<![CDATA[Lifestyle Articles]]> en-us Wed, 25 May 2011 14:32:44 GMT [Saved Search Name] <![CDATA[Declutter & Downsize With Peter Walsh]]> Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:19:36 GMT <![CDATA[How To Use Primers To Get Longer Lasting Make-Up]]> Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:00:09 GMT <![CDATA[Socialising Your Dog]]> Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:00:33 GMT <![CDATA[Becoming A Modern Day Mum]]> really teach you... so discover here how you can make it as a modern day mum]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:37:54 GMT <![CDATA[Harmonise Your Energy In Life With Feng Shui]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:55:36 GMT <![CDATA[Time Saving Make-Up Tips]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:42:06 GMT <![CDATA[Get Sun-Kissed Skin]]> Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:00:39 GMT <![CDATA[Boost Your Weight Loss Results]]> Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:00:01 GMT <![CDATA[Top Gardening Tips brought to you by Yates Garden Club]]>
The cooler months are quickly passing and we’re already springing into summer. 

Yes! September and October are great months for getting your garden back into shape with our spring gardening tips.

PLUS you’ll not only find more expert gardening advice and information at YATES.com.au but right now you can also go in the draw to win an iPad2 by spending $10 or more on Yates products! (there is one to win every weekday between September 1st and October 12th.

YATES – everything you need for a healthy beautiful garden.

Essentials for spring gardening: 4 products to maintain a
 healthy beautiful garden.


 

]]> Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:08:39 GMT <![CDATA[Fatherhood Challenges]]> Sun, 04 Sep 2011 10:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[The Expectations Of Women]]> Sun, 04 Sep 2011 10:00:46 GMT <![CDATA[Face transplant for Charla Nash a success!]]>
The pictures of Charla Nash were first shown on NBC's Today show and in Hearst Connecticut Newspapers on Thursday morning. They were later released by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where she had face transplant surgery in May.

Nash, 57, didn't appear on Today because relatives said she was too weak to be interviewed.

In a statement released by the hospital, Nash thanked all the doctors, nurses and other medical experts who helped her over the past two years.

"I will now be able to do things I once took for granted," Nash said in the statement.

"I will be able to smell. I will be able to eat normally. I will no longer be disfigured. I will have lips and will speak clearly once again. I will be able to kiss and hug loved ones.

"I am tremendously grateful to the donor and her family."

The show aired footage of Nash in a hospital bed, nodding to visitors, her face smooth and features appearing nearly normal.

Today also reported Nash could eat eggs with cream cheese after the transplant - the first solid food she's had since the attack.

Nash, now living in a Boston-area nursing home, was attacked in February 2009 by a neighbour's 90-kg pet chimpanzee, which went berserk after its owner asked Nash to help lure it back into her house in Stamford, Connecticut.

The animal, named Travis, ripped off Nash's nose, lips, eyelids and hands before being shot to death by police.

Nash was left with no eyes and only a small opening where her mouth once was. She could eat only pureed food, and she was barely understandable when she talked.

In late May, she underwent a full face and double hand transplant in Boston. She received skin, underlying muscles, blood vessels, nerves, a hard palate and teeth from a dead person who hasn't been named. It was the third full face transplant in the US.

But doctors later had to remove the hands because of complications that developed when Nash caught pneumonia. Nash said she's hoping to attempt another double hand transplant one day.

Asked by Today what she would say to the donor's family, Nash's daughter, Brianna, said she'd tell them how grateful she is.

"What they've done for us is just so amazing," she said. "This has really given my mum the hope to move forward, a chance at a life again."

Nash's family is suing the estate of the chimpanzee's owner, Sandra Herold, for $US50 million ($49.2 million) and wants to sue the state for $US150 million ($147.7 million), claiming officials failed to prevent the attack. Herold died last year of an aneurysm.

Nash's brother, Steve Nash, said his sister has maintained a positive outlook since the mauling, and the family hopes she can get the double hand transplant in about six months. She also has only a top row of teeth and doctors are planning to install a lower row soon, he said.

"It's brought my sister to a better quality of life. It makes you feel good, and we're very thankful," Steve Nash said about the face transplant.

"She's preparing the best she can to be a blind person."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au
]]> Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:12 GMT <![CDATA[Kim Kardashian's Wedding Workout]]> Kim Kardashian is not easing up on her workouts with her personal trainer.

