The Link Adder Nexus
Connecting Worlds

Diet plays a vital role in the maintenance of good health and in the prevention and cure of disease. In the words of Sir Robert McCarrison, one of the best known nutritionists, ‘The right kind of food is the most important single factor in the promotion of health; and the wrong kind of
food is the most important single factor in the promotion of disease.”

The human body builds up and maintains healthy cells, tissues, glands and organs only with the
help of various nutrients. The body cannot perform any of its functions, be they metabolic,
hormonal, mental, physical or chemical, without specific nutrients. The food which provides
these nutrients is thus one of the most essential factors in building and maintaining health.
Nutrition, which depends on food, is also of utmost importance in the cure of disease. The
primary cause of disease is a weakened organism or lowered resistance in the body, arising
from the adoption of a faulty nutritional pattern. There is an elaborate healing mechanism within
the body but it can perform its function only if it is abundantly supplied with all the essential
nutritional factors.

It is believed that at least 45 chemical components and elements are needed by human cells.
Each of these 45 substances, called essential nutrients, must be present in adequate diets. The
list of these nutrients, include oxygen and water. The other 43 essential nutrients are classified
into five main groups, namely carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. All 45 of
these nutrients are vitally important and they work together. Therefore, the absence of any of
them will result in disease and eventually in death.
Research has shown that almost all varieties of disease can be produced by an under-supply of
various nutrients. These nutritional deficiencies occur on account of various factors, including the
intense processsing and refining of foods, the time lag between the harvesting and consumption
of vegetables and fruits, the chemicals used in bleaching, flavouring, colouring and preserving
foods and the chemical fertilisers, fungicides insecticides and sprays used for treating the soil.

Therefore, as a first principle of nutrition, one should insist upn whole meal flour and whole meal
bread and avoid the white stuff.

Research has also shown that diseases produced by combinatins of deficiencies can be
corrected when all the nutrients are supplied, provided irreparable damage has not been done. A
well-balanced and correct diet is thus of utmost importance for the maintenance of good health
and the healing of diseases. Such a diet, obviously should be made up of foods, which in
combination would supply all the essential nutrients.

It has been found that a diet which contains liberal quantities of (I) seeds, nuts, and grains, (ii)
vegetables and (iii) fruits, would provide adequate amounts of all the essential nutrients. These
foods have, therefore, been aptly called basic food groups and the diet contains these food
groups as optimum diet for vigour and vitality.

To learn more about the energy principle in healing, please read:

Cost-free Miracle Asthma Cure
Overcome Type I Diabetes and Type II Diabetes Naturally
Alternative Treatments for Incurable Diseases made easy

I have had to learn to deal with what I have come to call “a spinning mind” all my life. This trait of “thinking, thinking, thinking” as some would define it is just who I am. For some reason, asking questions, wanting to know the origins or way of this or that is how I think and process my world and experiences. Theology and a lifelong interest in the Bible has also caused more problems than it seems to have solved for me. This is my experience. If it is not yours, I am happy for you.

I also have had to deal with anxiety in the last few years due to, what for me, are extreme life changes and that old mind spinning that projects me either back in to the past which kindles anger or depression or the future where anxiety lives. But since I am feeling that anxiety begin to rear it’s head even as I write, let’s talk about it and what might be a way to keep on moving.

We live in an anxious world and the powers that currently be seem to feel they are the cure but in fact seem more the cause of the problems and associated anxiety we all feel. Will we all die of bird flu? Will we all die of some plague accidental or deliberate? Is some idiot going to start a nuclear war because they can or have some skewed view of their role on the planet or alledged power? Have we elected (who really knows if “we” did?), people with agendas that are spinning us out of control and spending us into the poorhouse? Will we drown by tsuanami, fry in summer heat, cave in by earthquakes, be cast upon the plains by tornadoes, blown away by super storm hurricanes? Is our government turning into a dictatorship and was George Orwell correct, just a few years early?

My interest and experience is with religion gone bad. I know pastors who are building whole religious empires (at least in their minds) on the fear, guilt, shame and income they can generate by reading and preaching that they possess special knowledge and insight that the truly “called” need to understand. Churches and Denominations also do that. I have a deep resentment for these men and pure wonder at those follow them. The Church and ministry should heal the wounded, not inflict the wounds, but that is not always the outcome of how some churches and ministers end up affecting the people who trust them.

