 3 to 4 days the sprouts will have thrown off their hulls. To remove the hulls, place the sprouts in a bowl and run cool water over them. Most of the hulls will either float to the top or sink to the bottom making them easy to remove. (Note: not all seeds have hulls.)

Step Four: Harvesting
Rinse sprouts in cool water and remove any remaining hulls. Drain in a colander, but do not allow the sprouts to dry out. Place in an air-tight bag leaving room for air circulation.

If your sprouts need to develop chlorophyll or carotene there is one final step. (The seed package directions should tell you whether greening is necessary.)

Step Five: Greening
Once the hulls are removed, place the sprouts back into the sprouting jar or into a clear plastic airtight bag. Put the sprouts in indirect sunlight. It takes about a day for the chlorophyll and carotenes to develop. Once the sprouts are ready rinse, drain, and eat, or refrigerate.

Storing:
Sprouts will keep for about a week in the refrigerator if you rinse them once every day or two. Be sure to keep the sprouts from freezing as they are frost sensitive.

6 Sprouting Tips:
If you stick to these tips you'll never go wrong:

• Rinse often (2-3 times/day).
• Keep them moist, not wet.
• Keep them at room temperature.
• Give them air to breathe.
• Don’t grow too many in one container.
• Keep them in a dark place.

Happy Sprouting :-)

9 Nuts For Your Health

While in the vegetable shop this morning, I brought some roasted nuts. All the way home, I wondered if there were any health benefits to all the nuts and seeds we eat. So I've done a little bit of research and I thought I would share my results with you.

Firstly a nut is a dried fruit with one (sometimes two) seeds, and there are many different types. Nuts can be high in calories and fat, yet they have many health benefits. Eating nuts is believed to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, plus nuts generally have a very low glycemic index (GI), therefore are helpful for patients with insulin resistance problems such as diabetes mellitus type 2.

I wanted to look at the Health benefits of 9 most common Nuts/Seeds, we have here at home:

1. Almonds:

• Are believed to induce high intellectual level and longevity.
• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Are believed to have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.
• Contain the amino acid arginine, which inhibits tumour growth and boosts immunity.
• Elevate the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and of lowering the levels of low density lipoproteins.
• Lower your risk of heart attack and improve your bone strength.
• Per ounce (28.41g) provides: 7.5 milligrams (mg) vitamin E, 75 mg calcium, 81 mg magnesium, 211 mg potassium.

2. Peanuts:

• Are also one of the few foods naturally containing Coenzyme Q10, which is present in all human cells and responsible for the production of the body’s own energy.
• Are also one of the highest sources of vitamin B3, also called niacin and thus contributes to brain health, brain circulation and blood flow.
• Are a rich source of protein: roughly 30 grams per cup after roasting.
• Are a significant source of resveratrol, a chemical studied for potential anti-aging effects and also associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and reduced cancer risk.
• Are high in antioxidants.
• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.

3. Pecans:

• Are a good low fat source of vitamin E and also have anti-cancer effects.
• Are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats.
• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Can lower the risk of gallstones in women.
• Contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability.

4. Pine Nuts:

• Are a good source of dietary fibre.
• Contain (depending on species) between 10–34% of protein, with Stone Pine having the highest content.
• Pine nuts can be pressed to extract pine nut oil
  Pine Nut Oil:
• Boosts appetite suppressors up to 60% for four hours, as well as acting as an appetite suppressant itself.
• Can reduce LDLs, yielding further health benefits.
• Contains a high concentration of free radical scavengers, which help reduce oxidative damage that can lead to peptic ulcers or gastritis.

5. Walnuts:

• Are high in antioxidants and ALA, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
• Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Can reduce the damaging effects of unhealthy fats on blood vessels.
• Contain ellagic acid: the cancer-fighting polyphenol antioxidant
• Help the arteries maintain their elasticity and flexibility
• May reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by maintaining amyloid beta protein in the soluble form.

