Politicians Have Opinions, But Facts Are Facts! 5 Scenarios


By Richard Brody

A wise man once said, everyone is entitled, to his own, personal opinion, but, not, his own facts! The difference between an opinion, and a fact, is, regardless of one's personal agenda, self - interest, etc, there are only one set of actual facts. Those who, either, have observed, or been involved, in any sort of political campaign, or occurrences, should realize, politicians often, publicly deny actual facts, in order to articulate the positions, which they favor! Perhaps, never, in recent memory, has this been more obvious, than it is. in today's political climate, etc. We will attempt to briefly, review, 5 scenarios, where this occurs.

1. Consistency of politician's rhetoric, when, his party, is, in power, versus out: Many should remember, when Obama was President, and the G.O.P. controlled the Congress, many Republican legislators, constantly complained about budget deficits, responsible fiscal leadership/ management, etc. However, now that Republicans dominate the Executive and Legislative Branches, they seem to, proceed, without caring about balancing the budget, etc. If fiscal responsibility is important, it is, at all times, not merely, when it might be convenient, and/ or, self - serving! Unfortunately, the leadership of President Donald Trump, appears to be more focused on populism and rhetoric, than getting things done, for the common good!

2. Trickle - down economics: No matter how many times, certain politicians proclaim, everyone benefits, when there are significant tax breaks, for the corporations, and wealthiest, does not, make it facts! In fact, this concept, which has been referred to, as, trickle - down economics, has never succeeded, previously, in the United States. When this was attempted, when Ronald Reagan, was President, the result was an undesired deficit, which then, shortly thereafter, brought on, a variety of additional taxes, introduced.

3. Health care: While there is little down, there were several flaws, in the Affordable Care Act, and while a candidate, Trump, proclaimed, he would repeal it, and replace it, with better and less expensive health care, the reality is, every attempt made, by this President, and Congress, has appeared to achieve any beneficial changes, for most of the population!

4. Immigration: America was founded by immigrants, and has grown, because of them. Obviously, everyone except Native Americans, comes from an immigrant family, yet the President, has articulated a message, complaining about, and blaming immigrants and immigration, in a way, which has pitted one segment of our nation, against another! How can we Make America Great, unless we honor all the freedoms and liberties, which we are based upon?

5. Budgeting: Nations have never succeeded, and/ or evolved, as they should, when they fail to consider the need, for responsible budgeting. The potential negative ramifications of the excessive budget deficits, we are currently experiencing, will impact, our nation's economy, for years, to come, regardless, of the rhetoric of President Trump, etc!

Facts - are - facts, whether they agree with one's personal opinion, political agenda, and/ or self - interest! Look beyond politicians rhetoric, and responsible, and demand, outside - the - box, but realistic, relevant leadership!

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands, conducted personal development seminars, and worked on political campaigns, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. Website: http://plan2lead.net and LIKE the Facebook page for common sense politics: http://facebook.com/commonsense4all

Communication in Organizations


By Martin Hahn

Communication in organizations encompasses all the means, both formal and informal, by which information is passed up, down, and across the network of managers and employees in a business. These various modes of communication may be used to disseminate official information between employees and management, to exchange hearsay and rumors, or anything in between.

The challenge for businesses is to channel these myriad communications so they serve to improve customer's relations, bolster employee satisfaction, build knowledge -sharing throughout the organizations, and most importantly, enhance the firm's competitiveness. Perhaps the importance is best understood by considering what things would be like in its absence. For instance, if a company has a mechanism for recording and transmitting special order request from its customer, and the employees in the sales and fulfillment areas only interact minimally, there is a good chance that when it receives a special request, the company will have difficulty in delivering what the customer wants.

It may even lose the sales as employees grapple with an unusual request the management has not prepared for, now considering a company going through merger, the top executives at the merged entity proclaim that there will be thousands of layoff to boost efficiency, but the management is slow to say who will be affected.

Furthermore, they must think about the criteria that can be used for who is to be laid off, and what the separation terms will be. To make matter worse, an authorized list of persons facing the ax is rumored to be circulating and specific names are brandied about as being on or off the list. This situation continue for weeks before management comes forward with the full details.

This would be hard to see how such a scenario could be anything but detrimental to employee morale, and it might well lead to valuable employees who were not slated to be let go jumping ship because of the chaos and management thoughtless tactics.

