When does a dog become too old to learn something new?
The answer is NEVER!
Not only is your old dog capable of learning, it is crucial for his mind and body to continue to learn. Whether you have a puppy or a geriatric dog, it is important to keep them stimulated. Dogs, like people, need to use their brains in order to keep sharp.
Sometimes I think our old dogs get depressed and senile simply because we are not providing them with enough stimulation.
Like puppies, an older dog may have a shorter attention span and take a little longer to learn a new command, but it is never too late for your dog to learn.
As our dogs get old, we fall into a rut. We begin to exercise them less because they can’t keep up and their bodies are arthritic and creaky. Instead of getting up early and getting ready for a walk, our dogs are happy sleeping in and wandering about the house.
Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Lore Haug says “A lot of old dogs get what I call, “shrinking world” syndrome. Their owners get into a rut with them; they start walking the dog less, they don’t train the dog or teach him tricks. The dog doesn’t get as much stimulation and enrichment-maybe they stop taking the dog to the dog park-and there is a significant decline in mental and physical challenges.
Imagine an 80 year old person who never gets out, reads, or really has anything to do but sit or sleep all day. Humans that are the most active physically and mentally age the best. Dogs that are physically and mentally stimulated also age with dignity and grace.
How You Can Help!
Remember no dog is ever too old to learn! If your dog’s learning seems a little slower, understand that his attention span may be a little slower. Get a book on teaching your dog tricks and get started!
Swimming is one of the best exercises for aging bodies and joints. If your dog likes to swim, frequent the water and let your dog get some exercise.
Even if your dog can’t walk very far; take him for a daily walk to stimulate his mind and keep his muscles stimulated. Muscles atrophy if not used regularly, so help your dog stay as strong as possible for as long as possible.
Use mentally stimulating toys. I love putting my senior dog’s food in a Buster Cube and let him wiggle and wobble the toy around to get his food out at night. This “play” is a lot more stimulating than eating from a sterile bowl.
Old dogs also like to utilize their noses with games. Senior dogs often lose some hearing, and their keen sight, but their noses are often still quite capable of finding hidden toys and treats.
It doesn’t matter how old your dog is 4 months, 1 year, 3 years, 8 years, or 15 years old he still needs exercise and mental stimulation!
The older he gets the better he gets (like a fine wine) and the more he needs your love and compassion to help him (his body and his mind) age gracefully!
Rejeneril will be the best investment you will ever make for the health of your aging pet – GUARANTEED! Check it out at link below:
And I have a good imagination! Have you heard about the prediction – there may be a global wine shortage? This is ridiculous is it not? While I’m thinking it can’t be right it does tend to worry me a little bit.
A PERFECT picnic – Russian River Valley Pinots – all excellent!
According to Morgan Stanley research there are one million wine producers worldwide but not enough product to keep up with demand. Are we drinking that much? According to the CEO of ‘two buck chuck’ we shouldn’t freak out about this apparent wine shortage.
I’d have to take many prisoners & store them somewhere.
No day week is complete without a nice relaxing glass of wine…
While I’m no wino I do enjoy a nice glass before making dinner, while cooking, with dinner and sometimes after. I mean, think about it… in a world without wine:
I’d have to cook while drinking martinis – then what would dinner turn out like?
Napa Valley would just be hot
Cheese would be lonely
High school reunions would be unthinkable
A night at home watching reruns of Sex and the City would be spent drinking… water
Dinner with friends would end as soon as the bill came
We’d all realize how totally uninteresting we really are
People would have to switch to drinking bourbon and the like (yuck!) but maybe I should start developing a taste – just in case.
Can you even imagine? Well, until that day let’s all sit back and enjoy a nice glass of pinot.
Taken in part from Christiana’s article for Garance Doré.
**Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wine — infamously known as “Two-Buck Chuck” — is no longer two dollars after an impressive 11-year run.
The California-based grocery store is officially “upchucking” the cost of its Charles Shaw wine, made largely from California-grown grapes and offered in a wide array of red and white varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot. But if you think the days of cheap after-work indulgence are gone, however, don’t rush to drown your sorrows: the price is only going up about 50 cents – retailing at $2.49.
