September 2022

One of the top favorite dishes in the Philippines is the Menudo. Found in almost every occasion, this dish is a great source of nutrients. But the use of meat and oil poses some health risks. Learn more about this favorite Menudo from the Philippines. Just like the boy band with the same name, this rich, Filipino dish is a feast for the senses. This top Philippine delicacy is a dish of diced meat and vegetable in thickened sauce. Flavored with tomatoes, finely chopped onions, and colorful bell pepper, Menudo is a relatively healthier dish than the rest of the Filipino foods. Menudo is mainly pork, which is rich in protein and phosphorus. The secret of Menudo is in the addition of liver. Liver is rich in vitamin A, vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin B2 or riboflavin, folic acid, and niacin. The dish is rich in sodium due to the use of tomato sauce. Like other Philippine dishes, it is also high in fat due to oil and meat. As a healthier solution, choose leaner cuts of pork and try to lessen the amount of oil used to sauté the ingredients. Below is my own healthier recipe: Ingredients: cooking oil, 50 g garlic, 750 g lean cuts of pork, 250 g liver, 200 g bell peppers (green and red for color), 100 g onions (red), 200 g potatoes, 200 g carrots, 2.5 cups tomato sauce, 4 cups soup stock, atsuete for color, black pepper and salt to taste To cook Menudo, sauté onions then garlic in oil. Add atsuete with pork and liver and simmer until meat is tender. Add tomato sauce and soup stock and simmer until sauce thickens. Add carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers and season with salt and pepper to taste. Source by Paul De Vizard

There are several types of magnetic stainless steel bracelets to appeal to people’s different preferences. The bracelets come in bangle or link bracelet forms. Stainless steel is hard-wearing, practical, affordable, resilient to scratches, and is extremely durable. Designs of bracelets, magnetic or otherwise, also vary. One such manufacturer of high-end bracelets is Charriol. However, Charriol products are very expensive for the average person. Thus, there are other affordable stainless steel alternatives that are more suited to the average person’s budget. Plus, these affordable bracelets with magnets also provide health benefits to the wearer. Magnetic bracelets are also made of various materials like titanium, tungsten, and hematite beads. Stainless steel is also great for sensitive skin as it does not contain nickel. Stainless steel bracelets are also perfect for men and women. Despite the varying designs, all magnetic bracelets have several things in common. The bracelets are made of #316 surgical steel links. The magnets attached to each link are made of a 3000 Gauss high-powered neodymium magnet. For best health results, the magnets all face the North Pole. Each magnet is also custom-sealed and the bracelets are water-resistant. Each bracelet has a fold-over safety clasp so that it does not easily fall off from the wearer’s wrist. Women and men would also be enamored with the wide array of magnetic bracelets out in the market. There are designs exclusively for men and women. However, there are also designs that are unisex. A classic stainless steel design for men resembles three bricks stacked on top of one another to form a link. These links are then connected to one another to form a chunky yet elegant bracelet for men. There is a bracelet design for men by Magnet Giant that is two-toned. The central part of each link is etched stainless steel. The edges of the link are plated in 24k gold. When the links are connected, the resulting bracelet is a smashing, elegant, and funky men’s steel bracelet. Women’s steel bracelets are more delicately designed than the men’s bracelets. Magnet Giant has a simple yet elegant design for women. The bracelet – plated in 24K gold – has curvilinear edges in the bracelet’s links. These links, once connected with one another, form a beautiful and elegant stainless steel bracelet that a woman can wear on formal evening functions. Women would also love the look of stainless steel bracelets with integrated gemstones. A flirty yet elegant design of bracelet has amethysts in it. This bracelet has two link designs – an oval shape link with amethyst cabochons and a link shaped into an X with embossed dots. The amethyst has important metaphysical properties. An amethyst helps one to be calm and gain clarity during times of confusion and anxiety. When worn, an amethyst can also aid in meditation. Aside from their numerous designs, magnetic steel bracelets are helpful to the wearer in terms of health. While there are no concrete studies to prove magnet’s worth as an alternative therapy, many users attest to the health benefits they reap from wearing magnetic jewelry. Source by Jazmine A Cunningham

