Heart Health ? Fish Oils To The Rescue

In a world where heart disorders and diseases are becoming more common, lets take a look at something most of us can add to our weekly diet for prevention of heart problems.

Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil promotes heart health. A daily dose of fish oil has helped prevent, slow or even reverse the hardening and narrowing of arteries in heart disease in some studies.

In a 2001 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the University of Munich reported that a fish-oil capsule a day may "modestly" improve blood flow to the heart and bolster traditional therapy in patients with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. In a study of 223 men and women, those who took a dose of fish oil per day for two years had fewer atherosclerosis complications such as heart attack and stroke.

Fish oil, found in fish such as salmon, it is a key component of the low-saturated-fat Mediterranean diet that has been linked to the lower incidence of heart disease in that area of the world.

How does fish oil work? Researchers are not ready to say, but one team of doctors used x-ray to peer into patients heart arteries at the beginning and end of one study. They found that after two years, the arteries of the fish-oil patients, on average, offered more room for blood flow to flow through, with less plaque.

The improvements were not dramatic, however the doctor's team concluded that the benefits found in this study are significant enough to warrant including fish oil as part of traditional heart-disease treatment. At minimum, taking a daily capsule or dining on fish twice weekly would fulfill the needed amount.

Fish oil has also been found to help heart rhythm problems and can help to thin the blood as well. Research continues and always finds Fish oils to be helpful for the heart. It is certainly worth adding fish a couple times per week to the diet, isn't it?

Jeannie Crabtree C.Ac, EFT-CC. has helped people increase their health for the last 25 years Visit her site at http://www.health-doc.com and her Healthy Living Blog at http://www.health-doc.com/blog/health-blog.html

Star Jones Nuptials: Fairytale Wedding or Diva Gone Wild?

In case you've been living on another planet for the past several months, you may not have heard that Star Jones was getting married. For the rest of us here on planet earth we couldn't escape this joyous news unless we swore off pop culture icons like Entertainment Tonight and People magazine.

Star Jones, current co-host of TV's chat fest The View with Barbara Walters, recently married Wall Street banker Al Reynolds in an elaborate, pull-out-all-the-stops wedding extravaganza fit for a queen - or maybe a successful diva.

That's right. Star Jones is a world-class diva. Okay, anyone familiar with Star knows her penchant for pampering herself with the finer things in life. So, it shouldn't be any big surprise that she went all out to have the wedding she'd been dreaming about since she was eight years old.

Star's fairytale wedding included such niceties as a wedding gown with a 27-foot veil topped with a crystal tiara, a 60-member Broadway choir, more attendants than Princess Di had at her wedding, and a custom made 7-carat princess cut diamond wedding ring.

Of course, as soon as the juicy wedding details surfaced in the media, the Star Jones haters came out of the woodworks - - often expressing their mean-spirited views of Star, Al, and their special day with vicious glee.

All right. Maybe Star went just a teeny weenie bit over the top. But so what? In the end, it's just one couple's happy wedding day. Theirs just happened to have a lot more bling bling than most folks.

Admit it. Most of us would have loved to have sneaked a peak into the star-studded event, if only to gawk at celebrity guests like: Angela Bassett, Kim Cattral, Chris Rock, Hillary Clinton, Vivica A. Fox, Barbara Walters, Lisa Ling, Kelly Ripa, Al Roker, Blair Underwood, and Donald Trump.

Whew! Now that's a lot of star powered bling right there.

When it comes right down to it, one person's overblown extravaganza is another person's Cinderella fairytale come true. It's a matter of personal style and taste. I say, do whatever makes you happy. That's all that counts in the end.

About The Author

Copyright 2004

Donna Monday
One special moment. One special ring.
http://www.1-love-rings.com

Gardening--Fun and Frugal!

Whether you are an avid vegetable gardener, a beginning herb gardener or just like to have a pretty yard, these frugal tips may help you save a little money!

1. Stale coffee and coffee grounds make great organic fertilizer. They provide many trace minerals and low, gentle levels of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous.

2. Remember that a good soaking of water less often is better than a light sprinkling every day -- for veggies and for your lawn.