Her day starts at "6 or 7 am depending on the rest of her day…she's never late, and she never cancels." And with crunch time just days away, she's even fitting in MULTIPLE workouts throughout her busy days.

Kim's fantastic figure isn't all thanks to all reps she did in the gym, but her overall healthy lifestyle!

Click here to see the full workout information!]]> Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:07:01 GMT <![CDATA[Old Wives Tales - Do they work?]]>
1. Brush your hair 100 times each night
When our grandmas were girls, brushing your hair 100 times before bed was the norm – and they had good reason to do it. All those strokes helped move the oil at the scalp down the hair shaft for added protection and shine.

In the 1950s conditioners were developed, which eliminated the need for such strenuous brushing. But even now, brushing your hair each day stimulates blood flow.

2. Eating chocolate makes you break out

Two generations ago it was accepted wisdom that anything sugary and fatty caused breakouts, but in the 1990s dermatologists thought hormones were the catalysts for breakouts. Now the pendulum is swinging back, with research finding high blood-sugar levels exacerbate pimples.

Breakouts are probably caused by a combination of hormones and diet. Either way, it can't hurt to go easy on the chocolate.

3. Drink eight glasses of water a day for beautiful skin

I'm afraid it takes a bit more than that. While there is no doubt your whole body benefits from a good drink of water, a lot of it gets passed out again. Getting it to stay in the cells is the secret to beautiful-looking skin, and for that you need a healthy skin barrier.

Moisturiser supports the barrier. Try one with humectants such as glycerine, panthenol and hyaluronic acid, or a petroleum-based glycol, to draw extra moisture to the skin. And don't forget sunscreen. Sun damage is the leading cause of premature skin ageing.

4. White spots on your nails indicate a calcium deficiency
We're not sure where this came from, but it's a trauma to the nail that causes white marks under it.

5. Shaving your legs makes the hair grow back thicker and darker.
This is not true. The hairs feel blunted because the tapered ends have been cut off but that's the only reason. If you think the hairs have grown thicker and darker, this is probably just due to ageing.

6. Haemorrhoid cream under the eyes reduces bags.
Some haemorrhoid creams do contain anti-inflammatory ingredients, but so do eye creams, and I know which one I would rather put near my eyes. Don't be a cheapskate. Buy the stuff formulated to go near your eyes.

7. Tea bags staunch bleeding
This old remedy to stop bleeding has science behind it. The tannin in tea constricts blood vessels. Place a cooled, used tea bag on a cut for about a minute.

8. Doubling up on sunscreens makes them more effective
Unfortunately, no. If you put on a SPF 15 sunscreen and then a SPF 4 foundation over the top, you're not getting an SPF of 19. And no matter what the SPF, or how many coats you put on, a sunscreen does not replace a hat.

9. Pluck out one grey hair and two will grow in its place
I doubt anyone ever took this one seriously. It is simply a way of saying that once you have one grey hair, more will follow.

10. Don't pluck above the brow
Nothing awful will happen if you prune the top of your brows, but you get a more natural result if you simply neaten the underside.
]]> Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:10 GMT <![CDATA[Strengthen your immune system]]>
(Q) I haven't had a cold or flu this winter yet (thank goodness) but on the train everyday commuters are coughing all over the place and my colleagues are coming into work sick. I really don't want to get a cold and can't afford to take any time off if I do. What would you suggest I do to boost my immune system as my Echinacea vitamins were ineffective last year?

(A) The best thing you can do to protect yourself from colds and flu this winter is to strengthen your immune system naturally with immune-boosting foods and nutritional supplements.

Raw garlic in the diet is very beneficial, however cooking garlic can destroy some of its health-promoting compounds. One way to get around this problem is to take Kyolic aged garlic extract. The natural ageing process increases antioxidant levels and enhances garlic's immune boosting powers. It also has the added benefit of being odourless.

Vitamin C is an extremely important nutrient for boosting immunity. Include plenty of foods high in vitamin C in the diet, including fresh fruits and vegies, especially citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage and parsley. A vitamin C supplement is also recommended to ward off colds and flu, take around 2-3 g a day.

Zinc is another important mineral needed for healthy immune function. Zinc is found in foods such as red meat, chicken, fish, dairy foods, eggs, legumes and sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Taking a zinc supplement is also beneficial, around 45mg a day.

