Latest Articles by ThomasBerten

Eye News You Can Use

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Welcome to our monthly edition of "Eye News You Can Use", featuring the latest in eye care and ocular health.

There is an old adage that if you live long enough you will get cataracts.

In my eight years of experience in Las Vegas, I find that to be true. Patients describe it as a film over their eyes but in fact it is a normal age change in the lens of the human eye. The lens in the human eye is like that of a camera, to focus light. It is made of protein and adds a layer of protein every year which tends to make vision cloudier.
This change is very gradual, so most patients do not notice the slow degradation in their vision, loss of color vision and increased glare issues, like halos around headlights and starbursts around street lamps.

Fortunately, cataracts are easily detected by your eye doctor during your yearly eye exam.
If you should require surgery, rest assured that cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery in the United States today...because it works!
It typically takes 20 minutes per eye and is painfree with excellent vision results.
Recent advancements in the intraocular lens that replaces the human lens provide more choices than ever. Most of these new intraocular lenses cost more out of pocket, as insurance only covers the older technology lenses, that aid distance vision only.
Here is a preview...
'ReZoom' is the first in the new generation of intraocular lenses that offer patients the ability to not only see in the distance but be able to see computer without reading glasses.
'ReStor' enhances far vision and reading up close.
'CrystalLens' most closely simulates the human lens natural focusing capabilities.
Advanced Medical Optics lens corrects for astigmatism.
Each one has it unique benefits, costs and variables, so make sure to check with your eye doctor to determine which is in your best interest.

Despite all this good news, cataracts remain, to this day, the leading cause of blindness throughout the world. Unfortunately, most people do not have access to the technology nor skills of our eye surgeons here in the USA.

Dr. YESnick: (702) 966 2020.

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www.LasVegasEyeDoctor.net

www.LowVisionServices.com

www.TheYVC.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Learn How to be Funny

Tue, 29 May 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Laughter is the best medicine. I'm sure everyone has heard of that saying before and it's because it largely stands true. Knowing how to be funny is a great gift to have, when used in the right situations of course!

Being funny doesn't necessarily have to be about telling "knock knock" jokes. In fact I don't think they're even that funny, but of course everyone has different senses of humor. I'm sure you know many people that are instinctively funny and wondered how they manage to say things that make people laugh so easily? Well, the answer is that some people are naturally born with wit, but it may come to your surprise that being funny can actually be taught.

Being humorous can be used in so many ways. It can be used to lighten the mood in a tense situation, make your friends laugh, and is even a good way to break the ice when dating. Humor is a trait that is high up on the lists of what women look for in a man. Ask a few female friends you have and they'll probably all tell you that a sense of humor is one of their dating criteria.

Of course humor can be taken a bit too far at times. The perfect example is when people try to impersonate another person in order to wind them up. This can sometimes be funny, but other times actually annoy the person being mocked.

Knowing how to be funny is about learning what type of joke to tell, when to tell it, and who to tell it about (if anybody). Being funny is a great trait to have and a favorite of many people. You can see this by just how many successful films there are based around comedy. We love to laugh as it makes us feel happy.

If you aren't naturally witty and funny then you don't need to worry about never being able to make people laugh as you can be taught.

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To learn how to be funny read my recommendation at How to be Funny.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

How to Fight for Women

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Change it’s happening all around you all the time. The seasons change technology changes car design change cloths come in and out of fashion.

But people still work the same way they did thousands of years ago. The human male has the same weakness he has then and your counter part inflicted damage in the same. A rock to the head, knee to the groin and gouge to the eyes worked to stop a male in any era you can mention.

Many people make self defense out to be some mystical esoteric subject it is NOT.

The technique of war have advanced greatly we are so good now we can almost destroy all human life with a push of a button.

However when it comes to YOU defending yourself in a back alley or on the way back from, a nightclub nothing has changed.

