Fix for Weak Hair

Too much stress can wreak havoc with the protein our body relies upon to form healthy hair, prompting follicles to pump out strands that break easily. The B vitamin biotin can boost cell growth and strengthen hair from within. According to experts, you can protect hair by taking three milligrams in a supplement daily. You may also add more protein to your diet, eat the equivalent of 2 chicken breasts daily. Our hair is made entirely of protein and increasing intake will replenish shafts.

Thank You Marzie!!!

Something Fishy!

Just last week I posted an article about fish oil capsules playing a big role in protecting our heart and that it can also boost your mood. I have also posted one about how fish, as brain food can play a positive role in mental health. You think it's just folklore? Recent studies prove that it is more than that. In tests they recently conducted, experts found that elderly men and women who ate fish and seafood regularly did better on cognitive tests than those who did not or ate just a little. But not all of us are fish persons and while it's better to get the nutrients in tastier forms such as grilled herring, smoked salmon, pizza anchovies or tuna casserole, fish oil supplements works a effectively without the risk of mercury poisoning.

Researchers have combined their findings from 10 investigations and they concluded that Omega 3 health supplements were 30% more effective than placebo pills at lifting symptoms of depression. What they still have to determine though, is the optimum dosage and the best combination of the different types of omega3s.

But wait, here's more, the omega 3 in fish oil also plays a role in arthritis prevention and treatment. Arthritis happens when something goes wrong with the lubricating system between two bones, which leaves you in a lot of pain. Taking fish oil supplement does the trick in lubricating the joints.

The benefits we get from fish oil are so many and the ones I have mentioned above are just a few. If you think you're not taking in enough, better start taking fish oil supplements now, you'll thank me for this in the future. *wink*

Ruby Tuesday | WW 04/28/09

Beating Eye Bags

Puffy under-eyes may be inherited from your parents, but you can make those bags bigger by staying awake at night worrying or by calming your nerves with a little or too many drinks, both of which make you retain water.

It may help to cut down on salt and alcohol to keep water retention at bay. For a fast fix, freeze two bags of green tea and keep them on your eyelids for 10 minutes. The tea has tannin, an anti-inflammatory that reduces puffiness. And for those of you who are suffering from insomnia, try taking valerian at night, it's a natural sedative.

Easy Healthy Recipes

Coming from a family who loves to cook and eat, my passion for cooking was influenced by my dad who is a very good cook. I grew up watching him cook our meals during weekends. My mom can cook alright, but her cooking is "miles away" compared to dad's. I hope she doesn't read this, or she'll kill me, LOL. Dad is very meticulous when it comes to preparing meals, he makes sure he uses only the freshest ingredients. He doesn't like substituting ingredients, for him that means changing the dish or the original recipe. He does it the old-fashioned way, slow cooking and each ingredient is peeled or prepared by hands.

Although my cooking was greatly influenced by my dad, I, on the other hand, like modifying the dishes. Just like the Vietnamese Rolls I made the other day, it's not a chicken recipe because the original recipe calls for ground beef. But I used ground chicken, I find it lighter than beef and it's healthier.

I also get help from 1001Recipe, my family is not fond of eating fatty foods, and now that my kids are older, they are more conscious of what they eat. I found the site while looking for a pizza recipe one time. I signed up and from then on, I kept coming back for their Easy healthy recipes! Actually, I was just there a few minutes ago and got a copy of the Pasta Alfredo with Tilapia recipe. I will be serving it for our Sunday dinner. To get access to these healthy recipes, click on the links to be directed to the site.

Fish, a filling protein

Want to feel fuller for a long period of time? Fill up on fish. Experts say, it's the most filling protein - even more so than beef! Contrary to what I thought, I was surprised when I read about it.

When Swedish researchers conducted a study, they found out that participants who ate salmon for lunch consumed 11 percent fewer calories at dinner than those who ate beef for their midday meal (both dishes had the same number of calories).

Thank You Kristin!!!

The Cause of Belly Fat

You know what causes belly fat? It's the big "S", our bodies are designed to store some fat around the belly, where it can be easily accessed for energy when we feel stressed. Once the stress passes, the hormone cortisol commands our body to eat again and refuel. According to experts, this system worked well for our ancient ancestors whose stressors are wild animals and war, the kind of stress that prompted them to fight and run. Modern stress rarely requires physical activity, but triggers the same fattening pattern.

Many of us don't take stress seriously, but having extra belly fat puts us at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. A new study shows that people who carry excess weight around the stomach in their 40's are more likely to have dementia in their 70's.

Thank You SASHA!!!

