Unlocking what's stopping you - Make That Change

At some point of your life, you may experience a deadlock. A situation where you want something, but you're getting nowhere. You want it badly, but something seems to be holding you down. How to untangle yourself and set free, so that you may move forward and achieve what ever it is in life you wish to pursue.

When I find myself in this situation, one of the best things to do is get experts to help out. Let's watch how Anthony Robbins deals with such issues.


So until the next issue of Look Great and Feel Happy, Take that step forward to be Happy. You deserve it. It is Your Life. Do something about it. You have the power in you to make that Change. Remember Micheal Jackson's song- Man in the Mirror - Make that change, it may be too late for Mike but don't let it be for you.

Lose weight - The Banana Diet Way

Want to know why Banana can help you lose weight. Get real right. Well just watch this video which explains why this amazing banana diet is so popular with the Japanese.

The benefits of fasting - the month of Ramadhan

It's the month of Ramadhan (the fasting month for muslims all over the world). I'm back in the village for Ramadhan which accounts for why this blog has not been updated for some time. The internet reception here is somewhat problematic.

Anyway a bit about the fasting month. Ramadhan is a month where muslim all over the world fast for a whole month from sunrise to sunset. They'll break their fast when the sun sets by eating and drinking and later at night perform the terawih prayers.

I personally look forward to ramadhan every year. It's a time when families and friends get together to break fast and afterwards perform the terawih prayers. It's a time when muslims share the hunger pangs of the poor and destitute, so that they'll be grateful for what they have.

Anyway, fasting is not as bad as one might think. Fasting actually has lots of health benefit among them are :

• It helps in losing weight
• It reduces Fat & Cholesterol
• It improves the removal of toxins in the body
• It improves the immunity system of the body
• It slow down the aging process
• It rejuvenates and overhauls the whole body

The benefits of fasting is further explained in an extract of an article by Will Carroll below :

During a fast, energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use and towards the metabolism and immune system. The healing process during a fast is precipitated by the body's search for energy sources. Abnormal growths within the body, tumors and the like, do not have the full support of the body's supplies and therefore are more susceptible to autolysis.

Furthermore, "production of protein for replacement of damaged cells (protein synthesis) occurs more efficiently because fewer 'mistakes' are made by the DNA/RNA genetic controls which govern this process." A higher efficiency in protein synthesis results in healthier cells, tissues and organs. This is one reason that animals stop eating when they are wounded, and why humans lose hunger during influenza. Hunger has been proven absent in illnesses such as gastritis, tonsillitis and colds. Therefore, when one is fasting, the person is consciously diverting energy from the digestive system to the immune system.

In addition, there is a reduction in core body temperature. This is a direct result of the slower metabolic rate and general bodily functions. Following a drop in blood sugar level and using the reserves of glucose found in liver glycogen, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced in order to conserve as much energy within the body as can be provided. Growth hormones are also released during a fast, due to the greater efficiency in hormone production.

Finally, the most scientifically proven advantage to fasting is the feeling of rejuvenation and extended life expectancy. Part of this phenomenon is caused by a number of the benefits mentioned above. A slower metabolic rate, more efficient protein production, an improved immune system, and the increased production of hormones contributes to this long-term benefit of fasting. In addition to the Human Growth Hormone that is released more frequently during a fast, an anti-aging hormone is also produced more efficiently. "The only reliable way to extend the lifespan of a mammal is under-nutrition without malnutrition."

So you see, fasting has lots of benefits, it's not so bad once you get use to it. Try fasting in the daytime and break your fast at night. You might feel tired but at least for that day you're giving your digestive system a rest, so that the extra energy is used to improve other body function such as boosting one's immunity system. Till next time have a great day.

Dance your way to fitness

Have you ever get tired of all the ways to lose weight and look great. All the dieting, aerobics, exercises and cardio workouts can be hardwork and boring after some time. Here's one way I know that's fun. Dancing ....yes dance your way to fitness.

