Happy 4th of July, Our Independence

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event.

Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7 session in the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the famous words: "Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

Lee's words were the impetus for the drafting of a formal Declaration of Independence, although the resolution was not followed up on immediately. On June 11, consideration of the resolution was postponed by a vote of seven colonies to five, with New York abstaining. However, a Committee of Five was appointed to draft a statement presenting to the world the colonies' case for independence. Members of the Committee included John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. The task of drafting the actual document fell on Jefferson.

On July 1, 1776, the Continental Congress reconvened, and on the following day, the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, New York not voting. Discussions of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence resulted in some minor changes, but the spirit of the document was unchanged. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and into the late afternoon of July 4, when the Declaration was officially adopted. Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, two -- Pennsylvania and South Carolina -- voted No, Delaware was undecided and New York abstained. John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock's signed his name "with a great flourish" so England's "King George can read that without spectacles!"

Today, the original copy of the Declaration is housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and July 4 has been designated a national holiday to commemorate the day the United States laid down its claim to be a free and independent nation.

How Healthy is Your Hair

No matter what kind of hair you have, take care of it and it will return the favor.

As hair is one of the first things people notice about you, you want it looking its best. If you suffer from split ends, breakage, greasy hair, or dry and brittle hair, there may be some things you can do to improve your hair’s overall health and appearance.
When you’re ready to make your hair look like it just spent the day in a hair health spa, try these tips.

Avoid Manmade Shampoos

While all shampoos are manmade (that’s right - you won’t find any trees that have shampoo-bottle leaves), some are a little more manmade than others. When choosing a shampoo to use on your flowing locks, go with something rooted in nature. Manmade chemicals may do a great job of ridding your hair of dirt and grime, but they tend to strip your hair of the oils needed for optimal health. More natural alternatives help preserve needed oils, while getting rid of the stuff you don’t want or need.

Grab the Boar by the Handle

Brushes made with plastic bristles are relatively cheap and tough. However, if you want to help your hair be its healthiest, you should know that plastic bristles are the enemy of healthy hair. Instead, go with a brush made with natural boar bristles. If you’re going to be brushing your hair out while wet, grab a boar-hair brush with rubber-toothed bristles. Otherwise, go all with all-natural boar bristles to help your dry hair maintain its strength and luster.

The Washing Dilemma. Ask 10 stylists how often people should wash their hair and you’ll probably get 10 different answers. The most common trains of thought are to wash hair only two or three times a week to avoid drying out your hair and scalp or to wash every day with a gentle shampoo. As no one seems to agree on the frequency you should shampoo, find out for yourself. Using a natural shampoo, wash as frequent as necessary to have clean, healthy hair that is neither excessively greasy nor frustratingly dry.

Bye-Bye, Barrettes

Want to get your hair up and out of the way? Be sure to do it in a manner that doesn’t damage your hair. Though barrettes are extremely easy and convenient to use, they can pull your hair, causing it to lose some of its good health. For a hair-healthy alternative, go with claw clips or hair bands or loosely braid or twist your hair behind your head.

Color Properly

Not content with your hair’s natural color? Feel the need to change it to make it better match your skin tones or personality? Though it is healthier for you to never dye your hair, you can help your dyed hair stay its healthiest by taking two steps. First, dye your hair every month. It will be more expensive than the three-month schedule you may be accustomed to, but more frequent dying (as long as it’s the same color each time) allows your stylist to leave chemicals on your head for a shorter amount of time, as there will be less loss of coloring to be corrected. Second, hold off on washing your hair for three days after dying it, and use shampoo that has been proven to not strip color from hair. These two steps will give your new color plenty of time to safely saturate your hair.

Enjoy Your Meal

As important as what you put on your hair and how you style it is what you put in your mouth. Believe it or not, a diet deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral can spell bad hair day for months on end. To ensure you have the best possible hair, eat plenty of beans, dark green veggies, nuts, poultry, salmon, whole grains, carrots, and low-fat dairy products. In other words, get plenty of variety in your diet and do your best to avoid an excessive amount of useless sugars and fats.

Happy Fathers Day.

