How to Pay off Credit Card Debt and Live without Them!

Susan Brannon
26 July 2011
The economy is bad and is not getting better.  The total credit card dept in America is: $799,326,936 and rising every second.  The average debt per family is $688,639 and the average savings per family is $6,916.

How can you lower your debt and take that yearly vacation?  It has been over 2 years since the last raise, and the prices for everything is going up.  What can you do to cut back on expenses and save a bit of money and lower your debt?

First I want to explain what is important for you to focus on as your goals, then I will follow up with an article on how you can find that extra money to meet your goals.

I am not just a person that is saying this to say it, I have lived without a credit card for over 10 years!  I have traveled overseas at least twice a year, take care of my dental and medical problems, buy food, and a few luxuries. In other words, I have "been there" and "done that"

1)  Make a list of all your credit cards. Include, the outstanding balance, interest rate, and minimum payment.  (look on your last month statement)
2)  Re-arrange that list from the highest interest rate at the top to the lowest at the bottom.
3) Now, add up your total minimum balance.  This is the minimum amount to be paid.  However, you will want to pay more!

Now, I am not going extreme here:  Go get your cards and cut up all but the one with the lowest interest rate! No one likes to hear this and no one wants to do this, but not having the interest alone will help you to save money for that vacation and in time you will find it easier to buy what you need in cash.

Go do it Now!  Why wait?  Really?  Get up...get the scissors...Now.
Feel better?  That was not hard was it?


4) Make a commitment to not use your last card, ever, ever, ever. In case you are dying, in case your home burns down, in case you lost your leg and you need to rent a driver.  Never use that card again! 
a)  Do not take that card with you out of your home when you go shopping, buying food, walking around.  Leave that card at home!  Promise? 

• Remember:  You are only cheating yourself, if you get out that card!  you deserve better than that!  Don't you?

Make that commitment now.

5)     Now you need to make goals:
a)     Never to use your one card again, of course unless you are dying. (pun intended)
b)     Pay extra on the credit cards as you go along, explained below
c)     Save cash for emergencies
d)     Finally save for that vacation!

• Goal number 1:  Is ongoing and re-commitment if you have to.  Leave that credit card at home.  Do not keep it in your wallet.  Put it in a drawer and forget about it.

• Goal number 2:  To pay extra on that card each month, you need to find extra money from your budget.  In other words, sacrifice some discretionary spending and get some extra cash to pay off your credit card debt.  (Tips in the next article)

6)  You will take that extra money that you suddenly discover that you really have, write it down on your paper, and put that cash towards the credit card that has the highest interest rate each and every month. 
a)  Once you pay off that card, use that "extra cash" to pay each month to the next highest interest rate credit card! If you have two with the same interest rates, pay towards the highest amount first!

• For example: you paid off card number 1 and your payments were $200 per month.  You will take that extra $200 per month towards credit card number 2, in addition to your normal card number 2 payment of $150 per month, you total payments for card number 2 will be: $350 per month.

b)  Do the same thing for the next credit card. 

• For example: Card 2 is paid off and go on to card 3;  your card 3 payment is $150 per month, add $350 to the $150 for your card 3 payment which will be $500 per month!  And so on.

c)   Do not touch the extra $$ for anything else, not one bit, not at all.  Pretend in your mind that you do not have that money.  Agreed?

Just be happy for yourself doing this, you cannot hurt anything by doing this and at the same time, you can help your credit score!

• Goal 3:  Start saving for "emergency cash"

7)      Once you pay off all your cards, and you only had the 3 cards to pay off that totaled $500 per month
a)      Figure out how much you should have in your emergencies only savings account.  If you want, you can use this formula:
add up your "real" monthly expenses; your mortgage/rent; food; gas for car/or public transportation, utilities and doctors (take the yearly amount and divide x 12) Do the same for dentists, clothes, and entertainment.
b)     Write down that number and multiply by 4.
c)     Write down that number as your emergency savings goal.

8)     Once you have your emergency money saved, cut up your last card!
       Woopie!
9)     Now take that extra monthly cash and save up for a much deserved holiday!

Tips!  Call your credit card companies and ask them if they can lower your interest rate.  All they can do is to say no...or maybe yes!

• Think about balance transfers.  It may not always be the best, but if you have a card with 25% interest rate, and another with 18%, it helps!  Always check for "hidden fees" as well in considering this.

 Be Patient!  This process takes time.  It may take months or a few years, depending on the amount of debt that you have.  Remember, you are starting something that will help you to get out of this debt, and move on.  If you do not do anything, everything will remain the same, and maybe get worse for you.

• If you run into extra money during this process like a bonus or tax return, take that money as a lump sum for the credit card you are currently adding the extra money to!

Required Labeling for Organic Foods

Susan Brannon
25 July 2011
If we want to stay away from GMO food products and ban GMO food brands, it is a good idea to understand the requirements for the labeling of organic foods.  Legalities, food, food safety and labeling can be confusing.  Some items on the shelf can give the impression that a product is organic, but it is not.  The label can say, "All Natural"  and the word natural does not mean organic.  The same goes for cosmetics and shampoos.  A person must take their time while shopping and learn the marketing strategies that the companies use to sell their products.  Read the ingredients.

Someone once told me, if you can't pronounce it, then don't buy it!  As of this day, I use this as a rule of thumb.  (Thank God for iphones, now I can look up an ingredient on the spot!)

The labeling of organic foods is very costly for the companies and I have noticed that many chains now stay away from the legal requirement of labeling, and instead say that "blaugh blaugh blaugh stands by this product as organic" Again, we become at the mercy of trusting the company that produces the products that we put into our bodies.