Dancing is a great way to lose weight. Why else do you think that most professional dancers look great and have good figures. They must be doing something right. For one, dancing helps you to :

1. To destress and have fun
   
2. Burn calories and lose weight
   
3. Improve muscle tone & coordination
   
4. Strenghtens bones
5. Increase energy
6. Improves cardiovascular system
7. Lowers risk of heart disease
8. Reduce blood pressure & cholestrol levels
   
9. Improves blood circulation
10. Builds endurance & stamina
11. Increase flexibility and balance
12. Improves overall health and body shape
    

However as with other types of exercises, you should warm up and stretch before dancing. Just move within your own tempo, start with a slow number and build it to faster tempo to avoid straining and injuring your muscles. Slow down or stop when you are short of breath or exhausted.

Dancing provides a channel to be yourself. Its an expression of self through the beat of the music. Dancing is an entertaining activity you can do with your friends or partner. It elevates your moods by raising our endorphin levels allowing us to reduce stress.

Best of all you can do it anywhere, even in your living room. You don't need any expensive gym equipments just some music. You can move to your own beat and create your own dance moves. Or if you prefer learn the salsa, latin, ballroom dancing, disco, hip hop. It's a fun activity for all ages, the old and the young and breaks down racial barriers between diverse cultures.

So the next time you get bored with dieting or the regular exercise routine, remember you can still lose weight, have fun and look great through dancing. Till next time on Look great feel happy. Enjoy the evolution of dance video below.

12 Secrets to Virility

Here’s something you should know. Unless you have already taken steps to prevent it, you are ingesting unsafe quantities of female hormones on a regular basis. And that’s not good. Let me explain…
Female hormones known as estrogens are added to animal feed because like us this makes animals fat. Many chemicals used in farming and industry also mimic estrogens.

To make matters worse, other chemicals in your environment are making the male hormone, testosterone, plummet. Falling testosterone with abnormally high estrogen is plain and simple, BAD NEWS! It zaps you of energy, muscle, sex drive, speed, physical strength and mental focus. Why do 90% of elder American men develop enlarged prostates? Why doesn’t it occur in other parts of the world? The answer is, again, estrogens from your environment.

You see, your prostate grows from the same tissue as a woman’s uterus and retains estrogen receptors. Over time, exposure to excess estrogen stimulates it to overgrow and puts undue pressure on your bladder and urethral. And, they cause another problem - they are inflammatory. You fight them with antibodies and white blood cells. This “warfare” damages your cartilage, bones and joints.

We now know that heart disease is not caused by cholesterol but inflammation inside your blood vessels. Inflammation even causes senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Fortunately Dr AlSears M.D has an e-book which can help you avoid suffering these conditions. His " 12 Secrets to Virility " will help you :

1. Experience this “Caveman Secret” to Monster Strength.
It requires no weights, equipment or machines. You can do it at home in only 30 minutes a week.
It’s fun to do – its clinic tested – and it works fast.

2. Eat this Mouth Watering Steak and Lose 4” of Waist Fat. This healthiest of all foods melts stubborn blubber away. Its fat is better for your heart than wild Alaskan Salmon! You can have it delivered right to your door.

3. Use the Power of “Biomarkers” to Reverse Your Age. Control these traits to regain lung power, leg strength and stamina. Use this step-by-step guide to quickly master these hidden forces.

4. Prevent Chemicals from “Turning You into a Woman” . Rid your body of feminizing hormone look-alikes.
Quickly restore muscle, ambition, sex drive and more. It’s natural and requires no drugs or doctor visits.

5. Quadruple Your Masculinity by Boosting this Hormone. Produce a huge surge in your own testosterone in only30 minutes! Use this triple booster for testosterone of a strapping18 year old. As a "side effect" you'll think faster and lower risk ofheart disease.

6. Defeat Diabetes - Now and For Good. Protect yourself from the 9 fold increase in diabetes with this secret.
You can eat sweets and still beat this disease. Side Effects? How about burning fat 50% more efficiently?

