I was contacted by Rachel Geltman – owner of Video Chat Network – a company that utilizes video chat technology for conducting virtual focus groups. She is working together with One A Day Vitamins to help them create the first blog dedicated to helping women share in a positive menopause lifestyle and she is looking for baby boomer women who can create/share a short 2-minute video on the subject. If your video is selected, you will receive $50 too! I hope you take a moment to read more about Rachel’s offer below. Why not give it a go, share your thoughts on menopause and participate in this worthwhile project.

“We need these videos to focus on the true feelings and experiences women are having in menopause. While menopause is not always an easy stage, perhaps this time of life is for many women. In these videos we are very interested in hearing about this stage of a woman’s life (for which menopause is a part) and how they are approaching what has been termed the “third age.” We are not interested in treatments they use, but instead are very interested in their feelings.

Participants can use any means available to record the video including but not limited to: ooVoo, ichat, skype, tokbox, a flipcam, your webcam and any other video recording software they might have. They just need to make sure they can record it and save it as a file which can be sent through email.”

Rachel is looking for submissions beginning asap..
If you are interested, go ahead and send your 2-minute video and contact info to her directly at: rgeltman (at) videochatnetwork.net or contact her if you just need more information as well..

Good luck my friends!

Tweet This, Thanks!

You’ve been putting it off for quite a long time; but today you’ve decided to clean out your medicine cabinet. Once you follow these simple tips, you won’t have to do this again for a year.

Take everything out of the cabinet and put them into a box. Clean the inside with white vinegar. Sit at your kitchen table and go through each item one by one. Check your medicines first. Throw out any outdated prescriptions. Remember to remove the label on all of them. The general rule of thumb is to throw out anything that is old, since their effectiveness is diminished. Perhaps you have accumulated two or more of one product. Check the expiration labels and keep the newest one and throw out the old. After you have finished going through the box, it’s time to put back whatever is left. The good news is now is the perfect time to organize your medicine cabinet.

Depending upon the size of your medicine cabinet, you may want to prioritize those items you use on a daily basis, such as: deodorants and razors, which you can keep on the first shelf. You may want to use plastic cups to keep your Q-tips in; or disposable razors as well. Arrange all ointments and creams on another shelf, such as Neosporin and the like. Medicinal products can be put on the top shelf. It depends on your preference. Glass bottles, however, should be kept on the first shelf. Replace whatever creams or ointments you threw out, and any other necessary items you need to have on hand. For example; over the counter antacids; vapor rub; cough syrup; toothpaste; toothbrushes, and the like.

Having to clean out your medicine cabinet can be done on a yearly basis as long as you replace or throw out those items which are outdated or no longer usable during the year. It isn’t so bad, right? Ensure you have enough band aids; ointments; and other necessary items you may need, especially if you have children.

Tweet This, Thanks!

Although sugar has become a mainstay in our daily diet in the form of table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, sugar is not your friend.

There are plenty of reasons to avoid sugar.  According to Nancy Appleton, PhD, author of “Lick The Sugar Habit”, sugar can upset your body’s mineral balance and suppress the immune system, can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, and concentration difficulties, obesity, speed the aging process and possibly cause arthritis.  There may be a link between sugar and eczema and sugar may be what feeds the candida fungus.  In addition, ingesting large amounts of sugar causes a rush of energy and then a “crash”, resulting in a desire for more sugar and/or caffeine to fix the problem. There are even more negative effects from sugar but we’ll stop there.

Instead, let’s look at ways of decreasing the amount of sugar in your diet and increasing your chance for a healthier lifestyle as you grow older.

1.  Get rid of the soda, or at the very least, decrease it.  Water is your best choice, but if that doesn’t suit you then try flavored water or water with vitamins.  Always check the amount of sugar on the bottle labels to make sure they’re not packed with sugar.

2.  Try Stevia, a natural alternative.  Stevia is a sweetener from a plant source and is a great way to add sweet to your life.  Keep in mind that it is more concentrated than table sugar so you won’t need to use as much.

3.  Go for cereals that are not pre-sweetened.  I know kids aren’t the only ones who like Frosted Flakes, adults do too, but compare those sugar grams with the box of plain Cheerios.

4.  Choose fruit over candy. Apples, oranges, and grapes are all naturally sweet. Bananas are often considered a bridge to help you get from the sugar side over to the fruit side in the land of sweet. Add blueberries, strawberries, or banana slices to your bowl of plain Cheerios.

5.  Eat whole foods rather than packaged foods.  Many packaged items have hidden sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup, even items that you wouldn’t think of, such as some types of crackers, spaghetti sauces, and pizza.  A dinner consisting of a grilled chicken breast, brown rice, and fresh green beans is a healthy alternative to any meal that comes in a box.

6.  Pick foods that have natural sugar without additional sugar added.  For example, eat old fashioned oatmeal rather than packaged oatmeal that comes with brown sugar, or try unsweetened applesauce instead of applesauce with high fructose corn syrup added.  Arm yourself with information by reading the labels.

Reducing your sugar intake doesn’t happen overnight.  Start with this list and work on the ones that are the easiest for you to do.  You can work your way up from there.  Keep in mind that this is not an all or nothing challenge.  Even the smallest changes can help you improve your health.

Tweet This, Thanks!