7 Easy Ways to Lose Weight Without Starving or Breaking a Sweat

By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, Prevention

Weight loss requires two things: burning calories through exercise and cutting them through smart food choices and portion control. In theory, you could create a calorie deficit by spending hours at the gym, but that's not realistic-or much fun. And who wants to live on lettuce leaves? Instead, try these seven everyday moves to drop pounds effortlessly.

1. Fidget
James Levine, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, has spent a decade studying the role that everyday movement, or NEAT (nonexercise activity thermogenesis), plays in metabolism. His discovery: People who tap their feet, prefer standing to sitting, and generally move around a lot burn up to 350 more calories a day than those who sit still. That adds up to nearly 37 pounds a year!

2. Keep most meals under 400 calories
Study after study recommends spacing out your meals at regular intervals and keeping them all about the same size. Eating meals at regular intervals has been linked to greater calorie burning after eating, better response to insulin, and lower fasting blood cholesterol levels. When you eat regular meals throughout the day, you're less likely to become ravenous and overeat.

3. Take yourself off cruise control
Increase the intensity of your everyday tasks, from vacuuming to walking the dog, recommends Douglas Brooks, an exercise physiologist and personal trainer in Northern California. "Turn on some music, add in some vigorous bursts, and enjoy the movement," he says.

4. Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Water is not just a thirst quencher--it may speed the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, MD, of University Medicine Berlin. Increasing water consumption to eight glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, he says, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.

5. Step it up--and down
Climbing stairs is a great leg strengthener, because you're lifting your body weight against gravity. In addition to taking the stairs at every opportunity, try stepping up and down on the curb while you're waiting for the bus or filling your gas tank, says Brooks.

6. Use grocery bags as dumbbells
Letting someone else load your groceries or carry your suitcase is an opportunity missed for strengthening and calorie burning, says certified coach Beth Rothenberg, who teaches a class for fitness professionals at UCLA. "Carry your groceries, balanced with a bag in each hand, even if you have to make several trips," she says. "And pack two smaller suitcases instead of one big one, so you can carry them yourself."

7. Eat 4 g of fiber at every meal
A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss: It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones. To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For to-go snacks, buy fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. One large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.

Pancreatitis Diet

A low-fat diet (with no more than 30 to 40% of calories from fat) is often recommended to help prevent the steatorrhea that often accompanies pancreatic insufficiency. In a controlled study of chronic pancreatitis patients, a very low-fat diet resulted in less than one-fourth as much steatorrhea compared to a more typical fat intake. Since a very low-fat diet may not be appropriate for a person with malnutrition, this recommendation should only be followed after consulting a healthcare professional.
A preliminary study of chronic pancreatitis patients reported that a high-fiber diet was associated with a small but significant increase in the amount of fat in the stool. The patients all complained of increased flatulence while using this diet, but an undesirable increase in the frequency of bowel movements did not occur. Increases in dietary fiber may not be well tolerated by people with pancreatitis, but more research is needed.
A few preliminary reports suggest that food allergy may cause some cases of acute pancreatitis. Food allergies identified in these cases included beef, milk, potato, eggs, fish and fish eggs, and kiwi fruit. No research has investigated the possible role of food allergy in other causes of pancreatic insufficiency.

Read more....

There are some steps you can take to prevent acute pancreatitis from occurring again:

“1. - Eat a low-fat diet of about 30 grams of fat.”

“2. - Eat foods low in fat and high in carbohydrates and protein to decrease the work load of your pancreas.”

“3. - Avoid eating rich fatty foods to reduce your chance of another attack.”

“4. - Eat small frequent meals rather than large meals that tend to make your symptoms worse.”

“5. - If your blood glucose has been high, you may need to avoid concentrated sweets.”

“6. - Limit the amount of caffeine and spicy and gas-forming foods that you eat. These foods stimulate the pancreas.”

“7. - Alcohol and nicotine should be avoided completely. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause an attack. Nicotine stimulates the pancreas. All tobacco products have nicotine, so you should quit smoking or chewing tobacco.”

Source: Ohio State University Medical Center Website

Eat This, Not That!!

Do you want to make the right decisions in confusing times—Time to refinance? Explore a different career? Root for the singing spinster or the 12-year-old?—you need to pay special attention to what you eat. That’s right: Your grocery list can help with your to-do list. That’s because the right foods are a kind of clean-burning fuel for your body’s biggest energy hog: Your brain. A study in the Journal of Physiology makes the point that, though your brain represents only 2 percent of your body weight, it makes 20 percent of the energy demands on your resting metabolism. On our new Eat This, Not That! Web site, we rounded up the best foods to munch on when you need a mental boost—and found studies that show, in fact, that you can be up to 200 percent more productive if you make the right eating choices. Stock up on these items to halt mental decline, jog your memory, sharpen your senses, improve your performance, activate your feel-good hormones, and protect your quick-witted sharpness, whether you’re 15, 40—or not admitting to any age whatsoever!

FOR SHORT-TERM MEMORY
Drink This!: COFFEE

Fresh-brewed joe is the ultimate brain fuel. Caffeine has been shown to retard the aging process and enhance short-term memory performance. In one study, British researchers found that just one cup of coffee helps improve attention and problem-solving skills.

Not That!: ENERGY DRINKS/TOO MUCH COFFEE

Ever heard of the concept “too much of a good thing”? If you OD on caffeine—too many cups, a jolt of caf from the late afternoon onward, a Red Bull cocktail—it can mess with your shuteye schedule. Sleep is reboot time for your mental computer, and you don’t want to mess with it.

FOR LONG-TERM MEMORY
Eat This!: BLUEBERRIES

Antioxidants in blueberries help protect the brain from free-radical damage and cut your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. They can also improve cognitive processing (translation: thinking). Wild blueberries, if you can find them, have even more brain-boosting antioxidants than the cultivated variety, so book that vacation in Maine now. The berries will ripen in July.

Not That!: THE UNRIPE AND UNREADY

Here’s a cool tip: if your favorite berries are out of season, buy them frozen. The freezer locks in peak flavor and nutrients, so the berries’ antioxidant capacity is maxed out. Those pale, tough, and expensive off-season berries usually ripen on a truck, rather than on the bush, so they’re nutritional imposters compared to the real thing.

For more smart shopping tips, point your grocery cart to THIS story and learn how to pick the most delicious and nutritious while controlling your waistline!