Below I list the key skill you need to acquire. Let me be clear here any women can master these skills. In the same way anyone can learn to use email. Some of you learn to use email when you where 5 some of you learned to use email when you where 55. The same is true of these skills:

1) How to punch and kick man have been telling you run like a girl or punch like a girl well so do they. In general most men punch liken pansy’s. Only a trained person punches or kicks effectively. And you can learn as quick or quicker then them.
2) Where is his weakness how to cause maximum damage to them and how to reach these areas with out being blocked?
3) How to recognize a attacker and redirect, doge or deflect his attack
4) How to fight from the ground in case you are taken down
5) Balance breaking these and keeping yours. As my students are sick of hearing “no balance no power”
6) Weapons from thin air. How to use every day implements as weapons
7) The moral dilemma that will get you beaten up
8) How many times have I spoken to a martial artist or tough guy that got beaten up because he did not know when he should turn on the juice and while he's thinking about it he gets slammed. Do not let this happen to you. We will teach you when you should or should not use these skills.

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Ladies self defense

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

How Calories are Burned

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Many americans have a misconception of how calories are burned. The importance of knowing how calories are burned is very important in the fight to stay health and in shape. Expend more calories than you consume and there will be a weight loss. The body burns calories three ways. Resting metabolic rate (RMR), energy expended with exertions either from exercise or daily activities. And the thermic effect of food. Resting metabolic rate is the most important of the three.

Resting metabolic rate account for 60-75% of daily caloric expenditure . This means you burn the most calories while at rest. The faster your Metabolic rate is the more calories you burn. People a high percentage of lean body mass (fat free mass) burn calories more while at rest. This means it is important to not only lose fat but to gain muscle in the process. It is also important to eat enough calories during the day. Restricting calories will lower you Metabolism rate this is why it is important to have a good healthy diet plan.

Energy expended with exercise or daily activities account for 20-30% of your daily caloric output. When you can determine the amount of calories you burn according your workout and intensity. A typical exercise session will burn about 300 calories. It is important to do some type of exercising because daily activities alone may not burn enough calories.

Thermic effect of food accounts for about 10% of calorie expenditure. If you eat a 400 calorie meal about 40 calories are used for digestion and absortion. This is another reason it is important to eat enough calories throughout the day. 10% of your calories burn actually comes from eating.

To understand about burning calories you must understand about fat itself. You have to burn 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat. Fat comes in many forms and fat is even good for you when eating the right kind in moderation.

Fat is a nutrient that helps the body function in various ways: For example it supplies the body with energy. It also helps other nutrients work and, when it becomes fatty tissue, it protects organs and provides insulation, keeping you warm. But the body only needs small amounts of fat. Too much fate can have bad effects, including turning into unwanted excess pounds and increasing cholesterol in the bloodstream.

There are different types of fat, and they have different effects on your risk of heart disease. Knowing which fat does what can help you choose healthier foods.

Total Fat.

This is the sum of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats and transfatty acids in food. Foods have a varying mix of these three types.

Saturated fat.

This fat is usually solid at room and refrigerator temperatures. It is found in greatest amounts in foods from animals, such as fatty cuts of meat, poultry with the skin, whole-milk dairy products, lard, and some vegetable oils, including coconut and palm oils. Saturated fat increases cholesterol in the blood more than anything else in the diet. Keep your intake of saturated fat low.

Unsaturated fat.

This fat is usually liquid at room and refrigerator temperatures. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocadoes, and fatty fish, such as salmon.

There are types of unsaturated fat-monosaturated and poly unsaturated. When used instead of saturated fat, monounsaturated an polyunsaturated fats help lower blood cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fat is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils. Polyunsaturated fat is found in greatest amounts in foods for plants, including safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils, and many kinds of nuts. A type of polyunsaturated fat is called amega-3 fatty acids, which are being studies to see if they help guard against heart disease. Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are some fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

Use moderate amounts of food high in unsaturated fats, taking care to avoid excess calories.

Transfatty acids. Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings. Foods with a high amount of these ingredients include some commercially friend foods and some bakery goods.

