Pretty pats of butter can add interest to your dining table or buffet. You
can make them easily, in a wide variety of shapes. Here’s all you do:

Soften several sticks of butter. Use a knife to spread the softened butter
evenly into a candy mold (flip the mold over once you have some butter
in it, to make sure the butter is filling the mold completely; the butter
tends to leave “gaps” of empty space, even when you feel like you’re
filling the mold solidly). Freeze the filled mold until the butter is firm.

When firm, pop the butter pats out of the mold. Line a large pan or
baking dish with waxed paper. Layer the butter pats in the pan, with a
piece of waxed paper between each layer to keep the pats from sticking
together. Refrigerate the molded pats until you’re ready to serve them. At
serving time, place some crushed ice in a bowl and place the pats on
top of the ice to keep them cold.

A heart-shaped candy mold is perfect for butter that will be used at a
wedding reception or rehearsal dinner. Candy molds come in all sorts of
shapes and sizes. Just choose one that is right for your special
occasion.

For pretty herb butters, add some of your favorite chopped herb(s) to the
butter before putting it in the mold.

Suzanne Lieurance is a freelance writer and owner of the Three Angels
Gourmet Co. which offers a unique line of “heavenly gourmet mixes” for
sale at http://www.threeangelsgourmet.com and through gift shops,
Christian bookstores, gourmet food stores, and gift basket companies
across the country.

For daily food tips and other fun food information, visit the Three Angels
Gourmet Co. blog at http://www.threeangelsgourmet.blogspot.com

If you are like me and many others the warm weather motivates you to do or try new things. It even inspires you to pay more attention to your overall appearance. But, before you go shopping I suggest you take a look at this list to see what is in style.

• Cropped pants - If you see pants that are too long to classify in the shorts category and too short to qualify as the regular long pants those are referred as cropped pants. They fit inches below the knee but, are placed above the ankle.

• Natural hair - Good news for ladies with curly or wavy hair. Curls are in; all you have to do is wash your hairs apply some gel or mousse and blow dry with a diffuser. For define curls utilize hair rollers.

• Color crazy- Bright colors are in for 2005. Some of the most common are kiwi, turquoise, coral, fuchsia, mango, yellow, aqua, melon, violet and many more… Do not ignore some of the regular pastel colors such as light pink. White should always be in your ward robe during the summer season.

• Knee length skirts- They come in all styles from pleated to form fitting.

• Cuffed pants- Many of the cuffed pants are also cropped.

• Tunics- They will not only give you a different look. You will also feel comfortable and cool.

• Prints, patterns and stripes, embroidered etc. are in this summer. So, do not be afraid to buy a blouse with floral print (any type of prints).

• About the fabric- Silk is definitely in style. Do not be surprise to see a lot of lace jewels, beads, rhinestones etc. on clothes.

• Accessorize- You will find anything from drop earrings to beaded and wooded jewelry. Other very popular accessories are brooches, variety of buckle belts, pendants, neck silk scarfs and many more. Just make sure that you do not over accessorize.

• Shoes- Comfort is also chic now. I have never seen such a variety of thong sandals. Mules, flip flops, flats, and moccasins are “a la mode” also. Wedges are good for the ladies that like to wear higher shoes; they are comfortable as long as you are able to sustain balance.

Kenia Morales is the publisher of online magazine http://kpatra.com “For Every Aspect of Today’s Woman. Visit her site to find a variety of women related issues and topics” click here http://www.kpatra.com/keniascolumn.htm to find Kenia’s little piece of heaven her inspirational column

Golf swing trainer is a term you might think of for a training aid that works on your golf swing. I’ve come up with a new definition for a golf swing trainer. It happens to be what I do for a living.

I won’t take up this whole article talking about myself, but I do want you to think of a golf swing trainer in a different light after reading this.

You see…I’ve watched and read about the millions of golfers who are in search of the “silver bullet”. The “magic pill” that will give them the perfect swing and the game they dream of. Well…it’s not out there! I hate to ruin the party, but there is no such thing.

There is hope!

I have spent the better part of 10 years studying the golf swing. And over 25 years in the field of fitness and exercise physiology. I have combined my two passions into the label of golf swing trainer.

It came to me one day when I was working with one of my personal golf clients. We were talking about his swing faults and I was prescribing golf stretches and exercises to eliminate the swing fault.