TO THINK FASTER
Eat This!: SALMON OR MACKEREL

If the Internal Revenue Service picks you for some up-close-and-personal auditing, you’ll want to be on your toes when they vet your deductions list. So put salmon or mackerel on the grocery list. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fishes are a primary building block of brain tissue, so they’ll amp up your thinking power. Salmon is also rich in niacin, which can help ward off Alzheimer’s disease and slow the rate of cognitive decline.

Not That!: FULL-FAT ICE CREAM

Not all fats are created equal: Beware foods high in saturated fats, which can clog blood vessels and prevent the flow of nutrients and blood to the brain. Ice cream is not a brain-health food.

TO ENERGIZE:
Eat This!: HIGH-PROTEIN SALAD WITH VINAIGRETTE

The oil in the dressing will help slow down digestion of protein and carbs in the salad, stabilizing blood-sugar levels and keeping energy levels high. Build your salad on a bed of romaine and spinach for an added boost in riboflavin, and add chicken and a hard-boiled egg for more energizing protein.

For other tips on how to build the perfect salad, check out the Eat This, Not That! ultimate salad selector.

Not That!: PANCAKES OR BAGELS

MIT researchers analyzed blood samples from a group of people who had eaten either a high-protein or a high-carbohydrate breakfast. Two hours after eating, the carb eaters had tryptophan levels four times higher than those of the people who had eaten protein. The tryptophan in turkey is one of the reasons you crawl off for an afternoon nap after Thanksgiving dinner. So watch what you gobble.

TO CALM DOWN
Eat This!: LOW-FAT YOGURT OR MIXED NUTS

Scientists in Slovakia gave people 3 grams each of two amino acids—lysine and arginine—or a placebo, and asked them to deliver a speech. Blood measurements of stress hormones revealed that the amino acid-fortified guys were half as anxious during and after the speech as those who took the placebo. Yogurt is one of the best food sources of lysine; nuts pack loads of arginine.

Not That!: SODA

A study from the American Journal of Public Health found that people who drink 2½ cans of soda daily are three times more likely to be depressed and anxious, compared with those who drink fewer. So Mountain Dew is a Mental Don’t.

TO CONCENTRATE
Eat This!: PEPPERMINT TEA

The scent of peppermint helps you focus and boosts performance, according to researchers. Need to reach Chicago before nightfall, and you’re stuck in traffic around Cleveland? One study found that peppermint makes drivers more alert and less anxious.

Not That!: CANDY

Sugary foods incite sudden surges of glucose that, in the long term, cause sugar highs and lows, leading to a fuzzy state of mind. So you’ll need to avoid all the attention-busting sugar bombs on this list of the 20 most sugar-packed foods in America.

FOR GOOD MOODS AND GRINS
Eat This! ARUGULA OR SPINACH SALAD

Leafy greens—arugula, chard, spinach—are rich sources of B vitamins, which are key components on the assembly line that manufactures feel-good hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, a lack of B6 can cause nervousness, irritability, and even depression.

Not That!: WHITE CHOCOLATE

White chocolate isn’t chocolate at all, since it contains no cocoa solids. So it won’t stimulate the euphoria-inducing mood boosters like serotonin, as real chocolate does. Grab the real thing, the darker the better. More cacao means more happy chemicals and less sugar, which will eventually pull you down.

FOR SHARPER SENSES
Eat This!: 1 TBSP OF GROUND FLAXSEED DAILY

Flax is the best source of alphalinoleic, or ALA—a healthy fat that improves the workings of the cerebral cortex, the area of the brain that processes sensory information, including that of pleasure. To meet your quota, sprinkle it on salads or mix it into a smoothie or shake.

Not That!: ALCOHOL

This one’s obvious, but worth mentioning anyway. A drink or two can increase arousal signals, but more than that will actually depress your nervous system. This makes you sloppy, not sharp.

Want more of all of the best and worst foods in America? Click here for the complete list of drinks, snacks, drive-thru foods, burgers, salads and everything else under the sun!

One of Vietnam's Seasonal Fruits

Names: Dragon Fruit

Scientific: Hylocereus undatus (Haw) Brit. & Rose

Vernacular:

English: Dragon fruit
Malaysia: - Buah Naga
Thai: Kaeo Mangkon, Luk Mangkon
Vietnam: (Cay) Thanh Long

General: The fruits, having very attractive color and shape similar to the eyes of the imaginary animal, the dragon, have been quite popular in Vietnam under the name of ‘dragon’s eyes’ or ‘thanh long’. In addition to its attractive color and shape, the dragon fruits also have a high nutritional value including vitamin C, calcium, potassium and fiber. They are claimed to reduce cholesterol that is the cause of coronary heart disease. As it helps the digestive system and also prevents cancer, the fruit is considered by some as a health fruit. Until recently, Vietnam was the only country in Asia producing dragon fruits on a commercial scale, exporting to Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Japan and EU. Main production areas in Vietnam are: Binh Thuan, Lon An, Tien Giang.

Origin and distribution: Originating in Central America, the dragon fruit plants were brought to Vietnam about 50 years ago. It is commonly cultivated in Vietnam and a few other countries like Southern China and recently in Thailand, Australia and Taiwan.

Description: A plant belonging to the cactus family, resembles other cactus in being three sided, winged with a fragmented viny stem (similar to the fin of the dragon). The plant climbs on any type of support - other trees, walls, a trellis etc.. At each node, there is no leaf (like the other cactus plants), but instead, a group of 4 to 5 spines attached to the stem. The fruit is egg-shaped about 7 to 10 cm wide, 10 to 15 cm long and weighs 300 to 700 g. The skin is leathery, thin (2 to 3 cm), brilliant reddish color with several greenish, soft flat scales protruding out towards the end of the fruit. The flesh is pure white, soft, juicy with numerous small black seeds. Both the flesh and seeds are edible with a pleasant mild sweet/sour taste and characteristic aroma making it pleasant to eat especially during hot weather.

Ecology: Although dragon fruit grows in any soil types and is quite drought resistant, it prefers well-drained soils with pH of 6.3 to 6.8 and soils high in organic matter. It needs bright sunshine. Rainfall should not be more than 2500 mm per year.

Genetics and improvement: Other species of Hylocereus include: H. polyrhizus, H. costariciensis and another unidentified species, all of which produce edible fruits but smaller in size that H. undatus.