The best way to cook to reduce fat:

There’s a host of lowfat cooking methods. Try these-but remember not to add butter or high-fat sauces:
BAKE
BROIL
MICROWAVE
ROAST
STEAM
POACH

Lightly stir fry or sauté in cooking spray, small amount of vegetable oil, or reduced sodium broth.

Grill seafood, chicken, or vegetables.

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I am a 32 year-old personal trainer from Birmingham, AL. My experience includes over six years of Personal Training. I have studied diet techniques, weightlifting, and nutrition for over 10 years. For more infomation visit http://www.makeoverfitness.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Stairclimber and Elliptical Exercise Machines

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Elliptical Exercise and Stairclimber machines are a great way to burn calories, pump up your heart rate, and work the quads, hamstrings, and butt. It is also a good exercise to take the pressure off your knees from running. Most Elliptical exercise machines feature an interactive display that shows you how long you’ve been stepping, how many calories you’ve expended, and your level of intensity. Stairclimbers will send your feet marching up and down, while elliptical exercise machines move your feet in a pattern of a flattened-out circle.

The Routine:
Here’s how to get more out of your stepping or climbing workout.

-Start slowly:

It’s best to step or climb for 30 minutes and work up from there.

-Position your feet well:

Users may feel their toes become numb and tingly before the end of the session. If you’re getting weird messages from your southernmost reaches, you’re probably putting too much pressure on the balls of your feet, pinching off blood circulation to your toes.

Move your feet forward or back on the foot pads until you find a position the lets them feel normal. Also wiggle your toes periodically to ward off the tingles.

-Step away from the arm rest:

You’ll get more work out of your workout when you don’t lean heavily on the armrest. For starters, you’ll be bearing and moving around more of your own weight, and burning more calories as a result. Second, when you stand up straight, you give your abs a better workout because they have to support you during exercise. You can also burn more calories, add your arms to the action, pumping them as you would during a run. You can burn up to 30% more calories by not using the armrest, which makes the workout more efficient

-Warmup and Cooldown:

Be sure to ease into your workout to allow your muscles to warm up, and slow down at the end of the session to cool down. You’ll probably find that your machine has warmups and cooldowns built into its workouts.

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I am a 32 year-old personal trainer from Birmingham, AL. My experience includes over six years of Personal Training. I have studied diet techniques, weightlifting, and nutrition for over 10 years. For more information visit http://www.makeoverfitness.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Leg Exercises

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A well defined and developed body is important for the overall health and look of a body. How many times have you seen a guy with a big upper body and tooth pick legs. This not only looks bad, it can lead to injuries and cause stress on the knees and hamstring injuries. Leg exercise helps with the overall development of your body. You should devote an equal amount of time performing leg exercises as you do your upper body. To achieve a well defined, strong, and balanced legs you must incorporate several leg exercises. Your leg exercise workout must have different exercises from different angles to develop all the parts for your Legs. Developing strong legs is crucial to preventing injuries to other muscles during exercises.

To get the best results you need to do 6-10 reps of each leg exercise. Choose a weight that you can do up to 10 for three sets. Once you can do 10 then move to a higher weight for maximal results. You can build up your Leg muscles and strong legs by doing a variety of leg exercises with and without weight. Choose at least 2 exercises from The Entire Thighs and Quadriceps group. Always do leg curls for hamstrings. Every week or so change exercises within each group.

Here are a group of the best leg exercises:

Entire Thighs

Leg press

Sitting on a leg press machine, position your feet together against the crosspiece about should-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Grasp the handle grips or sides of the seat. Bend your knees and lower the weight as far as possible without changing the position of your hips. Do not lower the weight so far that your hips start to curl up off the seat! Then slowly push the weight back up using your heels, not your toes. Do not lock your knees at the top, but rather take the weight to just before lock. Then being to lower the weight again SLOWLY. You can change your foot positions to vary the angle on the muscle.

Squat

This is the best leg exercise for size, power, and overall development of your leg, it can also be the most dangerous. Make sure you have proper for when performing this exercise.

