We will help you get your mom off drugs!

You may think that women want someone who is buffed and tanned and looks like a bodybuilder model from GQ. Those things are nice and yes we like to look at those guys, but just like you don’t need for us to look like Victoria Secret models we don’t require it in our man. OK. The 13 most important qualities that women look for

in a man are:

1. Honesty

2. Intelligence

3. Nice Smile

4. Sense of Humor

5. Manners

6. Sensitivity

7. Sincerity

8. Gainfully employed

9. Has own place

10. Owns a car

11. Affectionate

12. Considerate

13. Thoughtful

OK. First things first. Honesty is the NUMBER ONE trait that women look for in a man. That doesn’t mean to be brutally honest and tell her she looks fat. (Never do that) but we want to know that we can trust that what you are telling us is the truth. If you’ve lied in the past it will be a very cold day in Hell before she trusts you again. And she may want to check your phone messages and read your email and call you 10 times a day to feel secure that you’re trustworthy again. You may not like that but if you lie it may be the price you have to pay.

Intelligence: Women want to feel safe and protected and we want our men to be smart. Maybe even smarter than us. Women feel that your brain is your sexiest organ. So dazzle us with your brain and you will be surprised how stimulated we become. Kick her ass at “Jeopardy” and watch what happens.

Smile: We love your smile. We can’t get enough of it. It makes us want to touch you and kiss you. So brush and floss and see your dentist and keep your mouth kissably fresh.

Sense of Humor: If you can keep us laughing you are golden. We love to laugh and we love a man who can make us laugh. This goes back to the smart thing as well. You have to be smart to be humorous. We like a man who’s humor challenges us. Leave that 3 Stooges stuff for the guys. Women don’t appreciate 12 year old juvenile humor.

Manners: Little things like manners are very important. Women don’t want their man to drive up and reach over from the driver’s seat and open the passenger door or just wait for us to open the door. A little old fashioned chivalry goes a long way. Escort the lady to the car and open the door for her. We love to be treated like queens. It makes us feel like you think we’re special. And hopefully you do think she’s special. We love a man with manners. We know we can take him home and our parents will love him. We don’t want to have to worry about what you might do or say. We want to be with a man not a boy. That means no farting, belching, toe or nose picking, spitting, or smacking your lips when you eat. We want to know we can take you in public and we won’t be embarrassed. And don’t forget we also like to show you off to our girlfriends and we want them to approve. You want the girlfriends to think you’re a “Keeper”.

Sensitive: That whole thing about being “Sensitive” and getting in touch with your “Feminine Side” are all very true. A woman is waaaay more attracted to a man who isn’t afraid to show his feelings and be gentle and sensitive. We actually think that makes you more manly. A man who clams up and thinks being macho is what we want is very wrong. One of the things that is extremely attractive to a woman is when it’s obvious that you are attracted to us. There is nothing hotter than seeing how much we turn you on. Don’t be afraid to show

that. But of course there are limits and this can easily be overdone. Be careful about showing things like that at work or you might find yourself in a sexual harassment situation. And if you decide to try to tip your hand to a woman and show your interest, remember to keep it subtle. No woman likes a STALKER or a HORNDOG! We love to know that we are getting to you, but not in an obnoxious way. You may have to make some changes in

your behavior. But of course, they’ll be changes for the better and you will most likely be happier for it.

Sincerity: This is a little like honesty, but what I mean is if you need to change some of your behaviors to be more attractive to women then don’t just do it to get the girl. This is something that has to be real. If you think that’s not you, then maybe you should think about making a change. You can decide you don’t want to change, that you like yourself the way you are, but if that was working for you then you probably wouldn’t be reading this article. You were drawn to this piece because you must truly want to know how to be better with

women and if you sincerely do then you may need to take an honest look at yourself and decide what you want because it has to be real.

Employed: OK. This is a no-brainer, but truthfully there are some men out there without jobs that think they can get all the women they want. I have no idea what makes them think that, but their egos are on overtime. Women need security and we want a man who can provide for us. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to work, but it does mean that we want to know that you are a responsible MAN.

Has Own Place: OK. Matthew McConaughey was really cute in Failure to Launch but that was a comedy. Seriously we don’t want to have a sleepover at your Mom’s house. Having your own place just shows us again that you are a responsible adult. And it does help if your place is decorated nicely. I don’t mean you have to hire a decorator, but we’re not drawn to frathouse chic. Impress us with your style. Again we want MEN not BOYS!

Has Own Car: This may not be important if you live in New York or in a place where the public transportation makes owning a car unnecessary but in most of the world you need a car to pick up your date and take her out. It is important to mention here that even though we love luxury cars we don’t need that in our man. Women love men with all kinds of cars, but FYI keep your car clean (especially the inside). Nothing says SLOB more than a dirty car. Take out the fast food wrappers and keep it neat and smelling nice.

Affectionate: We really do love to touch and be touched. And I am not talking sexually here. But try holding her hand when she’s not expecting it or gently rubbing her back. Little touchy things like that mean a lot. Rub her arm when you’re reading the paper or do little things like foot and hand massages. Women love that.

Be Considerate: We appreciate the little things like holding a door open or not walking ahead of us. If we’re sleeping make sure you turn out the light when you leave. Show her you care by picking up after yourself. When you get some dessert out of the fridge ask if she’d like some or make sure you leave some for her. Just basic consideration is so important to us.

Thoughtfullness: This may sound like consideration, but it goes a little further. Being thoughtful of her needs goes a long way. Maybe give her a call from work just to see how she’s doing. While we love that we don’t want to be smothered with a bunch of calls all day long. Bring something home for her when you go to the store, like some fresh flowers (I know that’s cliché, but that’s because it works) or maybe some of her favorite ice cream…just because. This shows us that you are thinking of us and that makes us feel important and special.

Those 2 words important and special should be burned into your brain. If you can always make a woman feel important and special you will be an irrisistable Chick Magnet.

Are nouns coolers contained by chennai india really cool rooms?
i am in a mood to purchase one nouns cooler for my living room due to low consumption of current than a/c. Many people told me that a city similar to chennai (madras) in India will not serve you to hold a air cooler than a/c. so this give somebody the third degree. pl answer me quickly to see me to decide whether to own air cooler or not.

Are Personal Electronics becoming bothersome chains to us?
Cell phones, Computers, GPS Systems, Handheld gizmoes, etc.- They are great toys at times, but are we letting them alter our lives in ways we didn’t intend them too? Expense, spanking new laws,(no cell phones contained by hospital, digital only TV signals) and a huge global connectability that let in unpromising as well as flawless I wonder nowdays if they are becoming liabilities instead of assets? There is a cliché: “What you take into mitt, you take into your life”. How abundant downsides do you see coming packaged beside these things, if any?

Are refurbished electronics worth it?
i wanna get an ipod touch, and be shopping online and found a cheap one, but its refurbished. is it worth the price difference?

Are their GPS systems you canb enjoy within your view?
Or in your cell phone?

Are walkie talkie examine different than walkie talkies?
I am trying to buy a walkie talkie watch for me and by best friend. Would others know how to eavesdrop our conversation through a walkie talkie study they have? Are they convient to use? Give me as much info on walkie talkie view as possible. Thank you.

AT&T vs Comcast…?
Which is better for both phone landlines and cable for tv?

Att Uverse Question?
I was wondering does Anyone work for ATT and can recount me when they plan on having Uverse Available surrounded by the Clinton Township Area. I keep checking rear weekly and it’s still not availlable yet? I know populace that have it surrounded by Chesterfield Mi? It would be a great help because when I phone they keep describing me they are unsure when it will be available. In Roseville they have a demo of it but even so don’t have it where on earth I live? Any help would be great.

Audio cable…can’t ID!!?
I’ve got an outdated set of computer speaker (Apple) and they have a nouns different than the standard 1/8″ plug. It looks just close to a headphone connection, but it is really small, and I basically don’t know what it is called!

Audio interface and tape lend a hand?
I have not long got a tascam fireone 007 audio interface. I use it next to garageband on a mac ibook g4. However, when ive plugged my guitar in and enjoy everything set up absolutely without a flaw including the audio midi settings of the computer etc, the recorded guitar singular comes out of one speaker and the sound is individual displayed on the bottom level meter. However, when i switch from ditch 1 and 2 (stereo) to channel 2 (mono), the nouns comes out of both ears, but for some reason the audio point drops to just 8 bit. Whats more, the fireone have an inbuilt control system (ie play and stop buttons etc) which wont work at all. Any give support to at all would be appreciated, but i will remind you that i believe i own tried everything obvious.