Major cultivars in Vietnam: Two cultivars, namely Binh Thuan and Cho Gao, are commonly grown in Vietnam. SOFRI has successfully bred the red-fleshed cultivar with the local ones, resulting in some outstanding clones of red-fleshed dragon fruit. It is expected this red-fleshed cultivar will be released for production within two years.

Propagation: Dragon-fruit plant can be propagated by seed but the most practical method is by cutting. The stem to be used for propagation should be more than one-year old. A cut stem section of 20 cm is inserted in the propagating medium - sand, burned rice husk, or potting soil. Rooting hormone is not necessary as the cutting develops roots easily in about 30 to 45 days and is ready for transplanting.

Planting: To obtain optimal yield and quality, the dragon plant should be grown in fertile soil with irrigation.. A trellis can be constructed in the following manner. Take a 2.5 m long cement post and embed one end 0.5m in the soil. On the top of the post, attach a wooden crosspiece to support the vines of the plant. Normally, four plants are grown at each post, one on each side of the post. Dig each hole for the plant 30 x 30 x 30cm add manure and compost to the soil and plant. Spacing between is 3 x 3 m. In lowland areas, good drainage should be provided during the rainy season since the root system of the dragon plant is susceptible to waterlogging. During the first year, water regularly (about once every five to seven days) but take care not to over-water. Control weeds and apply mulch. Chemical fertilizer at a rate of 15-15-15, 1 kg/post (of four plants), should be split into six applications, during the first year. In years 2 to 3, more manure and/or compost, and fertilizer (15-15-15, 8-24-24, or 19-20-26) should also be applied in order to provide enough nutrient for the growing dragon plants.

Pests and diseases: Dragon-fruit plants do not seem to be susceptible to pests and diseases. Only minor pests are encountered - aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa), mealy bug (Pseducoccus brevipes) and ants (Solenopsis geminata, Iriidomyrmex humilis and Pheidole megacephala) which can be easily controlled by common insecticides. Collar rot (Phytopthora sp.) and root rots (Fusarium sp., Alternara sp.) are the two main diseases, which can be controlled by fungicides. Weeds are normally controlled manually, and the residue is to be left to cover the hole as mulch.

Fruiting season: Dragon fruit plants produce fruits almost all year round, especially if irrigation and fertilizer are provided. Timing of fruit ripening to satisfy the market demand at particular period can be done by providing additional light during the short-day period to induce flowering at the required period.

Harvesting and yield: Harvesting is done by manually picking each mature fruit. Dragon plant is a high yielder, with a yield of 50 to 80 t/ha, provided good cultural practices are adopted.

Post-harvest operations: Being a delicate fruit, care must be taken in handling the transport of fruits from the farm to the market. Special care is provided in the packing for the export market, where special cartons are used. The fruits keep well in the refrigerator, and in fact, the quality improves after storage. If consumed right after picking, the fruit is a little sour, but sweetens after keeping a few days.

Problems: The fruit is not well known in other countries so the export market is limited. At present, there is an improvement program to develop new cultivars of the dragon fruit as well as an international project for pest and disease identification on this crop. However, the existing dragon fruit cultivars are good, having high quality and accepted by the cosummers; thus this is not a major constraint..

Prospects: Having attractive color and shape, supplemented with high nutritional value and pleasant taste and aroma, dragon fruits have great potential as export commodity to countries like China. At present Vietnam exports dragon fruits to several nearby countries particularly Hong Kong and Singapore. It has great potential to be exported to European markets as its taste is liked by Europeans. It has less sugar content than most popular tropical fruits, and thus is more suitable to diabetics and high blood pressure patients. In very near future, the red-fleshed cultivars having high sweetness, hight vitamin A and self polination of flowering, will be released.

For more pics or photos of dragon fruits, you may get it here

Tips for 'MEN' ONLY

Here are some tips to get rid of the old ball and chain

By: Shawn Croft

10. Break it off -- once and for all
It all begins with how you end things. If you break up only to get back together a week later, then you are setting a dangerous precedence. If you want out, be a man and end it. But you are truly a man if you resist the temptation of going back to her over and over again, unless of course, you change your mind and want to get her back for good.

9. Explain to her why you don't want her
Make sure that you clearly communicate to her why things are over and why you do not want to get back together. It is hard enough for a woman to get over you when she knows you no longer want her, imagine how much harder it is if she thinks that there's a chance. Tell it like it is: the truth hurts, but hey, no pain no gain.

8. Do not flirt with her
Same idea. Girls already feel that all men want them; okay, maybe not all, but most actually do. So why add fuel to the fire by giving her a look that would make icebergs melt? Keep your distance and don't even allow yourself to run into her, unless of course you

7. Date someone else
Don't get involved with someone else for the sake of dating, especially if you are sick of relationships as a whole and not particularly your ex. But if you want her to get the idea, you could always line up someone else to take your mind off things.


6. Have your new girl call your ex
Ruthless? Yes. Effective? Definitely. Have your new flame contact your old girlfriend. Have her ask about sexual preferences or what gifts she should get you. Of course, if your new girl would do this, then you have to ask yourself some questions. But hey, who cares?

If she still doesn't get it, pull out the big guns
5. Don't send mixed signals
If you do not want to be with her, then say so -- loud and clear. The last thing the poor girl needs is you wavering back and forth and toying with her emotions. Make sure that your friends know what page you are on as well; they should know in order to avoid mistakes. Loose lips sink ships.

4. Don't sleep with her
I cannot stress this one enough. So many men ask me, How can I tell her to leave me alone? but then add the minor detail, yeah so after we had sex... Hello! This is to be avoided at all costs. Resist the urge. Get over the temptation. Take a cold shower.

3. Show total disrespect for her
I hate offering this piece of advice, but while I would not wish any man to show any form of disrespect to any woman, sometimes, we might be pushed to the point of no return and say things like, your daddy should have stained the sheets, and not society.

2. Make it clear you are not playing hard to get
You know what? This is a lost cause because women get more interested the less you throw yourself at them. The more you do all of these previous advice, the more women are drawn to the challenge. Play hard to get and you will have the upper hand. This said, doing these 8 aforementioned tips could land you in more trouble. Use them at your discretion. But this next one will surely do the trick.

1. Sleep with her friends or even better, her sister
This one might put a bounty on your head, but I can almost guarantee it will resolve your situation, even if it creates another one.

Why do I find it so easy not to cheat?

by Rich Santos, Marie Claire, on Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:05am PDT

Maybe I'm not very attractive, so my options are limited. Maybe I'm too jaded to go for the cheating opportunities. Maybe I still have some mental wounds lingering from when my dad temporarily moved out because he had met another woman. Maybe I'm too afraid that I've reached my sin quotient and one more big sin will keep me out of heaven.