A simple test of a man’s message is to count how many times he uses the word “I” in his explanations. This is why I found it comforting to find that “I am the way, the truth and the light…” is also found on Eqyptian temples to the Sun God and may not have been spoke by the Jesus who also is alledged to have said, “why callest thou me good…” Me thinks the Church at a later date made Jesus say things that, in fact, he never did say, nor never could say. Just my less anxious feeling opinion. People who are “the only way” along with truth that is the “only truth” make me…well, anxious.

Just yesterday I received a call from a former church member who asked if I had heard that so and so had told his followers to cut off all relationships with family, relatives and friends. This is a man who has found that he personally is spoken of in the Bible, of all things. He is a self appointed Apostle type who believes that Satan will chase his small church into the wilderness and have to be hidden by God in a “place of safety” to protect them. Some have their mind on a place called Petra in Jordan where I am sure some entrepeneur type could start a chain of “Petra Huts” and make some bucks.:)

Anyway… he gets this perspective out of the book of Revelation, but then again, don’t they all. I would hope the proper authorities investigate this before it is too late for a very small number of true believers in this man’s skewed Biblical view of the world, but he is only one of scores of ill informed fundamentalists who have scary solutions for all of us, with them of course, as our leaders in the true understanding of the true God and his true church.

I don’t know if he is sincere, ill or a con man, anymore than the other three or four I know who now feel they are one of the Two Witnesses spoken of, again in the book of Revelation, that book which has caused more people with mental illnesses to rise to the surface than any other in the Bible. This call, I believe has ignited the anger over religion gone bad of my past and the anxiety caused by the unknowable future. I realise some of the anxiety comes from the personal fall out that has come from the results of my knowing it was long past time to get out of that which no longer inspired or informed me. Being a seeker at heart, that’s just how it works.

Religious anxiety is a beast of it’s own. Personally, and save for those moments when the chemistry of past experiences with religion gone bad is set in motion, I am free of it. I no longer worry about human constructs that are designed for control by fear, guilt and shame, such as the false idea of hell or the biblical threats of the lake of fire for those that are not growing in the grace and mostly fake knowledge of some who profess to know. But I still want to know why the things of religion,

Christianity is a perfect breeding ground for anxiety as it places unachievable and unrealistic goals before people. “Become ye therefore perfect, as you heavenly Father is perfect” comes to mind. No challenge there. Christians have the absolute anxiety causing duty to be sure they have the right truth, follow the right teachings, listen to the right ministers who preach the scriptures, the right way, or else.

This very fact of Christian life is THE reason there is so much division in Christianity. There are always men who are more sure of their own righteousness and closeness to God and the scriptures than the previous guy. They split churches in half seeking a following that will be more true to God than the last church they were in and it will happen again and again. Knowing this is why when I was told that I could walk off with the Church if I was tired of what was going on in the Corporate Church, I said no, and went to massage school. Now at least I rub people the right way…Sorry, had to say that:), and don’t have to go through another coup by local church elders who want to be King of Nothing.

I knew a woman once who literally cut off her hand because “if your right hand offends you, cut it off, for it is better you go into the Kingdom of God without it than into the Lake of fire…” blah blah blah. I think it also tells us to pluck out our offending eyes as well but believe we’d all be blind and limbless along with a few other vital organs if we did what the Bible says. I know the apologetic on those scriptures, but tell those guys in the middle east where the book was written it is merely symbolic. Fundamentalist Christianity thrives on conflict and division and promotes anxiety while also offering the cure for a price. What a racket!

I don’t personally understand why people allow themselves to be lead and duped by such religious tripe. They must ignore a lot of little moments in their thinking when they inwardly say “that’s stupid” but outwardly dismiss their own observations. Well actually I do understand that as I did it for years.

Humans want to know the right things and do the right things for the right reasons in the right way. At least most of those I know and knew do and did. But that is also a formula for anxiety and not a little bit of anger. The anger will come from looking back and seeing that what you were so sure of in your youth has become the source of your doubt in the present, and the void left for a time will lead to anxiety over a future you thought you had figured out, but now know you don’t. That’s how it works. What’s the solution, or maybe, what is A solution, since maybe we need get away from thinking there is always only just one true way to think or do anything.?