As a final example of poor communication, there might be an imagination of a business with a large, young workforce that is highly trained. However the company is very hierarchical and a premium is placed on seniority over originality and other employee's traits. A few younger employees have approached management with a new business idea, but their immediate supervisors have not taken the proposal seriously and upper management is largely inaccessible to these employees. As a result, the small group decides to leave the company and start their own firm, which grows quickly and proves to be incredibly profitable.

If these scenarios seem rather predictable some are based loosely on real events, they serve to illustrate obvious communication gaps and missteps businesses must surmount. In each case, not only were employees or customers left unsatisfied, but each incident also could have led to monetary losses for the companies'.In short, communications both internally and externally must be open, timely, complete and accurate to keep a business running smoothly and to maximize its return on its human capital.

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Cubicle Cultures and Cat Videos


By John Rowles

My office received an email that had Do's and Don'ts of cubicle behaviour. There was no way I wasn't going to write about it. Some of it was obvious, the rest made me roll my eyes. Actually most of it made me roll my eyes and the eyes of my colleagues too. I'll try to summarize both without plagiarizing the email:

DO'S
1. Use an indoor voice. Seriously? Does anyone have an "indoor voice"? Cube farms are rarely quiet. Where I work there are small signs advising people to be quiet. Insert eye roll here. I'm loud, you're loud, we all scream for ice cream. I sit in a row of 8 cubes, 2 on each side. There's a potential of 8 conference calls going on at any one time, multiple visitors, and countless conversations. It's going to get loud whether we like it or not. It may die down but the ebb and flow of communication is what it is. I just don't want to hear my neighbor's weekend stories about her gardening.

2. Use headphones/headsets. Are 'headphones' even a thing anymore? Maybe the noise cancelling ones but I'm assuming they mean earbuds. Headphones... seriously? What century are we in? I have a headset for calls and sometimes wear them so people think I'm on a call and don't bother me. Anyone else do this? Earbuds mean folks will interrupt you because they assume you're just listening to music. Both can be effective in warding off interruptions, just don't be looking at your phone if you have the buds in. Then an interruption will be had and you'll be discovered watching awesome cat videos. I can't live without cat videos, they're so cute!

3. Be aware of how your voice projects while standing. See #1. I'm a natural tenor and there's no way people don't hear what I'm saying. I project, it's almost impossible to do so. Luciano Pavoratti would be proud. It's almost impossible for me to laugh during cat videos. Laughing projects so I think of it as spreading cheer.

4. Announce yourself when entering a cube. Don't even think about entering my cube. It's the only piece of real estate I can call my own, STAY OFF MY LAWN! You can announce yourself but you're not getting invited in unless you ask. It's ALL about personal space here people. An arm length and a half is my rule for personal space. I don't know about your cubes but ours face in a direction that you can't see who's behind you. Even if you have a rear view mirror, you won't notice till it's too late. Those folks will definitely see you watching cat videos... could be a manager. If so, you're screwed. If not, then share the video and hope that person doesn't tell on you.

5. Use perimeter walkways. Ummm... no. How else am I going to find people? Stopping to ask for directions ain't gonna happen. Nope. You can tell when someone is lost if they're trying to look over a row of cubes. This means they're peeking and might see you viewing cat videos. I wish they'd mind their own business, Maru is sliding into another box and I can't be bothered.

6. Keep your cell phones on silent. No one does this. No need for a rule.

7. Use common areas for conversations. So, I have to put down the phone that I didn't silence, pause the latest cat video mashups, go to a perimeter hallway to have a "quiet" conversation with a voice that is one octave below James Earl Jones', so to not disturb people? Ain't happening.

The point here is that cat videos are the devil and will eventually get your fired. TOTALLY WORTH IT!

DONT'S
1. Yell across cubes. Wasn't this already covered under the indoor voice rule?

2. Sneak up on people. We have carpet and are exposed on one side... how can we NOT sneak up? Many people walk around without shoes on. What are they, commandos?

3. Loiter or have conversations outside someone's cube. Really? How is this going to be enforced? Oh yeah, MBWA, Managing By Wandering Around.

4. Cut through cube areas. Wait... what? So, you finally found who you're looking for and you can't actually walk down that aisle to them? What are you supposed to do, jump up and down while waving your hands to get their attention? They probably have their headset or buds on and not paying attention. Go back to your desk and IM them... duh.

5. Eavesdrop. Another rule that can't be enforced. You have to have your own back at work. How else do you find out if someone is talking about you? Voices carry. By nature, we humans are curious. By default, we work in such close quarters that eavesdropping is the norm. The walls, floors, desks, ventilation systems all have ears. No one speaks in hushed tones because no one has an indoor voice.

