10 tips for healthy food

   Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can help you follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you eat.

        Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.
        Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
        Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.
        Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.
        Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
        Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
        Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.
        Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
        If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.
        Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.
        Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.
        Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.
        Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

    Figuring Out Fat
    With so much information available about the effects of dietary fat on health, understanding the role fat plays in a well-balanced diet can be pretty confusing. To cut through the confusion, it's important to remember that fat is an essential nutrient that everyone needs to stay healthy.
    Fat is a valuable energy source and carries fat-soluble vitamins needed for proper growth and development. It also contributes important taste and textural qualities that are part of enjoying food.
    Too much fat, however, can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity and other health problems. When moderating fat intake, it's important to consider these points:
        Health authorities recommend Americans consume 30 percent or less of their total daily calories from fat, with 10 percent or less of those calories from saturated fat. Remember, the 30 percent refers to your total fat intake over time, not single foods or meals. Use the following chart to guide your fat intake.
        If you eat this Total fat Total saturated
        number of calories per day fat per day
        per day: (grams) (grams)
        1,600 53 or less 18 or less
        2,000 65 or less 20 or less
        2,200 73 or less 24 or less
        2,500 80 or less 25 or less
        Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help determine how much fat is in foods. Remember, it's the total fat intake over time that's important. A food high in fat can be part of a healthy diet as long as it's balanced with other lower-fat food choices.
        All fats are a combination of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Each of these types of fats have different effects on the body, but all contain nine calories per gram.
        Blood cholesterol levels are influenced by family history, weight, age, smoking, physical activity and eating habits. Studies have shown that diets which are too high in certain saturated fatty acids and dietary cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol.

    The Food Guide Pyramid
    The Food Guide Pyramid is a practical tool to help you make food choices that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Using the Pyramid enables you to eat a variety of foods daily so that you can get the nutrients you need.
    To make the most of the Pyramid, you need to know what counts as a serving.
        Food Group--Serving Size
        Bread--1 slice bread, 1\2 bagel or English muffin, 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal, 1\2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta, or 5-6 small crackers
        Vegetable--1 cup raw, leafy vegetables, 1\2 cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables or 3\4 cup vegetable juice
        Fruit--1 medium piece of fruit, 1\2 cup mixed fruit or 3\4 cup fruit juice
        Milk--1 cup milk or yogurt, 11\2 ounces natural cheese or 2 ounces process cheese
        Meat--2 - 3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
        Other foods which count as 1 ounce meat: 1\2 cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 1\3 cup nuts

    If You Want To Know More
    A nutrition expert can help you develop a personal action plan for improving your eating habits while keeping the fun in food. A registered dietitian (R.D.) is an authority on food, nutrition and health, and can provide valuable information and advice.

By RISHABH JAIN with

Apple - iPad - It's thinner, lighter, and faster than ever

Two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording. The dual-core A5 chip. The same 10-hour battery life.¹ All in a thinner, lighter design. Now iPad is even more amazing. And even less like anything else.

Watch the iPad 2 video

Thinner, lighter, and
full of great ideas.

Once you pick up iPad 2, it’ll be hard to put down. That’s the idea behind the all-new design. It’s 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter, so it feels even more comfortable in your hands.² And it makes surfing the web, checking email, watching movies, and reading books so natural, you might forget there’s incredible technology under your fingers.

Dual-core A5 chip.
It’s fast, times two.

Two powerful cores in one A5 chip mean iPad can do twice the work at once. You’ll notice the difference when you’re surfing the web, watching movies, making FaceTime video calls, gaming, and going from app to app to app. Multitasking is smoother, apps load faster, and everything just works better.

Superfast graphics.
Go, gamers, go.

With up to nine times the graphics performance, gameplay on iPad is even smoother and more realistic. And faster graphics help apps perform better — especially those with video. You’ll see it when you’re scrolling through your photo library, editing video with iMovie, and viewing animations in Keynote.

Battery life keeps on going. So you can, too.

Even with the new thinner and lighter design, iPad has the same amazing 10-hour battery life.¹ That’s enough juice for one flight across the ocean, or one movie-watching all-nighter, or a week’s commute across town. The power-efficient A5 chip and iOS keep battery life from fading away, so you can get carried away.

By RISHABH JAIN with

Is wine good for you?

Is wine good for you?In moderation and as part of an overall healthy diet, the short answer is yes!

Thanks to its alcohol content and non-alcoholic phytochemicals (natural occurring plant compounds), wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
However, the amount of wine you drink matters tremendously. Drink more than what’s recommended, your health benefits are lost and your health risks go up.
Here’s what’s considered safe and effective:
Men: No more than two drinks per day.
Women: No more than one drink per day.
One drink is defined as a 5-ounce glass of red or white wine, 12 ounces of regular beer (1 bottle) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

 

 

The health benefits of wine
When it comes to wine’s health capabilities, here’s what we know:
It’s been well documented that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white), as well as hard liquor and beer.
Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body.  Although some studies which have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you’ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity.  Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease.  In animal studies, resveratrol reduced tumor incidence by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.
Red wine provides much more resveratrol compared to white. That’s because the longer the skin is kept on the grape during the wine making process, the greater the concentration of resveratrol in the wine. In the case of white wine production, the skin is removed before fermentation, giving white wines a lower concentration in resveratrol compared to red wines. Also, wines made in cooler climates have greater amounts of resveratrol too. Thus, red wine from cool climates have the most resveratrol.
The negative side of wine
Wine, however, is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician. Here’s a few things to know:

• High Triglycerides: One downside to wine consumption is that it can elevate triglyceride levels, which is associated with health problems such as diabetes.  Those who already have high triglycerides should, therefore, avoid or dramatically limit their wine (and alcohol) consumption.
• Breast Cancer Risk: Studies have shown alcohol can increase estrogen levels and raise tumor progression in women with (or at high risk for) estrogen positive breast cancer.
• Migraines: Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger. That’s probably due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin.
• Weight Gain: People who drink alcohol also consume empty calories, calories that lack nutrients and can lead to weight gain.
• Five ounces white or red wine = approximately 120 calories.  Drink a bottle of wine (4 glasses), and you’ll be consuming about 480 calories (that’s the equivalent of two 20-ounce Cokes!).
• Here’s how alcohol compares to carbohydrate/protein/fat:
  1 gram carb = 4 calories
  1 gram protein = 4 calories
  1 gram fat = 9 calories
  1 gram alcohol = 7 calories

By RISHABH JAIN with

How to Deal with and Heal Back Pain

“The back represents our support system.  Problems with the back usually mean we feel we are not being supported.  Too often we think we are only supported by our job or by our family or spouses.  In reality we are totally supported by the universe, by Life itself.” – Louise Hay