Cheating is not a caught in the moment thing if you are really into your significant other, you miss them when you are not with them, you don't look for a way to hurt or deceive them.

I am just now patching up a friendship with someone I was seeing while they had a boyfriend (that may make me a cheater). At different points she told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend, that they were back together, and that he was boring and I was fun. It was total confusion.

I told her she wasn't being fair to herself, me, or him.

Finally, she said, "you just don't understand, there are things you don't know." Thing is she's been cheating on him for a couple of years with different guys, and he keeps taking her back.

So, are cheaters born cheaters, or do certain situations cause people to cheat? Probably a little bit of both. Here are some situations that make people cheat:

1. Bored
I'd say this is the most common reason that people cheat.It's tough to keep that edge throughout a relationship. Things start off grand and then level off and then you both realize that it's still real life. When you meet someone else, that inaugural excitement of a new relationship kicks back in.

2. Dependence

At first glance, cheating seems like independent behavior. It could be interpreted as doing what you want, when you want. But I would argue that cheating is a dependent behavior. A cheater is dependent because they are not strong enough to break up with their significant other in order to get with the new person.

3. Confusion

Sometimes life or a particular situation can get to you. When the perfect storm of confusion is going on in your head, you make mistakes.

4. Because They Let You

If any girl ever cheated on me, I'd break up with her immediately. Forgiving a cheater is putting up with it, and starts a vicious cycle. That person who cheated may lose respect for you and might continue to cheat-because they know they can get away with it, because you'll continue to take them back.

5. Nurturing

If someone is mistreating you, then your first instinct is to get away from him or her. But sometimes it's not that simple-maybe you are raising kids together. If you feel trapped in a bad relationship, it's only natural that you will run to the open arms of a person who treats you well.

6. Revenge
This is quite simple- an eye for an eye. Cheat on them if they cheat on you. If they continuously hurt you or abuse you in some way, you do it to get them back.

7. Confirmation of Attractiveness

Sometimes when you're in a long relationship, or if your significant other is taking you for granted, you begin to wonder if you're still attractive. Perhaps, because you were out on the dating circuit, you felt more attractive when you were single. If you have an affair, you've proven that a new person can be attracted to you.

8. The Thrill

Some people just enjoy the thrill of cheating: running around secretly, risking getting caught, and creating thrilling moments with a forbidden romance.

9. They Don't Consider It Cheating, Even Though You Might
Relationships have that grey area, usually right before you become exclusive. He thinks date #4 is when you're "together," and you think date #2 is when you're "together." If you haven't talked about exclusivity, someone may think they are well within their rights to see other people, even though the other person in the relationship may not.

I don't understand why people don't break up as soon as they have an urge to cheat. Is it natural to have temptation, or is temptation a sign that the relationship is losing its fire? What reasons would you add to this list, and do you disagree with any? If you've ever cheated, why did you do it? Could you forgive a cheater? If you are single, but seeing a person who is in a committed relationship, does that make you a cheater?

4 Things to Get Rid of Toxic Relationships

For starting a new and healthy relationship, you need to first create a space for it by getting rid and throwing the toxic relationship out of your life. In this world we build so many relationships with different people. These relationships we have can directly affect our life in every possible way.

First, here are the positive impacts of a balanced relationship. Dopamine is a chemical fluid which is released in our brain when we are stimulated by emotional bonding with somebody. This fluid is responsible for the elated feeling of being in love with somebody. When we are in a balanced relationship, we grow a lot as an individual. True love has the potential of bringing out the best human being out of you.

In toxic relationships, when one person tries to come closer, the other person tries to pull hand away. This is called push/pull effect. If you are in a toxic relationships it make you feel emotionally and mentally exhausted. These relationships are often known as silent killers. The people involved in these relationships may end up getting depression, fatigue and immunity problems.

Usually, people involved in toxic relationship would feel a spiritual and energetic bondage between them. This bonding would not let you get rid of the relationship even if you know that the relationship is turning out to be bad for your overall life.

In these types of situations when you want to get rid of a toxic relationship but are not able to do that, you can try out following things such as:

(1) Meditation
Meditation helps a lot to control your mind and soul for different things. Qi Gong is one such practice which helps people get rid of the toxic in their minds. Most of the exercises and yoga as well help you fight the physical problems of the body. But Qi Gong is one such practice which not only helps you in physical ailments but also makes you emotionally and mentally strong to fight such situations. This practice can be done being in any posture, sitting, lying or standing.

You can even do this practice while doing your daily routine work such as studying or working. Thus it can easily fit in your daily schedule and you do not need to separately find time to practice it. It also helps you in maintaining constancy in your life which is really important to fight toxic relationships.

(2) Music
Music is a form of brain stimulant. Good music can have very positive effects on your state of mind. It can cause major biochemical shifts in your brain. Thus you can start hearing good music which can make you enlightened whenever you feel depressed or dopamine secretion starts in your brain. Music can also make you get rid of feeling of loneliness.

For selecting the music to listen to, you should not ask others as each person has his or her own choice. You should listen to that music which enlightens your spirits.

(3) Sunlight
In these times of toxic relationship which can get yourself in depression, you should not let yourself sitting in the dark. Make sure you have lots of sunlight around you.

Fight the problems of a toxic relationship in a biochemical and not in an emotional way. And bright lights have the capability of bringing out all the good chemicals of your brain and making them active.

(4) Healthy Diet
When you're in toxic relationships it can make your spleen and stomach go low in energy. Keep a check on your daily diet as well. Eat healthy and fully nutritious food. Try out soups with low-fat and lots of orange and yellow vegetables for they are good for your health and they help a lot in healing the bad state of your heart and mind as well.

You may feel in your situation it is difficult to get rid of the toxic relationships but you really need to put in good fight for this. No matter what life brings, the choice lies in YOU, you should choose to make that decisions that is best for your future.

Forget Your Ex
You can forget your ex in 24hrs is your best solution to stop struggling with memories of your ex and move on with your life. You won't want to miss this information to learn how to get rid of your toxic relationships by visiting http://www.ForgetEx.com

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Will Glucosamine cure it? Or at least be helpful?