Audio Splitter. Where to buy within the US?
Hello again. I wanna thank the two people who answered my later question. YOU GUYS ROCK. Ok anyways. Now that I know what I want I want to know where to gain it. I need an audio splitter. Where can I draw from them? I need it for the computer. In the price length from $10-$25. If you could supply a website that’d be great. Thanks all!

Audio-Technica ATW2110 vs Samson Airline 77?
I am in entail of a wireless saxophone mic, and i am split between these two. Which one would you recomend?

Avi. Format not playing?
I have downlaoded a few video in avi. format, but when I try to play them, All I carry is audio, no video. What should I do or how do I fix this?

Battery corrosion within ti-84 calc?
I have a ti-84 calculator. I haven’t used it within years, and today found that the four batteries (AAA or AA, cant remember which) be corroded and the calculator is not turning on, obviously. Is here any way I can soundly remove the batteries and the corrosion as to use the calculator again? Please oblige!

Battery support?
Can licking a 9V batteriy harm?

Because Blu-Ray won the format period of war, why can’t they buy the technology of HD-DVD?
This would help everyone out so much that enjoy purchased HD-DVDs. We hear of combo players that can play both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray Discs, but those are pretty much discontinued. If Blu-Ray is able to get/buy the technology to include in the experience of playing HD-DVD discs as well as their current technology, it seem everyone would be saved. Right presently the hundreds of thousands of consumers that have bought HD-DVDs stipulation to keep their unharmed HD-DVD player in command to just play the few HD-DVD’s.

Best amps?
my hubby had an aiwa xa-003 (260w). this have just broke so he asked me to achieve him a new amp, but he say he wants it to be at most minuscule 500w. i know nothing almost amps so was freshly wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction. gratitude, ps. this amp is for his home hifi and not a car!

Best Buy compensation?
So, my husband got a PS3 (at) Best Buy on March 26. We own to return it because he got hurt and wasn’t competent to work for 2 weeks. The return policy states that if the item is over $250.00, they send you a check inside the next 10 business days. I really have need of to have the money in a minute. I called gamestop and they individual offer $200 for a brand-new PS3 surrounded by the box! BTW, we spent $425 inc. tax. I do not enjoy time to try to sell on Ebay. Is near a way to bring back around Best Buy’s policy? Maybe if I exchange it for something that costs less, next they will give me the rest of the bread back? Thanks for the minister to.

Best Buy Exchange?
Will Best Buy exchange a TV that was bought from them ultimate year? I bought a warranty for it at the time, but I do not have the imaginative receipt. I’ve lost it. Are they competent to somehow look up my purchase, and see that I did buy it from them and do an exhange? Its a malfunctioning LCD TV I might have to enjoy exchanged, or possibly my Xbox 360. But does anyone know what they can do for me?

Best crash for my buck on a obedient adjectives purpose kitchen spotlight?Which brand would you rec commend?
Farberware Morphy Richards Kitchen Aid Cuisinart Or your suggestions?

Best electronic member of staff time clock for underneath $300?
Hello! Our company needs a time clock beside a battery backup. Which is recommended by y’adjectives

Best folder format for burning DVDs?
I have some tv shows contained by MKV format and I’d like to know what would be the best road to get them organized for burning to DVD? Should I separate the video from audio first? is there a dependable way to process them to say the best quality? Any tips or suggestions are meet.

Better to charge meaningless battery or more habitually?
does it make a difference if i charge it after every few uses or should i continue til it’s almost empty to recharge?

Black Screen on Magnavox Under Cabinet TV/DVD/CD Combo?
Anyone ever have problems beside the screen going overcast on their under cabinet Magnavox TV combo? If so, any luck on getting it fixed? Mfg. won’t pay packet as far as we’ve been competent to investigate. Wondering about where on earth to get the replacement cut to fix it ourselves… FYI – Voice on the unit is fine, it’s of late the screen that go dark. If you hold a flashlight against it, you can see the picture pretty right… any feedback is appreciated!

Blockbuster DVD?
I recently found out how to copy DVD’s, If i have to go to blockbuster rent a few DVD’s and copy them, would blockbuster own any way of recounting that i copied them? Copying them is not a problem i have a Decrypter and shrink, Thanks

Bluetooh question- LG phone,please give a hand!?
My mom has an LG Phone: model UX260 and her carter is U.S Cellular. Her phone has Bluetooth and so does my laptop (Vaio). When she have her old motorola phone, we could glibly transfer pictures and music onto her phone from my laptop. But now that she have the LG, we can only verbs pictures. I was wondering if nearby are different versions of bluetooth, or what is going on here. I checked the website and it say the phone has the 2.1 altered copy of bluetooth, so I don’t know if that has to do next to anything, Please help me amount out what I can do! maybe i enjoy to change a setting on my notebook? all answers will be appreciated =) ps: in attendance is a pc nouns option on the phone, and i changed it from USB modem to Bluetooth. I don’t know if this have to do wth anything. Links: http://us.lge.com/products/model/detail/…

Bought wrong coax connector by mistake…?
I recently moved, and I’m trying to connect a long coax cable to the existing cable that’s coming up from the floor. The problem is, I accidentally bought a “Twist-On “F” Connector for RG-59 Coax Cable” instead. Is within any way to create this work, when both cables hold the twist-on ends?

Brand of portable dvd player.?
what is the best brand of portable dvd player that is beneath $150. I want one with a nice sized blind and will last me a while.

Build-a-bear busy signal??
i put one of those “build a sound” things in my tolerate i just ordered online. it told me to name 1-866-282-2428 and record it. its busy and wont agree to me through! is this normal or am i doing something wrong?? gratefulness :)

More Consumer Electronics Questions & Answers please visit : CesFAQ.com

According to the United States Census Bureau well over 10,657 babies are born per day, that’s a lot of babies! If you’re a woman who is pregnant or think she might be pregnant, chances are you will want to know all the information you possibly can, either before you have your baby or while you’re pregnant. Or maybe you don’t even know that you’re pregnant and you’re looking for early signs of pregnancy. There are several million sites online with information pertaining to all your questions, worries, or concerns.

For example, if you’re looking for early signs of pregnancy. You can simply look online for specific words such as symptoms of pregnancy or early signs of pregnancy, and you might find information such as this:

Morning sickness

Nausea

Breast tenderness

Fatigue

Frequent urination

Food Aversions (food to NOT eat while pregnant!)

Looks like you a lot to look forward to! Just kidding! If you’re looking for information on pregnancy and diabetes, pregnancy spotting, pregnancy weight gain, prenatal, or things like smoking and being pregnant. You can find all this information online. Another great thing to look for online is foods to avoid during pregnancy. Obviously if you’re a new mother you probably wouldn’t know things like this:

Cut back on caffeine

No unpasteurized milk

No fish or sushi

No soft cheese such as brie, goat, feta, Stilton etc

Keep away from things that have raw eggs in them.

You can also find other information online such as baby names, Lamaze classes in your area, as well as other information you may need before or after the baby is born. If you’re searching for a few baby name sites online, I suggest taking a look at babynames, babyhold, or pregnancyweekly. If you’re looking for Lamaze classes why not try Lamaze dot org its the official Lamaze website. Not only can you find Lamaze classes locally. But you can also find other information on other classes such as aerobic, water aerobic and more! Just as an FYI, hospitals also have this information as well as Lamaze classes! Or for more information, consult your local search engine for topics about pregnancy.

And finally the last thing two things I suggest, ask people that you know, you’d be surprised how much your mom, friends, or other family members know about being pregnant, or pregnancy, especially if they have children or are pregnant as well. Or check out books your doctor might refer you to, or just check in stores like Barnes and Noble for books about being pregnant, or pregnancy in general.

I’m going to make this easy for you.

DO:

1. If you’re at a crowded bar (or anywhere), and you see a girl having a hard time making up to the bar to get a drink help her get there. Then of course you have the option of buying her a drink, which she will probably need after coming out of the mosh pit.

2. Smile. The smile is the best ice breaker ever, no question. There is nothing worse than staring at a girl looking like Chester-the-Molester, good luck getting a date that way buddy. Not gonna happen. Having a smile on your face shows that you’re a happy person and that you’re approachable, who knows maybe a girl will even approach you.

3. Women love competition. Why is this? I don’t know, but capitalize on this whenever possible. If a girl sees you talking to another girl(s) see gets the sense that you’re desirable and must have something worth going after. This will help bring attention to you. FYI: this does not work if the girl watching is your girlfriend, that’s not a good situation for you.