Hack squat
Step up with dumbbells

Place a barbell on your shoulders like you would if you were doing Barbell Squats. Step up onto a flat bench with your left leg. Then step up with your right leg so you are now standing on the bench. Step down with your left leg, then your right leg. Repeat, starting with your right leg this time. Be careful not to fall! Use lighter weights. Can also be done with two dumbbells in your hands instead of a barbell.

Quadriceps

Dumbbell lunges

Place a barbell on your shoulders like you would if you were doing Barbell Squats. Step up onto a flat bench with your left leg. Then step up with your right leg so you are now standing on the bench. Step down with your left leg, then your right leg. Repeat, starting with your right leg this time. Be careful not to fall! Use lighter weights. Can also be done with two dumbbells in your hands instead of a barbell.

Leg extension

Using a leg extension machine, sit in the seat and hook your feet under the padded bar. Adjust the pad and/or the seat so that your knees hang off the end of the seat and the footpad rest on the lowest part of the shins. Grasp the handles on the machine or the edges of the seat to keep your hips from lifting up as you perform the exercise. Extend your legs until knees are straight, making sure you remain seated flat on the machine. Raise the weight all the way, lock and hold briefly, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position. Get the full range of motion and feel the muscle being worked during the entire movement. Do not SWING the weight up!

This is the best leg exercise for toning the quads an adding strength around the knees.

Lateral Squat
Double leg power jump

Cross your arms over your chest. With your head up and your back straight, position your feet at shoulder width. Squat down until your upper thighs are parallel, or lower, to the floor. Jump straight up in the air as high as possible, using thighs like springs. Immediately squat down and jump again. Can also be done with a barbell on your upper back or with dumbbells hanging at your sides.

Hamstrings

Leg Curl

Lie face down on a leg-curl machine and hook your heels under the roller pad. Your legs should be stretched out straight so that the pads rest on the back of your ankles. Grasp the handles under the bench for support. Remaining flat on the bench, curl your legs up until your hamstrings are fully contracted. Release and lower the weight slowly back to the starting position. Concentrate on using a full range of motion and do not SWING the weight up. You can point your toes to intensify the burn in your hamstrings.

This is probably the best leg exercise for your hamstring area.

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I am a 32 year-old personal trainer from Birmingham, AL. My experience includes over six years of Personal Training. I have studied diet techniques, weightlifting, and nutrition for over 10 years.

http://leg-exercises-1.blogspot.com/

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Home Exercise Routine

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A good home workout routines can help you lose up to 15 pounds without leaving home. It is possible to accomplish this goal in about 7 weeks if you complete the program properly. With a good home workout and diet plan you can workout at home for the first few months of your body transformation. Home workouts can be an effective way to lose fat. With a combination of dieting and minimum equipment you can jump start your workout right from home.

Sample Workout #1
1. Jogging /walking intervals
Start out with a brisk 3 minute walk. After three minutes start jogging until you reach your limit. When you reach your limit start back to walking brisky for two minutes. After two minutes start back jogging and try to complete the same amount of time you did on the first jog. When you have completed that time start back walking for two minutes. Continue the same routine until you have completed a total time of 30 minutes. Carefully record the times with a stop watch.

2. Stretch for about 3 to 5 minutes
Take your time and make sure you are stretched properly

3. Jump rope
Perform 3 sets of 100 jumps with the rope. You must complete all sets and reps before you stop, even if you have to take a few seconds to recover. Complete all of the reps.

4. Walking
Walk carrying 2 ½ pounds dumbbells for 10 minutes. This must be performed outside or on a treadmill. Walking in place is not a substitute for walking outside.

5. Jump rope
Perform 2 sets of 100 jumps with the rope. You must complete all sets and reps before you stop, even if you take a few seconds to recover. Complete all of the reps.