    * A truly certified organic product must first have the USDA organic seal.
    * It should wear the label "100% organic"

To acquire the label  the following standards must be met:

    * Organic meats must come from animals who have not been given hormones or antibiotics.
    * Organic foods cannot be grown or produced with the use of conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, bioengineering, or radiation.
    * Organic eggs, poultry, cheeses and other dairy products must come from animals given no hormones or antibiotics and must be produced without pesticides.
    * Produced by farmers and/or companies that practice, or highly emphasize, renewable resources and water and soil conservation.
    * A government-approved certifier visits where the food is being processed or grown to ensure that all standards are being met before a food item can be labeled "organic."

The company that uses the USDA Organic label can be fined  up to $11,000 per violation.
There are two things to keep in mind:

    * Food companies and farms selling under $5,000 a year worth of food items are not allowed to use the organic label because they're exempt.
    * The U.S. Department of Agriculture places no restrictions on other labeling claims such as free-range, sustainable harvest, or no growth hormones.
Related articles:

The Story About GM Seeds

Our Food System and GM Seeds

Labeling of GMO Food Products sign the petition

Bad Seed - the Dangerous Truth About Our Food (Video)

US against Europe over Monsanto GM Food Crops (Video)

Fake Foods Help Yourself with GM Treats!  (Video)

GM Food Brands

Reading the ingredients

Susan Brannon
24 July 2011
I started a petition asking for the labeling of GMO food products and I need thousands of signatures.  In the meantime, we can know the brands that have GMO ingredients, we can buy products labeled Non-GMO, and purchase 100% organic, or, grow our own food.

As it stands, the FDA is governed by the Food, Drug and  Cosmetic Act which is only concerned with food "additives" or food products that are considered "GRAS" meaning, generally recognized as safe.

The FDA believes that non GMO foods and GMO food products are equal and not subject to labeling.  I understand that the cost of labeling and creating a new "regulation" to do such would require some Federal funding.  However, our health is important as well, or shall I say our nations health.

Yet, in 2000 an international trade agreement was established and more than 130 countries signed for the labeling of GMO food products. That was 10 years ago and counting.  This agreement gives the countries the right to decide for themselves and the risks involved to reject GMO foods.  So far, Europe has followed in the embargo of GM foods, but the citizens continue to fight when a threat of allowing production in Europe arises.

In the end, it is us, the consumer, that will be the final voice.  We must chose to purchase only non GMO foods, ban the brands that use GM ingredients, and through the pocket our voice will be strong and clear.  It is call consumer demand.

Remember, when the consumers started to demand organic foods?  It was difficult to find the foods and much more expensive.  You had to go to specialty stores and read the labels very carefully.  I now see organic foods in the grocery store chains, not a lot but some.  The demand for healthier foods is getting stronger and the result is that the producers will need to meet those demands if they want to stay in business.
Related articles:

The Story About GM Seeds

Our Food System and GM Seeds

Labeling of GMO Food Products sign the petition

Bad Seed - the Dangerous Truth About Our Food (Video)

US against Europe over Monsanto GM Food Crops (Video)

Fake Foods Help Yourself with GM Treats!  (Video)

GM Food Brands

Crime against Humanity; GMO Foods

 Susan Brannon
23 July 2011
There are records in history of crimes against humanity that are justified by governments and commercial interests.  Citizens protest, ask for social justice but the requests remain ignored by the corporations and government leaders for their own profit.

Today, GMO food production is used in the name for the benefit of society, the poor and impoverished nations.  But in fact the story of humanity is unjustified and has caused a monopoly on the raw and biological materials.  The farmers have become dependent on one major corporation for their seeds and have banished the natural cycle of renewable seeds.

There are estimates of 30,000 products on our grocery stores shelves, which are "modified" "genetically improved" and most of the products contain soy, a product to start with was "naturally" healthy and good for our bodies.  More than 1/2 of America's soy crop is genetically modified.

There are over 40 plant varieties of GMO products that have cleared the federal requirements for commercialization.  (USDA)

Some of the modifications may include drugs added into the foods that produce human vaccines against diseases such as Hepatitis B in bananas.
or engineered fish that mature at a faster rate, or fruit and nut trees that yield a year sooner than normal.

Not only is the growth of GMO foods threatening our society, but the government is willing to accept these products to be sold and used by newborns.

Here is a small list:

Enfamil Infant Formulas
(Mead Johnson)
# Enfamil with Iron
# Enfamil Low Iron
# Enfamil A.R.
# Enfamil Nutramigen
# Enfamil Lacto Free
# Enfamil 22
# Enfamil Next step (soy and milk-based varieties)
# Enfamil Pro-Soybee

Isomil Infant Formulas
(Abbot Labs)
# Isomil Soy
# Isomil Soy for Diarrhea

Similac
(Abbot Labs)
# Similac Lactose Free
# Similac with Iron
# Similac Low Iron
# Similac Alimentum

Now if this is not a crime against humanity, I do not know what is.
Related articles:

The Story About GM Seeds

Our Food System and GM Seeds

Labeling of GMO Food Products sign the petition

Bad Seed - the Dangerous Truth About Our Food (Video)

US against Europe over Monsanto GM Food Crops (Video)

Fake Foods Help Yourself with GM Treats!  (Video)

GM Food Brands 

How can I avoid GMO foods?