6. Flax or Linseed Seeds:

• Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Contain high levels of lignans, which may benefit the heart, possess anti-cancer properties and reduced growth in specific types of tumours.
• May benefit individuals with certain types of breast cancer.
• May lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.

7. Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas:

• Are a good source of iron, zinc, essential fatty acids, potassium, and magnesium.
• Are a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, iron, copper, protein, and zinc.
• Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Contain high levels of phytosterols, which are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.
• One gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk.
• Promote prostate health, as components in pumpkin seed oil interrupt the triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT.

8. Sesame seeds:

• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Are rich in manganese, copper, and calcium, and contain Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and Vitamin E (tocopherol).
• Contain phytosterols, which block cholesterol production.
• Contain powerful antioxidants called lignans, which are also anti-carcinogenic.
• Contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin, which are lignans.
• Have been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage.
• Nutrients are better absorbed if they are ground or pulverised before consumption.

9. Sunflower Seeds:

• Additionally, they are rich in cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
• Are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
• Has a Calming affect on your nerves, muscles and blood vessels from the Magnesium.
• Has Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Vitamin E.
• Selenium helps improved detoxification and cancer prevention.

Remember to eat all foods in moderation, items like nuts are no exception. I find having a mix of different nuts and seeds are handy, they're certainly better than a packet of chips, or a biscuit. There are some health concerns when eating nuts, if you would like to know more about these please see: Health Benefits and Concerns for Nuts and Seeds.

Serving Suggestions:
You can add your nuts to many dishes, here are a few serving suggestions for you:

• Add chopped nuts and seeds to your favourite hot or cold cereal.
• Add nuts and seeds to your favourite tuna, chicken or turkey salad recipe.
• Add your nuts and seeds to healthy sautéed vegetables.
• Add your nuts and seeds to your oatmeal raisin cookie, bread or granola recipe.
• Grind your nuts and seeds with fresh garlic, parsley and cilantro leaves. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice for a tasty salad dressing.
• Next time you make burgers, whether it be from vegetables, turkey or beef, add some ground nuts and seeds.
• Sprinkle your nuts and seeds on top of mixed green salads.

Have Fun, Stay Healthy :-)

It's Important to Stretch

I talked last night about the importance of warming up and cooling down when working out, strength training.

Stretching is not the only type of warm up, cool down activity that you can do. You can ride a bike, walk, jog, or jump rope. Personally I like to jump rope, and use a fitness ball.
However it is important that you stretch as well as one or more of these other exercises. Stretching can help prevent an injury, and post-exercise muscle soreness, as well as improve your range of motion (ROM).

I do the same stretching set before and after a work out. I like to do the set backwards in cool down, to keep me concentrating, and I prefer to go from Lying to Standing before then, Standing to Lying afterwards. Each stretch I do is held for a count of 30, and it's really important to focus on the area your stretching while your stretching it. This seems to intensify the stretch.

My stretching routing looks like this: (If your unsure of any of the stretches follow the links)

Position	Stretch
Lying Down	Groin Stretch
	Lying Tuck
Sitting	Groin Stretch
	Ham String Stretch
	Iliotibial Band Stretch
	Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 1
	Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 2
	Tennis Elbow Stretch Level 1
	Tennis Elbow Stretch level 2
Keeling	Chest Stretch
	Lat Stretch
	Cat Stretch
Standing	Calf Stretch
	Soleus Stretch
	Groin Stretch
	Ham String Stretch
	Quadriceps Stretch

Then the same but backwards for after my weight lifting routine.

If your would like to know more about stretching this is a nice document: Stretching and Flexibility - How to Stretch.
I love how fit, and healthy I'm feeling now. I have so much more energy and I feel great. Good luck, have fun, and stay healthy :-)

6 Week Workout Routine

I started a new workout routine yesterday. It's a nice little routine, working all of the major muscle areas. I'm going to use this workout for 6 weeks then I'm going to up the sets to three instead of two.
My new routine is split over two days, Day 1: Upper Body, Day 2: Lower Body, and Day 3: Off. Always remember how important it is to have a day off, this is when your muscles grow.

