Ten Commandments On How to Shop

Draw up a well-planned list before going on a shopping trip to avoid impulse buying.

Prepare small change. These will come in handy for your bus or jeepney fares, for paying the kargador at the market, for giving tips to the cart boys at the supermarket, or for your parking fees if you drive your own vehicle.

Compare prices by looking at newspaper ads or by using the yellow pages of your telephone directory. Don't hop from one store to another. The few pesos you may save doing that may not equal your fare or gas expense and the time you'll use in going through traffic.

Try the merchandise -- appliances, shoes, clothes, etc. -- before buying them. This will save you from returning, explaining, and arguing with the salesperson later on.

Ask the salesperson if discounts are given on cash-purchase items.

Instead of rushing to buy that expensive item, wait until it's on sale -- unless it's a life-and-death matter for you to have it right now.

Be sure the thief doesn't help himself with your wallet before you reach the check-out counter. It's a waste of time for you to push your cart from aisle to aisle only to return what has taken you a long time to select.

Go slow in using your credit cards -- or, better yet, don't own one, if you've a difficult time resisting the temptation to spend. But if you feel it's a status symbol to have one, apply for it, but keep it under lock and key before you go shopping.

You may pinch the fruits or vegetables to see whether they're still fresh, but don't pinch the salesperson or this may get you into trouble.

Best of all, leave your purse or wallet at home before you go shopping. Window-shopping is the cheapest form of doing business these days if you need to watch your budget carefully. Here's a bit of good news during these days of bad news: High dollar exchange rate, recession, depression, the spiraling of prices, even the complete collapse of the economy--all these don't affect the price of window-shopping even a little bit!

Daily Exercise Suggestions

Walk 10 Minutes a Day and Increase Your Fitness Level
Old thinking was to work out in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness level, especially if you're new at working out.

Park and Walk
Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better fitness.

Crunch in Bed
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you'll never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.

Use of Steroids by Athletes

The use of anabolic steroids is widespread, a "major problem" among professional and college athletes, according to the Committee on Sports Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics. Football players and weight lifters in particular illicitly use steroids to increase muscle strength and/or muscle size.
Not only does their use put nonusers to disadvantage; the steroids can do permanently physical damage to the user. Potential complications include adverse effects on the liver, including tumors; a decrease in serum high-density lipoprotein levels, possibly increasing the risk of coronary artery disease; and harmful effects on male sperm and hormone production. A common side effect in women is virilization. Psychological changes attributed to steroids include mood swings, aggresive behavior; and changes in libido.

Breakfast is still Important!

Studies still show that a life-time of regular breakfasts is associated with vigorous old age. Breakfast eaters have a faster reaction time throughout the morning and less midday fatigue than those who start the day with just coffee.. Dr. Power says that the flood of sugared and salted cereals that has swamped the market in recent years has given grains (especially high fiber varieties) are a nutritious way to start the day and superior to the breakfast which includes egg, sausage and meat.

Fire Safety in the Home

I. HOW TO PREVENT FIRE
Almost all fires in the home can be prevented. here are some fire safety tips which could help prevent a fire in your home.

1. put phone numbers of fire departments near phone
2. eliminate fire hazards through good housekeeping. Dispose of waste paper, rubbish, and other flammable materials regularly.
3. keep matches out of children's reach
4. lighted oil or gas lamps and candles should be placed away from curtains. Put out the flame before going to bed.
5. do not keep flammable materials like gasoline, alcohol, and paint inside the house.
6. regularly check your electrical installations, and have all frayed wirings and electrical fixtures changed or repaired by a licensed electrician.
7. do not overload electrical circuits by putting additional lights and appliances
8. blown fuses should not be replaced with coins, wires or any metal
9. never leave a lit cigarette/cigar/pipe unattended.
10. keep a first-aid kit in handy.

II. PLAN YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE
You may have to get out in the dark and difficult conditions. Escaping from a fire will be a lot easier if you have already planned your escape route and know where to go.

1. make sure that your planned escape route remains free of any obstructions and that there are no loose floor coverings that could trip you. Everyone in the house should be made aware of the escape route.
2. plan two ways out of every room, especially bedrooms. Make sure you can unlock all locks and open all windows and doors quickly, even in the dark.
3. make special arrangements for small children and people with disabilities.
4. if you have serious mobility, you may wish to consider having your bedroom on the ground floor, if this is practical, and as near as possible to an exit.
   

Raw Foods can cause diseases

Raw foods may contain harmful bacteria. Dr. Diane Roberts of Britain cautions people who work in kitchens to be very careful about handling raw foods with disease-causing bacteria like raw meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy products; raw vegetables, cereals, dried foods, herbs, and spies; uncooked, fermented, or lightly cooked fish and other sea-foods like prawns, crabs, and other shell-fish; and home-processed meats and vegetables.
To keep food safe:

• Store raw and cooked foods separately.
• Do not keep perishable foods in the danger zone (between 10 degrees celsius and 60 degrees celsius) .
  
• Thaw frozen meat thoroughly; do not part-cook or under cook.
• Serve cooked food immediately, or cool it rapidly within and half hours. Keep it hot until required. Reheat food thoroughly.
  
