Calm Your Nerves in 15 Seconds

Calm Your Nerves in 15 Seconds

You have to give a speech in 5 minutes, the boss just called and said he wants to see you in his office, now or you just heard your date pull up outside. Those are all stress inducing situations. But all you need is between 15 seconds and 5 minutes to calm your nerves. Here are some techniques we found in Woman’s World magazine to get you through:

* If you’ve only got 15 seconds to get your nerves under control, do this: Take three deep breaths. Take the first, and hold it for one second, then repeat. Simply doing that can lower your blood pressure between 10 and 20 points! It also brings oxygen to the brain which helps you feel more alert. Then stand up straight. Taking a moment to improve your posture relieves tension in the neck, shoulders, back and legs.
* If you’ve got one minute to get calm: Tighten up. Contract all your muscles, hold for five seconds, then release. That sends a signal to your brain to stop releasing stress chemicals. You’ll quickly feel calmer. Then, start humming a tune. It stimulates your body’s relaxation response by regulating your breathing, slowing your heart rate, and triggering calming chemicals.
* If you have 2 minutes before you have to face a stressful situation, do this: Pinch yourself – squeeze the webbing between your thumb and index finger for 30 seconds. It’s a calming acupuncture point. Then, think of one word and repeat it quietly to yourself. It’s a simple meditation technique. If you can’t think of a word, try “ham-sah” – it mimics the sound of breathing.
* If you have 5 minutes before a speech, date, or confrontation with the boss: Chew gum. It relaxes the muscles in the jaw and neck which is where most people hold their tension. Then, focus on what’s really important in your life. A UCLA study found that reflecting on the things you value most – like your family or your faith – before a high pressure event lowers your stress hormones and shuts down your body’s stress response, like shaking or sweaty hands.

Condiments That Benefit Your Health

The things you sprinkle on your meals may be the key to good health, and in many cases, just a little bit goes a long way. So let’s take a look at four beneficial condiments that you probably already have in your pantry that can improve your health.
• The first one is rosemary: Sometimes when certain foods are cooked, cancer causing compounds can form. One in particular is beef – especially when it’s grilled. The char on the meat can be extremely carcinogenic. That’s where the rosemary comes in. Scientists at Kansas State University found that seasoning beef with rosemary before grilling could reduce cancer-causing substances by 30 percent. It’s the anti-oxidants in rosemary that are doing all the work – they “scavenge” the harmful compounds.
• The second condiment that can benefit your health is horseradish, because it can detox your body: There are compounds in the roots and leaves of the horseradish plant that can increase your liver’s ability to detoxify carcinogens and suppress the growth of existing tumors. All you need is a-quarter of a teaspoon! In fact, horseradish is 10 times more powerful at detoxifying your liver than broccoli, the next best source.
• The third condiment that can improve your health is sauerkraut, because it eases digestion: It’s full of good bacteria that can help relieve gas and stomach distension. Up to 95 percent of people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome have said horseradish has improved their quality of life. Use fresh sauerkraut – it has more probiotic material than the canned or jarred kinds.
• The last spice that could benefit you is black pepper: Doctors at the University of Michigan say it guards against cancer — because it blocks cancerous stem cells from multiplying.

Portland Parks & Recreation offers easy ways to beat the heat

Its going to heat up this coming weekend so here are some ways to cool off thanks to Portland Parks and Recreation...


Cool off in the evenings while enjoying a “Summer Free For All” movie or concert in your neighborhood park.

Portlanders can find relief from the warm temperatures forecast this weekend by taking refuge in the city's parks and pools. From a shady walk in Forest Park to a picnic dinner under the trees in your neighborhood park, from a dip in a community pool to a splash in a spray fountain, there are many free or inexpensive opportunities to escape from the heat.



Portland Parks & Recreation’s “Summer Free For All” offers free concerts and family movies in neighborhood parks throughout the city on nearly every night of the week. Enjoying a picnic dinner, followed by a concert or movie, is a fun and affordable way to keep cool in the evenings. Visit www.portlandparks.org and click on “Summer Free For All” for a list of movies and concerts, dates and locations.



In addition, many Portland Parks & Recreation swimming pools are open until 9 p.m. or later on weeknights. Visit www.PortlandParks.org and click on “Recreation” for a full list of pools, hours, and other information.



Locations of PP&R pools and free spray features in neighborhood parks are listed below.