Ruby Tuesday | WW 04-21-09

Knowing The Best Time

They say timing is everything especially when it comes to the accuracy of certain health screenings. According to experts, getting tested at an appropriate time can lead to blotched results and needless worry. Know the best time to schedule these important screenings:

PAPSMEAR - The best time for this is during mid-cycle, about 10 to 16 days after the start of your last period, when cervical cells are less likely to be obscured of menstrual blood.

FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE TEST should be done first thing in the morning. Research shows that testing in the afternoon can lead to missed diagnosis because at this time blood sugar levels are naturally lower.

BLOOD PRESSURE TEST should be done in the afternoon. It may be higher in the morning, plus your morning cup of coffee can elevate readings.

MAMMOGRAM. The breasts are less tender and are not as likely to have benign lumps a week after your period ends, so schedule a screening during these times.

Thank You Stesha!!!

Shop and Save Online

When you're shopping for something you always look for the best deals, right? And where's the best place to get those great deals? The internet! You read it right, the internet has created thousands and thousands of shopping sites all offering discounts, bargains, rebates, free shipping and many more. And the best thing is, you do it right at the comfort of your home.

I used to believe that items are more expensive on the web as compared to shopping in malls because there are shipping and handling costs to consider especially that I live in the Philippines and majority of these shopping sites are from US and Europe. But after doing comparison shopping on an item at Exspecto - shopping search engine just to see if they are true to their word, I'm pretty convinced to shop online next time. You can find almost anything using this search engine, from clothing to accessories, shoes, computers, electronics, food, furniture, entertainment, jewellery, tools, gadgets and a whole lot more. And the fact that I will end up saving more because there are no parking fees and gasoline to consider made me more convinced.

Their prices are much lower compared to retail stores. Head on to their web site and see what I'm talking about. I'm sure you'll be convinced too to shop online next time.

Ruby Tuesday | WW 04-14-09

Happy Easter!!!

Looking Fresh

Whatever caused your sleepless night, you definitely don't want it to show when you head out the door the next day. But don't worry, there are ways to hide it. You can use a natural concealer for your dewy eyes. To get rid of eye bags, try sleeping by elevating your head with a few extra pillows. Avoid drinking too much water before bedtime as they can cause water retention. When all else fails, use your ever reliable shades! ;)

Thank You Marzie!!!

Free Legal Music

Hubs and the kids are going to love Kerchoonz. It's a site where you can listen, view and download FREE music and videos legally. I remember how we went crazy over Napster, we would look for hard to find songs and download them to our computer. During those times, we were only using dial-up and it didn't matter even if our downloads took forever. But because it was operating illegally, Napster had to go, so many people were disappointed when the site shut down.

With Kerchoonz, we don't have to worry about that. It's free and it's legal! Kerchoonz the show will be broadcast all over the internet as a 30 minute piece of history and this time it's open to all. The first one was an "invite only" audience in Glasgow. All you need to do is sign up if you want to take part of Kerchoonz Live #2.

We're all looking forward to this and we can't wait to try their new features. Just imagine having live music on your header, yes, your own playlist, isn't that fun? And the best thing is, your music follows you wherever you go. You wanna go bloghopping and drop your entrecard? Go ahead, your music goes uninterrupted as you change pages! And for my Music Monday meme, I now have other sources than youtube. Kwidgets will allow me to post songs, videos, pictures, blogs and many more with a direct link back on my profile. I could go on and on talking about Kerchoonz but I think it would be best to check it out yourself. Don't just sit there, click on the link now.

Ruby Tuesday | WW 04-07-09

The Neno's Award

Yeehah! I got an award from Sasha! Thank you so much Sweetie!!!

This award is:

* a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging;
* to seek the reasons why we all love blogging.

I've said this many times and I'm going to repeat it again. One of the best things why I enjoy blogging is meeting a lot of people. I've met a lot of people and been to many parts of the world. Earning from it is a bonus!

Instructions:
* put the award in one post as soon as you receive it;
* don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award;
* answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging;
* tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like;
* don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.

I'm passing this on to Madz, Sam and Shinade.

Easter Surprise

Easter means bright and pastel colors, easter bunny, chicken and egg hunt! Last year, I have discovered a delicious goodie for our Easter egg hunt. I made rice crispy treats and stuffed them into plastic eggs. They are soft and they easily conformed to the shape of the eggs.