With Bite Lip Lab it’s pretty easy to find your perfect lipstick match.
Facing up: Lipstick is a pretty important (possibly ‘the’ most important) part to perfecting our makeup look. Otherwise we wouldn’t be Eating on average 4-7 Pounds of Lipstick in our Lifetimes – would we?
It can’t be all too healthy but we do it anyway – because we’re rather lipstick obsessed.
How many times have you come across that ‘perfect’ color and then the next time you go to buy it the company has decided to suddenly discontinued it. And you have to wonder – were you the only person buying it? This can be very upsetting – as many colors as there are it’s not that easy trying to find a great shade to suit us. So don’t throw away your last tube just yet.
You can take in an old or discontinued lipstick toBite Lip Lap & have them re-create it for you. They can make a custom made lipstick using a magic lipstick machine in just 7 minutes – which involves melting down the different bullets of lipstick (they look like chocolate truffles!), adding a scent (like cherry, violet, peppermint, or superfruit), pouring the mix into lipstick molds and allowing the formula to harden on a cold plate. It’s as simple at that! Then all you have to do is buy two. Looking for the perfect red for a night out? How incredible is that?
Bite Beauty Lip Lab, 174 Prince Street, at Thompson Street (646-484-6111)
You can always stop by in between visits to museums & art galleries but to some, this alone might be worth the visit to New York.
IN THE RED:
A 2012 study found that waitresses who wore lipstick got higher tips from men, and scientific research from 2010 found that women wearing red lipstick received the “most prolonged gazes” from men. And yet we’ve know plenty of guys who say they simply hate the stuff. We can’t please everyone.
Designer Bill Blass once said : “When in Doubt Wear Red.” What exactly did he mean?
‘Red lipstick is a source of strength,’ says Poppy King, creator of Lipstick Queen. ‘You put it on and suddenly you feel more capable than you did without it.’
Consider Jean Harlow’s pointed red pout in the 1930s, Veronika Lake’s in the 1940s and Marilyn Monroe’s in the 1950s. None of these actresses was known for playing the girlish ingénue. They were women with overtly feminine power. They were knowing.
The lure of looking feminine but remaining powerful was such a glorious notion, it’s little wonder women started to use red lipstick as a tool to communicate their own self-possession.
The thing about red lipstick – it’s a beautiful case of chicken and egg. It may require confidence to wear, but confidence can actually be a result of putting on red lipstick – and no one needs to know which comes first.
Love the Retro look but not sure about shopping vintage?
Lily & Cie – Los Angeles
Locating the best pre-loved pieces can be tricky but definitely worthwhile for those who love that extra attention to detail. The stores mentioned here fail to capture the true essence of what they really are. They offer so much more. They are run by truly obsessive people – scholars, men and women who can spot a 1966 vs. a 1968 YSLwomen’s tuxedo on the street, who can call out a fake Chanel jacket from a sample of thread. This is not your typical thrift shop deal although people have been known to occasionally spot a great find from one or even a rummage, garage or sidewalk sale.
Lily et Cie in Beverly Hills may just be the original fashion archive, the store that made vintage acceptable, wearable and cool. Owner Rita Watkin, known to be notoriously picky, is a true character with an encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion. Her story: before founding Lily et Cie, she worked at Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Valentino and YSL. One day, she inherited a prestigious collection of 20th Century fashion (that today rivals that of the Met and the Louvre) from a close family friend. She stored it for years until word spread and she finally opened up shop in the 80’s. On a visit years ago, we spotted John Galliano and his entourage (circa the Christian Dior years) taking notes and seeking inspiration. Ahhhh.
Renée Zellwegger & Penélope Cruz – both in Lily & Cie dresses.
Picked up from Lily et Cie – the iconic yellow Jean Desses worn by Renée Zellwegger to the Oscars. Gorgeous on her! And of course, Penélope Cruz looks great in anything but check out this Balmain princess frock also worn to the Oscars -where she won for Vicky Christina Barcelona.