Common GMO Food Products

Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Susan Brannon
Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 can white beans
1 can kidney beans
1/2 cup lentils, cooked
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
1 large can (about 28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 cups yellow or red onion, finely chopped
1 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup vegetable broth
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large pot, saute onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes).
2. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Season with sea salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Add vegetable broth, white beans, kidney beans, bulgur wheat, lentils, and crushed tomatoes. Allow all ingredients to get close to boiling, then reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes, or until bulgur wheat is tender.

Serve and enjoy this vegetarian chili while it's hot - it goes nicely with a crisp green salad and a slice of fresh bread. Freeze leftovers, as it's even better a day or two later.

More!

Polenta
Easy Greens - 30 minutes
Fish and Spinach Rolls - 30 minutes
Butternut Squash Soup
Avocado and Potato Salad 10 minutes
Best Vegetarian Chili

GMO Food Products

I know, I know...this is a blog for women, women who feel stranded, displaced, poor without support. The subject of GMO food products is important to women like us.  We must feed ourselves to remain healthy, and exercise to remain or get fit.  We must feed our children, and of course we want to feed them what is best, to help them grow strong and healthy.  We want all of us to have clear minds, energy to get through the day.
Part of the plan should include a healthy diet.  If you have not read my article, "The Story about GM Seeds" this will give you the background on GMO foods and why I am so angry about it.  Why I started that petition that you should sign and pass around to everyone that you know!  At the end, you will find already posted related articles on GMO's.  I will refer to the ways how we can avoid them at a reasonable cost to us, the moms, ex wives, new wives, married, single, single with children, or without children.  To help to raise our families the best that we can in spite of the circumstances.
Happy Reading!
Related articles:

The Story About GM Seeds

Our Food System and GM Seeds

Labeling of GMO Food Products sign the petition

Bad Seed - the Dangerous Truth About Our Food (Video)

US against Europe over Monsanto GM Food Crops (Video)

Fake Foods Help Yourself with GM Treats!  (Video)

GM Food Brands 

How can I avoid GM foods?

Common GMO Foods

Brands that Have GMO ingredients

Which Brands Have GMO ingredients?

GMO food products have not been tested long enough before the GMO seeds were used in global agriculture and released to the public.  There have been many studies on animals with horrible results, yet the governments in China, USA, Africa and India use these foods to feed millions of people.
Some of the effects on animal studies has shown to produce, increased liver function, increased aggression, infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system and possible increase of suicides in Indian farmers. (200,000 suicides in recent years) (What about GM Seeds?) http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/86859

Knowing which companies use GMO ingredients can help you to stay away from them. Even some "natural foods" companies make foods with genetically modified ingredients. Not surprisingly, most of the large corporations routinely use these products. Since these corporations often buy up smaller companies, you may not always recognize them. Some of the many companies that use GMOs are sold worldwide in their products are:

    * Blue Sky
    * Coca Cola
    * Hansen
    * Kraft
    * Nestle
    * Procter and Gamble
    * Libby's
    * Ocean Spray
    * Kellogg
    * Nature Valley
    * Nabisco
    * Hershey
    * Lifesaver
    * Quaker
    * Pepperidge Farm
    * Campbells
    * Frito Lay
    * Hostess
    * Heinz
    * Keebler
    * Crisco
    * Peter Pan
    * Smuckers
    * Skippy
    * Hormel
    * Progresso
    * Eggo
    * Boca
    * Marie Callender
    * Morningstar Farms
    * Stouffers
    * Betty Crocker
    * Pillsbury
    * Aunt Jemima
    * Duncan Hines
    * Beech-nut
    * Enfamil
    * Good Start
    * Similac
    * Isomil
    * Yoplait
    * Land O Lakes
    * Dannon
Related Articles:
The Story About GMO Seeds

The Story About GMO Seeds

Susan Brannon

14 June 2011

This is the radical side of me.  I believe that what we eat and put into our bodies either makes us tired, or feel alive!  It is important to know what we are eating and where it comes from.  It is important for our families, friends and ourselves.  It is important to spend time on your diet, to spend time thinking about the nutrition that you are receiving or not receiving.

Now, I understand that most of us think that in order to eat well, we must be rich and have enough money to buy the healthy products.  But that is not true!  Soon, I will start posing easy, not expensive healthy food recipes to share.  However, now I because educated on the GMO seed production, nutrition values, and health issues that I feel is vital for the American people to understand and know about.  I also think that it is important to pass the word around, inform and educate!  No, I am not an extremist, I am a realist and do care about our country and the people in it!   So here is the story about GMO Seeds:  Please take your time to read this, and sign the petition I started and posted on this site!  Pass it around, put the link on your blog and website, in facebook!

Genetically Modified (GM) seeds have been introduced into the world from the early 1990’s.  The seeds are mainly soybean, corn, canola, and cotton. The seed was developed to increase food production, lower production costs and lower the amount of pests that destroy the crops. The process is the insertion, deletion or transfer of genes. They add a genetic material into an organism. GMO’s are used in biological and medical research, the production of pharmaceutical drugs, gene therapy and agriculture.

Monsanto is the company located in Missouri, that develops and patients the GM seeds.  In 2007, Monsanto’s seeds were planted on 246 million acres (1,000,000kn2) throughout the world. Monsanto developed “triple-stack corn” that contains Roundup Ready 2 weed control technology with YieldGard Corn Borer and YieldGard Rootworm insect control and tops the market in the U.S.  The forecast is by 2014 they will plant 56 million acres in the US.  (Check BioTech) I must insert here the concept of growing our food injected with pesticides, that are eaten by cows, pigs, pets and humans does not make any sense.  We all know that what we eat absorbs into our bodies.  Many of the products on the grocery store shelves contain some type of corn by-product.  This is not like the corn of yesterday, but genetically modified with the insertion of Roundup a weed killer accepted by the USDA?