After just 4 sessions…his swing fault was gone! Completely! He was thrilled to say the least. He told me he had taken private golf lessons with 4 different golf teaching pros and couldn’t correct his golf swing fault.

When he explained it to me…it was obvious. It was a physical limitation that was not allowing his body to perform the prescribed technique all these teaching pros had told him he needed to do.

I was as thrilled as he was and now here I am. A golf swing trainer implementing golf exercises and stretches to eliminate golf swing faults. It’s the most effective way to permanently eliminate swing faults with minimal or now change in technique. The swing just falls into place when the body can perform at optimal strength and flexibility levels.

You heard it here first. Now I am quite confident you will hear more professionals in my field of expertise use it.

A golf swing trainer should have superior knowledge of the golf swing from a mechanical standpoint and physical standpoint. If one or the other is missing, then this individual isn’t a qualified professional that should be working on your golf swing.

So next time you hear this phrase…think of improving your body…not taking more lessons, buying the latest, greatest gimmicky training aid, or hitting more balls.

Golf Swing Trainer!

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is the featured expert for Golf Magazine’s GolfOnline.com site, one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds and manual at his golf swing trainer site - Perform Better Golf.

Diabetes is of three main types - insulin-dependent diabetes or the Type 1 diabetes, Non-insulin dependent diabetes or the Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes mellitus. A person’s eating habits and viruses can cause Type 1 diabetes. Heredity, obesity, high blood pressure, and lack of proper diet cause Type 2 diabetes, which is very common.

The gestational diabetes mellitus is caused as a result of heredity, increased maternal age, fatness and more reasons. It may cause the mother to develop permanent diabetes. This characteristic may get transferred to the child at a later age.

There are certain symptoms with the help of which you can detect diabetes. Excessive urination, constant thirst, loss of weight, excessive starvation, nausea, extreme tiredness, infections, irritability and tiredness are some of them.

The importance of insulin comes to light when a person suffers from diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that allows blood sugar or glucose to enter body cells. Diabetes affects a person’s capability to make insulin. Due to diabetes, the glucose remains in the blood itself. This high rate of sugar in the blood may cause harm to your eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

Other than heredity reasons, you can easily avoid Type 2 diabetes by following some simple steps. For those people who are overweight, reduce the rate of consuming food. Overweight people have the risk of developing diabetes. Try to consume grilled or baked food instead of fried food. Cut down on fatty meals. While having food, check its Glycemic Index. While drinking milk, opt for the skimmed milk instead of the full-fat milk. Exercise is a very effective way, which ensures that you stay in a healthy way always.

It is best to cure diabetes before it attacks your health. To cure diabetes, it is important to know its symptoms. Extreme thirst not only after exercise and a stroll in the hot air, but always, is a symptom. Even after drinking water, if you have a dry mouth, if you have to urinate frequently, if you have unexpected weight loss, and you feel lethargic all the time, check with a doctor. It could be a symptom for diabetes.

Blurry vision, slow healing cuts and sores, extreme itching or soreness in the genital or yeast infection can be the other symptoms of diabetes. It is best to cure it before it develops fully and affects your body.

Sharon Albright is the owner of Diabetes Site. Read more articles on diabetes and visit her recommended resources.

The Best of the Web (botw.org), one of the internet’s original website directories (created in 1994), has decided to tackle the blogosphere in a big wayby introducing a hand-edited blog directory. Although the directory was soft launched on November 12 of this year and officially launched November 15th at the WebmasterWorld Search Engine and Internet Marketing Conference in Las Vegas, the directory boasts over 5000 blogs. The Best of the Web blog directory is located at blogs.botw.org.

The search portion of the Best of the Web blog directory is still in beta, and should be “ready for release within the next 30 days. We are still tweaking the post functionality of the search - grabbing current content from the directory…kind of like Technorati does, without all the spam”, according to Greg Hartnett from Best of the Web.

According to Hartnett, “we have been interested in blogging for about 18 months, and have been monitoring it closely for the last 12. We came up with the concept of the blog directory in July of this year, and began development shortly thereafter. We were able to draw off the experience of building the BOTW directory, and minor modifications of the underlying code enabled us to deploy an admin interface for it within days. From there, it was a matter of figuring out some of the taxonomy and filling in the blanks.”