First of all, get out of the unchangeable past, stay out of the unknowable future and be present in the only time you have…NOW. I am speaking to myself, but you can take this advice too if you wish. I simply refer the reader to Eckhart Tolle’s excellent insights into this topic in his series on The Power of Now. Just know that living anywhere else than the now is insane. If you think of it it, churches and their leaders motivate people by looking back to the past, (scripture, stories, history-real or imagined, and characters) for their motivational sources and ahead to the future (prophecy of what will happen, to whom and how), to motivate, frighten, “inspire” and keep the faithful in their seats and tithing. Sincere? Maybe. Profitable? Absolutely. True? Probably not near as much as one would think, but I spare you for now.

Secondly, and frankly, learn not to care all that much for you personally about what such Bible characters as Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, the minor prophets or King David, who may or may not have ever literally existed depending, had to say. Get over the idea that if someone spoke it in the Bible, that is the end of the topic and the final truth of whatever they were commenting on. It relieves your religious anxiety to be able to say “so what” to someone who tries to manage your life by quoting the people of the book, so to speak, who said what they said thousands of years gone by now. Be prepared for them to freak out as well as they have never remotely thought that you might be able to think for yourself without searching the scriptures to see if these things be so.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about what Malachi said,” is liberating! Just learn to say “I don’t give a rat’s ass what (blank) said…” and fill in the blank with the Bible character that someone is using to inform you as to how you should be or do in the present. Maybe ‘ol (blank) was not who you think he was or as portrayed and you are truly wasting your time with allowing yourself to be motivated by advice or ideas given thousands of years ago, as if we haven’t learned anything since then. I know at least one person who’d have a right hand if they had used this skill and gotten some professional help.

Thirdly, theological anxiety can be lessoned by knowing that everything the pastor or minister says is subject to being questioned. I know we are not used to doing that. I never was. Just the act of reading “what Jesus said” was enough for me to believe that simply is THE final truth on the matter, again, as if we have not learned anything since.

Paul said in the New Testament that he wished all men could be as himself, single and celebate. Jesus said a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to a wife, you pick. Paul said women should not speak in church, but rather ask their husbands, because it was the woman who sinned and not the man. This of course is literally BS, but how many women live anxious lives trying to obey this outwardly when inside they know that they know more than their husbands anyway and his answer would be stupid and selfserving? Lots, I can assure you. Learn to question so called “authorities.” It is better mental health. Let go the fallacy that to question the minister, pastor, preacher, rabbi or Pope is to question the Deity. Trust me, all such are just men and they all fart from time to time.

Paul says the only reason for marriage is to avoid fornication. That might be the only reason Paul felt he would get married, but it’s not true, nor it a good reason to get married. Much anxiety in Christian homes is caused believing that the advice of a man who saw a bright light and fell off his ass to become an Apostle, but never met the physical Jesus or quotes him is, 2000 years later, the only advice there is. Many are anxious letting a man who had no wife, no children and no detectable relationships give them advice or even commands on marriage, childrearing and relationships! It’s kinda like going to a Catholic Priest for advice about human sexuality, children and marriage. This is one anxiety I don’t choose to inflict on myself any longer. So to lessen your anxiety, get up all your courage and be willing to believe that jsut because someone mentioned in the Bible said this or that, does not make it so. It is liberating.

Finally, but not really finally, breathe. Simple stuff really. Learn to sit, quietly with music that inspires your inner self or sounds that calm and just be. That is what in the present means. Instead of going to Church, take a hike, sit by the river, lay under a tree and look at the stars. Don’t live up to the expectations of others. Live up to your own. Don’t even have expectations for a time, but just be who you are, now and not always feeling the need to better, or smarter, or more faithful to this or that idea that you don’t and maybe can’t even grasp. Life is not something that is always just around the corner, the bend, over the next hill or something to be lived when all the problems, fears, shortcomings and needs are either overcome or met. Life is now and anxiety or the lack of it is directly proportional to one’s ability to live in the present and stay out of the anger producing past and anxiety ridden future. Theological anxiety is treated well by refusing to allow others to introduce you to God, Jesus and all the Prophets, brought to you by way of fear, guilt and shame and a claim on at least ten percent of your income.

Thanks for listening, I feel better.

With computer parts getting more and more sophisticated it pays to have some sort of software that keeps an eye on all the parts. There are several components of a computer that can run more efficiently with the use of monitoring software.