6. Conduct personal grooming. OK, I'm on board with this one. Anyone clipping their nails at their desk should be flogged. It's disgusting... stop it. That's what home is for. Other grooming atrocities such as applying nail polish remover, refreshing cologne/perfume, popping zits, etc. Pop your zits in the bathroom!!!!

7. Get caught watching cat videos. Duh. It's not breaking the law if you don't get caught but just don't get caught.

With the Don'ts list, it seems that common courtesy has been forgotten these days. Some of those are painfully obvious, the rest are unenforceable. I think gentle reminders are a good thing. I also think working in a clean, polite environment is a good thing. Etiquette in itself is a good thing. The biggest problem I see is that we don't use much etiquette at home, I still walk around in my underwear at the house (we're empty nesters so I can get away with it) but probably wouldn't at work. I've threatened to because of archaic dress codes but I like getting paid so I stay dressed.

Since our cubes are our home away from home I think etiquette is optional. We are usually on the "best behaviour" rule at work. Be professional they say, be cognizant of others they say, stop farting in the general direction of your workmates they say. I'm at home in my cube and I'll break all the unwritten rules. I always excuse myself after a smelly, inaudible fart if pinpointed as the culprit. Else I'll find a convincing way to pass the blame to someone else.

NOTE: Right before finishing the Do's entry, I burped into a napkin. It was audible enough for one of my cube farm neighbors to hear it. I excused myself but I must admit I'm quite proud of it. Made me feel like I was home.

7 Things You Might Have Forgotten to Put in Your Bug Out Bag


By Elvis Jackson Jr.

Bug out bags (BOB) have become a pretty big thing over the years. However, some people take very little time to think through what they need to put into their bug out bag. A few granola bars and a flashlight just aren't going to cut it. When you are building a bug out bag, you have to really think about multiple situations and the things you might need for each situation. Many times, when people build their bug out bags, they forget some of the simplest things, things that could lead to major discomfort, sickness or worse.

Below are seven things you should always remember for your bug out bag. They are pretty simple things, but not everyone remembers these items.

Sun Protection

Imagine having to hike for miles in the sun to get your water or get to safety. What if that hiking is in the scorching heat? Are you prepared? Does your bug out bag have sunblock in it-a wide brimmed hat? A nasty sunburn can not only be uncomfortable, but can be down right dangerous for some people. I suggest packing sunblock with a very high SPF rating as well as a wide brimmed hat to keep the sun off of your face. Also shirts with long sleeves and bandanas for your neck aren't bad ideas either.

Maps

You think you might know your area well, but what if you end up stranded, 30 miles outside of your city? Do you know where to go to find water if you have to? How will you know where to go to find nearby roads, etc.? You won't unless you have a map. So make that two dollar investment and buy yourself a map.

A Good Knife

This one is huge-having a good knife. A good survival knife will not be one that you pull out of your pocket. You will need a "full tang" knife. This means the blade is fixed and the metal piece of the knife is one solid piece-it doesn't fold up. Full tang knives are much stronger than a pocket knife and can be used for many more tasks as well. With a full tang knife you can baton wood, make spears, etc. If you don't have a full tang survival knife in your bug out bag, I suggest you get one. And get a good one too.

Fire?

If you are stranded on the road in the cold, or the heat is out at your house because of a major storm, how will you warm up or cook? You should have three ways to start a fire in your bug out bag. You should also know how to build a fire with wet tinder. It's not that hard and could save your life.

Bug Spray

This one doesn't sound like it's too important, right? Think again. How are you going to feel having to walk for miles while getting bit by bugs-or having to walk more miles with scores of itchy bug bites on your arms and legs.

Cash

This one is pretty simple, have cash in your bag. I'd recommend a couple of thousand dollars. I'd also recommend having some small bills in there. In a crisis, people might not always have change.

Socks

Finally, the easiest one of all, and one that can make a huge difference, having the right pair of socks. Make sure you have a pair of wool-blend socks-socks made for hiking. Wool-blend socks pull moisture away from the skin, whereas cotton socks trap moisture in. This leads to painful blisters.

I'd suggest mentally going through different scenarios, bug out situations. As you do, see if you have everything in your bug out bag to address those situations. Also, I'd suggest reviewing your bag every few months-make sure medicines haven't expired, you didn't leave something out and batteries are still good.