Then…there’s:
Decades on Melrose, known as Hollywood’s destination for the finest vintage couture and modern luxury consignment.
Decades
Cameron Silver and Christos Garkinos, aka The Dukes of Melrose, run a vintage store so revered in Hollywood that it had its own TV show on Bravo. In fact, Cameron has literally written the book on fashion. It’s name? Decades. Hand-picked items are displayed in their deluxe boutique in such a way that customers can truly see each piece for what it is – vintage couture. Cameron says it best, “When Decades opened in 1997, vintage was still rather socially unacceptable and people were turned off by wearing something ‘used.’ However, Decades educated the savvy fashionista that vintage is a modern way to differentiate your style and the edit has always been about ‘vintage that looks modern.'”
“There isn’t a season that goes by that a designer doesn’t reference the iconic Norman Norell mermaid gowns of the 1960’s. Marc Jacobs recently showed several variations. Whether fully covered like a second skin or a more bare halter style, the flat paillettes look magically applied to the body in a very sensual manner that remains timeless nearly 60 years after this dress was designed. This is pure glamour.”
70’s Courreges
“One of the big trends this fall is the introduction of the oversized bold pattern coat. Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo have both proposed this fresh silhouette in recent collections. This is a late 70’s Courreges check coat that has the spirit of the current runway looks.”\
Early 80’s Kenzo
“Everyone’s mad for plaid this season, and the grunge-redux look can easily be luxe’d up with a vintage Kenzo shirt. I love this worn casually with jeans or a leather legging. Don’t be afraid to wear it tied around your waist with a tank top for a rocker-chic vibe.”
Ruth Myers, a true vintage fiend and the costume designer for movies like L.A. Confidential, Emma and The Addams Family, gives us her top list of vintage dealers in the two cities she calls home, L.A. and London.
Kim Basinger – L.A. Confidential
“In London, I love the stalls in Alfie’s Market. Tintin is incredibly classy, and the owner Leslie has a ton of knowledge and has wonderful treasures, as does June Victor on the top floor. I also love the basement at Gray’s Antique Market off Bond Street, Portobello market on Saturday mornings and Annie’s, Cloud Cuckoo Land and Dreamtime in Camden Passage, Islington, and it’s always worth a trail through Camden Market.”
content for Decades & Lily & Cie taken goop.com mag #11
Consulting this book is a good idea before hitting your local pre-loved boutique.
Since good quality vintage can be pricey and the sizes confusing, we asked the UK’s leading vintage stylist, personal shopper (and author of new book Style Me Vintage) Naomi Thompson to create a guide on finding the best items. Read on..
1. Be prepared
Arm yourself with garments that are easy to get out of; something you can slip on and off without fuss – my favourite uniform for vintage shopping is a button-down dress. Wear minimal make-up. Many vintage garments do up at the side and have to go over your head, rather than over your hips, so whilst it’s tempting to don a red lippy to get into the spirit of things, it’s best not to smear it all over the neck of a yellow 50s frock. You won’t be judged in a shop for not looking the part.
2. Always hold garments up to the light
Have you noticed how dark vintage shops can be? Well, it’s not always intentional (they can just be cluttered places), but it sure does make it harder to spot flaws. By holding it up to the light you can instantly see any holes or repairs. The light will also shine through any patches where the fabric has become too thin and delicate. With woolen garments, check the elbows to make sure there is not excessive wear.
3. Always check the armpits
As far as I am concerned, this is Number One in terms of importance; I don’t know why it took me so long to do this automatically! Before the days of deodorant, sweat had a habit of damaging fabric due to the acidic qualities of perspiration.
4. Look at the fastenings
Double-check that none of the buttons are missing and the zips are working properly. This may seem like a no-brainer, but all too often I’ve gotten home only to discover that a crucial covered button has fallen off or a zip is faulty. Key areas to check fastenings are around the neck line where small buttons may be hidden under a collar, and also around the cuffs. Whilst you are there, make sure the belt is still attached. If there are belt loops and no belt, it’s OK to ask for a small discount because the garment is no longer complete.