7. Destroy Cancer Cells with a Single Pill. Reverse this neglected deficit of modern farming tobeat cancer.
Fix it instantly with this missing "triple mineral cocktail". It's cost you less than an average multivitamin.

8. End Night Time Trips to the Bathroom - Forever! This new secret reverses overgrown prostates at theroot cause. It works by an entirely new approach within days of starting.

9. End Joint Pain - Fast. Forget about dangerous anti-inflammatory drugs. This secret soothes inflammation pain in as little as48 hours. While it's relieving your pain, it's also reversing the cause.

10. Experience this Amazing European "Brain Drug" . Stop your brain from aging with this single, natural pill.
It quickly reawakens a youthful and razor-sharp mind. Its "side effect"? You'll be more alert without morning coffee.

11. Better than Steroids! Build Solid Muscle - FAST! Use the 7 most powerful "strength" tonics ever discovered. Clinically tested? How about 31 pounds of muscle in just weeks? Unlike steroids, this combo also strengthens tendons and joints. You feel power in your stream and relief for hours on end.

12. Trouble in the Bedroom? Your Worries are Over! This endurance booster makes all-nighters your choice.
You'll toss your prescription enhancement drugs in the trash.

To learn more about this, download this e-book by clicking the link below.

12 Secrets to Virility

Isn’t your health and virility worth it?

How to get rid of Acne

Have you ever had acne (a.ka. pimples, zits) problems before ?

I had some trouble with acne recently. One thing I found out is that acne still bothered my eventhough I'm way past my teens. So I researched the internet for information on how to get rid of acne effectively. Here's an extract article from wikiHow that I felt is really good to help you get rid of those annoying spots.

Steps

1. STOP popping the spots, also known as pimples and zits. This may make the pimple look worse due to inflammation and irritation. Popping a zit can spread infection under the skin and produce even more pimples than before. If you do pop a spot then immediately clean it with soap and water or rubbing alcohol in order to prevent infection. If a pimple erupts in a particularly bothersome place, learn how to target a single pimple. And if you're determined to pop, learn how to pop a pimple safely and properly. If you do pop a pimple and you want to avoid anything resembling Western medicine, one thing to try is put a mixture of honey and ground cinnamon on the spot. Put a band-aid on it also. You may also want to stay away from stress.

2. Remove any make-up you have on. Wearing make-up can clog pores, making them dirty and causing pimples. Also try to wear oil-free makeup (if you have oily skin) or a medicated makeup. Use a mild soap for sensitive skin but it doesn't matter exactly what type of soap you use. It can be designed for acne-prone skin or not, but you will want to treat your skin gently. Harsh antibacterial soap may actually make your acne worse by irritating skin.

3. Remove dead skin cells regularly by exfoliating. Use a gentle scrub with natural defoliants like ground walnut shells, or use an over-the-counter chemical defoliant like salicylic acid or glycolic acid. Adding ground walnut shell to a thick moisturizer like cocoa butter can be effective too. Take caution, because over-exfoliating can actually increase the likelihood of acne by irritating the skin. Pat dry, rather than rubbing, since rubbing can cause irritation to the fresh skin you've just revealed.

4. Use a good toner. Spray onto face or wipe on with a cotton ball and wipe off with a clean, dry cotton ball. This gets rid of excess cleanser and tightens pores. Good, inexpensive choices include plain witch hazel for normal to dry skin, lemon juice, or 3% hydrogen peroxide for oily skin. 70% ethyl rubbing alcohol can also be used for severe oiliness, but it can really dry out your skin and irritate it more. Some toners are medicated, and this stage is the best for using a medicated product if you're only going to use one medication.

Bacteria in pores is one cause of spots. Reduce the amount of bacteria by using toners containing anti-bacterial agents like alcohol, peroxide and benzalkonium chloride, and by using creams that contain benzoyl peroxide (ask your doctor about benzaclin, with moisturizer if you have dry skin, as it works better than just plain benzoyl because benzoyl takes up to 8 weeks before improvement is seen) which kill bacteria as well as cause the skin to regenerate faster.