The crops are called “Biotech Crops” that reflects the latest technology, in agriculture in order to “save our hungry world”.  Yet the facts, are that there is enough food for the world, including the developing countries.  The problem is that we don’t get the food over to developing countries.  However, that is another issue for a different article. 

It is said that out of 14 million farmers who grew biotech crops in 2009, 90% of them were poor farmers from developing countries.  In China, 7 million farmers grew cotton (Bt. Cotton), 5.6 million grew cotton in the Philippines. The commercial value of biotech crops grown in 2008 was 130 billion US dollars.  (ISAAA)

As of 2009/2010 data there are a number of seeds that are in our food system:

Soybens:            USA 93%            World 77%

Corn                        USA 86%            World 26%

Cotton                        USA 93%            World 49%

Alfalfa                        produced from 2005-2007 banned until January 2011, currently legal

Hawaiian

Papaya                        USA 80%

Tomotes            Taken off the market commercial failure

Rapeseed            USA 93%            World 21%

Sugar cane            no data

Sugar beet            USA 95%            World 9%

Zucchini            USA 13%

Monsanto found it easy for the farmers in America to use and purchase the GM seeds, but later discovered the European market is concerned about mixing crops grown from GM seeds next to conventional and organic crops. Japan and the entire European Union, have outright banned GMOs and products associated with them. In the end, Monsanto settled for developing countries as another marketing target.

For example, Monsanto controls more than 60% of commercial seeds in India including “hybrids” that combine different crop varieties. However there has been a reported increase in suicides to over 200,000 Indian farmers since the introduction of the GM seeds. Physicist, Vandana Shiva blames the suicides in part on farmer indebtedness to be forced to buy the seeds each planting year at rising costs.  The seeds cannot be used to plant a new crop from the last years crop. The seeds arrived in India in 2002 and the price of the seeds has jumped from Rs. 7 a bag that covers one acre to Rs. 750.  There are no regulatory systems in India, and “Monsanto sells its GMO seeds on fraudulent claims of yields of 1,500 kilograms a year when farmers actually harvest 300 kg a year on average.”  The developing countries are told, you can grow more for less, control the pests, make money from your farms, and help your society to diminish poverty.  Some of the seeds are drought protected, injected with oils for nutrition to increase health.  My question, is this Monsanto a corporation statement really true? 

In America, the Obama administration decided in January 2011 to radically approve unrestricted production of biotech Monsanto “Roundup Ready” alfalfa and sugar beets creating our food system dependent in a handful of corporations, with only profit to guide them.  In spite of the World Health Organization’s concerns over the spread of GM crops and the indirect effect on food safety and security, the GM seed use continues to expand.  The concept of creating and selling patented GM seeds is based on corporate control with the need to be purchased each season eliminating the right for farmers and consumers to choose what they will eat and grow. 

At this time, at least 2,391 farmers in 19 states have been sued for “seed piracy”.  Monsanto has an annual budget of 10 million dollars that is solely devoted to investigating and prosecuting farmers.  When a farmer buys the Monsanto seeds, they sign an agreement that they will not save the seeds and replant them.  More than 275,000 farmers buy the seeds under this agreement.  What I do not understand is why America is so willing to “trust” corporate control to the most important of concerns, our food system.

In addition there are health and ethical concerns, the quality and impact of farming, the use of pesticides, and threat to native and natural species are other major issues. Since their commercialization in 1992, GMO’s have had a startling correlation with the explosion in food borne illnesses, obesity, diabetes, and other food-related illnesses. (See Bt. Cotton and GM seed symptoms)

GMO’s allow for the breeding of super weeds that can both resist their pesticides and decimate the land. GMOs, in essence, stem from an infant science that has been thrust upon the world in the last two decades.  How can cross cropping not exist?  Bees fly around and carry its pollen from one plant and crop to another, the wind blows carrying with it Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. If you eat meat or dairy, you consume alfalfa and corn, the leading source for hay and food for cattle. GMO products are not allowed in the USDA-certified foods and soon it will be all but impossible to find organic milk and meat.  The bill has already passed and the decision was made in spite of organic farming groups, activists, and watch groups who number into the tens of thousands.

Bt. Cotton has also shown some diverse effects through the years, Bt. Cotton first controlled the pests and reduced the amount of insecticides need by 90%, but the Bt. Cotton has created new pests, and to control the new pests, farmers are using 13 times more pesticides than they were using before the introduction of Bt. Cotton.  (Huffington Post April 2009)

Organic farming groups, food outlets and activists responded to the deregulation of GM alfalfa:

"The USDA's decision to allow unlimited, nationwide commercial planting of Monsanto's GE Roundup Ready alfalfa without any restrictions flies in the face of the interests of conventional and organic farmers, preservation of the environment, and consumer choice. USDA has become a rogue agency in its regulation of biotech crops and its decision to appease the few companies who seek to benefit from this technology comes despite increasing evidence that GE alfalfa will threaten the rights of American farmers and consumers, as well as damage the environment." 

Commenting on the ruling, in a Joint Statement U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative Peter DeFazio said:

    "This long approval process began as a search for a workable compromise, but it has ended as a surrender to business as usual for the biotech industry. USDA officials had an opportunity to address the concerns of all farmers, whether they choose to farm genetically altered crops, conventional crops, or organic crops, and to find a way for them to coexist. Instead, what we now have is a setback for the nation's organic and conventional agriculture sectors. Instead of settling this issue, USDA's decision regrettably guarantees further rounds in the courts."

