Travel Blog

White Water safety gear is mandatory for all rafting expeditions for your group to remain safe. That 3,000 cfs of flowing water you are on appears to be gentle when you start, but it provides a hefty ride once the rapids begin. Each cubic foot weighs 62.4 pounds, so 3,000 of them add up to 187,200 pounds flowing by every second past rocks and falls. That’s the same as 20 or so elephants rumbling along. As long as you stay on their back you are ok, but don’t try stopping in their midst! When this flow of water is squeezed through a small area, it becomes much more violent and there is lots of whitewater as it tumbles over underground rocks.

Always be prepared with white water safety gear such as a good PFD, safety ropes, glue, patches and pumps – all the things you need to put it back together if your plan goes wrong in the middle of a trip. Ensure that your white water rafting company has all of these things as well. It is a good measure of just how professional they are and how well prepared they are to make sure that you and your buds remain safe in any situation.

White Water Safety Gear

Here are a few things you need to think about.

• Glue and Patches
• Pumps
• First Aid
• Helmets
• PFD’s
• Rescue Hardware
• River Knives
• Throw Bags and Rescue Ropes
• Satellite Phones

Glue and Patches
Glue and patches suitable for doing repairs to your inflatable raft which is no longer inflated. Don’t forget a pump to help you re-inflate the raft once you have completed the patch. This can mean the difference between a long walk or having to wait until someone notices that you are not back in time.
First Aid

A Comprehensive Medical Kit contains everything you’ll need to deal with reasonable emergencies. Included in a zippered nylon bag are sections dealing with Wound Management, Trauma and Infectious Control, plus a selection of medical instruments. A kit should also have advanced versions of blister and burn treatments, oral re-hydration salts and diarrhea medication, plus a tube of Glucose paste, a liquid sugar gel for cases of low blood sugar. A medical guide book tells you what to do.
Helmets

A high-density ABS shell for durability, and dual density EVA foam lining for multiple-impact protection should always be included.

PFD’s – Personal flotation Device

On any river on any boat or raft your best friend is your Personal Flotation Device (PFD). A human PFD must be Coast Guard approved – snug so it can’t be ripped off or ride up and interfere with vision when in the water. Type III PFD’s, favorites for whitewater, are comfortable, stylish, and colorful. Flotation is a minimum of 15.5 pounds. Type V PFD’s are rated for commercial use, have a minimum of 22 pounds of flotation, use straps with buckles instead of zippers, have a flotation collar behind the head and adjustments to fit a wide range of wearers. And don’t forget your dog’s PFD. Although natural swimmers, dogs find it hard to swim in whitewater and need extra flotation, too.

Rescue Hardware

Pullies for making it easier to haul things over rocks and through the water, a whistle for communicating, oval carabiner’s and water proof bags to keep things like matches and flares dry.
River Knives

There are a variety of knives to choose from. Choose a rugged, strong knife that can be used to cut rope and shave shavings to help start fires.
Throw Bags and Rescue Ropes

An easy lifeline that will do triple duty is a 100′ length of 1/2″ Blue Water Rescue Rope. A waterproof bag has a sealed opening and closing system for easy access and re-packing.
Satellite Phones

Everyone figures their cell phone will work every where. Unfortunately there are many places in the wilderness were cell phones do not work. Rent a satellite phone for the trip to make sure you have a lifeline back to civilization in case you need help!

Golden Rule for White Water Rafting

Always tell someone were you are going and when you expect to be back. Stick to the plan, because if you do have an accident and need rescue, the first place they will look is on the river you planned to go on. If you end up somewhere else, no one will know were to look.

Feel free to leave comments on our blog.

There are a huge number of diet fads available in the market. They all have one thing in common and that is they are all trying to make money off people who really want to lose weight and need to lose weight for health reasons. Most of these diet fads do not work at all and if consumers follow them they risk harmful health side effects due to lack of vitamins, minerals and good quality foods. For me this is a situation were business is really trying to take advantage of people who have real problems and are willing to spend a lot of money. Unfortunately these same people either do not follow the instructions or they get disappointed and give up early. Losing weight is all about changing habits, eating right and exercise. The fad diets just care about making money by selling you something.

You just have to watch the biggest loser on TV to begin to understand what these people are going through and how hard it is to lose weight and keep it off. They work for months, and I mean work hard to burn calories to lose weight. They combine exercise with starting to eat properly and watching their food and calorie intake.  This is hard work and takes conviction and perseverance to be successful. The companies that sell all of these diet plans and diet products are there to sell you something and not to support you over the long term. All they want to do is to sell product.

So what are you supposed to do if you want to lose weight. With all of these fad diet plans, advertising of miraculous weight loss with no work, how do you avoid being taken in and spending a lot of money to try and lose weight?

Well the answer is pretty simple, however most people will not like the answer. It is really simple.  If the energy you take in, in terms of food is greater than the energy you burn in daily living and exercise, then you are going to gain weight. Burning more calories and energy than you take in will ensure that you lose weight. Taking in the same amount of energy that you are burning every day will ensure that you maintain the same weight.

If you are not one to exercise very much other than daily activity, then you must limit the calories that you intake every day. Read labels and assess the number of calories in each serving. Stay under 1500 calories a day if you want to lose weight. Don’t forget to count sauces and other things you add as condiments. They contain a lot of fat and calories which you do not need. Even mustard, catchup and deep frying anything is not a good idea. Take some general vitamins to ensure that you are maintaining your proper level of vitamins in your body as well.

This seems pretty simple and it is really simple, however it takes a lot of control to say no to some of the things that you enjoy eating. Deserts, fried foods, sauces, overeating and snacking are all things that you have to get under control and reduce. If you do not then you will just become frustrated and stay at the same weight.

Diet Fads – Financial

The financial side of weight loss is staggering. If you apply self control, you are going to reduce the money you spend on food. You avoid spending money on fad diets, when you lose weight. Also you need less medicine and less doctor visits and you have less health issues. These things all save you a great deal of money. Use these factors as motivators to help you stick with your own plan to lose weight. Avoid all of these fad diets that are out there.

Feel free to leave us comments about your experience with fad diets and losing weight. Spam comments will be deleted.

Have you ever gone rafting or boating for the day or overnight and everything, I mean everything, gets soaking wet? Even your expensive camera and that cell phone that would not have worked anyway in the wilds, gets soaked and shorts out!  Some river water is very cold and there is nothing better than getting out of your wet clothing into some nice dry sweats, pants and shirts. Dry Bags for Rafting can protect all of your things.

If it gets wet, the only thing you can do is build a fire, but, oh, the matches got wet too and you lost your lighter when you got dumped in the water. Wow could conditions get any worse out in the wilderness far from a warm camp site with the sun setting and the night getting cold! That’s where dry bags for rafting come in handy.

Dry Bags for Rafting

One of the basics of rafting is to have something you can stow your clothes and camping gear, where they are going to stay dry, just in case you flip over in the rapids or there is a heavy down poor. Dry bags come in all sizes and shapes. There is something for campers, for hikers and of course white water rafting enthusiasts. You may want to select a bag that you can use for multiple purposes to save some money. Take your time and chose the right water proof bag for your sporting needs.

There are small dry bags that you can place things like matches, cameras, cell phones and other small items that you do not want to get wet. There are large dry bags that you can use for tents. Also your food and even stow your clothes in for long camping trips.

Once you have a dry bag, you will wonder why you never had one before! Even if you are going on an organized white water rafting trip were the rafting company transports all your stuff to the next place you are going to camp or meet your car, they cannot always guarantee that it will not rain or your stuff will not get wet. Placing your camping gear and clothes in a dry bag, makes it easier on the rafting company as well as yourself!

Dry Bags for Rafting or Dry Cases

There are situations were a soft dry bag will not do the trick for you. Although they will keep your things dry they may not protect them from being bounced around or from getting crushed. A dry case is the answer. These cases are water proof and shock proof. They will withstand a great deal of bouncing and physical shock while protecting your things inside.

You might have a first aid kit that needs to come along. But you do not want everything to be a jumbled mess when you need it in an emergency. Cases are also good for protecting electronics, providing that the interior is properly padded. Also that your camera is packed tightly and snugly so that it does not bounce around inside.

Dry cases are also great for travellers, who are going by plane. I once saw a load of suitcases sit in the rain for over an hour. You can imagine how everyone’s clothes were soaked! This was on the way to a vacation destination too!

We are going to have more posts about gear that many people will find useful for camping and rafting, so check back often. Feel free to leave comments about any gear that you find useful as well. Spam comments will automatically be deleted.

A dieting web site would not be complete with out having a post on Weight Watchers. We do not claim to be experts about weight watchers, nor do we offer any advice about this form of dieting, however it does work for many people and if it works why not try it. With weight watchers discipline seems to the the key to success.

Our reason for writing about Weight Watchers on this post is based on a conversation I had with a friend who has joined weight watchers and to date has lost 12 pounds. He has not changed his exercise routine, has a regular job behind a desk, yet he has managed to lose 12 ponds and wants to lose another 5 pounds to get to what he considers to be his optimum weight.

He mentioned that he follows the plan and counts his points everyday to make sure that he does nto exceed his daily allowance of food intake. Vegetables are free points, while many of the meats and starchy foods are from one to several points per serving. He is allowed 13 points per day and 35 points extra for the week. If he can stay at this level of points each day, he will lose weight and reach his goal.

Weight Watchers – Alcohol

We were at a party having a martini and I commented that his drink was probably around 9 points in that one drink. His look was of astonishment. He could not believe that there were so many points in one drink. My rational for this number of points was as follows.

He had mentioned that a regular beer ( Canadian) was 3 points. There were 3 ounces of liquor in his martini and so we figured that one ounce of liquor is equal to a beer, hence 3 points per ounce time 3 ounces is 9 points. He was almost at his daily limit with one drink!

He finished the drink and then switched to beer, taking full advantage of his 35 weekly points that he is allowed to go over each week. This guy can also pack away the beer and in the past at our parties would easily drink 10 beers in an evening. Note: that his wife always drives home, so there is never a drink and drive issue for my friend.

This was the really interesting part. After his martini, he limited himself to 4 beers to stay within the 35 point limit extra for the week. This is when I really realized that he was committed to losing weight, because this man really loves his beer!

Weight Watchers and Alcohol

I do not know what weight watchers opinion is regarding alcohol, other than you probably should limit the amount of beer and liquor you drink to avoid gaining weight from your drinking.

If anyone knows or has comments feel free to weigh in and provide your comments. We welcome anyone’s comments that are valid and real. Comments that are of a spam variety, will be deleted.

Alcohol has lots of sugar in it and the body will convert it to fat quickly. Counting the number of beers or hard liquor you take in is a great way to manage your weight loss. Or avoid gaining more weight. Weight watchers will I am sure, want you to limit the amount you drink for health and weight issues. However there are lots of other reasons to manage the amount you drink every week as well.

Aside from issues of drinking and driving, gaining weight, you can actually also damage your liver. Also other parts of your body if you drink too much as well. If you fall into this category, you really need to deal with your drinking level first. Then start managing  your weight loss as well, whether it is through weight watchers of some other diet plan.

My friend is committed although he does fall of the wagon from time to time. He is committed to losing weight and avoiding other health issues that over weight conditions can cause.

Bottom line

You need to make your own decision and commitment to lose weight. Weight watchers is only a tool that you can use to help you lose weight and manage your weight in a structured somewhat scientific method.

We hope that you can make the decision and follow the plan. After all it is not free. It does cost money to join which is part of being committed to losing weight. Think of it this way. The money you save on reduced food intake as well as reduced alcohol consumption will easily pay for your Weight Watchers member ship.

Good luck and we hope you found this post interesting. As we said comments are very welcome. As long as they contribute to the general theme of this post and are positive and helpful comments. Anything else will be deleted. Thanks to Weight Watchers for helping my friend lose weight. We hope that he continues to be successful in losing weight!

Since it is the summer time, we thought it would be a good time to do a post on boating safety. Whether it is a kayak, a row boat, or a high speed power house of a boat, there are basic boating rules that all boaters should keep in mind. We thought we would cover a few of them here and invite our readers to add their comments and suggestions regarding how to really enjoy the water and be safe at the same time. Bottom line, if you are in a boat you should be wearing a life jacket or at the very least know where they are stored and know how to put them on quickly.

Every year you hear about people who have accidents while boating, some drown and others survive but have severe injuries. Yet it is so simple to avoid these situations and still have a fantastic time on the water with your family and friends. Many boats have more powerful engines than a lot of cars. Yet when we get in a boat it seems that all the rules of the road are forgotten. We speed, we do careless things and some even drink alcohol while on the water, endangering the lives of our friends and families and other boaters.

Small boats, canoes and kayaks are very susceptible to waves from larger boats as well. Some operators do not consider the consequences of boating without taking the proper safety precautions before the get on the water.  Even if you are a great swimmer, you may be in no condition to swim after an accident.

Boating Safety – Safety Precautions

Here is a list of the common safety precautions that everyone should consider and in some cases they are quite similar to hiking or to white water rafting.