But this Easter, I'm going back to candies. I plan to make the treats different for each year to keep the "surprise" element. I have already made my bulk candy order at Sugar Stand. If you are also looking to buy sugar treats for your egg hunt, you may want to visit the site, they have a wide array of selections. They have mini M&Ms, Haribo Techno Bears, Gummi Twin Cherries, Haribo Gummi Cola Bottles, Starlight Hard Candy, Hershey's Factory Favorites, Gummi Frogs, Gummi Peaches, Haribo Licorice Wheels and a whole lot more. They even have Sugar Free Gummi Bears. You can save a lot of money when you buy wholesale from the internet rather than going to a candy store and buy them per 100 grams.

Kids love surprises and what better way to give them a different selection of goodies than having just one kind. Sugar Stand will definitely give them the surprise they want.

Coming Out Clean

When it comes to deep cleaning, the biggest mistake we often make is diving in without any kind of focus. This often sets us up for failure. Deep cleaning is a task that needs to be done once or twice a year. Here, some tips to simplify and speed up this monumental task.

1) Move clockwise. That way, you'll cover more ground faster and save steps by not having to backtrack.

2) Dust high to low. Save the floor for last. It gives dust a chance to settle before cleaning. When you wash surfaces from the top and work your way down, this saves you from retouching what you have already cleaned.

3) Clean dry to wet. Stray hair is much easier to remove from the shower or the floor if you lift it out of showers or vacuum it up before you disinfect.

4) Start with the least abrasive cleaner possible, then progress to more powerful products. The lighter the formulation, the easier it is on the surface being cleaned.

5) Pretest products on hidden areas. There is always the chance that a material could react unfavorably, so test it on an inconspicuous area.

6) Give your product enough time to work. Grime buildup did not happen overnight, so give cleaning products a fair shot by allowing them the recommended amount of time to break it up.

7) Save the dirtiest for last. When cleaning the bathroom, leave the toilet for last. This way, your sponge won't introduce germs to places that were relatively clean to start with.

Thank You ROSE!!!

All About Cakes

Oh! Nuts Over Jellybeans!

My kids and I are nuts over chocolate and candies but my youngest is crazier over Jelly beans. A trip to the mall means a bag of these multi-colored candies. Even family and friends in the US know what to bring us when they come home for a vacation, lots of chocolates and big jars of yummy jelly beans! They know we love them so much they always make sure to supply us with these colorful and delicious candies.

But now we don't have to wait for a package or for someone to come home from the States to get these yummy beans. I found Oh! Nuts while browsing the web yesterday. The kids got excited with the site's huge selection of flavors. They have flecked cinnamon, strawberry daiquiri, grapefruit, bubblegum, strawberry cheesecake, tutti frutti, fruit punch, blueberry, buttered popcorn, watermelon, kiwi, and believe it or not, hot tamales jelly beans! We've tried almost everything except for the hot tamales, and the kids can't wait to try it.

Ordering from the site is a lot cheaper than buying from candy stores because the beans are sold at wholesale prices, but of course, there's nothing cheaper than the "pasalubong" (gifts) we get from friends and family. *wink* *wink*

Top Droppers - March 2009

Time to show my appreciation to the top ten droppers for March. Thank you so much for never failing to come here everyday. Thank you also to all of you who visited, left comments and dropped.

The top ten will be featured on my side bar with their links for the whole month of April. Wish I could give them each a free ticket to Boracay or Singapore but this is all I could afford for now.

1.) I Learn Online Marketing
2.) Life's a Pizza Pie
3.) Hot Shit From Here
4.) Picture 2 People
5.) Sound Of Soft Breath
6.) Lainy's Musings
7.) Random Ramblings
8.) The Ad Master
9.) Back to School for Grownups
10.) First Door on the Left

American Apparel

If you're looking for the latest fashion trends, make a click stop at Stylehive. It's your online portal to the latest on fashion. Whether you are shopping for summer dresses, casual wear or you simply want to dress up, Stylehive's American Apparel Online Store is your best guide to fabulous dresses. And if you have special size requirements, you can check out their size guide to find exactly what you need.

Want to impress your man? Impress him with their latest creation. The American Apparel dress is a sleeveless tri-blend pleated pocket dress that comes in different colors, black, gray, and evergreen. Selling at only $38.00, this dress is of tri-blend fabric that transforms into the perfect piece to dress up or wear casually. It's made of 50% polyester, 25% cotton and 25% rayon. Polyester to give you the perfect shape and elasticity, cotton for comfort and durability and rayon for unique texture and drapes against the body for a slimming and sexy look.

If you're a slave to fashion and you just love dressing up, you will definitely enjoy this American Apparel dress. To order or visit the website, click on the link and navigate your way to through the current fashions and trends, at Stylehive, you'll definitely find what you need.