4. Be mysterious. Talk to a girl for about two minutes then realize you have somewhere else to be, asking for her number on your way out the door. Make it seem like a situation where you’re the hero, going to go make sure your little brother has a ride home from the movies etc. This makes her feel like she didn’t get to talk to you enough, so she’ll give you her number. Don’t forget to flash a smile as you walk away.

5. Be confident. Notice I said confident not cocky. A guy that respects himself and has a presence when he walks into a room is very desirable. You’d be surprised to find that most women view Calvin Klein models only as eye candy, they’re looking for something deeper. Even if you’re just looking for a one night stand, you’re not going to get anywhere by being cocky or a wallflower.

6. Don’t be afraid to talk. Never be afraid to strike up conversation with a girl. Keep it light, like I said be a little mysterious. Notice the area around you and pick something out of that to talk about, and always be nice and courteous. One of my best friends met her current boyfriend when he opened the door for her on her way out of a club, they talked for a few minutes and have been together ever since.

DON’T:

1. Use cheesy pickup lines. Pickup lines make girls feel uncomfortable and viewed only as a sex object, it’s creepy. Don’t do it, regardless of what your intentions are with this girl.

2. The first time meeting a girl never bring up anything about ex girlfriends, living with your mom, your life story, etc. If you let her know everything about you now she has no reason to give you her number, she could write a book about you.

3. Be a jerk. It’s not sexy and it won’t get you anywhere.

I hope that these tips work for you, and don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. It takes practice to build your confidence with talking to women, I know how intimidating they can be sometimes. Sometimes you just have to realize that a girl isn’t looking for a guy at that moment, it doesn’t mean you aren’t attractive or she wouldn’t date you if she could…don’t take things personally when you’re meeting someone for the first time.

Continue to work on the things you’re not so good at, but give yourself points for when you make improvements. Having a positive attitude will get you so much further than stressing about ways to change yourself. It’s small improvements that make us better, not personality transplants.

I don’t own a magic wand, I wish I did. But thanks to trial and error of my own, and my friends, I think I’ve been able to put together something that can help you. We’ve all been in a hard spot at one time or another, and what defines us is our ability to get out of it. Getting a girl’s attention doesn’t have to be difficult or painful, it just takes a little work.  Most of the people I’ve talked to about relationships advice enjoy this website: http://www.themagicofmakingupstore.info I hope that it can do for you what I’ve seen it do for others.

The impossible becomes mundane, and taboo topics become commonplace. That was my initial reaction to the Japanese culture of anime. Most of their stories bordered from the impossible to the ridiculous, unlike anything I have ever watched. I mean, come on, I have never seen eyes so exaggerated, reactions too theatrical, and characters too complex I had to wonder if they were schizophrenic or possibly high on something. Their plots were unbelievable too. From a guy transforming into a buxom girl when doused with cold water to an alien group of frogs out to conquer the planet while looking like a Sanrio stuff toy. Laws of gravity are disregarded, as characters are able to fall from great heights in slow motion.

I remember the first Japanese anime with English subtitles I ever watched. It was given to me by a friend who just returned from his vacation in Tokyo. It was about a samurai vagabond who carried problems the size of a ten-wheeler truck on his shoulders. Then, I didn’t know how, but I was soon watching Naruto, an anime about a hyperactive young ninja’s journey to power and adulthood, who screamed too often for his tonsils to still be functioning if he existed in real life. Yes, one thing led to another, and soon enough, I was hooked. Probably because of the complexities of Japanese anime that is evident in their twisting plots and multi-dimensional characters who almost always seem to be a totally different personality from what you originally think them to be.

The thing about languages is that even if they are tricky, it’s not impossible to learn. All you need to do is use it with every opportunity you have, and repeat it. The human brain is an amazing tool, and what is even more amazing is that we only use a portion of it. Imagine what we can be capable of if we use even half of its capacity to store information and different languages. For people who think that it’s a fruitless cause, may I remind you that when we were still cute tots, we had to learn how to speak from scratch. Whether we liked it or not, we listened to dear old mom and dad as they cooed, first in incomprehensible baby talk to ‘grown-up speak’. We listened to those nursery rhymes over and over the whole day and fairy tales during the night until we were able to recite them from memory. We were like sponges, absorbing everything we can get our hands on. So why not learn now instead of leaving your brain to rot?

Watching animes enabled me slowly to comprehend Nihongo. Okay, so my knowledge is basic, so don’t talk to me in Nihongo unless you want me to make a fool of myself. But I’m still darn proud to know a few words and phrases, and that’s just by watching an episode for about 5 times. By reading the English subtitles, wrong grammar withstanding (just edit it mentally), I found myself slowly understanding the words. For instance, to say “good morning” in Nihongo is to say Ohayo (think OHIO, but stress on the end of each syllable). If greeting an older or superior person, boss or teacher, say Ohayo Gozaimasu. “Thank you” is Arigatou/*Arigatou Gozaimasu*, or as English-speaking Japanese characters would say, ‘Sankyu’. And of course, I also learned really good cuss words! A really good thing that came out of it was that I had the freedom to scream what I want in Nihongo at home without my mom walloping me for saying inappropriate words. FYI, she only knows ‘Bansai!’

Of course, I still plan to take up Nihongo formally. I plan to enroll in a center where a Japanese teacher or sensei can help me with my studies. Maybe I should get some audiotapes on how to speak Nihongo as well. Someday I just might go to Japan, just to test everything that I’ve learned (although I will arm myself with a dictionary and my sensei’s cellphone number on speed dial), and foray into shops to look for more of my favorite anime titles to indulge myself into.

The answer is – yes! You can earn free money online fast, even
without any web site or affiliate marketing. You’ll only need to
invest some of YOUR time and a small amount of money.

It doesn’t matter if you are a stay-at-home Mom or Dad; a
college student or a teacher; someone looking for a business
opportunity; saving up for something special; or you just need
to pay off some bills. The bottom line is this – you could use
an extra source of income, right?

To begin here are some quick Questions & Answers you may have
about free Internet cash:

Q: How much money can I make?

A: Several hundred. It depends only on YOU.

Q: How fast?

A: You’ll have the money in your bank no later then 3 months.
Usually, on average it should take about 2 months.

Q: Can anyone do it?

Yes, but in this article I will explain how to earn free money
online only if you are: from the USA, you have a credit card,
and you can invest some small money in order to make much, much
more.

—————SIDEBAR————— If one thing is for sure,
it’s that nothing out there is totally free. (And if someone
says it is, they’re probably selling something.) Whatever
business online or offline – in order to make money you must
invest some first. And I will tell you shortly where and how to
do that. Just keep reading on…
————————————-

Q: Is it safe to use my credit card?

A: Yes, absolutely.

Q: Must I have a web site or a list?

A: Nope. If you are from the USA and if you have a credit card,
you can start earning free money online immediately.

OK, enough of playing the questions and answers game. Your only
question left by now must be…

Where And How Do I Get The Free Cash? The short answer is -
using online rewards programs. Don’t know what a rewards program
is? A rewards program pays cash for all your actions: completing
offers, shopping, reading emails, referring your friends, and
more. You can visit http://www.cash4offers.com and see what a
typical rewards program looks like and how it works.

Now I guess there should be two categories of readers. The
internet “newbies”, who will say they don’t understand how it
all works; and the internet gurus who will say that all reward
programs are scams.

Wait! I will prove to you that they work in a moment; and that
you can make not only extra cash but receive some great stuff
too.

To get started making money with incentive companies, one needs
to create an account with a rewards program like Cash4Offers.
You will need an email address to sign up…

Worried about your privacy and spam? Please don’t! They will
never send you spam, you can cancel anytime, and the email
address is only used to track all of your actions when you
complete offers, shop, etc. That’s how they know who to pay the
free money.

Hey, in most cases you will get a sign-up bonus just for signing
up!

And now, I’ll explain to you…

How to Earn Free Money Online Completing Offers? Here is the
Cash4Offers offers section link:
http://www.cash4offers.com/offers.php?c=ALL&email=&uid=

If you click on the above link you can see that there are many
various offers available, ranging from credit card applications
to internet service provider deals. And, they all will pay a
certain amount of cash to your Cash4Offers account if you accept
them… But, just to warn you, most of the offers will require
that you use your credit card. That’s why I told you about the
money you’ll need to invest in the beginning. Not to worry
though, you can definitely make more than you spend, and most of
the offers are great trial deals where you can receive not only
free cash but top merchandise too.

There were total of 111 offers available when I wrote this
article on 22/11/2004.

—————SIDEBAR————— Make sure to log-in to
your account and access the offers from the member’s area when
completing the offers so that your cash is credited to your
account. ————————————-

If you wonder where the free money comes from, here is the
answer – incentive companies are affiliated with top online
merchants (advertisers), and the merchants pay a commission for
advertising their products and services. Rewards companies pass
the majority of the commission they make on to YOU, the
customer, when you accept their offers!