PP&R Indoor Pools

Buckman Pool, 320 SE 16 Ave

Columbia Pool, 7701 N. Chautauqua Blvd

Dishman Pool, 77 NE Knott

East Portland Pool, 740 SE 106 Ave

Mt Scott Pool, 5530 SE 72 Ave

Southwest Pool, 6820 SW 45 Ave



PP&R Outdoor Pools

Creston Pool, SE 44 & Powell Blvd

Grant Pool, NE 33 & US Grant Place

Montavilla Pool, 8219 NE Glisan

Peninsula Pool, 700 N. Rosa Parks Way

Pier Pool, N. Seneca & St Johns

Sellwood Pool, 7951 SE 7th Ave

Wilson Pool, 1151 SW Vermont



Free spray features in neighborhood parks (available all regular park hours)

Caruthers Park, 3508 SW Moody

Columbia Park, N. Lombard & Woolsey
Earl Boyles Park, SE 112 & Boise

Essex Park, SE 79 & Center

Grant Park, NE 33 & US Grant Pl
Kenton Park, 8417 N. Brandon
McCoy Park, N. Trenton & Newman

Northgate Park, N. Geneva & Fessenden

Peninsula Park, N. 700 Rosa Parks Way
Pier Park, N. Lombard & Bruce
Raymond Park, SE 118 & Raymond

Stark Street Island, SE 106 & Stark

Woodlawn Park, NE 13 & Dekum

7 MOST UNHEALTHY CARNIVAL FOODS

7. Cotton Candy - One large cone of spun sugar has around 200 calories.
6. Snow Cones - A 12 oz. cone ends up around 550 calories depending on how much syrup is on it
5. Corn Dogs - 375 calories, 21 grams of fat and 1170 mg. of sodium.
4. Deep Fried Twinkie - 420 calories and 32 grams of fat.
3. Deep Fried Oreos - Each cookie contains 157 calories and 10.1 grams of fat.
2. Funnel Cake - An 8.3 oz. cake contains 760 calories, 44 grams of fat, 80 grams of carbs and 20 mg. if cholesterol.
1. Deep Fried Candy Bars - everything from Snickers, Mars, Milky Ways and 3 Musketeers is deep fried and put on a stick. A king-size deep fried bar has 700 calories and 44 grams of fat.

(from Newsweek)

Now read the healthy cool summer treats entry. :)

Have a great day,

Tim

TEN TIPS FOR COOL SUMMER TREATS

Summertime is a great time to enjoy whatever fresh fruits and veggies abound in your neck of the woods. Purchasing locally grown fresh produce saves you money, provides great nutrition, and is good for the environment. Many of these cool summer treats can be made with fresh ingredients or those that you have frozen during their peak season. Other ingredients are included to compliment the taste and nutritional value of the fruits and veggies. Remember, Fruits and Veggies: More Matters!

Strawberry Milkshake
Mix in a blender on high: 1 cup fat free milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon sugar OR 2 packets sugar substitute (or sweeten to taste), and ½ cup quartered frozen strawberries. [Wash, quarter, and freeze strawberries at the height of their season; they will keep for about six months.]

Banana Milkshake
Mix in a blender on high: 1 cup fat free milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon sugar OR 2 packets sugar substitute (or sweeten to taste), and 1 small sliced frozen banana. [Frozen sliced bananas will keep about two weeks.]

Orange Smoothie
Mix in a blender on high: 1 cup fat free milk, 1 small can frozen orange juice concentrate, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup sugar or equivalent sugar substitute (or sweeten to taste). Add ice cubes one at a time until desired consistency (about 12).

Fruit Cup with Pizzazz
Cut up two or three of your favorite seasonal fruits and/or berries in a bowl. Put ½ to 1 cup portions into small bowls. Add a spoonful of fat free or low fat vanilla yogurt and a sprinkle of wheat germ or chopped nuts to each. [NOTE: You can make your own vanilla yogurt by adding vanilla extract and sugar or sugar substitute to plain yogurt.]

Lime Spritzer
Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice (to taste) to a glass of seltzer or club soda with crushed ice for a refreshing and no-calorie thirst quencher.

Cantaloupe Supreme
Top ½ cup of small cantaloupe chunks (or be fancy and use a melon ball maker) with a small scoop of low fat vanilla ice cream.

Orange and Blue Delight
Mix cantaloupe chunks or balls with blueberries for a healthy and tasty “Go Gators” treat. A great choice for tailgating and game day parties.

Ants on a Log
This is a traditional children’s favorite that the whole family can enjoy. Spread peanut or nut butter (cashew or almond butter) on celery sticks and dot with raisins. Serve with fat free milk for nutrition and to help with chewing and swallowing! (Don’t serve peanut or nut butters to very young children.)

Veggies with Dip
Crunchy cold veggies with a refreshing low fat buttermilk ranch dressing dip make a great summertime snack. Colorful and nutritious choices include carrot and celery sticks, cucumber rounds, grape tomatoes, bell pepper slices, and broccoli “trees” (blanch broccoli for two minutes and cool quickly for best color, texture, and taste, and for food safety).

Tomato Basil Delight
Slice plum tomatoes in half. Place a thin slice of mozzarella cheese and a fresh whole basil leaf (or chopped fresh basil) on each tomato half. Drizzle each with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and/or black pepper (optional).