Tips for Senior Runners

Running for your health seems obvious for most people; there is little to invest in the way of equipment; it can be done alone or in a group and meets a variety of physical fitness levels.

If you are a senior and thinking of adding running to your lifestyle or you are simply interested in the possible health benefits or cautions, please take the time to review some of these tips for senior runners.

ARE YOU IN CONDITION TO RUN?

You are wise to consider running for your health - it has both mental and physical benefits.

However, before starting to run you should speak with your doctor about your overall physical condition and whether there are special precautions to be taken.

Brittle bones, lack of agility, loss of balance, weight and diseases such as diabetes are all conditions that require attention when starting a running routine.

If you have diabetes you may need to invest in special footwear and socks to prevent sores on your feet.

If balance, because of age or weight, is an issue you may wish to start slow and stick to areas that are level and less busy than sidewalks or streets.

WHERE WILL YOU RUN?

Are you looking for company on your run?

Or are you more interested in the fresh air and local scenery?

There are many options for senior runners and others whether they want to run together or alone.

School and community running tracks are a safe choice for senior runners because of the level and cushioned running surface.

Some communities have groups that plan runs through local parks or even your favorite mall.

The mall is a great choice for walks or jogs during inclement weather, particularly early in the day before most shoppers are in the stores. As an added bonus you can fit in a little window shopping as you go!

SHOULD YOU HIRE A TRAINER?

Depending on your experience and physical condition you may well consider a consultation with a trainer at the local gym or community center.

After assessing your mobility and fitness a trainer can recommend a running plan as well as where to find proper running shoes and additional equipment, such as heart rate monitors.

You should also consider getting a transportable radio or music player to take on your runs for distraction as well as one of the most important items for runners: a water bottle.

No matter what your age or fitness level you must stay hydrated, stretch before and after, warm up and cool down with a minute of walking, take a snack, dress appropriately for the weather and protect yourself from the sun.

Stick to areas you know and avoid hard surfaces such as sidewalks and unstable areas like graveled paths.

With proper care and preparation running can relieve stress, enhance physical fitness and improve your self image!

Fitness Exercises that can be Performed in 10 Minutes or Less

Most people understand that exercise is important for their overall health and well-being. However, many complain that they just don't have enough time in their schedule for exercise.

With the fast paced lives that most of us lead, it's understandable that most of us are time starved and without the proper time for exercise.

However, exercise is essential to our health, so it is important to understand that even a brief amount of exercise performed on a regular basis can go a long way to improve your life.

10-15 minutes of exercise performed 3-4 times a week will do a lot to improve every aspect of your physical health.

No special equipment or props are needed. In fact, a number of exercises can be done in the morning while you are still in your pajamas.

Some routines may be so easy that you may be tempted to think that they are not doing much good as all.

However, if performed properly on a consistent basis, 10 minutes of exercise can get you in shape.

Here are a few exercises that you can do in just 10 minutes to improve your total fitness health.

1 Minute Back Stretch

- Sit with your legs straight out in front of you and your back straight.

- Place your right palm flat on the floor behind you as you twist your head and shoulders so that you are looking over your right shoulder.

- Make sure that you keep both buttocks flat on the floor.

- Hold for 15 then do the other side.

Repeat twice.

1 Minute Back Scratcher

- Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you and your back straight.

- Stretch your right arm and bend it at the elbow as if you are going to scratch your back between your shoulder blades.

- Reach your left arm behind your back to touch or hold the fingers of your right hand.

- Hold this position for 30 seconds.

- Repeat on the other side.

2 Minutes of Sit Ups

- Lie flat on the floor on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

- Place your palms on your hips and run them up to your knees, pulling yourself up by your stomach muscles.

- Do as many of these sit ups as you can in 2 minutes.

5 Minutes of Step Ups

- Find a step of about 6-8 inches of height. Step up with your left foot.

- Raise your right foot to join it.

- Take your left foot off of the step and then your right foot to join it.

Repeat For 5 Minutes

1 Minute of Press Ups

- Lie on your stomach.

- Bend your arms at the elbows and place both hands flat on the floor with your thumbs at shoulder level.

- Keep your toes flexed and on the floor.

- Push on your palms to raise your upper body.

- Your back and shoulders should be flat and your buttocks should not be sticking up.

- Fully extend your arms but do not lock them.

- Now slowly lower your body back on to the ground and repeat as many times as your can in 1 minute.

Congratulations! You have just completed 10 minutes of exercise that did a lot to increase your cardio-fitness, helped to maintain the strength in your arms, shoulders and legs, and increased the flexibility in your joints.

If you don't have a lot of time to work out, try performing these exercises for 10 minutes 3-4 times per week, and you will see and feel a great difference.

Invest in Your Health

What if a trusted friend were to tell you about an investment where you could not possibly go wrong...what would be your reaction?

And what if there was a virtual mountain of credible information that supported the investment claims...wouldn't you be inclined to take advantage of the opportunity and not miss out on the rewards?