5. Maintain a routine. Most acne treatments take time to work. It usually takes between two and eight weeks before you see any significant improvement, so you are going to have to be patient. Once you've gotten your acne cleared up, it's important to continue with the treatment that's working so it does not return.

6. If all else fails, contact a doctor. Mild antibiotics that are available only by prescription can help reduce acne. Keep in mind though, that the widespread overuse (taking antibiotics when you really don't need them or for something they don't treat) and misuse (not taking medication for the specified amount of time) of antibiotics has led to the development of multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria. That means that the antibiotics won't work for the things they used to (including your acne).

7. Keep hair off of your face if at all possible. If you want to keep your bangs, then consider taking showers regularly or keeping your forehead clean with oil-dabbing cloths / clean tissues / etc.

8. Get good sleep. Stress increases your skin's oiliness, which, combined with sweat and dirt, can clog pores and cause pimples. (Change your pillowcase frequently.)

9. Acne medications may cause your skin to initially break out worse than before because all FDA-approved acne medications (benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur) are causing your skin to regenerate faster. This brings existing acne pimples already under your skin (but not visible yet) to the surface, which in turn causes a massive but fortunately temporary break out. Give the medications time to work -- about one to two weeks -- and you will notice a big difference in the quality of your skin.

See a dermatologist if over the counter remedies do not work. They specialize in skin care and can prescribe you medicines that help you improve it.

10. Drink plenty of water. Staying well hydrated can help your condition improve, because the "waste management" control system in your body requires a lot of water to do its job. Without enough water, the body has difficulty removing some waste products efficiently.

11. Look for face washes which contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide. This is the key ingredient in some of the best face washes. use a 5-10% benzoyl peroxide of mild to moderate acne and 10% for severe.

Try smashing one tablet of aspirin in a small bowl, then adding lemon juice to the mixture. Aspirin is acetesalicylic acid, chemically related to salicylic acid. Apply to the affected areas overnight. It boosts the healing process while reducing redness.

Try putting toothpaste (paste, NOT gel) on your face, cover it with a bandage, and keep it on all night. When you wash it off in the morning your acne will look better. The astringent and surfactant nature of the toothpaste will help diminish the appearance of pimples. But the toothpaste has been known to burn sensitive skin of the face, so be careful. If your face does burn, stop acne treatments and work on healing your burn.

Try using Bentonite Clay, a natural mineral powder which has been known to absorb impurities and help neutralise the skin's oiliness, and can be found online. Mix 2 tablespoons with a dash of cold water and smooth over the face as a thick paste. Once dried gently wipe off with a flannel or sponge.

Another way to zap pimples is shaving cream. Apply it to your pimple and it will dry it up. It disappears by morning, but wash your face after waking up.

If nothing is working for you, drink four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar diluted with water daily. It works very well for some people and is worth a try. Another good solution is aloe Vera gel fresh from the plant, taken orally.

You can also try taking a zinc tablet everyday.

Mix some lemon juice and rose water in a small bowl and apply it on your pimples, ONLY YOUR PIMPLES, over night. It will burn a little. When you wake up in the morning, your pimples will reduce.

Photo therapy or blue-light therapy is an increasingly common form of treating facial or body acne. It uses light that interact with peripheries in skin bacteria to reduce bacteria production and rectify acne. Many dermatologists use this form of treatment in a clinic setting, but it can be costly and time consuming. Health Canada recently approved a new product that has the same therapeutic effect, but it can be administered by the individual.

Get plenty of sleep! They don't call it "beauty-sleep" for nothing!