Healing Back Pain Through Yoga,  Exercise and Diet

If you are suffering from general back pain you’ve come to the right page.  For years I was such a tough athlete.  A gymnast and a swimmer for years.  And then three rear- enders later I lived incessantly with muscles spasms, aches and pain for many years thereafter.  I was a gymaholic.  I guess there are worst things to be.  But I still had that nagging pain.  I went to doctors, chiropractors, had scans, x-rays, the works.  No one really found much of anything except that my hips are uneven and when they get out of whack, it causes pain on one side or the other.  Simple adjustment and it goes away.  As I get older though, I have noticed the nag increase.  I have taken it upon myself, as I do not want to live in pain the rest of my life, to incorporate some healthy habits that have changed the course of this nagging pain.  And guess what?  When I follow them, the pain dissipates.  I hardly feel it anymore, if at all.  Just sharing what works for me.  Take it or leave it. Here they are:

Yoga is Fantastic for Healing Back Pain

When I first started my yoga teacher training, I had serious trouble with my back.  I didn’t even know whether I was going to make it through the series because I had such a hard time sitting.  I was in absolute agony the first few weeks begging for relief.  But here’s what happened.  I learned so many beautiful poses.  Poses that helped me regain my flexibility I thought I had lost.  Poses that stretched my limbs and tendons.  Poses that strengthened my legs, core, back and arms, like Plank Pose and Side Plank.  Poses that soothed not only my back, but my soul.  Child’s Pose, Pelvic Tilts, Cobra Pose, Seated Twists as well as poses using bolsters, blocks and straps to support my body. I also made friends with people who were much further along the healing path and who helped me understand some of the emotional causes for back pain as well.  Mine was all lower back pain.  After taking the suggestion of one of my new found friends, I read Louise Hayes, .You Can Heal Your Life.  I realized my back pain had a lot to do with my financial collapse at the time as well as years and years of never feeling like there was enough money to support me. It is so difficult to function in daily life when you are in pain.  It is difficult to be quiet or to be peaceful when your body is screaming at you for relief.  Practicing yoga consistently and educating yourself on the causes of back pain keeps you out of back pain trouble.  When I don’t practice consistently, it creeps back and definitely lets me know I need to stay on top of things and get back in the groove.

Yoga Makes You Aware of What you Put in Your Body

Yoga and meditation, in a nutshell, is about becoming aware.  I used to eat red meat almost every day with, I might add, a mighty glass or two of red wine to wash it down.  In fact, I used to eat a lot of inflammatory foods, but thanks to my practice I no longer crave those types of foods and do not eat them. I no longer mindlessly put junk into my body. And what do you think happened when I stopped eating foods that made my body hurt?  Less inflammation in my body, giving it the ability to recover from a challenging workout.  Soda, sugar, dairy products, fried food and processed food all contribute to inflammatory conditions.  Inflammation makes your body hurt.  So check in with yourself and clean it up.  No one wants to live in pain.  So the next time you’re ready to pick up a bag of chips, burn it (just kidding…trash it) and pick up some almonds, fruit or crunchy veggies instead.  Make it your business to change your unhealthy eating habits.  If you are one of those people who says, “Oh, one bag won’t hurt.”  Think again.  Chips cause decay and pain.  Change your habits and your body will thank you over and over again for the rest of your life.  If you don’t believe me, read

Younger Next Year by Crowley and Lodge.  You won’t be disappointed. You will begin to feel better before you know it.  Add another component and you will feel better yet.  You see, it’s not just about the food.  The food is only one factor.  Exercise is another key ingredient to healing back pain.

Strengthen Your Back and Get Rid of the Fat

Extra weight is either adding to your back pain or is the root cause of the pain.  In fact, obesity is the leading cause of back pain today.  All that extra weight around your middle causes strain on your back, your vital organs and your joints.  It has the ability to throw off your balance making it hard to function properly.  If you’re one of those people who says, “Well, I only have a little bit.”  You’re not so different.  Get it off.  You have got to start burning the fat off with exercise and getting your heart rate up for at least twenty minutes per day.  Yes, that means breathing hard and a little soreness if your not used to working out.  Start and don’t stop.  Don’t stop. Ever.  If you start and then stop, you will only accelerate the decay process already going on in your body like diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and a host of other undesirables. If you keep going each day, your cells will begin to replenish and rebuild.  You may not feel great tomorrow or even next week.  But in 2-4 weeks you will feel significantly better. Just 30-60 minutes per day folks, 6 times per week.  Find something you like and give it all you’ve got.  Shed that unwanted, drag me down, fat that has your heart screaming “Get off me or I’m gonna shut down!”  And be done with it for life.  If you are new to working out or you are limited on time, I have a great suggestion.This program is actually awesome for anyone but particularly useful when it comes to time management. It comes with an excellent nutrition guide. It works. 10 minutes. 20 Minutes if you like. Do it. You will be on your way in no time. CLICK HERE

Maintenance and Preventative Care for Your Back

Good chiropractic care is underrated.  I have found that is is crucial to maintaining good back health.  Notice I didn’t say mediocre chiropractic care.  You need to go to someone who understands your body and your issues.  Someone who will spend the time working on adjustments that are the right adjustments for you and does not give up until he/she has it figured out.  Period.  My chiropractor is awesome.  He rolls me into the adjustment. Never pushes too hard and never does anything that would make the inflammation worse. I get a wonderful massage while I’m there just for the places that are causing me pain.  I am treated well and their concern for my well-being is present every time I visit. Definitely not a “wham bam thank you ma’am” kind of place where you hurdled in like cattle on speed and out in 5 minutes. And I’ll say the same thing about massage therapists.  Sometimes you’ve got to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince or princess.  I have one in my area I would refer anyone to.  He is intuitive and seems to know exactly what I need every time I visit.  All I have to do is tell them where it hurts.  He gets it.  If you want to have an exceptional massage you have got to be willing to communicate.  Don’t be shy.  They are there to help you, but if they don’t know what is bothering you, their job then becomes a guessing game.  Who wants that?  You pay $70-100 bucks to let them guess? “Oh, surprise me.  Let’s see if you get it right.”  No!  Tell them.  Give them as much information as you can.  Let them do their thing and give yourself a delicious treat

By RISHABH JAIN with

Yoga and classical music combine to heal

What do you get when you combine the elaborate postures of yoga with the soothing strains of Indian classical music? A novel music therapy for the sick and the stressed, say two musicians of the Taj city who've just returned from the 13th World Congress of Music Therapy in South Korea.

 

 Lovely Sharma, a D.Litt in sitar and author of eight books, along with eminent classical guitarist Devashish Chakrovorty, conducted a workshop on healing techniques through music and yoga, at the congress in Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul.Attended by more than 50 participants, the workshop focussed on the beneficial effects on concentration, relaxation and mood of the yoga-and-music therapy.

But the duo says the field is very much neglected in India."It is high time we took a lead in developing appropriate technologies, guidelines and a proper scientific frame to promote music therapy, which has already been recognised as alternative therapy capable of bringing about significant responses and aiding treatment through other therapies," Sharma told IANS.