Although the answer to these questions seems apparent, when it comes to investing in our health and quality of life we often choose to ignore what obviously works. Take for example, exercise...

Physical fitness may be the ultimate investment opportunity.

Think of it this way. If you are willing to make the commitment (investment), you will feel and look healthier, have an abundance of energy, be more self-confident, more productive and discover a more joyous and fulfilling life.

These are rewards that money cannot buy and the substance of high quality living.

And, the investment of exercise becomes even more attractive when you consider that there is absolutely no down-side risk.

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. How much better can it get? How many times can you remember ever having a better offer?

The honest answer is probably never, and yet many of us fail to act on this extraordinary opportunity. We simply choose to procrastinate or ignore the proven benefits of exercise!

Here are a few reasons that sometimes inhibit our willingness to "step out" and make a change or take a chance:

- Sometimes our vision gets clouded. We lose tract of what is really important. Forget about the less important activities that tend to clutter our daily routine and focus on exactly what needs to be accomplished to reach your goal.

- Looking at the "big" picture can seem overwhelming. And the bigger the task, the more overwhelming it can seem. Break the task apart into smaller pieces.

If you want to lose 50 pounds try losing 10 pounds and repeat the process five times! Need to start an exercise program?

Begin with short, simple exercises and then slowly expand your routine. Don't exercise too hard when first starting-out or you will become stiff, tired, disillusioned and soon quit.

- Have you ever not wanted to start something for fear of failure? Take the first step, acknowledge the fear and the next step will come easier. Once fears are acknowledged, they usually quiet down.

- Sometimes we start to think that a task is unpleasant or boring. Just like any other activity, this can also be true for exercise.

There are days when we just plain lack the enthusiasm and motivation to continue. It's part of human nature. On days like these focus on 'why' you are doing it.

Think about all the people you care about and who may need and rely on you.

What would happen if you became ill or disabled and was unable to work for a period of time, or worse, if you were out of the picture completely.

How would things change?

If something happened tomorrow, how would your family or business manage without you?

What do you want your life to be like in the future?

There are many tasks or chores we do, that we may not like, but are necessary to live a happen and productive life. Focus on the bigger picture.

- Indecision can be defeating, but doing "anything" is better than doing nothing. There are no wrong choices and very few choices that can't be undone or done again.

Can't decide on a particular exercise program or routine? Pick a few exercises and start with something simple. If you don't like it, go on to the next exercise.

- When you lack the confidence to start something new, take a deep breath and try to figure out why.

Are you hesitating because you really lack the skill or is it just imagined?

If it's real, try to find out where to gain the skills you need or find someone with the right skills who can help.

In the case of exercise, finding a qualified personal fitness trainer can sometimes do the trick, but be wary...some PFT's are overzealous and tend to start newcomers on programs that are too strenuous.

- Life just seems too busy to find time for some activities. Large, uninterrupted chunks of time are very hard to come by.

And if we're honest, when they do come, we'd rather do something totally pleasurable! Exercise has to become part of your routine.

It can't be an option. Make it a high priority just the same as your career, and other areas of interest. You will be surprised at how easy exercise becomes when approached this way!

- Have you ever subconsciously (or otherwise) invited distractions so that you have a "good" reason not to get something done?

Sometimes it's the simple things like answering the phone or sitting down to watch that "one" TV program, that distract us.

When you find yourself doing this, take control of the situation and make a conscious decision to do what you are avoiding.

To reap the benefits of exercise, or any other health related endeavor, you must agree to become a willing participant.

This will require due diligence on your part. And remember, as you embark on your mission you are investing in something near and dear to your own heart...your life and a future of healthy living.

E - Dove Services   02 - 10 - 2008

Do You Have a Sleep Debt?

If you have trouble sleeping, you may be accumulating a debt that is difficult to pay back - a sleep debt.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, about 6 out of 10 people in the United States suffers from problems getting a restful night of sleep.

There are many kinds of sleep disorders, including:

Insomnia. Poor quality sleep may result from inability to fall asleep, waking up frequently, waking up and being unable to return to sleep, or some combination. Females are affected more than males.

Lifestyle-related. A hectic and stressful lifestyle, work demands and over-active social lives can lead to accumulation of sleep debt. Even the use of an alarm clock can trigger more and more debt.

Sleep apnea. Obstructed or blocked air passages lead to loud snoring and cessation of breathing while asleep. This leads to sleep deprivation and daytime drowsiness.

Due to the prevalence of sleep-related disorders in our society, the usage of prescription sleeping pills is on the rise.

But these medications carry their own risks: drug carryover into the daytime leading to drowsiness, psychological dependence, physical side effects including anxiety and memory problems, and potential drug interactions. And their long-term use is controversial.

Although sometimes prescription sleep aids are necessary, there are many other simple and easy-to-implement strategies to help sleep better:

1) Don't engage in mentally stimulating activities prior to bedtime.

2) Keep your bedroom as dark as possible - this helps regulate the hormone responsible for sleeping and waking.

3) Keep pets out of the bedroom.

4) Eat a light snack before bed, preferably one with protein.