5. Talk to the sales assistants
Don’t be too proud to ask for advice in a shop, especially if you are looking for era-specific garments. This will speed up the learning process and before long you will be having a friendly debate on the age of a frock. Good shopkeepers should know their stock inside out and quite often they will keep special pieces behind for the right customer. It’s also good to develop a relationship with the vendor, as they will start to look out for garments in your size and style. Most vintage sellers are passionate about what they do and are happy to talk to customers about stock, sizes and fair pricing.
6. Go for the best you can afford
Resist the temptation to buy in bulk. Despite years of collecting for the sake of it, I now wish I had stuck to buying garments that were 100% wearable and in my size. My repairs bag is huge and you can’t ‘rescue’ everything. The less you buy, the more you can spend on those show-stopping items!
7. Don’t pay any attention to sizes on labels
Sizing is completely different nowadays, and if there is a size label I’m afraid the best option is to ignore it. To give you an example, I am an 8 but fit an 80s 10, a 60s/70s 12 and a 50s 14. Now, is this because women were smaller or are current brands changing sizes to make us feel better about ourselves? This has not yet been answered, and if you are interested in finding out more read up on Vanity Sizing. Gemma Seager, who writes the Retro Chick blog, is considered to be the industry expert.
8. Always check the bottom of shoes
More often than not, a heel tip will be missing. Check the leather around the buckle and strap for signs of wear and tear. If a leather strap looks cracked, it may break off easily. Make sure the shoe is not too bendy and will hold your weight – this can be achieved only by trying it on. In some cases the shoe’s sole can be reinforced, but this can be costly. Avoid shoes where the leather has stiffened, as they will be uncomfortable to wear.
9. Don’t buy anything that needs a lot of repairs
Don’t be tempted by garments that need altering above and beyond a simple strap shortening or a dropped hem. Scant few alteration shops will do it justice and if the fabric is raw, frayed or thin, it may not last even one cold wash!
10. Don’t be scared to try anything on
If you like it on the hanger, then chances are you will like it on you, but you also shouldn’t shy away from the bizarre; sometimes a hanger can’t convey an item’s true potential, so get it on your body – what’s the worst that could happen? As a vintage personal shopper, this has been the most rewarding element of what I do. If I got a pound every time a customer reluctantly tried on a garment which turned out to be amazing, then I could probably retire!
And finally…here’s a Vintage Shopping Kit List
A tape measure. With this and a good knowledge of your own measurements, you will save yourself a lot of stress finding changing rooms and squeezing into and out of too small items.
A waisted belt to try things on with – dresses can look completely different once they are cinched in.
A handbag with a strap to help free up your hands and avoid having to put things down. (I’ve put things down before, not realized and then seen them sporting a price tag on my next visit!)
A smile – it helps with discounts
Have fun, expect the unexpected and shop with an open mind, as you never know what may turn up.
Many prefer them ‘as is’ but I like mine with lemon, horseradish, cocktail sauce & tabasco.
Fresh oysters on the half-shell – love them or leave them? On a hot summer afternoon with a nice glass of vino blanco or bubbly they make for a decadent happy hour. What about all the other months? Turns out they might be better.
All About Oysters: only eat oysters in the months with a letter ‘R’.
Exactly when and where the ‘R’ rule first appeared is a bit of a debate; but historically, for health and conservation practices, it was best to refrain from eating oysters during warm water months. During the warmer months, as ocean temperatures rise, oysters naturally tend to spawn or reproduce. For conservation practices, wild oysters were not harvested during the spawning seasons. In earlier times (c. 1700-1800’s, pre-refrigeration) it was dangerous to ship and, ultimately consume, oysters that sat out in the heat.
An oyster for all seasons: now, because of sustainable farming practices, strict water quality monitoring and advanced wet storage techniques it is healthy, and safe, to consume farmed oysters all year long. Yet oysters remain a sensitive species whose quality and nature fluctuate with the seasons.