Right now, there are currently just over five thousand blogs listed in the Best of the Web Blog Directory. According to Hartnett, they plan on having close to twenty thousand blogs listed when they beta launch the search portion of the site. Since Best of the Web has been around since 1994, they have the directory submission process pretty much down to a science. Just like in the BOTW Directory, each blog gets manually reviewed. While they welcome new websites at the BOTW Directory, only blogs that are a minimum of six months old are considered for inclusion in the Best of the Web Blog directory. Additionally, the blogs must be currentwith active posts, and all blogs must be relevant to the category in which they’re submitted. They also must contain unique contentthere is zero tolerance for spam blogs, often referred to as splogs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splog).

Currently, all submissions to the Best of the Web blog directory are free of charge. According to Hartnett, “in the here and now, the submission flow is still at a level where our editors can review the submissions in a pretty timely fashion. Additionally, the level of spam submissions that we are receiving aren’t in the danger zone. Once the submissions get to a level that it makes sense, we will introduce a submission fee. Market forces will dictate exactly how that will work and what how much it will cost.”

According to Best of the Web, “we see blogging as the most recent killer-ap–a new medium for the transmission of information to the masses in a conversational format. Unlike websites, which tend to be more commercial in nature, and definitely much more of a monologue in terms of information flow, blogs tend to be more informational in nature (though corporate uses for it have become more mainstream), and by definition facilitate a conversational atmosphere between author and audience. So, you have not only readers, but active participants in your informational stream. As active bloggers, we saw a gap in the market–no place that was (a) committed to providing a directory of quality blogs, and (b) providing tag based search that wasn’t crushed by spam. We saw the opportunity to use our experience building the BOTW directory to marry a quality directory of blogs with a killer search product. The blog directory stands alone from the BOTW directory for the following reasons: (1) the difference between the mediums (blog versus website) is great enough that they warrant separation; (2) BOTW directory uses its own proprietary site search, while the blog directory uses a tag-based post search.”

Founded in 1994 at the University of Buffalo, Best of the Web has been a pioneer in recognizing the best sites online. From the initial concept of Web Awards, BOTW has transformed into a general directory spotlighting the web’s premier destinations. All sites listed in the directory are examined by our team of editors, and only if qualified are granted inclusion. Editorial review ensures that all sites are appropriately listed in their most relevant category. BOTW currently employs more than 70 paid editors, many with experience at other major directories including Yahoo, DMOZ, Looksmart, and About.com. BOTW remains committed to building a comprehensive directory of content rich, well designed websites, categorized both topically and regionally.

Bill Hartzer manages the http://www.marketnet.com Dallas Search Engine Marketing division of MarketNet, Inc., a leading full-service interactive design and development firm in Dallas, Texas.

Hartzer has infused MarketNet with his enthusiasm and vision for search marketing. Bill Hartzer is focused on developing results-oriented paid and organic search marketing programs to help clients increase visibility, broaden reach and maximize their return on investment.

1. Most leaders die with their mouths open.

I recently read an article in Fast Company magazine about
the issue of leadership. In it, they quote Ronald Heifetz,
the founder of Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership, who
made the above comment back in 1999. He followed it up by
saying, “leaders must know how to listen - and the art of
listening is more subtle than most people think it is. But
first and just as important, leaders must want to listen.”

You’d think this is simply basic stuff, right? Like what all
managers learned in Management 101. I doubt there’s an exec
in business today who wouldn’t say they ‘know’ this already.
But in my experience, most leaders seem to think it no longer
applies to them when they start moving up the ladder. They
seem to get to the stage where they think they really know
it all.

But yet, executives and professionals at all levels frequently
tell me that they themselves don’t feel ‘heard’ by their superiors.
And here’s the really interesting thing about it - I hear this
frustration cited by people at every management level!
Therefore, managers throughout many businesses are busy
looking ‘up’ the organization chart for someone to listen to
them - but they’re not giving their own managers and the
staff ‘below’ them the same benefit.

So you have managers going around telling subordinates what
to do & how to do it; rarely asking those people for their input.
And then being cranky because their boss treats them the
same way! How dumb is that?

2. Our North American companies are pretty inefficient

OK - this is a random poll: Please raise your arm if you
believe your company is efficient. At least 90% efficient.

