What is a friend?

Well, a friend is someone who is loyal toward you. They never complain about you or your appearance. They are grateful kind and try not to fight with. They'll keep the promises they make either most of the time or all of the time or at least they try to, no one is perfect you know! They don't  act as if they are better than you. And they should never show jealousy anger or hatred towards you. Well, they should try not to. They shouldnt try to use you. You would be able tell, trust me. They would look after you when you're upset or miserable or ill or just alone. They would include you in something if you haven't got no friends to hang out with and if she's doing something special. If your friend does some of those things or most of those things or even all of those things it proves that she cares about you. If she doesn't do those things, if she doesn't treat you like a friend then you shouldn't you thing twice about her?

Tips on how to get dreamy hair!

 Ok so probably every girl wants the perfect look and figure, but have you even thought about your hair? Well today I'm here to help you treat your hair and start caring for it more. So here are a couple of tips on how to get this!

TIP 1=  So this is two things in one, keeping a healthy diet, this comes under every category of keeping yourself beautiful but healthy at the same time. So eat your proteins, vitamins, fibres but if you're like me who craves for carbohydrates, then we'll have to cut them down but fruits and veg we'll never have to cut them, unless you eat too much of them. If you eat more fruit and veg then your daily meals, then you'll start getting ill, for example, you have a packet of oranges and you eat them all at the same time then you'll get effected most in the digestive system, and that's not what we want. Water you can drink as much as you like, but don't drink it too much you wanna go to the toilet every 5 minutes! This tip will hydrate your hair naturally to give it that shine you strive for.

TIP 2= moisturising and cleasing your hair is just as important as hydrating your hair to give you healthy looking hair. Hence the reason shampoo was invented. To moisturise and clean your hair of all the bad bacteria that's fallen onto it. You should massage your shampoo right to the tips of your roots and ends of your hair. Oh and don't forget to rinse it out properly! Shampoo will help you halfway so do look at the directions on the back of the shampoo bottle to how to put it on properly.

TIP 3= If you have split ends try to get a shampoo for split ends and that will try prevent them, also keep a healthy diet and that should do some good.

TIP 4= Try to comb your hair but don't comb it too much otherwise your hair will get greasy. Ewwww!

Quotes for the day

Quotes About Perseverance

“If you are going through hell, keep going.”
― Winston Churchill

“Never, never, never give in!”
― Winston Churchill

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you, and there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.”
― Francis Bacon, The Essays

 

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”
― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
― Maya Angelou

“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”
― Winston Churchill

“All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
― Samuel Beckett, Worstward Ho

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
― Thomas A. Edison

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
― Confucius

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.

“Just because you fail once doesn't mean you're gonna fail at everything.”
― Marilyn Monroe

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”
― Babe Ruth

“Never give in, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never Yield to a force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
― Winston Churchill

“I am a slow walker, but I never walk back.”
― Abraham Lincoln

“It always seems impossible until it's done.”
― Nelson Mandela

“We'll all keep fighting, you know that right, Harry?”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
― Confucius, Confucius: The Analects

    

“Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be.”
― Charles Jones, Life is Tremendous

    

“Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential.”
― Winston Churchill

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.”
― Vince Lombardi Jr.

“Whatever gets you through the night”
― John Lennon

    

“When you get to the end of your rope. Tie a knot and hang on.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

“That's one of the remarkable things about life. It's never so bad that it can't get worse.”
― Bill Watterson

“Never let go of a good thing without a fight. Especially if that good thing is a pair of boxing gloves.”
― Jarod Kintz

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.”
― Abraham Lincoln

“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.”
― Ovid

“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald

“When things go wrong, don't go with them.”
― Elvis Presley

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.”
― H.G. Wells

“The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud --- the obstacles of life and its suffering. ... The mud speaks of the common ground that humans share, no matter what our stations in life. ... Whether we have it all or we have nothing, we are all faced with the same obstacles: sadness, loss, illness, dying and death. If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion, we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open each petal one by one. ”
― Goldie Hawn

“once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit”
― Vince Lombardi Jr.

“I tried always to do better: saw always a little further. I tried to stretch myself.”
― Audrey Hepburn

“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
but to be fearless in facing them.

Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but
for the heart to conquer it.”
― Rabindranath Tagore, Collected Poems And Plays Of Rabindranath Tagore

“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!”
― Rudyard Kipling, If: A Father's Advice to His Son

“I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”
― Nelson Mandela

“It's not how we fall. It's how we get back up again.”
― Patrick Ness, Monsters of Men

“Sometimes even to live is an act of courage.”
― Seneca

“Keep trying until you have no more chances left.”
― Aimee Carter, The Goddess Test

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
― Dale Carnegie

    

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with?”
― Lance Armstrong, It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life

“NEVER GIVE UP
No matter what is going on
Never give up
Develop the heart
Too much energy in your country
Is spent developing the mind
Instead of the heart
Be compassionate
Not just to your friends
But to everyone
Be compassionate
Work for peace
In your heart and in the world
Work for peace
And I say again
Never give up
No matter what is going on around you
Never give up”
― Dalai Lama XIV

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”
― Andy Warhol

“Keep passing the open windows.”
― John Irving, The Hotel New Hampshire

    

“Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.”
― John Quincy Adams

“What's the bravest thing you ever did?
He spat in the road a bloody phlegm. Getting up this morning, he said.”
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road

    

“Where you stand depends on where you sit.”
― Nelson Mandela

“In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”
― Anthony Robbins

...

Ok, I might be a little late, but I've been sooo busy doing this and that! You know how it feels- right? Anyway, as we all now know I'm coming back on track. So obviously this is just a little message to say that I'm going to try to keep this blog up and going and let's get started I HOPE...

So sorry for the late visit!

Hey people! So sorry for not adding any posts lately last last week sunday was my birthday and this week got held up with sooo much work and stuff to do I couldn't add this week either. But hopefully we both will be back on track on saturday and sunday due to my absence. But how was your weekend?  Was it good? Busy maybe?  Or maybe even utterly tedious and atrocious? That's what my weekends are usually like after I post to you guys! But again I must dash week days week days got to keep my education up and running like a business!

BYE!!

M.M

quotes about our priceless books!

 

 

Sign in with Facebook

Sign in
options

Quotes About Books

 

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero

    

“So many books, so little time.”
― Frank Zappa

 

“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”
― Groucho Marx, The Essential Groucho: Writings For By And About Groucho Marx

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
― Jane Austen

 

“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.”
― Mark Twain

“Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”
― G.K. Chesterton

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.”
― Jorge Luis Borges

 

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”
― Groucho Marx

 

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

“It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.”
― Oscar Wilde

 

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”
― Oscar Wilde

 

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.”
― Madeleine L'Engle

“Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.”
― Mark Twain

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
― C.S. Lewis

“Classic' - a book which people praise and don't read.”
― Mark Twain

 

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”
― Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood

 

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
― Ernest Hemingway

 

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.”
― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

 

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
― Charles William Eliot

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”
― Oscar Wilde

“In a good bookroom you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing the wisdom contained in all the books through your skin, without even opening them.”
― Mark Twain

“Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.”
― Gustave Flaubert

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.”
― C.S. Lewis

 

“Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?”
― Henry Ward Beecher

 

“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.”
― Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus

 

“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
― Toni Morrison

 

“I cannot live without books.”
― Thomas Jefferson

 

“There are two motives for reading a book; one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it.”
― Bertrand Russell

Quote of the week

“Books cannot be killed by fire. People die, but books never die. No man and no force can put thought in a concentration camp forever. No man and no force can take from the world the books that embody man’s eternal fight against tyranny. In this war, we know, books are weapons.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

 

Books are really important, imagine if one day no more books existed just because the t.v or cinema catches our eye a little more, books are precious we have to treat them like they are

How to prevent spots

Everyone has this problem especially in the developing years. It's very frustrating, but here are some tips and tricks to have your desired skin.




                                                             SPOTS- How do we prevent them?

First of all, water, when you drink lots and lots of water, remember you might have spots because you're not drinking enough water but having lots of sweets, candy, fizzy pop! Meaning don't eat any candy sweets chocolate crisps... JUNK FOOD until your spots start decreasing, but in the meantime gobble down fruit + veg, and especially WATER, don't forget the water bit!

Secondly, if you wear make-up before you sleep make sure every single ounce is wiped off your face, and be carful of makeup, if you wear cheap makeup discontinue using it because it might be irritiating your skin, also makeup is also a problem due to the fact it's just chemicals so the more makeup you wear the more chance of you having rough, jagged skin. You can wear makeup, it's just you need to be careful of your make-up, and be decisive of the makeup you choose to wear.

Thirdly, I know this might sound weird, but snail gel is also a trusted way of preventing spots. It's basically snail slime but don't worry it has been cleansed and purified, it's a transparent jelly substance, and I recommend you go check it out, again be careful of the brand you choose to wear, check the ingredients, and be sure if what you picked up from the shelf.

Fourthly, when excersising alot you start to sweat, sweating can also dry out your spots and gets rid of them. So guys get your trainers and start excersising!