This is my new routine for anyone interested.

Day 1
Muscle Group	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Chest	Bench Press	2	12-15
	Incline Press	2	12-15
Upper Back	Lat Pull Down	2	12-15
	One-arm Dumbbell Row	2	12-15
	Heavy Shrugs	2	12-15
Shoulders	Dumbbell Shoulder Press	2	12-15
	Upright Row	2	12-15
	Dumbbell Lying Raise	2	12-15
Biceps	Barbell Curl	2	12-15
Triceps	Tricep Extension	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunch	2	12-15
	Oblique Crunch	2	12-15
Day 2
Legs/Glutes	Squat	2	12-15
Quadriceps/Glutes	Front Lunge	2	12-15
Quadriceps	Leg Extension	2	12-15
Ham Strings	Lying Leg Curl	2	12-15
Lower Back	Back Extension	2	12-15
Calves	Calf Raise	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunch	2	12-15
	Oblique Crunch	2	12-15

If you would like more information on strength training, or these exercises these sites have some awesome information:
Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology
Muscle Exercise Encyclopedia Instructions
Have fun and stay safe when exercising, and always warm-up and cool down before and after lifting weights ;-)

Motivation

Finding motivation from day to day can be very difficult. Recently I've been very unwell, my partner and I caught a nasty bug that's been going around. Illness quickly saps your energy and working-out (especially weight training) becomes impossible. When I started to feel better I really found it hard to get back into my routine, I didn't want to start working out again. I'm not sure why, I love the feeling, I just really struggled.

I'm back in the saddle now, and doing a split routine, 2 days on, 1 day off, upper body and abs one day and lower body and abs the second day. I just didn't think that it would take so much to start again. I really had to push to find that motivation. When you have a regular routine it just becomes something that you do, you don't really think about it, you just do it.

I remember when I first started, I was very unfit and fat, it took a lot to get me going. I just focused on how much I wanted it. How much I wanted to be able to run to the end of the street and not be worn out. To be able to play and mess around with my partner and not need to stop and have a breather. How I wanted to remove the fat from my body and be fit and healthy. How much I want to start my marriage feeling good about me, and my life.

I wouldn't give-up working-out, the energy that I have now is incredible. It seems strange that working-out would give you more energy but it does. It makes you feel fit and strong, your memory and concentration improve as well.

So even though the motivation can be hard to find at times it is very much worth the effort. I'm glad that I take 20 minutes to and hour out of my day to exercise. After a while it just becomes something that you crave, that you miss when you don't get to do it. That gives you so much more than you ever expected. Give it a go, find your motivation today.

Rice, What's the Difference?

At the supermarket yesterday I noticed a packet of brown rice, I wondered if there was any truth to how much healthier it claimed to be, so I decided to do some research, this is what I discovered.
Brown rice, also known as "hulled rice", is not milled or only partly milled rice. It is chewier than white rice and has a slightly nutty flavor. It has more nutritional value than white rice but by comparison decomposes more quickly.
White rice is rice which has been milled, having it's husk, bran and germ removed. This is done to extend the life of the grain, so that it can be shipped further and stored for longer.

The Milling process
The main difference between brown rice and white rice is the milling process, which affects the nutritional content. Milling is often referred to as "whitening" because the variety of rice may be identical, but milling removes the husk and the bran from the grain turning it from brown to white. After milling, white rice is polished, to give it a bright, white, shiny appearance.

Take a Grain of rice --> remove the outer layer (the husk) = Brown rice (bran layer) --> remove bran layer = White rice.

So what's lost in the milling process?

The process of removing the husk and the bran from the rice takes away some of the nutritional benefits of rice. For more information on the nutritional information please see the table below.