And here is my promise to you…

A Proof You Can Earn Free Money Online Please open or download
the following excel file to your computer:
http://www.cash4offers.com/offers_rewards.xls

As you can see I have selected only the offers that interested
me from the first 3 pages of all available offers at
Cash4Offers. And look what my earnings potential is — I can
make $65.40 after completing only 13 offers (approximately $5.00
for each offer), and receive a bunch of great merchandise too!
Remember there were 111 offers available. Imagine how much I
could earn if I completed all of the offers?!

It doesn’t matter if you have already signed up with a rewards
program or not, I advise you to explore all available offers and
use the above excel file as a template in order to evaluate your
earnings potential. Just click on each offer that interests you
and make notes of all offer details – how much you earn, how
much you have to invest, your profit, the merchandise you
receive, and your total profit. Use the template every time you
decide to complete offers online.

It really helps to decide which offers are the best choice for
you and what you will receive by completing each of them. Of
course, although there are well over one hundred offers
available, you should complete only the ones that really
interest you. You are not going to apply for all available
credit card offers, or get a free trial of all ISPs, are you? My
guess is that you should be able to make about $200 – $500 by
completing all of the offers that interest you.

—————SIDEBAR————— How long does it take to
receive cash for completing the offers? Well, some offers pay
instantly! And some may take up to 30 days (e.g. some credit
card applications) before you receive your cash to your reward
program’s account. ————————————-

If you don’t receive the cash from the offer within 30 days of
accepting it, you should contact the rewards program and send
them all of the details related to the offer:

The date of offer completion The confirmation email Your contact
info: name, email address, phone number etc. Usually the rewards
company will do the investigation for you and if you really
completed the offer (offers) they will credit your account with
the offer cash amount within about 3 weeks.

Got your cash in your account? Great! What’s next? Now, the last
step…

Request Payment & Verify Your Account Why do reward programs ask
you to verify your account by phone or mail? The answer is
simply this – they are trying to protect their advertisers and
themselves from fraud. So, request your payment either by check
or another method if available, and expect a phone call several
days before your payment is processed. You should receive your
payment in about a week or two!

Well, it was easy making free cash on the internet, wasn’t it?
But your earning potential doesn’t stop there, you could make
even more by receiving cash-back for shopping or referring your
friends. But that’s another story for the next article.

P.S. FYI, you can choose to receive great free stuff like
computers, TVs, gift cards and much more instead of free cash,
again, by completing offers. Visit http://www.1st-in-rewards.com
for more information about all available online rewards that you
can take advantage of.

I’m a recovering perfectionist. By nature I really like everything to be very organized, every ‘t’ crossed, ‘i’ dotted and everything to have my personal stamp on it. But I know in my past, my quest for perfection kept me from moving forward, so I’ve had to tame it. I also know it’s not an easy beast to tame but if you’re like me and can honestly acknowledge how much your desire for perfection is holding you back, it can often give you the motivation to just move forward and take action.

Perfectionism can have an especially strong impact on your success when you run your own business. A really important message I want to communicate is there’s really no such thing as perfect. So if you’re struggling to make it “just perfect” you’re directing your energy into something that’s impossible to achieve.

How much is your desire for perfection holding you back? I will share some of the ways trying to be perfect has slowed me down and more importantly what I did to get over it!

Perfectionism Leads to Procrastination.

I love what one of the women in my group coaching sessions said when we were discussing what holds us back from getting things done. She said, “Perfection is really just an excuse to procrastinate.”

By seeking the all-illusive goal of perfection, it’s really just an avoidance method and an opportunity to keep from moving. What I’ve learned serves me better is to take consistent imperfect action as I work towards my objective. If I keep moving forward, I get clarity along the way. If I focus on the minutiae of the details being perfect, I stop and waste precious time.

Let me share with you a recent example…

This summer I piloted my coaching program to 10 women. When I reached out to invite these 10 women to join me, I knew what I wanted to teach them and I knew what I wanted their end results to be. That was 80% of the equation.

What I didn’t know was the other 20%. I didn’t know the exact details of what my handouts would be, or what exercises we’d do in class, or what my members’ area would look like. I didn’t have all the details mapped out perfectly but I trusted I’d figure them out before the class went live.

I tell this to you because in a past life I wouldn’t have sent the invitation out until every detail was figured out. Realistically for me that could have meant extra weeks and months noodling around details in my head. Wondering, wondering, wondering which is really a code word for procrastinating..

Who would have been served then if I’d have waited? Certainly not the women who got to take my class and get the learning and tools they got, and certainly not me who got invaluable feedback so I could take this program to a much larger audience.

By taking imperfect action, I took the leap of faith for myself, and just did it. That was huge for me. Hopefully in this situation I can be a model for you to just step out when you think you’re not perfect and just put it out there anyway. (FYI – I received so much positive feedback on this program it confirmed that I made the right decision.)

Perfectionism Stops You from Getting the Help You Need.

I think the other way perfectionism slows us down is we feel like we want to know it all (and should know it all). We think, “This is my business. Who knows it better than me?” The truth is, as experienced or knowledgeable as we might be, we don’t always have all the answers. Sometimes we need to reach out to somebody and admit in a vulnerable way, “I don’t know how to do this. Please help. Guide me.”

At times getting the help that you need in your business means letting go of some control. As you delegate to a virtual assistant, graphic designer or copywriter, it’s unlikely that they’re going to do it exactly the way you do. That’s a fact. What I realize is that delegating saves me so much time and energy. Maybe they did it 90% of how I would have done it and I had to tweak it 10% but it still dramatically increased my momentum.

So as a recovering perfectionist here are my lessons learned…

· I just work to take action, even if it’s imperfect action and just get my projects out there.

· I’m not afraid to ask for help. I’m comfortable admitting that I don’t know it all.

· I let go and instead of completely controlling all the details, I delegate to my team trusting that they’ll get it done. (and when we have mistakes, that’s what “oops” messages are for.)

Trust me, the satisfaction of getting it done (by letting go of your desire to be perfect) and getting your brilliance out into the world makes it worth the effort. You’ll free up your energy to tackle your big ideas and really get some momentum building in your business.

Social networking is a fantastic avenue – especially for Metromoms – to connect and form business relationships. The key to being successful is learning how to use it authentically and create relationships that are mutually beneficial.

There are various reasons for using a social networking strategy. First, it allows you to connect or maybe re-connect with friends, colleagues and mentors. It can also help you create awareness about your product or services. Finally, an especially exciting option is the ability to connect in a collaborative way – by setting up a special interest group that connects people on a regular basis.

Listed below are a few social networks I’m participating in (and starting to experiment with). Use the links to check out my profiles and PLEASE connect with me (as a friend, connection, follower etc.).

·         The Metromom Entrepreneurs Association – http://Metromom.com/JoinUs

·         Facebook http://www.facebook.com/people/Kim_DeYoung/567774649

·         LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/metromom

·         Twitter (Link: http://twitter.com/themetromom

·         Twittermoms (I recently set-up my own Metromom group.) (Link: http://www.twittermoms.com/group/metromom)

Relationships with Those You Know, Like and Trust

One of the key premises of the social networking sites is the word “social.” It is about creating relationships. It’s NOT just about self-promotion. Social networking sites are vehicles that take time, like relationships. They’re just another way to be “out there” connecting with people.

Business is all about establishing and maintaining relationships and most of us do business with people who we “know, like and trust”. With this in mind, this  needs to be your primary goal when approaching social networking. We accomplish this when we’re authentic in how we communicate and allow our personalities to really shine through so we can attract the right people.

I enjoyed this point made by Mary Pat Kavanaugh, Queen of Marketing, in her Social Networking Profile Guide for Business People.

“In the social networking arena you are known by who you are and your business is secondary. Hopefully, you wind up becoming the “pursued,” rather than the “pursuer,” and people want to know more about who you are than what you do. As they learn more about you, and you about them, the relationship goes to a higher level and then they want to know about your business, where there might be synergy and demand for what you offer.”

(FYI to Gold Members – Mary Pat will be sharing more tips on social networking in February’s Power Call.)

 One way to be authentic is by creating a meaningful personal bio about yourself. Write something that gives a sense of who you are as a woman as well as providing information about your business. Here’s your chance to let your authenticity shine through. Instead of a “salesy” approach, provide information that leads someone to say, “I’d like to go the next step and learn more about her.”