Dab garlic juice on emerging and mature pimples

Treat acne with benzoyl peroxide that are available in your local stores

Disguise a pimple with eye-redness relieve eye drops by applying to a Q-tip and hold on pimple for about 10-15 seconds.
Mix a packet of fast acting yeast with enough tea tree oil to make a paste. Spread over emerging pimple and cover with bandage & leave on overnight because yeast will cause the pimples to rise out of the skin while the tea tree oil attacks it.
Go to the store and get Cortizone 10.It will help stop acne.

Soak a cotton ball in warm salt water. Press on top of blemish for 3 minutes to dissolve the top. Then, dab a bit of honey on the affected area to deep clean the pore and draw out bacteria. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

One thing you should do is change your pillow case(s) every day. That way you won't get any oil or dirt on your face again.

"Proactiv®" has also proven to be useful in some circumstances, though for some people it doesn't work.

If you ever pop a whitehead and you have "Proactiv®", put a dab of Revitalizing Toner on the popped zit. This should help clear it.

12. Apply some sudocrem to your spots, This helps them.

13. Use shampoo! suave professionals biobasics for damaged hair is a good example. its cheap and you have a lot of it, and at the same time it gets rid of all the oil and grease, helping zits fade. however, many shampoos contain lauryl sulfates which can damage your skin.

14. Change your pillow case every week. You sleep on it! Most of your germs and bacteria are passed onto your pillow case and back onto your skin.... making acne worse.

15. Take Minocycline. Minocycline is an antibiotic which kills bacteria. Minocycline should be taken with caution, however, as it has been show to damage the thyroid gland, liver, and hair. It makes skin sensitive and lowers the body's resistance to pathogens. If you do choose to take minocyline, make sure to get bloodwork every six months at the doctor's office to monitor your health.

16. Get good nutrition. These top five nutrients have been shown to have a very positive effect on your skin and in treating acne. These nutrients, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, selenium and chromium, can pack a powerful punch in your acne war.

Zinc - Zinc is the Acne stopper. It works in several ways to both treat acne and prevent it. It helps the body regulate certain hormones which prevents acne, but it also helps with wound healing, tissue regeneration and boosting the body's immune system.Most people in the United States actually have a marginal zinc deficiency, but you can get zinc from many of your favorite foods, such as seeds, nuts, legumes and whole grains.

Vitamin A - Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that helps you have beautiful, healthy hair and skin. You can find vitamin A from fruits and vegetables. Dark green vegetables and deep yellow vegetables as fruits give you a good dose of vitamin A by providing carotenes. Oatmeal is a good source of vitamin A, as well as cantaloupe, honeydew melon, broccoli, spinach and sweet potato. Liver contains a megadosis: watch out, vitamin A is stored in the body and you can actually get vitamin A poisoning.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E helps to normalize decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. This is often prevalent in male acne patients, but vitamin E has proven beneficial to both male and female acne sufferers. Almonds, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, spinach, broccoli and mango are all great sources of vitamin E.Even a snack as simple as ¼ to ½ cups of raw nuts and seeds can help your skin become clearer and healthier.

Selenium - Selenium works much like vitamin E in that it also helps to normalize decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. Selenium can be found in foods such as vegetables, meats and bread. Some nuts, such as Brazil nuts and walnuts are also rich in selenium.You can also supplement your diet with selenium, taking 100 to 200 micrograms per day. However, 3 ½ ounces of beef has 35 micrograms of selenium and 3 ounces of tuna has 63. Brazil nuts, though, are the winner with 544 micrograms of selenium per ounce.

Chromium - Chromium, found in brewer's yeast, has been shown in research studies to heal acne. You can add brewer's yeast to many different foods.Sprinkle a tablespoon over cold cereal or hot oatmeal, mix it into soups and stews or add it into your breakfast smoothie. Be careful, though, if you are not accustomed to brewer's yeast, a large serving of it can cause nausea and diarrhea. Start small, just a teaspoon or tablespoon at a time. This is a great acne buster.

17. AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE. Your hands and fingers have a lot of oil on them that can clog your pores. If you touch your face, some of that oil is transferred to your face.