Based upon what I hear from clients, there aren’t many arms
raised out there. In fact, most tell me that their own
organizations are actually inefficient. Many are concerned
that their employer is getting less competitive on a global
scale. Some worry about cutbacks or reduced investment
spending which may result.

At the same time, they’ll tell me that they are bored,
unchallenged, stale, and losing interest. So, let’s review.

Inefficient businesses:

- no one is listening to those who are close to the real

action.

- stale managers who are worried about global

competitiveness.

Coincidence? Not likely. We can fix this situation, though.
And it’s not that hard.

Remind yourself about that lesson of Management 101.
Become a better leader by becoming a better listener. Simply
start asking - and here I mean showing that you really want
to hear your team members’ ideas about making your
department / organization more efficient. Make it clear that
you are on a new mission and you want to make ‘listening’ a
priority. When your direct reports start to believe that
you are serious - watch out.

I guarantee that you’ll start to hear new ideas which will
kick-start your organization’s success. With that will come
renewed enthusiasm for the job. And the cycle of success
will build from there.

You don’t need to die with your mouth open.

3. Today’s Tips

1. Give your team credit for having the same basic needs and

expectations as you have yourself.

2. Once in a while - just shut up.

3. Ask your subordinates how they’d deal with a problem or

situation.

4. Get enthusiastic about the game again. It’s contagious.

A Certified business and executive coach with 30 years experience including executive suites and boardrooms across North America, John has unique insights and expert skills for dealing with the challenges and opportunities facing business people and professionals. His consultancy, BusinessSuccessCoach.net is a reflection of his desire to share what he has observed, learned and practiced in organizations ranging in size from start-ups to billion dollar corporations with thousands of employees. He is a frequent expert guest on TV and radio programs.

Fear of death is the most widespread and deep-seated fear within
the hearts of the human race. All religions pay a great deal of
attention to the subjects of death and immortality. They all
claim to have the way to avoid death and enter into immortality.
These ways consist of avoiding wrong action and cultivating good
action, faith in and worship of their gods, and (in the
background always) the matter of material contribution.

Buddha stands in contrast to all this. As any responsible
spiritual teacher would do, he places the matter solely upon the
individual. First he sets forth the relevant question: “Who
shall gain victory over this earth together with the domain of
Yama (ruler of the Underworld) with its gods? Who shall find the
well-proclaimed Dhammapada (path of truth), even as the expert
gardener selects the choicest flower?” (Dhammapada 44)

This world and the next

First off Buddha lets us know that there is no mastery of a
future world until we attain mastery in this world. It is the
failing of every major religion on the earth to despise this
earth in some degree, whether spoken or not. Everyone is so
intent on getting beyond this world that they ignore its
absolute necessity-and this includes popular Hinduism which is a
major offender in this matter. The result, then, is guaranteed
return to this world as a slave. “This old world of sin and
sorrow” happens to be as much the kingdom of God as the highest
spiritual world. It is our ignorance that produces the sin and
sorrow, not the world. That is like calling the weapon of a
murder “a vicious killer.” But we are just that crazy. Buddha
points the way to sanity.

Wisdom

The conqueror of both “life” and “death” is he who will seek and
find the Path of Dharma, using his intelligent discrimination to
distinguish true dharma from the false, “even as the expert
gardener selects the choicest flower.”

The Venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu translates this verse in the
following manner: “Who will penetrate this earth and this realm
of death with all its gods? Who will ferret out the well-taught
Dhamma-saying, as the skillful flower-arranger the flower?” To
“penetrate” something means to know it thoroughly, and by that
wisdom to master it. Here, too, we see that to minimally live in
this world and minimally deal with it-an ideal also set forth by
all religions-is to miss the mark completely. We must
comprehend this world. And to do that we must diligently
seek-”ferret out”-the way of dharma. Then we must put ourself in
control and order things accordingly, “as the skillful
flower-arranger the flower.” This is not the picture of some
pious nitwit proudly proclaiming his ignorance and declaring his
total dependence on God or gods. In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna
tells Arjuna to take refuge in God, but also he tells him to
stand up and fight. The two go together. One without the other
is nonsense, producing chaos.