• During the milling and polishing process many vitamins and dietary minerals are lost. In "enriched" white rice some of these nutrients are added back in a chemical form, such as vitamins B1, B3, and iron, but the majority are lost.
• In removing the bran layer the oil is also removed, a recent study has shown that rice bran oil may help lower LDL cholesterol.
• Fiber and fatty acids are also lost in the process, one cup of brown rice has over three grams of fiber, while the equivalent white rice has less than one gram.
• Brown rice is reputedly easier to digest, because it contains more bran than it's white rice counterpart.

There is also a chemical difference between the two for more information please compare: White rice and Brown rice.

Table of Nutritional differences between Brown and White rice:

	Brown Rice (one cup)	White Rice (one cup)
Calories	232	223
Protein	4.88 g	4.10 g
Carbohydrate	49.7 g	49.6 g
Fat	1.17 g	0.205 g
Dietary Fiber	3.32 g	0.74 g
Thiamin (B1)	0.176 g	0.223 g
Riboflavin (B2)	0.039 mg	0.021 mg
Niacin (B3)	2.730 mg	2.050 mg
Vitamin B6	0.294 mg	0.103 mg
Folacin	10 mcg	4.1 mcg
Vitamin E	1.4 mg	0.462 mg
Magnesium	72.2 mg	22.6 mg
Phosphorus	142 mg	57.4 mg
Potassium	137 mg	57.4 mg
Selenium	26 mg	19 mg
Zinc	1.05 mg	0.841 mg

Cooking Brown Rice
Brown rice takes longer than white rice to cook, so you need to increase the amount of water slightly.

• To prepare brown rice, use 2 cups of water for each cup of brown rice, and salt to taste.
• Bring salted water to a boil, and stir in rice.
• Reduce heat to a minimal simmer, and cook tightly covered for 30-45 minutes or until all water has been absorbed into rice.

Note: Use slightly more water for sticky rice. Use slightly less water for fluffy.
Adding a couple tablespoons of yogurt helps to give brown rice the texture of white rice.

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rice
http://www.drlam.com/opinion/brown_rice_vs_white_rice.cfm
http://nutrition.about.com/od/healthyshopping/f/brown_white_ric.htm

Fresh Glass of Water?

The other day I recieved a graphic example of how well my water filter works. I've had many people ask me why I filter my water, and there are many good reasons to do it. If I could afford to I would filter all of the water that comes into my home!

I have a Brita water jug, and all of our drinking water, including water for our plants, and the kettle goes through the jug. At the Brita (Australia) website there is a really good explanation as to why you would want to filter your water? if you would like more information.

A few days ago the council was working on our water pipes, and they turned off the water for about seven hours, when it came back on, it was not pretty. Pictured right, is how it looked after the tap had been running for about 10 minutes. I didn't want to wash my hands under that, let alone drink it. It has since slightly improved, although still a little orange, (I'm shuddering right now!)

I thought this was a perfect time to test the water filter, I should note: the filter needed changing, so it was on it's last legs at this stage.
Pictured Right the water before and Pictured Left the water afterwards. I was so impressed, this really made me see why my partner said that it was so important to have a water filter.
I get to have a fresh glass of water without all those chemicals and crap woohoo!!!

You can clearly see in this picture below the water at the top, out of the tap, and the water below, after being through the filter. I honestly don't know what I would do without my filter, it is amazing!

Sick and tired...

I just "love" being sick, my energy is so drained that moving seems almost impossible. I feel as though I falling behind on all my plans, and activities, as if I wasn't already far enough behind.
I guess I shouldn't expect any different; after all I haven't slept or eaten properly for a while now. Therefore my immune system is not exactly up to par. My partner is way worse than I am, he can barely sleep or eat as his throat is almost completely closed over.

To who ever thought that it was necessary to go outside and spreed your germs around: congratulations. You have infected at least two people, well done!
I don't understand your actions. I don't understand going out and passing around illnesses, yet it seems like it is the done thing, around Launceston at least.
Hopefully we'll be feeling a little better soon, (I've only been saying that for 4 days now).