18. Apply sour cream to your face. While yogurt is good, it can slip off easily. Buy fresh sour cream and refrigerate. Tie back your hair and make sure not to soil anything. Smear your face, especially pimples, with sour cream using your palms and wash it off after 15 minutes. If you are really busy, then simply apply the sour cream to your pimples and work until fifteen minutes are over, then wash off the pimples with warm water.

19. Try going out in the sun. The UV rays dry out your spots and stimulate the vitamin D production in the body.

20. Stop eating cheese and dairy products. They have been proven to cause pimples. Plus, who wants to eat/drink scabs, pus, and blood that has been found in milk and such dairy anyways?

Delicious Tom Yum Soup Recipe

This week I'm going to share with you my favorite recipe whenever I'm down with flu or cold. Tom Yum soup combination of herbs and spices is great to increase the immunity system especially with the increasing cases of swine flu worlwide. It's also delicious,sour, spicy and healthy. You can eat it by itself or with rice, rice noodle or flat chinese noodle.

Ingredients

Prawns

Tom Yam Paste

2 tbs fish sauce

Baby corn & carrots sliced

Chopped pieces of chicken

Some Lime / lemon Juice

Tomato sliced into 4 parts

Milk / santan (coconut milk)

Large onion sliced thick

Coriander & Kaffir lime leaves

Button / shiitake mushroom

sliced Galagal and garlic sliced thinly

Bird’s eye chilies / bell pepers

Lemongrass stalks-crushed

Heat up some water and put in some kaffir lime leaves (tear), pounded birds eye chilies, galagal , lemongrass stalks and garlic. Let them boil for a few minutes.

Add in Chopped pieces of chicken, sliced onion, baby corn, squid, prawns,tomato and tom yum paste and lime juice in to boiling soup. Let them simmer for a while.

Lastly add in a bit of santan or milk as well as a bit of salt and sugar to taste.

Serve soup in bowls and garnish with some coriander leaves.

So till the next issue of Look Great & Feel Happy, try out this delicious recipe for a refreshing taste. A perfect soup for the pick me up when I'm down feeling.

Controlling Your Anger

Have you ever watched the Incredible Hulk. Yes the story about some doctor who turns into a Green Giant everytime he loses his temper. And when the Hulk loses his temper he goes on a spree of destuction. Which reminds us on the importance of controlling our anger, because when someone gets angry they usually get out of control and turn destructive.

This can lead to problems—problems at work, personal relationships and family problems. Indirectly it will affect the quality of your life, as people start to stay away from you. Worse still if someone gets injured or gets killed in the spur of rage. I've come across mothers who in the fit of rage, throw their babies to the floor. Plenty of wife battery and child abuse cases happen daily as a result of failure to control anger.

So you see, it is important for us to control our anger because if you don't then it will ruin your like. Imagine if you could channel all the enegy when you are angry towards something good. Would'nt that be better. So when you find your temper rising remember to :

1. Keep Quiet - even if you have the urge to shout. This will keep you from saying things that hurt others or something that you'll be sorry later on.
2. Remain calm - if you're standing then sit down, if you're sitting down then lay down for a while. This will help to cool down.
3. Think carefully if getting angry will bring any good. If getting angry at your kids might help them discipline then go ahead but remember to be in control or you might eng up injuring them. If getting angry will only makes matters worse then avoid it. There are so many ways to deal with matters, for instance through punishment, detention, charity work or others.
4. Cool yourself down first by having a cool drink or washing your face. Better still take a shower. This will buy you some time to think things over to calm down and evaluate the situation better. It will help you think better on how to overcome the problem.
5. Talk softly or as you usually do. Avoid shouting and name calling. This will only aggravate anger between both parties and make things worse.

It is important for us to act professionally even when we are angry so that we don't make matters worse. As in a fit of rage, some may even injure or kill somebody. Don't let anger take over your life, but let us be in control of our anger.

So till next issue of Look Great and Feel Happy, remember to take control of our anger by implementing the 5 simple steps explained above.