India, she said, has a vast treasure in the form of classical ragas and musical strains which had in the past proved their efficacy but in course of time "we were swept away by modern influences and adopted Western ways"."But now, even Western countries are recognising the role and contribution of yoga and Indian classical music, as was evidenced by the impressive participation of so many western countries in the World Congress," Sharma said.
According to Chakrovorty, India was particularly suited for making use of musical therapy."India stands a very good chance of encashing on the success of music therapy advances because our classical music was geared to healing and had a very diverse variety."Western music has had limited success in this field as Western classical music is not melodious like ours. We work on individual 'surs', fine-tuning the notes to specific requirements, from soft to high," he said.
The spiritual nuances of Indian classical music traditions, developed over centuries, are particularly suited for music therapy, he said, but added that a lot of research and developmental work needed to be done.Interestingly, while the modern world may be just waking up to the therapy, ancient Indian scriptures have a well-documented technique called 'nada yoga' -- or the science of utilising sound vibrations and yogic asanas (postures) to achieve 'salvation'.According to Sharma, nada yoga has enormous power to heal. It is believed that Indian classical music has very positive effects on human health and behaviour.
"Recent studies on the subject showed that music along with yoga can heal disorders like hypertension, arthritis, problems related to upper or lower parts of the body, mental stress and tension," she said.Sharma has also conducted music therapy workshops in various jails and says the results have been encouraging.
"The Agra central jail has been my laboratory. I have learnt a lot by interacting with the inmates and experimenting with various ragas to increase their concentration and bring down their stress levels...Now, other jails too are regularly organising music classes to reduce stress level and control violent streaks in some of the criminals," she said.
At the Seoul workshops, the participants learnt some important asanas with the singing of compositions or chanting of hymns required for healing of various disorders."After 15-20 therapeutic sessions, it was observed that participants were feeling very much relaxed and noticed an improvement in their physical and mental conditions," she said.Sharma recommended that future research studies should aim to scientifically establish the effectiveness of nada yoga and other music therapies.

By RISHABH JAIN with

Fascinating facts about the invention of the Barbie® doll

BARBIE® DOLL

AT A GLANCE:

Fascinating facts about the invention of the
Barbie® doll by Ruth Handler in 1959.

 Since its debut in 1959, an anatomically improbable molded plastic statuette named Barbie has become an icon. Ruth Handler undeniably invented an American icon that functions as both a steady outlet for girls' dreams and an ever changing reflection of American society. This can be seen in the history of Barbie's clothes, and even her various "face lifts" to suit the times; in her professional, political and charitable endeavors; and more recently in the multi-culturalizing of her product line. 

Invention: Barbie® doll in 1959  

Function: noun / Trademark (Reg, U,S.)
Definition: A small-scale anatomically improbable molded plastic figure of a human being used especially as a child's plaything. Collectable doll.
Trademark: Reg. No. 0689055 issued December 1, 1959

Inventor: Ruth Handler  

Criteria: First to invent. First to patent. Entrepreneur.
Birth: November. 4, 1916 in Denver, Colorado, Ruth Mosko
Death: April 27, 2002 in Los Angeles, California
Nationality: American, of Polish immigrant parents.. 

Milestones:
1938 Ruth married Elliot Handler
1945 Mattel founded by Harold Matson, Elliot Handler and Ruth Handler to make picture frames
1946 Matson sells his interest to the Handlers. Mattel makes and sells doll house furniture
1959 Ruth invents a three dimension doll named Barbie
1960 The success of the Barbie doll led Mattel to become a publicly-owned company
1967 Ruth Handler becomes President of Mattel, Inc.
1974 the Handlers leave the Mattel company
CAPs: Barbie, Barbie Doll, Ruth Handler, Elliot Handler, Harold Matson, Mattel,
SIPs: barbie inventor, biography, profile, history, inventor of, history of, who invented, invention of, fascinating facts.

The Story:
She's a successful businesswoman, a member of a rock band and a Women's World Cup Soccer player. Who is this superstar? It's none other than Barbie doll. A little hard to believe, but the Barbie Doll started out as a human being! She was Barbara Handler, the daughter of Ruth and Elliot Handler.
In the early 1950s, Handler saw that her young daughter, Barbara, and her girlfriends enjoyed playing with adult female dolls as much or more than with baby dolls. Handler sensed that it was just as important for girls to imagine what they themselves might grow up to become as it was for them to focus on what caring for children might be like.
Because all the adult dolls then available were made of paper or cardboard, Handler decided to create a three-dimensional adult female doll, one lifelike enough to serve as an inspiration for her daughter's dreams of her future. Handler took her idea to the ad executives at Mattel Corp., the company that she and her husband, Elliot, had founded in their garage some years before: the (all-male) committee rejected the idea as too expensive, and with little potential for wide market appeal.

Soon thereafter, Handler returned from a trip to Europe with a "Lilli" doll, modeled after a character in a German comic strip. Handler spent some time designing a doll similar to Lilli, and even hired a designer to make realistic doll clothes. The result was the Barbie doll (named in honor of the Handlers' daughter), a pint-sized model of the "girl next door."
Mattel finally agreed to back Handler's efforts; and the Barbie doll debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York City in 1959. Girls clamored for the doll, and Barbie set a new sales record for Mattel its first year on the market (351,000 dolls, at $3 each). Since then, Barbie's popularity has rarely flagged; and today, with over one billion dolls sold, the Barbie product line is the most successful in the history of the toy industry.
The first Barbie doll sported a ponytail hairstyle, black and white zebra-striped bathing suit, open-toed shoes, sunglasses and earrings. A line of fashions and accessories was also available. Buyers at the industry’s annual Toy Fair in New York were not impressed, but little girls certainly were and the Barbie doll took retailers by storm. Mattel was so swamped with orders that it took several years for supply to catch up with demand.
The Barbie doll was introduced as a teenage fashion model, but in the years that followed she has taken on many aspirational roles. She has tackled almost every conceivable profession, including dentist, doctor, firefighter, astronaut, paleontologist—even Presidential candidate.
The Barbie doll has been joined by friends and family over the years, including the Ken doll—named for the Handlers’ son—in 1961, Midge in 1963, Skipper in 1965 and Christie—an African-American doll and the first of many ethnic friends—in 1968. More recently, in 1995, the Barbie doll gained a little sister, Baby Sister Kelly, and, in 1997, a disabled friend in a wheelchair, Share a Smile Becky.
Barbie doll is further expanding her versatile and limitless roles to inspire girls' dreams as she prepares for the new millennium.
The world of the Barbie® doll today is a great deal more than a doll and accessories. Barbie doll is keeping in step by allowing girls to use their computers to program and personalize their Barbie doll and design, create, play and dream using Barbie™ software. The Barbie line has also developed into a broad array of exciting licensed products for girls, including books, apparel, food, home furnishings and home electronics.
From the beginning, Barbie has also had her critics: the major accusation, from feminists and others, has been that she reinforces sexism, representing a young woman with questionable intelligence and a near-impossible physique. The late 60s even saw the creation of the "Barbie Liberation Organization," after Mattel introduced "Ken", as Barbie's "handsome steady."
Despite such criticisms, playing with Barbie dolls seems as a rule to enhance girls' self-image and expand their sense of their potential rather than the opposite. This has become more true over the years, as Barbie herself has expanded her horizons: she has now appeared as a doctor, astronaut, businesswoman, police officer, UNICEF volunteer, and athlete. Over the years, Barbie has achieved the title of the most popular fashion doll ever created.