I want to move out to the country, I'm sick of city life.
I want to be outside in the fresh air, away from all of the sheeple, spreading their germs, reacting, and following the man. Away from the shops telling me to buy every few minutes, away from the lights, the smell, the pollution, the disorder, the vehicles, the mess, the litter.
I just want to be in silence for a while, I want to go outside and lay on the grass and stair at the stars, I want to breathe the air from the trees. I want to grow a garden, have a compost heap, have chickens, and other animals. I want to feel the dirt beneath my finger tips, and know that I've done a hard days work.
Oh to taste freedom of the country again...

What Can Baking Soda do?

My massive collection of Bi-carb Soda (Baking Soda) Tips:

Cleaning

• Deodorise the whole house! Sprinkle carpets with Bi-carb Soda, leave a few minutes and then vacuum.
• For everyday freshness, fill a small container and leave in the fridge to absorb food odours. Replace every three months or so.
• Clean chopping boards, stainless steel sinks, ovens and rangehoods with food safe Bi-carb Soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. Rinse well and your whole kitchen will sparkle.
• In the bathroom: Bi-carb Soda will work a treat on bathroom surfaces too - bathtubs, tiles, floors, mirrors, screens and sinks.
• Keep your rubbish bin smelling fresh - periodically sprinkle Bi-carb Soda on the waste. On rubbish collection day, wash and deodorise the bin in a solution of Bi-carb Soda.
• Restore life to stained tea/coffee cups - apply to a damp cloth and rub away.
• Throw a handful of Bi-carb Soda into the bottom of the dishwasher mid-way between loads - this will eliminate odors and work double-duty as a gentle cleanser in the next wash cycle.
• Freshen sinks by slowly pouring half a cup down the drain together with warm tap water.
• Cleaning brass door knobs, window handles and ornaments.
• For a sparkling microwave, wipe over (inside and out) with a damp sponge sprinkled with Bi-carb Soda. Rinse well with water.
• Polish up the family silverware with a paste made from Bi-carb Soda and water. Rinse and dry well
• For stubborn oven grime, apply a paste of Bi-carb Soda and water to a warm oven, leave overnight and wipe off. For regular cleaning, apply paste to a cold oven, warm for 30 minutes and then rinse off.
• For dirty saucepans that don't respond to steel scourers, add cold water and one to two tablespoons of Bi-carb Soda and bring to the boil. When cool, finish off with steel wool.
• In a Stainless Steel sink add 1/2 cup Bi-carb to 1 gal of water and dip silver in water and wipe with sponge to remove tarnish. Works great! No more cleaning with silver polish.
• Remove corrosion from automobile battery cables. Paint it on and leave a thick layer. wait 5-10 minutes and flush with water.
• To clean oily stains from concrete and driveways, sprinkle over and scrub with a wet brush.
• Add half a cup to the laundry rinse cycle to give towels and linens a breezy freshness.
• Clean kids' toys by soaking or wiping down with a solution of Bi-Carb Soda and water. Rinse, dry and play.
• Freshen stuffed toys with a sprinkling of Bi-carb Soda. Wait 15 minutes, brush off and cuddle away.
• After the family BBQ, Bi-carb Soda will make light work of cleaning the grill. Just sprinkle on, scrub with a damp brush and rinse clean.
• Use Bi-carb Soda as a pre-soaker for soiled nappies, removing mold or stubborn stains. Dissolve 45 grams in a bucket of warm water, let soak, wash in hot soapy water and dry in the sun.
• As a whitener, add 2 teaspoons of Bi-carb Soda to half a bucket of cold water. Soak 30 minutes then wash as normal.
• Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.
• Oil and grease - stained clothing washes out better with soda added to the washing water.
• Clean combs and brushes in a soda solution.
• To remove stubborn stains from marble, Formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of soda and water.
• Run you coffee maker through its cycle with a soda solution. Rinse.
• Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with soda and water. Also Sprinkle a bit of dry soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor. (Or give up smoking)
• Soak your shower curtains in water and soda to clean them.
• Use to sweeten sour dishcloths.