Good marriage = good fathers LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- There is a positive correlation between marital quality and the quality of the father-child relationship, the California Healthy Marriages Coalition says. The California Healthy Marriages Coalition, an online clearinghouse on marriage and relationship strengthening resources, which also provides marriage classes, says both parents bring balance to a child's physical and emotional welfare, but more than 100 studies say fathers may be more important than mothers in the lives of their children. In a country where the divorce rate remains close to 50 percent, these are important points to ponder this Father's Day. "The best predictor of father presence is marital status," a report from the Institute for American Values says. The report says when a father's romantic relationship with the child's mother ends, this often ends his involvement with their children as well. "Children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior compared to children who have uninvolved fathers," reports the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. K. Jason Krafsky, director of communications and marketing for the California Healthy Marriages Coalition and co-author of "Facebook and Your Marriage," says: "The quality of the relationship with my wife, how we communicate, work as a team and express intimacy, model for our kids what a healthy marriage is and give them a better chance of having one themselves in the future." Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Citrus extracts show energy burning potential, without side effects

Bitter orange extracts plus the citrus flavonoids, naringin and hesperidin, may boost metabolic rates without affecting blood pressure, says a new study with implications for weight management.

According to findings published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences , consumption of 100 mg hesperidin, 50 mg p-synephrine (from bitter orange), and 600 mg naringin increased the resting metabolic rate by about 18 percent.

“If one assumes that the product was taken twice a day for one year, the theoretical increase in calorie consumption would amount to over 31 pounds,”wrote the researchers, led by Professor Harry Preuss from Georgetown University Medical Center.

“However, the actual extent of weight loss if the product was consumed under these conditions remains to be determined,” they added.

Forms

Products reportedly containing bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) or p-synephrine, its predominant alkaloid, are typically positioned in the weight loss segment, and reports also suggest efficacy in the relief of heartburn, and loss of appetite, as well as skin infections such as ringworm and athlete's foot.

The ingredient’s profile has increased since ephedra was banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 as it contains similar compounds and has been favored by dietary supplements manufacturers as an ephedra substitute. It is most often consumed in pill-form but can also be applied to the skin.

The study used the patented bitter orange extract Advantra Z, which is commercialized by Nutratech Inc. The company also funded the study and one of the study authors is affiliated with the New Jersey based company.

Lead author Sidney Stohs from Creighton University and corresponding author Harry Preuss from Georgetown University have both served as consultants to Nutratech.

The bitter orange extract is standardized to 60 percent p-Synephrine.

Key results

The researchers tested the potential of p-synephrine alone, or p-synephrine plus naringin, or p-synephrine plus naringin and hesperidin, compared to placebo, on the metabolic rate of 50 volunteers.

Results showed that the p-synephrine alone increased the metabolic rate by 7 percent, compared to placebo. When 50mg of p-synephrine was consumed with 600 mg naringin and 100 mg hesperidin the metabolic rate was almost 18 percent higher than the control group.

“None of the treatment groups exhibited changes in heart rate or blood pressure relative to the control group, nor there were no differences in self-reported ratings of 10 symptoms between the treatment groups and the control group,”report Prof Preuss and his co-workers.

“This unusual finding of a thermogenic combination of ingredients that elevated metabolic rates without corresponding elevations in blood pressure and heart-rates warrants longer term studies to assess its value as a weight control agent,”they added.

What’s happening?

Commenting on the potential mechanism, Prof Preuss and his co-workers note that the thermogenic effect of p-synephrine may be increased by naringin and hesperidin via an enhancement in the production of the expression of adiponectin, a hormone released from fat cells, which plays an important role in the regulation of insulin sensitivity and energy.

Safety

There have been some questions raised over the safety of bitter orange-containing supplements. Dr Stohs recently reviewed the 22 reports submitted to the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Journal of Functional Foods (doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2010.10.003).

Dr Stohs concluded that, given the “poly-herbal, poly-alkaloidal composition of the products involved” it was “unwarranted and unjustified” to say that bitter orange and p-synephrine were responsible for adverse events.

Source: International Journal of Medical Sciences 
Volume 8, Issue 4, Pages 295-301
“Effects of p-Synephrine alone and in Combination with Selected Bioflavonoids on Resting Metabolism, Blood Pressure, Heart Rate and Self-Reported Mood Changes”
Authors: S.J. Stohs, H.G. Preuss, S.C. Keith, P.L Keith, H. Miller, G.R Kaats

Fight Depression with Food

Open your mouth and get ready to smile!

Depression is one of the most misunderstood conditions. While it is a frequent cause of suffering, many people who live with depression are embarrassed of their condition. Because of this, they're often hesitant to seek help.