By RISHABH JAIN with

Improve Your Memory With These Great Tips

Top 10 Memory Improvement Tips
Improve Your Memory With These Great Tips

Before you study for your next exam, you might want to use a few strategies to boost your memory of important information. There are a number of tried and tested techniques for improving memory. These strategies have been established within cognitive psychology literature and offer a number of great ways to improve memory, enhance recall and increase retention of information.

1. Focus your attention on the materials you are studying.
Attention is one of the major components of memory. In order for information to move from short-term memory into long-term memory, you need to actively attend to this information. Try to study in a place free of distractions such as television, music and other diversions.
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2. Avoid cramming by establishing regular study sessions.
According to Bjork (2001), studying materials over a number of session's gives you the time you need to adequately process the information. Research has shown that students who study regularly remember the material far better than those who did all of their studying in one marathon session.

3. Structure and organize the information you are studying.
Researchers have found that information is organized in memory in related clusters. You can take advantage of this by structuring and organizing the materials you are studying. Try grouping similar concepts and terms together, or make an outline of your notes and textbook readings to help group related concepts.

4. Utilize mnemonic devices to remember information.
Mnemonic devices are a technique often used by students to aid in recall. A mnemonic is simply a way to remember information. For example, you might associate a term you need to remember with a common item that you are very familiar with. The best mnemonics are those that utilize positive imagery, humor or novelty. You might come up with a rhyme, song or joke to help remember a specific segment of information.

5. Elaborate and rehearse the information you are studying.
In order to recall information, you need to encode what you are studying into long-term memory. One of the most effective encoding techniques is known as elaborative rehearsal. An example of this technique would be to read the definition of a key term, study the definition of that term and then read a more detailed description of what that term means. After repeating this process a few times, your recall of the information will be far better.

6. Relate new information to things you already know.
When you are studying unfamiliar material, take the time to think about how this information relates to things that you already know. By establishing relationships between new ideas and previously existing memories, you can dramatically increase the likelihood of recalling the recently learned information.

7. Visualize concepts to improve memory and recall.
Many people benefit greatly from visualizing the information they study. Pay attention to the photographs, charts and other graphics in your textbooks. If you do not have visual cues to help, try creating your own. Draw charts or figures in the margins of your notes or use highlighters or pens in different colors to group related ideas in your written study materials.

8. Teach new concepts to another person.
Research suggests that reading materials out loud significantly improves memory of the material. Educators and psychologists have also discovered that having students actually teach new concepts to others enhances understanding and recall. You can use this approach in your own studies by teaching new concepts and information to a friend or study partner.
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9. Pay extra attention to difficult information.
Have you ever noticed how it's sometimes easier to remember information at the beginning or end of a chapter? Researchers have found that the position of information can play a role in recall, which is known as the serial position effect. While recalling middle information can be difficult, you can overcome this problem by spending extra time rehearsing this information. Another strategy is to try restructuring the information so it will be easier to remember. When you come across an especially difficult concept, devote some extra time to memorizing the information.

10. Vary your study routine.

Another great way to increase your recall is to occasionally change your study routine. If you are accustomed to studying in one specific location, try moving to a different spot to study. If you study in the evening, try spending a few minutes each morning reviewing the information you studied the previous night. By adding an element of novelty to your study sessions, you can increase the effectiveness of your efforts and significantly improve your long-term recall.

By RISHABH JAIN with

The top 3 most search terms for 2010 on google

According to the search engine giant Google, the iPad is in the top 3 most search terms for 2010.

The company recently released their annual reports for 2011 that state “Chatroulette, iPad and Justin Bieber” are the most searched for things this year.

Google published this news during its annual Zeitgeist report that shows billion of various search queries that people tried to find in Google. Google was quoted for saying that “the Zeitgeist report captures the spirit.” I’m not exactly sure what this means, but It’s seems pretty deep..

Even though the iPad came in at number 3 behind Chatroulette and Justin Bieber, I don’t see Apple losing any ground on this one. If anything, more and more people are starting to search for the Apple iPad. After all, it is the most amazing device on the market today!

By RISHABH JAIN with

Eat dry onion skin to reduce diabetes risk

Next time around while you`re in the kitchen don`t throw away the dry onion skin, as it are `rich in compounds that are beneficial for human health`, according to scientists.According to the researchers, the brown skin and external layers are rich in fibre and flavonoids, while the discarded bulbs contain sulphurous compounds and fructans.
`One solution could be to use onion waste as a natural source of ingredients with high functional value, because this vegetable is rich in compounds that provide benefits for human health`, said Vanesa Bena¡tez, a researcher at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry at the Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain).
Bena¡tez`s research group worked with scientists from Cranfield University (United Kingdom) to carry out laboratory experiments to identify the substances and possible uses of each part of the onion.
According to the study, the brown skin could be used as a functional ingredient high in dietary fibre (principally the non-soluble type) and phenolic compounds, such as quercetin and other flavonoids (plant metabolites with medicinal properties). The two outer fleshy layers of the onion also contain fibre and flavonoids.
`Eating fibre reduces the risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal complaints, colon cancer, type-2 diabetes and obesity`, added the researcher.
Phenolic compounds, meanwhile, help to prevent coronary disease and have anti-carcinogenic properties. The high levels of these compounds in the dry skin and the outer layers of the bulbs also give them high antioxidant capacity
.

By RISHABH JAIN with

Foods that burn fat

Foods that burn fat

Let`s do away with the misconception that there are foods that contain no calories at all. The fact is that every food type contains some calorie value. The fact is that one needs to burn calories in order to prevent fat deposits from accumulating in various parts of the body. Healthy eating can control the number of calories, but yet optimum health maintenance or weight loss can only happen when one exercises and burns the calories.There are certain foods that help burn the maximum calories. There are other stubborn foods that do not promote maximum calorie burning, but instead convert themselves into fat, almost instantly.
One needs to be aware of the foods that help one burn maximum calories, which may exceed the caloric value of the food itself. These foods then lead to higher rate of weight loss. Though, these foods do not actually burn fat fast, but control the fat accumulation, they are titled as `fat burners`.
According to nutritionists and food experts, foods that have high vitamin C content tend to burn fats fast. These include the following fruits:

• Lime
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Grapefruit
• Watermelon
• Apple

The vegetables include:

• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Carrot

The importance of vitamin C is that it has the ability to dilute the fat in the body, hence making it lesser effective in the body. And because of this it is easier for the body to flush out, or eliminate such fats.
Certain fruits like apples contain something known as Pectin, which is a substance that is known to regulate the fat being absorbed by the cells of the body. Pectin also promotes the absorption of watery substances in the body. This then brings about the release of the deposits of fat on the cells.
Then there are the foods that one consumes for breakfast such as:

• Oatmeal
• Skimmed milk
• Whole grain cereal

These are considered as sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre. These promote the break down of fat in the body. In fact, they tend to energise the body, promoting a higher metabolic rate.
Peppers and some other spices contain a substance called capsaicin that is said to encourage the body to produce more stress hormones. This increases the potential metabolic rate, which eventually leads to burning more calories.
Another fat burning food is Soy. Food experts consider this to be wonder food, as it contains chemicals that prevent fat from being deposited on the cells, breaking them down completely. Garlic juice and garlic oil has proven to have certain properties that protect the cells and catalyse the process of ridding the body of fat content.
Other foods that burn fat include:

• Black Tea
• Coffee
• Green Tea
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Carrots
• Low fat cheese
• Low fat yogurt
• Water
• Jalapenos

By RISHABH JAIN with

How to look fresh in office whole day

How to look fresh in office whole day

No matter how much make up you apply it starts diminishing within first half of office. This is due to many reasons such as pollution which you face while traveling to the office. Also, when you reach office you have tea or coffee for refreshment which too removes away the makeup. All women professional wants to look fresh and lively in office whole day.
Below are some easy tips which can make a women look fresh whole day long.