Deodorizing

• Sprinkle Bi-carbon your carpet before vacuuming to eliminate food and pet odors
• After emptying the garbage, sprinkle some Bi-carbon the bottom of the garbage can; this will neutralize the food odors.
• Keep an open box of Bi-carb in the back of your refrigerator and in your pantry; replace every 2-3 months.
• Pour Bi-carb down your garbage disposal while running warm water.
• Smelly shoes? Pour in a little and leave 2-3 days to absorb.
• Safely deodorise your pet's bedding by sprinkling with Bi-carb Soda. Wait 15 minutes then vacuum.
• Between your dog's baths, try a dry freshen-up - Sprinkle Bi-carb Soda into their fur, rub and then comb or brush out.
• Deodorise your car - sprinkle Bi-carb Soda over upholstery and carpets, leave for 15 minutes and then vacuum.
• Sprinkle Bi-carb Soda into smelly gym bags or golf bags to deodorise and freshen.
• To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with soda, then rinse.
• If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in Bi-carb and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.

Health and Beauty

• Wash your face in Bi-carb soda to take off dead skin and old make-up. Add to your shampoo once in a while to really remove old hair spray and setting gels.
• Mix 2 tbl spoons Bi-carb in 8 oz glass of water, and drink. Helps with stomach aches and gas.
• For fresh, silky-smooth skin, dissolve half a cup in your bathwater to soften your skin.. Relax and soak it up !
• For a sparkling smile, brush teeth with a paste of Bi-carb Soda and water.
• Bi-carb is a great teeth whitener. Sprinkle a little on your toothbrush before the paste goes on.
• Mix three parts to one part water for a gentle facial scrub that won't strip oils from the skin.
• Putting 2 tbsp. of Bi-carb in your baby's bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.
• Apply soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.
• Take a soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.
• Take 1/2 teaspoon of Bi-carb in 1/2 glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.
• Gargle with 1/2 tsp. Bi-carb in 1/2 glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.
• Used as a mouthwash, Bi-carb will also relieve canker sore pain.
• To relieve sunburn: use a paste of Bi-carb and water.
• Bug bites: use a poultice of Bi-carb and vinegar. It neutralizes the "sting" and provides relief instantly.
• Bee sting: use a poultice of Bi-carb and water. It neutralizes the "sting" and provides relief instantly.
• Windburns: moisten some Bi-carb and apply directly.

Cooking

• To make your own baking powder combine 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. This is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of commercial baking powder. If you are not using immediately, add 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch to absorb any moisture in the air and to prevent a premature chemical reaction between the acid and alkali.
• When scalding a chicken, add 1 tsp. of soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.
• Add to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.
• Add to water to remove the "gamey" taste from wild game.

Other

• Bi-carb Soda will put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs. It will also work for car, grease or electrical fires.
• Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of Bi-carb on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.

Fresh Natural Home Made Yoghurt

Yesterday my partner brought me an Easiyo yoghurt maker. We just took the first batch out.
It's really yummy :D.

We brought the Natural Plain Unsweetened. I thought it would taste a little bitter, but it was so beautiful.

It was incredibly easy to make with the yoghurt maker.

• Half-fill the yoghurt jar with cold water (personally I use filtered water).
• Pour in the sachet.
  
• Put the lid on and shake the jar really well.
• Then fill the jar to the top with water, and re-shake.
• Pour boiling water into the yoghurt Maker to the top of the baffle.
• Place jar inside the yoghurt Maker.
• Leave sitting for between 8 and 24 hours (until set).
• Then store the yoghurt jar in the refrigerator.

To add to the taste a little, Daz made a bowl of pineapple yoghurt. To do this all he did was chop up a bit of pineapple (to taste) then added about a teaspoon of raw sugar. It was perfect.


Edit: After leaving the yoghurt in the fridge all night I had some more. It had set really nicely, and was even more tasty than before.

I want to learn now how to keep the cultures going so that I don't have to keep buying the sachet's.
I want to know exactly what I'm putting in my families food.