To those people who love oysters, there is little that can compare with a cold, plum, raw oyster that is sipped from its shell. Serve with a *homemade cocktail sauce (see recipe) and it is perfect!
When purchasing remember to keep the unopened oysters cold but do not store in water! Oysters are alive and need to breathe, so never seal them tightly in a plastic bag.
Open (shuck) shortly before serving – not more than 2 hours. The colder the oyster, the easier it is to shuck. Keep oysters cold at all times, partly for safety and very much to enhance flavor and texture.
How to Shuck an Oyster + recipe
How to Shuck an Oyster+ recipe
Make sure to take extra care with your knife when shucking, with the bade facing away from you. Also make sure your oysters are scrubbed clean (most of the oyster farms do this for you).
Using a clean towel or glove, hold the oyster down with one hand with the opening facing away from you. Stick your oyster knife through the back of the oyster (the hinge) with the blade angled down. Twist the knife upward to pop the hinge.
Slide the knife along the length of the shell at the opening and twist the knife again at the opposite side to remove the top shell.
Starting on the left, sweep the knife underneath the oyster to loosen the meat from the shell. Check for any pieces of broken shell and remove, being careful not to lose too much of the liquid. Serve on ice with horseradish or cocktail sauce.
Tips for shucking taken from Goop.com
TO PURCHASE OYSTERS – WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
When choosing oysters at the market, make sure that they are fresh. If one is open (which it shouldn’t be) it should snap shut emphatically once tapped. If an oyster doesn’t close immediately, don’t buy or use it.
Oysters should fee heavy and full in your hand. Oysters lose moisture once they are removed from the sea. The heaviness suggests that they are freshly harvested. Oyster tip: Tap two oysters together or one to the other. If there is a hollow sound, the oyster is dead. If the sound is solid, the oyster is alive.
Fresh oysters should smell sweet and briny like the sea.
HOW TO EAT OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL:
You can either use a little fork to pick the oyster out, or you can do like most people do and slurp them out of their shell into your mouth. Cradle the shell in a hand, grasping it with your thumb and first two fingers. Some people look for what they call the “sipping lip” part of the shell before planting their lips on it. When ready, slurp up the oyster, savoring the taste in your mouth. Drink up the salt-watery juice in the shell, too. It’s part of the treat! Eat the entire oyster in a single slurp. Remember, you don’t want to see what is inside an oyster. You just want to taste it!
SIMPLE HOMEMADE COCKTAIL SAUCE
1/2 cup ketchup (or chilli sauce)
2 Tbsp. hot cream-style horseradish
1/4 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 drops tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together to taste, cover and chill until ready to serve and to develop flavor. Makes 2/3 cup.
OYSTERS 101:
Contrary to popular opinion, not all oysters taste alike. Some are brinier, some are creamier, some are leaner, some are fatter, and some even have a “fruity” taste, vaguely suggestive of cucumber and melons. Some of the differences in taste have to do with the species, but mostly it has to do with the temperature of the waters in which they are harvested; as well as the oyster’s fabled muscle, which constantly opens and closes to allow a flow of water and nutrients.
Muscle Over Matter
While oysters are famously immobile — once an oyster finds its rock, there it remains — they do have a powerful muscle that opens and shuts its gnarly shell. Contrary to popular opinion, not all oysters are created equal. First of all, there are several species. Perhaps the best known oysters are those originating from the waters off the East Coast — from Nova Scotia all the way down to the gulfstream waters from Florida to Texas — that are often called Bluepoints (although Bluepoints technically come only from New York’s Long Island).
Not sure what type of oyster is best for you? Check the link below to find your ‘PERFECT MATCH.”
Fun Fact: You’ve heard the phrase “the world is your oyster.” Where does it come from?
Origin: It comes from Shakespeare– The Merry Wives of Windsor (1600). The world is the place from which one can extract success and profit, as a pearl can be extracted from an oyster.
You are in a position to take the opportunities that life has to offer.