And the winner is…

Who, then, will conquer? “The disciple will gain victory over
the earth and the realm of Yama together with its gods. The true
disciple will indeed find the well-proclaimed Dhammapada, even
as the expert gardener selects the choicest flower.” (Dh. 45)

“Disciple” has a lot of connotations, most of thi negative and
erroneous as applied in the religions that seek to dominate
their adherents. The Venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu translates it
“learner-on-the-path” which gives a much better idea than mere
“disciple,” for most “disciples” are enslaved sheep, praised for
their dim-witted acceptance and obedience. Buddha advocates no
such any more than he advocates the dominating and commanding
teacher. Rather, it is The Path itself that teaches the worthy
disciple as he applies what he has learned from a worthy teacher.

Seeing true

“Recognizing this corporeal body to be evanescent as foam,
comprehending this worldly nature as a mirage, and having broken
the flower-arrows of Mara, the true aspirant will go beyond the
realm of the Evil One.” (Dh. 45)

What characterizes a learner-on-the-path? Three major traits.

Recognizing this corporeal body to be evanescent as foam.
Older people who have not seen through the world envy the young.
Naturally, the state of health and the prospect of years ahead
in which to attain goals is desirable, but the terrible delusion
and illusions of youth far outweigh that. One of the worst
blindnesses of youth is the heedlessness of death, the baseless
feeling of assured life and well-being in the future. Long ago
the sages of India stated that one of the most amazing things
about human beings is their inability to grasp their own
mortality although they see others dying around thi. This of
course comes from an intuitional grasp of our innate
immortality, but the placient is mistaken. Only the Self is
immortal. The incredible fragility of “life” must be grasped by
those who would learn on the path, not in a pessimistic manner
but in a realism that cannot be clouded by false confidence.
Think of all we accomplish when we realize we have little time
in which to do it. Awareness of the brevity and fragility of
life can be positive if it spurs us on to wisely-directed
action.

Comprehending this worldly nature as a mirage. Life is
not only fragile, it is insubstantial-even illusory. The right
attitude toward the world and its nature, as well as the
“earthly” parts of our own being, is absolutely necessary for
us, and a simplistic view will not suffice-it will get us into
major difficulties.

In India we find two conflicting statients: 1) the world is
real; 2) the world is unreal. And so the wrangle goes on, and
those of us coming from “outside” are supposed to choose which
we think is right. I can help you on this. They are both
wrong and they are both right.

In our modern times we have many advantages over the ancient
philosophers because a great deal of our modern science and
technology actually makes easy the knots they found so hard to
loosen and eliminate. One of our most inspired examples is the
motion picture. It is real and it is not real. The filmmakers
and film students and film historians take motion pictures quite
seriously. Yet, what is a motion picture but a series of images
that do not move and yet appear to move and speak?

It was motion pictures that revealed the unreal nature of
“reality” to me when I was just a child of eight. First I
noticed that at the start of the movie I would hear the sound
coming from speakers at the side, but in just a few minutes I
would “hear” the sound coming from the screen, and not just from
the screen but from the characters that were speaking. This was
obviously an illusion created by my mind, and it disturbed me
somewhat. Next I saw that when spoked wheels (as on a
stagecoach) turned rapidly they appeared to stand still and then
begin to move backwards. Again, an obvious illusion showing that
the senses were not reliable in perceiving reality. The most
amazing thing was my discovery that the perception of passing
time was completely subjective. One evening I liked a motion
picture so much I decided to stay on and watch it a second time.
To my bewilderment the picture seied to take only half the time
it had the first time through. Again, it was all in my head-an
idea I did not like very much, because everything was then seen
as unstable and, as I say, mostly subjective.

By studying our experience of motion pictures (and now
television) we can get some idea of the unreality of “reality,”
understanding that even an illusion is real. Reality is unreal
and unreality is real! No ancient sage of India ever dionstrated
this as clearly as Edison’s Wonder.

Our cooperation/creation of illusion is also shown by motion
pictures. We know it is all illusion, yet we react as though we
were witnessing something real. We respond with a range of
iotions, liking and disliking characters and situations that are
nothing but light patterns on a screen. (And how profound is the
insight that the relationship between picture and screen
perfectly mirrors Purusha and Prakriti, samsara and the atman,
matter and consciousness.) Even stranger, no matter how many
times we see a movie, we still react to it. Although we know
exactly what the outcome will be, we find ourselves
involuntarily feeling tense, even anxious, about “what may
happen.” We laugh as much at a comic situation as we did the
first time-maybe even more- and even jump at a
no-longer-unexpected development. Why? Because it is the nature
of the mind to fool and be fooled. We truly are Dwellers In The
Mirage-and voluntarily. So we not only come to realize that the
world is ultimately a mirage, so is the mind that perceives it.
The capacity of the mind to create a world in dream drives the
point even deeper home. A dream is totally unreal and yet is
real at the same time.