Elivis writes about bug out bags, cancer, martial arts and politics.

5 Benefits of Using an Airport Transfer Service


By Leo Eigenberg

Travelers visiting a city for the first time can find it difficult to get around. However, a useful solution to navigate a new city is simple to use an airport transfer service. They offer a wide range of benefits for both the leisure and business travelers. Let's take a look at a few of the benefits of using this type of service:

Very convenient

The convenience factor is certain to be a major reason to rely on this service. After arriving at the airport after a long flight, not many people will look forward to hauling luggage through the terminals or waiting in line for a free taxi. For many travelers, this can be a quite stressful and exhausting experience. However, the ability to use an airport transfer service will eliminate much of the stress and simplify the process of reaching your hotel or other destination. Also, in the event of a flight delay, the driver can be instructed to wait until you arrive at the airport.

Increased safety

Safety is certain to be a priority for those traveling in unfamiliar areas when it can be difficult to know the safe routes and whether there are any security practices that need to be followed. Traveling in a self-drive car has the potential to put you and your property in danger. However, with an airport transfer service you can rely on a driver that will follow the safest routes to minimize any risks.

Flexible hire options

Whether you are traveling solo or in a group, there are plenty of vehicle hire options to ensure it is possible to arrive at your destination in complete comfort. Other factors that can influence the vehicle choice include financial status and personal taste.

No additional fees

When using an airport transfer service there is only the need to make a single payment to cover the cost of hiring the driver and vehicle. But, this isn't the case with a typical hire car at the airport, which is likely to involve a variety of extra fees on top of the basic hire cost. This may relate to extras like fuel and insurance costs. When it is possible to make a single payment, it will be much easier to control and budget the travel expenses.

Minimal paperwork

The process of booking a transfer service is relatively straightforward with minimal paperwork. However, the same can't be said for the hire car which is a lot more dependent on completing paperwork and showing ID for security concerns.

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Don't Give In To Rudeness


By Shamala Tan

I posted this on my social media several days back, and it sparked some private conversations with some of my friends.

How often do we feel we are entitled to be rude when we are unhappy about something? As if unhappiness is a kind of permission slip to let us behave like brats.

We see this all too often in restaurants when people get so nasty when they do not get what they want. They feel that if money can buy them anything, then they should get what they want. Maybe buying some manners would help solve some of their problems.

I've had on several occasions had to apologise to the wait staff on behave of friends or family for their rude behaviour. Instead of getting into fights with my friends/family over it, on the right way to behave. I prefer to take it privately with the wait staff and apologise on my friends'/family members' behalf. It is not as if the 'bad service' was done on purpose. Everyone is trying their best, and just sometimes their best is not at your level best.

There are so many ways to deal with bad service, unhappiness over situations or people, and rudeness should not be one of them. It only shows your own lack of character, integrity and self-control. The worst thing is sometimes these rude people are so smug about it, when indeed there is nothing to be proud about.

If we do not get what we want, speaking rationally and kindly usually gets more results. I do not believe that any rude person has gotten what they want in the end, they just get a lot of bad social credits.

Why is kindness so difficult to practice? It is just basic. Kindness is the base practice of all religious and spiritual circles, yet people who proudly declare themselves of a certain religion treat others like they own them. I'm sure you have heard of people leaving their religious institutions after an hour of prayer, only to cuss and swear at someone at the parking lot, because they did not get what they want?

What is the point of that one hour of religious practice? What is the point?

I may sound like I am disappointed in humanity and I am ranting in this post. It is times like these, which makes me re-evaluate my values and check myself on when I have slipped up. We should always learn from other people's mistakes if not, it is a total waste of THEIR mistakes.

Kindness can be a meditation practice. Just keep being kind to whoever and whatever like cats, dogs, lizards etc. And if kindness is unfamiliar to you, the best thing to do is keep quiet. My teacher used to say, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. It is good advice.

When dealing with rude people, being kind is the toughest. Just breathe. Take deep breaths and count to 10. And know that you losing control is not worth it. It is not worth sinking down to a level that is detrimental to your own mental and emotional well being. If being kind to others is tough, at least do it for yourself. With practice, it gets easier.

Kindness is truly a sign of strength.