• Always have enough safety jackets in the boat for every person. Children should be wearing them at all times.  If someone accidentally falls in and is wearing a jacket, they will float and you can always toss them one as well. In addition in an accident, were you are knocked into the water, perhaps lose conscientious  or cannot swim, your life jacket will keep your head above water so you can breathe.
• Never drink and drive when operating a boat. It is difficult enough to operate a boat safely, with craft coming from all directions and have your concentration impaired as well. Some locations such as the Province of Ontario, in Canada, do not allow alcohol on a boat at any time. In fact if you are stopped, you can be charged.
• Never overload a boat. This includes the number of people as well as gear and luggage that you might be carrying. A boat that is low in the water due to weight, can easily be swamped.
• Check the weather conditions and water conditions prior to heading out. Storms can come up quickly and cause large waves to hit your boat especially in small shallow lakes. If in doubt, you may want to re-consider your boating trip.
• Plan your boating excursion. Make sure you have sufficient fuel on board for your trip, stored properly, and let someone who is not with you know were you are headed and when you are expected to return. Same rules for hiking! You want people to come looking for you if you do not return on time.

Fuel – one of the most Important Safety Issues

• Fuel on boats is always a dangerous issue. Fumes tend to build up, especially with in board engines. Follow all of the standard starting procedures prior to starting your engines. Make sure you clear the air with the exhaust fans first. Never smoke or use a lighter around the engine compartment.
• Whether you are water skiing or tubing, always operate your boat safely. Take into account other boaters and potential immersed logs and other possible obstacles. Many people are run over or the lines are snagged causing significant injuries.
• Wear lots of sun screen. Although this is not really a safety issue, it definitely is a comfort issue. The sun is hot and can burn exposed skin quickly.  Re-apply several times throughout the day.

I am sure there are lots of other safety related issues to consider. However we think these are the main ones to consider when you are out boating. Above all use your common sense whether you are boating on a small lake, or going white water rafting. If you have not boated before or it is the first time on a lake, get a map. Take someone along who knows the area and can help to guide you.

Boating Safety – Keep Your Equipment Maintained

Maintain your equipment in top notch condition. It may save your life sometime. Being lazy or trying to save a few dollars is just nor worth it when you life or your family’s life could be at stake.

While we have only covered a few of the safety issues associated with boating, we invite our readers to let us know about other safety conditions that should be followed. Please feel free to make your comments. All will be considered, spam will be deleted. Enjoy your summer and your boating excursions.

You might be wondering what the subject of “Nebulisers? would have to do with diets or diet information. Well it turns out they can have a lot to do with diet, especially if you are not following one. I had the privilege of needing to use one in the past 6 months and yes it was a life saver, but if I had been a little more careful I would not have needed it at all. This is why I decided to write about this subject so that I could help other people avoid not being able to breath properly.

Why Did I need Nebulisers?

First of all for those of you who may not know what a Nebulisers is, it is a machine that pumps air through a tube to a mask that you place over your mouth and nose. When you add medicine to the reservoir in the mask the blowing air picks up some of the medicine as you breath in and out through the mask. This is on one of  the best ways for someone who has shallow breathing to get some of the medicine into their lungs and into their bronchial tubes for relief.

I was having a severe bronchitis attack, and could not breathe sufficient air into my lungs and also could not use an inhaler since I could not get enough of the medicine into my lungs to obtain some relief. With nebulizers, I was able to obtain some relief and breathe much easier as a result. In fact my oxygen level in my blood was down to 95% which is not very good. Once I finished several of these treatments with  nebulisers, I felt much better and also was able to breathe much easier. A neubliser should only be used under a doctor’s advice and also when your inhaler is not providing the relief you need.

How does Diet and the need for a Neubliser go hand in hand?

As you gain weight, there is more pressure on your lungs in terms of the amount of oxygen you need to live as well as the fact that the excess weight compresses your lungs and you are unable to take deep breaths or clear your lungs of pollutants or moisture. Many heavy people will also become susceptible to pollution and pollen causing chronic bronchitis attacks.

Your doctor may prescribe an inhaler since you are wheezing or perhaps are experiencing difficulty breathing. While you might get some relief , it is really time to take stock and make a decision about your weight and your overall health. Many people have seen the show “The Biggest Loser” and also seen how many of these overweight people are on various medicines including inhalers. Once they begin to exercise and eat healthy food, the pounds begin to fall off and also the amount of medication they need also decreases or in some cases is eliminated. This includes anyone who needed a nebuliser because their inhaler was not working for them!

What you can do for your diet?

Let’s admit that not everyone can take 5 months off their jobs to go to the biggest loser ranch and they cannot afford to just spend their entire day exercising. What you can do is cut down on your food intake and start exercising, creating an energy deficit and losing weight as a result. Take stock of the amount of food you are eating and make a decision that  you are going to eat less and exercise more.

Make a decision and start dieting, exercising and take control of your life! Although I am not significantly over weight, even the extra weight I am carrying around impacts my breathing. Hence the need for a nebulizer when I was having a severe bronchitis attack. Once you make a decision, sticking to it is the hard part. You may be motivated by a health scare. Which is actually a good thing. You survived the health scare. Now you have to get serious about losing weight if you want to live.

You may be also motivated by wanting to feel better, to look better and to be better accepted by society. Unfortunately we are an image based society and if you do not fit the mold, many people will reject you, make fun of you and not accept you into their idea of what a person should look like.

Nebulisers – A Rigid Plan?

Some people need a rigid plan to keep them on the diet program. While others just need a bit of motivation and they can lose pounds easily. Basically you need to create an energy deficiency. i.e. the energy you take in minus the energy you burn is negative. If it is you will lose weight. The speed of losing weight will depend on how big your energy deficit is.

Go for walks, park the car further away from the door. Always use a small plate, avoid sauces of all kinds, avoid deserts, avoid foods with lots of calories. Walk up a flight of stairs whenever you get the chance. Add these sorts of guidelines to your daily life and you will see the pounds disappear.

Try not to fool yourself. If you are now using a smaller plate, which means you cannot pile as much food on to it. But fill up your plate 3 times, you are just kidding yourself. You need to get serious and really focus on losing weight and that means eating less.

If writing things down in a diary or log book helps, do that. Record how far you walk each day, how much you eat. Also whatever else you are doing that contributes to losing weight. Include also the number of pounds you are losing. If you do not lose weight one week, don’t get discouraged. Just redouble your efforts to lose weight. Focus on more exercise as well as cutting down on the quantity you eat every day.

Good luck and if this blog post helped you, please let us know your feedback!

White water rafting can be a great deal of fun, exciting and thrilling! Following  a few safety guidelines will help to ensure that you, your friends and family will always find rafting an enjoyable experience, ready to go back for more. It is so easy to make a mistake. Or get into a situation you are not prepared for or trained to handle. The rivers conditions change with the seasons, even from week to week. Being aware of all of the safety guidelines, river conditions and keeping your safety gear up to date can be a daunting task. Rely on the experts to provide you with a safe enjoyable experience.

White Water Rafting Safety – Why Use the Experts

The single most important reason to use experts who are trained in whitewater rafting is the safety they provide with equipment, with knowledge of the river and of course the training they received prior to ever going on the river. This includes not only navigating white water rapids, it also includes first aid training and providing support in case their actually is an accident. Pay attention to what they say and follow their instructions. It could save your life.

The equipment is expensive and this is often quoted as a reason to use a rafting company. While it is expensive, they also use the best equipment available, at least the good ones do. From the rafts themselves to the life jackets they provide it all means that you have a better chance of making it alive through the rapids in one piece than you would going rafting yourself. Of course it depends what skill level you consider the rapids to be. A class 1 or 2 river is something you can go canoeing quite safely, hover most experts will not even consider a class 5 set of rapids. If you really want to go rafting with your buddies on the weekend, go with one of the companies in your area that have a good reputation for safety as well as providing value for the money you will spend.

White Water Rafting Safety – Safety Gear

White water rafting safety gear is so important.  All companies should provide you with a minimum of a life jacket that fits you snugly and will not ride up, while keeping you afloat if you end up outside the raft. It should also at all times keep your head upright and for the most part out of the water, in case your head should strike a rock and knock you out. You want to be able to breathe and your head must be above the water line!

Having excellent equipment is of course another important element. Rafts that are worn or dirty are not attractive and probably not safe. If you are planning to rafting early in the spring or even sometimes early summer you may want to wear a wet suit to avoid getting hypothermia. Mountain streams from melting snow can be very cold even in the summer months. So you want to make sure you are dressed properly to avoid any problems in this way.

Finally a means to contact emergency resources if there is an accident. They may not have cell phones with them, however they should have a method worked out that allows them to track rafting excursions and avoid any problems that might arise should no one know that they need help.

Matching Your Skill Level with the River Conditions

This topic is so important. Many people go rafting every year, have a great time and would go back again. As long as you are on a set of rapids that are suitable for your strength and skill level, you will be fine. The higher class of rapids have a higher probability of tossing you into the river. With these types of rapids, before you even go for a trip you may need to prove that you can swim out of a whirlpool or whitewater and get to safety on your own. You will need the strength and the swimming ability to get out of the situation you find yourself in. These are for the expert level white water rapids which most of us will never see.

Most people will go on gentler rapids with a few standing waves, get wet. They enjoy the great out doors , the scenery and the fresh air.  If you feel it necessary to try something more challenging, make sure that you are ready for them. Which is the subject of the next section.

Practicing, Staying in Shape,  and Other Issues to Consider

If you are going to go on increasingly more challenging rapids, you should really be in top physical shape. Be able to swim out of what ever situation you find yourself in. Stay in shape and practice with the companies that provide white rafting services. Most will also entertain applications to train as a raft guide. However you will need to demonstrate that your physical fitness is sufficient to deal with the rigors of rafting.

We would enjoy anyone who wants to leave their comments about this subject or other comments related to white water rafting. Spam comments and blatant advertising is not accepted.

There are literally thousands of studies available about dieting. No one knows  which one is best. Low fat diets, low carb, low this and low that. With so many diet plans available and most of them if not all of them waiting to take your money how is the average person to know which one is best for them? Most of these diet plans are looking to make money from you and it will cost you whether you buy a book, join a club, join a web site. It does not matter.

This post you can read for free and it is probably the only thing you can do for free so enjoy it while you can. First we will start off with an excerpt from WEBMD which follows, then after that we will add some comments of our own. At the end of the day you need to make your own decision regarding what you want to do about your weight. After all it is your body and your life, you need to decide how much you are going to spend and how it will be spent to lose weight. Low fat diets are not always the answer.

Low Fat Diets

Here are the study results for one study that looked at Low Fat Diets!

Study Shows People on Low-Fat Diet More Likely to Keep Weight Off

By Jennifer Warner, WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 1, 2010 — A low-carb diet may offer quick results. But a new study suggests that a low-fat diet may be best for long-term weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.

Researchers found obese people who followed a low-fat diet may be more likely to keep the weight off three years later after starting the diet than those who followed a low-carbohydrate diet.

“Although participants in the low-carbohydrate group lost more weight at 12 months, they regained more weight during the next 24 months,” write researcher Marion L. Vetter, MD, RD of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “In contrast, participants in the low-fat group maintained their weight loss.”

In the study, researchers started with a group of 132 obese people. They weighed an average of 289 pounds before starting either a low-fat diet. A calorie restricted diet with less than 30% of daily calories from fat, or a low-carb diet with fewer than 30 grams of fat per day for 12 months.

After six months on the diets, the group on the low-carb diet experienced the greatest weight loss. But by 12 months there was no significant difference in weight loss between the two groups.

Longer Term Results

Three years after the study began and two years after the diets ended, researchers followed up with 40 people in the low-carb diet group and 48 in the low-fat diet group.

They found people in the low-carb diet group weighed an average of 4.9 pounds less than before they started dieting. While those in the low-fat diet group weighed an average of 9.5 pounds less than they did at the start of the study.

Researchers say while both diets appear to offer weight loss benefits, the pattern of weight change was different between the low-carb and low-fat diet groups.

“The differences in weight regain between the two groups probably reflects initial weight loss,” write the researchers. “Participants who lost more weight during the first 12 months tended to regain more weight by month 36.”

End of article from WEBMD

So what do we think about this particular study. All they are saying is that one diet was slightly better than another diet! That’s it and these people appeared to not lose very much weight either.

So what should you do? Should you chose one diet over another? Should you buy the book on low fat diets or low carb diets?

The sad result in our opinion is neither! Get hold of your life and seriously limit your portion size, decrease your salt intake, eat well balanced meals  and start exercising!  There is no easy way to lose weight, it takes hard work and it takes discipline.  Forget the deserts, the second helpings, the buffets and whatever else you indulge in. Go for walks, go to the gym, reduce your intake and lose weight!

The equation is simple. Energy into your body less energy burned for the day = plus or minus weight gain. Nothing else. Forget all of these fancy weight loss programs. Eat sensibly and eat carefully, in restaurants share meals – it will cost you less, dring water instead of soft drinks and forget the deserts.

As you can see we are not fans of these diet plans.  If you have comments or would like to add to the comments please feel free to do so.

Anyone who suffers from asthma, bronchitis or COPD knows how scary it is  to suffer from any of these diseases. To struggle to be able to breath is frightening. When you are gasping for breath you are truly petrified. Sometimes when you suffer from chronic bronchitis you are susceptible to coughing fits. You are coughing so much that you cannot get a breath. When these events are occurring, sometimes panic can set in. This can make the situation even worse. Only people who have had this experience really know what they are talking about. Can Vitamin D Levels make a difference?

It takes a lot of self control to focus on breathing and controlling your coughing. it is necessary to get that breath of air into your lungs so you do not pass out. If you can do this and get it under control with your self control mechanisms and emergency puffers, this scary situation will pass.

This is one of the reasons that many doctors and researchers continue to look for solutions. Now some think there may be a link between vitamin D and asthma.

May we suggest you read the following excerpt from WEBMD. Then we will follow up with some more comments about our opinion about this study and asthma.

Vitamin D Levels & Asthma

Study Shows Asthmatic Kids With Vitamin D Insufficiency Have Poorer Lung Function

By Charlene Laino, WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

March 3, 2010 (New Orleans) — Many children with asthma have low blood levels of vitamin D. The insufficiency seems to place them at risk for more severe disease.

In a study of 99 kids with asthma, 47% had vitamin D insufficiency. Compared with children with normal levels of vitamin D levels, those with vitamin D insufficiency:

• Had poorer lung function
• Had higher levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), an immune system protein the body makes in response to allergens that tells you the likelihood that you’re allergic
• Were more likely to need inhaled and oral steroid medications to reduce airway inflammation and mucus production
• Were more likely to need long-acting beta-agonist drugs that relax muscles in the lung’s airways, improving a patient’s ability to breathe freely and reducing asthma symptoms.

Further studies in the lab showed that vitamin D has an anti-inflammatory effect on cells. It also enhances the activity of inhaled steroids.

About 21 million Americans suffer from asthma. Which is caused by inflammation and swelling of the airways. The inflammation, in turn, can cause excessive mucus production and narrowing of the airways. This results in asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing.

Findings Presented

The findings were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology annual meeting.

The study doesn’t prove cause and effect. And it’s not clear whether low vitamin D causes more severe asthma that requires treatment or whether more severe asthma lowers vitamin D levels, says study researcher Daniel A. Searing, MD, of National Jewish Health in Denver.

Also still unknown is whether vitamin D supplements would improve asthma control and lower the need for medication, he tells WebMD.

Still, a number of studies now suggest that low vitamin D levels are associated with allergies and asthma, says James Gern, MD, vice chair of the committee that chose which studies to highlight at the meeting and professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

If a person has vitamin D insufficiency, “we need to correct it anyway. So it will be interesting to see if the supplements help improve asthma symptoms,” he tells WebMD. Gern was not involved with the work.

In the study, vitamin D insufficiency was defined as levels below 30 nanograms per milliliter of blood.

End of Article

Our personal interpretation about the results of this study is that they still really do not know if this is the link. They conclude that whether it is or is not a link, it is always a good idea to achieve the right balance of Vitamin D in your blood

So I guess the conclusion is  that you should have your blood tested for vitamin D and then if it needs correction, start taking vitamin D or get outdoors in the sun to help the body generate natural vitamin D. Makes sense and just maybe your asthma will improve!

Unfortunately this is the way it is for many studies and testing. The average person is left wondering what to do. If you are an asthma sufferer, you are willing to do pretty much anything to reduce or eliminate the effects of asthma.

Some people think that multi vitamins are the best approach to ensure that you have a good mix of vitamins and maintain the proper levels.  Eating a well balanced diet is another excellent approach with 3 meals a day and following the Food Guide which helps you make sure that you have a balanced diet.

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There are lots of locations for tourists to consider for Virginia White Water Rafting

Gauley White Water Rafting

Thousands of adventure thrill seekers of all ages will go down the spectacular New River Gorge, and the world class Gauley River Canyon, every year. The New & Gauley River Adventures are some of the best in the wild wonderful mountain areas of West Virginia.

New River or Gauley River offers a variety of river rafting trips for paddlers of all skill levels, beginner to expert, young or old, mild or wild. Gauley rafting river whitewater adventures range from a 2 hour rafting express trip, to full day lower New River rafting , Gauley River rafting or a multi day extended vacation. There are several companies that provide whitewater rafting tours and excursions along the Gauley river in West Virginia. They offer a variety of vacation packages ranging from half day trips to multi day camping and whitewater adventure tours.

The fun doesn’t stop at river’s edge, either. Year-round, complete vacation packages for individuals, groups or families can include, guided fishing trips, horseback riding / sleigh rides in winter, kayaking, hiking, biking , rock climbing instruction, 4 x 4 back road tours, snow shoeing, all along the Gauley river. After your adventure settle in for a relaxing evening at a campground or one of the many cozy cabins or cottages in the area.

World class staff , guides, shuttle drivers and adventure consultants, are friendly, highly skilled outdoor professionals, committed to safety, service and hospitality. Small wonder so many returning guests come back every year for White Water Rafting and outdoor adventure in the mountains of Mountains of Wild Wonderful West Virginia

Virginia White Water Rafting – Rivers

Some of these rivers run through several different states, so you may see some of the same rivers in different posts

West Virginia’s rivers offer the widest range of whitewater experiences available anywhere, from gently rippling streams for the new rafting enthusiast to explosive rapids for the more adventuresome outdoor expert. Each set of rapids  has its own unique beauty and poses its own unique challenges for the rafting enthusiasts.

The New River

The New River is one of  the longest commercially raftable river in the East, offering everything from gentle float trips for the entire family to thunderous whitewater for those that want more of a thrill and challenge. The Upper New is scenic and relaxing, with just enough whitewater action to keep you hopping. The Lower New is powerful and intense, with a tremendous succession of Class IV and V rapids that have earned it consistent rankings as one of the ten best in the world.

The Gauley River

The Gauley River is another  one of the most challenging rivers in the world. The Upper Gauley is highly technical. Hence it requires a great deal of skill  from skilled guides as well as rafters to negotiate its narrow chutes and machine-gun rapids. As a result it ranks in the top five in the world for whitewater adventure. The Lower Gauley is a complete, all-in-one white water rafting experience. It features numerous big Class IV and V rapids interspersed by broad pools and tremendous scenery.

The Cheat River

The Cheat River, in northern West Virginia, is powered by the largest unrestricted watershed in the East. It offers a full range of rafting including numerous highly technical Class IV and V rapids in a wilderness canyon.  Enjoy the scenery and the outdoor majestic views. The Narrows is a spectacular natural feature along the Cheat.

The Tygart River

The Tygart River is a tributary of the Cheat that offers adventurous rafting in the spring, when water levels are highest. A full range of river sports in the summer and fall. It is often combined with the Cheat into package trips.

The Potomac River

The Potomac River offers exciting rafting in eastern West Virginia during April, May and September. When large controlled releases are made from the Jennings Randolph Dam upstream. Year-round, the Potomac also is one of the best fishing rivers in the East.

The Shenandoah River

The Shenandoah River joins the Potomac at historic Harper’s Ferry, W.Va. It provides rafting and other river-sports opportunities to residents of nearby East Coast metropolitan area.

Other Virginia White Water Rivers

Several other West Virginia streams are favorites for specialized activities. Including the Meadow River, Big Sandy Creek and the Bluestone River. The Lower Meadow, with its succession of big drops and narrow chutes, is a particular favorite of kayakers. They are looking for the ultimate in action and excitement. Big Sandy Creek is another favorite of kayakers. Especially when spring rainfall creates a series of falls that challenge the world’s best. The Bluestone is known for canoeing, float trips and great fishing.

Many people suffer from High Blood Pressure and take medication to control their pressure. Yet they still have episodes where their blood pressure goes through the roof.  The question is occasional high pressure risky. You may not even realize that you have high blood pressure. So have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis.

The following is an excerpt from WEBMD sheds some light on the issue. But does not conclude with solid advice for someone suffering from this condition.  The message the reader got from this article was that you should be aggressive about treating occasional high blood pressure. Even if it is under control at all other times. Talk to your doctor about this issue if you are one of these people who suffers from occasional high  pressure.

The article follows:

Is Occasional High Pressure Risky

Study Finds Episodes of High Blood Pressure, Often Ignored, Boost Stroke Risk

By Kathleen Doheny, WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

March 11, 2010 — Occasional high blood pressure readings are often dismissed as nothing to worry about, but a new study suggests this episodic high pressure is a strong predictor of strokes.

”We have shown that it is variations in people’s blood pressure rather than the average level that predicts stroke most powerfully,” says study lead author Peter Rothwell, MD, professor of clinical neurology at the Stroke Prevention Research Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England.

The study, published in The Lancet, followed more than 2,000 patients who had a transient ischemic attack or TIA, a ”mini-stroke” predictive of a larger stroke. They validated the results with results from three other studies, in finding the link between occasional high blood pressure and stroke risk.

The researchers focused on the systolic blood pressure reading, the top number in the measurement, reflecting the pressure when the heart contracts while pumping blood. Normal blood pressure readings are below 120/80 millimeters of mercury, or mmHg.

How much variability predicts stroke risk? ”One certainly sees an increased risk of stroke when the systolic blood pressure fluctuates 40 mmHg or more (say between 120 mmHg and 160 mmHg) even when mean [or average] blood pressure is very well controlled,” Rothwell tells WebMD in an email interview.

Occasional High Pressure and Stroke Risk: Study Details

Rothwell and his colleagues evaluated data from 2,435 patients who had been enrolled in the UK-TIA aspirin trial. Which assigned patients with a recent TIA or ischemic stroke to take aspirin or a placebo. Rothwell’s team evaluated only the 2,006 patients from this study who had TIAs but no strokes, to avoid compromising the results due to the effect of a recent stroke on blood pressure.

Blood pressure in these patients was measured once at every four-month follow-up visit during the study, which ran from 1979 to 1985.

The results from this study were validated by Rothwell’s team with results from three other large studies, each involving more than 2,000 patients.

Occasional High Pressure Predicts Stroke

Patients with the most variation in their systolic pressure over seven clinic visits were found six times more likely to have a stroke, Rothwell found.

The highest pressure readings were also associated with higher stroke risk. Those with the highest readings over the seven visits were 15 times more likely to have a stroke during the follow-up period.

Not all the patients were being treated for hypertension, Rothwell tells WebMD. “Variability was predictive of stroke in both groups,” he says, treated and untreated. “Some had stable hypertension, some had episodic hypertension and some had stable normal pressure. The episodic hypertension group had the highest risk of stroke.”

In one of the studies, variability in blood pressure also predicted the risk of heart attacks.

Blood Pressure Study Findings: Implications

The new research isn’t the first to evaluate the risks of episodic high blood pressure, Rothwell notes. Although some variability in pressure is normal, the new research, he says, should inspire a change in thinking.

“I think that the risk associations, and other evidence, are sufficiently strong for us to stop reassuring patients with variable pressure that they don’t have hypertension and don’t need treatment,. Which is what current guidelines argue if their [average] blood pressure is OK,” Rothwell says. ” We should be concerned about episodic hypertension in patients. Especially those who are not on treatment and about residual variability in patients who are already on treatment.”

Some variability is normal, he tells WebMD. How much depends on age (typically increasing with age) and gender, with women more likely to have more variability. African-American people, too, tend to have more variability, he says. And other factors, such as the stiffness of the arteries, can affect the amount of variability, he says.

For patients who have high pressure and take their pressure at home to monitor it, Rothwell offers this advice based on his findings. “I think that they should consult their doctor if the systolic pressure is variable. Particularly if they find that it is sometimes 150 mmHg or higher.

Blood Pressure Study: Second Opinion

The suspected link between episodes of high pressure and stroke risk is not new, says Patrick Lyden, MD. He is chair of neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and a 30-year stroke researcher who reviewed the new research for WebMD.

But the new findings, he says, are ”the most important demonstration … that the attacks of high pressure really are bad for you.” So yes occasional high pressure is risky.

Lyden says he is aggressive about treating high pressure in his patients. Whether the pressure is up some time or all the time. But not all physicians are as aggressive, he suspects. “I would say there is a widespread practice on both continents (UK and here) that occasional high pressure is ignored.”

“This data teaches us how foolish that is,” he says.

“This is still a hypothesis,” Lyden tells WebMD. But “I think he’s showing us it’s critically important to pay attention to this.”

Can belly fat cause strokes? The answer is yes,  a higher number of people with belly fat or the rubber tire around the waist will experience a stroke prematurely. This situation affects both women and men, which is a surprising data point, since previously it was thought that women did not succumb to strokes at the same level as men do. That tell-tale sign of a large belly is a quite reminder that you have increased the odds that you could have a stroke in the near future.

The following are excerpts from an article written by Charlene Laino and reviewed by Louise Chang, MD at WebMD Health News. We will continue our portion of this post after the article from Charlene Laino.

Belly Fat Cause Strokes

Quote ” Feb. 25, 2010 (San Antonio) — The midlife gender gap in stroke rates continues to widen, with women aged 45 to 54 now three times more likely than men in that age group to report having had a stroke.

Several years ago, the same researchers reported that between 1999 and 2004, women aged 45 to 54 were more than twice as likely as their male counterparts to have had a stroke.

The findings created a stir in the medical community as middle-aged women before menopause have long been thought to be protected against heart disease.

So what’s driving this disturbing trend? Then, like now, tummy fat appears to be to blame, says Amytis Towfighi, MD, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

In the current analysis, stroke risk factors were worse in men than in women — all, that is, except weight gain around the waist, she says.

“Our hypothesis is abdominal obesity increases the risk of other risk factors — diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. Together, they drive up the risk of stroke,” Towfighi tells WebMD.

The study was presented at the American Stroke Association’s (ASA) International Stroke Conference.

Middle-Aged Stroke Gap Real

The new analysis was conducted to determine if the gender gap observed in the earlier study was a real phenomenon or a fluke, Towfighi says. So she and colleagues analyzed data on 2,136 men and women aged 35 to 64 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey done from 2005 to 2006.

It was real, Towfighi says. Nearly 3% of women in that age group reported having suffered a stroke, compared with only 1% of men.

The disparity appeared to be driven mainly by differences in the 45 to 54 age group, where women had 3.12 times the odds of having a stroke compared to men, she says.

Seeking to find out why, the researchers then looked at a host of factors that can affect risk, including smoking, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

“We found that in general, men were more likely to have conventional cardiovascular risk factors,” Towfighi says.

But 62% of women suffered from abdominal obesity vs. 50% of men. In women, abdominal obesity is defined as a waist circumference of 35 inches or more; in men, it’s 40 inches or more.

Towfighi notes that the absolute risk of a middle-aged woman having had a stroke is still quite low. Only about a three-in-100 risk. ” End of Quote.

Can Belly Fat Cause Strokes

So armed with this information, we now know that both men and women are susceptible to strokes. Especially if they are carrying extra weight around their middle. This may not be a surprise to some people who look at the world from a common sense perspective. Many people who feel they are mildly overweight, they may feel that this is new information. They may be a little scared. Since no one wants to have a stroke and suffer some of the side effects from a stroke.

Side effects of strokes can include, partial  paralysis, lack of coordination, loss of speech, total paralysis and of course death. Sounds pretty scary because it is scary.

Another article we recently read suggested that if you walk at a brisk rate of speed a minimum of 2 hours a week you can cut the risk of a stroke by over 30%.  Brisk walking a couple of times a week also will strengthen your heart, your lungs and your overall health. You might even lose weight if you also manage your calorie intake. All you need to do is go for a brisk walk a couple of times a week.

It cannot be that hard to do. Get out there after supper and walk around the block a few time. Or walk down to the mall, walk up the stairs at work instead of taking the elevator etc. You can do it. And by the way that belly fat that we told you about that could cause a stroke, will start to melt away which is another excellent benefit.

We hope that this post helps a few people. If you would like to add your comments please do. We appreciate your thoughts and support.

There are many whitewater rafting trips in virtually every state and province in North America. Many are not far from most major urban centers. There are also a number in Central America and south America, although we do not have much information about these as of yet. On some trips physical fitness is very important. Many others that are more family oriented. They can accommodate people who may not be as physically fit as others.

Whitewater trips have become very popular for families, seniors as well as the extreme adventure tourist. Of course the more challenging the whitewater rapids are, the more equipment and skills you need to make sure that you will have a successful and safe trip. Regardless of which type of trip you take, always make sure you have an experienced guide with you. Also make sure that the equipment you are using is well maintained.

Rafting Physical Fitness – Lower Classes of Rapids

Class one and two trips are for beginners, children and seniors. A class one set of whitewater rapids are relatively easy to navigate, although you still need to be wearing a life jacket and you need to follow the instructions of the guides. These can be very nice relaxing whitewater trips were you can enjoy the scenery. And also the wildlife that may exist along the river.Most of these trips do not require any level of physical fitness or swimming ability since there is little likely hood of you ending up in the water.

However always were a life jacket since someone can make a wrong move and end up in the water. After all you are on a raft in the water and common sense demands that you wear a life jacket. Even if you can swim always wear a life jacket while in the raft.

Rafting Physical Fitness – Classes of Rapids

If you are planning to take on higher class rapids, make sure you read the requirements and the safety issues before you sign up. This will make sure you receive what you expect in terms of whitewater thrills.  Verify the condition of the equipment and the experience level of the guides. After all if something goes wrong you want to know that you are in good hands.

Class 3, class 4 and class 5 rapids are progressively more difficult and thrilling. You may need to pass a number of tests before going on some of these whitewater trips. Guides need to make sure that you can handle any of the potential upsets that could occur.Although in Class 3 and 4 rapids you probably will not flip out of the raft, you should be able to swim. You need to know how to swim out of a rapid as well as some of the circular spins that are set up around some rocks. This demands a certain level of common sense, experience and physical fitness to be able to do this.

Rafting Physical Fitness – Class 5

Particularly in class 5 whitewater rapids trips, participants could be thrown out of the raft or the raft could even tip over. If this happens you need to be able to swim out of the rapids and get to shore were someone can pick you up.

Being tossed about in the water in the middle of a set of rapids is not for the faint of heart, nor the non swimmer even if you have a life jacket. Make sure you have your helmet on and focus on what you need to do. The worst thing you can do is panic. Focus on staying calm, recall the guidelines your guide gave you about swimming out and avoiding rocks.

If you are not up to the task of swimming out of the whitewater rapids, then this level of rafting trip may not be for you. You can still have great thrills if you go on lower class rafting trips down whitewater rapids.

Time of Year for White Water Rafting

Remember too that rapids classification are also dependent on the amount of water that is cascading down the river. Spring runoff will usually bring higher cascades than summer or late fall. Unless there are heavy rains in the headlands of these whitewater rapids. If you cannot go on a particular rapid in the spring or early summer due to the amount of water churning down the river,  check back in the late summer. There may be less water at that time and you will be able to enjoy the scenery. Also the thrill on that particular set of rapids at that time.

As you gain experience, perhaps train and get into shape, learn to swim or improve your swimming, you will be able to take on even greater rafting challenges. It is all about having fun, having a few thrills and being safe in an environment that is potentially quite dangerous.

You constructive comments are welcome.

The final stretches of the Shenandoah River tumbles into the Potomac, carving a spectacular 6.5-mile watercourse through the Blue Ridge Mountains offering great Maryland whitewater rafting. Rafting the Shenandoah and travel on these two rivers through three states (Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia) on unforgettable 2 to 4.5 hour guided rafting whitewater trips. Rafting the Shenandoah.

During periods of low water the trip is exclusively on the Potomac, coursing through a majestic water gap, with a view Thomas Jefferson wrote was worth a voyage across the Atlantic. Both trips offer Class I-III whitewater, made up of some mellow water, permitting splashing and floating, multiple riffles and ledges, and challenging rapids such as “Bull Falls” and “White Horse.”

Experienced guides lead your trip, showing you the best route through the rapids while entertaining you with tales from the river. As you float by Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, learn about events that lead up to the Civil War.

Whitewater Rafting the North Branch and Rafting the Shenandoah

A step up from the Shenandoah / Potomac River raft trip is the Potomac’s North Branch guided tour. Spring and Fall releases from Jennings Randolph Dam near Keyser, West Virginia and Bloomington, Maryland provide for optimum levels of whitewater rafting.

This trip, only three hours from the Washington DC area, is nestled in the heart of the Potomac Highlands, making for a fantastic day, overnight, or weekend getaway. Rapids are continuous Class II-III+ , and the high water volumes and steeper gradient of the North Branch create waves and rollers up to six feet high. Sections of calm water permit cliff-jumping, relaxation, and swimming.

Wet suits are suggested due to the coldness of the water and air temperatures. These suits are provided by many rafting companies, while others will charge a nominal fee. Some companies will also offer deals if you book for more than one trip at a time or have larger groups that are booking at the same time. Inquire with the white water company you are booking with.

If you enjoy outdoor cook outs then you will also enjoy these rafting trips. Depending on the trip, your guide will prepare a wonderful outdoor meal which tastes spectacular in the fresh air after rafting down the river.

Other Things to do in the Area

For those who want to make a getaway or mini vacation of the trip…Mineral County and the surrounding Potomac Highlands provide many outdoor and indoor activities that would interest visitors of all ages.

Do you have interests in caving, photography, nature walks, hiking, country music, biking, or festivals? How about fairs, antiques, old time train rides? Or just sitting on a mountain side and marveling at the majesty of it all? If so you will have come to the right place.

There are many out doors activities that will appeal to all ages and activity levels. If some of your party really do not want to take in the white water rafting experience, they can enjoy the scenery from the shore. They can go hiking or enjoy a few cool beers in one of the local  pubs. There is lots to do in the area. Anyone who really enjoys the outdoors will enjoy a weekend or two in the Shenandoah and Potomac river areas.

Limestone Caves

The US has a lot of limestone and limestone is great for allowing running water to build caves throughout it. Caving may not be for everyone, especially if you do not like wet tight places. Most caves are wet, meaning that there is water either dripping or running in the cave. With the running water the cave is actually still being built and changing, all be it very slowly. Dry caves on the other hand are not changing and do not have water running through them. They are more pleasant to hike in, but you may not see some of the grander sites in these caves that you would see in a wet cave.

Enjoy the outdoors and everything that this area has to offer. Leave your comments to help readers appreciate this area of the US.

Are you feeling stressed out these days? There are a hundred things to do every day and you just cannot seem to keep up with them or even complete some before other items are added. The need to lower your stress is real. Some stress is good to keep us motivated, however when we go over the top, a lot of things suffer leading to even more issues to deal with. One area that suffers is diet, we go for fast food, we eat poorly and we probably gain weight and before we know it we are on the weight gain spiral and cannot seem to get away from it. Once you gain weight there are other health issues that come into play.

There are many other health issues that start to play a factor. High blood pressure, diabetes , high cholesterol and on and on. Do you think that simplifying your life would lead to an overall better life experience and allow you to focus on the things that count? We think so and have prepared an initial  list that you can draw on to begin simplifying your life.

Lower Your Stress to Live Longer

Simplicity. How can we make things simpler, more streamlined, or more efficient?

Reducing complexity in my life has reduced stress, increased free time, and top priorities are actually top priorities. When we simplify as much as we can we are better able to slow down and enjoy each moment as opposed to rushing through it. We can focus on the items that are important such as eating properly and managing our diet. This leads to even more control over our other health issues. Believe me if you do not have health issues now, you will have soon if you do not take control of your life and manage your stress.

Here are a few ways you can simplify the various aspects of your life:

1. Turn off your cell phone at least part of the day, if you cannot do it the entire day.

2. Process email only twice a day and do not do this before you go to bed, since you will lie awake thinking about some of the email.

3. Go to bed early, at least at a reasonable time and try to get sufficient sleep.

4. Get rid of (or at least reduce) commitments that you do out of obligation.

5. Create a weekly meal plan, including preparing meals that you can heat up during the week. Not only is there less work, you will eat much better as well.

6. Automate your finances. Have bills paid automatically. Have your employer deposit your pay check.

7. Purge as much unneeded clutter as possible. Throw out anything that you have not used in 12 months.

8. Keep your paper shredder on top of your recycling bin. Shred anything that has your name and address on it to avoid identity theft

9. Add items you want to a wish list as you think of them. Later you can prioritize these items.

10. Get a label maker or write labels out by hand.

Organize Everything

11. Set your clothes out for the next day the night before.

12. Make your lunch for the next day the night before.

13. Make time to catch up with an old friend and set a time in your schedule.

14. Just say no to things that are not important or things that cause you stress.

15. Ask for experiences not things for your birthday and Christmas this year.

16. Tell the truth. It is so liberating, even if you sugar coat it a bit

17. Keep your list of addresses and phone numbers up to date and in one place. If you must update your cell phone or computer once a month. Set a time to do this.

18. Get a handle on your debt and consolidate debt so that you have fewer payments to make.

19.Be organized and use a system that works for you.

20. Place a bag for garbage in your car. Clean your car once a week.

Keep Track of Things

21. Carry a notebook, recorder or use your smart phone to keep notes where ever you go.

22. Unsubscribe from emails, newsletters or RSS feeds that don’t provide value anymore.

23.Apologize as soon as you can, preferably immediately  when you realize you’ve done wrong.

24. We never know what is going to happen to us in the next day let alone the next hour, enjoy the present moment as much as you can.

25. Take time to really enjoy the little things in life.

26.If you must watch TV, watch things that make you happy or are enjoyable. Avoid the news late at night, it is too depressing.

27. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air, go for walks, bike.

28. Routines are good for many people, while for others the lack of routine is good. Create morning, daytime, and evening routines that meet your needs. Low stress.

29. When you need help, ask for help around the house, the yard or even the office.

30. Spend time at home as much as possible (eat, date nights, entertain etc.).

Avoid Perfectionism

31. Avoid other people’s issues, don’t get caught up in other people’s problems.

32. For the perfectionists among us, relax your need to be perfect and if you cannot do this, select items that need to perfect and let the others go.

33. Develop an eating plan with an exercise plan that creates an energy deficit if you want to lose weight. Eat healthy foods.

34.  Share responsibilities with your spouse , family  members or friends.

35. Reduce your wardrobe to a few versatile items.

36. Try to be positive and look at the up side of things.

37. Compliment yourself and focus on the positive things you have accomplished.

38. Completely finish old tasks before taking on new ones.

39. Every new item you purchase get rid of at least one or if you can set two free.

40. Enjoy the life you have and the things you have.

41. Reduce what you carry with you in your purse or wallet.

42. If you are a multi-tasker and this is causing you stress, try to focus on one thing at a time.

43. Each time you start something new, ask yourself if you really need to do this? does it cause stress? does it add value to your life.

If you have other ideas about how to lower your stress, we would love to have your comments.

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White Water Rafting in Oregon provide spectacular rivers and are an outdoor treasure waiting to be discovered by experts and people new to whitewater rafting . Everyone should find a way to make your Oregon white water rafting dreams come true this season. The scenery is beautiful, the rivers challenging and the air is fresh.

There are whitewater rafting trips in Oregon for every range of interest and every level of ability. There are half-day thrillers to five-day adventures through the heart of wild Oregon. Camp out under the stars and enjoy the wilderness, or take one of the more challenging rapids with lots of high waves and deep troughs.

White Water Rafting in Oregon

The Umpqua, north of Crater Lake, is a fast flowing whitewater rafting gem from the Cascades and is a whitewater dream. In addition to exceptional Class III and IV whitewater, it is also one of the most beautiful rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Its continuous pool and drop rapids keep constant action rolling. The Umpqua has more rapids per mile than any other Oregon river. This river truly deserves the Wild and Scenic protection it acquired. Volcanic columns tower over the canyon, the river is breathtaking in both beauty and excitement.

The McKenzie, with its crystal clear water banked by lush forests, is ideal both for an introduction to river running, or an exhilarating trip for the experienced. Consider this trip if you are a first time rafter and want to try out rafting, without being over the top with waves.

Grande Ronde River

The Grande Ronde River is one of Oregon’s treasures waiting to be discovered. Cutting its way through the ancient lava flows of northeast Oregon, this swift river winds through steep canyon lands of 2,400 feet elevation. It runs past impressive basalt formations before joining the Columbia. Forests of fir, mixed conifer, and ponderosa pine provide habitat for an amazing array of bird and wildlife along the way. Sightings of Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep await the lucky rafter.

Oregon’s most dramatic whitewater river cuts an isolated course through the sagebrush tablelands in southeast Oregon. This remote high desert wilderness is the setting for an unforgettable four or five day trip. A National Wild and Scenic River since 1984, the Owyhee offers scenery reminiscent of Bryce and Zion National Parks in Utah. If you have been to either of these parks, you will know that you are in for a treat for sites that you have never seen and can only imagine.

John Day

The John Day takes you into one of Oregon’s finest river canyons. It is a charming and exciting river with incredible scenery and unspoiled beauty. Its 280 miles is the longest undammed river in the Pacific Northwest, and is federally protected as a Wild and Scenic River. The basalt formations and bluffs are truly impressive, cliffs and palisades tower more than 3,000 feet high above the river. Truly impressive and something to behold.

Exhilarating whitewater, spectacular rocky mountain vistas, and sunny warm desert canyons combine to make the Deschutes the best known river in Oregon. The Deschutes offers hot sun tanning days and cool swimming under clear blue skies. This section is a designated Wild and Scenic River offering exciting Class III and IV rapids including Oak Springs, Elevator, Buckskin Mary, and Boxcar.

With so many rapids to choose from it is difficult to know were to start. If you are a first time rafter, start with the lower class of rapids, perhaps a half day trip to get used to it. Then move up to a full day trip and perhaps a higher rated set of rapids to increase the challenge. Remember that most trips will include at least one higher rated set of rapids. So be sure to discuss this with your rafting company to ensure that you fully understand what you are getting into.

No Turning Back

Once you are in the raft and heading down the river there is no turning back. In fact as you enter the rapids you may not even realize just how challenging they are. You are actually in the middle of some giant wave and getting soaked. Your raft bends and buckles with the water. Hang on, because in many cases that is all you can do and hope your guide knows what he is doing.

This is one of the most exciting things you will do in your lifetime, so make sure that someone you know comes with you. The memories are wonderful, but they get even better if you share them with someone. You can talk about your river trips for years to come. River rafting with someone you know is actually the most important part of the entire trip!

If you have comments about your trips or some of the Oregon rivers that you have been on , feel free to leave your comments as well.

Have you ever gone to one of the buffets offered by many of the casinos around the country? They are really great deals for the price and the food is usually excellent. The problem with buffets and your diet, well not really the casino buffet, it is more with the people who go to them, myself included, is that we all tend to over eat. It is human nature and of course we want to get our money’s worth , don’t we? Casino buffets and your diet really do not mix.

If you are on a diet and you go to one of these buffets with a group it can be very difficult to maintain your diet while everyone around you is filling up on the foods available at the buffet. Some of the larger buffets will have over 100 items on display for you to chose from and let’s face it , all of the food is excellent. The selection is so great that even if you only took one table spoon of each item, your plate would be over flowing by the time you got to the end.

Inexpensive Compared to Other Choices

Some buffets at some of the smaller casinos cost around $10.00, while the buffets at the larger casinos in Vegas can go as high as $25 per person. The food is all good, no, great and the selection is fantastic. The difference between a $10 and a $25 buffet will be a combination of  decor, presentation and at the higher end buffets, sometimes there will be more exotic foods. Either way you can fill up your plate very quickly and blow your diet plan without any trouble at all. Casino buffets and your diet really do not mix. So what is a person supposed to do when asked to go to one of these casino buffets?

Alternatives to Buffets and Your Diet

You could of course refuse to go to the buffet with the group or family, however for most people this is a non starter. Everyone wants to fit in and besides the family or group you are with want to enjoy the buffet as well as your company.

You already know that once you get in there, chances are you will probably over eat. Casino buffets and your diet just do not mix.  But there are a few things you can do to control your over eating at a buffet and minimize the damage to your diet plan.

Discipline is one thing. You need this every day of your life while on a diet, so it is no different here, just a little more difficult to stick to it. Before you walk in, you need to tell yourself that you need to be extra strong to avoid all of the temptations.

Next, avoid looking at the desert area. This is a major source of calories, so just do not look at it. If you cannot see it and don’t know what they are offering then you will not be tempted.

We all know that it takes a while for the stomach to tell us that it is full and that is why we often feel so uncomfortable. We have over eaten and did not stop when we knew that we would be full.

Eat Slowly

So, eat slowly. Enjoy every bite and let your stomach tell you when you are full. By eating slowly your stomach will have the time to realize that it is full and communicate to your brain that it does not need any more food.

Next, the casino buffets often provide small plates and very large plates. These large plates really do hold a lot of food, more than most people can eat at one sitting. When I am trying to control how much I eat, I grab one of the small plates and use this as a natural way to limit the amount of food I put on my plate. Combined with eating slowly and having to get up for another plate naturally limits the amount of food I eat.

Lastly watch what you drink. At a casino buffet, you can have just about anything you want to drink and as many drinks as you want. Some casinos will even offer free beer and wine with their meals. You can drink chocolate milk, soft drinks or coffee or juice and as much of it as you want. If you are trying to manage your diet, stick to water. It is better for your digestion  and there are no calories when you drink water.

Buffets and Your Diet – To summarize:

• Avoid the desert area
• Eat slowly
• Use a small plate
• Drink water with your meal
• Enjoy your time with your family and friends

Casino buffets can be very tempting. However if you follow these few simple rules, you can still manage to stay within your diet plan and enjoy your time as well.

The buffets offered by the casinos have a full selection of salads and low calorie foods as well as all of the high calorie foods. Stick to the salads and low calorie foods while at the buffet. All of the food with the gravies and sauces, while they taste good, are high calorie and also are full of salt which is another health issue for many people.

Following these few simple rules and guidelines can help us all to maintain our diets and also avoid gaining weight while we are on vacation.

If you have other tips or ideas, please leave a comment on our blog.

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This post is about smoke filled casinos,  the amount of smoke, second hand smoke and chemicals from deodorizer being sprayed in US casinos. It may seem like a funny post to a diet information blog, however I am really on a roll here against situations that cause a lot of hardship and expense to otherwise healthy people. Most people do moot even give it a seconds thought, but if these chemicals bother you, then you really are much more aware.

I recently experienced a severe case of bronchitis brought on by a combination of a short cold, being in a smoked filled casino and deodorizer used heavily to combat the smell of second hand smoke. Some people may ask, why didn’t you just leave. The answer is I did , but not before this combination had done its number on my body and I was able to figure out the connection.

Once we left this contaminated environment, I immediately began to improve, but why should I have to deal with this. I have the same rights as everyone else?

The Situation In Casinos – Smoke Filled Casinos

I am sure this is not true but it seems that 80% of people who go to a casino smoke. Whenever they hit a small jackpot, they light up in celebration , take a drink and away they go again. Some ignorant folks even smoke cigars in these confined spaces. The result is a filthy ( ashes everywhere), smoky air filled environment that would turn anyone off.

The casinos compensate by increasing the air flow in some and adding deodorizer of various kinds in the  casino main area. The problem is that this bad air finds its way through and into just about everything. Your clothes, the slot machines you touch, the hallways, and yes even that non smoking room that you ordered.

The result is the casinos spray deodorizer everywhere to try to compensate for the over powering smell. When you walk into some of the really bad ones, it is like a foul smell of a corpse that has been decomposing for months.

Why Don’t the Casinos Do Something?

The answer is a combination of fear and money. Obviously the smoking patrons bring in a lot of money to the casino, they are good customers and the casinos do not want to risk losing them to other casinos. This is the fear part. Losing a casino patron means they are not spending money in their slot machines or at their tables, they are not eating in their restaurants and they are not staying in their rooms.

Although there is a big revenue income from smoking patrons, there is a downside to this situation as well for the casinos. Everything smells, there is nicotine on everything and there are all of those ashes which end up on the floor or on the machines. It all has to be cleaned and at a huge cost. In addition electronics do not like bad air and they do not like sticky nicotine building up on components. Slot machines in smoking casinos require a lot more maintenance than in non smoking casinos.

So far the casinos have been unwilling to take the risk of losing their smoking customers and saving millions of dollars in cleaning fee’s by banning smoking in casinos. This is a huge fear they have in a very competitive business!

What Will it Take to Get them To Change

First of all one casino or one casino chain is not going to make this change on their own. The world is just too competitive and they are unwilling to take the risk of losing so much business by banning smoking.

A state like Nevada might be willing to legislate the change, however the state is very dependent on revenues from gambling and probably is unwilling to do anything to rock the boat. After all almost every state has casinos running now and all of these other states would be more than happy to take some of the business from Las Vegas.

I really think that if the federal government mandated all casinos to eliminate smoking in the casinos, the casino owners would quietly embrace the notion and support such a bill. The reason would be that there still is a level playing field and everyone must play by the same rules.

Canada Did It – Got Rid of Smoke Filled Casinos

The casinos in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are all non smoking casinos AND they are packed. Sure there might have been a temporary drop in business. However the gamblers could not stay away. Once they found out that the smokers were still welcome under certain conditions they flocked back. Maintenance costs are way down and the air is clean and breathable in these casinos.

The Canadian casinos made 3 fundamental changes which allowed a compromise and yet meet more customer needs. First they banned smoking in the casinos which made the non smokers happy. Now more of them come to the casino for their evenings entertainment.

Secondly , the Canadian casinos created smoking rooms for the smokers to go to to grab a quick puff or two. This means taking a break from the slot machine. But at least they are in the building and spending money as usual.

Third and I think this was the most important part. The casinos support the reservation of a slot machine. Or a seat at a table for a short amount of time. If you are a smoker and need a brake for a quick smoke, you can reserve your slot machine. Off you go to grab that quick smoke. Most people are only gone for a minute or two. Then they are right back to their slot machine gambling once more.

Everyone is happy. Sure the casino might experience a slightly lower throughput of money per machine, due to the seat reservation system, however with more players in the casino their over all throughput is actually up! Maybe it will happen in the US some day!

Comments are welcome.

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Jackson Hole White water rafting. Jackson Hole is home to one of the most exiting activities in the world.  Many people come every year to experience the thrill of rafting in these rapids and the thrill of camping outdoors under the stars. White Water Rafting has quickly become a summer activity favorite. Rafting trips vary a great deal from the calm, scenic upper Snake River which offers a unique perspective of Grand Teton National Park.  The  Lower Snake River offers more challenging rafting with wild rapids and lots of frothy waves along this portion of the river.

Regardless of your age and abilities, there is a rafting trip suitable for your requirements along the Snake river. Customers who are perhaps a bit older or cannot swim can take some of the more sedate rafting trips with waves less than 2 feet high. These rapids offer great views and some thrills, however they are not sufficiently high enough that there is danger of capsizing or being ejected from the raft. Always make sure you wear your life-preserver and follow the instructions of the guides.

Jackson Hole White water rafting – Lower Snake River

The lower Snake River route runs the whitewater of the Snake River Canyon. Experience Big Kahuna and other fun rapids around the area. It’s Jackson’s most popular trip for good reason! Jackson Hole lies just west of the Continental Divide and occupies about 400 square miles. The waters of the Snake River take up part of the valley, making for an impressive view and fantastic whitewater rafting opportunities.

The Jackson Hole Whitewater offers Whitewater and Scenic Rafting Trips on the Snake River. It provides 8 miles of wildest adventurous whitewater trip in Jackson Hole. Float for 13 miles past some of the most beautiful scenery in Jackson Hole, the entire trip takes about 7 hours and many outfitters will include lunch on the river.

Snake River in Jackson Hole Whitewater Rafting

Take Water River Trips through 8 miles of whitewater in the Grand Canyon of the Snake River. Combining spectacular scenery with the excitement of rolling rapids, this trip has all the ingredients for the perfect river adventure. The small 8-man paddle rafts are available on the whitewater section starting in June.

Overnight Trips-Scenic/Whitewater Combo

There are many whitewater rafting outfitters in the Jackson Hole area. You can find many on the internet, however we suggest that really word of mouth and referrals is always the best way to go. Going on a class 1 or 2 set of rapids, is not dangerous with only 2 foot waves, however higher class rapids require more skilled guides that are experienced in handling groups in more aggressive whitewater rapids.

An overnight trip along some of these rapids can be an unforgettable experience. And with the right company who provides all of the things you need to make your trip enjoyable, you will not only have fun, you will experience the camaraderie of  camping under the stars around a camp fire and enjoying meals cooked in the outdoors.

Check with your local rafting company to determine exactly what they offer to their customers. Select the trip that makes the most sense to you based on services offered and the overall safety of the trip vs. your abilities for paddling and swimming. They will explain in detail what you will receive and if you are unsure, just ask more questions.

Key questions to consider are:

• How many people will there be in the raft?
• What class of rapids will we be going through?
• Do we need to paddle a lot or just when the guide needs us to paddle?
• Will we get wet, will we capsize?
• Do we wear life preservers?
• If we are getting lunch, what is included?
• What clothes should we wear and how do we get dry clothes at the end?
• Should we leave valuables behind such as jewelry, watches, wallets, glasses?
• How experienced are the guides?
• What are the physical requirements for the trip you are going on?
• How do we get back to our starting point?
• Can kids or elderly people go on this trip?
• What equipment do we need to bring?

What is the effect of weight loss on your breathing? Many posts talk about various diets and the amount of weight that you can lose if you go on one diet or another. Some diet plans will discuss the benefits of losing weight on other related illnesses. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Most people find that when they lose weight, that these various problems will become less of an issue or disappear all together. In fact on the show the “Biggest loser”, many of the contestants who lose significant amounts of weight will talk about how much better they feel. They mention how they have stopped taking medicine for various health issues that they may have had. What they do not talk about is Weight Loss and Breathing issues.

Another major benefit is the ability to take a deep breath without wheezing and to walk without becoming short of breath. There is a major difference between exercising and being short of breath vs. taking a short walk up and down your driveway and being short of breath.  Add to this the complications of bronchitis or asthma and you have the conditions for a major illness and possibly death due to lack of oxygen. If you have ever been short of breath and know the fear of not being able to breathe then you will know what I mean! That is why there is such a connection between weight loss and breathing capabilities.

Weight Loss and Breathing

I am slightly over weight and in relatively good shape having exercised regularly, doing many miles on my bicycle and going to the gym about 4 times a week. Recently I had a case of severe bronchitis, needed treatments at the hospital and was very short of breath. Even though I was in good shape, nothing prepared me for the shortness of breath and gasping for air. This is a frightfully scary thing to have happen. I have discovered the connection between weight loss and breathing.

What If You are Also Over Weight

I am slightly over weight, however what if you are significantly over weight? If you are, chances are that your lungs are already compressed. You may also have bronchitis or asthma and you have a truly scary situation. Your lungs are already compressed and now your air ways are swollen due to a virus, a cold or environmental contaminants in the air such as smoke, deodorizer or other things that are naturally occurring. This is why weight loss and breathing issues can be so important.

You are in big trouble and need to see a doctor quickly because your body will shut down on you if you do not get enough oxygen to it!  Some symptoms besides being shortness of breath are:

• Fever
• High blood pressure
• Chest pains
• Swelling in the ankles

If you have any of these symptoms do not wait, get checked out immediately.

Basically the extra weight you are carrying around compresses your lungs and makes it more difficult for your diaphragm to push air out of your lungs and to also draw deep breaths of air into your lungs. All of this extra weight is hard on your heart and of course your joints as well, but we will stay focused on just taking a breath. If you cannot get air into your lungs then you are not getting enough oxygen into your blood stream and now you are in serious trouble because your heart cannot do it’s job. This is bad news.

Fix the Initial Problem , then Lose Weight

Obviously you need to get over the asthma or bronchitis or whatever is causing you to be short of breath. This is the most important near term issue. However as soon as your bronchitis attack etc is under control, start the process of losing weight and getting into shape. You just have to look at the people on the “Biggest Loser” to see the dramatic effects it has on their overall well being. As well as their ability to get a full breath of air and not be short of breath or gasping for air all of the time.

Most of us need that one big scare to get our acts together. For some people it is a heart attack, for others it is getting sick from too much alcohol, still for others it is gasping for breath because we are too heavy and our bodies just cannot deal with the extra weight. We cannot get enough air into our lungs and cannot move around the way we used to. Make the commitment now to get into shape and lose weight.

Weight Loss and Breathing – Environmental Triggers

With the exception of environmental triggers, your bronchitis and asthma will occur less often and you will be stronger and more able to deal with these sudden onsets of bronchitis.

If your bronchitis is triggered by environmental issues, find out what they are and avoid them like the plague. There is no sense in exposing yourself to these triggers. Just stay away from them. Avoid people with colds and fevers, avoid people that smoke, avoid dusty situations or places with lots of contaminants in the air. In my personal situation, in addition to all of the above, I am also going to avoid hotels that do not have smoke free environments and also hotels that use deodorizer to hide the smells of cigarette smoke or other odors in the rooms. These are the worst for me and will set me off with  bronchitis attack for sure.

We would be happy to hear your comments and any other suggestions for dealing with shortness of breath. Please post a comment to our blog.

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Whitewater rafting packages vary a great deal from company to company and even on the same river. Each company puts together rafting packages that take into account the river they are on, the staff they have to run the trips and the gear they have. Some companies are better equipped than others with both personnel as well as the gear they use. You might even take the same trip from the same company with two different guides on different days and have a totally different kind of trip.

The water levels may be different and the guides could be having a great day or not so great a day. You could even find that the group you are with may make a difference as well. Some will be gung ho, while others are timid and afraid of the white water rapids.

Whitewater Rafting Packages

White Water Rafting Packages are put together by these companies to maximize the experience of their customers, while keeping them safe and still making a profit for the company. This is a tough business for them and they are still dependent on the weather during the winter, the spring melt and the summer flows. All of these conditions impact the overall water flow and can make the difference between a class 2 rapids and a class 4 rapids. White water rafting companies cannot control these elements, however they do the best they can to give you a memorable experience.

White Water Rafting is for Families as well as experts.

If you are new to white water rafting and really wondering what is white water rafting and what the sport is all about, you may want to start with one of the relatively calm white water rafting packages and then progress as you find these trips interesting and exciting. Beginners can choose from camping packages and hotel packages. Most beginners will take a short half day trip to get a feel for rafting to see if they really will enjoy it. Some trips are suitable for elderly people and small children accompanied by an adult.

Discuss your trip with the local guide or representative of the rafting company. Ask all of the questions that you may have and focus on making sure that you are compatible with the trip being offered. If you cannot swim, make sure that the company is aware of this. They will not send you on a trip that is dangerous and requires that you may be able to swim out of a rapids should your raft capsize.

What do Whitewater Rafting Packages Include

Typically white water rafting trips will include the following. However they do vary by location and company so be sure to review the list in detail. Ask questions if you do not see what you are expecting. Some items on the list will apply to full day or over night trips. They may not be offered with half day trips. If in doubt always ask the organizer of the representative of the white water rafting company:

• Buffet Breakfast before your trip.
• A great riverside lunch complete with all the trimmings (usually applies to full day trips)
• One or Two Day full day rafting trip
• Complementary beverage after your trip
• Delicious Gourmet Dinner. (Usually applies to overnight trips)
• One or 2 nights Camping Include camping and meals or
• One or 2 Nights Lodging for hotel trips
• All gear is provided including life preservers, rafts, tents and food
• Customers may want to bring their own sleeping bag rather than use one provided by the rafting company.
• Always ask for a full list of the items provided by the company. Also for a recommended list of items that each person should bring along.
• You should ask for a list of those things that should be left behind. Such as your non water proof watches and cameras, jewelry, wallets. Also any other items of value which might not do well in a wet environment.

Select A Rafting Site that Fits your Least Fit Person

Choose a white water rafting trip that makes sense for you, your family and friends and your budget. If you want the exhilarating ride of a fast rapids and the comfort of a hotel room at night, book the hotel package with meals and you will have a very exciting and comfortable vacation.

If you like to rough it, then an overnight camping trip might be the best trip for you. Camping under the stars can be a lot of fun. However the weather may not always cooperate. Be prepared for wet , cold conditions. Bring several changes of clothes that can be kept dry and ready for you after a days rafting down the river.

Finally, any trip should be fun for everyone involved. This includes white water rafting. Being prepared for your trip and making the most of it will contribute to wonderful memories. That you can share with friends and family for years to come.

This post is not really about diets, instead it is about a pet peeve of mine. I happened to be allergic to a lot of things. I also suffer from chronic bronchitis. So I am very aware of various environmental and non-environmental agents in the air that might affect my breathing ability. This particular post is about Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms after they have been cleaned. This is to add air freshener to the air and supposedly make them smell nice.

If you have ever had to struggle to breathe then you will know what I am talking about and just how scary it can be. Even to gain enough air in your lungs to avoid fainting is a pretty scary thing. To have this caused by something in the air that is really not necessary is just plain cruel. This is what Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms can do to people who have allergies etc.

Many people smoke and some people will smoke in hotel rooms even if they are designated as non smoking rooms. I want to emphasize several points  about this post. First although I do not support smoking at any time, this post is not about smokers. Secondly I think it is rude for people to smoke in hotel rooms when they are designated as non smoking rooms.  However the real issue for me is how the hotels deal with odors they find in the room after a guest has vacated the room.

Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms Whether it is Needed or Not

Deodorizer is commonly sprayed in every hotel room immediately after the cleaning staff has cleaned the room. It is part of their routine whether the room smells or not or whether a smoker was in the room in or not. The idea is to make it smell nice and fresh and to eliminate or hide any odors that might linger from cleaning or previous guests.

For some people, myself included, the moment I walk into a room that has been sprayed with this deodorizer, I begin to cough and experience shortness of breath. I have discovered that my bronchial tubes react negatively to this chemical and begin to swell, squeezing the air way and making it very difficult to breathe. My last episode also involved recovering from a cold and being in a smoky situation for an hour or two. Basically I was hit with three bad situations at the same time and required a visit to a clinic for a breathing treatment to open up my airways, TWICE.

Serious Issues

This is quite serious for many people. The hotel was helpful as much as they could however it is a large hotel and every room is sprayed routinely.

First of all they moved us to a new room that had not been occupied for sometime and we found this very satisfactory until the next morning. When we left for breakfast, the cleaners went in immediately, cleaned the room and sprayed!

After airing out this room, it was not too bad, however every time we stepped into the hallway, all we could smell is deodorizer from all of the other rooms. Even the main area of the hotel used this stuff to reduce the smell of smoke. In the US , they apparently are afraid to band smoking indoors. They are behind Canada in this regard.

What to Do About Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms

We have learned to request rooms that have never been smoked in for starters. Secondly we ask if deodorizer has been used or is routinely used. Sometimes you have to be patient while the hotel manager proudly explains that they use this chemical to make their rooms fresh and nice smelling for their guests.

Once he has finished, calmly and politely explain your problems with deodorizer. Then request if the hotel can place a deionizer in the room for an hour to remove all of the chemical from the room.

Most hotels will gladly do this for you, once you explain the problem and it does work.  Sometimes this is better than opening the windows. Since some hotels do not have windows that you can open. Or the environmental issues outside may cause the same issues. The deodorizer really does work.

Why Don’t the Hotels Make Changes?

At first you might think that they do not know about the problem, however this would be incorrect. I spoke to the manager of one hotel to tell him why we were checking out early. He acknowledged that this was a common complaint by many guests. But they had to use the deodorizer to clear the smell of smokers who routinely ignored the non smoking rules.

What it comes down to in the view of the hotel management is that smoking guests carry more economic weight than non-smoking guests. So they will continue to use the deodorizer in their rooms.

Guidelines to Follow

• Stay in Non Smoking Hotels if you can
• Stay in non smoking rooms
• Request that the room be deodorized
• Ask house keeping to not spray the room if you are staying more than one day
• Eliminate all other possible irritants – e.g. feather pillows
• Request a new room if it is too over powering
• Change  hotels

Most hotel managers will be very helpful. They will do everything they can to assist you. So do not hesitate to ask in a polite respectful way. But at the same time do not take no for an answer. After all it is your life and your health. If you have ever experienced the raw fear of struggling to get a breath, then you will not be afraid to make some of these requests.

Readers who have experienced this problem and have additional comments and ideas about what to do, please add your comments to this post. Deodorizor Spraying in Hotel Rooms can be a big issues for many people.

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Rafting and camping go hand in hand with people who love to do outdoors activities. Many people will try rafting, going on half day trips or even full day trips. These are fun and exciting and the rafting companies will usually provide all of the gear you need along with a hearty lunch at lunchtime. These trips can be a lot of fun and if you go with close friends or family you will have many memories to enjoy together for years and years. Like the one in this picture which is actually a raft with a tent on it. Everyone gets to their tent by canoe.

Rafting & Camping Tents

Some rafting companies will also offer multi day trips involving rafting down a river trip, then breaking for the day at a suitable campsite to spend the night. Most will also provide all of the equipment you will need including tents, cots and all cooking facilities along with a hot cooked meal at the end of the day. Most people will bring their own sleeping bag that is clean and meets their personal needs. All of your gear will be transported by the company you are rafting with and have it at the site when you arrive for the evening. This is really the way to go and it makes it easy for everyone.

However some more experienced rafters and campers prefer to do it on their own. Transporting their own gear, choosing their own camping site and setting up their own tents, etc. They are well equipped with all of the Rafting & Camping Tents gear they need and have a lot of experience with rafting and camping.

What Tent to Chose for your Trip

One of the selections you must make in preparing for you rafting trip is the type and size of camping tent that you will be taking with you. Most campers will opt for a small tent due to size and weight issues. They want to minimize the size of the gear they carry. Also the weight of the gear particularly of there are portages along the rafting route. Carrying heavy tents is not a fun thing to do along with everything else they need to carry. Back packers know all about this. Since they carry all of their gear on their backs through the bush, climbing mountains and scaling ravines.

Choosing a tent is a very important to the overall success of your trip. Selecting a tent that is too small means that there may be no room to save stow your gear for the night. A tent too large is harder to pitch since you need a larger area to spread out your camp and you have lots of room to spread out inside the tent. A larger tent will be heavier as well to carry during portages.

Storing Your Food

One very important point to remember regardless of how large your tent is, store your food outside up a tree.  If there are animals around they will not hesitate to join you in your tent to get at your food items. Especially if there is meat involved. Bears have even been known to break into cars to get at items they think are food stuffs. A tent would not protect you or your food for even one second if a bear wants to have his supper!

Once you have decided on the size of tent, decide if you want windows, flaps, rain protection. Also a tent that can be set up in minutes vs. taking tens of minutes. This last point can be important if you are already wet and cold, if is raining and you are trying to get your tent set up.  A camping tent that sets up in minutes can make the difference between an enjoyable trip and an excellent trip. If you’re dry you have already won half the battle.

Rafting & Camping Tents – Easy to Fold

Camping tents also must be able to be easily folded down for packing and carrying. Make sure you know how to do it the same way. Pack and fold your tent back to the original size it was shipped in. You will not be able to pack it any smaller than the way it was shipped. But make sure you know how to pack it down to its original size for both carrying and portaging.

There are many items to consider when preparing for an over night rafting trip. We suggest that you go on a few trips with a recognized company first. Pick up all of the tricks of the trade first. Talk to the rafters to learn how they approach the trip. Learn some of the tricks they use to prepare and travel between campsites.

Feel free to leave your comments for our readers. Any suggestions you may have are welcome and appreciated.

White Water Rafting in the Americas : From half day trips for beginner rafters to multi day trips for experts, there are lots to choose from. As a result white water rafting in North and South America offers you the ultimate choice of whitewater rafting travel fun on over 75 rivers across the U.S., Canada and South America. We have listed some of the areas and rivers that you might consider for white water rafting trips. However they all offer various levels of trips from family to challenging class 4 rapids. Always check with each local site for details, prices and packages.

However if we have missed a river that should be on the list please add a comment to our blog. Please provide the correct information and we will be happy to add it. However note that we have not been able to verify the accuracy of each site and the rivers that provide these rapids. As a result please take the time to verify the skill level and the training level of the guides. Also the quality of the equipment used by each provider to ensure you have the best and safest trip that you can.

White Water Rafting in the Americas

West Coast rafting trips:

• First, Grand Canyon rafting
• Secondly, American River rafting and Kern River rafting in California
• Thirdly, Rogue River in Oregon
• Fourthly, Salt River rafting in Arizona

British Columbia Rafting, Canada

Rocky Mountain Region rafting trips:

• Firstly, Colorado River rafting in Utah
• Secondly, Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho
• Thirdly, Arkansas River rafting in Colorado
• Fourthly, Flathead River rafting (Glacier national Park) in Montana

Mid-West rafting trips:

• Peshtigo and Minominee River rafting in Wisconsin
• East Coast rafting trips:
• Rafting West Virginia’s Gauley River
• Rafting the Kennebec River in Maine
• Nantahala River rafting in North Carolina’
• Chatooga River rafting in Georgia and South Carolina
• Rafting the Deerfield and Millers Rivers (Massachusetts),
• West River (Vermont) or Housatonic River (Connecticut)
• Lehigh River rafting in Pennsylvania
• Rafting the Delaware River in New York and Pennsylvania

Northern Canada (multi-day expeditions)

• Yukon Territory rafting – Yukon, Wind, Snake and Firth Rivers
• Northwest Territory Rafting – Nahanni, Mountain, Horton and Thelon Rivers
• Nunavut Territory Rafting – Copper Mine and Burnside Rivers
• Northern British Columbia Rafting – Taku and Stikine Rivers

Southern Canada (day trips, resorts and multi-day packages)

• Firstly, British Columbia Rafting – Thompson, Nahatlatch, Fraser and Stein Rivers
• Secondly, Quebec and Ontario Rafting – Ottawa River

South American White Water River Rafting

• Futaleufu River Rafting (Chile)
• Rio Upano River Rafting (Ecuador)

Study Shows Adults Who Nap Learn Better, Perform Better – Have you ever taken a nap on the weekend after lunch, about mid afternoon? How did you feel afterwards?  Midday Naps Make Us Smarter. Would rejuvenated be the right word?  Studies are now being conducted that prove what many of us have known for years. We have not been able to practice because of time constraints and pressure at work as well as in our everyday life.  It is not usually until we retire, that we have the time to really try out the mid day nap routine. We find out just how great it can be, not only for our well being, but also our intelligence as well.

When we are working and raising a family there is just no time at work during lunch hour to even think about a mid day nap. In fact many people do not even take a full 60 minutes for their lunch. If  they do they are running errands trying to keep up with all of their personal requirements. And who would even think about taking a nap at work around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. That would be grounds for being fired. Yet there is mounting evidence that taking a nap in the early afternoon contributes to increased energy. Also increased intelligence and alertness for people needing to contribute to their company’s success. Midday Naps Make Us Smarter, they just do!

Midday Naps Make Us Smarter – Retired?

What retired people have known for years and newly retired people quickly learn is that they feel so much better after taking a mid day nap. They awake refreshed and ready to take on additional complex tasks after even a 20 minute nap in the afternoon. What can people who are working and often sleep deprived from dealing with the kids and other personal issues do to take advantage of this powerful opportunity?

Long distance drivers, whether they are truckers or vacationers, can also benefit from a nap at critical times during their driving trips.  Stopping for 20 or 30 minutes. Taking a fast nap can make a huge difference in their alertness and ability to drive carefully and safely. Many accidents occur every year from drivers falling asleep behind the wheel. Stop, take a nap and avoid a major accident.

Midday Naps Make Us Smarter – Places you Can Nap

If you drive to work, catching 20 minutes of sleep in your car is an excellent way to grab a nap at lunch time. Just make sure you have an alarm clock with you so that you do not sleep longer than you need.  Grab a conf room for a quick nap. However just make sure that it is reserved and that your secretary is aware. You can use your office for the same purpose as long as you can close the door and the blinds. It is much tougher for those people working in cubicles. You will need to find a quiet secluded place where you can grab 40 winks without being disturbed of thought to be a little kooky. Always have an alarm clock with you. Cell phones are usually great devices for this sort of thing with a built in alarm function.

Memory and learning capabilities are also improved, but harder to document.  The amount of sleep we get both in the evening as well as in what I like to call power naps can help us with memory and also learning new tasks and following instructions.

Nappers Perform Better

The following comments and statements have been contributed by Matthew Walker, PhD. He discusses some of the issues that his study brought to light regarding these two topics.

Nappers performed better than non-nappers on a test, says study researcher Matthew Walker. He is a PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at University of California, Berkeley. He presented his findings this week at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in San Diego.

The brain’s ability to learn information is not stable across the day. The area of the brain that stores memories may get ”clogged up” as the day goes on. Akin to a full email in-box on your computer, he says.

Napping at midday, when the brain’s ability to learn may have deteriorated may clear the brain’s memory storage area and make room for new information, Walker says.

Nap or No Nap: The Study

Walker and his colleagues gave 39 healthy young adults, average age 21, a difficult learning task. It was intended to tax the brain’s hippocampus. A region that helps store memories based on fact. The test — learning 100 face-name pairs and then matching them up — was given at noon.

Then, at 2 p.m., the nap group was given the chance for a 90-minute siesta. The no-nap group was asked to stay awake.

At 6 p.m., Walker gave them the test again. “People in the group which didn’t nap had a slight reduction of about 10% in their learning capacity during the day. Whereas the people who had a nap in between the first time they tried to learn relative to the second time they tried to learn actually improved their ability to learn by 10%.”

The total time the participants slept during the 90-minute window didn’t matter much in their later performance, Walker found. But the greater the amount of stage 2 non-REM sleep, a lighter form of non-dreaming sleep, the better their performance, he found.

Naps and Learning: Implications

The study results suggest that sleep before learning may be important, too. Just as experts have known that sleep after learning is crucial to solidify information learned, Walker says.

In previous research, Walker and others found that fact-based memories are stored temporarily in the brain’s hippocampus. Then sent to the area known as the prefrontal cortex — which he suspects has more storage space.

”Perhaps what happens is that the hippocampus is actually the short-term way station for memory in the brain”. The hippocampus is good at getting hold of information. But at some point needs to ”download” the information to the pre-frontal cortex, he says.

The nap before learning may help clear out the hippocampus and send the data on to the prefrontal cortex, allowing new information to soak in, Walker says.

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All Rivers that qualify for white water rafting have White Water Rafting River Ratings using roman numerals I to VI. This is according to the International Scale of River Difficulty. Note also that a river’s level of challenge changes with fluctuations in water levels; a river rated Class IV at medium water levels might resemble a Class III river at lower water levels, while at higher levels, it might look more like a Class IV+. The rating system used in the Grand Canyon, which rates rapids 1 to 10, pre-dates the modern Class I-VI system of rating rapids. A “10” in the Grand Canyon is comparable to a Class V rapid elsewhere.

Time of Year for White Water Rafting River Ratings

The time of year and the seasonal snow load can have a dramatic effect on the flow of water in the river and hence the class of rapid that you may be traversing. Check for local conditions before booking any rafting trip. Spring water flow levels can be very different from summer flows, so it is always important to confirm the level of difficulty before you book.

Note that multi-day expeditions can have a wide variety of rapids on a single trip, from class I to class V, so check with your outfitter to get details about that rivers specific white water rafting river ratings. Most companies will require evidence of previous experience if you are planning to run Class IV rapids.

Match White Water Rafting River Ratings to Skill Level

First-time and veteran rafters alike thrive on class II, III and some class IV rivers and rapids. Class V river trips–especially for paddlers–usually require two or more previous trips and previous Class IV experience. When booking your rafting trip with a Rafting America company, make sure you let the outfitter know your comfort and experience level so they can recommend the right tour for you. You may also need to be able to demonstrate that you have the stamina and the skill level to swim out of a class IV rapids if the raft capsizes in one of these rapids.

CLASS I

Easy – Waves small, passages clear; no serious obstacles, perfect for all ages and abilities. No guide needed.

CLASS II

Medium – Rapids of low difficulty with passages clear. Suitable for everyone, no experience necessary. A guide is preferable for these rapids, but not required.

CLASS III

Moderate – Waves numerous, high, irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow, requiring experience in maneuvering. No previous experience is necessary.

CLASS IV

Difficult – Long rapids; waves powerful, irregular; dangerous rocks; boiling eddies; powerful and precise maneuvering required. Have an experienced guide. Previous experience is helpful but not necessary.

CLASS V

Extremely Difficult – Exceedingly tricky, long and violent rapids, following each other almost without interruption; riverbed extremely obstructed; big drops; fierce currents; very steep gradient. Paddlers should have prior Class IV or better whitewater experience with experienced guides who know the river.

CLASS VI

Un-runnable! Just like it says – Don’t even think about it! These constitute waterfalls and other death-traps that should not be attempted.

How many people actually realize that they might have high blood pressure or hypertension? Most have heard about the problem. They are Neglecting Hypertension and assume that it must be other people who have the problem. After all they feel fine and do not have any out word symptoms.  Yet this silent killer is slowly attacking your organs by causing high blood pressure and stressing your organs. It wears them down over time as well as your arteries eventually leading to a stroke, a heart attack or aneurism. Neglecting Hypertension can be dangerous.

Neglecting Hypertension – Take Control of Your Health

The answer is to take control of your own health and also contribute to the community in any way you can, but start with yourself first. If you are at all concerned or just interested, visit your local pharmacy and take your own blood pressure. Most pharmacies have blood pressure machines available that are easy to use with instructions to tell you if your readings should be of concern. These same pharmacies also sell portable blood pressure machines you can use at home to keep an eye on your blood pressure. Take a number of readings to obtain an average over a few days.

Believe it or not one out of every three American adults has high blood pressure, or hypertension. One of every six American adults will die from complications related to hypertension, such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure, making it a leading cause of death in this country. This is a serious disease and you need to pay attention. You may not even realize that you have high blood pressure until it is too late and the damage has been done.  You can quickly check your blood pressure by following the steps mentioned above and then if necessary visit your doctor to be professionally assessed.

Millions of Americans “develop, live with, and die from hypertension,” says David W. Fleming, MD, chairman of the committee that produced the report. Last year, hypertension cost the health care system — directly and indirectly — more than $73 billion. Yet prevention efforts, Fleming says, are “woefully underfunded.”

Live Long Enough

“If you live long enough in this country, you are almost guaranteed to get hypertension. That’s not true across the world,” says Corinne Husten, MPH, MD, senior medical advisor for the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products and member of the committee that produced the report. “Environment explains why we are so at risk, and the reality is that unless we create the environment to do the right thing, we are going to continue to have all these deaths.”

Most people, after all, have already gotten the message about eating right and exercising regularly. The problem, as the committee sees it, is that too many communities, in particular those in low-income and minority areas, lack the infrastructure to support healthy lifestyles, including such basics as safe places to walk and neighborhood markets that stock fresh produce and low-sodium foods.

The writer of this post believes you cannot wait until the government takes the necessary steps to improve the community situation, assuming that this would even work. Instead, you need to take control of the situation yourself and modify your eating habits to help improve your blood pressure, as well as visit your doctor to be assessed. If you cannot afford a doctor, reduce your salt intake and monitor your own blood pressure now. Do as much as you can to get it under control yourself without the use of medication.

Neglecting Hypertension – Too Much Salt

Regardless of where you live, it’s likely that there’s too much sodium in your diet. Nearly 90% of adults consume more than the recommended 2,300 milligrams (about a teaspoon) daily limit. For those with high blood pressure, middle-aged and older adults, and African-Americans, the daily limit should be even lower (1,500 milligrams).

The salt shaker is not to blame. Most of that salt is already in food when it is purchased. Whether it’s processed food from a supermarket or a meal eaten in a restaurant. Processed food contains huge amounts of salt. Just read the labels to find out how much salt is in a daily serving. Even some cereals contain a lot of salt, but the real culprits are snacks and prepared meals.

Stay focused on reading labels and avoiding prepared foods with high salt content. Stop adding salt to your food with the salt shaker. Every little bit counts and pretty soon you will enjoy the taste of food when there is no salt added. In fact once you get used to low salt content in food, you will really notice foods you eat that are high in salt. Every time, I have tried prepared soup from a can for example, I find that I cannot finish it, since it is so salty!

Tips You can Apply In Every Day Life

Here are a few tips that will help you reduce your salt content in the foods you eat:

•  Do not add salt from a salt shaker, use spices instead.
•  Read labels and avoid any that have a high sodium content
• Prepared foods such as cold meats may not have labels that are easy to read. They have high salt content and should be avoided.
• Avoid snack foods such as salted chips and peanuts. If you must snack, use unsalted popcorn or peanuts.
• Add spices to your meals if you feel that you need something to add to your food. Pepper works great.
• Every little bit counts and you need to start now by reducing your salt intake to avoid this silent killer.

While most people get too much salt, the report also emphasizes that those same people often get too little potassium. This is another factor in the uptick of blood pressure levels. You can improve your potassium levels as well by eating more bananas with breakfast or between meals. Bananas are a great source of potassium and other minerals.

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The recent storms that have crisscrossed the United States this year are usually reserved for Canada. Inclement weather on the East Coast and elsewhere in the country has many workers snowed in at home. That doesn’t mean they’re not working, which we know that they are. But the question is are they following healthy work habits while working at home. Do they have Healthy Work Habits at Home?

There are two elements to Healthy Work Habits at Home. One is from a corporate basis and is the company getting its money’s worth and are you protecting your companies information and assets?  The other is more focused on personal health and making sure that you get the proper amount of exercise, eat properly and take appropriate breaks etc.

We would love to hear your comments on our thoughts on this topic.

Healthy Work Habits at Home – the Person

Many people tend to work harder at home than they do at the office. Hard to believe, but when you stop to think about it is obvious. There are less interruptions and impromptu meetings to go to, you can respond to emails and text messages on your schedule without the interruption of a face to face meeting. There is a great deal of time lost when we meet people in the office and chit chat for a few minutes before getting down to business. When working at home, a phone call is automatically more business like and much less prone to chit chat.

There are many reasons why people work more concentrated hours and longer hours at home. A simple one is that the computer is simply there and we cannot resist the temptation to check our email.

So what should we do to manage our health and to make sure we practice healthy work habits at home.

Steps to Consider

We identified a number of steps that works for us. We have been working from home for almost 10 years and have developed a number of habits which helps to keep us healthy.

• Establish a schedule and stick to it as much as possible. Start time, breaks, lunch, and quitting time that meets your needs as well as the company.
• Treat your day as if you were going to the office. Get up at the same time, have a shower, prepare for work in the same manner you would if you actually went into the office.
• Set your office in a separate place in the home that has some sort of physical separation from the rest of the home.
• Use a timer to keep track of time. Every hour get up and stretch your legs and arms. Go for a short walk if you can just to get your circulation going.
• Take and actual break for coffee and also for lunch. If you can , leave the house and go for a walk, go to the mall, go to the coffee shop to get a separation from your work. This is good for your mind and your body.
• Establish the discipline you need to avoid snacking. It is so easy to snack when you are at home. If you must snack find some food that is low on salt and low on calories.
• Make sure you have an ergonomic chair and desk. You will spend a lot of time there and you should be at least comfortable

Healthy Work Habits at Home – the Office

“If people aren’t working, they’re not generating revenue. If people are working from home, it’s business as usual,” said Chuck Wilsker, president and chief executive of The Telework Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit education and advocacy organization for people who work remotely with the help of technology.

Healthy Work Habits at Home – Protect yourself from identity theft

With identity theft and fraud hitting record levels, MarketWatch’s Jennifer Waters talks with Kelsey Hubbard about what’s behind the growth.

If you travel for work, your company likely already has telecommuting policies in place, you’re aware of them, and you have the required hardware and software to work from home.

But if you’re almost always in the office, consider these five tips for working from home safely and efficiently.

1. Know your company’s policies

If you don’t know your company’s telecommuting policies, you could be putting information at risk — and your job, too.

“If they lose information… if they’re going outside policy or not following standard common-sense standards for data security, that could mean their job,” said Jeremy Miller, director of operations at Kroll Fraud Solutions.

2. Secure your systems

Does your work require use of a company-issued computer to access its system? If so, you have a responsibility to keep that laptop or other device — and all the information contained within it — secure, Miller said.

If you’re using your personal computer, make sure to take precautions as well, including disabling peer-to-peer applications so that files are not visible to others on the Web. And you might not think anything of it if your neighbor or roommate logs on to your computer, but if there is work information on the machine, you could be in violation of company policy, Miller said.

3. Protect your computer

Enable your wireless network’s password protection and use a good password so that outsiders can’t hack into the network, according to a tip sheet from Best Buy’s Geek Squad, a technology assistance service.

And before you use a home computer to access office files or databases, make sure your operating system has the latest security updates. Also, check to ensure your antivirus program is reputable and current, the Geek Squad said.

4. Back up files

Regardless of where you’re working, make sure you back up your data — especially when there are severe winds or several feet of snow, according to the Geek Squad. Large files can be stored to a USB drive or an online storage spot.

5. Create a comfortable working environment

Minimize distractions at home by setting up your desk in a place where you can concentrate. A place that is reasonably quiet. Call center employees who work from home often are prohibited from having such things as barking dogs or chirping birds in the background, Wilsker said. But it’s not a bad idea for any employee working at home to limit background noise for when work calls need to be taken.

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White water companies all over America offer White Water Rafting for all Levels – from beginners to experts – top quality half to multi-day whitewater rafting trips on the most popular rivers in North America and South America. Go with companies that have at least 15 years of professional guiding experience, and have a safely record that they proudly advertise. Check out their record before going on any trip. You can verify the level of experience and their safety record to make your own decision regarding whether you want to use one company or another.

White Water Rafting for all Levels

Plan Your Trip

If you are planning a trip that is a class 3 or 4 rapids, then you will want to seriously verify that the whitewater rafting company has the credentials to offer a safe environment for the rafters and have taken all of the precautions they can to ensure your safety. What is the experience level of the guides? How many times have they gone down the river and on these particular rapids? How many times have they had to bail out of the rafts to rescue someone? Has anyone had any serious injuries? What equipment do they have and in what condition is it.

If you are planning a class 3 or 4 rapid adventure, then you have already gone on several trips and know what questions to ask and what the answers should be. The bottom line is if you are uncomfortable about a specific river or rafting company then go to another. After all it is your life you are dealing with and you looking for a fun trip!

Match your Rafting Trip to Capabilities

There are lots of other trips that less experienced people can go on and have a great time. We will review a few of these trip types to help you decide on what is right for you. Most rafting companies over the Americas offer all types of trips and you will need to check with them for schedules as well as fee’s etc. Not all white water trips are the same, so always ask lots of questions and make sure you fully understand what you are getting into before you sign up. Often the best approach to follow is to ask someone who has recently gone on a trip you are considering. Word of mouth and a report from a fellow traveler can be sometimes much better than a sales pitch you get from a rafting company that is trying to sell a ticket.

Where do you want to go rafting?

If you are lucky enough to live in an area were white water rafting is offered then start with a local company. It is much easier to obtain comments from other customers and you do not need to make extensive travel arrangements. If there are no white water rafting trips offered near you, do some research online and then build your trip into a mini vacation that you and the family or friends can go on.

There are whitewater adventure tours offered in most mountainous states, provinces and in various countries in both North and South America. Always go with a reputable company!

First time white water rafting?

If this is a first time for rafting you probably want to consider a class 2 white water rapids. Some companies may try to sell you a class 3 trip and you will probably be ok on one of these trips, however if you’re the timid type definitely stay with a class 2 trip. The rapids are less challenging and the probability of being thrown out of the raft is much less. You may not get the excitement you are looking for, but that is ok for a first time. Sit back and enjoy the scenery and learn.

For those athletic types who want to try the most challenging rapids, you need to gain experience before trying anything really difficult. Don’t let ego and excitement get in the way of safety. Build up your experience and then take on the more challenging rapids. This is definitely true for class 4 rapids were you need to be able to show experience, you need to be able to swim and you need to be able to show that you are fit.

Family Rafting

Family rafting trips can be the most fun of all. There is nothing better than having the kids and even the grandparents on a white water trip. Of course you will stick to class 1 or 2 rapids. You will learn to paddle and there will be time to enjoy the scenery along the trip. These white water trips are designed with the family in mind.

For Groups: Whitewater Rafting Trips

Most white water rafting companies will offer group rates for those people who can get a large group together either from the office or from your local community.  Check with your local company for rates and stick with a class 1 or 2 rapids since you may have a collection of experienced and 1^st timers on the trip.

For White Water Aficionados

There are a group of people who have set the challenge for themselves. They want to try all of the most challenging rapids across the country. Most companies offer class 4 white water rapids trips. You will need to satisfy them that you have the experience as well that you are fit enough to go on the trip. They may ask you to demonstrate that you can swim out of a set of rapids. That you have the stamina to deal with any emergency that might come up. Remember they are guides and are trained to navigate these waters. But at the same time they do not want to put themselves into needless jeopardy. By taking someone along who cannot look after themselves in the first few minutes when a raft over turns.

There are trips for everyone at all levels of experience and also fitness. Make sure you select a white water rafting trip that matches your skill level, your stamina level and also the level of challenge you wish to endure. No need to waste a trip on something that literally scares you out of your wits. This is supposed to be challenging and fun!

Alternative to Chemo – Update from John Hopkins  Feb 2010

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (‘TRY’, BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Maybe we do not need to consider the regimen of Chemo & Radiation as a means to fight cancer. There is an alternative to chemo, Here is the update from John Hopkins.

Alternative to Chemo & Radiation – Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3 When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

Strengthen the Immune System

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

Alternative to Chemo – CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork.

Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.

About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To  obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

Avoid Caffiene

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified  water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes.  Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to  more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac,  anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. As a result a proactive and positive  spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and  bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Above all learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Alternative to Chemo – Rules – Also these rules will no doubt help as well

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. Furthermore this information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Also do not freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and  how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. As a result he said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Use Glass instead

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. Hence as the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food.

Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life. Alternative to Chemo is an important issue.

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