Spirulina is a type of sea algae that is considered a superfood due to its extraordinary health-promoting elements. Spirulina can stimulate immune function; it's anti-cancerous and rich in nutrients such as iron and selenium which act as powerful antioxidants in the body. Spirulina can be taken in capsule or tablet form (around 5g day, or add a teaspoon of powder to smoothies or juice).

More great immune-boosting foods that should be included in the diet include miso, ginger, garlic, onion, yoghurt, green tea and seaweed.

There are some key herbs that naturopaths and herbalists commonly use to strengthen the immune system and offer protection against colds and flu, including astragalus, andrographis, Echinacea and olive leaf.

A good healthy diet is fundamental to good health and a strong immune system. A majority of your diet should be made up of unprocessed, natural foods such as fresh fruits, vegies, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.

Having a well-balanced diet will supply you with all the essential nutrients your body needs for a healthy immune system such as zinc, vitamin A and C, selenium and iron.]]> Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:55 GMT <![CDATA[Cas & Jonesy - Crossing the Ice]]>
For three months and over 2200km, Cas & Jonesy will drag 160kg sleds with everything they need to survive in the harshest environment on Earth.
 
Cas and Jonesy will be using this expedition to raise much needed funds and awareness for ‘You Can‘; a national fundraising campaign to build specialised youth cancer centres across Australia.

Check it all out here
]]> Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:00:15 GMT <![CDATA[Unlocking childrens musical gifts]]> Do all children have the ability to be musical?

All I wanted to play was The House of the Rising Sun on guitar while wearing cheesecloth and singing in a folk-style voice (think Joan Baez). I was 11 years old and the guitar was going to play a crucial role in my emerging adolescent image.

Instead I was forced to learn Spanish and classical guitar as my teacher thought chords were for the uncultured. Consequently to this day I retain no memory of my guitar-playing period and still harbour a simmering anger towards my inflexible music teacher.

In the "old days" (i.e. when I was a child) the focus, it seemed, was on formal and turgid cadet-style music training, often in classical music. Kids everywhere were dragged kicking and screaming to lessons run by irritable – and, in my case, insane – harridans hell-bent on ensuring kids never looked at a sheet of music again.

Today that's all changed with littlies introduced to music via The Wiggles and Hi-5 before quickly graduating to having their own iPods filled with Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber tunes.

Music is everywhere – except in many of our primary schools, but that's a whole separate story – but how do parents unlock their progeny's own musical talent or passion within and help their kids be exposed to the wide and exciting variety of music out there?
Every child can be a prodigy

A love of music is inherent, says Amanda Niland, coordinator of Macquarie University's Institute of Early Childhood Music Program.

"We can start to love music before we're born," she says. "Humans are hard-wired to be able to process music. A musical instinct is in all of us."

"Everyone has the ability to be musical and love music. It's highly likely that those people who say they're not talented musically just weren't exposed to music early enough."

And the best music to expose kids too? The parental singing voice, says Amanda.

"Singing to children gives them an ear for music from an early age," she says. "Hearing their mum sing, for example, relaxes them, entertains them and makes them happy."

Singing traditional lullabies and nursery rhymes to babies and infants has been described as "an essential precursor to later educational success and emotional wellbeing" by a leading UK neuropsychologist.

In her book The Genius of Natural Childhood, Sally Goddard Blythe writes: "Song is a special type of speech. Lullabies, songs and rhymes of every culture carry the 'signature' melodies and inflections of a mother tongue, preparing a child's ear, voice and brain for language."
More formal approaches to music

When the voice gets hoarse from all the brain-developing singing, Niland advises parents to expose their children to a wide variety of musical styles and approaches, taking them to live performances, talking to them about instruments and generally including music in their world.

"Research has shown that musical tastes, and a love of music generally, are formed early so children are never too young to be introduced to music," she says.

As for learning an instrument, Niland is a big supporter of the Suzuki approach in which children learn by listening and playing by ear, and understandably she believes every child should have the opportunity to learn an instrument.

The perfect age to start is six or seven years, she says, "but it's never too late".
]]> Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:08:10 GMT <![CDATA[Steer Clear of Winter Weight]]> Enjoy the sunshine

Despite our sunny climes, a significant number of Australians are vitamin D-deficient. "A lack of vitamin D can affect your mood, which in turn can affect your motivation to eat healthily and exercise regularly," dietitian Denise Griffiths says.