Having broken the flower-arrows of Mara. Cosmic Delusion
hooks us like the gullible fish takes the tasty bait unaware of
the horrible steel beneath. If you have ever seen a fish that
has not just been hooked in the mouth but has completely
swallowed the hook then you have some idea of the consequences
of being struck by the flower-arrows of Mara. How we like being
hit! Poor fools. As the Gita points out, we live “desiring
desires,” (Bhagavad Gita 18:24) or, as Swami Prabhavananda put
it: “under the whip of lust and the will of the ego.” “The man
who stirs up his own lusts can never know peace,” (Gita 2:70)
yet we keep right on. In India they set forth the example of
camels that keep chewing on thorns however much their mouths are
pierced and bleeding. But “He knows peace who has forgotten
desire. He lives without craving: free from ego, free from
pride.” (Gita 2:71)

Buddha does not speak of someone who has learned to evade the
flower-arrows or who has become impervious to thi. Rather he
speaks of those who have broken the arrows. That is, he
has rendered thi not just ineffectual but, practically speaking,
non-existent. He has destroyed thi. For “when a man enters
Reality, he leaves his desires behind him.” (Gita 2:59) Thus-and
only thus-he has gone beyond the realm of Death (Yama). He has
gone “where the King of Death cannot see,” as Thanissaro Bhikkhu
translates it.

“Cravings torment the heart: he renounces cravings….Free from
the things of desire,…the bonds of his flesh are broken.”
(Gita 2:55-57) “When he has no lust, no hatred, a man walks
safely among the things of lust and hatred….Sorrow melts into
that clear peace: his quiet mind is soon established in peace.”
(Gita 2:64,65)

Seeking death

This is a happy picture, but truth is both happy and sad. So
Buddha shows us another view in conclusion, perhaps because it
is the situation of the majority of human beings, and of us if
we are not vigilant. No, he is not being “negative” he is being
truthful. Worthy teachers do not hesitate to tell us or show us
what we may not like, but which must be changed if we would pass
from death unto life. Here are his words:

“The hedonist who seeks only the blossoms of sensual delights,
who indulges only in such pleasures, him the Evil One carries
off, as a flood carries off the inhabitants of a sleeping
village.” (Dh 47) What a horrible truth! We can be carried off
by Death while sleeping and dreaming just the opposite. “It
shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he
eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is ipty: or as when a
thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh,
and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite.” (Isiaiah
29:8) It is worldly life and not religion that is the opium of
the people, though of course worldly religion is part of the
poppy field. There is more:

“The hedonist who seeks only the blossoms of sensual delights,
whose mind is agitated, him the Evil One (Mara) brings under his
sway even before his carnal desires are satiated.” (Dhammapada
48) Now this is the truth! Delusion never really comes through
or pays off. Oh, yes, just like crooked gamblers, for the first
few times the forces of Mara let us “win.” Then, when we are
addicted, the sorrow sets in. All we really end up with is
addiction and the inevitable frustration of that addiction. What
an awful trap, and what an awful willingness to be trapped.

Nevertheless, if we hearken to Buddha’s wisdom and follow it we
shall transcend delusion and death. This is sure.

Menopause is brought on by low levels of estrogen and progesterone and can cause symptoms such as irregular periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, memory loss and difficulty concentrating, insomnia and fatigue, frequent urination, and mood swings. Many women going through the change of life opt for menopause natural remedies for various reasons. Most women choose menopause natural remedies because they are worried about the adverse-side effects of conventional medicine.

Women who experience vaginal dryness often use estrogen creams or Vitamin E. Vitamin E can be found abundantly in cucumbers, asparagus, mackerel, haddock, lamb, kale, liver, brown rice, safflower oil, sesame oil, almonds, and mangoes. Vitamin E is good in aiding vaginal dryness, but if you have rheumatic heart disease or a history of high blood pressure it should not be taken in excess.