Another thing, to prevent your spots is, hygiene! Do not touch your face when you have spots, it will spread bacteria and germs. So be hygenic with your spots.

If none of these work, then get antibiotics from your GP/doctor.

Hopefully, these will work so good luck! If they don't look on the internet for some more tips and treats! Facial washes should work too, so try them out as well!

how to have glowing skin using creams and moisturisers!

ok, usually fresh fruit and veg and water makes you look gorgeous and feel gorgeous. But Sometimes when you have the right one creams and moisturisers are fantastic too. Of course you should have your healthy protein and fibre and fruits and water etc x5 a day. But I've started using moisturiser and facail wash daily and my mum keeps telliing me that my face is glowing every night, and I'm quite shocked because I didn't expect it to be.

Anyway your skin needs to be clean AND healthy too and that's why exfoliating facial washes have been invented. If you wanna have glowing skin like I did then I'm still using it you know! THis is the one that im using: 

 

 

Currently this is the UK's no.1 leading face wash. I give it 5/5 stars it's fantastic, I have no problems with it and it inblocks my pores and wipes away all my dead skin cells. It's fantastic and I'm running out I need to get more!! It's soo good it's like food for my face. Mmmmm yummy!

Anyway, it's soo good I never stop using it. But remember it's a daily wash! The name of this product is... johnsons johnsons clean and clear exfoliating daily wash, it's a blue and white squeezy bottle, and they have a complete range! So, if you can, go check it out and create an opinion of your own. The good thing I really like about this is, it has micro beads (granule substance) that removes oils and dirts that could lead to blackheads and spots! So that's just perfect for me, but is it for you?

 

The other thing I use for my face is, a light moisturiser by SIMPLE, I only use light due to the face wash already making a brilliant glowy effect onto my skin. You don't want to have a heavy moisturiser as well as a heavy facial wash (unless you have sensitive-really sensitive skin), you want to even it out, otherwise your skin will take it as a burden and it will be too much for it too handle, especially if your skin is still developing, into mature skin. Remember this with everything, too much of one thing is really bad for you even it out as if it were a balanced diet :). Anyway, the moisturiser I use is this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simple kind to skin hydrating light moisturiser 12 hr

 

Again this is fantastic, but don't use this on it's own, it's too light too be used on it's own (unless you have perfect skin/ close to perfect skin), use it with a facial wash or an effective toner or something that's a little stronger (not a lot stronger) than this. 5/5 for this too! Well done!

 

So yeah that's what I use to hydrate and beautify my skin, and I have to say it's a brilliant combination- fantastic! I really like this and I include in my morning routine. Oh yes, and the best way to apply this  is, firstly apply the facial wash (the instructions are on the back of the bottle with the ingredients), after you have completed that then you apply your moisturiser and massage section by section to get it right in there. And thats it, ooh and DON'T FORGET DON'T WASH YOUR FACE AFTER YOUR MOISURISER LET IT SINK IN. And that is in big letters so you don't forget!

 

 

I haven't finshed the next post is how to get rid of spots and blackheads etc

 

Yours, MEhnoor.M xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello peeps

hey peeps so sorry i totally forgot to do the blog on the weekend but dont worry Im back on track so you know lol

Quote of the day

“Patience and wisdom walk hand in hand, like two one-armed lovers.”
― Jarod Kintz, $3.33

It's all about POMEGRANTAES baby!

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Pomegranates “The Jewel of Autumn”

Pomegranates have been cherished for their exquisite beauty, flavor, color, and health benefits for centuries. From their distinctive crown to their ruby red arils, pomegranates are royalty amongst fruit. They are symbolic of prosperity and abundance in virtually every civilization. Fortunately, this treasure’s versatility and possibilities are as abundant as the juicy arils bursting forth from within.

 

 

A Pomegranate a Day

The name "pomegranate" derives from the Middle French "pomme garnete" - literally "seeded apple." It is also sometimes referred to as a Chinese apple. Many scholars believe that the forbidden - yet irresistible - fruit in which Eve indulged within the Garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate (and not an apple).

 

 

Pomegranates are actually MY favourite fruit, what about you? What's your favourite fruit? You can make juices out of pomegranates or ANY types of fruit. MOst of the times people add sugars or unnatural flavours to make it look more appealing and give it a smoother texter in your mouth to make it even MORE pleasant. I don't think that's very neccessary, fruits are beautiful the way they are. So YOU should start making natural juices out of the fruits you have at home, cucumber juice, orange juice- even lemon or lime juice/ade. Here are a few recipes to start you off:

 

 

 

HOW TO MAKE POMEGRANATE JUICE

 

 

Touted for everything from lowering cholesterol and blood pressure to preventing plaque and osteoarthritis, pomegranates and pomegranate juice are a delicious way to get a dose of antioxidants, potassium and vitamin C. Make fresh pomegranate juice with a simple method that utilizes the fruit's delicious taste and health benefits.  