The Green Tea challenge

How amazing would it be to find one product that would have ALL of the following effects:

• Reduced high blood pressure
• Lowered blood sugar levels
  
• Prevented cardiovascular disease
• Helped fight and prevent cancer
• Protected Brain Function (Alzheimer's, Memory)
• Assisted Memory
• Encouraged Weight Loss
• Defended the Immune System
• Helped Stabilize Diabetes
• Kept your skin acne-free
• Helped general skin care
• Slowed the ageing process
• Aided digestion
• Encouraged bowel regularity
• Helped bad breath
• Assisted detoxification
• Was 100 times more effective than vitamin C
• And 25 times more effective than Vitamin E, and more...
  

Well there is such an item:

Green Tea

I have been drinking Green Tea for a while now, and I love how I feel.
Not only have I lost weight;
I feel more alive and alert.
My skin is looking bright and healthy.
My general health has improved.
My memory is sharper.
I'm able to concentrate and think more clearly, and these are just the things I've noticed.

Need more evidence...?
Information about the benefits of Green Tea can be found here:

• Benefits of Green Tea
• Benefits of green tea on your health and your home
• Drinking Tea May Boost Immune System
• Green Tea: Ancient Wisdom, Scientific Fact
• Green Tea Benefits: Complete Information For Your Health
• Green tea could protect against Alzheimer's
• Green tea 'may keep HIV at bay
• Sencha Green Tea
• Tea and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Green tea
• Wikipedia Article: Green tea
• Wikipedia Article: Potential effects of tea on health
• Still not convinced... Google search: green tea health benefits

The Challenge
Everyone could benefit from Green Tea.
So why not try it for yourself?

I challenge you all to try 2+ cups of green tea a day for 2 weeks and see how you feel.
It can't hurt...

You don't need milk or sugar, the taste is quite sweet on it's own. Especially steaming hot.

There are many different types of Green Tea. Personally I drink a Japanese Green Tea called: Sencha. I love it.
I have tried a couple of different Chinese Green Teas. I find them quite bitter. Sencha is beautiful.

For more information on different Japanese Green Tea's please see: The Teas of Japan.

I would love to hear what you think!
So Take the Green Tea challenge, and improve your health today...

Warm Feet

I have been having problems with my feet getting really cold. So today Daz brought me my fist ever pair of slippers. They are so incredibly warm. I can't get over the difference they are making.

I didn't think cold feet could effect so many things. Yet I can actually think more clearly, and I don't feel cold all over. It sounds silly I know, yet it has really made a huge difference.

Daz also brought me my very first pair of Explorer socks. They are amazingly warm and comfy too. They feel like walking on a cloud. It is SO good to feel warm!
Thank you baby :D

Your Are What You Eat

This morning Daz sent me an interesting link: What the World Eats. It has made me really think. Not only about privilege and wealth, but about health, and the effect of our eating habits.

It's disgusting that "the second leading cause of preventable deaths" in the United States is obesity. Yet on the other side of the world people are starving. Problems which could be solved if it wasn't for greed.

I have been wondering what other heath problems could be solved with a balanced and healthy diet? How many people would feel better simply by changing what they eat?

When you go to the Doctors unless you have a broken bone, a cut, or something similar, doctors give you drugs. They don't offer any other options (otherwise they wouldn't get kick backs from the drug companies; How Drug Companies Spin Doctors, Physicians and bribery, Drug Company Corruption Quotations).

I hope this article helps you think as well.
Which extreme do you fit into? The brightly coloured preprocessed packets of the American family, the burlap bag of the family from Chad, or somewhere in between?

A Loss of Wisdom

I've been to the dentist! He pulled out both my right side wisdom teeth. It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. Actually it didn't hurt as much as the last extraction.

My jaw aches, and there is a bit of a throb, but mostly it's fine. I didn't even feel the dentist pull the bottom one. I had to have 9 injections though, which stung a bit. I feel so much better now.