My clients call me the chiropractor for the soul because it is what I do best. I align my clients with their body, mind and soul. The end game - to live more purposeful lives. I have a deep love for psychology, all things spiritual and non-religious. Join me and over 250k followers on my Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BeSpiritualandrich and visit my website http://www.ShamalaTan.com

Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew After Learning My Son's Autistic


By Amy M Van Duyn

"I think your son may need to be tested for autism" she said. My husband and I sat there for a moment, not knowing what to say. This was supposed to be a routine meeting with our son's preschool teacher. We weren't prepared for this bombshell.

To say that we were completely unsuspecting would be a lie, though. He was over three years old at the time and still was non-verbal. He'd already been through at-home therapy and several months in a preschool meant for children with developmental needs.

"He'll outgrow it... "

"He's just sensory-seeking... "

"He's just mechanical... "

All those things may be true, but there was more to it than that.

After several months, they sent home the paperwork. There it was in print-our son is autistic. We read and reread the evaluation many times. Again, not much of it was a surprise, but it was confirmed.

As helpful as the school system is, there are still so many unanswered questions.

It's been just a few months, but I've learned so much. There are so many things I wish I could go back and tell myself after we first received our diagnosis. Below are the top ten.

Stop comparing and accept

Before the diagnosis, I felt so much anxiety over the realization that he wasn't meeting certain milestones. Now when I catch myself doing this, I am learning to stop. While it's important to monitor your child's development, realize that a child on the spectrum is going to do things differently, just like with any child. Comparing and stressing about every unmet milestone is only going cause stress and that's not going to help you or your child. Relax and accept. Do as much as you can for your child but stop comparing and just help your child develop on his or her own scale.

Be confident that you know your child.

Well-meaning friends and relatives may have birthday parties in loud places, want to take your child to a noisy and crowded event, or invite you to an event or environment that you don't think is a good fit. At first, it may be difficult for them to understand why you don't want to participate, and you may feel guilty about saying "no".

It's OK to do this. Your child is top priority. There's nothing more important than their safety or well-being. You know your child better than anyone else does. Just because someone wants to try to tell you "Oh... it'll be OK! You did this when you were their age!" doesn't mean it's right or safe for your child.

Maybe your child has a tendency to dart! Maybe they're sensitive to loud noises! You should feel comfortable making decisions to protect them from a bad situation.

Safety Trackers

Speaking of darting, autistic children are at risk for this as well as elopement from the home.

There are organizations such as Project Lifesaver and Care Tracker that may fit your child with a safety tracking device.

Do your homework and see what's available in your area. Call your local fire and police for help. If nothing else is available, there is tracking equipment available to purchase.

How to deal with others

"Why is he like that?"

"Why doesn't he talk?"

You may be surprised what you may be asked.

Keep in mind that not all questions are meant to be mean-spirited. Some people are genuinely concerned and interested but they're just not very tactful. As a parent of an autistic child, you're thrown into an unofficial (and involuntary) spokesperson role. Welcome to the family of spreading awareness and advocating for all of us.

Don't limit, you never know

I remember the first thing I thought of when we first heard his diagnosis.

"What does this mean for his future?"

No one can tell you this. And this still keeps me up at night. But what I've learned is that you can't limit your autistic child. They may be very gifted! If you limit them, you may never know this.

Who's to say what's to become of anyone's future. Don't just throw up your hands and put a label on your child. Be open-minded to the possibilities.

If they're non-verbal, they may still hear and understand you

Just because they may not make eye contact or react to what you are saying doesn't mean that they don't hear you or comprehend. And if that's the case, they may not be able to express how they feel about what they're hearing.

Not to mention that one of the first words they're going to pick up on is probably going to be one that you don't want them to say. Yep... I'm speaking from experience here. Let's just say we tried to pass it off that he was saying "sheep" or "sheet"... but we know what he was saying, (my husband and I still jokingly argue about which one of us he heard it from).

Get used to unanswered questions

There's so much that even the most brilliant scientific minds still don't understand about autism.

What causes it?

Why does my child have it?

Why does he do this and not that?

The answer is that there are no answers, at least not to all of our questions. It's extremely frustrating but you can find some hope and support in community. Talk to other parents, join support groups, and keep reading or doing your own research.

Maybe someday we'll have more answers.

Learn to be patient, you'll find your groove

I've learned to wait out every phase. For example, sometimes it seems like he just won't sleep. Just about the time I'm afraid he's going to need to be put on medication, he suddenly starts sleeping again.

Just when I think I can't stand another episode of whatever TV show he's hooked on, he changes his mind and moves on to something else.

And just when I begin to worry that he'll always be non-verbal, out comes a sentence.