It’s controversial if glucosamine works or not for runners’ knee pain or more importantly, if it’s a good idea for runners to take glucosamine. There were medical studies about this, but it’s hard to tell how accurate and objective they were because most of them were funded by the supplement manufacturers and criticized due to shortage of participants, and short duration. Some doctors even ask a question if knee pain (osteoarthritis) is caused by running.
Despite this uncertainty, I’ve decided to give it a shot, mainly because the overall opinion is positive among runners.
The regulation in the US over the glucosamine supplements is weak. It’s recommended to go with big-brand names and well-reviewed companies. I’m sure there are many products that are reliable, but I’ve found these three products trustworthy to try.

Food that are good for joints and bones
Both glucosamine and chondroitin are naturally produced in the human body and extensively found in joint cartilage. I believe the natural glucosamine and chondroitin produced in the body must beabsorbed into the body much better than supplements.

So I will do my best to include these foods into my daily diet. They are known to be good for :

Soybean

Rich in calcium, Vitamin E. Have lots of tofu or add soybeans when you make brown rice.

Pepper

Rich in vitamin C and B6

Banana

Rich in potassium and folic acid

Shrimp

Rich in vitamin D, C, B12, and omega-3 fatty acids

Green Tea

Rich in vitamin C, and anti-oxidants to ease joint pains

Carp

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, and calcium

Cheese

Rich in calcium, vitamin B6, and folic acid

http://www.mykoreandiet.com

Gmail Labs offers experimental features for Gmail users

Gmail has announced that it’s offering up a chance for its users to play around with some experimental features, not yet ready for prime time. The features come courtesy of Gmail engineers who have new features that they’d like you to try out and give feedback on.

If you’re interested in playing around, go to your Settings area and click on the new Labs tab. From there you’ll see a a bunch of new features that you can enable and play around with. Keep in mind that they could “change, break or disappear at any time”, according to Google. Also, if you ever experience something that appears unrecoverable, Google has built in an escape hatch at this URL, which will temporarily disable Labs on your account.

I think this is a brilliant idea. I’m all for trying out new features and the fact that I can enable or disable at will is key. Also, I initially was wondering why they didn’t call this part of a “beta” but then I remembered that Gmail is technically still in “beta”, so I guess the only options were “alpha” or “labs”–Labs is definitely the right decision

sources frm : geek.com
by Joel Evans posted on June 6, 2008 3:12 pm

10 Foods That Build Bones

Alaskan King Crab
High in protein and low in fat, the sweet flesh of the king crab is spiked with zinc — a whopping 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. "Zinc is an antioxidant, but more important, it helps support healthy bone mass and immune function," says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles."Several studies have linked adequate zinc intake to increased immunity and decreased incidences of respiratory infection." And you can reap all these benefits by swapping one of your weekly fish meals for a six-ounce serving of crab

Dried Plums
Also known as prunes, these dark shrivelers are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. "They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract," says Bowerman. "That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption." Enjoy four or five a day to strengthen your bones and boost your energy.

Bok Choy
This crunchy cruciferous vegetable is more than the filler that goes with shrimp in brown sauce. "Bok choy is rich in bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, beta-carotene, and potassium," says celebrity trainer Teddy Bass. Potassium keeps your muscles and nerves in check while lowering your blood pressure, and research suggests that beta-carotene can reduce the risk of both lung and bladder cancers, as well as macular degeneration. Shoot for a cup a day.

Oysters
Shellfish, in general, is an excellent source of zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, and selenium. "But the creamy flesh of oysters stands apart for its ability to elevate testosterone levels and protect against prostate cancer," says Bass. "They aren't a food most people will eat regularly, but getting five into your diet twice a week will make your weekends more fun."

Bananas

Athletes and performers are familiar with the calming effect of bananas — a result of the fruit's high concentration of tryptophan, a building block of serotonin. But their real benefit comes from potassium, an electrolyte that helps prevent the loss of calcium from the body.
"Bananas also bolster the nervous system, boost immune function, and help the body metabolize protein," says Bass. "One banana packs a day's worth of potassium, and its carbohydrate content speeds recovery after strenuous exercise

Kiwis
Like bananas, this fuzzy fruit is high in bone-protecting potassium. "They're also rich in vitamin C and lutein, a carotenoid that can help reduce the risk of heart disease," says Bowerman. "I try to eat at least one or two a week after exercising." Freeze them for a refreshing energy kick, but don't peel the skin: It's edible and packed with nutrients.

Broccoli
Our president's dad may hate this cruciferous all-star, but one cup of broccoli contains a hearty dose of calcium, as well as manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. And that's in addition to its high concentration of vitamins — including A, C, and K — and the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest has powerful anticancer properties."One cup a day will do the trick," says Bowerman. Try cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, or cabbage for variation, as all possess many of the same nutritional qualities. "Broccoli may also help reduce excess estrogen levels in the body, thanks to its indole 3-carbinol content," says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.

Spinach

A renowned muscle builder, spinach is also rich in vitamin K, which has been shown to bolster bone-mineral density (thus protecting against osteoporosis) and reduce fracture rates. Spinach is also high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and even selenium, which may help protect the liver and ward off Alzheimer's.One more reason to add it to your diet: A study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that the carotenoid neoxanthin in spinach can kill prostate cancer cells, while the beta-carotene fights colon cancer. "Popeye was on to something," says Bowerman. "Eat one cup of cooked spinach, or two cups raw, four times a week."

Leeks
These scallion-like cousins of garlic and onions are packed with bone-bolstering thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium. Leeks are also rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that studies have shown to lower levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocystein in the blood.What's more, "Leeks can support sexual functioning and reduce the risk of prostate cancer," says Michael Dansinger, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and an obesity researcher at Tufts-New England Medical Center, in Boston. "Chop the green part of a medium leek into thin ribbons and add it to soups, sautés, and salads as often as possible."

Artichokes
Lauded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, this fiber-rich plant contains more bone-building magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. Its leaves are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols — antioxidants that can cut the risk of stroke — and vitamin C, which helps maintain the immune system. "Eat them as often as you can," says Bowerman. Ripe ones feel heavy for their size and squeak when squeezed.

MT-579 Wireless Headset

It’s like: A hands-free kit to pick up your land line calls

Price: RM1,599Availability: MT Mircrotel Technology Sdn Bhd.
www.microteltechnology.com

Q: What’s that paraphernalia on your desk?

A: It’s the MT-579 Wireless Headset. It helps me pick up my phone calls without lifting the hand set. All I have to do is press the button on my headset.