When our leaders approve the expansion of the use of seeds that endanger biodiversity and the farmers’ choice, we should have an outcry as a nation.  This regulated control over our food system; our lifeblood and food supply is not a little thing and is not a democracy.

Related Articles:
Brands That Have GMO Ingredients

Do You Want Healthy Skin?

Susan Brannon

A person needs healthy fat in their diet to enhance your skin!  Some folks think that any fat is bad, but that is not true.  The healthy fatty acids give the needed nutrition for your body and skin.
 

Here are a few foods that contain healthy fatty acids:
avocados
organic eggs
extra-virgin olive oil
sardines
Use as little soap as possible and use a gentle pat-drying with a soft towel.
Don't scrub hard with a coarse towel! Below is a quick explanation of how your skin works.  Then afterwards some helpful hints to keep your skin healthy!

How Your Skin Works
You naturally loose millions of dead skin cells daily, and generates new skin cells to replace the ones that you shed off.

• The top layer is called the epidermis,the part that touches the air and provides protection against ultraviolet rays. 

• The next layer is is called the Dermis, this layer remains pretty much the same your entire life it houses your blood vessels, that provides nutrients to your skin cells, and cells that help combat an infection. This layer also contains a Lymphatic vessel, that provide the transportation network for immune-related cells, they also balance the distribution of fluids thoughout your body. This layer also contains, your nerve endings, hair follicles, sebaceous glands (which produce and secrete sebum, an oil that helps to protect you against infection and water resistant.) Sweat glands, collagen (for strength and flexibility) and elastin, a protein that gives your skin to return to the original shape.

• Below your dermis, is a layer that consists mainly of fat.  This anchors your skin to the tissues the deeper tissues are usually your muscles, and sometimes your bones.

The skin is the largest organ in your body the critical roles that your skin plays in keeping you healthy are:
a barrier for protection
regulator of body fluids and temperature
channel for elimination of waste products (sweat glands, like toxic metals, lactic acid)
physical protection, a layer of cushion to help protect against injury.

Tips:

• Do not aggressively scrub your skin!  This process actually worsens your skin because it damages one of the structures in your layers of skin.  As stated in the design of your skin, it naturally cleanses itself from the inside out.

• Do not use Anti-Bacterial Soap.

There is unfriendly bacteria and friendly bacteria.  You need the friendly bacteria to produce fatty acids, peroxides and natural protections against the unfriendly bacteria.

• Use as little soap as possible, and not hot water!

Hot water can dry out your sebaceous glands, causing your skin to become dry.  Soap does the same thing.  You need your sebum production to provide resistance against water.  Use a natural soap if necessary.  Try just washing your face and skin with lukewarm water.

• In the cool months, our skin tends to become dry.  Try to minimize furnace heat.  Turn down your heat, wear warm clothes and slippers to stay warm.  Hydrate your skin with lukewarm baths, not hot baths.  It is best not to shower everyday if you can!

• Keep your skin bare.  When you block your skin from breathing, with makeup, cosmetics that contain toxic chemicals it cannot function correctly, and it burdens your skin cells.  In time, your skin will not function as it should, then you will need these products to maintain your outer shell.

The less stuff you put on your skin the better!  The healthier and more beautiful it will be in the short and long term!  I know that people do not want to hear that, because of the society we live in teaches us to put all kinds of things on our skin to fit into society!  There are other ways to enhance your natural skin!

You need a steady blood flow to your skin (quit smoking!) because the blood circulation brings nourishment and clears away waste products. 
To help with this, eat water rich foods!

Vegetables and fruits.
Dark green vegetables and the best single food group to promote healthy skin with your blood circulation.  

Eat foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids and flavonids:

• Foods with Omega-3 fatty acids are:

Dark green leafy vegetables
raw walnuts
wild salmon
fresh or dried seaweed
flax seeds
hemp seeds
free range eggs

• Foods with flavonids are:

lettuce
cherries
citrus fruits
cabbage
kale
spnach
asparagus
lima beans
kidney bean
raw chocolate

Eat Foods that are rich in Vitamin A, Carotenoids and healthy Fats:

Vitiman A helps to maintain the function of your skin cells.

• Vitiman A from caratenoids are:

dark green, yellow, and orange vegetables such as:
spinach
carrots
sweet potatoes

Happy Eating!

Cheap Workout Ideas with your Children!

Susan Brannon
21 June 2011
How Do I Get My Children to Participate in Exercise?

Helping your children to get into the habit of exercise is the best thing that you can do for their health, better sleep, increasing grades and feeling happier!  As stated in my article “Children and Media: Effects and Tips on cutting down”  It is proven that the average child ages 6-11 watches 28 hours a week of TV, plus more!  Exercising can help get them (and you) off of the couch and live a healthier life!

Be A Role Model:
The best thing that you can do for your child is to role model, the importance of daily exercise. As stated in the Benefits of Exercise, these benefits also pertain to your children!  They will do better in school, sleep better, be less worried about friends and social concerns and you will have quality time together, which seems to be lacking in our society these days.

Make it Fun:
The most important thing is to make exercise fun!  You can create family time through exercise no matter the age, become a positive role model for your children.  Pull your teenager away from Facebook, video games and the TV.  Don’t let them rule your world, you are the parent and it is the best thing for your child to teach them life balance!  They will thank you for it later.