6. stretch for 3 to 5 minutes
The workout above is great to try for results. If you would like a customized home workout and diet contact me at the address at the end of this article. All home workouts are designed to burn 500 to 700 calories. It should be perform 6 to 7 days a week Since you are doing it at home there is no excuse to miss a workout. This workout will give you fantastic results to get you ready for the gym in the future. This was just a sample workout but a customized workout works best. It takes in considerations your age, weight, height abilities, and goals.

Here are 7 tips to effectively lose with your home workout routine:

1. If you don’t have a treadmill be willing to jog or walk outside. If you don’t like being outside then invest in a treadmill. It is probably best to save the money and go outside and jog or run.

2. Each workout should last at least one full hour. Make sure you perform each exercise completely for the complete time. Taking even one minute or changing the workout will cause your changes to go down. You should not split your workout into separate session. For example: You can not do 20 minutes now and 20 minutes later. You have to do the full hour at one time.

3. Diet correctly. You are wasting your time If you are not willing to diet alone with exercising.

4. DON’T make excuses!! This is a home workout so you should be able to do everything listed. The more excuses you make the less weight you will lose. JUST DO IT!!!

5. Each individual has diet needs, eating habits, and health issues. If you are serious about making this effective you should get your home workout customized 6. You can not do the same thing with the same times and expect improvement. You have to improve with your times and performance daily. If you jog 3 minute one day try for 4 the next. Changing your intensity and routines are very important to success.

7.This workout is only suppose to last about a few months. After a couple months this workout becomes less effective. At this point you need to join a gym or a facility with enough equipment. A gym will have enough equipment to properly start a weightlifting routine. This is essential if you desire long term results.

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I am a 32 year-old personal trainer from Birmingham, AL. My experience includes over six years of Personal Training. I have studied diet techniques, weightlifting, and nutrition for over 10 years.

www.makeoverfitness.com - fullbodymakeover@yahoo.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

The Truth About Paid Surveys Online

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The internet has flourished into a money making source with a plethora of ways to make money over the past several years. There has been much debate online over whether paid surveys can actually earn you money. While it is possible to make some extra cash, don’t plan on making a living off of paid surveys. More and more people are turning to the internet so they can work at home as oppose to going to their 9-5 job, but taking paid surveys certainly won’t fulfill this desire.

Surveys are distributed online by companies who are looking for people to review their new products and services. These companies distribute surveys because it allows them to collect market research from an array of people. Different surveys will pay different amounts just depending on what the company is willing to pay to get your information.

You have to be careful about paid surveys and the type of information that they require as well. There are several paid surveys online that simply require your name and email address with a few standard questions. However, some surveys get extremely detailed and may even trick you into signing up with them. The way they do this is by having you try a 30-day risk free trial in order to get paid with the hope that many people will not cancel their trial after 30 days.

In this case, you end up being a buyer instead of earning cash to look at their new product. Because of this, it is recommended that you only agree to such terms with a 90-day risk free trial. Otherwise, stick to the free trials that you don’t have to worry about canceling your trial.

Many money making surveys will ask you the same boring questions about their products to get the general feedback from the public. Although it can be extremely boring, it is incredibly easy to make extra money just giving your opinion on a product. Sometimes people who turn paid surveys into a work at home side-business will get asked to do several more surveys. Companies that find people that give the best feedback generally ask you to do as many as possible.

Another perk you may get from paid surveys is being given free products or gift cards. The best way to take a survey on a product is to try the product out. While this is certainly not the case for every survey, you may run into a few surveys from time to time that do indeed hand out freebies.

Paid surveys are a great way to make some extra money, but you shouldn’t be planning on turning it into a work at home business. It has its perks and it is extremely easy to pull in some extra money, but paid surveys simply don’t pay enough for you to live off of.

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Helen Roberts is the webmaster of http://www.PaidSurveysFacts.com where she describes her own experience with Paid Surveys and where she gives an exhaustive list of free marketing companies that pay for opinions.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

April is Women's Health Awareness Month

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Two Diagnoses: Eye Condition Reveals Multiple Sclerosis

Ask VSP network eye doctor David P. YESnick O.D., to estimate the value of a yearly eye exam, and this Las Vegas eye doctor won't mince his words.