Q: A hands-free kit for a land line, huh? Sounds amusing. Tell me how it works.

A: Well, all you have to do is attach your phone line to the base of the headset. This connects calls to the headset. You’ve also got to attach the “lifter” (a little contraption that literally pushes the hand set of your phone up) just as you would when picking up a call. That connects the call to the headset.

Q: Ok, why would you need to have a wireless headset to pick up calls from your desk phone? Don’t you sit at your desk where your phone is?

A: Good question. This is a good solution for those who walk around the office as it enables them to pick up their calls away from their desks. Plus, there’s a microphone mute function which enables you to have a private discussion with a colleague before you continue your conversation with the caller.

Q: But if you’re walking around, wouldn’t it be out of range?

A: This one can pick up calls up to 90 metres away from your desk. If you’re bound to a desk job and have to multi-task, like inputting data into the PC, this wireless headset will do wonders for you as you’ll have both hands free.

Q: Does this gadget require charging?

A: Yes. After the initial charge, the battery is expected to last seven hours, with a standby time of 300 hours. Just plug it into the power socket to recharge.

Q: What else does it do?

A: It works as a Skype phone too. Just connect to Skype on the PC, press the Audio button and you’re ready to make international calls. So you can also use this headset at home.

Q: What’s the downside of this gadget?

A: Wearing it will make you look like a person from a call centre, which is who it’s also mainly targeted at!

Pocket Digital Photo Album

Keep your favorite memories handy with a portable digital photo album!
Think of the Brookstone PictureBook portable digital picture frame as the photo album you take with you. Our portable photo storage device holds hundreds of photos without the bulky pages of a traditional album. And the 3.5" TFT LCD screen displays photos in vibrant, crystal-clear color.

The portable digital picture frame makes it easy to enjoy all your digital photos
Put all your digital photos in one space—and then put it in your pocket or purse. With a built-in 64 MB of memory, the PictureBook portable photo storage device holds up to 500 files. View them all with no computer necessary.

Keeping photos is a snap when you have a portable photo storage device!
3.5" TFT LCD screen with 320 x 234 resolutions.
Intuitive controls and customizable folders let you scroll and organize.
Portable digital photo album features an automatic slideshow feature.

Compatible with most memory cards.
No subscriptions fees—keep free access to all your photos forever!
Portable digital picture frame includes rechargeable battery.

The portrait of innovation, a portable digital photo album makes a great gift!
A portable photo storage device is the picture album of the future. To share and enjoy favorite moments like never before, order your Picture Book portable digital picture frame now
Stores up to 500 photos using 64MB built-in memoryHolds all your photos with virtually endless space to add more, year after year.

Simple photo storage
Customizable albums provide a fast and simple way to organize your photos by category (albums can be named Family, Vacation, Kids, etc.).

Portable
Lets you bring your digital photos with you wherever you go.

No computer needed

Just insert your camera's memory card to quickly transfer photos to the album.


Compatible with five popular types of memory cards

Smart Media, Multimedia, Memory Stick, Secure Digital, and xD.


Slide show feature
Automatically scrolls through an entire folder of photos.


USB connectivity
Lets you easily transfer photos from your computer (compatible with Windows 98/SE/ME/2000/XP and MAC).


Rechargeable battery

Battery provides over 3 hours of power

Get with a pro and start shooting

......."Photographing the Stream," offered in collaboration with Vermont's Center for Photographic Studies in Barre.
"By varying the camera's shutter speed, the photographer can interpret the water as static shapes or feathery mist, or anywhere in between," says Edward Pierce, the workshop's instructor. "My hope is that my students feel the same sense of calm yet elevated awareness that I find in the contemplating and composing of photographs with water."......

......Digital is the preferred medium here: Participants are encouraged to bring laptops, which they will use to edit, print, and frame images taken during the day. In the evenings, Middleton and Kenna show slides and discuss their work.
"Traditional photography is a marvelous craft," says Barlow, who admits he is wedded to black-and-white despite digital advances. He also emphasizes the necessity of hard work.
"My favorite photographer-philosopher, Ted Orland, believes that it's better to be hard-working than to have talent," Barlow says. (Orland, based in Santa Cruz, Calif., was a student of and assistant to Adams.) "I agree. And if hard-working means photographing a lot, isn't that what we're supposed to love doing anyway?".....
Diane Foulds, a freelance writer in Burlington, Vt., can be reached at dianefoulds@burlingtontelecom.net

Facebook Founder

Mark Zuckerberg, U.S.
Age 23

$1.5 billion, self-made Tech's newest golden boy founded addictive social-networking site Facebook in February 2004 from his Harvard dorm room. He left school for Silicon Valley that year. Microsoft paid $240 million last October for a 1.6% stake, giving the company an implied valuation of $15 billion. Some analysts and a few Facebook investors think that's high. We think Zuckerberg's stake is worth $1.5 billion. Regardless, Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire on earth and possibly the youngest self-made billionaire ever.

Canon EOS 450D / Digital Rebel XSi

Last month Canon has announced a new compact digital SLR, the twelve megapixel EOS 450D (Digital Rebel XSi). On the surface a very similar camera to the EOS 400D, however there are a range of significant improvements; twelve megapixel CMOS sensor, 3.0" LCD monitor, Live View with both AF modes (contrast-detect and passive), 14-bit processing and RAW, spot metering, improved AF, 3.5 fps continuous shooting, a larger viewfinder, SD/SDHC storage and a new higher capacity battery. All in all a fairly impressive range of usage oriented improvements and refinements.

The EOS 450D employs features already proven in Canon’s professional EOS-1 series cameras, including the DIGIC III image processor and a redesigned menu system that enables features such as direct control of Speedlite flash units from the camera LCD. A choice of 13 custom functions allows the photographer to customise the camera to their shooting style.

“The EOS 450D bears the fruits of more than 20 years of ongoing investment into EOS,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “This camera continues Canon’s policy of taking technologies proven in the professional arena and putting them within reach of a wider market of amateur photographers.”

The EOS 450D features:

• 12.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor
• Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System
• 3.5 frames per second
• 3.0” LCD with Live View shooting
• 9-point wide-area AF system with f/2.8 cross-type centre point
• Picture Style image processing parameters
  
• DIGIC III image processor
• Digital Photo Professional RAW processing software1
• Compact and Lightweight body
• Fully compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites

The EOS quality advantage

With all key components developed and manufactured in-house, EOS offers photographers a unique quality advantage. The EOS 450D’s specially designed 12.2 Megapixel sensor employs Canon’s high-sensitivity, low-noise CMOS technology to produce richly detailed images with minimal grain. The DIGIC III processor ensures superior image rendering and rapid response times, with an almost instant 0.1 start up. Image data is processed at 14 bits for Delivering a burst rate of 3.5 frames per second, the DIGIC III processor works with the image buffer to handle up to 53 JPEGs (6 in RAW) without interruption.