Firstly the RAM can benefit. There is software that can keep report to you the amount of RAM you have installed and the amount of RAM being used in real time. What this means is you can determine how much RAM each application your run uses in real time. This software usually comes with a disk de-fragment button. Essentially this does what the windows hard disk de-fragment function does. It cleans up the positioning of the data on the RAM to help it run more efficiently. RAM is an important part of any system and can greatly impact on the system performance.

Keeping an eye on your CPU is also important. There are several programs that can report to you the amount of CPU usage, CPU and case temperature and more. This is particularly important if you are overclocking your computer. Overclocking can generate more heat from your CPU and can potentially damage it and other parts in your PC. Most of these programs have alarms of warnings when your CPU temperature gets above a pre-defined limit therefore stopping possible damage to your computer.

Last but not least is the hard disk monitor. This type of software monitors the performance of your hard disk. For example it reports the read and write speeds to and from your hard disk which essentially is the overall performance. The hard disk is an important part of any computer as it holds all the data and is constantly utilized by the CPU.

Attaining monitoring software is quite simple. There are several different software providers that will allow you to use the software free of charge. All you need to do is a simple search on the web.

www.technologyslice.com

For more great technology related articles and reviews visit http://www.technologyslice.com

Do you sometimes have the feeling that you’re running into the same obstacles over and over again? Many of my conflicts have the same feel to them, like “Hey, I think I’ve been here before,” but I can’t figure out how I wound up in the same place. The situation is different, but the conflict feels the same.

I first read this poem in “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying” by Sogyal Rinpoche. When I “Googled” it, I found fourteen pages of links. It’s clearly a favorite with many people; I know it speaks volumes to me.

“Autobiography in Five Chapters”
1) I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I’m in the same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it’s a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it

5) I walk down another street.

Does this feel familiar? I am ready to learn that lesson! I’m sure that I’ve changed. I can see that hole coming a mile away. This time it will be different. I still end up falling in. Tired, sad and angry, I drag myself up once again. What was I supposed to learn here? I thought I learned that the last time.

Some conflicts seem to take years to unravel, but if we stay tuned, and our purpose is to look with curiosity and awareness, we will find the moment when we can step around the hole.

As I write, thinking about a recent stumble of my own, I am smiling a bit. From a distance, I watch myself drop into the hole – one I know well – and it’s kind of funny. And perhaps that is the way out – to laugh more often, to “love our mistakes,” as my friend says. I’ve heard it said that eventually we will laugh at all our mistakes – the trick is to laugh sooner. When I can laugh as I climb out of the hole, I’m on my way to finding the route around it, or better yet, that alternate street.

© 2005 Judy Ringer, Power & Presence Training

About the Author: Judy Ringer is Founder of Power & Presence Training, specializing in unique workshops on conflict, communication, and creating a more positive work environment. Judy is also a black belt in aikido, and is writing her first book on the connection between aikido, conflict, and living a more purposeful life. To sign up for more free tips and articles like these, visit http://www.JudyRinger.com

Note: You’re welcome to reprint this article as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the ‘about the author’ info at the end).

Writing your own obituary sounds and feels a little strange, I know. If the idea doesn’t appeal to you, try pretending that you have just won an award and the newspaper is doing a feature story on your accomplishments. By recording what you wish to be remembered or acknowledged for, you will be able to pinpoint the values you would like to live by. And, by identifying your life’s values you will be more able to live them now and in the future.

Values are those things that are more important to you than anything else. Values pave the path for an ideal life. When we live according to the values we have embraced we live a life of fulfillment. If we neglect those values that are of great importance to us, we feel emptiness in our lives.
What would you like your legacy to be? How would you like to be remembered? Think of four of five words that describe behaviors and activities you have noted in your obituary or feature article. Perhaps you noted that you will be remembered for your community service, your love of family, your artistic abilities and your position as an expert in your field. What values do these suggest to you?

Community service would mean you value Contributing. Love of family could mean you value Relating. Remembering your artistic abilities, you would be acknowledging the value of Creativity. And, noting your position as an expert says you value Excellence.

Once you have identified the values you want to be identified with you can work on integrating them into your life in the present. You can create a life that holds true those values by choosing your goals to your fit your values.

If you want to honor the value of Creativity, for instance, you might have a goal of learning to sew or taking an art class.