"Take it from me, an annual eye exam can be absolutely priceless at times." "I'm talking about situations in which the eye doctor discovers the symptoms of a significant medical condition — and then quickly refers the patient for medical care.

"In that kind of situation, rapid intervention can protect quality of life or even help save a life. How can you measure the value of that?"

To illustrate his point — dramatically — Dr. YESnick describes a recent case in which a young mother of two children came in for a supposedly "routine" eye examination . . . and left with a doctor's referral that quickly pinpointed her early-stage multiple sclerosis (MS).

Until the visit to her family eye doctor, this 34-year-old mom had no inkling that she might be suffering from this chronic, potentially disabling illness — a disorder of the central nervous system that currently affects more than 300,000 Americans.

Caused by a variety of factors and so far incurable, MS can lead to increasing loss of muscular function, growing weakness and even total disability for patients who fail to have it diagnosed early and then treated effectively.

"When I examined the patient, she mentioned that she'd been experiencing some blurred vision and painful movement in one eye. She also reported a reduced ability to distinguish colors. As soon as I heard about those symptoms and also noticed that she had a discolored optic nerve, I went on alert. Why? Because those indicators often signal the condition known as 'optic neuritis,' which is frequently associated with MS in younger female adults."

Although optic neuritis (chronic inflammation of the optic nerve) can also be triggered by viruses, bacteria or even autoimmune disorders such as lupus, the culprit often turns out to be MS, says Dr. YESnick. "Research shows that more than 55 percent of all MS patients will develop optic neuritis," he notes, "which is why I start looking for possible symptoms of MS whenever I learn a patient has inflammation of the optic nerve.

"In this young woman's case, I was able to refer her to a neurologist who made the MS diagnosis and got her started on an effective treatment program right away. This patient was very smart — because she schedules yearly eye exams for herself and her family."

Is Dr. YESnick sold on the idea of regular, health-protecting eye examinations for all of his patients? "You bet! "Just think about it for a second. An eye exam takes only a few minutes, and then you can rest easy, knowing your vision is being protected.

"But what if that exam helps you uncover a medical condition that could vitally affect the quality of your life? How could you ever put a price tag on that?"

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www.TheYVC.com;

www.LowVisionServices.com

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Decorating Your Teenager's Bedroom

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Decorating the kitchen, bathroom, or living room is one thing, but when it comes to decorating a child's room it can prove to be much more difficult. After all, it seems like every other day a child is into the next "in thing" so choosing a design that he/she will be happy with for more than just a few weeks can be a bit of a task!

Decorating a teenager's room is also different than decorating a child's room, as teenagers often want to be treated like adults. It is a good idea to allow your teenager to come up with a theme for their room so that they can express who they are, rather than have to put up with something you'd prefer. This can include choosing the colors of the room, although you may want to discuss this with them incase they choose an overwhelming dark tone!

It often does not require a complete redesign of a child's room in order to make it look nice. Using wooden or colored blinds is a good alternative to curtains, place a rug on the floor in the room, change the color of bed linens, and replacing the headboard rather than the complete bed are just a few things to consider.

Rearranging furniture is also a very easy way to change the look of a room that can have a big affect. If a child is bored of the way their room looks it is very easy to move the bed, wardrobe, and cabinets around to give it a fresh feel. If you plan on using rugs you could also consider taking away the old carpet and leaving the wooden floorboards in place, rather than spending out on a new carpet. In addition to saving a lot of money, wooden floors can often be made to look a lot nicer.

Small accessories such as beading and fringe are another cheap way to change the look of various items. For example you could place it along the edge of shelves, lampshades, and hems of curtains to give a completely new look.

One of the best ways to change the feel of a room is by paying attention to the lighting. By using lamps around the room certain furniture and areas can be hidden or highlighted to show off a particular area. Dimmer switches are also good for bedrooms as the level of light can then be controlled.

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For more home improvement articles head over to http://qwikezine.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com