A mortgage is the transfer of an interest in property to a lender as  a security for a debt – usually a loan of money. While a mortgage in itself is not a debt, it is the lender’s security for a debt. It is a transfer of an interest in land  from the owner to the mortgage lender, on the condition that this interest will be returned to the owner when the terms of the mortgage have been satisfied or performed. In other words, the mortgage is a security for the loan that the lender makes to the borrower.

Not only do you have to understand what type of mortgage you should choose, you have to understand the costs associated with your mortgage. All of these costs will be paid upon closing your mortgage.

Purchase Points

Purchase points, also known as a “buy-down” or “discount points,” are an up-front fee paid to the lender at closing to buy-down or lower your interest rate over the life of the loan. Each point is equal to one percent of your total loan amount. If you have a $100,000 loan, one point would equal $1,000. The more points you buy, the lower your interest rate, but the more money you’ll need at closing.

How do you decide whether you should buy points and if so, how many? Well, the decision should be based on how long you plan on living in your home and what you can afford to pay each month toward your mortgage. If you plan on living in your home for more than five years, it’s probably a good idea to purchase points. The longer you live in your home, the more you can save on interest over the life of the loan.

Interest Rate

When you get a mortgage, you are charged an interest rate.  This is the rate which the lender charges you for using their money to buy a home. It determines how much your monthly payments will be. Generally speaking, the higher the interest rate, the higher your monthly payment.

Mortgage interest rates change constantly.  Daily, even hourly. If you speak to a lender and are quoted a specific interest rate, that’s not to say you’ll necessarily get that rate when you close on your loan. Not unless you formally lock-in that rate with the lender.  Locking in an interest rate will guarantee you get your loan with a particular interest rate. Lenders will allow you to lock in for 15, 45 or 60 days. But the longer you lock in, the more expensive it will be, since it’s more of a risk to lenders.

Fees

There are always fees associated with getting a mortgage, these fees cover the cost of processing and underwriting the loan. These fees can include charges for ensuring the title to the home is free and clear; paying for a land survey; or paying for a home appraisal which gives you the estimated value of the property (lenders require an appraisal to close on your mortgage).

Deciding which mortgage to get may depend on what each lender does because different lenders may charge different amounts. Some may charge lesser closing fees to lure you in, but may charge you a higher interest rate, which means you may pay more in the long run. But everyone has different needs.you may or may not be able to afford to pay more at closing and are willing to pay more over the long term.

Before it comes time to close, do your homework, make sure there are no hidden fees, and ask your lender lots of questions so that you understand all the costs involved with your mortgage.

Source: http://realestate.yahoo.com/loans/guides/understanding-points-rates-and-fees.html

I hope by this, you will be able to think clearly of what type of mortgage will help you as a lender and how much will be the cost. Good luck!

I may look okay
I may let you feel
I am okay
But to tell you
Inside of me
feels like dying

I hope I could combat
this emotions
That I will be able to
surpass this feeling
As separation reminds me
that this will lead me
of becoming stronger

Endorphins are endogenous opioid polypeptide compounds. They are produced by pituitary gland and hypothalamus in the vertebrates during strenuous exercise. These endorphins have incredible benefits. They are proteins that lowers blood pressure and are even said to fight cancer. These has certainly lots of benefits to our body.

I hope this will consciously remind us to exercise regularly since it will release endorphins which will make us happy. The more we release endorphins the happier and healthier we can be.

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.

Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.

Identify the sources of stress in your life

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.

To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:

• Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
• Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”).
• Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

Look at how you currently cope with stress

Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or unproductive? Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that compound the problem.

Unhealthy ways of coping with stress

These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in the long run:

Learning healthier ways to manage stress

If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health, it’s time to find healthier ones. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control.

Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
• Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.
• Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.

Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.
• Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
• Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
• Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
• Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
• Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation

Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

• Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
• Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
• Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
• Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary “highs” caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

Source: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm

As a person who has passion in photography, these are the tips which helped me get going and I want to share it with the newbies in photography.