The dentist was really lovely, and so was the dental nurse. They weren't the same people as last time. He was confident, and cheerful. He wasn't frightened to answer questions, and he seemed up front. I think having a good dentist/doctor (whatever) can make all of the difference!
After all everything is just a perception.

Tooth Begone

I had one of my teeth pulled out yesterday. I feel so much better. Hopefully I should be able to concentrate now. It wasn't so bad, it didn't hurt, however it was very uncomfortable.
I'm glad it's over. I have to go back, but at least I know what to expect now.

Next time I have to get my wisdom teeth out, which should be interesting.

What's been happening?

After setting up my fathers computer, I have been busy breaking and rebuilding my system. I was playing around with FreeBSD's compatibility/emulation code on my main system. Silly I know... When everything broke I figured the easiest fix would be a reinstall. Not that I mind, I enjoy playing with FreeBSD.

My newly reinstalled system, is up and running. I just have to configure everything. I am going to create my own install disk. It would make life heaps easier. Hopefully there will be information on it somewhere.

My teeth are way worse, my face is all swollen up. I went to the dentist, and she gave me antibiotics to stop the infection.
On the 18th I have to go and have the first one pulled out. I'm so looking forward to the experience... NOT!
But it has to be done.
The pain is beyond a joke, I can't concentrate at all any more. The antibiotics are making me feel very ill. Yet I know in a couple of days I should feel heaps better.

It's so bloody cold here at the moment. Last night I slept with my scarf and beanie on. I think the cold is why people don't do anything in Tassie. People tend not to want to do anything in this weather. Plus also it costs a fortune to heat your house. You try not to turn the heater up and use the power, while trying to stay warm. Warmth is usually the thing that suffers.

We only have 2 rooms with heating. If you want to venture into other areas of the house then three jumpers, a beanie and scarf are needed. It is ridiculous, I want to move somewhere warm.

The Word For Today Is: PAIN

Pain has taken over my life for the past 3-4 days. First I hurt myself weight lifting, then I got a tooth ache. So things have not been fun at all. Pain takes so much away from you, it is hard to think properly, let alone complete tasks. It makes you feel tired, and everything is confusing and very frustrating.

Weight Lifting
I have been doing weight training for a bit over two months. I am loving it, I have lost heaps of weight, and I am starting to develop some muscle. I will admit I didn't think I would like weight lifting. I don't particularly like big muscles on women. Yet I have found that it is not quite as simple as that. Basically I can choose how I am going to look by the types of exercises I do, and the way I do them.

Over the past few of days I have been writing myself a workout routine. It is my first ever attempt. Until now I've been learning different exercises, and using light weights to practice my form.

Creating a routine turned out to be harder than I thought. It is hard firstly because you need to take into account all of the major muscle groups, and try not to over do any one area. I made a classic newbie mistake, because I made a long hard routine, which of course hurt me so much that I haven't been able to lift weights for two days.

I have modified my workout now, and hopefully today I should be able to easily complete one circuit.

My Tooth Ache
The problem with my teeth is a small and simple one. It has been going on for weeks now, but the last couple of days have been unbearable. This tooth ache could be easily fixed if I had any money. I hate money so incredibly much.

I can't really eat or drink anything, which is probably adding to my state of confusion and exhaustion. So I am sitting here right now, tying to drink a coffee without sugar. It hurts even without the sugar, but I need something in me. I can handle many types of pain, but this is just nuts.

I should start a "fix my teeth fund", where people can donate money for me to get my teeth fixed. :)
The worst thing is, I feel horrible for complaining because my partners teeth are way worse than mine.

Dental health is a national problem, which you can see from the following; Dental health in decay, Figures highlight dentist shortage in Tas, Holes in dental health, Vic dental waiting lists hit five years, Sick to the back teeth.

Therefore we certainly are not the only people here in Australia with dental problems. The problems with the health system here do not end with the dental sector. I can't even get into see a G.P. here. I think that is disgusting.
Anyway enough of my rant for today. Have a good one :)