If you find yourself suffering from the effects of depression, you don't have to suffer alone. And you may not have to take specialized medications, either. In fact, your kitchen cupboard may house everything you need to overcome bouts with depression. Read on to learn about a few foods that will help you overcome your struggle with depression on a daily basis.

Fish

As if omega-3 fatty acids didn't have enough benefits (it has been found to fight against heart disease and even Alzheimer's disease), it seems this fishy sounding, heaven-sent oil also helps ward off depressive bouts. According to a 2002 study, participants who downed a gram of fish oil every day during the study cut their depressive symptoms in half. More fish anyone? (On top of getting omega-3 fatty acids from tuna and salmon, you can also pick some up by grabbing a handful of walnuts or flaxseed.)

Oats

When you need a brain boost and a mood equalizer, nothing does it better than whole-grain oats. Filled with vitamins B6 and B1 and folic acid and available on practically every shelf at the grocery store, whole-grain oats put you on the fast trek to improved mental health. At the same time, you'll also enjoy lowered cholesterol, reduced risk for heart disease, and improved immune response when your body finds itself up against a nasty infection.

Rice

With plenty of vitamins and folic acid, rice is a great way to regulate your mood over time - but you've got to stick with brown rice. Because brown rice is a low-glycemic food, it causes glucose (sugar) to make its way into your bloodstream slowly and surely, preventing you from having those miserable mood swings that come from sugar lows. Since you can slip some brown rice in practically any meal, it's easy to make sure you get plenty of the brown goodness!

When there is no food in your hand, beat depression by forcing a smile, enjoying a funny movie, spending time with loved ones, exercising, and hanging out in the sunshine for a while.

Cabbage

It may not make its way to your dinner plate too often, but if you're battling with depression, a serving or two of cabbage may be just what your mental health ordered. One of the ways it helps you fend off depression is by also fighting stress. More cabbage means less stress, less worry, less anxiety, less depression. So slip some in your salad today, and watch your stress and depression melt away!

Canola

Okay, so you probably aren't going to drink a quart of canola oil, but if you get desperate enough, you just may. Because multiple studies have shown that depression is more common in individuals with low levels of vitamin E. Since canola oil is rich in vitamin E, it's a good idea to reach for the bottle of canola when cooking up your next meal.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

If you're struggling with depression and plan to fight it with your fork, you should also be leery of foods that can cause you to sink deeper into depression. Some of the most dangerous foods to your mental health include the following:

• food with lots of fat
• food with lots of sugar
• food and drink high in caffeine
• food with low nutritional value

In other words, your tendency to head to a fast food restaurant and top it off with a quart of ice cream won't do your mental health any good. Rather, it will do just the opposite.

Healthy Cooking for 1 or 2

Because coming up with healthy meals for one or two people isn't always easy.

Whether you're a bachelor, bahelorette, newlywed, or are spending a weekend on your own, the idea of cooking for yourself or you and just one other person can be frustrating. You don't want to wind up with tons of leftovers you'll never eat, so you wind up at the fast-food place again.

But if you want to eat better by cooking for one or two, there is hope! Read on to get some tips on cooking for the smallest of groups without winding up with enough leftovers to feed the entire neighborhood.

Think Ahead

The bane of any cook's existence is figuring out what to cook at the last minute. Avoid this problem and the subsequent trip to a restaurant by planning your meals a week in advance. Once you have your meals planned out, head to the grocery store and buy everything you'll need for the week.

Not planning to eat all that broccoli during one meal? Get ready to eat some of it in the coming days. But it doesn't have to be eaten as leftovers warmed up in the microwaves. Instead, find a complementary recipe that could use a bit of broccoli. This way, you use everything you cook, but it doesn't always take on its original form and result in you getting burnt out on broccoli.

There is no sincerer love than the love of food. -George Bernard Shaw

Divide and Conquer

Ideally, your meals will use the entire piece of meat, bag of bread, head of vegetable, and package of other ingredients you use. However, when you're cooking for one or two, this isn't always possible. To avoid having excess food you can't use but have already cooked, split up foods before cooking.

For perishable items, a sealing plastic bag should prevent it from going bad in the freezer for a few days or even a week or two. Non-perishables can be preserved with greater ease, but should be eaten fairly soon after opening.