Once you start building connections, you can start communicating with them. I like this quote by Flint McGlaughlin, “People don’t want to be marketed TO; they want to be communicated WITH.” Instead of bombarding your connections with a constant barrage of sales pitches, try sending out a warm letter letting people know what you’re up to in your business.

I did this recently when I shared my new Metromom Movie with my online communities. Instead of asking my connections for their business, I approached this as an opportunity to share my Metromom vision with them, and ask for their support in spreading the word.

Social networking is a wonderful way to spread the word. But you might be wondering if there’s more to it…

Can you really create meaningful connections online?

I believe you can and I’d like to share a connection that I recently created. I’ve been dabbling a bit with Facebook and Twitter as I try to find a “Kim” way to use these sites. I’m not much of a casual chit-chatter—I tend to desire more meaningful interactions—so I’m trying to find my own approach to networking online.

For the past few months I kept coming across a woman named Gina. She popped up on my pages and I checked out her site and the groups she was offering. I reached out to her on the phone and we easily spoke for two hours.

After that call, I knew she was the woman I wanted to interview me for a new CD I’m offering Metromoms entitled “5 Surprising Secrets Every Mom Entrepreneur Must Know.” I just had a great feeling about her. We also discussed ways we could bring our mutual expertise on  connecting soulfully by collaborating on a class or product. It’s a relationship in the new fun stages.

This “meaningful connection” is already proving to be very valuable and I know it’s just beginning. There’s a lesson here – Gina stood out from others because she had an authentic approach and the content she was providing had real value.

As women working from home I can’t overemphasize how important it is to be up-to-date on these online communities and how they can serve you. Great connections with like-minded women – from around the country – CAN BE established by participating in social networking.

I will continue to share tips and techniques on how to establish meaningful connections online in future ezines and teleclasses so stay tuned!

Some of you (especially the older baby boomers) might remember “The Magnificent Seven”, a blockbuster western movie from 1960 featuring an incredible cast that included Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, and Charles Bronson.

Well, this article is NOT about those Magnificent Seven. It’s about seven food items that are downright excellent and “magnificent” for your health, particularly if you’re someone dealing with low blood sugar symptoms or hypoglycemic symptoms. The characters in the movie were good guys, the items on this list are good foods. All seven of them.

Here they are, in all their glory, in alphabetical order:

Magnificent #1: Berries

Fruits, in general, have a high sugar (fructose) content, so if you’re just starting out on your hypoglycemic diet, you may want to limit the fruit you eat – avoid bananas, for instance.

The best fruit for someone dealing with low blood sugar, hypoglycemia, even hyperglycemia, is berries. Berries are lower in sugar and calories than many other fruits, and they’re packed with nutrients.

Take blueberries, for example. Many health benefits have been attributed to blueberries, and they’re also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin E and antioxidants. Choose wild blueberries for even more antioxidants than cultivated blueberries provide.

Try blueberries on your cereal, in your yogurt, or blend some into your protein shake.

Magnificent #2: Eggplant

Yes, your mom was right! Eat your veggies for good health! And this one in particular: eggplant. We don’t all eat eggplant, but according to recent research, we probably should.

Purple-skinned eggplant is a good source of phenols, a nutrient that helps your body use sugar more efficiently. Phenols have also been found to help with high blood pressure, and provide antioxidant protection as well.

Try eggplant in Greek Moussaka, a tasty dip, or even Eggplant Lasagna!

Magnificent #3: Fiber

Low blood sugar and hypoglycemia expert Anita Flegg recommends you eat nine handfuls of fruit and veggies and one ounce of nuts every day. Eat only whole grain breads and cereals. These are all allowable hypoglycemia foods. The fruit, vegetables, nuts and whole grains all help you address one of the most important points of an hypoglycemia diet: Eating lots of fiber.

If you’re eating lots of vegetables, you’re getting good carbohydrates AND lots of vitamins and minerals. Best of all, vegetables are a great source of dietary fiber, especially if they’re raw or lightly steamed.

Dietary fiber is crucial to the hypoglycemia diet. Fiber slows down the absorption of sugars that are a part of all foods and reduces the possibility of a low blood sugar episode later on.

As an added benefit, having your fiber throughout the day means you’ll never be hungry, and it’ll be easier to stay away from sweets. And if you also find yourself losing a little weight, hey, even better!

As hypoglycemics, we should eat our meals – not drink them. Juicers were all the rage for a while, and they certainly had their value. People who would otherwise not eat enough fruits and vegetables to get their required vitamins were at least getting a vitamin boost.

While getting your vitamins is a great idea, juice isn’t the best way to get it. Whether you buy it or make it yourself, juice is a poor choice for hypoglycemics because processing has removed all of the fiber and some of the vitamins (some B vitamins are destroyed by processing).

Without the fiber to slow the sugar response, the natural sugars in both fruits and vegetables can cause a very fast sugar spike. For hypoglycemics, this is a major problem because of the symptoms related to both the sugar spike and the sugar crash that is sure to follow.

If you’re dealing with low blood sugar, hypoglycemia, even hyperglycemia, stick with fresh fruits and vegetables for quality vitamins and better sugar control.

Magnificent #4: Fish

Low blood sugar and hypoglycemia expert Anita Flegg also recommends you eat fish three times per week.

There are two kinds of fish: white fish and oily fish. Examples of white fish are cod, halibut and monkfish. White fish are a great low-calorie source of protein and there are dozens of tasty ways to prepare them.

Oily fish like salmon and mackerel are also tasty sources of protein, and although they’re not particularly low-cal, they have the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids are great for improving and maintaining the health of your heart, and they’re great for your skin and hair, too. Keep in mind when you get ready to cook it that pan-frying and deep-frying fish, especially at high temperatures, appears to destroy the omega-3 fats.

So go ahead and choose fish. Bake, poach, grill or steam it. It’s delicious and a great source of protein that’ll help keep your blood sugar level steady and you feeling great.

FYI (while we’re talking about fish…) insulin resistance is part of the hypoglycemia problem in that your body has to produce more and more insulin over time to deal with the sugars in your diet. Reversing this is crucial to improving your sugar-handling, and reducing your hypoglycemia symptoms.

Now, did you know that taking fish oil (1000-4000 mg every day) not only lowers cholesterol and reduces inflammation, but also improves insulin sensitivity?

And if you just can’t eat enough fish, also add omega-3 fatty acids capsules.

Magnificent #5: Nuts

Go Nuts!… Recent research shows that eating nuts and nut butters at least 5 times a week can reduce your risk of developing Type II diabetes by 27%!

Why “go nuts?” Because they have the top three components to keep your blood sugar steady and improve your insulin sensitivity: protein, fiber, good fats.

It’s recommended to consume one ounce of nuts every day. Looking for ways to add nuts to your diet? Try some of these: add a handful of slivered almonds to your next stir-fry, take a small bag of pistachios or cashews to snack on at work, put peanut butter on your breakfast toast.

Magnificent #6: Rye

I talked about fiber earlier in this article, and new information about whole-grain rye should move it to the top of your list.

According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in December of 2005, when rye bread and pasta were compared to oat and wheat bread and potato, insulin secretion (an indication of the reduction of insulin resistance) increased six times more in the rye bread group than for the other two groups.

This result was supplemented in August of 2007 (Journal of the American Dietetic Association), when it was found that a rye pasta diet actually caused changes in genes linked with Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome!

The key to understand here is that the biggest risk inherent in being hypoglycemic is that it increases your risk of getting Type II diabetes.

Because hypoglycemia progresses to insulin resistance, and from there to diabetes, it is important for hypoglycemics to maintain and shore up your insulin sensitivity as much as possible, and however you can.

In reactive hypoglycemia, you have too much insulin because of insulin resistance – it takes more and more insulin production to get the cells to respond. That’s when you get an avalanche of insulin that causes a hypoglycemic episode.

As this progresses and gets worse over the years, the risk of developing Type II diabetes goes up.

Whole-grain rye seems to make a difference in insulin sensitivity, so the studies seem to suggest that whole-grain rye products should be good for everyone who is insulin resistant, whether hypoglycemic or Type II diabetic.

Magnificent #7: Tomato

Eat 10 tablespoons of cooked tomato foods every week to get the anti-oxidant lycopene.

Oxidation is a natural process that causes your cells to age. Topping up on antioxidants like lycopene can slow cell aging and keep you feeling healthier.

Anything that helps your overall health will also help your hypoglycemia symptoms. Do your body a favor: add foods containing tomato to your diet.

Eat well, be well, live well!

Daniel G. St-Jean

Editor of Help For Hypoglycemia

Publisher of the Help For Hypoglycemia Blog

Are you a Mom? Do you work outside the home? Maybe you stay home, but struggle to make ends meet with one income.