3. If your neighbor has a plant you particularly like, ask for a cutting, instead of going to the nursery and buying one. Maybe you could trade a cutting from one of your own plants.

4. To easily water a tomato plant, bury a bottomless coffee can next to the plant and pour the water into the can. This allows the water to go straight to the roots.

5. Plant marigolds in your vegetable garden. They will attract insects that eat aphids and other pests.

6. My husband bought some used carpet at a garage sale, cut it into wide strips and laid it down between the rows in our garden. Now we can pick peas with getting our shoes muddy.

7. Use grass clippings as mulch around your vegetable plants to keep moisture in and weeds out. Just don't use the clippings right after you have fertilized your grass or treated for weed control.

8. If you have access to them, pine needles make excellent mulch.

9. A natural, frugal garden pest spray: mix 1 tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil. Use 3 tablespoons of this mixture to 1 quart of water and spray on plants.

10. In the herb garden, to keep plants like mint from taking over too big an area, put it in a clay pot and simply plant the whole pot!

"He who plants a garden, plants happiness."

About The Author

Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" bi-weekly newsletter and founder of the website of the same name. Visit http://www.cynroberts.com to find creative tips, articles, and a free e-cooking book. Subscribe to the newsletter and receive the free e-course "Taming the Monster Grocery Bill".

editor@cynroberts.com

Manhatten Paving-Asphalt Paving Seal Coats

Why should you even consider sealing your asphalt driveway?

Seal your existing parking lot to:

Establish all weather surfaces that are maintenance and dust free, thus saving you overall asphalt maintenance costs in the future.

Maintain the existing pavement in its present condition by delaying or eliminating further aging due to water, sun, heat, and humidity.

Change asphalt pavement road textures- allowing for a non skid, smoother, uniform appearance in the pavement.

Change asphalts color-by sealing the shoulder for demarcation from the main pavement of the entire pavement surface to improve light reflection and appearance of overall asphalt pavement.

Supply minimal additional strength to the pavement at minimum cost

Provide a moisture barrier between asphalt and mother natures elements.

Give better resistance to studded tires

Correct existing pavement problems by waterproofing openness in pavement surfaces.

Performing slight leveling-increase the look and feel of a uniform parking lot.

Can temporarily or permanently fix your problem depending on the cause of asphalt pavement damage.

Economic reasons-

A seal coat can be less expensive than repaving an entire asphalt pavement surface.

A seal coat can be an interim step to asphalt mixed pavement, thus, giving you extra time to save funds for additional asphalt paving in the future to be applied.

A seal coat can economically prolong the life of existing asphalt pavement.

Slurry Seal-

What is it?

It is a mixture of specially graded aggregate and an asphalt emulsion, usually applied with a squeegee. This smooth textured mixture is easily applied under normal weather conditions.

Purpose-

Slurry will seal an existing pavement and produce some minor leveling without the inconvenience of loose cover stone. It can also be used for mass crack filling, to improve skid resistance, to enhance appearance, and reduce studded tire wear. Slurry made with a coal tar emulsion can protect the pavement in parking areas from being damaged by petroleum spills and drips. This material is designed to enhance asphalt paved surfaces that do not need to be immediately repaved.

What about the effects of weather on slurry seal coats?

Weather can have a drastic affect on the quality of the seal coat. Variations can be cool, hot temperatures, rain, wind, and humidity. Unfortunately, you have no control over these variables, but, you can plan to do this type of work when weather conditions are fair.

Cool air or pavement temperatures (under 55-60 degrees) can affect the binding characteristics of the asphalt by making it less sticky or increase it viscosity. The result is a poorer bond between the existing pavement, the asphalt, and the rock.

Sealing in hot weather (air temperatures of 90 degrees and higher) can also create construction problems with seal coat applications. The seal coat is more fluid and is less viscous, loosing its strength.

Rain causes that slurry seal particles to float up through the aggregate cover and can be picked up on the tires of vehicles.

Hopefully it is evident now that if you have an existing asphalt paved property, it is imperative to apply slurry seal coats in order to increase the overall look and feel of the pavement surface. Seal coats cost far less than having to repave entire pavement surfaces and will add extra years to your paved parking structures. Maintenance is the key to adding life to asphalt. Don't make the mistake of not being proactive regarding the health of your asphalt paving parking lots!