Get Creative and Social

Doing anything day after day can get a bit tiring. Keep your kitchen prowess from growing dull by changing things up now and then. Grab a new recipe book (there are even some custom made for cooking for one or two people) and give some new recipes a shot. When you're not quite hungry for a big meal, take advantage of your decreased hunger and go for a healthy snack. This allows you minimal preparation and absorbs even less of your daily calorie count.

Or you can make things more exciting by cooking bigger portions. Of course, to do this, you'll want to have more people on hand to avoid an overabundance of food. So invite your friends over to try your new favorite dish. Or make it easier on yourself by inviting them over for a potluck dinner. You supply the main dish and your friends provide the rest! Still have more food leftover than you can possibly eat on your own? Become a hit at the office by supplying lunch for your coworkers once or twice a week. Before you know it, you'll be the most popular person at work.

Welcome Cans

Yes, eating only fresh, whole foods is the best way to provide the best nutrients for your body. But that doesn't mean you should avoid canned or frozen foods altogether.

In fact, if you choose wisely, you can have a very healthy meal that makes use of frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Going beyond things fresh allows you to save precious time, while making it easier to keep your diet well rounded and full of the colorful foods you need to maintain your good health.

Cream of the Crop

Any nut is a good nut. But some nuts are better than others. If you're in the market for the healthiest nuts out there, go for walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, or even peanuts, which are not actually nuts but are legumes. A handful a day should do the trick. Two handfuls will get you even better results.

And remember that even though it ends in the word "nut," coconut is not actually a nut and is jam-packed with that saturated fat that is suspected to be the cause of many a heart attack.

The Big Breakfast Diet

How to lose weight by loving the most important meal of the day.

You know it's the most important meal of the day, but your busy schedule keeps you from getting a good breakfast every morning.

However, one fairly new diet insists that if you make the most important meal of the day the most calorie-laden meal of the day, you may be able to lose weight.

Think it's an idea birthed by the cereal and milk industry? Read on to learn how this early morning diet is supposed to work and whether it can give your body a weight-dropping wake-up call.

Look for 600

The main step of getting into the Big Breakfast Diet is to eat a breakfast with about 600 calories. To make sure your big breakfast goes for the distance, you'll want to fill up on plenty of carbohydrates (Atkins dieters, beware!) and protein. Then, get a move on your day.

According to the folks who praise the Big Breakfast Diet (and those who invented it), eating a substantial breakfast does more than fuel you through the day. It keeps you full until the day is over, effectively keeping you from going after high-calorie snacks that don't do much for your good health. And avoiding temptation is something anyone can appreciate.

All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast -John Gunther

Look for Results

So how does the Big Breakfast Diet fare with real people? To find out, researchers grabbed 94 obese women who were physically inactive and an average of 30 years of age. Splitting the women into two groups, the researchers had one group eat a diet low in carbs. On average, these women consumed a little under 1,100 calories a day. The second group ate about 1,250 calories a day, with 600 or so being eaten during breakfast.

The weight-loss results were about the same after four months. In fact, the low-carb group actually lost five more pounds than the Big Breakfasters (28 compared to 23 pounds). But when the ladies went another four months, the Big Breakfast Diet showed that it was a force to be reckoned with. While the low-carb dieters regained an average of 18 of their 28 lost pounds, those who participated in the Big Breakfast Diet lost an additional 16.5 pounds per person.

Look for Application

Now for the big question. Is the Big Breakfast Diet just what your waistline needs to regain its trim shape? It might just be. After all, getting a dense breakfast filled with powerful protein and carbohydrates keeps you moving strong all day and keeps you from munching on those miniature candy bars on the receptionist's desk.

Whether you decide to go Big Breakfast or not, this should serve as a wake-up call if you've been skipping breakfast or treating it as a lesser meal. While you may think avoiding breakfast isn't going to do anything but give your calorie count a shove in the right direction, think again. Having control over your appetite means eating smart, and it starts with a calorie-filled breakfast!

How to Get It

Jamming 600 calories into your first meal of the day isn't an easy task. Actually, you may be wondering how you could get so many calories into your breakfast. If you're considering the Big Breakfast Diet, you can grab an impressive 600 calories by eating the following:

• a bowl of cereal with at least 8 ounces of milk
•  a piece of pizza (that's right-you can feel good about eating pizza for breakfast)
• a strawberry smoothie
• a couple scrambled eggs with cheese, ham, and vegetables
• your other favorite foods