Keep a list of your values handy and when contemplating a new goal, check it against your values. Values often shift over time. Someone, who once valued Adventure, may now place a higher value on Discovery or vice versa. It’s a good idea to check your values once a year, and what better time than at the start of a New Year.

Beth Densmore is a Personal Life Coach and Motivational Speaker who offers support, inspiration and motivation to those who are in transition and want to achieve a goal. For more information and more free articles like this, visit her site at http://www.newfocuscoaching.com.

The next time you find yourself relaxing on the couch, having popped some corn and about to watch the “Sopranos”, instead, pose this $1,000,000 lottery question to yourself and see what flows. What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Would you work, not work? If you knew anything you touched or did held the possibility for success – whatever that is, what would you do? If there were no time constraints, no obstacles, no self-doubt, what would you do?

Some of you are already saying, “What’s the point of this!?” “This will never be real!” “Who’s got a million dollars?…Not me!” Well, the whole point is to have you dream…to take a ride. To get to the heart of what it is that you truly value. To uncover the elements in life that is of importance to you. This “story” that you create gives you clues as to the elements you can furnish your “real life” with. More so, you may find that some of the things you dream on, cost nothing. For example, a walk in the park, time spent with friends, time spent with family, flowers in your home, eating well, exercise, a new home etc. Let me not put words in your mouth. Go on, and dream!

In order to find out what it is you really want in your life, self-exploration is the first part of that process. Questions like $1,000,000 question help you to begin to design the life, the career, and/or the relationship you desire. Pose this question to any aspect of your life, removing all boundaries, all “shoulds” and “should nots” and see what you come up with. You will be sure to unravel hidden strengths, talents, gifts and values. Values you can use in creating a game plan for your life Another important point is to be as specific as you can. Record all colors, the time of day, smells and people in your story. Be very specific. Dig deep.

It’s truly possible to live the life you dream – the life you want. But first you have to know what it is you want. Answering self-exploration questions like this is the beginning.

Clearly, this is not simple. For many of us this is a challenge, especially if we rarely give ourselves permission to dream. Pestering voices corner us. But if you allow yourself to take on this type of questioning, you will find that your personal options for living are vast and varied. With all our world of choices and unlimited possibilities, let’s begin with the dream…

I dream that I often travel the world and bring back amazing and beautiful art to share with people. And everyone is pleased with me and they say, “ooh!” “aah!” and “gimme some of that!” about my findings. Hmm…What does that say about me?

About The Author

Sandra A. Daley is the president of Daley Formulas…solutions for creative living, a life and career coaching company that believes that everyone is entitled to a full and prosperous life. She works with artists, entrepreneurs and people who are in transition in their lives and careers. Sandra facilitates several workshops: “Defining The Work You Love: A Career Fulfillment Workshop”, “So You Wanna Be In Show Business: A Workshop On How To Break Into Acting” and “Leadership and Creativity”. She also publishes an inspiring and resourceful, monthly newsletter called “Daley Formulas…solutions for creative living”. To learn more visit: www.daleyformulas.com or send an Email to info@daleyformulas.com.

Bowflex is a subsidiary of Nautilus Fitness who have been in the exercise equipment business since 1986. Nautilus also owns Schwinn, Stairmaster and Trimline and they’re the second largest producer of exercise equipment in the world.

Bowflex is perhaps better known for their range of home gyms, however they have also come out with several treadmills that add competition to the already crowded mid-priced treadmill market.

Starting around $1100 up to $1999 (MSRP), Bowflex offers 3 treadmill models: the 3 series, 5 series and 7 series treadmill.

Are Bowflex treadmills a good value? Here is a review of the pros and cons of Bowflex treadmills to help you decide for yourself.

Pros:

Bowflex treadmills are sleek, attractive machines. They fold up to save space and have Softdrop decline which makes unfolding your treadmill easier. Built-in wheels also helps you to move your treadmill around if space is tight.

Motor power ranges from 1.75 HP to 3.0 which is fairly average in this price range. All treadmills offer built in workout programs and heart rate monitoring so you can stay in your target heart rate zone while exercising.

Bowflex treadmills offer Strike Zone deck suspension cushioning to make your workouts a little more comfortable and the higher end treadmills also come with 3 speed built-in fans to keep you cool.