Brett Lane is the Webmaster and SEO professional for Manhatten Paving Company, located in Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Seal Coats

History of Enterprise Car Rentals

So few really understand the drives and motivations of entrepreneurs. Many write about them, some lecture and teach about what they are, how they operate and what they have achieved; yet so few really understand them. So many fail to realize the dedication and sacrifice it takes to win at that level and the super stars are so rare that one just has to look in awe. One of the greatest stories of Entrepreneurial success is that of Jack Taylor who founded Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I therefore recommend this book about the History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car Book is;

"EXCEEDING CUSTOMERS EXPECTIONS- The Story of Enterprise Rent-A-Car" Stan Burns Published by Greenwich Publishing.

Jack Taylor was the of Executive leasing, which turned into Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Before starting Enterprise Rent-A-Car with the help and additional money of his friends dad, Jack was a Navy fighter Pilot flying in WWII a Hellcat. Enterprise is known for its great young and aggressive workforce, mostly recruited from College. It is an MBA grinder job where you must prove yourself to be promoted and the History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, proves they promote from within, as a matter of fact its current CEO and CFO both started out washing cars. Many great people as history will reveal started out washing cars. I can name quite a few on our own team. Jack started out in St Louis and then moved on to other major cities to develop a great Nationwide company now worth over 5 billion in assets and guess what? It is a private company not public. Here is a previous post of a few days ago as part of this post; Enterprise Rent-A-Car

I believe this to be a great company, not only because it is one of our customers, but because they do try hardest. I am a little offended by the article in Nov. 2001 of Forbes, which had a little fault with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. One needs to learn reality of highly motivated companies and not condemn or even hint at possible condemnation of what they do not understand before putting finger to keyboard. Enterprise Rent-A-Car is great and they deserve their success. GE would have done the same thing, so would Microsoft, the US Marines and anyone of our franchisees or anyone on our team including me. (I own the company; www.CarWashGuys.com ). You do not get to be one to the top 10 Private companies in the World by being a pansy ass. Their current CEO and CFO both started at the bottom of the company and worked up to those positions. And guess what they started out by; washing cars. I tell you there is no better company in the auto business to be associated with. Trying harder may sound good, but winning because you try hardest is the best. Vince Lombarde says;

"Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing. There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that's first place. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in everything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win. It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That's why they are there - - to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The objective is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules - - but to win. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man's finest hour - - his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear - - is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he's exhausted on the field of battle - - victorious."

The people who make up Enterprise are great from the car washers to the President of the company who at one time or another were the same. I truly believe in the power of the team at Enterprise Rent A Car. One of Jack Taylor's great quotes to his team was;

"YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS, ARE YOUR COMPETITION'S BEST PROSPECTS."

Today Enterprise Rent A Car has 300,000 cars, it was taken from $100,000 in start-up dollars to that 5 Billion in assets. 3,000 locations, Now in UK, Canada and many other countries, but did you also know that Enterprise rent-a-car also ownes many other operations non-auto? They had Mexican Restaurant Chain, Coffee Shops, Peanut Butter product line, Fruit Drink Mix line, Macadamia Nuts, Micro-brewery in Hawaii. This is a great company with great people and it has proven that great customer service and fair pricing and pure hustle is a winning combo. Talk about basics, The History of Enterprise Rent-A-Car proves it works, no one can deny it now, there were competitors who tried harder, but who is winning today? Next time you think about Entrepreneurial greats be sure to add Enterprise Rent-A-Cars, Jack Taylor to your list. Think on it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

No-Holds-Barred Conversation with Dan Lok - Part 1

Question: If you were starting out and had no references or a substantial resume, how would you go about finding paying customers for your services?

To answer your question, I'll assume you're a junior copywriter or marketing consultant.

When I first started out and didn't know a soul, I'd open the yellow pages and cold-call the business owners. I'd go to networking events and try to get business. (Sucks!)

Sometimes I'd do a little 'switchcraft' and call the companies who sent me direct mail letters.