Maybe you are a single mom who’s working two jobs to carry the load. Did you leave your career to stay with your children and now feeling unfulfilled? Whatever your situation is you must read this!

As a mother maybe you want more than anything to stay home with your children. You don’t want the daycare raising them. More than likely you want to be there for them and with
them and are willing do just about whatever it may take to stay-at-home while they young.

It may all be a sacrifice, but knowing that you will have the privilege to experience every new development your babies encounter and be there for them makes it all worth it.

As time goes on expenses will grow, as with the children, and the need to help bring in an income may become greater.

With this in mind, there is a special home business opportunity that will allow you to stay-at-home while contributing an income.

Maybe you have tried some such as: home party sales, envelope stuffing or other work-at-home opportunities with many promising to make a lot of money quickly. Most of them, as you know, are “too good” to be true. If you are like me you are determined to find something, though!

As you know, the future is on the web (actually, already there). People are really making an honest living online.

You can make a living that you can be proud of. No “selling” of worthless items or having to urge your family and friends to “join” or “buy” just to get started. However, you can make an income, a good one, by building a website about something you already know or something that really interests you.

Maybe your a hiking enthusiast, love making candles or an expert at cooking. Whatever your niche, or special interest, you can make it work for you! Why not? If you don’t do it someone else will.

Take that step, be your own boss, have more time with your family and earn an income.

FYI: Harris Poll indicates that 72% of households are looking to start a home business.

Your time is NOW! Listed below is the help you need to get started:

I’m going to make this easy for you.

DO:

1. If you’re at a crowded bar (or anywhere), and you see a girl having a hard time making up to the bar to get a drink help her get there. Then of course you have the option of buying her a drink, which she will probably need after coming out of the mosh pit.

2. Smile. The smile is the best ice breaker ever, no question. There is nothing worse than staring at a girl looking like Chester-the-Molester, good luck getting a date that way buddy. Not gonna happen. Having a smile on your face shows that you’re a happy person and that you’re approachable, who knows maybe a girl will even approach you.

3. Women love competition. Why is this? I don’t know, but capitalize on this whenever possible. If a girl sees you talking to another girl(s) see gets the sense that you’re desirable and must have something worth going after. This will help bring attention to you. FYI: this does not work if the girl watching is your girlfriend, that’s not a good situation for you.

4. Be mysterious. Talk to a girl for about two minutes then realize you have somewhere else to be, asking for her number on your way out the door. Make it seem like a situation where you’re the hero, going to go make sure your little brother has a ride home from the movies etc. This makes her feel like she didn’t get to talk to you enough, so she’ll give you her number. Don’t forget to flash a smile as you walk away.

5. Be confident. Notice I said confident not cocky. A guy that respects himself and has a presence when he walks into a room is very desirable. You’d be surprised to find that most women view Calvin Klein models only as eye candy, they’re looking for something deeper. Even if you’re just looking for a one night stand, you’re not going to get anywhere by being cocky or a wallflower.

6. Don’t be afraid to talk. Never be afraid to strike up conversation with a girl. Keep it light, like I said be a little mysterious. Notice the area around you and pick something out of that to talk about, and always be nice and courteous. One of my best friends met her current boyfriend when he opened the door for her on her way out of a club, they talked for a few minutes and have been together ever since.

DON’T:

1. Use cheesy pickup lines. Pickup lines make girls feel uncomfortable and viewed only as a sex object, it’s creepy. Don’t do it, regardless of what your intentions are with this girl.

2. The first time meeting a girl never bring up anything about ex girlfriends, living with your mom, your life story, etc. If you let her know everything about you now she has no reason to give you her number, she could write a book about you.

3. Be a jerk. It’s not sexy and it won’t get you anywhere.

I hope that these tips work for you, and don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. It takes practice to build your confidence with talking to women, I know how intimidating they can be sometimes. Sometimes you just have to realize that a girl isn’t looking for a guy at that moment, it doesn’t mean you aren’t attractive or she wouldn’t date you if she could…don’t take things personally when you’re meeting someone for the first time.

Continue to work on the things you’re not so good at, but give yourself points for when you make improvements. Having a positive attitude will get you so much further than stressing about ways to change yourself. It’s small improvements that make us better, not personality transplants.

I don’t own a magic wand, I wish I did. But thanks to trial and error of my own, and my friends, I think I’ve been able to put together something that can help you. We’ve all been in a hard spot at one time or another, and what defines us is our ability to get out of it. Getting a girl’s attention doesn’t have to be difficult or painful, it just takes a little work.  Most of the people I’ve talked to about relationships advice enjoy this website: http://www.themagicofmakingupstore.info I hope that it can do for you what I’ve seen it do for others.

Okay, so maybe you’ve figured it out by now. If you haven’t, let us spell it out for you: Your baby is like a parasite growing inside you. And you are the host body. So whether your little parasite thrives or not is entirely up to you. (Charming, huh?) We cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a healthy host body for your baby. For starters, your baby’s life depends on it, literally. But it also means the difference between you glowing or growling for nine months.

So in addition to resting often, exercising regularly, and giving up junk food, you need to be sure you’re getting all your vitamins and minerals. The best way to do this: Eat a variety of healthy foods. Our bodies absorb vitamins and minerals from food better than they do from supplements, and good food supplies thousands of protective components you won’t find in a pill. So even though your healthcare provider will likely have you popping pills on a daily basis, there’s no substitute for healthy eating. At this point in the book, we’ve probably said it a thousand times, but we’re saying it again: Eat a well-balanced diet of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. And be sure to change it up so you aren’t eating the same exact foods every day for nine months. This will ensure you’re getting a good variety of vitamins and minerals and nutrients.

And don’t be a cheap jerk. Buy organic! Studies show that conventional produce has significantly less phosphorous, iron, calcium, protein, riboflavin, and ascorbic acid than it did fifty years ago. Why? Because of all the chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and monoculture farming practices that came with the industrialization of our food production. Fortunately, studies show that organic produce has higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Do not shrug this off. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are everything to your health and your baby’s health. Pesticides can cross the placenta and cause neurological and reproductive damage to your unborn baby. Get in the habit now, because when your baby is a child, he or she will still need you to buy organic food. In 2003, a report from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention found the urine of children tested twice as high as the urine of adults for some pesticides. And let’s not forget the University of Washington study on preschoolers. Those fed conventional diets tested six times higher for certain pesticides than the kids fortunate enough to be fed organic diets. So decide right now what kind of mom you want to be. Loving or lacking.

According to some research, the diets of pregnant women may be lacking in folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamins B-6, D, and E. But like everything else in the world of health, there’s a lot of conflicting information out there. Especially regarding vitamin supplements. Some researchers say, “Better safe than sorry,” and advise pregnant women to take a multi-vitamin. Others suggest just taking supplements for the things you could be deficient in. And some even say there’s no reason to supplement at all if you’re eating a well-planned, well-balanced diet and all your levels are good. So we’re gonna present you with a broad overview of what we’ve learned and let you decide, with the help of your health care provider, what’s best for you. Remember: We’re not the end-all, be-all on anything. So don’t be writing to us, asking, “What should I do about vitamins?” Ask your doctor for the most current RDAs on vitamins and minerals, read more on the subject from other sources, and then make an educated decision with his or her help. And be sure you develop a game plan regarding supplementation for pregnancy and breastfeeding.

(Warning: There’s nothing more boring than talking about vitamins. Sorry in advance.)

While there is a ton of conflicting information, one thing experts do agree on is that alcohol, tobacco, soda, sugar, and highly processed junk foods can cause the body to excrete vital vitamins and minerals. Another area of agreement is the importance of folic acid. Hopefully, you were taking it before you got preggers. (If you weren’t, don’t start freaking out now.) But it’s also important during your first trimester, as deficiencies can cause neural tube defects. You can get it from fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes (of course ). But most experts say, in addition to the folic acid you’re getting from your food, you should also take 400 micrograms a day.

Your doctor may suggest taking a supplement that has all the B vitamins. You can give your body extra help by eating a variety of fruits, veggies, leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. However, in the case ofveggies (and fruits, too), cooking or overcooking can cause a loss of vitamins (and flavor too). So if you can’t eat them raw, try lightly steaming them. And if you have to boil them, just do it for the minimum time possible. They should still look alive, crisp, and brightly colored when you’re done cooking them. They shouldn’t look lifeless, mushy, or dull. Also be aware that high intakes of sugar, coffee, alcohol, nicotine, and black tea can cause nutrient depletion.

