Check That Salt Intake!

The American Heart Association recommends every one to at least limit their salt intake to no more than 1,500 milligrams everyday.
Are you being aware how much salt are you actually taking in each day? I'm sure many are aware of the possible consequences of too much sodium in the body...high blood pressure, and high risks of heart attacks and strokes.

We can't actually avoid taking foods with salt, but we can control it by lowering our intake.

It is more often recommended to cook fresh food as there are more extra salt in frozen, canned and processed foods.

When buying canned food, bread or frozen meals, be sure to read the "Nutrition Facts" label, and compare sodium levels, then choose the one with lowest numbers. Look for "low salt" or "low sodium" labels.

For canned foods, drain them if they come with liquids to remove some of the salt.

Use as litte salt as possible in cooking particularly if you are using salty ingredients like olives, cheese, anchovies, mustard and soy sauce.

Use black pepper or hot sauce, fresh or dried herbs, fresh lemon or lime juice, garlic, onions or ginger root to fill in the salt flavor "gap" when cooking.

You can hide that salt shaker while eating! ;)

When you dine out, ask your meal to be prepared without salt.

Always pay attention to serving sizes and amount of sodium per serving, especially when preparing foods. Eating more means consuming more sodium.

Check any meds you are taking. They may have some high amounts of sodium. OTC drugs should be checked carefully as well by reading labels on them. When in doubt, check with your pharmacist or doctor.

A Slow PC Sucks!

Been there...I am currently using 3 laptops, and I had a tough struggle when one of them was almost dying! :( The other one ultimately died due to damage in its registry and can no longer be saved. I had to spent $300 just for repairs and reinstalling a new CPU too. It started when it became so slow but I ignored about it not knowing it was already having serious problems. It was one of those bad experience I wouldn't let it happen again.

When my computer is slow, I would see to it that everything, including the appropriate anti virus checks are running well, as well as spyware checks are also all in good running condition. I certainly did learn my lesson!

DO's & DON'Ts For Financial Discussion

I thought these few tips would somehow help us when we come to a point of discussing sensitive matters, including money matters. It's worth the read! ;)

• DO always use "I" and "we" in the discussion.
• DON'T use the word "you" because it places blame.
• DO make your partner know and make notice of upcoming conversations.
• DON'T make the habit of talking about sensitive money matter talks after work.
• DO celebrate minor successes like trimming your spending by $100 a month.
• DON'T focus on past mistakes by either one of you.
• DO try to avoid bringing up unrelated conflicts.
• DON'T talk about money when you're angry.

I consider this a "wake up call" for couple who are yet struggling not to argue when financial talks happen.

Tiles With A Style!

Okay, so here comes an artistic instrument that can help create one's imaginative minds! These are colorful and flexible magnetic tiles that help one create countless beautiful designs. They are also mostly ideal for ones who have motor skill problems because of their magnetic ability to stay on hold that slide easily on their specially textured keyboard. If you are aiming for a toy for travel, they can be the best to bring along for your kids too!

Money Mistakes You Should Avoid

Money can cause a lot of trouble. It's a fact we couldn't avoid if it is being mishandled. There are some problems you might want to know and how you could be able to handle and manage if those problems arise.

1. Avoiding Discussion of Finances Particularly if You Are Married/Couple.
It's kinda tough to meet your financial goals without discussing and sharing them with your partner. If you have trouble talking about money together, it might help to start with the 5 W's.
Here they are:
What you owe
What you own
What you earn
What you spend monthly
What is your credit score
They are essential pieces of financial information you can use together.
Then, you should focus discussing your goals together as a couple, write your goals and seek each other's advice if there are some things you need to buy, like a pair of shoes, etc. Common mistake a woman does is trying to force their mate to do what she thinks is best.

2. Ignoring Each Other's Money Styles.
If you have different financial habits, know your own money personalities. There is the saver, the spender, the risk taker, the security seeker and the flier. It might be wise to give each personality an outlet. For instance, give the spender some extra amount for impulse purchases, but make sure the bank account should never go below a particular amount to make the security seeker feel better ;). Another thing, it is important to focus on where you agree both.

3. You Play The Blame Game. Blaming each other is very toxic in a relationship. Take problems and solve them as a team. Don't attempt to sidestep a tough discussion by cleaning up a spouse's mistakes. Work together to create real solutions, instead.

4. Having Two Money Lives. Be upfront about having a separate stash. There are cases that all adults should have money to spend without having to account for it. Before you plan of getting married, it helps to discuss pre-relationship obligations. For instance, if the children's father is not paying support what the future groom thinks he should, that can spark a future misunderstanding that can build up. Likewise, if the guy squirrels away child support money for their education, that should be discussed as well.
Learn to identify your fears as well. For instance, some hide money out of poverty fear, while some don't trust their spouse that he will always provide. Make a point to seek help from a therapist to help you resolve it.