Before I had a track record, I wrote a lot on a results-oriented basis. This is also know as a 'sink or swim' or 'thrive or starve' approach.

I'd write an ad or sales letter for a client, with the guarantee that if the ad didn't work, I didn't get paid. If the ad did work, I'd receive a flat fee.

Once I'd proven myself as a credible, conversion-oriented copywriter, I switched to requesting compensation based on a percentage of the sales. Ultimately, I changed to a flat fee, plus a percentage.

It wasn't easy. It's a good thing that 'thin is in' because I've been through a lot of lean and hungry months. I got ripped off so many times I can't even count them. Understand... I'm not saying this is what you should do, but that's what I DID.

In the beginning, you have to be pretty much shameless and willing to check your ego at the door. Be prepared to take on any kind of job for any kind of price. You want to make yourself damn busy. You want the law of supply and demand to work in your favor.

Your goal is to build up a portfolio of satisfied clients as quickly as humanly possible.

If it soothes your wounded ego, think of the process as 'earning as you're learning.' By taking a wide variety of jobs, you'll not only hone your skills a hell a lot faster, you'll also build up a reputation as someone who's 'earned his chops.'

And don't forget to collect testimonials.

Success breeds success.

Ultimately, just like me, when you're in demand, you'll be able to name your own price and do business on your own terms. If a prospect has a problem with how much you charge, you don't need to have a problem with them.

All you have to say is, NEXT!'

Don't worry, if you're good at what you do, you don't have to 'settle for less.' (If you're not good at what you do, and aren't striving to make yourself better, you have no business being in business.)

Here's another plus about providing good value: your clients will tell other people about you. You won't have to go looking for clients; clients will come looking for you. That's the position you want to be in?at the head of the 'receiving line,' picking and choosing your clients.

Your skills are in demand. The business world needs good copywriters. And good copywriters are rare. So the pro's in this profession are always in high demand.

As a marketing consultant or copywriter, you're better off if you don't have to engage in actively persuading prospects to hire you. You're in a much more powerful position, of course, if they come to you.

An excellent way to make yourself the 'go-to' writer that everyone wants is to establish yourself as an expert. Writing a book, creating a website and speaking at events are all excellent ways to gain a reputation as 'Miss Information' or 'Mr. Know-It-All.'

Question: What's an easy way to deal with lingering doubts and questions about an offer with the best ways to create urgency and compel people to act now?

As any good copywriter or marketer will tell you, overcoming resistance is essential to closing a sale. And as any successful copywriter or marketer may keep secret, there are essentially 5 foolproof ways to create a sense of urgency.

1) Limited Time

Time waits for no man, and neither should your offer. Set a time limit to send a clear message that says, 'You must act NOW.' Be sure to state a very specific deadline. Dont say 'This offer will expire soon.'

Do say, 'This offer will expire on July 20, 2004' or 'This offer will expire at midnight on June 12th' or 'This offer will expire in 10 days.' I think you know what I mean.

2) Limited Quantity

What do diamonds, vintage wine, and a triple-play in baseball have in common? They're valuable because they exist in limited quantity. Give your 'Widget' the same value by advertising that only a limited number of these Widgets were produced. Or say that only a limited number of these Widgets will be sold.

Again, be very specific. The above example should really read: 'Only 341 of these Widgets will be sold at this special 38%-off discount price.'

For a double-whammy, add a little financial incentive to your limited quantity offer: 'Only a limited number of these Widgets will be sold at THIS special price' or 'Only a limited number of these FREE BONUES will be given out.'

3) Exclusivity

People want to feel special and like they're getting something that other people aren't. Thats why the 'golf club members only' deal work so well...

4) Superiority

I've got an ego, you've got an ego, and you can bet your sales message that your prospect has an ego. Appeal to it with offers that say, 'This deal is ONLY for action takers.' and 'This deal is ONLY for successful people.'

5) Popularity

People like things that are popular and they trust what other people like... even if they don't know those people. It's the reason that restaurateurs always put customers in the front windows...you don't want a prospective diner looking in on a bunch of empty seats...