This deficiency may also explain that spare tyre around your stomach. Researchers at the University of Minnesota in the US found vitamin D deficiency is associated with obesity.

"Vitamin D levels can usually be maintained by sunlight exposure," Griffiths says.

You can also ensure your levels are maintained through diet. "Fortified margarine appears to be the major source," Griffiths says. "Eat fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel, and eggs. There are also products that are fortified with vitamin D, which will add to your intake."
Heat up your meals

Craving winter comfort food? Griffiths says heating up the light meals you enjoy in summer will make you less likely to reach for stodgy winter food such as fish and chips.

Making meals hot will keep you warm and satisfied. Swap cereal for warm porridge with low-fat milk for breakfast, a healthy sandwich for a toasted version for lunch and barbecues for slow-cooked casseroles made with lean meat and vegetables.

"You still need to keep up your salad intake during winter. Serve yourself half a plate at lunch and dinner," dietitian Margaret Hay says. "You'll feel full and less likely to overeat."

For extra nutrients, add green vegies such as broccoli, spinach and zucchini to salads and other dishes.

"Experiment," Hay says. "Salads can be warm so don't limit yourself to lettuce. Try rice, wholemeal pasta, spinach or couscous."

You can also try including some superfoods in your salads, such as quinoa or black rice, both of which contain antioxidants and other important nutrients.

"Eat seasonally as well. Locally sourced, seasonal foods have been proven to contain more nutrients than those flown in from overseas."
Enjoy some carbs

"In colder weather, we're more likely to crave carbohydrates," Hay says. "Carbs may help to boost serotonin levels, which tend to fall during winter."
 
Rather than eating "bad" carbohydrates such as white bread or cakes, try wholegrains and vegetables such as potatoes and sweet potatoes.

"Carbs are a necessary part of a healthy eating plan," Hay says. "Think porridge, seeded breads and oatmeal."

Stick on some soup

"Have a pot of soup ready to go, with chickpeas or legumes, to enjoy at that hungry time when you get home, rather than raiding the cupboard," Hay says.

Eating low-calorie soup before a meal can help cut back on the amount of food and calories you eat at the meal, a study at Penn State University in the US found.

Results showed that when participants in the study ate a first course of soup before a lunch entree, they reduced their total calorie intake at lunch by 20 per cent.
Rethink your exercise

"Winter can be a difficult time to exercise," says Nathan Johnson, an exercise and sport science lecturer at the University of Sydney.

While exercising in the cold air can be exhilarating, if you know it puts you off, rethink your approach. "Move your workout indoors," Johnson says. "It's a great opportunity to do a resistance-training program, which experts say should be done two to three times per week for optimum health and strength. If you do this workout in a gym, you'll also gain access to bikes, treadmills, pools and circuit classes for aerobic exercise."

If gyms aren't your cup of hot chocolate, think outside the square: "Winter can be a great time to try new activities such as indoor rock climbing, stationary cycling classes, yoga or indoor team sports such as soccer, cricket or netball. You may discover a passion for something new to continue outdoors when summer arrives."

Tip: Up your intake of green vegies in winter to get more nutrients.
]]> Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:39 GMT <![CDATA[AskMen’s ‘Great Male Survey’ Results!]]>
With around 3,000 Aussie respondents and over 70,000 men around the world having taken part, the AskMen Great Male Survey examines men’s attitudes to relationships, politics, lifestyle, business, fashion and sex, and provides some key insights into the year’s top trends amongst men aged 18–34, both in Australia and around the world.
And this year women added their voice, making for some interesting gender insights.

Here are some of the results:


The Aussie male in 2011 is socially progressive:
• 93% of men state that they would have no problem with their partner earning more than them,
with 9% stating they are currently in a relationship where their partner is the primary bread-winner.

• The majority (65%) of Aussie blokes are happy to share their sexual fantasies with their partner.

• They are sensitive souls: 94% believe that real men cry, perhaps this is why Kevin Rudd has polled
as the preferred choice for Prime Minister (33%).

• They think about the value and meaning of their life. 76% of men either have, or would like to make,
a list of ‘things to do before they die’ (bucket list).

• 69% of men would take the male contraceptive pill if it were available.