Hair color
Hair color adds to your personality and gives you a fresh look. Though regular maintenance is needed but if fashion is your interest then you can go for it. Hair color completely changes your personality and adds grace to it. Apply hair color which matches your skin color and if you have grey hair too then first apply the base color and then the hair color.
Your hair should look neat and shiny. For this regular trimming of hair is needed. Get a haircut done according to your age .Hair styles like razor and straps makes you look trendy and adds volume to hair as well.

Oil control
Long hour of stay in office makes your skin look greasy. It’s because long hour increases the oil and forms an oily layer. Oil dirt settles down on this layer and makes one look tired .To avoid this keep tissue paper ,blot or litmus paper with you. Wipe the area which you feel is oily and apply face powder again. This brings back the freshness.

3. Lipstick Power

To make your lips look beautiful all the time then don’t forget to keep lipstick and lip liner with you. Use neutral color in lip liner and outline your lips with it. Get rid of the habit of eating lipstick. Lip liner makes the lipstick stay for longer. You can apply compact powder or little concealer on your lips before applying lipstick. This also makes lipstick stay for longer. Drink coffee carefully and apply lipstick after coming from office so that you look fresh all day long.

4.Kajal

Kajal makes eyes look bright and add spark to your eyes as well. Even if you are tired your eyes will look fresh if you have applied kajal on them. Generally kajal gets smudge after 3-4 hours in office. Clear the smudged kajal with the help of a bud and then apply kajal on it. Use kajal of good companies like Revlon or shehnaj. They doesn’t get smudged easily and gives a bright look to the eyes as compared to other kajals. Apply compact concelaer on compact under your eyes before applying kajal. This lessens the smudging possibility of kajal.

5.Lipgloss

If you just had lunch and you are immediately called for a meeting then apply lip gloss. Lipstick need at least 2-3 minutes when you apply it. Therefore lip gloss is a quick solution to give yourself a fresh look.

Just keeping 4-5 things in your purse can make you look fresh all day long. Just get into the habit of applying these things instead of buying and letting them stay in your purse.

Look fresh and stunning all day long

By RISHABH JAIN with

Carcinogens in Daily Needs

Carcinogens in Daily Needs: From Coffee To Cell Phones, May Increase Cancer Risk

Carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer
According to an article published in NPR, risk of cancer is increasing in our daily lives, day by day. Many of our daily activities like drinking coffee from a plastic foam cup and talking over the cell phone while sitting in a freshly dry walled house, can increase the risk of cancer. Even cellphones! For instance, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization recently announced said that cell phones can possibly increase the risk of brain tumor (though others contend that there is not enough evidence to support this data and cancer rates have not risen since the cell phones came out).
Even though the news reported  that carcinogens in daily needs can cause cancer, it does not mean that they pose a risk to everyone who is exposed to them for any amount of time.
According to health experts, most people are at a very little risk, despite the fact that different studies have proved that things like coffee, cell phones, styrene and formaldehyde in the building materials can cause cancer. Technically, Inactivity and obesity can pose a greater risk of cancer in some people, than the chemicals.
And what do the experts say?
Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, opines that the danger posed by most of the common things in our lives is not big enough to cause cancer.
Dr. Linda Birnbaum, a Toxicologist who heads the government agency that just declared styrene, an ingredient in fiberglass boats and Styrofoam as a cancer causing agent, said that the levels of styrene leach from the food containers are hundreds of times lower than have occurred in occupational settings, where the vapor form of the chemical can pose a risk to the workers. Risk of styrene is certainly not an issue in the finished products, and exposure to it from riding a boat is infinitely small.
The growing list of carcinogens
More than 900 substances have been evaluated by the International Cancer Agency. Just over 100 have been deemed as carcinogens, 59 are called probable carcinogens, and 266 others are the possible ones. Besides electromagnetic energy from the cell phones, coffee, engine exhaust, and body talc, are in the last category of the possible carcinogens.  Most risk of body talc is occupational and unusual exposure. There is no clear evidence on the risk of danger from coffee.
It will be shocking for some people to know that most of the things they interact with everyday are on the list of known carcinogens like alcoholic beverages, estrogen treatments for menopause symptoms, birth control pills, certain viruses and parasites, and even some drugs used to treat cancer such as cyclophosphamide and tamoxifen.
The agencies that pass judgment on possible carcinogens don’t determine that what level of exposure is a concern and for whom. As a result people assume that it is going to cause cancer at any exposure level, which is simply not true.
There is a rule to determine the risk which is called RITE (Risk is Equal to Toxicity Times Exposure). People usually fear the risk which is imposed on us more than the risk which we take voluntarily. They always want to take reasonable measures to avoid the exposure to possibly harmful things. People have to remember that you can’t live life in fear, You will have to live life.

By RISHABH JAIN with

A Better Life In 100 Ways

You don’t like your life? Change it! Change your life for the better! Don’t have any clue on how to do it? Here’s a list of 100 ways in which you can improve your life. Feel free to add yours in the comments. This post is a response from a challenge I got from from Mike King in this great post 100 Ways To Be A Better Leader, which in turn got inspired by this one Tackle Any Issue With A List Of 100 , from Luciano Passuello. [Later edit: you may also be interested in this sequel 100 Ways To Screw Up Your Life.

There is an ebook based on this!
Go ahead and read the post, and if you like it, go check out the ebook(s) too.
100 Ways To Live A Better Life100 Ways To Live A Better Life

Without further ado, let’s go.

1. Accept Your Mistakes

You’re human. We, humans, are making mistakes. Accept what you did wrong and try to do better next time. No need to punish yourself forever. In fact, accepting your mistakes is the only way to make them disappear.

2. Accept Your Friends Mistakes

Maybe you got hurt by somebody. Happens. Just accept it and deal with it. People are making mistakes and if you can accept that for yourself, accept it for your friends too. In the end, all you need from them is their love.

3. Create A New Habit

We’re doing a lot of stuff on autopilot. Try to integrate in this category new things you want to attract into your life. Habits are powerful. Harness their energy for your own good. Start by creating a habit in 15 days.