People like to be part of the 'popular crowd' and they also don't want to experience the pain of being on the outside looking in. So stir up the pain and remind your visitors what they will miss out or lose if they dont act now.

These two tactics are a one-two punch that will knock consumers right out of their lethargy and right into your offer.

About The Author

Dan Lok is the World's First Quick-Turn Marketer, with a proven track record of selling over $17.3 million dollars of merchandise and services. He's the rebel copywriter who's created hundreds of money-making ads and sales letter for over 39 different industries. Go to: http://www.askdanaquestion.com.

Wrinkles and Liver Spots are Signs of Aging, Mature Skin

Wrinkles

Gravity is the skin's worst enemy. Weakening of collagen and elastin fibres causes reduced firmness of the skin, gravity pulls at the skin and causes it to sag, this in combination with a reduction in the fatty padding of the skin inevitably causes wrinkling of the skin tissue.

Can Wrinkles Be Avoided?

Environmental factors such as over exposure to the sun, smog, cigarette smoke can all have an adverse effect on your skin. In addition, you may also have inherited weaknesses from your parents that can cause premature aging of the skin.

Despite these challenges, there are simple steps you can take to prevent wrinkles and remember - the earlier you start, the better!

? Wear Sunscreen,

? Always wear a hat with a wide brim when going outside ? remember, just because there's clouds does not mean there's no UV,

? Don't sunbathe, and

? Where possible, stay out of the sun between 10am to 3pm.

As we progress through our 30's, 40's, 50's and beyond, our skin requires an appropriate skin care regime to maintain, as well as repair, the skin. The older you are when you start to protect and care for your skin, the less effective it will be, however, it is never too late to start.

Treatments for Aging Skin

There are a multitude of drugs, chemicals and procedures on the market these days, promising you that you can have the face of a baby in your 90's. We all know where to put that? However, there are many natural and totally safe methods of treating aging skin and preventing premature signs of aging ? and I'm not just referring to your facial skin, although this is the most visible and therefore the most important to many people.

Using a natural skin care regime should apply to your entire body and not just to your face. Regularly use a clay mask to nourish your skin and remove impurities, cleanse your skin, tone it and last but not least moisturise, moisturise, moisturise.

Do not use commercially available soaps unless absolutely necessary ? these soaps remove the protective acid mantle of your skin and dry it out. Instead, use an exfoliant followed by a cleanser to clean your skin and leave it smooth, invigorated and with it's protective acid mantel in tact.

Follow this by using a toner. Toners close open pores to prevent loss of moisture, resulting in firmer skin. The last step is to use a moisturiser. Moisturisers help to hydrate your skin, prevent loss of moisture and provide nourishment and nutrients for your skin to use in fulfilling its many functions.

'Liver spots' or 'age spots'

Aging skin often develops unsightly blemishes, commonly called liver spots, which can appear on the face, neck and on the back of the hands. They are caused by the sun and accumulation of lipofuscin (pigments and/or wastes) that is derived from free radical damage of skin cells.

Liver spots, also known as lentigines or lentigos, are sharply defined, rounded, brown or black, flat patches of skin. The epidermis (top surface layer) is expanding with more pigment, developing what looks like a large freckle. They may appear as a single spot or in clusters.

Remember that your skin is an eliminatory organ and therefore it eliminates toxins from your body ? one reason for liver spots is that the eliminatory organs (Kidneys, Liver and Bowels) are not working as well as they should and therefore the skin 'takes up the slack'.

Removal of these impurities can be achieved using the above described skin care regime. In addition, when showering, use a Lufa or other type of skin brush on your body's skin. This will not only remove dead skin cells, but promote blood circulation to the skin which in turn provides the skin with nutrients carried in the blood.

Green Tea is a fantastic anti-oxidant and should be consumed regularly. Leafy green vegetables, fish such as salmon and tuna, nuts and fruits contain essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to nourish your organs and help them perform their vital functions adequately.

It is vitally important that you not only have a good skin care regime, but you should also have a good health regime, which includes a good diet, 8 -10 glasses of water per day and a regular exercise programme. This is very important and cannot be underestimated in its positive results on keeping you looking and feeling younger for longer.

About The Author

Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.

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