You'll develop a routine. It gets a little easier everyday. You'll learn more about what comforts them, what upsets them, what foods they'll eat, and what works best for your family.

Nothing has changed

He's still the same wonderful, perfect, and special little boy he has always been before the diagnosis. He's not different. The only thing that has changed is that now we know for sure.

It's not your fault

Being 38 when I gave birth, one of the first things that ran through my head after receiving the diagnosis was, "It's all my fault... "

Don't do this to yourself. It's self-defeating and draining. You're going to need your energy, so save it for something constructive. Again, no one knows what causes autism, so why blame yourself?

I hope what I've learned can help someone in some small way.

Find a support group, do some reading, and (above all) love your child. Tell them you love them as much as you can and help them to understand you are their advocate. Be their voice when they don't have one.

They are who they are and they are perfect. No diagnosis can change love.

Amy is a lifestyle blogger and children's book author. Visit her blog, Who Says?, at    https://avanduyn75.wixsite.com/whosays for articles designed offer Strength, Voice, and Humor in your life.

Wait and Let God Avenge For You Like Only God Can


By Steve Wickham

Forgiveness is the directive of the Lord, even as we receive the Lord's forgiveness. But there is a reckoning to be had for all unrepentant perpetrators. As all deserve mercy if one receives mercy, such mercy is only available to those who do justice.

If we do wrong, we recompense the proper reparation. If we're wronged it is good that the other person pays; good for them that they get in before God gets to them, and good for us that they esteemed us and the relationship.

Injustice requires payment, but the balance of justice is God's to determine.

As Romans 12:19 suggests, we must wait for God to avenge the crime against us. We can never properly take the law into our own hands. Sure, we may still be angry, but we can turn that energy into a mercy that encourages the perpetrator's reflection. And where we have hurt them, we must repair the situation before we even worship God (Matthew 5:23-24).

God will avenge the unapologetic person, and He will do so in a strong way, even so much as we would pity them, which finalises our account of forgiveness.

It just takes time. It can take a decade or two in some situations. What is not reconciled here on earth will instantly be corrected the other side.

It takes time and we must be patient. Who are we to judge, even if we do struggle not to? We must trust the plan God has already instituted before the incident occurred. God knows what He's doing.

Wait for God's justice to catch up with others who are doing the wrong thing. Do the right thing and His plan for you will certainly succeed.

As we wait, we bravely do God's bidding, even in the face of those who hurt us. As far as it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). Love everyone.

Steve Wickham holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/

PMS - Healthy Ways to Handle the Symptoms


By Irfana Tarunnam

Pre-menstrual syndrome or PMS as we usually name it, is a phase that almost every young female adult and woman go through each month. Studies show that around 85% of women around the world experience physical and emotional symptoms associated with PMS every month; and 3% to 8% of them go through some extreme forms of physical and emotional stress. PMS is usually experienced a week or two before the menstrual cycle starts.

Symptoms of PMS:

PMS is no fun! The symptoms associated with PMS varies from a range of physical to emotional changes -

• Incessant food cravings
• Mood Swings
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Lower backache
• Fatigue
• Mild depression
• Bloating
• Breast swelling and tenderness

These are some of the most common symptoms that women complain about during PMS.

Factors leading to PMS:

There is no specific reason understood as to why women suffer PMS before every menstrual cycle;  however, there might be a number of factors attributing to PMS -

• Hormonal changes - The levels of estrogen and progesterone rise and fall before/during the menstrual cycle
• Chemical changes - Ovarian steroids modulate activity in certain parts of your brain associated with PMS.
• Lifestyle changes - You may experience extreme forms of PMS if you lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Smoking, alcohol consumption, drinking too much caffeine, lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet are some factors.
• Overweight and lack of exercise - It is often found that obese women go through higher levels of PMS. Also, physical inactivity leads to PMS.