4. Build Self Discipline

Don’t wait for other people to impose discipline on you. Start early. Create your own discipline. Although it sounds a little bit harsh, self discipline is a facilitator for many things in your life. It’s hard to get but great to have.

5. Make New Friends

Reach out. Don’t be afraid. Establish new contacts. The worst thing that may happen to you is to be rejected. Well, if that’s the case, move on. The reward of having true, long-lasting friendship is worth all the potential rejection.

6. Get A New Job

Shaking your comfort zone will often create a lot of value in your life. If you’re not satisfied with your job, just get a new one. The pitfall of not having money for a limited period of time is temporary, get over it.

7. Start A New Diet

You are, in a vast proportion, what you eat. Trying a new diet would often be the only needed change for a dramatic boost of your health and energy. Don’t necessarily have to be raw food, or even vegetarian, whatever works for you.

8. Keep A Journal

Write down you feelings, your ideas, your goals, your activity. Journaling is by far one of the most useful things I’ve done to change my life for the best. It works in such a silent, yet effective way. All you need is pen and paper.

9. Create And Keep A Morning Phrase

Whatever you say to yourself in the morning, it will most likely come true during the day. Why not taking advantage of it? Create a simple morning phrase and say it to yourself first thing in the morning. Is that simple.

10. Travel Far Away From Your Home

Traveling long distance is incredibly rewarding. It’s so exciting and full with unknown events. I only recently started to travel really far away from my home, but I do wonder how could I ever made it until now without this.

11. Learn To Take Risks

Your life may be so boring and fade because… err, you made it like this? When was the last time your tried something really difficult? When was the last time you challenged the odds doing something risky? Do it now.

12. Start Your Own Business

Be your own boss. Work your own hours. I know, it sounds so shallow, for you, who hate your job but still have to stay there because of that mortgage. Well, unless you make the first step, nothing is going to change. That’s for sure.

13. Change Your Work Space

Clean up your desk. Re-arrange furniture. Add some color to that space. Make the place where you work really enjoyable. So enjoyable that work there won’t be perceived as work anymore. It will be something you love to do.

14. Learn A New Language

Challenge your mind. Constantly. If you’re going to do number 10, you’re going to learn some new languages too. From my experience, learning a new language is a fantastic mind opener. Sometimes you don’t even have to travel there.

15. Find Reasons To Agree

Rather than disagree. We have this mindset of competition which makes constantly arguing over things. Well, stop that. You don’t have to force yourself into agreement, if it’s not the case, just trying to find some reasons will be enough.

16. Pay Yourself First

You can’t give something if you don’t have it. You can’t spread light onto others if you don’t have light from within. You can’t give wealth to others if you don’t have it for yourself first. Make yourself a service and pay yourself first.

17. Wake Up Early

This is not a habit, this is a lifestyle. Don’t just wake up early without a purpose. Be early. Be there before others. Look for opportunities and embrace them. Waking up early means keeping your eye open to every available opportunity.

18. Train Your Focus

Your focus is in fact your reality. Use it wisely. Train it constantly for it will enhance your reality in ways you never imagined. Keep your focus sharp as a razor blade and be prepared to experience life in fantastic shapes and colors.

19. Start A Blog

On whatever topic you want. Not only it will give you the opportunity to create something new and valuable but it will also bring new people into your life. Blogging is far more than a hype, is a personal development tool. A very good one.

20. Write An Ebook

You may think you don’t have a talent, but that’s completely wrong. And the easiest way to prove it wrong is to start writing an ebook. Any ebook. You pick the topic. It might be something you know or want to learn about. Write it. It’s fun.

21. Be Better, Not Perfect

Striving too much for perfection will ruin your life. It will wipe out all those little imperfections which are making you… human. Being better, on the other side, is rewarding. Look back at the yesterday you and just say: I’m better!

22. Stop Self Sabotage

You’ll be surprised by how much of a burden you can be to yourself. You are literally self sabotaging. Most of the time, unconsciously. If you have a long history of failure behind, that could mean you’ve become your worst enemy. Stop it.

23. Find Reasons To Love Your Life

Maybe life wasn’t fair with you. Yes, I know, I’ve been there: life is never fair. But it’s fantastic. It’s unique, unrepeatable, one of a kind, beautiful, simple, challenging, sweet, hard… Just take a step back and find reasons to love your life.

24. Try Something New

Maybe you’re sad because you’re bored. Have you ever thought about that? Just reach out and try something completely new. Go for a challenge, learn a new sport, pick a different restaurant or go for a comedy movie (if you’re the drama type). Just try it.

25. Avoid Fighting

Fighting is the biggest energy leak of your being. Trying to prove another guy wrong is so against your true nature. You’re here to acknowledge life’s wonders, not to prove anybody’s wrong. They’re not wrong, just have different opinions. And that’s part of life.

26. Stop Wasting Your Power

Are you doing something that you think you shouldn’t be doing right now? Well, that’s wasted power. That’s meaningless stuff promoted to the honor of being a part of your life. How long are you going to approve this? Why wasting power?

27. Learn To Ignore

I think they should be teaching this one in schools. We’re so focused on so many topics and think we have to do so many stuff, that our life is literally clogged with stuff. It’s good to do stuff, but learning to ignore stuff is much better.

28. Experiment Gratitude

When was the last time you said “thank you”? With all your heart? Everybody knows that an attitude of gratitude is the key to success, but almost nobody practices it. Well, start by experience gratitude first, and take it from there.

29. Recycle Your Aggression

Don’t throw it away, recycle it! Use it for something you really want! Call out those wild forces inside of you and put them to work. Aggression is part of your being, so don’t try to reject it, because it will only grow stronger. Recycle your aggression.

30. Release Your Guardians

Don’t touch that! Don’t eat that! Don’t go for that opportunity! Those are the sentences you hear when going for something you really want. Those are your guardians, your mental constructs made to protect you. Release them, you’ll be much better off.

31. Clean Up Your House

It’s fun. And it’s good for you. Make a habit out of cleaning up your house with joy and happiness. What’s outside is a mirror of what’s inside. If your house is a mess, probably your internal life is a disaster. Neat that stuff, it’s easy.

32. Write A Personal Mission Statement

You’re here with a reason. No matter how small you feel now, how insignificant others may made you feel, you have a purpose. Take the time to write your personal mission statement. It will bring light and direction into your life.

33. Dissolve Negative Opinions About Yourself

Whatever you think you may do, it’s half of what you can really do. And that’s because you have so many negative opinions about yourself. You can solve them. Just accept the fact that you have them and then start working on them.

34. Build Different Skills

Don’t stop learning. Don’t remain stuck in a single career, it’s boring and limiting. Learn different skills, possibly from completely unrelated fields. You never know when life will ask you to use them. Besides, it’s a lot of fun.

35. Manage Your Time As You Manage Your Money

Have you ever thought what would be if you would manage your time the same way you manage your money? Just give it a try. See where you spend most of your time, what the return of investment is and how rich are you in time.

36. Exercise

You don’t have to break the world record, or something. Just make sure you exercise constantly. It will make your body healthier and your mind clearer. It’s also one of the simplest and most affordable ways to improve your life.