 

Instructions

1. • 1
     Select pomegranates that have a dark pink color to make fresh pomegranate juice since deep red pomegranates tend to be mushy and too ripe. Fruits heavy for their size indicate added juiciness, but avoid those with a lot of cracks or bruises.
   • 2
     Make fresh pomegranate juice in a blender by removing the seeds from the pomegranates. (Either tear open the fruit, invert it over a bowl and tap the back with a wooden spoon to loosen the seeds or hold the fruit in a bowl of water and pick out the seeds with your fingertips.) Blend the seeds in the blender, then strain the juice to remove the tiny pits.

 

3

Extract juice from the pomegranates with a manual juice extractor. Use the same twisting motion that you would when juicing a lemon. Although automatic juicers are quicker, they may also extract juice from the pomegranates' white pith and make the juice bitter. A manual juice press is also effective for drawing the tart juice from the fruit.

4

Get a quick drink of pomegranate juice by rolling the fruit on a hard surface to break open the sacks inside the fruit. Make a small incision in the skin to squeeze the juice out. You can also insert a straw in the opening to drink the juice directly.

 

5

Consider adding sugar after you make fresh pomegranate juice to taste if you find it too tart. Drink the juice on ice, or blend it into a smoothie, hot tea or cocktail. Pomegranate juice is also a tasty addition to sauces and desserts.

 

Tips & Warnings

• After you make fresh pomegranate juice, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also free pomegranate juice for about six months-try pouring it into ice cube trays or freezing pre-measured amounts so it will be ready to use in recipes immediately

 

 

 

 

 

CUCMBER JUICE

 

 

 

Naturally high in vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium, cucumbers make a refreshing low-fat and low-calorie snack. An abundance of homegrown cucumbers may be overwhelming as it can be difficult to use them before they rot. One way to use up those extra cucumbers is in homemade cucumber juice, which you can use for mixed drinks or sauces or consume on its own.

Step 1

Rinse and scrub the cucumber under warm water to wash away any traces of dirt.

 

 

 

 

Step 2

Peel the cucumber and cut it into chunks.

Step 3

Put the cucumber in a blender. Add 1/4 cup water to help the blender spin more efficiently.

Step 4

Put the lid on the blender and blend the cucumber at high speed for one minute, or until it forms a frothy liquid.

Step 5

Line a sieve with two layers of cheesecloth. Hold the sieve over a glass or bowl.

Step 6

Pour the cucumber liquid through the sieve. The juice will flow through the cheesecloth and drip into the glass while the cheesecloth and sieve hold on to the solids.

Step 7

Bring all four corners of the cheesecloth together. Hold the cheesecloth above the glass and squeeze the cucumber solids to extract any remaining juice.

 

 

Tips & Warnings

• Cucumber tastes wonderful when mixed with other fresh juices such as carrot juice or apple juice.
• You can put the fiber from the cucumber that does not get juiced into your compost container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may be showing signs of malnutrition if you . . .

• feel tired and weak.
  
• feel like you never have the energy to clean your home,
  make meals or even do the dishes.
  
• have difficulty losing or gaining weight.
  
• can't easily get to sleep.
  
• feel stressed and/or nervous.
  
• feel drowsy during the day.
  
• sometimes can't concentrate, you're mind feels numb,
  or you get confused easily.
  
• have problems with your digestion.
  
• have constipation and/or hard dry stools.
  
• have mood swings, or get easily upset.
  
• don't have patience for anything.
  
• sometimes feel depressed.
  
• have overly dry or oily skin.
  
• sometimes have nausea and/or abdominal pain.
  
• have annoying eye twitches.
  
• bruise easily.
  
• have muscle cramps and/or low back pain.
  
• sometimes get cracks and sores in the corners of your mouth.
  
• notice that your nails have become thin and/or brittle.
  
• are losing your hair.
  
• have water retention.
  
• have uncontrollable temper outbursts.
  
• don't eat a well-balanced nutritious diet EVERY DAY

 

Natural vitamins are found only in living things, that is, plants and animals. Your body, with a few exceptions, can't manufacture vitamins. They must be supplied in your food or in dietary supplements but supplements can't replace food, especially fruits and vegetables which provide thousands of substances, some of which have well-known functions, and some whose roles in the human body are not yet understood or recognized. Vitamins and minerals . . .