However, traditional values are at the core of the Australian male, which still allows for some blokey pleasures:
• 43% believe being a great father and husband defines a real man in 2011;

• 67% believe in the institution of marriage;

• The truth is out - 48% of Aussie men surveyed revealed that if they could only have one child, they
would prefer a boy, and only 15% said they’d like a girl.

• Chivalry is not dead! 62% of men feel they should pay for the majority of dates either for the
duration of the relationship or at least until it’s established.

• Beer tops it - 38% of men consider beer the ultimate man’s drink.

• Aussie men can’t resist the temptation of fantasy, with 25% admitting to regularly fantasising
about their partner’s friends, and a further 39% saying that they have in the past.


As for some female insights;
• 81% of women surveyed said they would not change their partner’s size, but 51% of men said
that they would like their package to be bigger. Gentlemen, it’s time to give yourselves a break!

• Paying for sex is still a big no-no. Over 76% of women surveyed say that it is never okay to pay
for sex but only 43% of men agree.

• Despite it being 2011, old double standards still exist. Most women (36%) feel that another woman
becomes slutty after she sleeps with her 20th sex partner; most men believe it’s after she sleeps with
her 10th.


Key findings from each of the categories include:


Sex & Dating

• 73% of Australian men would not cheat on their partner, even if there was no chance of
them finding out.

• 14% of Australian men said they would change nothing about their wife/girlfriend with
12% wanting to change her sexual appetite and 14% wanting to change her
attitude/moodiness.

• Over half (54%) of Australian blokes say they would not dump their girlfriend if she became
fat; however, 46% say it’s a case of shape up or ship out.

• Growing technology appears to be resulting in more trusting relationships, with 72%
saying they would be ok with their girlfriend ‘friending’ and ex on facebook. Although 29% do
admit they would only feel comfortable with this if they had met him before.

• 76% of Australian men make an effort to be romantic, with three-quarters saying they are
motivated by “feeling close to their partner”.

• 80% of Aussie men say sex multiple times a week constitutes a healthy sex life. However
39% say they are only “somewhat satisfied” with their sex lives. Only 9% are “completely
satisfied.

• Australian men aim to please: 84% say they would be offended if a woman faked an
orgasm during intercourse, with 53% saying that they would be insulted they were unable to
pleasure her.

Lifestyle

• Australian men are more concerned with personal style than “trendiness”, with 71%
revealing that the more important element in buying new clothes is that they fit with their
personal style. Only 5% buy based on current trends.

• 63% of Aussie men say that at least once in your life you should be fitted for a tailored suit.

• 68% of Aussie blokes say they work out to stay healthy and feel good. A cheeky 16% say
their primary reason for working out is to “attract women”.

• For Aussie men, career growth (46%) and work environment (20%) trump salary as the
most important aspects in deciding to take a new job.

• 56% of men think moral standards in business are on the decline, and “miss the days
when someone’s word and a handshake meant something.”

• Aussie men are financially responsible - 48% stated they do not have a credit card, and
37% already have a financial plan for retirement.

Aussie Men in 2011

• Perhaps due to shaken confidence from the recent Queensland floods, 58% of Aussie men
surveyed do not believe Australia is prepared for a natural disaster similar to the recent
Japanese earthquakes and tsunamis.

• Aussie men are open minded: 58% believe that aliens are likely to exist, with 16% saying they
believe in the possibility of angels.

• Despite Lady Gaga’s recent Australian visit, Aussie men are not so ga-ga over Lady Gaga in
2011 with 34% saying they are tired of hearing about the superstar. Followed by Lindsay Lohan
at 18%.

• Regardless of all the new superhero movies, Aussie men still prefer the classics: 31% of
Australian blokes dream of putting on the red cape and stepping into Superman’s shoes.

• Newspapers really are on the decline. A whopping 48% of Aussie blokes admit they do not
read the newspaper as much as they used to, with 20% saying they don’t read the newspaper at
all.

• So where are Australian men getting their daily news fix? 65% get their news online, followed
by a mere 14% who get their news from TV. Perhaps this is why 68% of Aussie men say they
could not live without their computer?]]> Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:12:38 GMT <![CDATA[Shane Jacobson loses 20kg!]]>
http://www.shanejacobson.com.au/






Listen to Part 2

]]> Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:35:57 GMT