If you’ve decided to eliminate meat, eggs and dairy products from your diet, feel good about it. And know that plant foods contain all the vitamins except vitamins D and B-12. (We don’t say this meaning you should ignore your doctor’s orders for supplements. We just thought you’d like to know that, in general, plant foods have all the vitamins except D and B-12.) You may remember from earlier on that you can get vitamin D from sun exposure on your skin (though if you live in a northern climate this will be harder to do). And of course you can eat D-fortified foods like cereal and rice- or soymilks. And while small amounts of vitamin B-12 are present in bacteria, algae, tempeh, and fortified foods, vegetarian mothers-to-be should take supplements. (FYI: Many experts say all vegetarians should take B-12 supplements, not just pregnant women.)

So be sure to discuss B-12 supplementation with your doctor, for both pregnancy and breastfeeding. It’s a really important one for you and your baby. Babies born to moms who are deficient in B-12 can have anemia, developmental delays, impaired growth, and poor brain development.

Believe it or not, vegetarians and vegans eating a well-balanced, well-planned diet can have better levels of most vitamins and minerals than meat-eaters. You may wonder about iron. While our levels can be lower than average, they’re still in the normal range. So when some meathead tells you that vegetarians or vegans don’t get enough iron, tell him or her that we have no higher incidence of iron deficiency anemia than the general population. Regardless, do your best to eat iron-rich foods, like almonds, asparagus, avocados, chickpeas, black beans, lentils, apricots, prunes, wheat germ, whole-wheat bread, sesame seeds, white beans, cherries, broccoli, leafy greens, beets, carrots, fortified cereals, and rice- and soymilks. You can help your body optimize iron absorption by pairing up high-iron foods with high vitamin-C foods. Your doctor may test your iron levels throughout your pregnancy to make sure you aren’t anemic. If you are, you might have to take iron supplements, which can cause nausea, barfing, stomach upset, or constipation. (It can also inhibit zinc absorption. ) So eat right, fool!

The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

The above is an excerpt from the book Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven: A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot and Healthy Mother!
by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
Published by Running Press; September 2008; $14.95US/$16.00CAN; 978-0-7624-3105-2

Copyright © 2008 Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Author Bio
Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin started a movement when they wrote their best-selling manifesto, Skinny Bitch. Both a wake-up call and a kick in the ass, Skinny Bitch exposed the horrors of the food industry while inspiring people to eat well and enjoy food.

Freedman, a former agent for Ford Models, has been studying nutrition for fifteen years. She has one uterus.

Barnouin, a former model, holds a Master of Science degree in Holistic Nutrition. She has one son, Jackson, whom she was pregnant with while researching this book.

This scared me to death. My mother showed me a drinking water treatment report sent to her by her local water provider. My mom knows that I write about drinking water contamination and clean, healthy drinking water, so she thought I might be interested in the report.

I have to tell you that there is a big difference between doing research about drinking water contamination and actually seeing a detailed accounting of the water I, and people I know and love, are drinking.

The overall conclusion of this drinking water treatment report indicates that all is well with the water that comes into my mom’s home. But seeing the list of contaminants, the explanation of where they come from, and the way they are rated in terms of acceptable levels, made me very uneasy.

All drinking water contamination was organized into a table that was divided up into sections titled: “Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products”; “Inorganic Contaminants”; “Radioactive Contaminants” and “Inorganic Contaminants.”

The list of drinking water contaminants included: chlorine, haloacetic acids, triihalomethanes, nitrate, flouride, arsenic, barium, chromium, alpha emitters, combined radium, uranium and copper.

Some of the sources of these contaminants included:”additive used to control microbes,” “by-product of drinking water chlorination,”runoff from fertilizer use,” “leaching from septic tanks,” “sewage,” erosion of natural deposits,” “discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories,” “discharge from drilling wastes,” “discharge from metal refineries,” “discharge from steel and pulp mills” and “leaching from wood preservatives.”

And if that wasn’t enough to raise the hair on the back of one’s head, this drinking water treatment report rated the contaminants under the headings, “MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal) or MRDLG (Maximum Residual Disinfection Goal) and MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) or MRLD (Maximum Residual Disinfection Level). Numbers appeared under these headings, but there wasn’t a legend that explained what the numbers meant.

Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great that this company keeps its customers informed. However, I do think they could do a little better in the explanation department because seeing those contaminants at ANY level is enough to cause alarm.

The good news, however, is that this drinking water treatment report reinforced my belief that relying on municipal or private drinking water purification systems continues to have major drawbacks. And because there are some wonderful, healthy alternatives to this “iffy” water, there is no reason why anyone has to feel scared or uneasy about taking a drink of water.

Anyone can do their own drinking water treatment. Drinking water filters or whole house water filters are, by far, the cheapest and most convenient way to filter and purify water. In addition to selling some great drinking water treatment systems, there are companies out there that also offer fantastic customer service.

And if you’re not sure what kind of water filter system you should buy, my recommendation is to look for a filter system that uses a multi-stage filtration process. This way you will be able to safeguard against chlorine (disinfectant), lead (inorganic contaminant), and VOCs (volatile organic chemicals).

Oh…FYI…as an added bonus to a whole house water filter system, the water that will leave your home and go back in the sewers will be free of chemicals and bacteria further protecting the environment. That is sure to help make any drinking water treatment report less scary.

A lot of people ask, “is there any way that drinking has any affect on growing muscles?” Sorry to tell you, but yes it does. It has been proven to have a bad impact on your muscle gaining results. Not many people know, but alcohol is more harmful that some people tend to think. You must understand how alcohol has affected your progress. If you truly want to get that physique you are looking for, you must look at the main ways that alcohol has slowed down your muscle gains.

1) Protein synthesis

You are probably wondering, what is protein synthesis? It is a process when your amino acids join together and end up forming a complete protein. When drinking alcohol, it slows down this process quite a bit. Actually by up to 20%, and the problem is, your muscles need this protein!

2) Testosterone levels decrease and estrogen increases.

Testosterone is by far one of the most important muscle building hormones that are in your body. What actually helps determine how much muscle someone can gain is the amount of free flowing testosterone that is in one’s body. One of the limiting factors that determine how much muscle a person can gain is their level of free-flowing testosterone.

You always need to have some fun in life. Drinking with friends and relatives is always fun, just watch how much you drink. A few drinks a weekend won’t be a problem at all. It is when you go out a few nights and week and have 6 or more drinks that can cause some serious negative results in your muscle gaining results.

If you do actually party sometimes, make sure you always keep yourself hydrated. Drink a lot of water. One of the best ways to do this is drink a glass of water for each drink you have.

These days it is a common fact that you are almost forced to go through drug tests any time during your job whenever your employer wishes you to do so. Though it is almost a direct invasion to your privacy by there is almost no chance for you to avoid it. Therefore, when your employer wants you are needed to go through a drug test. This is not only the problem faced by the private company employees but also even parents and other family members to their younger ones and also coaches to the players this is a common problem. Thus it is becoming and evident fact that people will have to go through a drug test before he can get a job. And also this is not the final thing as if your employer wishes you may have to go through the test again long after your appointment to prove yourself.

However, it should be remembered while conducting a drug test that the results may reveal several facts like prescription drug use, pregnancy and other such medical issues. Therefore, it is very much essential on the part of the employers to keep these other medical factors secret for maintaining the privacy of their employees.

For conducting drug tests at the workplace the most convenient means is to use some drug testing kits. These kits are also meant for the common people to buy. Therefore with the help of these kits any individual can check their drug usage or the usage of drugs in case of their family members. Moreover, most of the smaller business companies use purchase these drug testing kits to conduct test on their employees. But the fact still remains the same whether you use a drug testing kit or hire someone to conduct drug test on the employees it is always a means of violation to the privacy of the individuals on whom these tests are conducted.

Moreover, these testing kits are quite useful for the users. When you need to conduct drug test on your employees or on your family members at a regular basis then these drug testing kits can be of great help not only because they are easier to handle but also saves a lot of money. With the help of these testing kits you can test up to ten different kinds of drugs. And if it is seen that the subject is positive to more than one drugs then a panel drug test kit can be used which have more than one type of drug test. Therefore in case of using at the workplace the panel drug testing kits can be the most profitable ones. Even these tools can be useful for the employees also as they can test the level of drugs in their body before going through a workplace drug testing. And thus when you are aware of the fact that you are positive to some illegal drugs and the level of it in your body you can easily take the necessary steps or use some detoxifying products accordingly. Even you can test whether the detoxifying product is working or not with the help of these drug testing kits.