5) Exercise daily.

6) Keep a regular schedule of sleeping and waking.

7) Have yourself checked for depression - it is a common cause of sleep disturbance.

8) Avoid caffeine and alcohol, especially within 6 hours of bedtime.

9) Don't take naps during the day.

10) Quit drinking fluids 2 hours before bedtime to reduce your chance of having to get up to go to the bathroom.

Large amounts of accumulated sleep debt can be a serious problem. For example, driving can place both you and other people at risk.

Frighteningly, a 2002 National Sleep Foundation poll found that 14 million people reported actually falling asleep at the wheel during the last year.

If you have been having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about your condition and your options. Besides depression, many other potentially serious health disorders may be causing your sleeping difficulties. Don't ignore this debt until it becomes too late to repay.

E - Dove Services  21 - 09 -2008  New

Wellness: Not the Same as Fitness

Have you ever stopped to think about how to determine your current fitness and wellness levels?

Does your doctor ask you each time you visit if you believe yourself to be fit and well? Probably not. Nor does he likely give you any method for determining where you're at for yourself.

There are fitness centers everywhere, most staffed with counselors who can test your fitness level. But what about your wellness level. Are they one and the same?

The fact is, being fit and being well are totally different conditions. However, both are essential to maintaining your health.

Your wellness rating depends on your immune system, including the vitamins, supplements and nutrition you intake.

It's a fact that people who are fit can sometimes be unwell, and well people can sometimes be unfit.

However, when you combine the two and use sound principles based on clean living, exercise and healthy eating, you attain a state of balance that helps you to maintain both fitness and wellness.

Many people don't take the time to completely understand the advantages of being both fit and well.

We read and absorb the information we're given through the media and health organizations without ever questioning whether we're receiving the information we really need, or simply what is profitable for these companies to make available.

Fitness gyms need your monthly fees in order to stay in business, so they probably have no real concern about the condition of your immune system. Physical fitness is a condition of the body alone.

Hospitals and doctors need you as a patient in order to remain operational. They will tell you that you need to be fit and well, but often leave out important information that affect your wellness and, therefore, your ability to stay fit.

What about diet?

What about vitamins?

What role does our daily intake play in our health, wellness and fitness?

The fact is, diet has more influence than you have been led to believe or understand.

Our body's ability to stay well is directly related to the nutrition you receive every day. The mind's ability to remain well is also a direct result of our nutritional intake.

For example, the human brain doesn't develop well without the necessary input of protein in our daily diet.

No protein, no intelligence. If there is no intelligence, then none of the other states can be attained.

Spiritual input is another determining factor when establishing our wellness level. Spiritual reflection is a way to cleanse ourselves of the toxins of our daily life.

Wellness encompasses our complete state of being, mind and health. It's a condition of the whole ... mind, body and soul.

So, for those who believe they are fit, it's also important to pay attention to your wellness as well. Finding the ideal balance is the best way to achieve a long and healthy life.

Why Body Fat Testing is so Important

One of the most overlooked aspects of any diet and fitness program is getting proper body fat testing assessments.

This goes far beyond just looking at a weight scale and checking out how much you weigh.

You want to know that all that weight you lost is from fat and taking the time to get regular body fat tests done will definitely help you make faster progress towards you goal.

If you're on a weight loss program and have dropped some pounds, how do you know that the loss is from losing fat.

The three main components of weight changes come from water, muscle and fat. So which one, or combination of the three, caused the weight loss.

If you have regular body fat tests done, then you would know what kind of weight was lost.

Here is a key point. If you want to be successful in your weight management or fitness goals, then do what successful fitness people do.

All the successful dieters and fitness pro's will take measurements, track their results and adjust it accordingly to keep progressing towards their personal goal.

If the results of a test show that a total of 15 pounds of body weight was lost, a few calculations will break down what component (water, muscle, or fat) had the majority of the weight change.

Here is an example to clarify how body fat testing and your weight loss goal goes hand in hand.

It's the first week of your diet and fitness program and you want to make sure that you start it correctly.

The local fitness center does physical assessments and body fat testing, so off to the gym you go to get checked and see where your levels are at.

Six weeks later committing to a good diet and fitness program has resulted in a 15 pound weight loss.

Now it's time for another assessment to see the hard facts on how you're progressing. The results of the assessment will show how much of that 15 pounds was fat.

Generally, if only 1 to 4 pounds of weight loss is water and muscle but the rest was fat, then the diet and fitness program is a success and you should continue on the program you're on.

If only 5 pounds of weight from the 15 is fat according to the body fat test, then there is a problem with the diet or fitness program you're on.

It would be wise to make some changes as this perhaps indicates that some dehydration or muscle wasting may be occurring.

Continuing with the same program may cause a problem with your health if followed too long.

In this case, a change in your program and another assessment 4 to 6 weeks later will determine if the new program is getting better results in fat loss instead of water or muscle loss.

If you are truly committed to lose fat and achieve good health and fitness, then you need to distinguish between just overall weight loss and true fat loss.