Suggestions:
•    Walks.  Walking is relaxing, creates a good time for family conversations and getting to know each other again. 
•    Listen to your children while walking and let them talk to you.  It is important to feel heard and in feeling heard, they will gain in their self -confidence. 
•    Buy jump ropes!  It is a great exercise and cheap.  Create games with the jump ropes.  (You will find that your child can go for a longer time than you!)
•    Ride bicycles together to a part and pack a lunch
•    Exercise during commercials, 10 jumping jacks, 5 push up, leg stretches…each and every time a commercial comes on.  Include everyone in your family.
•    When cleaning the house, turn on the music and have them help you! 
•    Take family hikes, pack snacks and a lunch
•    Walk with your child to school before and after school.  Do one or the other, on the way to work, or after work.
•    Turn on the music and have them teach you the latest dance steps.
•    Learn ballet together buy a video to install into your TV!  Do this three times a week.
•    Practice on Yoga together!
•    If your child is older, help coach a sports team.  (The cost is not too high)

Include daily exercise with your child and make the time to be innovative.  Teach them how you can incorporate daily activities with exercise!  This one valuable lesson you can teach your child and it can help to create a happier and healthier family in today’s world.

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Children and Media: Effects and How to Cut Down

Children and The Media: Effects and Tips on cutting down

Susan Brannon
22 June 2011

Did you know that the average American 2-5 year old child watches 32 hours of TV each week? Ages 6-11 watches 28 hours.  71% of 8-18 year olds have a television in their bedroom, with 20% premium channels?  Considering the amount of Internet, I-Phones and iPods, the average youth pack in 10 hours and 45 minutes a day using multiple media resources. (Kaiser Family Foundation Study, January 2010 Generation M2. Media in the Lives of 8-18 year olds, p.2).Two-Thirds of the households have a television on during dinner -time and meals and 51% of the households the TV is on most of the time.

Now lets consider all media, mobile media from 8-18 years old went up from 39% (in 2004) to 79% in 2009 for cell phones; from 18%-76 percent for iPods.  They spend more time watching TV on their cell phones and iPods than talking on them. (Kaiser Family Foundation) (January 2010)  The Kaiser Foundation reported that the youth not only have a TV in their bedroom, but a cell phone, a computer, and ipod or ipad.  The cell phone is the last thing that they touch before going to sleep and the first thing when they wake up.

The age group with high levels of media consumption is those in their early teens, 11-14 year-olds.  The jump in media use for the early teens jumped more than three hours a day in time spent in total media use compared with other age groups.  The average is 8:40 hours per day, if we include multitasking they can pack in nearly 12 hours a day.

What are the effects of the increase in media use with the children?
Grades -The Kaiser studies show 51% of heavy users get A’s and B’s compared to 66% of light users.  Children with C’s or below is 47% for heavy users compared to 23% for light users.  Heavy users is considered those who consume more than 16 hours in a typical day whereas light users consume less than three hours per day. This shows that the youth who spend more time with media report lower grades. One study found that TV’s effects on education were long term even at the age of 26. Watching more television/media increased the chances of dropping out of school and decreased the chances of obtaining a college degree. (van der Molen JH, Bushman BJ. Children's direct fright and worry reactions to violence in fiction and news television programs. J Pediatr. 2008 Sep;153(3):420-4. Epub 2008 Apr 28.) 

Social- Heavy users are more likely to get into trouble a lot, are often sad or unhappy and are often bored. There were not controls for the study if the youth came for single parent or two parent households, so it is difficult to establish if there is a definite cause or relationship between media use and grades but both could have an effect simultaneously. Watching TV at age four was a factor to be associated with bullying in grade school. (Zimmerman FJ, Glew GM, Christakis DA, Katon W. Early cognitive stimulation, emotional support, and television watching as predictors of subsequent bullying among grade-school children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2005 Apr;159(4):384-8.) 

Excessive media usage can contribute sleep problems, obesity, risky behavior and behavior problems.  Advertisers target kids and on average they can view tens of thousands of commercials each year., including, unhealthy snacks, drinks, and 2,000 beer and wine advertisements. 

Brain development- As listed earlier, the aver 2-5 year old watches 32 hours of TV each week.  This is during the most vulnerable time during a child”s brain development.  Some studies link early television watching to ADHD, however some researchers disagree with the results.  The American Academy of Pediatrics says: “Don’t do it!”  “The early years are crucial in a child’s development.  The Academy is concerned about the impact of increased television watching.  They strongly oppose targeted programs that is used to market toys, games, dolls, unhealthy foods and other products.

Sleep-Johns Hopkins Bloomberg reported that” children having a television in the child’s bedroom at 5.5 year of age was associated with behavioral problems and poor sleep.” 41% of the children studied had televisions in their bedrooms. (Johns Hopkins) They also added that children who reduced the amount of television watched were not at “greater risk for behavior and social problems.”

Attentional and ADHD -  The Kaiser Report in April 2004 showed that 2,500 children ages 1-3 and viewing television each day “were associated with Attentional problems like ADHD at age 7”  (Johns Hopkins)

Violence- The average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and 16,000 murders on TV by the age of 18. (University of Michigan Health Systems Report)   Two-thirds of programs contain violence. (Federman J, ed. National Television Violence Study. Vol 3. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 1998)
•    Programs designed for children more often contain violence than for adults (Federman;1998)
•    Most violent acts go unpunished on TB and are often accompanied by humor. The connection between human suffering and loss are rearely depicted.
•    Many shows glamorize violence, promotes violent acts and effectively projects you get what you want without consequences. (Federman;1998)

Thousands of studies have asked whether there is a link between media violence and violent behavior.  University of Michigan reports “All but 18 have answered “Yes”.  The evidence in the research is overwhelming.  The report states: “Violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, the fear of being harmed, and having less empathy towards another”