• reduce your risk of getting a stroke or heart attack!
  
• strengthen your nails!
  
• improve your hair condition, strength and growth by providing certain essential nutrients to the hair follicle!
  
• beautify your skin by keeping it smooth, soft and disease-free!
  
• provide essential compounds that are necessary for growth, health, normal metabolism and physical well-being! Without them, you would die!
  
• promote normal growth and development!
  
• maintain bone density and strength!
  
• regulate blood clotting!
  
• help in the function of nerves and muscles, including regulating a normal heart beat!

When it comes to choosing a healthy diet for their children, many parents don't realize the important role that beverages play. For example, fruit flavored drinks and soft drinks are not a substitute for real fruit. Many of these drinks only contain 10% real fruit juice. The very best drinks are made from whole fruit and you can make great fruity healthy drinks at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BALANCED DIETING!!!

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.

Water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
Exercise. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.

Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key

People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? How much is a moderate amount? That really depends on you and your overall eating habits. The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just a few weeks or months, or until you've hit your ideal weight. So try to think of moderation in terms of balance. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.

For most of us, moderation or balance means eating less than we do now. More specifically, it means eating far less of the unhealthy stuff (unrefined sugar, saturated fat, for example) and more of the healthy (such as fresh fruit and vegetables). But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner–but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with an extra serving of fresh vegetables.

• Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
• Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, try adding more leafy green vegetables or rounding off the meal with fresh fruit. Visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards, a slice of bread should be the size of a CD case, and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb.

Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
• Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help to regulate weight. After-dinner snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided, anyway.

Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.

Some great choices include:

• Greens. Branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
• Sweet vegetables. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.
• Fruit. Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

The importance of getting vitamins from food—not pills

The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. And while advertisements abound for supplements promising to deliver the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables in pill or powder form, research suggests that it’s just not the same.

A daily regimen of nutritional supplements is not going to have the same impact of eating right. That’s because the benefits of fruits and vegetables don’t come from a single vitamin or an isolated antioxidant.

The health benefits of fruits and vegetables come from numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals working together synergistically. They can’t be broken down into the sum of their parts or replicated in pill form.

Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.

Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

Tips for eating more healthy carbs

• Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
• Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the U.S., Canada, and some other countries, check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
• Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.

Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats

Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia.

Add to your healthy diet:

• Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
• Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.

Reduce or eliminate from your diet:

• Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
• Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective

Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.

Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:

Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.

• Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.
• Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.
• Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.

Downsize your portions of protein. Many people in the West eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.

Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans, or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones

Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many other important functions.

You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job.

Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.

Good sources of calcium include:

• Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese.
• Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
• Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.

Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt

If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.

Sugar

Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:

• Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
• Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.

How sugar is hidden on food labels

Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:

cane sugar or maple syrup corn sweetener or corn syrup honey or molasses brown rice syrup

crystallized or evaporated cane juice fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear maltodextrin (or dextrin) Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose

Salt

Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.

• Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
• Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium.
• Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
• Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
• Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.
• Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.

Jessica Cox: the first pilot

Jessica Cox: became the first pilot with no arms, proving you don't need 'wings' to fly
Jessica Cox suffered a rare birth defect and was born without any arms. None of the prenatal tests her mother took showed there was anything wrong with her. And yet she was born with this rare congenital disease, but also with a great spirit. The psychology graduate can write, type, drive a car, brush her hair and talk on her phone simply using her feet. Ms Cox, from Tuscon, Arizona, USA, is also a former dancer and double black belt in Tai Kwon-Do. She has a no-restrictions driving license, she flies planes and she can type 25 words a minute.

The plane she is flying is called an Ercoupe and it is one of the few airplanes to be made and certified without pedals. Without rudder pedals Jessica is free to use her feet as hands. She took three years instead of the usual six months to complete her lightweight aircraft licence, had three flying instructors and practiced 89 hours of flying, becoming the first pilot with no a

idioms that are useful

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:
Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.
 

A Blessing In Disguise: Something good that isn't recognized at first.
A Chip On Your Shoulder: Being upset for something that happened in the past.


A Dime A Dozen: Anything that is common and easy to get.

A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand: Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.
A Leopard Can't Change His Spots: You cannot change who you are.
A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned: By not spending money, you are saving money (little by little).
A Picture Paints a Thousand Words: A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.

Quotes for you and me

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
― Albert Einstein

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
― Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.”
― Bil Keane

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.”
― Elie Wiesel

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
― Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
― Albert Einstein

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
― Thomas A. Edison

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
― George Eliot