“I can do anything I want to, the world’s my oyster.”
Let’s get personal. Our fragrance says a lot more about us than we think!
MiN scent bar
What aspect of our characters do we want to project to the world? Feminine, sexy, bold, down-to-earth, tomboyish, loud, exciting, etc.
My Ana Sui “dreams” signature scent is running low and short of trying to locate the *discontinued fragrance with heavenly vanilla & lavendernotes online, maybe I should consider something new. I’ve tried the Jasmine &Bergamot and Vanille &NarcisseEau de Toilettes by L’Occitane which both smelled exquisite but ended up becoming too overpowering. On the hunt…
*(I hate when they discontinue things we love – but more on this in my beauty post.)
I’m looking for something feminine but a little exotic, not overpowering but sophisticated. Italian, Japanese & Indian cuisine are among my favorite foods but I also enjoy a good steak once in a while, the colors pink & blue and vacations anywhere tropical. What does have to do with anything? You’ll find out. What does this say about me? I’m a bit all over the map. How about you?
Finding a new fragrance should be a guided experience, like a wine tasting, according to the owner of a cozy little boutique in Soho where signature scents are discovered one confession at a time.
MiN was opened by proprietors Chad Murawczk and Mindy Yang in 2010 selling dozens of indie andlimited-distribution scents from around the world. With so many scents to choose from, visitors need a little direction. That’s where MiN’s Bespoke Fragrance Flight comes in: the $250 hour-long, one-on-one consultation includes an interview and multiple rounds of recommendations, from which you can whittle your way to a signature spritz. Questions like where did you grow up, what are your favorite foods, colors, treasured vacations, current romantic status, and – possibly the most probing question of all – what do you want to convey to the world?
This is kind of like therapy except that you end up exploring multitudes of fruits, florals and spices. You can take about five favorites and a couple wild card sample vials to try out at home. A lot of times clients get stopped on the street and that determines their final choice – a random compliment. For one client the chosen fragrance is an escape from the stress of New York – the special blend of citrus, wood, moss and sea-salt conjuring up memories of childhood summers spent sailing on Washington’s Puget Sound. It was that blissful carefree memory that sold her in the end. That’s the power of using your common scents.
We don’t all live in New York, but we may want to try blending in once in a while.
“and I wonder if Beethoven held his breath the first time his fingers touched the keys the same way a soldier holds his breath the first time his finger clicks the trigger. We all have different reasons for forgetting to breathe.” – Andrea Gibson
A tattoo
“Sometimes it’s the same moments that take your breath away that breathe purpose and love back into your life.”– Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience.
“Remember to breathe. It is after all, the secret of life.” – Gregory Maguire, A Lion Among Men.
“Your breathing should flow gracefully, like a river, like a watersnake crossing the water, and not like a chain of rugged mountains or the gallop of a horse. To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be used.” – Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation.
What’s the good of drawing in the next breath if all you do is let it out and draw in another? – Marilyn Monroe
With the rise of home soda makers, many of us are drinking more of the bubbly and less of the still. Is that alright?
Sparkling water is often cited as one of those healthy drinks you’re supposed to switch to when you quit sugary soda. It’s sugar-free and calorie-free, and it hydrates. Still, murky rumors abound online about its potential health drawbacks, including that it erodes tooth enamel, saps calcium from the bones, and leads to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). And, I wondered, what if you drink a lot of it? Is ingesting all that carbonation really good for us? In a nutshell….
Forget everything you heard about leaching minerals and eroding tooth enamel—it’s just water with bubbles. Sigh of relief.
Still, here are takes from two nutrition experts:
The news was good: We’re used to thinking of bubbly drinks as being bad for us – hello, soda – but carbonated water is basically harmless.
“If somebody doesn’t like the taste of water, they shouldn’t be concerned if sparkling is all they’re drinking,” said Manhattan-based nutritionist Keri Gans, RDN, CND. “Sparkling water is just as hydrating. All it is is added carbonation.”