A 15 year long study by University of Michigan, found that there is a link between childhood TV violence viewing and aggressive and violent behavior persists into adulthood.  Also, just having a TV in the home is linked to “more aggressive behavior in 3-year-olds regardless of the type of programming and regardless if the child was watching TV. (American Psychological Association)
 
Health- University of Michigan researchers discovered that being awake in the room with the TV for more than 2 hours a day put the child at risk for being overweight at the ages of three and four. (Rich M, Woods ER, Goodman E, Emans SJ, DuRant RH. Aggressors or victims: gender and race in music video violence. Pediatrics. 1998 Apr;101(4 Pt 1):669-74.)  Another study also found a correlation between how much television was watched as a child and adult health problems such as overweight, higher cholesterol, smoking, and poor fitness.

The recommended solutions are to: (Please note:  TV includes computer (social networking etc), video games and other media resources)
•    not have the TV on for the first few years of the Childs life, to enhance development. 
•    Reduce the amount of television and media resources down to 2 hours a day
•    take the televisions out of the childs’ bedroom
•    reduce the amount of time on the social networks on computers
•    turn off the cell phone at a decent hour in the evening 
•    promote physical exercise programs in ways such as role modeling. 
•    Turn off the television during mealtimes
•    Make rules such as: No TV during the week and limited weekend TV. This helps reduce rushed meals, to return to the program in the evenings, instead of doing homework.
•    Read to your child before bedtime.
•    Do Not use the TV as a reward or punishment
•    Go for walks, ride bikes, play basketball
•    Don’t use the TV as a distraction or babysitter for preschool children.

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Cheap Exercise Ideas for Your Children!

Inexpensive Exercise Ideas

Susan Brannon
17 June 2011

Okay there are exercises for those without any time and for those who can afford the Gym.  Here are some ideas for those who may have a bit of time, or can make the time but want to watch their budget.

Walking
Walking is a great fat-burner.  Instead of driving your car down the street to buy a few groceries walk!  Instead of driving your kids to school, walk them!  Walk your dog. Walk to get a cup of tea or coffee, walk around the block a few times when you feel nervous or need to think or a small break.  Walk standing up straight, remember to pull your shoulders back, take nice long breaths.  Breathe in through your nose until your chest rises high, and exhale out your mouth until you feel that you have squeezed as much air out of your lungs as possible.  Do the breathing slowly and find a nice rhythm with your steps.  Swing your arms using energy.  Don’t worry what others will think about you passing by in their cars, you are using your body, walking and building energy for you!

The breathing technique helps to increase your oxygen into your whole body helping to clear your mind from all the daily problems, while providing the needed oxygen to your organs. 

Ban drive-thru’s, get out of your car and walk.  Find the farthest parking space away from the shopping center and the grocery store, walk, walk walk.

A variation to walking normally, try taking steps heel-toe-heel-toe.  This will help work your upper thighs and butt muscles.  It takes some concentration, but it works!

Stretching
While your coffee is brewing or your water boiling in the morning, stretch for five-minutes to help get your muscles moving, oxygen into your system and strengthen your body.  Here are some ideas:

•    Stand up straight and raise your arms straight out in front of you with your palms together and arms straight.  Move your feet hip-width apart and separate your hands palms facing inwards and move your arms over your head.  Do this while imagining a string pulling from your belly button towards your spine and remain standing straight.  Stretch your torso and arms towards the ceiling. Slowly bring your arms down in front of you, while bringing your legs together and repeat 5 times.
•    Stay standing with your feet apart and bend down feeling the stretch in your back let your arms relax and your hands touch the floor and hold for 10 seconds.  Repeat.
•    Keep your feet apart and squat keeping your back straight and hold for 5 seconds.
•    Repeat
•    Stand up straight feet together and march, with energy swinging your arms 15 times.
•    Stop and bring your left arm across your chest, using your right arm to pull it further, Hold for 10 and repeat with the other arm.  Do this twice.

To Strengthen your muscles

These are for your arms, thighs, bottom, abdominal muscles and shoulders!  This works if you do this every day.

•    Get down on all fours with your knees hip-width apart and your arms down.
Gently lower your upper body to the floor, keeping your back straight and hold your tummy in. Raise your body slowly and repeat 14 more times!
•    On all fours, pull your tummy with that imagined string towards your spine, breathing in, and release while breathing out slowly.  Do not let your back sag, keep it straight as possible.  Repeat 10 times.
•    Follow the same routine as above, but this time…breathe normally, while pulling your string towards your spine and hold your stomach in for the count of ten seconds.  Remember not to hold your breath but to breathe!  Repeat 5 times and continue but hold for twenty seconds!  Repeat five times.
•    Lie on your back with your hands behind your ears.  Lift your right leg straight in the air with the sole of your foot pushing away from you and bend the left leg towards your chest.  Now straighten your left leg, and bend the right one back and forth with the soles of your feet pushing forward.  While doing this, keep your abdominal muscles flat, keep your hips as square as possible and your head down. Repeat 10 times.
•    Grab a couple water bottles filled with water.  You can start with the small ones and as you build your muscles, you can increase to the larger ones.  Stand straight and tall holding a bottle in each hand and raise your arms and then bend them behind your head.  Remember to stand straight and tall, keeping your feet flat on the floor and your neck straight.  Inhale while your bring your arms behind your head and exhale while lifting your arms towards the ceiling.  Relax your arms by your side and repeat 10 times.