As you continue your weight loss program, each body fat test gives you the chance to make small changes in diet or exercise routines to see if the next assessment produces better results.

Not only does this get you closer to what the ideal program is for you, but it also helps keep you focused on staying with the program and not give up or quit. You will stay motivated by trying to better the last assessment.

Now that we see the importance of body fat testing, your first step is to decide if you want a professional assessment person to test you, or if you want to learn to do it yourself. There are advantages and disadvantages to each decision.

A professional body fat tester can usually be found in most fitness centers and gyms.

They have the experience, knowledge and tools to make accurate tests and can suggest a course of action to improve the results of the next test.

It takes on the average of about 15 to 30 minutes to complete and you will get a copy of the test to keep.

The cost can range between twenty to fifty dollars per test and should be done every 4 to 6 weeks.

Some disadvantages are the costs to having it done, searching out a qualified assessment professional and perhaps the slight embarrassment you may feel to have test done.

If you decide to do the test yourself, you will need to learn how to take proper body fat measurements, purchase the tools or equipment for accurate assessments and keep testing many times in order to learn how to do it correctly.

An advantage to do your own test is that you can have the privacy and convenience of testing as many times and often as you want in your own home.

Most people will want someone else to do it because of the learning curve involved to take accurate assessments.

Another valid reason is to have the option of some suggestions by the professional on what you can do tweak your current program and make solid improvements for the next test.

Now that you know the importance of body fat testing, you should do a little research and get more details on how to incorporate it into your program.

This just may be the key ingredient for you to make real progress towards your weight loss and fitness goal.

Divide and Conquer?

A look at Stem Cell Research

Stem cells could be the beginning of the end for deadly diseases, by allowing medical science to form custom-made tissues and organs that would replace or repair damaged ones.

Scientists haven’t yet mastered the process of creating specialized cells that form body parts.

But they have come a long way since the 1800s when pathologist Rudolf Virchow pioneered the idea that disease starts at the cellular level in his Berlin laboratory.

Embryonic stem cell research got its start in the U.S. in November 1998 when James Thomson, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, was the first to successfully remove cells from spare embryos at fertility clinics.

He established the world’s first human embryonic stem cell line. His announcement however, set off a firestorm of controversy that was quickly carried into countries around the world.

At the center of the controversy was a wave of political and religious fervor, with zealots who likened the research to cannibalism, and warned of a dark, science fiction-like future filled with “embryo farms” and “cloning mills”

In truth, every year thousands of unwanted embryos are slated for disposal at fertility clinics around the country. These embryos are smaller than the dot above the letter “i” when typed onto a piece of paper.

They have no identifying features, and not even a hint of a nervous system.

To throw them away, advocates say, when the stem cells themselves would be unable to develop into a baby – even if planted inside a uterus – seems an unthinkable waste that they claim borders on immoral.

Some forms of stem cell therapy have been around – and widely used – for decades. For example, bone marrow transplants are used to treat sickle cell anemia. The stem cells in the donated bone marrow regenerate the patient’s blood and immune system.

It works like this – one cell divides, and becomes two. The two become four. And so on and so on, until they multiply into a ball of millions of cells.

Similar cells combine into tissues, and the tissues combine into organs. There are over 200 different types of cells that create the human body. And inside each of us are billions of cells, each with a specific job to do.

A stem cell is a cell that matures and has the ability to self-replicate – often throughout the life of the organism.

So, the dream for medical researchers is to provide the right conditions – or give specific stems cells the right signals – so that a targeted stem cell will develop into mature cells that could repair diseased tissues or organs.

If successful, it would mean the end of crude mechanical devices such as insulin pumps, titanium joints or plastic arteries, and use living, natural replacements.

The potential for stem cell medicine is awe inspiring. Stem cell lines could be used to help burn victims, and those who have suffered spinal cord injuries.

It also has the potential to cure many common diseases of today, such as diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Even in the midst of all the controversy, few question the medical promise of embryonic stem cells.

And while the arguments go back and forth, policymakers and governments aren’t waiting for medical answers.

Their reactions – and actions – that have included limiting government funding and the type of research that is allowed are varied.

Germany for example has banned some types of stem cell research. Under President George W. Bush, the U.S. has imposed stern limits on the government funding, but left private funding wide open.

This has meant that the U.K., China, Korea and Singapore are competing with one another to become the epicenter of stem cell research.

In addition to providing funding, they’ve set up ethical oversights to encourage and support research in the field, within carefully drawn guidelines.

Despite the varied political climates, scientists too are working furiously to see which techniques will produce viable treatments the fastest.

In the United Kingdom, scientists are allowed to extract stem cells from embryos left over from in-vitro fertilizations, and to clone embryos specifically for study.

With an eye on the future, the U.K. has built the world’s first Stem Cell bank. It is a repository where stem cell lines are kept in cold storage.

Researchers can deposit and withdraw both adult and embryonic stem cells.

They apply the same rigorous standards to all cells, and scientists hope that eventually they will be able to create batches of stem cells that are as uniform as the drugs created by pharmaceutical companies.