1. Don’t go crazy buying the most expensive equipment right away.

It’s possible to get very nice photos with an inexpensive point and shoot. See these examples on Flickr. The more photos you take, the more you’ll know about what kind of camera to get when it’s time to upgrade.

2. Consider a tripod.

On the other hand, an inexpensive tripod is worth getting, especially if you have shaky hands like mine. When I got a tripod, my satisfaction with my shots skyrocketed. For even more stability, use your camera’s timer function with a tripod (read our introduction to tripods).

3. Keep your camera with you all the time.

Photo ops often come when you least expect it. If you can keep your equipment relatively simple – just a small camera bag and a tripod – you might be able to take advantage of some of those unexpected opportunities. Or, if your phone has a camera, use it to take “notes” on scenes you’d like to return to with your regular camera.

Read more:

4. Make a list of shots you’d like to get.

For those times you can’t carry your camera around, keep a small notebook to jot down places you’d like to come back and photograph. Make sure to note any important details, like the lighting, so you can come back at the same time of day or when the weather’s right. If you don’t want to carry a notebook, send yourself an email using your cell phone with Jott.com.

5. Don’t overlook mundane subjects for photography.

You might not see anything interesting to photograph in your living room or your backyard, but try looking at familiar surroundings with fresh eyes. You might catch an interesting trick of the light or find some unexpected wildflowers in your yard. Often a simple subject makes the best shot.

Read more:

6. Enjoy the learning process.

The best part of having a hobby like photography is never running out of things to learn. Inspiration is all around you. Look at everything with the eyes of a photographer and you’ll see opportunities you never noticed before.

7. Take advantage of free resources to learn.

Browse through Flickr or websites like the Digital Photography School Forum for inspiration and tips. Also, your local library probably has a wealth of books on all types of photography. If you’re interested in learning about post-processing, give free software like the GIMP a try.

8. Experiment with your camera’s settings.

Your point and shoot may be more flexible and powerful than you know. Read the manual for help deciphering all those little symbols. As you explore, try shooting your subjects with multiple settings to learn what effects you like. When you’re looking at your photos on a computer, you can check the EXIF data (usually in the file’s properties) to recall the settings you used.

9. Learn the basic rules.

The amount of information about photography online can be overwhelming. Start with a few articles on composition. Be open to what more experienced photographers have to say about technique. You have to know the rules before you can break them.

10. Take photos regularly.

Try to photograph something every day. If you can’t do that, make sure you take time to practice regularly, so you don’t forget what you’ve learned. An excellent way to motivate yourself is by doing the weekly assignments in the DPS Forum.

11. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

If you’re using a digital camera, the cost of errors is free. Go crazy – you might end up with something you like. You’ll certainly learn a lot in the process.

Source: http://digital-photography-school.com/11-tips-for-beginner-photographers

I hope these tips will help beginners out there. These will certainly help out the best in you guys. Just have focus and keep your selves on the track. Remember that passion is the key to success. Good luck!

Today, 7 in 10 prescriptions filled in the United States are for generic drugs.  This fact sheet explains how generic drugs are made and approved and debunks some common myths about these products.

FACT: FDA requires generic drugs to have the same quality and performance as the brand name drugs.

• When a generic drug product is approved, it has met rigorous standards established by the FDA with respect to identity, strength, quality, purity and potency.  Some variability can and does occur during manufacturing, for both brand name and generic drugs. When a drug, generic or brand name, is mass produced, very small variations in purity, size, strength and other parameters are permitted. FDA puts limits on how much variability in  composition or performance of a drug is acceptable.
• Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand name (or reference) product.  Generic drugs do not need to contain the same inactive ingredients as the brand product.
• Through review of bioequivalence data, FDA assures that the generic product will perform the same as its respective brand name (or reference) product. This standard applies to all generic drugs, whether immediate or controlled release.
• A generic drug must be shown to be bioequivalent to the reference drug; that is, it must be shown to give blood levels that are very similar to those of the reference product.  If blood levels are the same, the therapeutic effect will be the same.  In that case, there is no need to carry out a clinical effectiveness study and they are not required.
• All generic manufacturing, packaging and testing sites must pass the same quality standards as those of brand name drugs and the generic products must meet the same exacting specifications as any innovator brand name product.  In fact, many generic drugs are made in the same plants as innovator brand name drug products.
• If an innovator of a brand name drug switches drug production to an alternative manufacturing site, or they change formulation of their brand name drug, these companies are held to the same rigorous manufacturing requirements as those that apply to generic drug companies.