Hot flashes are one of the main menopause symptoms and are present in nearly all women. Black cohosh imitates the effects of estrogen and can be used as a menopause natural remedy for hot flashes (can also be used to help reduce vaginal dryness, anxiety, and irritability). Black cohosh can be found in health stores and comes in the form of either tea or supplements.

Bioflavonoids are good menopause natural remedies and act as estrogen substitutes. They will help relieve symptoms of mood swings and hot flashes. Bioflavonoids are found in citrus fruits mostly. Vitamin B-Complex is one thing that can be lost due to the emotional stress that often accompanies menopause and can worsen symptoms, especially mood swings. Replacements of Vitamin B can be found abundantly in wheat germ or can be taken as supplements.

Women who notice an increase in urination or those who contract a urinary tract infection can take Echinacea or Vitamin C. Vitamin C is found in broccoli, cabbage, kale, collards, parsley, asparagus, tomatoes, salmon, and liver. Cranberry juice and water can also help with urinary tract infections.

Mood swings are horrible for both the person who has them as well as everyone else around. Fatty acids are a good menopause natural remedy that can help to regulate hormones and reduce mood swings. Examples of fatty acids are Omega 3 and Omega 6. Fatty acids can also be found in flaxseed, pumpkinseeds, mackerel, tuna, salmon, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and safflower oil.

A healthy diet, regular exercise program, and getting plenty of rest can even act as menopause natural remedies. Foods that should be eaten regularly during menopause include fresh fruits, vegetables, and, whole grains, such as brown rice, corn, barley, oatmeal, wild rice, nuts, and seeds. Soy (soymilk and tofu), oils (olive, sesame, sunflower, and canola), and fish and poultry are good foods to consume during menopause. Foods that should be eaten sparingly are salt, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods. Exercise is also a vital menopause natural remedy. Not only will it control weight and increase energy, it will also relieve some symptoms like anxiety, depression, and hot flashes.

Menopause natural remedies can help greatly in reducing menopausal symptoms and making the big change in life for women a much easier and more pleasant transition. Remember that it is always important to consult your physician before beginning any remedies to make sure they won’t harm your health nor have adverse effects.

Kathryn Whittaker. To sign-up for a Free Menopause Newsletter please visit Natural Menopause Relief Secrets or for menopause articles click here Menopause Articles

We expect our lives to go smoothly all the time but that very rarely happens. A need can come up any time it can be a personal need or a financial need. Solution to the personal need may depend on person to person but if you are looking for financial help from outside sources for a short period then an ideal solution are bridging loans UK.

Bridging loans are loans which are offered to people who are looking for quick solutions to their financial requirements.

Instances where the borrowers may need to go in for bridging loans are:
Where you want to buy a property and there is a gap where you have not sold your current property.
Temporary funding for the purchase of a defective property.
For an entrepreneur who sells to the goods on credit may use it as working capital before the payment is made by the buyers.
To purchase a property in a hurry i.e. from an auction.

Bridging loans are short term loans which can be acquired by providing collateral to the borrower. Collateral can be provided in any of the two forms available to the borrower. They are:

A closed ended bridge is one in which the repayment source is already in place, but because of the timing the funds is such that they will not meet the requirements.

Another option is an open ended bridge in this the intended repayment source is known, but it is not guaranteed.

Some examples of the items that can be provided as collaterals are. Residential properties, auction properties, retail shops, buy to let properties or any development sites.

Bridging loans are available to every body not only to people with good credit history but also people with bad credit history. All the people need to know is their credit score which represents their credit worthiness and they can also avail the bridging loans.

Some of the features that the potential buyers must know about bridging loans are:
Bridging loans come for a short period of time ranging from days to a year.
Bridging loans are available at comparably higher rate of interest.
Amount sanctioned usually ranges from £5000o to £500000.
The loan is sanctioned very quickly usually within 5 working days.
You can also get a loan amount up to 100% of the collateral.

These features make bridging loans a much sought after thing in the market if you are looking for a loan for a short period.

If life goes according to the plan then everything happens in a merry way but that always does not happen. A need can come from anywhere if only for a short period of time it has to be looked after that is where bridging loans can help us immensely.