37. Be A Parent

Having kids doesn’t necessarily means you’re a parent, and I know that very well. Being a parent will surely change your life forever: filling it with unconditional, life lasting love, care and warm feelings. You’ll live in love. And learn.

38. Throw Away One Object A Day From Your House

Maybe your life is breathing so hard just because it’s suffocated by objects. Learn to let them go. You may donate them, give to charity or simply throw them away, but don’t let the clutter stay in your way. You’re not the objects you have.

39. Read A Book Per Week

Or, alternatively, a fine selection of blogs. That will keep your mind alert and your focus steady. Reading is like good food for your brain, without it, it will go lazy, obese and unresponsive. But with the proper food it can become your best friend.

40. Start A Monthly Challenge

Being it physical, mental or social. Intend to acquire something new in your life in 30 days. Improve your health using new methods, or your relationships by starting new things together. Make it count. And count on it.

41. Call An Old Friend

It’s enlightening to meet somebody you haven’t talk to in the last years. Go right now and call an old friend, or a relative. It will bring up memories and it will create new opportunities. Don’t let the dust settle on your relationships.

42. Follow A Coincidence

Well, there aren’t any coincidences, I lied. Everything has a purpose. If you witness something which may seem like a coincidence, then you’re very lucky, you just got a sign. Follow it with trust, it will lead you well.

43. Play A Game

Any game. Just play. Like a child. Allow yourself to do something just for fun, without any goals, pressures or deadlines. Will make you understand that everything is a game. Sometimes a little bit harder, but still a game..

44. Forgive Somebody Out Of The Blue

Don’t hold that grudge for that past insult. Grudges are heavy and tend to make the take off for a new life a little bit difficult. The longer you hold that grudge, the more difficult the take off will be. Forgiveness will lift you off.

45. Stop Solving The Wrong Problems

You are not here to witness the bad things in your life. Nor the performance in itself. You are here to enjoy a journey. To become aware, To grow. So, stop solving the wrong problem and focus on what really matters.

46. Make Peace With An Old Enemy

That’s more than forgiveness, that’s the actual process of reversing a situation. Make peace with somebody. Turn it into your friend. I’m not saying this is easy, I know it first hand. But I also know it works. Enemies count down, friends count up.

47. Make A Promise To A Close Person And Keep It

It doesn’t have to be something big. It doesn’t have to be for someone special. It doesn’t have to be difficult also. But it has to be a commitment to somebody. Just reach out, make a promise, keep it and then enjoy the feeling after.

48. Break Up With A Person You Don’t Really Like

Maybe you’re friend with somebody just by habit, chemistry being dead for a long time now. Just break it up. Tell him. Ok, let’s unfriend us, this will not work. It will bring up something you thought you lost it long ago: courage.

49. Get A Thing You Wanted For A Long Time

But you didn’t had time or money to get it. Just go out and get it. Not only it will boost your self-respect, but it will also free your desire channel, which may be a little bit clogged by having one and only one desire for such a long time.

50. Stop Being Judgmental

With others AND with you. Excessive criticism will kill your enthusiasm. And if you think this post is something you shouldn’t read in the first place, then, my friend, you really are judgmental. Lighten up. Accept life as it is.

51. Change Your Wardrobe

You don’t know how much are you tied to what you wear. If you’re on the gray loving side, put some color in your clothes. If you’re on the black and white, try some gradients. Of course, your clothes are not you. Hence, they’re so easy to change, right?

52. Smile At Least 10 Times A Day

And I mean it, start to count that. Smiling is a sign of honesty and power. Everybody can cry over a disaster but only the most powerful can take bitterness with a smile. Exercise that power. And then try to go for 20 times a day.

53. Burn Some Old Memories

Maybe the notebook from your 7th grade? Maybe the teenage dumb poetry you wrote? Whatever it might be, break up. It might be difficult, but it might also be a sign that you’re so attached to the past that you can’t advance in your life anymore.

54. Plant A Tree

Or take care of a flower. Do it for at least several months. It will give you a sense of potential. Seeing that tree or that flower growing will make your self-confidence go up. If a flower can make it, why can’t I? Of course you can, now do it!

55. Move To Another Town Or Country

Maybe it’s time to change the environment? Take the plunge, move over. Pick another town or even another country. Like all the good stuff, it might be pretty difficult in the beginning, but you can bet it would shake everything really good!

56. Join A New Group

Go to a bikers meeting. Or, if you’re not a biker, to a toastmaster meeting. Join a group and see how you fit in. It will help if the group will be focused on some of your passions, of course. It will reveal a lot about your social skills.

57. Stop Watching TV

Television evolved a lot from the balanced news provider it was in the beginning up to the current manipulating tool. Just stop watching it for a week. And then for a month. Meanwhile, assess your psychological progress. You may be amazed.

58. Start A Totally Unexpected Hobby

Start making trains out of matches. Raise cobras. Put tiny vessels into tiny bottles. Do whatever it takes to move your mind from your problems for a while. And if you can create something nice in the process, why not doing it?

59. Randomly Hug A Stranger On The Street

Ok, this might be a little bit dangerous, but only if you think at it. If you’re doing it, chances are that you’re going to get your hug back. It will also help raising your adrenaline up to levels you never had for a very long time.

60. Set Up A Surprise Party

For your or for a friend. It’s always good for your mood, even if – or especially if – you’re down. Do a thematic one, invite friends and tell them to bring their friends. And then expect to meet new, wonderful persons. And of course, have fun.

61. Go Hiking

Do it for at least one week-end. Nature is more powerful than our human created environment. We don’t know how to channel the energy into our artificial habitats. If you want to recharge, go outside and stay in connection with the wilderness.

62. Get A Pet

Whatever works for you, a bird, a guinea pig, a dog or a cat. It will keep you alert and it will cheer you up when you’re down. Taking care of a pet is also easier if you’re overwhelmed with human interaction. Even from a pet, love is still love.

63. Write A Thank You Letter

You can send it or not, the real catch is to write it. Pick someone who helped you in the past. Start writing the letter and say everything you want to say to that person. It will make you understand what are you really grateful for in your life.

64. Meditate Daily

It’s the easiest thing you can do. True mediation acts like a mind emptier, leaving you open to the whole flow of the sensations and experiences you would otherwise ignore. You don’t even need a complicated technique, meditate as you see fit.

65. Say Something Nice To Somebody

Just like that. Out of the blue. Pick an unknown person and say something nice. After the initial surprise you’ll be amazed by the unmasked joy and gratitude they’re expressing. Admit it: you would like that too, isn’t it?

66. Say Something Nice To You

Ok, but if nobody is telling you nice things, why not start this yourself? Do it in whatever form you think it’s appropriate: send yourself emails, write in your calendar or leave yourself nice postits on the desk. With something nice just for you.

67. When I Doubt, Improvise

Being so scared for not knowing the answer, so nervous that you may screw thigns up… I know the feeling, I’ve been there too. Just go with the flow. Improvise. It will be so good for your unconscious mind. The real answer will be surprising.