However, there are a few things to watch out for:
Sneaky sodium and sugar:Not all clear, sparkling drinks are automatically healthy. Tonic water contains added sodium and sugar, Gans notes. Bottled club soda may also contain added sodium, so be sure to check out the nutrition label.
Flavors:All those little flavor packets that come with your home carbonator may not be so healthy, if they contain added sugar and calories. “That’s what you need to watch out for,” Gans said. “If you’re drinking more water but each and every time you’re adding a soda mix, before you know it it could equal a soda.”
Americans are already pretty bad when it comes to drinking their calories, so don’t let your choice of water make it worse. Try flavoring your still or sparkling water with mint leaves, cucumber, lemon and lime slices, or fresh fruit. Pretend you are at a fancy spa. It’s fun!
Carbonated water has no calories, no dissolved sugar, no alcohol, and no caffeine. It hydrates, just like plain water does. Drinking seltzer, club soda, or sparkling mineral water will not leach calcium from your bones, strip the enamel off your teeth, or make your thighs look like cottage cheese. Unless you have a medical condition that specifically precludes drinking carbonated beverages, enjoy it if so inclined. And if the thought of buying yet more stuff in plastic bottles or metal cans makes you nuts, think about getting one of those home carbonation gizmos like the SodaStream. If I had the counter space, I’d buy one in a New York minute. (And no, I’m not on the company’s payroll.)
Taken from: NY daily news & takepart.com
Also, **Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.
We all do it on average 20,000 times a day – but are we doing it right? Should we be concerned?Unless the afterlife has wifi I presume that you’re alive and reasonably well if you’re reading this post. I can also assume that you breathe well enough to live. What could you possibly be missing? With a growing list of other life concerns is there a good chance we aren’t even breathing correctly? Is there a specific zen-like technique?
Makes sense to slow it down & breathe deeply in a yoga class or while meditating but what about general day to day activities? What about when you have a doctor or dentist appointment and your heart races and your breathing increases. How do you handle the anxiety?
Why is breathing properly important?
While most of us never give breathing a second thought, the way you draw breath can affect your physical and mental well being.
Breathing properly can reduce your stress levels, improve your workouts and boost your immunity to infections and illnesses. Poor breathing can lead to panic attacks and even conditions like insomnia and depression.
Breathing correctly means that our bodies are being supplied with the right amount of oxygen, replenishing our brain and other vital organs with essential nutrients.
If you are not breathing correctly, your body can be robbed of oxygen, leading to a host of conditions.
Your skin can suffer as it is not receiving enough fresh oxygenated blood, your muscles can tire easily during a workout as they are not getting the right amount of oxygen and you can feel constantly tired and lethargic because there are not enough vital nutrients being carried in the blood.
Breathing incorrectly can also affect the levels of carbon dioxide – or CO2 – in the blood. While oxygen is important for our bodies to function properly, CO2 is just as vital.
Fiona Agombar, a yoga teacher and author, explains, ‘You need a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide. If you breathe too fast, you breathe off too much carbon dioxide, which, in turn, will make your whole system too alkaline.
‘A certain level of CO2 is necessary for your cells to maintain the correct level of acidity and to function properly.’
How can I breathe correctly?
To breathe properly, you need to use your diaphragm, the large sheet-like muscle that lies at the bottom of the chest cavity.
Slow, rhythmic breathing will help regulate the flow of oxygen and CO2, slow the heart rate – easing anxiety – and ensure your circulation is carrying the optimum amount of nutrients around the body.
Regulating your breathing will also help boost your performance during aerobic exercise as your muscles will be fully replenished with the right amounts of energy-giving oxygen.
Taken in part from the daily mail – uk
Breathe
By Leo Babauta
Breathe.
If you feel overwhelmed, breathe. It will calm you and release the tensions.
If you are worried about something coming up, or caught up in something that already happened, breathe. It will bring you back to the present.
If you are moving too fast, breathe. It will remind you to slow down, and enjoy life more.
Breathe, and enjoy each moment of this life. They’re too fleeting and few to waste.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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