Healthy ways to treat PMS:

Follow a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly to get your PMS over control -

• Smaller meals - We often feel bloated during our PMS days. So, it is advisable to take meals in smaller portions for 4-6 times over the day. You'll feel less bloated and full.
• Limit Salt and Sugar - It is our craving for salty and sugary food that increases especially during this time. Limit sodium intake to prevent fluid retention and the feeling of bloated out. Excess sugar (candies, cookies, jams & jellies, pies, cake, sweets) leads to rapid fluctuations in blood sugar thus aggravating moodiness and irritability.
• Increase intake of complex carbs and fibres - Whole grains and legumes, brown rice, fruits and veggies work towards enhancing your mood and control unhealthy cravings.
• Say no to cravings - Often to lift our mood and get rid of physical stress, we crave packet food rich in unsaturated fats and processed carbohydrates like chips, cookies and processed cold cuts. These tasty snacks lead to over-eating and upsetting our digestive system.
• Calcium intake - Calcium-rich diet is anyways an essential nutrient in a women's diet. However, during PMS, increasing calcium intake in diet has been shown to reduce mood swings and depressions, fluid retention and pain. You might also consider taking some calcium supplements under doctor's prescription.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol - These days you might have to think twice before filling that mug with your favourite coffee. Or you might have to do with a glass of juice or mocktail at one of those parties. Caffeine and alcohol has proven to increase stress and tension while worsening PMS pain.
• Exercise daily - Enjoy aerobics and cardio training (running, jogging, brisk walking or swimming) these days. These exercises set the pace of your heart thus easing anxiety and stress. It also helps maintain your weight during this phase.
• Relax - Take some time out for yourself and treat yourself to a spa or massage day. Relax your body and it will make you feel way better.
• Spend quality time - Good company works wonders on emotional stress. Spend some time with your friends or loved ones. Do what you like doing the most and you'll end up forgetting half of your PMS symptoms.

PMS is a monthly cycle. Following a healthy lifestyle accompanied by nutritious diet and exercise helps you cope with it to a large extent. For severe issues,   consult a gynaecologist to get comfort.

Where Does All the Fat Go When You Shed Pounds?


By Emin T Turan

The world is fixated on trend eating methodologies and weight reduction, yet few of us know how fat really vanishes off the scales.

Indeed, even the 150 specialists, dietitians and fitness coaches we reviewed shared this astonishing hole in their wellbeing proficiency.

The most widely recognized misguided judgment, by a wide margin, was that fat is changed over to vitality.

The issue with this hypothesis is that it disregards the law of preservation of issue, which every single substance response comply.

A few respondents thought fat transforms into muscle, which is unimaginable, and others accepted it escapes by means of the colon.

Just three of our respondents gave the correct answer, which implies 98 for every penny of the wellbeing experts in our overview couldn't clarify how weight reduction functions.

So if not vitality, muscles or the loo, where does fat go?

Here, writing in a piece for The Conversation, two researchers from the University of New South Wales clarify.

The right answer is that fat is changed over to carbon dioxide and water. You breathe out the carbon dioxide and the water blends into your course until it's lost as pee or sweat.

In the event that you lose 10kg (22lbs) of fat, definitely 8.4kg (18.5lbs) turns out through your lungs and the staying 1.6kg (3.5lbs) transforms into water. At the end of the day, about all the weight we lose is breathed out.

This amazes pretty much everybody, all things considered, nearly all that we eat returns out by means of the lungs.

Each sugar you process and almost every one of the fats are changed over to carbon dioxide and water. The same goes for liquor.

Protein has a similar destiny, aside from the little part that transforms into urea and different solids, which you discharge as pee.

The main thing in sustenance that makes it to your colon undigested and in place is dietary fiber (think corn).

Everything else you swallow is consumed into your circulation system and organs and, from that point onward, it's not going anyplace until you've vaporized it.

We as a whole discover that 'vitality in levels with vitality out' in secondary school. Be that as it may, vitality is a famously befuddling idea, even among wellbeing experts and researchers who think about stoutness.

The reason we put on or get thinner is considerably less secretive in the event that we monitor every one of the kilograms, as well, not only those cryptic kilojoules or calories.

As per the most recent government figures, Australians expend 3.5kg (7.7lbs) of nourishment and drinks each day. Of that, 415g (14.6oz) is strong macronutrients, 23g (0.8oz) is fiber and the staying 3kg (6.6lbs) is water.

What's not detailed is that we breathe in more than 600g (21oz) worth of oxygen, as well, and this figure is similarly imperative for your waistline.

In the event that you put 3.5kg (7.7lbs) of nourishment and water into your body, in addition to 600g (21oz) of oxygen, at that point 4.1kg (9lbs) of stuff needs to return out, or you'll put on weight.

In case you're planning to shed some weight, more than 4.1kg (9lbs) should go. So how would you get this going?

The 415g (14.6oz) of sugars, fats, protein and liquor most Australians eat each day will deliver precisely 740g (26oz) of carbon dioxide in addition to 280g (9.8oz) of water (around one container) and around 35g (1.2oz) of urea and different solids discharged as pee.