Built for better photos

The EOS 450D is designed to make photography a fluid experience for photographers of all levels and experience. Housed in a compact body that weighs less than 475 grams, the camera features an improved grip design that provides a natural, ergonomic fit with the user’s hands. A large, bright viewfinder makes image composition clearer and more comfortable. The menu system inherited from professional EOS cameras uses a simplified tab structure that does away with scrolling. It includes a user-defined My Menu tab for instant access to frequently used settings.

Several custom functions are available to optimise the quality of photos captured in a range of situations. Highlight Tone Priority boosts the dynamic range at the highlight end, providing better tonal detail from wedding dresses, cloudy skies and other bright objects. The new Auto Lighting Optimiser corrects brightness and contrast during image processing, while improving skin tones in portraits by ensuring correct exposure for faces. Photographers can also enable additional noise reduction for shots captured at high ISO speeds.

Live View

Available for the first time on a Canon consumer D-SLR, Live View mode makes it easier to shoot from awkward angles, such as ground-level macro shots or when shooting from a tripod. The image from the Live View mode is displayed as a smooth, 30fps video feed on the 3.0” LCD, which is 50% brighter than the screen of the EOS 400D. A grid line display and live histogram can be selected to help with shot composition and exposure. While focusing, the photographer can zoom in on specific details with up to 10x magnification of the image displayed on the LCD screen. Two types of auto focus are available: Quick AF flips the camera mirror momentarily to engage the AF sensor; Live AF uses the image contrast data to focus - a method familiar to anyone upgrading from a compact digital camera.

For studio environments, remote Live View lets the photographer compose, adjust settings and capture the shot from a PC using the supplied EOS utility software.

Other improvements

The EOS 450D complements its headline features with a host of smaller improvements that enhance the photographic experience. The viewfinder now displays all key exposure information including ISO speed. The addition of spot metering (4% of viewfinder) allows for greater control over exposure in tricky lighting conditions. PictBridge functionality has been expanded so that photographers can correct horizons and add picture effects before printing. A new high capacity battery extends shooting time on a single charge to a maximum of 500 shots.

Software

The EOS 450D is supplied with a comprehensive software suite that provides everything the photograph needs to manage and process images. This includes Digital Photo Professional (DPP), a powerful RAW converter that provides complete RAW image processing control. DPP also integrates with camera features such as Dust Delete Data and Picture Styles. The supplied Picture Style Editor software can be used to create custom Picture Styles for fine control over colour display. The camera also comes with EOS Utility, Image/Zoom Browser and Photostitch.

CMOS

Canon’s CMOS technology is one of the company’s key competitive advantages, with noise reduction circuitry at each pixel site delivering virtually noise-free images. In comparison with CCD technology, the lower power consumption characteristics of Canon’s CMOS sensors also contribute to longer battery life.
Signal conversion in Canon’s CMOS sensors is handled by individual amplifiers at each pixel site. Unnecessary charge transfer operations are avoided, vastly speeding up the process of getting signal to the image processor. Noise generation is reduced, power consumption is limited and faster frame rate potential is increased.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System

The EOS Integrated Cleaning System combats sensor dust in three important ways: Reduce, Repel and Remove.

1. Reduce - Internal camera mechanisms are designed to minimise dust generation. The redesigned body cap prevents dust generation through wear on the cap itself.
2. Repel - Anti-static technologies are applied to the low-pass filter covering the front of the sensor so as not to attract dust.
3. Remove - A Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit uses hi-frequency vibrations to shake dust from the infrared filter for a period of approximately one second after each start up. For instant shooting after power up, this feature is disabled immediately the shutter release is depressed.

Canon has also developed an internal Dust Delete Data system, which can map the position of visible dust on the sensor. This can then be deleted automatically after the shoot with the latest Digital Photo Professional software.

Picture Style

Picture Style pre-sets simplify in-camera control over image qualities. Picture Style pre-sets can be likened to different film types – each one offering a different colour response. Within each selectable pre-set, photographers have control over sharpness, contrast, colour tone and saturation. The camera’s factory default configuration is set to deliver immediately-usable JPEG images without need for additional menu settings. Picture Style presets applied to a RAW image can be revised with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software.

The six pre-sets include:

• Standard – for crisp, vivid images that don’t require post-processing
• Portrait – optimises colour tone and saturation and weakens sharpening to achieve attractive skin tones
• Landscape – for punchier greens and blues with stronger sharpening to give a crisp edge to mountain, tree and building outlines
• Neutral – ideal for post-processing
• Faithful – adjusts colour to match the subject colour when shot under a colour temperature of 5200K
• Monochrome – for black and white shooting with a range of filter effects (yellow, orange, red and green) and toning effects (sepia, blue, purple and green).

The User Defined Picture Style can be used to store up to three customised pre-sets, or any of the pre-sets available for download from Canon’s web site.

Software

Digital Photo Professional Software

Digital Photo Professional software provides high speed, high quality processing of lossless RAW images. Processing with Digital Photo Professional allows real-time display and immediate application of image adjustments, giving control over RAW image variables such as white balance, dynamic range, exposure compensation and colour tone. Images can be recorded in camera with sRGB or Adobe RGB colour space. Digital Photo Professional supports sRGB, Adobe RGB, ColorMatch RGB, Apple RGB and Wide Gamut RGB colour spaces.

ICC (International Colour Consortium) profiles can be attached to TIFF or JPEG images when converted from RAW. This allows faithful reproduction of colours in software applications that support ICC profiles, such as Adobe Photoshop. For improved efficiency, a set of image adjustments can be saved as a recipe and applied.

EOS Utility

The latest version of EOS Utility provides essential support for Live View remote shooting, camera configuration and image transfers. Tightly integrated with Digital Photo Professional, EOS Utility can be configured to monitor ‘hot’ folders, automatically renaming and moving incoming images to a structured file system.

How do Birds Learn How to Fly?