What are embryonic stem cells?

Most embryonic stem cells used in research come from embryos created in in-vitro fertilization.

Each embryo’s inner cell mass has 40 or so stem cells. The mass is transferred to a culture dish lined with feeder cells. As the cells divide and multiply, they are re-planted into fresh culture dishes.

If, after many months, the original stem cells have grown into millions of healthy cells without maturing and differentiating into specialized cells, they are referred to as a “stem cell line” and are capable of reproducing indefinitely.

Embryonic stem cells can develop into any type of cell through a process called pluripotency.

The challenge for scientists is to keep the harvested cells from maturing and then at the proper time, give them the right signals so that the cells differentiate into the needed tissue.

We have not yet figured out nature’s secret – how to tell one stem cell to form blood, another a specific organ and yet another skin.

Scientists know that complex combinations of growth factors, genetic and chemical signals drive the process, but they’re a long way from making the leap to being able to perfect or order the process.

What are adult stem cells?

The adult body has a limited number of stem cells in many tissues and organs that are dormant until activated by illness or injury.Adult stem cells aren’t as functional or a multi-talented as embryonic stem cells however.

They can’t morph into any kind of cell and may be limited to becoming only the cell types of their original tissue.

(So while an adult stem cell in brain can become a neuron or a glial cell both are neural cells), present research hasn’t provided us with the formula for ordering to change into a liver or bone cell.

Adult stem cells have been found in the brain, the blood, the cornea, the retina, the heart, in fat, skin, dental pulp, bone marrow, blood vessels and skeletal muscle and in the intestines.

Generally adult stem cells have two main drawbacks for researchers. They are scarcer in the body and harder to culture than embryonic cells.

Since large numbers of them are needed, it makes their viability for wide spread use somewhat questionable.

How many stem cell lines exist today?

Right now, the U.S. still leads the world in the number of embryonic stem cell lines, even with the restrictions on funding imposed by President Bush, which prohibit government funding for any embryonic stem cell lines created after August 9, 2001.

But the U.K. and Asian countries – most particularly South Korea and Singapore, are working hard to become the new world leaders and are aggressively providing the facilities, funding and oversights into therapies and are beginning to attract some of the brightest scientific minds.

There are a total of 155 embryonic stem cell lines in the world today. 78 of them are approved for U.S. federal funding, and of those, 22 are approved for U.S. funding and suitable for research. Sweden has 33, South Korea has 24, India has 10, Singapore has 7, Israel has 5, the U.K. has 3, Spain has 2 and Iran has 1.

What progress has been made?

So far however, only adult stem cells have been tested on humans, although research on both adult and embryonic stem cells continues at a fast pace.

Some of the results to date show promise in being able to treat heart disease, leukemia and other cancers, rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s Disease, and Type I diabetes.

Preliminary results however are exciting, and this century could mark the beginning of a revolutionary transformation in the practice of medicine, as we know it.

E - Dove Services   14 - 09 -2008    New

Cord Blood and Stem Cells

There has been a lot of talk in the news recently about the positive benefits of retaining cord blood, and the need to invest time and money in stem cell research.

Cord Blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta following birth. Generally, cord blood is routinely discarded with the placenta and umbilical cord at the time of birth, but now research has shown that the blood in the cord is a rich source of stem cells.

This is very important as stem cells are the building blocks of the blood and the immune system.

It has become apparent that saving the cord blood in blood banks, could save the life of the donor, or members of their family from future diseases.

This is possible because stem cells have the ability to differentiate into other types of cells in the body, and thus give rise to all the tissues, organs and systems in the body.

By saving these stem cells, treatments can be developed for diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimers and Diabetes - to name but a few.

The stems cells in a child's cord blood are genetically unique to the baby and its biological family.

As a valuable biological resource, researchers can use these stems cells to investigate the potential for future applications, should the child or family develop health problems later in life.

This has brought about the current trend for many parents to invest in their own 'health insurance' by storing the stem cells retained at birth in cord blood banks.

The process of storing the cord blood, involves drawing the blood from the umbilical cord, using either the syringe or bag collection method, after the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut.

The blood is then tested to determine whether it meets eligibility standards. The red blood cells or plasma are removed as they will not be needed in transplantation.

The blood is then stored in the cord blood unit - either in a vinyl or plastic bag in which it is frozen in liquid nitrogen.

There are two types of cord blood banks...

First, there are the family banks, which store the umbilical cord for one's own family use.

Second, there are the public donor banks, which store the blood for unrelated or non-family use - this can be used for research and development of cures for many types of health problems.

Every parent has the option of saving their baby's cord blood for their family use, however, only a small number of people become eligible to donate their baby's cord blood stem cells.

There are three sources of stem cells in the body.

1 - Cells from bone marrow.

2 - Cells from peripheral blood (this is the blood that circulates through the body).

3 - Cells from umbilical cord blood.

The umbilical blood is significant for research because it differs from the other types of stem cells.