The best part about Bowflex treadmills are probably their warranties which cover the frame for 15 years, motor for 10 years, parts/electronics for 2 years and labor for 1 year. Although there are similar treadmills with longer warranties, this is still an excellent warranty that will give you peace of mind just in case something goes wrong with your machine.

How do users rate them? Amazon users give 4.5 stars to the Bowflex Series 3 treadmill (not bad considering it’s an economy treadmill) and 5 out of 5 stars to the Bowflex series 7 treadmill.

The most popular treadmill features with buyers are the solid feel, professional look and ease of construction. (However it is only fair to point out that there are still very few user reviews.)

Consumer Reports also rated the Bowflex Series 7 treadmill a ‘Best Buy’ in their February 2006 ratings, giving it an “Excellent” rating in Quality, Exercise Range, and Ergonomics.

Cons:

Treadmill experts have reported noise problems with some of the treadmills due to the plastic parts. This can cause an extremely annoying rattling sound when using your treadmill.

Also, at this price range, competition is fierce and there are several other brands that may offer you more for your money, especially in the area of warranties, consoles and cushioning.

Conclusion:

Bowflex treadmills are getting very positive reviews and they do offer some great warranties. If you really love the Bowflex name, you’ll no doubt be happy with a Bowflex treadmill. However at this price range there is a lot of competition and you might want to shop around a bit before making your final decision.

Kathryn O’Neill is chief editor for http://www.TreadmillReview.net, a consumer oriented website focusing on the home treadmill market.

For more individual treadmill reviews visit: http://www.TreadmillReview.net/Individual_Treadmill_Reviews.html

Chamonix is amongst the top ski areas for vacation play and enjoyment. Chamonix is a lovely place and provides the family group rambling, sailing, mountain biking, fairs and numerous other things for the family to savour.

However as the first snow starts to engulf the tree tops and mountain tops, and the lakes ice over, Chamonix alters its look from vivid fall colors to glistening white. Chamonix pullulates with winter fun ” sledding, ice climbing and skiing.

Chamonix has been named the no. 1 skiing area in the Alps for many years by snowboarding magazines and eager snowboarders. A impressive 3100 meters into the sky, it with 48 trails, the lengthiest being 4.5 miles, and there’s 625.5 kilometres of skiing. There’s pistes for beginners and reasonable skiers, and 57 pistes for skiing experts. Chamonix’s lifts can cope with 18000 snowboarders each hour thus there is no waste of time queuing to get skiing. You are able to pick the gondola for an impressive view of the mountain range and the whole area. For the thirsty telemarker, there are umpteen mountain restaurants which have vin chaud and goulashes, baguettes or complete meals. Therefore why not look into reserving a catered ski chalet and go out there now.?

I have never lived anywhere else where when you walk outside in the summer you not only feel like you have walked into a sauna, you also want to change your shirt after just walking from your car to your office (Tallahassee).

At the same time, I really can’t imagine ever living anywhere else. I’m not so much complaining as I am pointing out that these 4-H days (hot, humid, hazy, and one hundred degrees) have quite a powerful effect on people. These days seem to bring on a certain malaise in folks, what I call not just the summertime blues, but the 4-H summertime blues.

Let’s looks at several different types of summertime blues, and what we can do about them.

GENERIC SUMMERTIME BLUES

For some people, the heat simply wears them out and keeps them inside. The heat saps their energy and motivation. Once inside, it’s very easy to become inactive, lethargic, and get a little bit of cabin fever. You wind up getting most of your exercise from channel surfing.

Suggestions:

Get outside! Take the necessary precautions, just get outside.

Malls, gyms and theaters are air-conditioned. Go do something. How many reruns can you watch, looking at other people live while you waste away?

INVERSE CHILDHOOD BLUES

Part of the problem with summer is we have gotten something backward in our culture. Here’s what I mean. When we were kids, we had the summer off, and even if we knew what we wanted to do, we didn’t have the money or the ability to do it. Now that we are adults, we know more of what we want to do, may have some discretionary income to spend, and we have to work all summer.

Suggestions:

What’s one thing you always wanted to do as a child that you could do now, maybe even just a little?

Do something child-like. A squirt gun fight or a slip-and-slide in the front yard could be a blast.

TRANSITION BLUES

For some people, the beginning of summer brings a time of transition, such as a graduation, or perhaps an impending move. Whatever it may be, transition involves the end of one phase of life, and with it, a possible sense of loss. While this may be called good stress, it’s still stress. Transition also involves the beginning of another phase of life.