The kata are vital in the development of anyone participating in the martial art of karate. The kata have many uses that enable the practitioner to develop throughout their karate training. It is essential that anyone entering into the art has the ability to focus, and that they are prepared to be patient, and realise that certain levels of fitness and stability are required. Movements in all martial arts should be smooth, and they should appear effortless. One of the most beneficial elements of kata is fitness itself. Both the upper and lower body will be worked on during the moves, so the fitness of an individual partaking in the art will increase. A full kata session will work most of the major muscle groups in the body. The muscles that are used when performing kata include the hamstrings, calves, quadriceps and the gluteus muscles. The arm muscles that are worked are the biceps, triceps and the shoulders. The back and the neck are also worked throughout kata, as the tensing of these areas, and the control needed, enable them to strengthen. Another area of fitness that will improve over time is the flexibility of the body. The body needs to bend and relax at specific points of the workout and this involves a lot of stretching, which increases the flexibility of the body. It is vital that people performing kata learn to breathe properly, as this will assist in the performance of anyone partaking in the art. The mental focus needed to breathe properly can also help in the element of discipline, as the body will need to be trained to breathe at the correct times, and this requires a great deal of concentration. Concentration levels naturally increase when kata is being performed, as the kicks, blocks and punches need to be performed in a certain sequence. For the more complex kata, this requires a great deal of focus and discipline, as there can be up to 70 different moves in a full sequence. The memory will need to be built up and this also requires great discipline. The moves and their sequence can be helped with the shouting that occurs in certain stages of the kata. The shout only occurs on the final blows throughout the sequences, and the movements can be picked up a little more easily if the person learning knows when the shout is to occur. The rhythm that the kata induces will help with the memory aspect, and as the body begins to move with more ease, so the moves will become more natural. The speed and the power created with each move should be effortless, and the more experienced kata practitioners will appear almost dance-like in their movements. This is simply down to fitness and discipline. When practising kata, it is advisable to take things a step at a time, as once each step is mastered, the sequence as a whole will be simpler to complete. Once the hand movements have been perfected, it will be easier to incorporate them into the whole sequence of moves. Bunkai is the application of the techniques that the kata teaches. This can help with both fitness and discipline, as it is performed in pairs and requires great concentration. Whereas with kata the opponent is imaginary, with bunkai the opponent is real, and this means that new elements to the moves may need to be introduced. The distance between opponents is important, and bunkai can assist with this. This also helps with the stability of the competitor, as they need to ensure that their starting and finishing positions are kept to. This assists with discipline and the memory aspect of the kata. By following the partners’ moves, learning the moves themselves can be easier. Bunkai is required by some martial arts schools to achieve a grading promotion, and it is essential that kata perfection is achieved before bunkai can be attempted. The kata can be helpful when it comes to the mind. It teaches the body to react to mental visualizations. The reaction that takes place is a physical one, and by repeating processes again and again, as people need to when practising kata, this increases the conditioning process of the mind. This can also assist with the rhythmic moves that are vital in performing kata correctly. Practice makes perfect, and the more practice that is put in, the more natural the moves will be to people. Following the rhythm of the kata regularly through practice, helps the mind recall the next move before it needs to occur; this will help with the smoothness of the sequence as a whole. Kata assists in the overall art of karate greatly, as the movements that are performed help to increase the knowledge of the art in a number of ways. The competitor will learn the importance of the distance needed to effectively block attacks, whilst also being able to predict the distance needed to attack effectively. Accuracy should be worked on before speed, as if moves are accurate, when the speed is increased, the accuracy will still be present. A karateka who performs the moves accurately will be more relaxed and the relaxation will then enable them to increase speed without even thinking about it. The techniques used for blocks, punches and kicks are also made more effective with the use of kata, and this will stand a karateka in good stead throughout their training. The use of power and speed are vital in kata and these improve fitness, and discipline. It is important for a student to understand the reason for each move, as this will make them easier to learn and perform. Kata can be mastered by concentrating on a number of elements. These elements are accuracy, breathing, focus, technique, speed and power. The knowledge of the kata, with all these element intact, will ensure that the kata can be performed naturally, smoothly and effectively. Source by Kevin L Wilson

Cocktails are a lot of fun no matter what the environment. There are some people who simply do not want to drink cocktails because they do not enjoy the negative health effects which they face by drinking too much alcohol. This causes people to avoid cocktails altogether, but there are many cocktails which can be made in a non alcoholic version which will have great health benefits for you. One of the best recipes you can have without alcohol is the virgin Bloody Mary drink. So, put away the punch and the wine. Put the beer back in the fridge and get ready to try a recipe for a healthier cocktail everyone can enjoy. Why the Bloody Mary is Healthy The main ingredient in a Bloody Mary is the main reason why the drink is so healthy to begin with. The tomato juice which is used for the cocktail includes many different vitamins in a concentrated dosage. One of the most abundant vitamins is Lycopene. This is a water soluble vitamin which is very good for your heart. It helps in removing clogs which are caused by plaque in your arteries as well as other heart maladies. You will also find a lot of vitamin C in tomato juice. Many people are unaware of how much vitamin C you can get from a tomato. Since Tomato juice contains all of the water from the tomato, you are getting every ounce of vitamin C the tomato has to offer. What better way to enjoy it than with the spicy concoction that is the Bloody Mary drink. You will even find you will consume less sugar and sodium than you will if you were to drink a soft drink of the same volume. How to Increase the Health Benefits While the standard Bloody Mary is already pretty healthy, you will enjoy even more benefits when you pair it with a stalk of celery or even add celery puree to your mixture. Adding garlic and onions is another great heart healthy way to drink yourself into a healthier future. Even the addition of the spice is a great way to increase metabolism and awaken the senses. You can find this in horseradish or in hot sauce. Both of these are common ingredients. Use fresh lime juice in the cocktail and the health benefits will go through the roof. Some may try to tell about how wines have been proven to help reduce fat and increase heart functions. While there might be some truth to this, drinking any alcohol is simply not for everyone. This does not mean you have to miss out on all of the health benefits which are available to you through a properly prepared beverage. You can enjoy a Bloody Mary drink and your body will thank you for it. The best part is, this is a cocktail you can share with the entire family even if they like to drink alcohol. No one will miss the vodka if you have a good recipe to share. Source by Elton Brack