Due to the structure of the stem cells in the cord blood, they are less likely to be rejected by the body when used in a transplant.

This allows for the use of the blood in patients other than the original donor and results in a higher rate of success.

Hopefully, some of the points above help to show the benefits and importance of retaining cord blood, and the need to invest time and money in stem cell research.

9 Steps For Planning The Perfect Wedding

He proposed, announced to both families, relatives, friends, associates, eventually asked the big question, when shall we shall prepare for THE WEDDING.

So now you're both happily engaged and looking forward to the future. Once you meet your new families and formally announce your engagement, you need to start planning your wedding extravaganza.

To avoid being Bridezilla, consider the following 9 steps to stay organized no matter how large or small your wedding is:

1. Select a Wedding Theme

From garden to destination to princess to western, there are a variety of different wedding themes. Choose your theme so you can choose wedding attire and accessories accordingly.

Your stationery, location, accessories and attire should reflect the unique theme of your wedding day.

2. Create a Budget

Determine how much money you have to spend on your wedding and stick to the budget to ensure success.

If you're on a tight budget, there are many creative ideas online and in magazines to have the best for less.

Don't vary from your budget because then you will be forced to compromise in a rush towards the end of your wedding plans.

Spend consistently and thoughtfully as you plan your wedding to avoid budget disasters. This is also excellent practice for married life together.

3. Get a Location

You need a venue for your wedding ceremony and reception. When you plan your wedding a week or two years in advance, a location is where everything begins.

Find out what the location may include such as flowers or music so you know what you're responsible for. Get a list of rules so you can share them with your service providers.

4. Secure Service Providers

Get providers based on your needs such as a photographer, band, musician, limousine driver, florist, hairdresser, makeup artist and wedding planner.

Good service providers book up quickly so make appointments to meet with them in advance.

5. Shop for Attire

Select gowns, shoes, head attire, tuxedos and accessories for the bride, groom and wedding party well in advance so orders and alternations may be done in a timely manner. Give yourself ample time to find everything you want and to make changes if necessary.

6. Order Themed Wedding Accessories and Favors

You may want to get monogrammed wedding accessories and wedding favors for your guest, which could take extra time. Order these items well in advance so you know you're ready for the big day.

Remember personalized items such as a flower girl basket, ring bearer pillow, toasting set, cake serving set and cake topper.

7.Create a Master Planning List

Just like you create a guest list or a seating chart, create a master planning list to include every element of your wedding ceremony and reception.

Much like building a house without a blueprint, a great wedding can't be done without a master planning list to keep you organized.

8.Enlist Assistance

You need help and should enlist assistance from your wedding party and family to plan the details of your special day.Trying to do everything alone will leave you too exhausted to enjoy your wedding.

9. Make Honeymoon Plans

Book your honeymoon and make travel arrangements in advance to ensure you go away to your dream destination after the wedding reception, or a day or two later.

Getting married is a romantic, special occasion that you will remember for the rest of your life.

With proper planning, you can create a personalized wedding celebration that reflects the uniqueness of the love you share.

Make up a lifetime vow, wishing all the happiness till the end of time.

Wishing newly weds couples enjoy every annivesary year after years.                                                        

Sept 08 2008 E-Dove Services

Wedding Gift Registry

Suggesting Gift Ideas to Your Guests

A Wedding Gift Registry is a traditional way to suggest wedding gift ideas that you would like or would find useful to your wedding guests.

Many leading retailers will help you to set up a Wedding Gift Registry for your wedding at no charge. An increasing number of online shops now also offer this service.

As the bride and groom, it may seem a little rude or even cheeky to list out things that you like as suggestions for your friends and family to buy for you.

Walking around the shop and picking out lots of things that you would like to have in your new home may seem like a self-indulgence.

You can take heart that it is a traditional thing to do and perfectly socially acceptable.

When you are getting married your guests will wish to give you wedding gifts. They will appreciate your help and guidance to make sure their gifts will give you pleasure.

Having access to a Gift Registry makes their task of buying your gift much easier. Some retailers will offer a discount for gifts purchased off a Wedding Gift Registry.

You are doing your guests a big favor.

From the wedding couple's point of view, a Wedding Gift Registry greatly reduces the worry that your guests will choose gifts that you already have, colors or styles that you do not like or strange items that are of no use to you.

You can coordinate gifts in matching styles and colors to fit into your new home. Nobody likes to give a gift that is not appreciated, or that is later returned and exchanged for something more appealing.

In years to come your friends and family will take pride in seeing the wedding gift they gave to you on display or in use when they visit your new home.

Another useful feature of a Wedding Gift Registry is that each purchase is ticked off so that the next guest does not duplicate the gift.

You probably only need one toaster, so receiving three of them as gifts to choose from is an embarrassment best avoided.

When you have a whole shop to select from and dreaming of your new home, it can be tempting to list only the most expensive and attractive items.

A well-designed Wedding Gift Registry should include gifts from a range of prices that are affordable for all of your guests.