FACT:  Research shows that generics work just as well as brand name drugs.

• A recent study evaluated the results of 38 published clinical trials that compared cardiovascular generic drugs to their brand-name counterparts. There was no evidence that brand-name heart drugs worked any better than generic heart drugs. [Kesselheim et al. Clinical equivalence of generic and brand-name drugs used in cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2008;300(21)2514-2526].

FACT: When it comes to price, there is a big difference between generic and brand name drugs. On average, the cost of a generic drug is 80 to 85% lower than the brand name product.

• An IMS National Prescription Audit shows that a typical formulary now charges $6 for generic medications, $29 for preferred branded drugs, and $40 or more for non-preferred branded drugs. [Aitken et al. Prescription drug spending trends in the United States: looking beyond the   turning point. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009;28(1):w151-60].
• Independent research has shown that total prescription drug expenditures in the United States only increased by 4.0% from 2006 to 2007, with total spending rising from $276 billion to $287 billion. This is a sharp decrease from the 8.9% growth rate observed in prescription drug expenditures in 2006. One factor cited as a reason for the slowdown is an increase in availability and use of generic drugs [Hoffman et al. Projecting future drug expenditures--2009. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2009;66(3):237-57].

Recently, misinformation in the media has raised concerns over generic drugs.  Below are some common myths in circulation.

MYTH:   FDA lets generic drugs differ from the brand name counterpart by up to 45 percent.

FACT:    This claim is false.  Anyone who repeats this myth does not understand how FDA reviews and approves generic drugs.

• FDA recently evaluated 2,070 human studies conducted between 1996 and 2007. These studies compared the absorption of brand name and generic drugs into a person’s body. These studies were submitted to FDA to support approval of generics. The average difference in absorption into the body between the generic and the brand name was only 2.3 percent. Some generics were absorbed slightly more, some slightly less. This amount of difference would be expected and acceptable, whether for one batch of brand name drug tested against another batch of the same brand, or for a generic tested against a brand name. In fact, there have been studies in which branded drugs were compared with themselves as well as with a generic.  As a rule, the difference for the generic-to-brand comparison was about the same as the brand-to-brand comparison.
• Any generic drug modeled after a single, brand name drug (the reference) must perform approximately the same in the body as the brand name drug. There will always be a slight, but not medically important, level of natural variability – just as there is for one batch of brand name drug to the next.

MYTH:  People who are switched to a generic drug are risking treatment failure.

FACT:   There is no evidence for this claim. Treatment failures can and do occur when taking  generic or brand name drugs.  If someone is switched to a generic drug around the time they are relapsing, they may attribute the problem to the switch.

• Many people who have recovered from major depression have a relapse despite continued treatment. These relapses have been shown in trials of long-term therapy. [Byrne and Rothschild. Loss of antidepressant efficacy during maintenance therapy: possible mechanisms and treatments. J Clin Psychiatry. 1998;59(6):279-88].
• Many people who are on a seizure medications will re-experience a seizure despite continued treatment on a single drug. The likelihood of re-experiencing a seizure, despite staying with the same drug product, goes up with time. [Brodie et al. Comparison of levetiracetam and controlled-release carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology. 2007;68(6):402-8].
• A percentage of people will re-experience gastric ulcers, despite an initial, positive response to and continued treatment with prescription strength antacids (cimetidine tablets; http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=8131#nlm34067-9).

MYTH: Generic drugs cost less because they are inferior to brand name drugs.

FACT: Generic manufacturers are able to sell their products for lower prices, not because the products are of lesser quality, but because generic manufacturers generally do not engage in costly advertising, marketing and promotion, or significant research and development.