Birds learn how to fly much like a human toddler learns to walk - a combination of instinct and practice. Not all birds are instinctive flyers, however. Flightless birds such as penguins and ostriches no longer have the instinct to imitate their flying cousins. Newborns of bird species which do fly, such as pigeons or hummingbirds, have an innate sense that flying is a natural act. Compare this to an human baby who instinctively understands that standing upright is a natural goal to achieve.

Most birds cannot fly until their muscle structure has had time to develop. In the meantime, the nest becomes their entire world. Baby birds are not responsible for food gathering or protection of the nest, so they generally develop a psychological dependence which must be overcome. Parent birds begin to teach their fledglings the importance of flying by remaining a short distance away from the nest during feeding. If the young birds are to survive, they must step away from the nest. Frequently, this means a few hard falls to the ground followed a long trip back to the safety of the nest.

All of this practice time, awkward as it may seem, does teach the fledgling about the mechanics of flight. Falls to the ground become more controlled as the young bird stretches out his or her wings. Short hops back to the nest become longer flights. Bird parents continue to encourage their brood to leave the nest for longer periods of time. Some species actually adopt a tough love policy, leaving the fledglings alone to develop their own flying instincts.

After a few weeks of practice and imitation, young birds learn more advanced flying techniques - how to use the wind for lift, how to spot rising thermals and how to make controlled landings. Eventually, all of these elements become instinctive and young birds can start families of their own. The teaching process begins anew as these birds teach their own young how to fly.

For birds, flying is an incredibly taxing exercise. Some bird experts compare it to human jogging times ten. Fortunately, many birds have air sacs which act as auxiliary lungs. Each breath a bird takes is much more concentrated than an equivalent human breath. Birds also have very well-developed pectoral muscles for constant wing motion and an exceptionally strong heart for endurance. Hollow bones reduce drag and the natural curve of the wings creates significant lift. Most birds are literally swimming through the air, using the weight of the air beneath them to keep them aloft.

Facebook is for Anti-Myspace?

Facebook is holding a massive press/developer event today in San Francisco to officially launch Facebook Platform. 750 or so people are here.

A number of third party applications will also be announced, including Microsoft, Amazon, Slide, RockYou, Box.net, Red Bull, Washington Post, Project Agape, Prosper, Snapvine, iLike, PicksPal, Digg, Plum and others. Seventy companies in total are currently developing applicaitons. Mark Zuckerberg goes on stage at 3 pm to make the official announcement, and I’ll be blogging live from here.

Facebook is giving an unprecedented amount of access to developers. The API would allow, for example, a third party to recreate Facebook Photos, the most used photo application on the web. Users could then remove the default Facebook Photos and install the third party version instead.

Applications can serve their own ads and/or conduct transactions with users. Ads can basically be shown anywhere that Microsoft ads are not currently shown.

There will be a special applications area on Facebook where users can browse and add third party apps. But there is also a crucial viral component - when a friend adds an application, it is noted in their news stream on their profile. Clicking on the item brings you to the app, where you can add and/or interact with it yourself.

Users will also be adding applications to their site, where others can click and add it to their own profile. The apps will essentially look like any other Facebook application.

The payoff is two way. Not only do developers get deep access to Facebook’s twenty million users, Facebook also becomes a rich platform for third party applications.

Facebook’s strategy is almost the polar opposite from MySpace. While MySpace frets over third party widgets, alternatively shutting them down or acquiring them, Facebook is now opening up its core functions to all outside developers.

Tax Lies

Everybody lies. It may only be “white” lies, but everyone tells lies or “omits the truth” sometimes. We start lying at around age 4 to 5 when children gain an awareness of the use and power of language. This first lying is not malicious, but rather to find out, or test, what can manipulated in a child’s environment. Eventually children begin to use lying to get out of trouble or get something they want. White lies, those concocted to protect someone’s feelings, are not a big deal at all. The person, however, who seems to feel compelled to lie about both the small and large stuff has a problem. We often call these folks pathological liars (which is a description, not a diagnosis).
They lie to protect themselves, look good, gain financially or socially and avoid punishment. Quite often the person who has been deceived knows that this type of liar has to a certain extent deluded him or herself and is therefore to be somewhat pitied.A much more troubling group is those who lie a lot — and knowingly — for personal gain. These people may have a diagnosis called antisocial personality disorder, also known as being a sociopath, and often get into scrapes with the law. Lying often gets worse with the passage of time.
When you get away with a lie it often impels you to continue your deceptions. Also, liars often find themselves perpetrating more untruths to cover themselves. We hold different people to different standards when it comes to telling the truth. We expect, for example, less honesty from politicians than from scientists. We have a vision of purity about those who are doing research, while we imagine that politicians will at least shade the truth about themselves in order to get elected. Why do we dislike liars, especially sociopaths, so much? It’s a matter of trust. When a person lies, they have broken a bond – an unspoken agreement to treat others as we would like to be treated. Serious deception often makes it impossible for us to trust another person again. Because the issue of trust is on the line, coming clean about the lie as soon as possible is the best way to mend fences. If the truth only comes out once it is forced, repair of trust is far less likely.
As a parent, the most important message you can send your children about lying is that you always — always — want them to come clean with you. No matter how big a whopper they have told, remind them that you would always rather hear the truth, no matter how bad it is, than be deceived. Tell them there is really nothing more sacred in your relationship than your trust of each other. Of course, all this presupposes that we have discovered an untruth — some people are so expert at deception that it often takes a long time to find out that we have been lied to.How, then, can we best detect whether we are being misled? There is no foolproof way, but there are often clues you can see in behavior that should make you suspicious:

Avoidance of eye contact: Usually someone makes eye contact at least half the time they are talking to you. If you notice them avoiding eye contact or looking down during a specific part of a conversation, they may well be lying.

Change of voice: A variation in pitch of voice or rate of speech can be a sign of lying. So can lots of umms and ahhs.

Body language. Turning your body away, covering your face or mouth, a lot of fidgeting of hands or legs can indicate deception.

Contradicting yourself:. Making statements that just don’t hold together should make you suspicious. If you lie all the time, even about unimportant things, you are likely to have a problem that will eventually -- if it hasn’t already -- cause you real relationship, financial or legal troubles. Figuring out what is driving you to lie in the first place will help heal this self-destructive behavior. This may mean going into treatment with a therapist to discover why you feel the need to deceive.Dr. Gail Saltz is a psychiatrist with New York Presbyterian Hospital and a regular contributor to “Today.” For more information, you can visit her Web site, www.drgailsaltz.com.