Your guests may be offended and feel out of place if most of the gift suggestions are beyond their reach, or of a value that they feel is not appropriate for their relationship with the bride and groom.

Often not all wedding guests are close family and friends, and they may be just looking for a polite rather than a generous gift.

Having somebody else along, like the bride's mother or a good friend, can help to keep the Gift Registry in perspective and suitable for the guest list.

A wedding couple may find it helpful to set up several wedding gift registers in different shops or online to give their guests more choices and shopping convenience.

Using a Wedding Gift Registry can help to make for a more successful wedding from the point of view of both the new couple and their guests.

Sept 08 2008 E- Dove Services

Baby Yoga:

The Early Path to Well-being

Strictly speaking, yoga, in its pure and original form, is primarily a philosophy and a discipline.

Although people naturally have stereotypical mental pictures of practitioners of yoga, there is more to it than just the stretching and the limb bending.

Yoga has both intellectual and practical aspect or components. Through time however, the practical aspects of yoga have become widely practiced in themselves because of their healthy and calming effects on the body.

Many believe that yoga can truly develop internal balance and peace. The acceptance of yoga as a genuine way to promote both the health of the body and the spirit has been especially pronounced in the west.

In many ways, yoga has helped those who have always wished to improve their health condition, posture and even the shape and form of their bodies.

The practical aspect of yoga primarily promotes bodily improvement through exercises that deals with proper breathing, stretching and relaxing and because the body is at ease and properly situated, spiritual calm may follow.

Today, yoga has not only been deemed fit and advisable for adults, it has also become a common activity for babies.

Yes, you read that right, babies can now get into yoga. But before you go on imagining babies in difficult and contorted positions or babies on a mat receiving instructions from a yoga master, it is important to note that baby yoga has its differences from traditional yoga.

Common sense would say it is nearly impossible to direct babies into traditional yoga exercises, so you don't need to worry about forcing babies into positions that may cause injuries.

Baby yoga is actually an interactive kind of yoga for both babies and mothers or other primary caregivers.

Mothers may perform exercises with their babies carefully situated to fit into the exercise movements. Babies may also be assisted in performing certain exercises such as the gentle stretching of limbs in which mothers may sit with their babies and move their arms in and out or over the babies' bodies.

Mothers may also practice correct breathing as taught in yoga for babies to imitate. Babies may also benefit from baby massages that yoga mothers get to learn in class.

To ensure that babies are calm during sessions, calming music may be played while mothers continually talk or sing rhymes to their babies as they help their babies perform the exercises.

Aside from the bonding experience with mommy that a baby may benefit from, yoga exercises also help babies in other ways.

While motor development may happen later in a baby's life, yoga babies may become aware ahead of time that they have two arms which they can use.

Yoga also helps babies relax, strengthens their spine, muscles and joints, develops their balance, massages their organs, helps prevent colic and increases oxygen intake.

Baby yoga has been proven to be relatively safe. All in all, baby yoga has tons of benefits for your baby.

So, if you're looking for an entertaining and healthy activity for you and your baby, baby yoga may be the answer.

To be healthy, start young. To stay fit and healthy start immediately.

Sept 08 2008  E - Dove services

Tea Tree Oil - The Medicine Kit in a Bottle

Tea Tree Oil has been known to the Bundjalung Tribe of New South Wales Australia for hundreds of years for its medicinal properties.

This wonder oil was only tested scientifically in the early 1920's by Arthur Penfold and found to be around 12 times more powerful than carbolic acid and yet caused no harm to the skin.

It was used extensively by the Australian Defence Force during World War Two but due to the discovery of synthetic drugs did not become popular again until the 1960's.

Over the years it has proved itself as a natural antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory oil.

One great development was that it was found to deep penetrate the skin cleaning it and encouraging the formation of scar tissue.

Some of the medical uses include healing blisters, reducing swelling from insect bites and stings, cleaning and healing abrasions and cuts, cures athletes foot and is very helpful in the healing of acne.

It will cure a sore throat, cold sores, coughs and dental abscesses. It will solve most day to day first aid and medical problems.

It also lends to daily beauty care as putting drops in shampoo, body lotion, hand cream and in the bath will keep hair and skin clean and healthy.

A couple of drops on toothpaste will prevent gum infections and bad breathe. It helps take the sting out of sunburn and softens corns and calluses.

Tea Tree Oil's anti-bacterial properties also extend use in the household chores, making the house clean and healthy. Putting drops in the humidifier will clean, disinfect and refresh the air and putting drops in the dishwasher and washing machine will kill all the germs.

Tea Trees only grow in Australia. There are many brands that are from inferior trees and not from the genuine Tea Tree whose Botanical name is Malaeuca.

The name Tea Tree was given by Joseph Banks the botanist who traveled with Captain Cook and collected the leaves to make herbal teas.

Your first purchase should be made from a Health Shop until you know how to define whether it is the genuine oil or an inferior oil as the results will obviously not be the same with an inferior product.