• When a brand name drug comes off patent and generic drugs are permitted to compete with the brand name drug, the generic products compete by offering lower prices. Unlike the manufacturers of brand name drugs, generic drug companies do not have significant expenses to recoup for advertising, marketing and promotion, or research and development activities.

MYTH:  There are quality problems with generic drug manufacturing.  A recent recall of generic digoxin (called Digitek) shows that generic drugs put patients at risk.

FACT: FDA’s aggressive action in this case demonstrates the high standards to which all prescription drugs – generic and brand name – are held.

• In March 2008, FDA performed a scheduled inspection of the Actavis production facility and identified products that were not manufactured to required specifications over a period of time extending back to the year 2006.  Included in this list of products was one particular lot of Digitek.
• Actavis detected a very small number of oversized tablets in this lot (specifically, 20 double-sized tablets in a sample of approximately 4.8 million tablets).
• Although Actavis attempted to remove the affected Digitek tablets through visual inspection, FDA determined that this method of removal was inadequate to assure the product’s quality and consistency in accordance with the current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations.
• Since the detection of the manufacturing problem, FDA has been actively engaged with this company to ensure that ALL potentially affected lots of Digitek tablets have been recalled.  In our best judgment, given the very small number of defective tablets that may have reached the market and the lack of reported adverse events before the recall, harm to patients was very unlikely.
• FDA takes action whenever we find that a drug manufacturer is not following cGMPs.  Over the last ten years, FDA has taken enforcement action against many brand name and generic firms for failing to meet FDA manufacturing quality standards.

MYTH:  FDA’s enforcement action against the generic drug company Ranbaxy demonstrates quality problems with imported generic drugs.

FACT: FDA’s action demonstrates FDA’s commitment to safe generic drugs.

• FDA has taken several regulatory actions against the generic drug manufacturer Ranbaxy, on the basis of problems at two of Ranbaxy’s manufacturing facilities. Ranbaxy is one of many non-U.S. based generic and brand drug manufacturers.
• On Sept. 2008, the FDA issued two warning letters and instituted an Import Alert barring the entry of all finished drug products and active pharmaceutical ingredients from Ranbaxy’s Dewas, Paonta Sahib and Batamandi Unit facilities due to violations of U.S. cGMP requirements. That action barred the commercial importation of 30 different generic drugs into the United States and remains in effect today (http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm149532.htm).
• Subsequent FDA investigations also revealed a pattern of questionable data raising significant questions regarding the reliability of certain generic drug applications from Ranbaxy.
• To address the allegedly falsified data, the FDA has invoked its Application Integrity Policy (AIP) against the Paonta Sahib facility. When the AIP is implemented, the FDA stops all substantive scientific review of any new or pending drug approval applications that contain data generated by the Paonta Sahib facility. This AIP covers applications that rely on data generated by the Paonta Sahib facility only.
• In the fiscal year 2008, FDA performed 2,221 drug-related inspections. FDA takes many different enforcement actions, not just against generic drug manufacturers. For a list of enforcement actions in the fiscal year 2008, see http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ICECI/EnforcementActions/EnforcementStory/UCM129812.pdf.  It is FDA’s responsibility to ensure that the drugs people use, generic or brand name, are safe and effective.

MYTH: Brand name drugs are safer than generic drugs.

FACT: FDA receives very few reports of adverse events about specific generic drugs. Most reports of adverse events are related to side effects of the drug ingredient itself.

• The monitoring of postmarket adverse events for all drug products, including generic drugs, is one aspect of the overall FDA effort to evaluate the safety of drugs after approval.  In most cases, reports of adverse events generally describe a known reaction to the active drug ingredient.

MYTH:  FDA does not care about concerns over generic drugs.

FACT:  FDA is actively engaged in making all regulated products – including generic drugs – safer.