A normal 75kg (165lbs) man's resting metabolic rate (the rate at which the body utilizes vitality when the individual isn't moving) creates around 590g (20.8oz) of carbon dioxide every day.

No pill or elixir you can purchase will expand that figure, in spite of the intense cases you may have heard.

Fortunately you breathe out 200g (7oz) of carbon dioxide while you're sleeping soundly consistently, so you've officially inhaled out a fourth of your day by day focus before you even advance out of bed.

So if fat transforms into carbon dioxide, could essentially breathing more influence you to get thinner? Tragically not.

Huffing and puffing more than you have to is called hyperventilation and will just make you mixed up, or conceivably black out.

The main way you can deliberately build the measure of carbon dioxide your body is creating is by moving your muscles.

Yet, here's some more uplifting news. Just standing up and getting dressed dramatically increases your metabolic rate.

At the end of the day, on the off chance that you just attempted on every one of your outfits for 24 hours, you'd breathe out more than 1,200g (42oz) of carbon dioxide.

All the more practically, going for a walk triples your metabolic rate, thus will cooking, vacuuming and clearing.

Utilizing 100g (3.5oz) of fat expends 290g (10oz) of oxygen and produces 280g (9.8oz) of carbon dioxide in addition to 110g (3.8oz) of water. The sustenance you eat can't change these figures.

In this way, to lose 100g (3.5oz) of fat, you need to breathe out 280g (9.8oz) of carbon dioxide over what you'll create by vaporizing all your nourishment, regardless of what it is.

Any eating routine that provisions less 'fuel' than you consume will do the trap, however with such huge numbers of misinterpretations about how weight reduction functions, few of us know why.

When Email Marketing Becomes Spam


By Donald Smithon

In some ways, we can consider email revolutionary. It even predates the internet's ancestor, the ARPANET. In 1965, the first version of email was found in computers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a program dubbed "MAILBOX". In a little over ten years, people saw the potential of marketing in email, but because such method was non-existent at this point, Gary Thuerk ended up pioneering the first spam message when he sent the same email to 400 people in 1978.

Today, we know there's a clear distinction between spam and email marketing. But usually when people think of spam, the first thing that comes to mind are messages that tell you one million dollars is waiting for you and all you have to do is click the button. By this standard, almost everyone is able to identify what messages are considered spam.

Since nobody falls for that anymore, spam senders have gotten more cultured with their techniques. And sometimes, this means even your techniques can get lost in the strategies of spam. So if you're constructing your own email marketing campaign strategy, here are a few pointers for you to distinguish legitimate email marketing from spam.

Spam is sent with no permission, email marketing asks

If you'll notice, legitimate campaigns begin with an opt-in form on websites. As entrepreneurs, you have to respect your customers enough to let them decide if they want to receive weekly updates from you via email.

Spam messages are intrusive, and there's almost never a way for you to opt-out of their mailing list. But one takeaway from spam is that they offer their readers something (not real but it's the thought that counts). Mention what you can offer to your readers, like a free trial or free PDF, to let them know what they can get from subscribing to your emails.

Spam enters deceptive subject lines, email marketing sends specific ones

Spam messages usually promise something big in their subject lines. But even legitimate email marketers get carried away with using subject lines such as "Your invitation from us" or "Your gift is waiting". Studies show, the click-through rate of emails with deceptive subject lines is next to zero. Why even bother?

Everyone knows this tactic, too. Admit it; you'd never open an email that says, "your gift is waiting for you".

At this point, one of the best methods to get users to open your emails is to use open loops, or incomplete ideas. For example, you could use "The one thing I wish I learned from college is... " to make recipients want to find out more.

Spam makes it impossible for users to opt-out of mailing lists, email marketing honors opt-outs

As email marketers, you should make it a point to give your recipients choices to opt out of getting your emails. Along with this, not only does good email marketing allow users to opt out, they present clear and concise explanations on how users can opt out. Make sure to give your recipients a return email address, too.

It's worth noting that some email marketers still act intrusively, still sending certain types of emails to people who have already opted out. You must honor recipients requesting to opt out of all commercial messages. Remember, at its core, spam is a bulk of unsolicited messages.

When you follow guidelines on email marketing and respect your customers, you know your campaign can and will succeed. It all boils down to your strategy. With the help of some experts on    email campaign management, your company can deliver the best email campaign without bordering on spam.

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