There are many excellent websites on the internet and many excellent books which will give you all uses of this wonderful oil. You will be amazed at the excellent results you obtain and will find it is truly a medicine kit in a bottle.

Sept 08 2008  E - Dove Services

 

 

 

Searching For "LOVE"

In the ancient times till our this modern world, most people are still searching for the Perfect Love between two person.

Is there such so called Perfect Love?

Nothing is PERFECT IN THIS WORLD.

It can be near to perfection, if two person can be unselfish to share their ideas, learn to give and take at all times, not only to love your companion but also their family members, be honest to friends and associates, budget well because financial problems is also another obstacle, always be mindful at all times to people, than you will discover Love.

Fill your heart with understanding and Love.

It is an universal practice that people are searching for Love, for that special connection with another person.

The ultimate goal is to find a suitable companion whom, simply by their presence, inspires us to be a better person.

But true Love does not enter into our lives when we find the ideal Lover. Practically, you wish to look for the perfect person, but they do not exist.

All you know that people in this world are flawed, it is the mark of the Human condition and true Love is found when we become skilled at seeing a flawed person perfectly.

How can you do this?

By learning to live your life with Love. No amount of honed intellect, creative intelligence or inspired imagination can bring you the experience of Love.

Love prompts intellect, intelligence and imagination into actions, but they cannot reveal the nature of Love.

To understand the nature of Love, it is simply to be loving. Life wants to give you everything that it can, but it only respond if you express Love.

What most people need to learn in life is how to Love people and make use of things instead of loving things and exploiting people.

What matter is not how much or even what you do, but how much Love you put into doing. Everyone you meet, in every station in life, provides you with an opportunity for Love.

You find it in an uncomplicated act of kindness towards someone who need help. You can experience it in a casual conversation or in a moment of warmth from a stranger.

If you grow to be excessively overhelmed or obsessed with Love, you miss the reality that Love can reveal to you.

If you calmly and serenely acknowledge Love, Love will take refuge in your life and talk to you in soft constant words offering wisdom and comfort.

From this point you will be ready to find another human being with whom you will bond deeply and profoundly.

This intimate easiness of Love between two human beings cannot be discovered by searching for it or by craving for it.

It is spiritual evolution creating divine coincidence. Do not search for Love. You already have it. When you do find Love, remember that you cannot look for guarantees.

Only fear wants guarantee for from the prospective of fear, nothing is strong enough. From the stance of Love, none are needed. Finally do not forget to Love yourself.

Love is the sighting of ourselves in others, and without loving yourself, it is impossible to love another.

Never look to others to make you feel whole, worthwhile or loveable for only you can do that.

Be devoted to your own inner consciousness that exists in your heart, mind, speech, deeds and beliefs.

By doing this you become your own person and take charge of yourself.

ARE YOU READY TO GET MARRIED?

When two people who Love each another are in a place is more holy than any temple or any sacred destination, for when we Love, the cosmos descends and recreates itself through us.

Everyone of us is formed and created by what we love and what love gives us. Marriage is the blending of two constrasting but essential energies to cause and creates expressions of Love and the impulse to gain wisdom.

This is nothing less than the very serenity that unites the cosmos. Getting married it mean the coming together of two people, not necessary in a formal union, it is a mutual commitment and the act of sexual intercouse is designated marriage.

During intercourse its people that take on the energy of one another. Married couples absorb the minds and bodies of one another into their own energy systems, as they evolve a new version when they unite together.

This is the symbol of marriage because we take on the deepest part of our partners,with energy of each another combines to make a new creation, a new way of life to maintain the relationship.

A long lasting and wonderful marriage is not when the perfect people meet and co-union, it is when an imperfect couple learn to stay with their differences together they practice the spirit of Love.

It is also important to help each another during this point to better their relationship with much tolerance.

In a good marriage, Love does not consist of gazing at each another but working outwardly and inwardly in the same stream of awareness and mindfulness.

Marriage is an experience creation by itself. Marriage is important as an experience of what birth and death is, it can occur, it can disappear when the union of two people breaks off.

It can link people to the past and guides them to an unknown destiny or future, thus establishing a sense of continuity.

To be together, all married couples must learn the act to making Love, emotionally, spiritually and physically. In the path of skilful and loving combat which is the ability to have a constructive argument.

Skilful combat is impartial and straight forward which is never brutal or spiteful. Skilful combat is good for health and being very productive bringing faith into a marriage to form a dynamic understanding betwen two people.

Finally when Love goes wrong, people start to blame themselves, or the world, or other person and sometimes all the three together.

Yet Love does not goes wrong, it merely changes its flow, like a river. Love is a powerful force that needs a strong container to hold on its energy.

It will find the most direct path if possible, but if the structure is not firm or in place, then it moves to find a more enduring connection or partner.

All unequal partnerships have to be balanced otherwise they disintegrate

The simplest solution to creating this balance is for both married couples in a relationship to try to live on day by day assisting each another in all aspect.

So be strong, practice Love with mindfulness, forget the past live with future, to prolong the wonderful marriage that every people wish to fulfil.

E - Dove Services