• We are aware that there are reports noting that some people may experience an undesired effect when switching from brand name drug to a generic formulation or from one generic drug to another generic drug. Evidence indicates that if problems with interchangeability of drug formulations occur, they occur only for a very small subset of people.
• FDA is encouraging the generic industry to investigate whether, and under what circumstances, such problems occur.  The Agency does not have the resources to perform independent clinical studies, and lacks the regulatory authority to require industry to conduct such studies. FDA will continue to investigate these reports to ensure that it has all the facts about these treatment failures and will make recommendations to health care professionals and the public if the need arises.

Source: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingGenericDrugs/ucm167991.htm

Do you have trouble falling asleep, or toss and turn in the middle of the night? Awaken too early, or find yourself not feeling refreshed in the morning? You are not alone: millions of people struggle with falling and staying asleep.

Unless you’re suffering from a serious sleep disorder, simply improving your daytime habits and creating a better sleep environment can set the stage for good sleep. By developing a good bedtime routine and designing a plan that works with your individual needs, you can avoid common pitfalls and make simple changes that bring you consistently better sleep.

Better Sleep Tip I: Improving your daytime habits

How can what you do during the day affect your sleep at night? Better sleep starts with good daytime habits, from when (and how often) you exercise to what you eat and drink.

Regular day exercise can help sleep

Regular exercise, aside from many other wonderful health benefits, usually makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep better. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits– as little as twenty to thirty minutes of activity helps.  And you don’t need to do all 30 minutes in one session: break it up into five minutes here, ten minutes there.  A brisk walk, a bicycle ride or a run is time well spent. However, be sure to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Exercising too late in the day actually stimulates the body, raising its temperature. That’s the opposite of what you want near bedtime, because a cooler body temperature is associated with sleep.  Don’t feel glued to the couch in the evening, though. Exercise such as relaxation yoga or simple stretching shouldn’t hurt.

Get some light to set your body clock

We all have an internal body clock that helps regulate sleep. This clock is sensitive to light and dark. Light tells your body clock to move to the active daytime phase. When you get up, open the shades or go outside to get some sunlight. If that’s not possible, turn on the lights to make your environment bright.

Napping can interfere with sleep

Perhaps the English had the right idea in having teatime in the late afternoon when you naturally get sleepy. Some people can take a short afternoon nap and still sleep well at night. However, if you are having trouble sleeping at night, try to eliminate napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon, and sleep no longer than about thirty minutes.

Alcohol, caffeine, smoking

• Alcohol reduces overall quality of sleep. Many people think that a nightcap before bed will help them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking you up later in the night. To avoid this effect, stay away from alcohol in the last few hours before bed.
• Caffeine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! If you rely on coffee, tea or caffeinated soda to keep you going during the day, consider eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake.
• Smoking. Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which disrupts sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.

Better Sleep Tip II: Creating a better sleep environment

The key to better sleep might be as simple as making some minor changes to your bedroom. Take a careful look around your sleep environment to see what might be disrupting your sleep.

Your Bed

• Is your bed large enough? Do you have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably in bed, or are you cramped? Having a bedmate makes this even more important- both of you should have plenty of room to stretch out. Consider getting a larger bed if you don’t have enough space.
• Your mattress, pillows and bedding. Waking up with a cramp in your back or a sore neck? You may want to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness and pillows that provide more support. If your mattress is too hard, you can add a foam topper for additional softness. Experiment with different types of pillows – feather, synthetic, and special pillows for side, back or stomach sleepers. Consider your bedding—scratchy sheets might be making you uncomfortable in the middle of the night, or your comforter might not be keeping you warm enough. Consider soft, breathable cotton sheets. Flannel sheets may be cozy for the winter months.

Your Room

Ideally, to maximize sleep, your room should be quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature and ventilation.

Keep the noise level down. Too much noise- loud outside conversations, televisions blaring, traffic noise – can make it difficult to sleep well. When the source of outside noise can’t be eliminated, sometimes it can be masked. A fan or white noise machine can help block outside noise. Some people enjoy recordings of soothing sounds such as waves, waterfalls or rain. Earplugs may also help, although you want to make sure they don’t block out important noises like an alarm clock if you use one.