Alcohol and pregnancy don’t go together and it is better and safe to abstain from drinking intoxicating stuff during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD). This condition is very dangerous for the unborn baby.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption

In Italy, researchers have proven that moderate alcohol consumption is definitely not harmful. But, still it is better to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcohol and Abortions

Many women may have consumed alcohol even before they discovered they were pregnant. Certain doctors advise such women to have an abortion in case the alcohol they consumed had harmed the fetus. However, this type of advice is not always right. A moderate consumption of one or two drinks per day is okay. However, hard core drinking is a real problem.

Abortions out of Fear

It is not necessary to have abortions out of fear that the alcohol you drank would have harmed your baby. In Australia, the guidelines ask pregnant women should have a maximum of two drinks per day or a maximum of just seven standard drinks in a week. This seems like sensible idea.

Abort ‘abortion’ ideas

In case you had a drink or two before discovering that you were pregnant. then contact your health care practitioner and discuss the issue. Check and recheck whether you need an abortion. In 95% of the case, it may not be necessary. And, once you know that you are pregnant, abstain from consuming alcohol for the safety of the fetus and you.

Everyone gets upset after finding out that someone among his near-dear ones is a drug addict. Many people think that the addicts take drug just for fun, but every time this is not, consuming drug is not always a choice. Like other diseases, the patients of drug addiction should be treated with special care.

According to a recent report it has been known that the total costs of substance abuse in the US is around half a trillion dollars each year. So, there is no doubt that drug addiction is a major concern in the United States. The curse of this addiction is not just limited to the US, millions of people all around the world are suffering from it.

Those days are gone when the family members of an alcoholic or drug addicted patient used to roam around in the search of an addiction treatment center. Now there are thousands of drug and alcohol treatment centers available all over the world. The modern treatment centers are offering contemporary addiction treatments by using latest treatment procedures and cutting-edge technology.

It has been seen that the patients of drug addiction suffer from various physical as well as psychological problems. More time a patient will suffer from drug addiction, much worse will be the condition of the patient. So, it is suggested to everyone whose near-dear one is suffering from drug addiction to visit a drug addiction treatment center without any second thought.

You can also consider a Christian rehab center, where you will get much more treatment facilities than the traditional treatment centers. So, don’t waste anymore time, call an addiction treatment center and consult with an expert today.

When it comes to addiction, some people may naturally think that it only applies to drugs such as heroin or cocaine. It wouldn’t be surprising if you hear some people actually saying that they are not addicted to cigarettes at all and as if they can quit at will.

Unfortunately, the reality is that as much as some smokers would not want to admit that they are addicted to cigarettes, studies have shown that nicotine is indeed more addictive than heroin. This mentality can be dangerous, because the smoker will not be prepared to position his or herself to quit smoking.

Nicotine is the main substance in cigarettes that makes you addicted that wanting to smoke more and more. Even in small substantial amounts, nicotine can be lethal. Just a drop of pure nicotine on your skin could end up killing you.

When you start smoking a cigarette, it will only take seven seconds for the nicotine to reach your brain. What you may not know is that is actually faster than nicotine being injected into your veins.

The fact that nicotine can reach your brain cells so quickly is what also makes it so addictive.

What you may not know is that cigarette companies have spent millions of dollars have on research to ensure cigarettes are design in a way to most effectively deliver nicotine to your body?

Once nicotine is in your brain, it will make you ‘feel’ good by stimulating certain parts of your brain cells. The more you feed your brain to nicotine, the more your brain will be used to it. The sudden lack of nicotine fed to your brain will make your brain crave for it, and hence the whole feeling of addiction.The relaxation effect comes from satisfying your addiction rather than actually relaxing it, giving the false feeling that cigarettes actually help you to reduce stress! The truth is it certainly doesn’t!

What’s more dangerous is that your brain will get more used and used to it, resulting in even greater feeding nicotine and you ending up smoking more and more! That’s why most smokers who start with few cigarettes a day can end up with more than 2 packs a day.

These days most of the companies are favoring the idea to conduct drug test on their employers to ensure that their employee are not under the influence of any sort of drug addiction so that they can get the better output from their employees. However, it may seem to be a violence of privacy but it is obvious that the companies would always look to their own interest. And for the interest of the companies and for the smooth work culture it sometime becomes necessary to be sure that the employees are not affected by drug addiction. But there is no hard and fast rule that you shall have to go through the drug test when your employer asks you to do so. The company cannot force you to go through a drug test. But in reality the fact is that though you have the option not to have the drug test conducted on you but if you choose not to do so your relation with your employer may get bitter and you may even have to loose the job. Therefore besides your freedom of choice you are indirectly compelled to go through the drug test.

Thus drug test at the workplace is almost inevitable when your employer asks you to go through it. Not only at the workplace but also there are other institutions who are in favor of conducting drug test. In many schools and colleges too the authority are in favor of conducting drug test on their students. Even the parents too are interested enough in conducting drug test on their children. And this is because these days it is the younger generation and the students of schools and colleges are the main victim of drug addiction. Moreover, the highly dynamic life of the present age and with the working parents the children are seeking relief for the lack of the company of their parents in drugs. Therefore it has become a serious concern for the parents to keep a check in this growing threat of drug addiction by conducting drug test. Though it is true that conducting drug test is not the solution of drug addiction but by this the parents can at least know whether their children are under the influence of this serious evil and thus can take the needful steps.

However, case of the work place drug testing many may think it to be a pure invasion on their privacy but unfortunately it is an inevitable thing. Moreover, besides finding out the tresses of illegal dugs in the body these tests can also reveal other private affairs like use of prescription drugs, pregnancy and other medical issues. Therefore it is the duty of the company to keep the results secret as far as possible. And if the subject is not found to be positive to illegal drugs then it is more under the serious concern of the management to keep other results found in the test secret for maintaining the privacy of their employees. Because though they are conducting the tests to preserve their interest they should also keep in mind to maintain the privacy of their employees.

For a dui attorney, the issue as to whether someone should take a breath test when stopped for suspected DUI is one of the most common questions asked. As with most issues in the area of criminal DUI law, the answers are not always clear cut.

Most criminal DUI courts nationwide in association with departments of motor vehicles have some variations of mandatory license suspensions imposed if it is determined by a criminal DUI court judge that someone suspected of drunk driving has refused to submit to a breath test offered. This breath test and drivers obligation to submit to such a test is often known as “implied consent.” Implied consent in simple terms basically is the concept that operating a motor vehicle on state roadways is a privilege and not a right. As a result, even if one were to be found not guilty of drunk driving under a criminal court’s dui laws, depending upon the arresting state, it is still possible to lose one’s license for a fixed period of time simply for refusing to submit to such a test.

Unlike a standard of proof of, “beyond a reasonable doubt,” that a prosecutor must establish to find one guilty of a dui offense, in most, if not all dui law jurisdictions, the proof required to suspend one’s license for refusing to submit to a breath test under the doctrine of implied consent is by a “preponderance of evidence.” Or in other more realistic terms, the police officer’s word versus the word of one suspected of DUI as to whether a breath test was knowingly refused after the suspected drunk driver was advised of his obligation to submit to such a test and the mandatory license suspension that will result if the breath test is not submitted to. It is not uncommon for a police officer to simply read implied consent wording off of an index card in a court of law to meet such a burden of proof.

Don’t I have the right to a DUI attorney under

State DUI laws before deciding to take a breath test?

No. In most if not all criminal law courts the results of a certified breath test as to whether one is above the state’s legal limit for DUI is considered, “non testimonial.” This generally means that breath test results are evidence based on what you’ve done and not what you’ve said. Since performance of field sobriety test and breath test results for DUI are not based on words said they are not usually considered “testimony” for purposes of a suspected drunk driver’s right to have a dui lawyer present in making the decision as to whether to submit to such a test. As always, it is good practice to consult with an experienced dui law attorney in your state as to the application of implied consent laws and a drunk driving officer’s limitations in acquiring potentially incriminating evidence.

Generally, many dui law attorneys would agree that often a decision as to whether one should submit to a breath test is based upon what one fears more; criminal law penalty or mandatory license suspension.

If, for example, one prosecuted for DUI has a lengthy criminal history of drunk driving or other criminal crimes, such a person may wish to deprive the state prosecutor of a valuable piece of evidence, namely a breath test result, where one has no alternative but to roll the dice at trial or face lengthy imprisonment potentially longer than a potential license suspension imposed.

However, in the majority of DUI law cases, if a person is facing a first time or sometimes a second time dui offense, it is often the case that a license suspension imposed up to 10 times longer simply for a breath test refusal is not worth the risk, especially where the suspected drunk driver in consultation with a dui law attorney is not facing mandatory jail time, and does not believe it is in his or her best interest to go to trial.