Suggestions:

Make room for the sadness that the end of one phase of life can bring.

Celebrate the accomplishments of the phase of life that is ending.

Make room for the excitement a new stage of life can bring. What can you look forward to with anticipation? What is something you can do now that you couldn’t do before?

VACATION BLUES

For some people, vacations can be the most stressful time of the year. Trying to cram a year’s worth of leisure and living into a few days or two weeks can be exhausting.

Suggestions:

Think small, aim low, go slow. Trash the itinerary and have fun.

Consider vacationing at home. It can be incredibly restful. And inexpensive.

POST-VACATION BLUES

This is what psychologists call “post-reinforcement pause.” What this means is a slump after lots of good stuff. Sometimes coming back to the same routine can be very difficult. This is even more difficult when you feel like you need a vacation from your vacation.

Suggestions:

Come back in time to give yourself at least a day of transition between vacation and work.

Make several small vacations instead of one large one.

Make sure you have something else to look forward to after your vacation.

CHRONIC BLUES

Chronic blues can be defined as pervasive sadness or depression. Chronic blues are experienced by people who are already feeling sad or depressed, and the summer heat just seems to intensify the problem. Sometimes even well-meaning friends, in their efforts to cheer you up, can make you feel worse. If you recognize yourself in this category, try the suggestions I’ve already mentioned and make an appointment with your doctor and then a good therapist.

There’s no shame in asking for help if you feel depressed; the only shame is in not asking for help.

While summer is traditionally a time to relax and enjoy, it’s not always that way for everyone. If you find yourself in any of the above categories, use these suggestions for curing the summertime blues.

For more tips and tools for successful living, you are invited to visit Jeff Herring’s ToolsforSuccessfulLiving.com

When you are in the market for the best ab machines for your workouts, it can be tough to figure out exactly which abdominal exercise equipment will do the job. Each manufacturer claims theirs is the best, so how are you to know the real truth?

Target all of Your Abdominal Muscles

The most important thing to consider when selecting exercise equipment for strengthening your abdomen, is that the best machines target all of your abdominal and oblique muscles. It is not enough for a machine to work just one or two sections, it must help you reach all areas if it is to be effective. Many of the inexpensive machines and devices that you see on TV infomercials only work part of the abdominal region, so do some more research before you call that toll free number.

How it Feels

Whatever ab machine you purchase must feel comfortable, or it will end up gathering dust in a corner somewhere. The best option is to visit a fitness equipment retailer and try several different machines to determine which is best suited to your needs. Remember that the best abdominal exercise machines are adjustable to fit different body shapes and sizes, which is especially important if more than one person in your family will be using the equipment.

Give Your Back a Break

Most personal trainers will tell you that the biggest challenge when working your abs is to do so in a way that protects your back. It does you no good to buy an abdominal exercise machine that causes you back pain, so this is another reason why you should try out several of the better ab machines before selecting equipment to buy.

More Expensive is not Always More Effective

Abdominal equipment is available in a wide range of prices, and while price is generally an indicator of quality it is not always the best indicator of which exercise machine is most effective. There are several machines available for less than $100 that provide an effective abdominal workout when used correctly, and even a few that are less than $50.

Expert Advice and Guidance

One of the best ways to select an ab workout machine is to get some expert advice and guidance. There are a number of ways to do this, such as:

•Internet research – There are literally thousands of web sites that promote and sell abdominal exercise machines, so be selective about the research you do. Look for sites that are run by reputable fitness magazines or equipment centers, and check out their ab reviews and recommendations.

•Fitness retailer – A retailer that focuses solely on fitness equipment and exercise machines can offer you good advice on the best ab training equipment for you to consider, and will let you try out the machines as well.

•Certified personal trainer – If you are new to abdominal workouts, have back troubles, or just want some expert advice, it is worth your while to consult a certified personal trainer. Check with a reputable health club to find certified trainers in your area.

About the Author:

Julie-Ann Amos is a freelance writer for Best-Home-Gyms.com, providing
consumer information and reviews on the
best home gyms and
cardio equipment. She has researched several consumer reports to find the
best ab machines and
best dumbbell
weights for your workouts.

Copyright 2006 Best-Home-Gyms.com

Permission is granted to publish this article on your site only if the
author’s byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.