• Keep your room dark during sleep hours. Early morning light can send your body clock the wrong signal that it is time to wake up. Or perhaps there is a streetlamp shining right in your window at night.  Heavy shades can help block light from windows, or you can try an eye mask to cover your eyes.
• Room temperature and ventilation. Who can sleep in a hot stuffy room? Or for that matter, a cold drafty one? If you can, experiment with the room temperature. Most people sleep best in a slightly cooler room.  Make sure that you have adequate ventilation as well – a fan can help keep the air moving. You also might want to check your windows and doors to make sure that drafts are not interfering with sleep.
• Reserve your bed for sleeping. Do you sometimes balance your checkbook propped up on your pillows? Or jot down some notes for tomorrow’s meeting? It might feel relaxing to do tasks like these on a comfortable bed. However, if you associate your bed with events like work or errands, it will only make it harder to wind down at night.  Use your bed only for sleep and sex.

Better Sleep Tip III: Preparing for Sleep

Keep a regular bedtime schedule, including weekends

Time of day serves as a powerful cue to your body clock that it is time to sleep and awaken. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, and it will be easier and easier to fall asleep. However tempting it may be, try not to break this routine on weekends when you may want to stay up much later or sleep in. Your overall sleep will be better if you don’t.

In setting your bedtime, pay attention to the cues your body is giving you. When do you feel sleepy? Set your bedtime for when you normally feel tired, within reason – you may not want to make your bedtime 2am if you have to work at 8am! If you regularly go to bed when you don’t feel sleepy, not only is it harder to fall asleep, but you may start worrying about not sleeping, which can end up keeping you up longer! If you want to change your bedtime, try doing it in small daily increments, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day.

Foods that help you sleep

Maybe a rich, hearty dinner, topped off with a big slice of chocolate cake might seem like the perfect way to end the day, but it’s wise not to eat a large meal within two hours of bed. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods as bedtime snacks.

However, a light snack before bed, especially one which contains the amino acid tryptophan, can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan-containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. For even better sleep, add some calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack. Calcium helps the brain use and process tryptophan.  On the other hand, you might want to avoid eating too much protein before bedtime – protein-rich foods contain tyrosine, an amino acid that stimulates brain activity. Experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks.

Foods that can interfere with sleep

Some food and drinks that can interfere with your sleep, including:

• Too much food, especially fatty, rich food. These take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up. Spicy or acidic foods in the evening can cause stomach trouble and heartburn, which worsens as you are laying down
• Too much liquid. Drinking lots of fluid may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.
• Alcohol. Although it may initially make you feel sleepy, alcohol can interfere with sleep and cause  frequent awakenings. Also some people are also sensitive to tyrosine, found in certain red wines
• Caffeine. Avoid food and drinks that contain caffeine, and that doesn’t just mean coffee. Hidden sources of caffeine include chocolate, caffeinated sodas, and teas.

If you suspect a food or drink is keeping you up, try eliminating it for a few days to see if sleep improves.

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine

A consistent, relaxing routine before bed sends a signal to your brain that it is time to wind down, making it easier to fall asleep.

Start by keeping a consistent bedtime as much as possible. Then, think about what relaxes you. It might be a warm bath, soft music or some quiet reading. Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, visualization or muscle relaxation not only tell your body it is time for sleep but also help relieve anxiety.

Avoid bright light or activities which cause stress and anxiety.

Better Sleep Tip IV: Getting back to sleep, television and sleep medications

Getting back to sleep

It’s normal to wake briefly during the night- a good sleeper won’t even remember it. However, there are times when you may wake during the night and not be able to fall back asleep. You may get more and more frustrated about not being able to sleep, which raises your anxiety level, ironically making it even harder to achieve the sleep you crave!

• Stay relaxed: The key to getting back to bed is continuing to cue your body for sleep. Some relaxation techniques, such as visualization and meditation, can be done without even getting out of bed. The time honored technique of “counting sheep” works by engaging the brain in a repetitive, non-stimulating activity, helping you wind down.
• Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity if you can’t sleep: If you’ve been awake for more than 15 minutes, try getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity. Keep the lights dim so as not to cue your body clock that it’s time to wake up. A light snack or herbal tea might help relax you, but be careful not to eat so much that your body begins to expect a meal at that time of the day.