68. Don’t Argue, Win Or Lose

This goes hand in hand with avoiding the fight, but it’s a little bit different. If you get caught in an argument, just accept that you can have only two outcomes from it: win or lose. Settle with one and just move on.

69. Stop Faking Your Life

It’s so easy to get caught in a flow of fakes. Society wants us to politely lie and you need to lie sometimes. Just stop it. Being authentic is the best thing you can do. No need to hide your sorrow, nor your joy. They’re both part of life.

70. Define Goals

Again, that goes hand in hand with writing a personal mission but it’s more than that. It’s the habit of clearly deciding – and, subsequently, describing – where you want to go. Do you have a goal? A passion, maybe? Go for it! And be verbose.

71. Help Others

Reach out and try to see if you can help others. You don’t have to be a Samaritan, just go out there and support somebody. The biggest trick of helping is really surprising: although it seems you’re giving, you’re in fact receiving a lot more.

72. Go Social

Mingle, interact, go out. Get used to meet new people. Make this a habit and you’ll soon get used to do new things too. The goal is not to be the best networker in the world, but to be connected to as many energy sources as you can get.

73. Spend Some Time Alone

Subsequently, make sure you set aside enough time for your own. You don’t necessarily need to recharge, but you need this time in order to get a new perspective. Stop for a while and look around. Where are you? Where do you want to be?

74. Fix Something By Yourself

Go fix a broken window, or a scratch on your car. Don’t call for a specialist, get involved, see how you can have an impact on things around you. Work with your hands, prepare to sweat. It will instantly make you feel better.

75. Create Value

Make things that others need too. Make something useful. Don’t follow blind or outdated commitments, go for what really makes a change around you. Creating value is the core of your activity here and the only thing you really have to strive for.

76. Do A Random Act Of Kindness

Doesn’t have to be in the form of a nice compliment this time. You don’t even need to communicate it to the target person. Just do an incognito service to someone. See how this makes you feel. Think how many times you received that.

77. One More Second

Create the habit of looking at things for one more second. Spend one more second before taking an important decision. Delay something. Time will follow your intention and open some unexpected window for you. Slow it down a little.

78. Understand What People Want From You

What you can do is not always what people want from you. Clearing that confusion alone could bring an immense relief to your life. You don’t have to immediately provide what they’re wanting, but if you do, you may have some big surprises.

79. Break An Old Bad Habit

Breaking a bad habit is difficult. But breaking an old bad habit will free an incredible amount of time into your life. Quit smoking or stop talking on the phone for hours. Whatever you break, it will change your life for the best.

80. Stop Complaining

Complaining is like an open invitation for troubles. The more you complain about something, the more of that something you invite into your life. Cut it out. You don’t get any comfort out of complaining, only troubles.

81. Reject What You Don’t Want

It’s so simple, yet so underrated. Society wants us to complain even when we don’t really like stuff. Like forcing us to smile when we don’t find it funny. Allow yourself to walk away from something you don’t like. Just do it!

82. Being Is Better Than Having

Too much and too often we shape our life’s fulfillment degree to the amount we possess. The fundamental mistake. If you’re doing it, stop it right now. You’re not what you’re having. Being is so much better than having.

83. Listen To Your Critics

This one might be difficult in the beginning but once you get used to it it’s fantastic. You may find out a lot of stuff about yourself that you didn’t know about. You think you are one kind of person, but others may disagree.

84. Don’t Take It Personally

Never. Your world is shaped by your reaction to things, not by the things themselves. Don’t get upset, don’t think that somebody knows you enough to make right assumptions about you. Acknowledge and move on.

85. Laugh

This time is not about smiling. It’s about laughing. Don’t you ever miss another opportunity to laugh. Especially at yourself. The longer your laughing sessions, the shorter your misery ones. Looks like a nice deal, isn’t it?

86. Go With Passion

Don’t let your rational mind stand in the way of your passion. If you found – or at least felt, even occasionally – something that thrills you, you’re there. You don’t need a confirmation on this from anybody. Go with your passion.

87. Trust Your Emotions

Don’t underestimate your emotions. Or overestimate them. Your emotions are your feed-back system and for that they are very important. Trying to ignore your emotions is like depriving yourself from lights in a car running in the middle of the night.

88. Live It Like A Holiday

Ever observed how nice you feel during your holiday? How light, joyful and authentic? Everything is just wonderful. Well, you are on a continuous holiday here. It starts with your birth and end with your death. Live it like a holiday.

89. Make A Story Out Of It

Do you like a good story? I love it. Make everything in your life story-worthwhile. Make it as it would be a fantastic journey and you will be at all time the observer, the hero and the narrator. Create the story of your life.

90. Stop Being A Follower

Admiring is nice. But being admired is even better. Stop trying to fit in other people’s shoes. Find your own path. If that means breaking up completely your lifestyle, so be it. If you are “like” somebody else you can’t be “like” yourself anymore.

91. Watch Your Beliefs

Your beliefs are not you. But they are shaping your life constantly. You have the power to change them at any point in your existence. But in order to do that, you must first start to observe them, to isolate them, to accept them.

92. Stop Lying

To others and to yourself. Although it might ease a complicated situation, a lie is not good in the long run. The trick is that if you’re telling a lie you’re altering your reality. And a distorted reality will be impossible to handle.

93. Stop Reacting To Stuff

And start acting on stuff. Initiate things. Start projects. Predict situations and be there before the hurricane hits. Reacting to stuff is a victim paradigm. Stop being a victim and start acting. Create your life instead of being the creation of others.

94. Live Today

Not yesterday, not tomorrow. Go for what you can do today and leave yesterday behind for good. It’s not here anymore. And tomorrow doesn’t even exist yet, so why bother. All you have is today. Don’t waste it.

95. Expect The Unexpected

If there’s something unusual that happens to you, go for it. The unexpected is a signal of an opportunity. It will not always be nice, this unexpected, but whenever it’s around, magical things are happening. Wait for it. Praise for it.

96. Enjoy

Like being in joy. Like giving permission to yourself to extract joy from any situation you’re in. Even if it’s bad. Or especially if it’s bad. Joy is everywhere, you just have to let it manifest through you. Don’t resist joy. Don’t reject it.

97. Make Your Own Rules

And stick with them. Go for what works for you, not the others. Go for what you want, not the others. Including me. Make your own system and be proud of it. You may upset some people in the process, but hey, that’s life.

98. Love

Unconditionally. Totally. Constantly. Restlessly. Love is the only glue that keeps your life running. You were born out of love and you carry it deep down in your being. Love is never about the others, it’s about you.

99. Get Rid Of Labels

Things are what they are. Don’t use labels anymore, use directly the things. Your notion of “right” and “wrong” are nothing but labels. In a different country your “right” might be “wrong”. Don’t charge yourself with this unneeded burden.

100. No Regrets

Regretting something is another form of not accepting reality. What you can do about it now? It’s gone. It doesn’t exist anymore. Focus on what you can change: your present moment. Not yesterday, not tomorrow. Now. Live now

By RISHABH JAIN with