5. Using Money As A Weapon. Sometimes, earnings disparities can spoil the relationship as well. So, think of his, hers and our money! If one earns more, contribute proportionately to the shared expenses and consider adjustments such as having the person with higher income contribute for retirement. Also, aside from a shared bank accounts, try to maintain separate accounts for individual goals.

6. Pooling Assets Too Early. If you are still not married, and you feel you need to protect your assets, create a domestic partnership agreement. It is a contract between you and your partner which includes instructions on who will handle bills, whether a property will be jointly owned or belong to one partner, and an outline of joint assets.
Consider a prenup. It can protect couples from debt amassed before marriage. For instance, a woman should consider one if she owns a home or accounts or has kids from previous relationship, to protect her assets and the children's inheritance.

For Your Industrial Products

When it comes to choosing your industrial products, I bet you would always want the best quality. Take for instance even the smallest piece of your industrial equipments, whether accessories or the best tooling components such as t nuts, you have to be sure they are strong enough to hold every attachments connected to them. Every piece should be highly checked for every component made of, the composition of materials, etc...and with that being said, we need to have a credible connection to companies that offer only the best products.

And by the way, don't belittle those t nuts around...there are no big bridges without them, and no sturdy buildings without including them on your construction.

Saying NO Without The Guilt!

For many, the word "NO" is one of the most difficult to say. Sometimes, there are those cases where we are caught off guard by those people who won't take "NO" for an answer. But it's time to learn those people who are master manipulators and learn how to put your foot down, the next time you get to them face to face.

So, meet the master manipulators and know the best responses.

• The Flatterer - He/She says how smart you are and he/she would appreciate your help on a volunteer project he/she is involved with. Or your friends will become so disappointed if you don't make those special food recipes for a party.
  
  They say flattery goes both ways, so turn the tables! :). So, say something like "you're such a fabulous cook...I could give you the recipes, why don't you try your hand at it? I'm sure they would love them.

• The Guiltmeister - Your friend or loved one insist that you never call them, or you don't spend your time with them and they tell you while you're together having lunch!
  
  It helps to ask an insight from a friend. It's also good to step back and get perspective. If it seems like a bigger minefield than you know how to handle, consider talking to your psychotherapist to help you sort out.
  
  According to Dr. Newman, "you can't do enough for some people, so don't attempt to try". Arguing is useless...and you'll never win! So, calmly tell them how it's going to be. Tell something like; " I'd rather don't have this same argument over and over again. If we can't talk something better, let's hang up and call back when we can." Or tell your friend "I'm sorry you feel this way, but I try to see you as much as I can."
  
  
• The Saboteur - They are those who try to validate their choices by making you do what they do. For instance, you are strictly committed to lose weight but every time you go out with them they would try to get you to order dessert and say "just this one time can't hurt."
  
  Be a leader and not a follower. Saying "no" isn't about being selfish but about self respect. Stand firm and then redirect the conversation. Just say "no, thank you, tea is just fine for me. Are you going to watch that famous movie this week? I wonder if it's really good."
  
  
• The Whiner - Your co worker gets a lot of difficult tasks and whines how unfair it is to her and why she's the only one who gets the hard tasks. She keeps saying until you would finally offer to help just to make her stop complaining.
  
  Here's something to think about: This has nothing to do with you. It should be between your co worker and her boss and it's up to her to deal with it. The next time she starts rolling again, say something like; " why don't you set up a meeting with your boss to see if you can sort it out?"
  
  
• The Bully - Bullying can take many forms. They use their anger and intimidating demeanor to get you to do more than you want.
  
  A bully wants to get under your skin,so don't let him see you sweat. Don't respond in anger and don't allow yourself to be browbeaten into doing something you don;t want to do. A calm, quiet, firm, neutral voice is more powerful than a loud "NO", which conveys more of self-control and strength. Tell them something liek; "I don't appreciate being treated this way. So, come back when you calm down...or I think I've made myself clear - I won't discuss it anymore."

So, there you go...learn to be aware of those that manipulate! The next time you tend to say "No", learn the consequences and know the type of people that can't take "no" as an answer!

The Saffron Extract Diet

Are you on a diet? Are you still currently buying one brand to another trying everything else and still to no effect? Well, that's a bit of a sad story then!

Let's face it. We have to think smart when it comes to diet supplements, and the right way of choosing them. The more you don't stick to one, the more you get your weight problem come to worse.
Another thing would be choosing the one that does not work for you because it is NOT for you.

There is another type of diet supplement that was actually featured in Dr. Oz' TV show about saffron for weight loss. It came from saffron's extract which is clinically approved and acts as an appetite suppressant for those who tend to overeat. If taken with the proper dose and if you take regularly as prescribed, you then get a better sense of control by reducing your urge to eat your extra meal without any side effects.
By the way, Dr. Oz is NOT recommending this product, but it was featured in his TV show and he explained there how the Saffron Satiereal Extract works. You can also learn that there are lot more benefits you can get aside from controlling your appetite to eat.

Take note that as a responsible individual, taking a product or any kind of a drug to that matter should always be strictly taken in an allowed dose.