Television

Many people use the television to fall asleep or relax at the end of the day. You may even have a television in your bedroom. However, it’s best to get rid of the television, or related activities like video games, for several reasons.

First, television programming is frequently stimulating rather than calming. Late night news or prime time shows frequently have disturbing, violent material. Even non-violent programming can have commercials which are jarring and louder than the actual program. Remember, commercials want to get your attention! Processing this type of material is a stimulating activity, the opposite of what you want to help you sleep.

In addition, the light coming from the TV (or a computer screen) can interfere with the body’s clock, which is sensitive to any light. Television is also noisy, which can disturb sleep if the set is accidentally left on.

• Take the TV out of the bedroom – The optimum setup for better sleep is to have your bedroom reserved for sleeping. So if you watch TV in bed, even if you don’t fall asleep watching it, you are unconsciously associating another activity with the area you use to sleep. It’s best to remove the TV from the bedroom entirely, saving your viewing for the living room or den.
• Trouble falling asleep without the TV – You may be so used to falling asleep with the TV that you have trouble without it. Be patient. It takes time to develop new habits. If you miss the noise, try turning on soft music or a fan. If your favorite show is on late at night, record it for viewing earlier in the day. Although the first few days might be difficult, better sleep pays off in the long run.

Medications and sleep

If only sleeplessness could be completely cured by a simple pill! There are certainly plenty of over-the-counter sleep aids.  However, these medications are not meant for long term use. They can cause side effects and even rebound insomnia, where your sleep ends up worse than before. Prescription medications are no magic pill, either. If you must take sleep prescription.

Learning about medical treatment options can help you make an informed choice about treating your sleep problems. Behavioral modifications often make the largest difference in good sleep.

Have you started a new medication lately? Some medications have sleeplessness as a side effect. If you suspect this may be the case, be sure to communicate with your healthcare professional.

Quality sleep is important to your health. Make a commitment to yourself – don’t “rest” until you find the solution to your sleep problems!

Source: http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm

Losing weight seems to be a national conversation. Each year, the bestselling books list in the United States seems to contain a variety of diet, health and self-help books. In addition to the obvious improvement in external appearance, the positive physical, psychological and emotional changes associated with healthy weight loss are extremely powerful.

For lasting change with weight loss, there are some key tips for approaching weight loss that can be very helpful to your ultimate success.

Think medium. And long (-term).

If you are overweight, and whether you have gained just a few pounds or quite a few, one of the first things to remember is that it likely happened over a decent amount of time. Though it may seem that the extra 15 pounds (or 25 or 60) appeared overnight, the reality, backed by science, is that the gain was relatively slow and gradual.

Perhaps you changed jobs and had a longer commute, or sit in front of a computer or in meetings much more than you used to.  Maybe an important internal or external event left a void that food sometimes replaced. Regardless, it’s important to remember and to plan realistically for success: real, sustainable, healthy weight loss needs to also take place gradually. By setting your expectations and understanding in the medium and long term, you can pace and plan effectively for exactly what, when and how your weight loss can happen.

Be realistic. Go slow(er) rather than fast.

Your specific weight loss goals should be realistic. One important factor, besides the amount of weight you want or need to lose, is what kinds of changes you can realistically make, and how many changes are reasonable to expect. This is something only you can answer, but think baby steps at first.

People who lose weight more slowly, through gradual changes and improvements, are more likely to have long-lasting and long-term weight loss, not to mention health and psychological benefits.

Break it down. Write it down. Add it up.

What kinds of situations and behaviors may have led to the excess weight? Often times, by breaking down exactly how weight gain happened, we can recognize where changes can be made that can reverse the course.

Did the new job mean that you’re not getting the dog out for her morning walk? Are you eating later than you used to? Is breakfast a cup of coffee and a scone on the ride to work, with lunch usually skipped because of meetings, followed by a voracious approach to dinner? Too many trips to the fast food joint because it’s right on the way?