Eva Baldwyn aims to inform common men and women of the several issues involved in personal loans and mortgages through her articles.To find Easy Bridging Loan, Short Term Bridging Loan, Commercial Bridging Loan visit
www.easybridgingloansuk.co.uk

In looking back on the year that has just endeda year filled with the horrors of war and of natural disasters such as last fall’s hurricanesone would have to be callous not to mention the earthquake and tsunamis. The devastation seems to get worse every hour as new reports, images, and statistics come in. Yet from the moment it happened the day after Christmas, one felt that in spite of the tremendous destruction that was unleashed, God was and is at work, even if his plan has not yet been revealed to us.

The sheer magnitude of this event cannot be comprehended by the human mind. So let us not get caught up in the number of the dead, the injured, the missing and the homeless. We need to become quiet in order to really take in what has happened; we need to ask ourselves, “What is it that God is saying to the whole world?”

The tsunamis show us that we are not in control of our lives, though God is. Death snatched away rich and poor, tourist and native, with no respect for who they were. There was no time for final goodbyes.

Having been in India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysiaall nations that have been hit by the tsunamisthis disaster affects me personally. I have seen the poverty these people live under even in the best of times. What hits hardest is the untold number of children who died. Many of them will never even be found. Picture their parents’ grief!

As tens of thousands of bereaved families mourn the loved ones they have lost, one wonders, “Why does God allow this to happen? Why, if death is his mortal enemy, does he allow it to destroy so many people?” In this life we may never find a satisfactory answer to that question. Yet we must still hang on to our faith that God is Love, and that no dark power can ever overcome him, even though, at a time like this, it looks as if that is the case. We must remember God’s promise that one day, every tear will be dried.

Only time will tell if this disaster is a taste of similar things to come. One cannot but think of the “bowls of the wrath of God on the earth” that are foretold in the Book of Revelation. One thing is certain: we cannot just go on living as usual. Life is too precious, and as this event has shown us, it can be over in an instant.

We do not need to weep for those who have died. They are all with God, as we are told: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… They will rest from their labors, and their works will follow them.” We need to weep and pray for all those who remain alive, for the millions who are suffering hunger and thirst, and facing diseases such as cholera and malaria. Many will surely suffer excruciating deaths.

Meanwhile, we ought to ask ourselves how much time we are still spending considering the meaning of this disaster and praying about it. Only a week has gone by since it occurred, but many people have already returned to petty pursuits like hunting for post-Christmas bargains at the mall. Even on the news, this event is beginning to fade–it’s back to Janet Jackson.

We care so little about the rest of the human race. Nothing matters as long as it isn’t us. Yet it could be us next time; it is an eleventh-hour warning. So few of us take that to heart.

World leaders have criticized our president for his initial lame pledge of support for the countries stricken by the tsunamis. What would happen if we counteracted their justified concern by pulling all of our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, and sending them on to southern Asia to provide disaster relief?

Our supposedly Christian nation pumps billions of dollars into military-related technology and into the war against terror. Yet if we would have spent a fraction of that on a wave warning system, millions of lives could have been saved. In this case, animals were smarter than human beingsthey sensed what was coming and headed to higher ground.

It is true that dozens of relief organizations and national governments are now pouring aid into the affected region. Yet even all that will only be a drop in the bucket. May all of us who live in relative comfort be stirred to action and remember that in God’s eyes, every deed of love to our neighbornear or faris of utmost importance. In light of this disaster, what does that mean? Are we grateful for what we have? Do we and our children thank God every night for a warm house, for food, and work?

A word of comfort to those who have lost loved ones, or are still searching for them: I believe the sky above the Indian Ocean was filled with angels bringing all these souls to God. To me, the fact that this earthquake struck just a day after Christmas is significant. It reminds us that we need to re-learn what it means to bow to the Child in the manger. Herod and the powerful of Jerusalem were so frightened of this little child, that he ordered the slaughter of innocent children.

In light of the current world situation, we could be frightened too. But as we are reminded in these lines from Psalm 46, we have a place to turn:

God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we shall not be afraid, even though the earth be removed;
and though mountains are carried into the midst of the sea… though its waters are troubled and roar; though mountains shake with its swelling; though nations rage, and kingdoms are moved…. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations! The Lord of Hosts is with us forever. The God of Jacob is our refuge.

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Article by Johann Christoph Arnold (http://www.christopharnold.com/). Arnold is senior pastor of the Bruderhof - an international communal movement dedicated to a life of simplicity, service, sharing, and nonviolence. (http://www.bruderhof.com/).