Insurance is designed for sudden expensive exposure that most of us cannot afford. If you look at those words again: sudden and expensive. It does not spell out the predictable and affordable. For years though, we had someone with the bigger purse paying the bills. Most of us had very little to pay out-of-pocket for any of our own medical expenses. At least until now. It’s common knowledge that those who have more money tend to have more to spend without question. Insurance companies are not any different; they are the ones with the bigger purse. Medical providers know this as well. Over the last 50-60 years, the providers increased their prices to see what they can get away with, at the same time the insurance companies were negotiating for bigger discounts. This is how healthcare became big business. The insurance companies fronted this cost, and now we have to cover the expense of higher premiums today. The pricing transparency is null in the healthcare industry. Partly because we never needed to know because someone else was paying the bulk of the bill. The other reason is that no one shopped their healthcare expenses like they do other consumable items. The medical providers know this and took advantage of this. The price for something billed to the insurance company and what is the ‘cash price’ can be completely different. Which one are you going to pay? It’s highway robbery if you ask me. Take a typical generic medication at the local pharmacy. One could cost about twenty dollars to the insurance company, but your price if you pay the cash price could be ten dollars. Why? It is because they can. The opposite is also true. If you ask for the cash price, it could be double what the insurance companies negotiated price. Many providers will charge the patient the billed amount versus the discounted amount. It’s kind of like since you asked I’ll charge you more. Personal case study: My kid injured his hand. The specialist could not tell that it was fractured or not. They wanted to lean on the side of caution, but I wanted to know if it was just a deep bruise or a fracture. The doctor suggested that we do an MRI on his hand just to be sure. As any caring father would, I inquired how much would this cost me if I paid cash, I have a high deductible health plan. He said the insurance company’s approved amount is $350 (this was a small MRI machine). He continued and said I don’t make anything from them. So if you pay cash, I would charge you $450. With many policyholders having High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) or Health Savings Account Plans (HSAs), many providers realize the patient is responsible for the initial expenses. This can be good and bad depending on the view. First, there is the negative view. Many are expecting the first dollar coverage to be paid for by the insurance company. Every doctor visit, lab test or prescription drug is coming out of your pocket first and is applied towards your deductible. Some may not like this idea. The flip side to this is you have more control of your expenses while saving in premium costs. The net gain is worth it for many. They can ask more questions about their healthcare. Why? It is because it’s their money. More importantly, you should be asking more questions about your healthcare. At the end of the day, it is your healthcare and your money. Finding that happy middle ground between the cost of the coverage and what you get for it can be overwhelming and expensive. Figuring out what is important to you and asking enough questions so you can make better-educated decisions will save you thousands of dollars over the years. After all, it is your money. Source by Butch Zemar

As the mind-body connection is discussed more often in health care, it is a common error to believe the study of the mind-body connection is fairly new. Would you be surprised to know that this field of study began in the early 20th century? Even that is not quite true. The mind-body connection was proposed by the Greek philosopher Galen in the 2nd century, but Walter Cannon, a professor of physiology at Harvard during the 20th century, initiated interest in the connection between the emotions and physiology in his work with animals and digestion. He found that animals under emotional stress such as anger, fear and anxiety resulted in the stomach totally shutting down its digestive functions. Dr. Cannon’s most influential research paper in this area, Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear and Rage, was published in 1915. In this paper he discusses the physiological results of the fight or flight response. In the past almost 100 years, we have now learned that, not only does digestion shut down when fight or flight is activated, all non-essential physiological activities quit. The fight or flight response has one purpose and one purpose only… to keep you alive. Whether you fight with all your strength to stay alive, or choose to run as fast as you can to get out of danger, your body mobilizes all its resources to help you do this. After all, you staying alive is of major interest to it. What the body does is shut down every non-essential activity and redirects everything to what your body needs to stay alive. You don’t need digestion or sexual desire to fight for your life. You do need more blood to your limbs. While your heart rate and blood pressure increases so that blood is moved to supply energy to your arms and legs, your body quits digesting food. This is great for the short-term. The problem is that our society has so much stress that the fight or flight response is active a large part of daily life. The body gets stuck in fight or flight. Digestion doesn’t reactivate, so you have indigestion, and your blood pressure doesn’t go down, so your doctor wants you to have meds to lower your blood pressure. