Category Archives: Uncategorized

How to Quick Clean Your Home

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We all love to stay in a clean house. But with our busy lifestyle and hectic schedules, we barely have the time to wipe off the dust in the living room. Often the clean-ups are reserved on the weekends. But what if one weekend morning, you suddenly received a phone call with visitors coming over in a few minutes? If it’s just a bunch of close friends, you can easily tell them to excuse the mess in the house. But if it’s somebody who will be critical of your living habits like your boss or your mother-in-law, then you probably need to do some quick clean-ups.

First thing that you should do is decide which room your guests will more likely stay or see. These areas will usually be the living room, bathroom and kitchen. Better tackle these areas first so you can welcome them right in without looking really sloppy.

In the living room, give the area a quick sweep or vacuum to get rid of the dust. Straighten up the cushions and wipe the dust off the center table, coffee tables and the side table. Stuff the mails on the drawer or straighten them up along with the magazines or newspapers in the area.

Give the bathroom a quick clean-up. Use a bathroom cleaner and wash out the sink, tub and the toilet. Wipe the counters, too. Provide fresh roll of tissues and deodorize the area right away.

Move over to the kitchen and put all the dishes to the dish washer. Wipe clean the kitchen counter tops and the sink area. Straighten up the kitchen condiments and utensils.

Don’t forget to make yourself presentable after all the raucous you just went through. Freshen up, change to new clothes and off you go to welcome your guests in.

Managing Mommy Hangovers

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Moms deserve a break once in a while. You can leave the baby or the kids to the dad and have a smashing time with your girlfriends. Of course, it’s advisable that you don’t go over board and get exceedingly drunk. But being cooped up most of the time at home and having a wonderful time with your friends, you can easily get carried away and order a few more drinks. And, when you wake up in the morning, you get a walloping headache. Hmm… mom gets a hangover.

Well, there are ways you can manage this situation. First thing you should do is take medication. Take two aspirins upon waking up so you can minimize the pounding in your headache. Soon when the kids are up, you’ll easily handle their shouting or cries a little easier.

Don’t drink coffee. Alcoholic drinks are dehydrating so you don’t need another dehydrating drink in your system. Rather, drink lots of water to hydrate your body and replenish the lost fluids. You can also resort to sports drinks that are packed with nutrients and electrolytes that are easily absorbed by the body. Drinking fruit juices are great options, too.

Eat fruits to replenish some of the lost nutrients. Eating banana can be good for you because it is rich in potassium.

Breathe some fresh air. Inhaling pure oxygen can quickly aid in overcoming a hangover. You don’t have to go to an oxygen bar to do this. Just get out into your garden and take a few deep breaths. If there is a park nearby, you can take a walk and breathe in the crisp air in the area.

Remember the next time you go out, know your limits. Drink slowly and enjoy the conversation so you don’t have to go through another dreaded mommy hangover.

What to Bring New Moms in the Hospital

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I came across this site asking people what they could possibly give to a mom who recently delivered a baby. And, the responses are quite great. I would say, topping the list, was food.

Moms who give birth especially with the natural birth process feel exhausted and famish after delivery. With most of them feeling squeamish about the hospital food, a great food from a restaurant will be a fantastic treat. Also included in the food is a variety of fruit juices she likes, a few sweet treats and a granola bar she can munch anytime. Most of the moms who replied to the post remembered the food that was brought to them more than any other things that were given as presents.

Stuffs for the baby come in next. Most moms who have been through the process appreciate the baby goodies that were brought. Things like diapers, cute baby clothes and other baby stuffs. Diapers and baby wipes are very practical gifts the mom will be able to use right away.

Of course, not to be missed are the balloons, teddy bears, cards and the flowers. They bring in cheer to the mom who’s very much happy to welcome the new addition to the family.

There’s also the care package for the mom itself. Things like her favorite lotion, bath soap, scented candles, a relaxing CD she can listen to and even breast pads can all help the mom feel special. It can only mean that not all the attention is focused to the new bundle of joy.

Finally, instead of bringing anything, most new moms appreciate the offer of help. Doing the household chores such as laundry, doing the dishes or simply offering help to take care of the baby for a few hours will give the mom a valuable time to rest and nap.

Lead Poisoning in Kids

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Recently, Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) released a report that there have been a lot of food and drinks in the market today that is tainted with lead. And, it sure did cause an alarm among the parents.   Lead poisoning is a serious condition and children can get them in a number of ways.

In the early times, lead is used as an additive to the household paint. As such, children can inhale lead dust from the chipping paint in the home. For parents who work in lead-related industries, they can bring lead to their homes through their exposed clothing. But to get lead directly from the foods available in the market these days is a cause for concern. However, no recall has been made on the products so the lead content must be fairly negligible.

Since lead poisoning has been brought up, maybe we should explore once again the ill effects of lead to the body. Exposure to lead can affect every tissue, organ or system in the body. It can lead to brain, kidney and liver damage. It can also result to speech, hearing and language problems. High levels of toxicity can lead to seizures, coma and ultimately, death.

Lead poisoning is difficult to detect. The symptoms are vague and can be mistaken for a stomach upset. The child can exhibit hyperactivity or loss of energy. There may be some poor appetite, weight loss, constipation, reduced attention span and trouble sleeping. The only way to diagnose lead is through a blood test.

Lead poising can be prevented if we can recognize and detect its possible sources. Removing the hazard is a first step to avoid such incident. You should know that whatever damage lead can do to the body is permanent and irreversible. You can help your child grow up healthy and strong against minute amounts of lead through proper and well-balanced nutrition.

Father’s Day

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Yesterday is Father’s Day. It’s a celebration to honor our own father and all the fathers around the world. We celebrate paternal bonds, their parenting and their influence in our society.

But how did Father’s Day came about?

Father’s Day started in the early twentieth century around 1910 to complement the widely celebrated Mother’s day and to give honor to male parenting. Around 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington felt that fathers should be honored, too, after hearing a Mother’s Day sermon. She being raised by her dad after their mother died felt that fathers are not given the recognition that they deserved. So she set out to make preparations for Father’s Day together with her pastors at the Old Centenary Presbyterian Church. Sonora suggested that the celebration be done during her father’s birthday around June 5 but the pastors need more time to prepare so it was on June 19, 2010 that the first Father’s Day was observed. The young churchgoers who are members of YMCA brought roses to the church. A red rose was used to give recognition to the living father while a white rose was used to honor a deceased male parent.

This holiday took several years to become an official celebration. While Mother’s Day was celebrated with much enthusiasm, Father’s Day was often met with ridicule.  It was only in 1972 that President Richard Nixon signed into law and declared the third Sunday of June a permanent national holiday to celebrate Father’s Day. And, it has become widely accepted since then.

This year of 2010 marks the centennial celebration of Father’s Day.

LA Lakers Wins NBA Championship

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The Los Angeles Lakers grabbed the 2010 NBA championship from their long-time rival the Boston Celtics. This is the 16th NBA championship the LA Lakers won. And, this has earned them a back-to-back championship win considering they were the champions in the last 2009 season.

The game began with a scary start for the LA Lakers. The Boston Celtics had been leading the scores since the first quarter. The Lakers managed to catch up and grab the lead in the second quarter. But then the Celtics gained back control of the game not until they lost it on the late minutes of the last quarter. The Lakers team managed to finally claw their way back to a four to six point lead in the closing minutes of the game. They held their ground and the score eventually ended up at 83-79.

In their stiff rivalry with the Celtics since the 1960s, this year is their 12th NBA championship meeting. With their win this year, the LA Lakers has gained a record of 3 wins. Boston Celtics, on the other hand, has a record of 9 wins.

Kobe Bryant was named NBA 2010 Finals MVP. He also earned his Most Valuable Player award in two consecutive years. With his fifth championship ring, it gave his record a boost to tie with Lakers legendary Magic Johnson. Now, Kobe Bryant is only one point away to the record done by Michael Jordan. This has also sparked a lot of fruitless yet interesting argument as to who’s greater between the two.

Simple Remedies for Your Back Aches

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At one point in our lives, we suffer from aching backs. This condition may be brought about by prolonged sitting, standing or improper posture. Asking for a massage can relieve the stress easily but we can’t be rushing to massage clinics each time our back aches. There are simple remedies which we can use to relieve the pain in our back and prevent future pains.

Most people with back pains never realized that their sleeping posture is contributing to their aching condition. In this case, use your set of pillows wisely. When you sleep, make sure that your head and neck is well-supported by a pillow. If you’re sleeping on the side, you might as well put a pillow between your legs. If you lie supine, put a pillow underneath your knees; if you lie prone, put one under your stomach.

When you feel a strain in your neck and back, try applying some heating pads into it. The heat can stimulate good blood flow circulation. This can help ease the tension and relieve the stiffness in your neck and back muscles. Taking a hot bath with Epsom salt can also do the trick.

If you’re aching for a back massage but has no one to give you this, try sticking two tennis balls in a tube sock. Put this under your back and stand against the wall to give your back muscles a good rub.

Always maintain proper posture. Slouching puts a strain in your low back muscles. Whenever possible, use ergonomic pieces of chair that will put you into proper sitting position when you work in the office. When working on your laptop in bed, bolster it up with a stack of books.

Finally, avoid any prolonged position, whether it’s sitting or standing. This can only add to the stiffness of your muscles. Be mindful to take a few breaks and to get up or walk in the office.

Chess Makes Kids Smarter

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When kids get involve in playing chess, they make their parents and teachers proud. Chess, in all its complexity, can make the children get smarter. But this is something that can’t be forced on the kids. The kids must have an interest in the sport itself. You simply can’t have kids learning what they don’t like in the first place. If they find the sport interesting, it’s a lot easier for them to hurdle the challenges and understand what is going on.

Teaching chess to kids has a positive effect on them. Instead of playing senseless video games that involve shooting and hacking each other, or perhaps, watching cartoons on the television, learning chess can help develop their critical thinking skills. The kids enhance their analytical and decision-making skills with each game that they play. They can apply these skills later on in real life situations.

A big difference that can be seen in kids who play chess is their focus and concentration. The game is so riveting that the full attention of the child is captured. Countless studies have shown that chess does help improve the kid’s mental clarity and growth.

Chess promotes the kid’s imagination. The kids have to inventive and find ways to outsmart their opponents. It also encourages independence allowing the children to make important decisions on their own.

The game of chess is like life itself which has been condensed to a playful game format. The children have to be responsible with each of their moves and accept the consequences. They have to visualize and predict the outcomes of their actions. In real life, these can help children to think ahead and weigh the possibilities and consequences of every decision they make.

How to Be a Perfect Wedding Guest

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The wedding is a serious event for the bride and groom. As a formal occasion you need to show up in your best behavior. If you find yourself invited, there are a few things that you can do to help make their special day a more fun, relaxing and memorable event.

Prior to the event, you will most likely receive your wedding invitation. If the invitation requires you to do an RSVP, then make the proper response. Don’t forget to call the bride or groom to let them know you can attend or not. This will help them manage their guest list on their wedding day.

On the wedding day itself, never ever bring in uninvited guests. If your name is the only thing that appears in the invitation, then you have to go solo on this trip. You can’t bring your children, spouse or date unless otherwise stated by the couple. The reason why marrying couples do this is simple – to save money on their wedding (or should I say, their reception fees). You may contact the couple and ask them if you can bring along someone, otherwise, just respect their wishes and be happy that you get invited

Dress appropriately. Don’t ever wear jeans or short miniskirts please. Weddings involve kids and old people so you shouldn’t wear anything flashy, too.

Finally, don’t disrupt the ceremony or drink too much. Upon entering the ceremony venue, put your cell phone in silent mode. You wouldn’t want them ringing up especially when the couples are exchanging their “I do’s”. If you brought small children with you, take a seat at the back or on the sides so you can hastily excuse yourself when they suddenly create a fuss.

In the reception, despite the free flowing wines, don’t get yourself drunk. Passing out or causing a drunken scene is not only embarrassing for you but for the couples as well who may have highly respectable guests or acquaintances in their midst.

A Few Weight Loss Myths to the Dumpsters

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Many people constantly battle with their weights. No matter how they follow their diet or fitness routine, nothing seems to work out properly. When there is trouble in the weight loss regimen, sometimes the main culprit is not about the food diet or the fitness routine. It is the unrealistic goals that the person is actually setting for himself or herself.

A common myth is that most people consider their ideal weight as the weight they had when they graduated in college or before they got married and have kids. Seriously, no one can probably go back into their lanky body shape when they were in their teens unless they starve themselves to the highest extent.  As a grownup person, your body’s metabolism slows down to a certain rate. You have to set a weight target that you can easily achieve and is appropriate for your body image now. Setting the bar too high (that is to your lightest weight) can only frustrate you and not reach your weight loss goal. You will only succumb to the trap of yo-yo dieting.

Another myth is that is the ideal weight is the number that is posted on the standard height and weight chart. This isn’t applicable to everybody. It’s quite true that height and weight is somewhat related but not all tall people should weigh heavily than shorter ones. There are still other factors like being big-boned or small-boned or type of muscle or fat tissue that you have.

One more myth is that the less you weigh, the healthier you’ll be. This is particularly not true. Even lanky grown-ups can have high blood pressure, too. But if you’re really on the heavy side, losing a few pounds can lower your risk for stroke, diabetes and heart attacks.

Finally, this myth about not reaching your dream weight can never make you happy is a total trash. Weight is just a number and it should not define your happiness. Just set your sights to idealistic goals and your own your way to an active, happier and healthier you.