• Clean all surfaces, utensils, and the hands thoroughly after preparing raw foods.
• If you are not sure how clean your water supply is, boil all water used for preparing food or for cleaning equipment and utensils.
  

Making the most of your vacation with your family

Whether you drive to a beach resort or tent in the backyard, whether you visit the cousins or putter around the house, vacation time is a time of opportunity. Keeping with the spirit of recreation, here are some suggestions to help you make the most of that precious chunk of discretionary time.

1. Rediscover one another. A family-centered vacation provides opportunity to study and appreciate those we live with day after day. By spending a block of time together, we can renew our understanding of those special qualities that make our loved ones precious to us. So make time for conversation and fellowship. Open your heart and relate your feelings. Express love and appreciation. Share yourself. Just one word of caution: Sudden and prolonged togetherness can create problems of its own. Temper it with some breathing room and opportunities for privacy for each family member.
   
2. Broaden your horizons. Turning off your brain and planting your body in front of the TV for a solid week will rob you of many vacation benefits. Instead of taking the lazy wau out, why not use these special days to ease yourself out of some old ruts? Expand the borders of your life by doing something you've never done before. Visit a place you've never seen. Be adventurous. use your vacation to enrich and improve yourself. Spend some of that spare time with good books. delve into the classics. Attend a cultural event.
3. Allow opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual renewal. Schedule time for just you and God. Take a long walk in the early morning and enjoy the sunrise. Go out into the stillness of the night and view the stars. Meditate on God's grace and goodness. Let His Spirit refresh you.
4. Remember your church. Though your vacation may take you away from regular church services, you can continue to support your family with prayer. When you visit another church on your vacation, look for new ideas that can enrich your home church.
   
   
5. Relax. If you return to work or school exhausted and tense, your vacation has been a flop. So whatever you do, lie back and soak in some sunshine. Breathe deeply. Don't overplan or overplay. rest your body, mind, and spirit.

Recreation means re-creation. And that's what a good vacation can give you. With a little planning and discipline, you may return home renewed, refreshed, and ready to begin a new chapter of perosnal and family life.

A Rush Brush won't protect teeth

The average person spends less than 30 seconds brushing his teeth, but a recent study shows that 5.1 minutes is the ideal amount of time to spend for cutting plaque down to satisfactory levels. Thirty seconds removes only 10 percent of the plaque; 90 seconds, only 20 percent; and 150 seconds, only 25 percent. If you can't spare a full five minutes for brushing, three is acceptable. Of course, you should floss in addition.

Don't take pills lying down

Taking capsules or tablets with little or no water, or swallowing them lying down may have undesirable effects.
A study noted that in 4o percent of patients taking capsules lying down, the pills stay in the throat until they disintegrate. In patients with throat problems caused by other illnesses, such as mitral valve disease and old age, both capsules and tablets move more slowly.
A drug delayed in the throat may lead to adverse conditions such as ulcerations, stricture and suffocation.
Ulcerations are caused by more than 20 drugs, the most common of which are antibiotics and cardiac drugs. Rheumatism and arthritis medications can also damage the throat.
Slow transit of drugs through the throat also delays absorption. This delay could be significant in cases where rapid absorption is necessary, as with analgesics or pain relievers.
The Consumer's Association of London, in an article published in MD: A Journal for Doctors and condensed by Clubnews of Diners Club, suggests that patients should generally take capsules and tablets while standing or sitting upright. A liquid preparation should be considered for patients unable to do so.

Raw Foods can cause diseases

Raw foods may contain harmful bacteria. Dr. Diane Roberts of Britain cautions people who work in kitchens to be very careful about handling raw foods with disease-causing bacteria like raw meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy products; raw vegetables, cereals, dried foods, herbs, and spies; uncooked, fermented, or lightly cooked fish and other sea-foods like prawns, crabs, and other shell-fish; and home-processed meats and vegetables.
To keep food safe:

• Store raw and cooked foods separately.
• Do not keep perishable foods in the danger zone (between 10 degrees celsius and 60 degrees celsius) .
  
• Thaw frozen meat thoroughly; do not part-cook or under cook.
• Serve cooked food immediately, or cool it rapidly within and half hours. Keep it hot until required. Reheat food thoroughly.
  
• Clean all surfaces, utensils, and the hands thoroughly after preparing raw foods.
• If you are not sure how clean your water supply is, boil all water used for preparing food or for cleaning equipment and utensils.

How to cope with Flu?

Sudden temperature changes are behind the steady rise of flu cases. Flu or influenza is a highly contagious disease. It spreads from person to person through sneezing, coughing, spitting, kissing or using articles or objects freshly soiled with discharges from the nose and throat of an infected person.


The signs and symptoms of flu are cold or sore throat, fever, headache, hot eye sensation, joint and muscle pain, and marked weakness. When these occur, here are some tips:

• Stay warm in bed and have plenty of rest
• Drink plenty of of liquids such as juices, milk, water and hot soup
• Eat light meals
• Observe proper personal hygiene
• Consult your doctor when fever, headache, runny nose and pain in the joints develop

To prevent flu, take the following precautions:

• Avoid crowded places
• Use your own toilet articles and handkerchief
• Build up your body resistance with nutritious food, good rest and sleep and regular exercise
• Avoid sudden changes in temperatures and exposure to rain
• Observe strict personal hygiene