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Bathroom Demi Plie’ 1st Position

Bathroom Grand Plie' 1st Position 
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Benefits of Exercise

Susan Brannon
13 June 2011

Do you need to blow off some stress?  A 30 minute workout or walk can help to calm you down.  Why is this?
•    Physical exercise increases the serotonin level in your brain  that leaves you feeling happier and more relaxed than before you worked out. 
•    You will look better
•    Can boost your confidence and self-esteem
•    And help to prevent depression

What about heart disease and osteoporosis?
•    Working out and exercise can help to prevent and manage, high blood pressure
•    Regulate your cholesterol and boosts HDL, good cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides.  This helps to keep your blood flowing smoothly and can help to lower the buildup of plaque in your arteries.

And weight loss?
•    By increasing your activity, you use more calories, and the easier it is to maintain and control your weight. 
•    Combining exercise and changing your diet, you will slowly build your muscles and burn off the fat!

Wondering how you can do this without any time?
•    Read my “bathroom” and at “work” exercises linked below
•    Use extra energy, exaggerate your movements when making the beds, vacuuming, dusting, sweeping and washing the dishes! 
•    Turn off your TV and instead take a brisk walk.  You will not miss much on the television anyways.

Wondering about tiredness?
•    When you exercise, this increases oxygen and nutrients to your tissues, increases your blood circulation making your lungs work more efficiently, thus creating more energy to do things.

Worried about lack of sleep?
•    Exercise is known to promote better sleep.
•    Hint:  Don’t exercise just before going to bed!  It is best to exercise before eating your dinner, or just after if you will be up for a while.  This is because exercise increases your blood flow and gives you energy. 

This does not make any sense…
•    Because you use energy in exercise, your will relax, breath better creating the ability to sleep deeper and fall asleep faster.

Sleep is important because…
•    It helps to improve your concentration and helps you to be more productive during the day.

What about sex?
•    If you feel “out of shape” to engage in sex, it is proven that if you exercise it can leave you energized, looking better, gain self-confidence and have a positive effect on your sex life. 
•    Regular exercise can raise the level of sexual arousal in women, and helps men with erectile dysfunction.

In the end, I do not see anything negative about exercising!  You will end up with only positive results, who can loose?

Get up, turn off that TV, shut down your computer for 30 minutes and move your body!

Helpful Hint:

While cleaning the house, put on some music and dance and sing while you clean!  You can even have the little kiddo’s help you!

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Bathroom Grand Pile' 1st Position Exercise

Susan Brannon

Now that you have worked on the first position, demi- plie’.  I will show you how to do the 1st position Grand plie’!  The Grand plie’ is almost like the 1st demi-plie’ but you go down a bit further!

It is rather simple, but for balance, and to strengthen your arms you should to use your arms as in the picture above.  With this exercise, I will add arm instructions to the plie’.

1)    Stand up straight and firm, with your legs together, butt tucked in, arms at your side, head up, back straight, facing forward, then point your toes outwards in a V position and keep your heels together. (First position) Keep your weight at the balls of your feet.
2)    Slowly bend your knees keeping your knees over your toes and push your thighs out and your eyes forward once you start to pass the “demi” position, start to slowly lift your heels at the speed of your movement, look down at your toes, you should not be able to see them, for they should be blocked by your knees. (Your knees should be aligned between your second and third toes)  Remember to keep your buttocks tucked, back straight, facing forward and hips squared in front of you!
3)    As you go down slowly lift your arms up to your side then to your front, with your palms facing each other.  Create movement like they are wings connected from your shoulder blades.  Doing this correctly can give you the beautiful ballerina back!
4)    Once you are down, your heels should be off the floor, arms in front of you, hips faced forward, back straight, and knees aligned correctly.  Hold for a few seconds,
5)    Slowly stand up, moving your arms back to your sides like a butterfly, keeping your legs at the V position, and stand up straight.
6)    Repeat 10 times!
Hints:
•    Imagine that your hip bones are headlights, they should always be level with each other and shine straight ahead.
•    Use the abdominals to shift the pelvis to this position, tilted neither forward nor backwards.
•    Look sideways in the mirror and go through each position, to make sure that you have a straight line, from your neck to your butt.

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Bathroom Plie' Demi 1st position!

Susan Brannon
Who said we are too old for Ballet?  Do you remember the ballet plie'?  Not many people know this, but the best way to get your body firm and trimmed is to take ballet classes.  If you don’t mind dancing with a bunch of 8 year olds, it could be the best thing for you!

However, there are some exercises that you can do in your bathroom, if you still have time after your squat routine!

Ballet plie
This is good for your buttocks, thighs and calves.
You need to hold on to something while doing this, maybe your towel rack, just don’t put your weight on the rack or it will tear off the wall!

1)    Stand up straight and firm, with your legs together then point your toes outwards and keep your heels together. (First position) Keep your weight at the balls of your feet.
2)    Slowly bend your knees keeping your knees over your toes and push your thighs out and your eyes forward. (demi pile) Look down at your toes, you should not be able to see them.  Keep your buttock tucked in, back straight and your hips aligned facing forward.
3)    Hold for a few seconds and slowly stand up, keeping your feet in second position)  Keeping your feet firm on the ground and your back straight. 
4)    Repeat 10 times!

Oh!  Keep your feet flat on the floor!  Don’t push yourself.

Related Articles:

Three Secrets For Shaping up for the Summer

Three Secrets for Strengthening Your Calves

More Summer Tips: For your Arms

The Working Women Abdomen Workout

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Bathroom Grand Plie' 1st Position   

The Benefits of Exercise
Secret Tips for Leg Toning