Be specific. Set a goal. Have a plan.

By being specific, we are not talking only about “how many pounds” and your timetable (lose 15 pounds in five months). For example, a recent study out from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that weighing oneself daily and doing thirty minutes of any kind of physical activity a day are two important indicators for those who were able to keep weight off long term. Are you able to incorporate daily activity at some point in your day?

Commit to the activity and the time—walking the dog in the morning each day, for example. With pedometers becoming more popular and inexpensive, one can be specific about how many steps per day as a goal, with a list of strategies daily strategies to get there (park the car farther away, walk with the neighbor after work and before dinner, etc.).

Know where you stand

It is important to know whether and how well you are progressing, and the best way is to buy an inexpensive scale and weigh yourself (do try to weigh yourself at the same time every day, as weight often fluctuates throughout the day).  Then write it down. It can be very motivating to look back over time and see the steady, gradual, positive results as you make specific changes.

Be your own best friend and coach.

Don’t be too rigid, and be sure to reward yourself. If you’re obsessed with all the things you have to give up or cut down on, your focus becomes only negative. Make a list of all of the great foods you can and will enjoy more. Some people love fresh watermelon. Or Manhattan clam chowder. Curried chicken. Mango sorbet. Fresh steamed asparagus. Frozen yogurt. A turkey melt. Corn on the cob. The list of things you can have is longer than the list of things you need to cut down on. What are your favorites?

There of course may be times when you splurge—if it’s planned as a reward, enjoy it! But if the splurge wasn’t planned, it doesn’t help to think you’ve “fallen off the wagon” and are suddenly, in one quick swoop, starting over from the beginning. Be your own coach—this game is not lost in one play. The important part is to not think that you have failed completely, only that you’ll get to the next day, or the next meal, or the next walk, and adjust.

Source: http://www.healthandwellness.com/healthandwellness/foodnutrition/WeightLoss/TipsWeightLoss.html

Three out of four women with high blood pressure know they have it, yet fewer than one in three are controlling their blood pressure. All women should take steps to do so, with attention to the following factors that can increase it.

• Oral contraceptives (birth control pills): Women taking birth control pills usually have a small increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure and are using birth control pills, get your blood pressure checked regularly. Talk to your doctor about a possible rise in blood pressure and what you can do about it. If you have high blood pressure, are age 35 or older, and also smoke, you should not take birth control pills unless you quit smoking, as you will be more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
• Pregnancy: Many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies. However, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and the baby. High blood pressure can harm the mother’s kidneys and other organs, and it can cause low birth weight and early delivery. If you are thinking about having a baby and you have high blood pressure, talk first to your doctor or nurse. You can take steps to control your blood pressure before and during pregnancy.
• Postmenopausal hormone therapy: Large randomized trials indicate that postmenopausal hormone therapy causes a small increase in systolic blood pressure. If you start taking postmenopausal hormone therapy, you should have your blood pressure checked regularly and consult your doctor regarding any questions.

Source: http://www.healthandwellness.com/healthandwellness/womenshealth/HeartHealthW/WomenandHighBloodPressure.html

There is really a “bang” when people talk about May 2010 elections since it will have an impact to every Filipino citizen. Wherever we are, we used to hear this topic since it is indeed fast approaching. Everyone is really concern, that they do talk about this because by means of sharing their thoughts they can also enlighten others mind.

I am talking about this since I just want to voice out my thoughts and opinions as well. I believed each of us already has a “bet” of whose to vote for a specific position, but that is still tentative. We should not just look, but study as well the possible impact of  each candidate’s Platform. We have to be very careful of choosing who are we agoing to cast our vote since it is a very sensitive issue. Our vote will just be a number of vote to each candidate but it comprised Philippine’s future.

I just want to reiterate that we have to open our consciousness on the day of election so that we won’t be disappointed on the latter days, months and years. It is indeed our choice of what political future we want in our country, so think well before casting your vote and remember not to put any dirt on it.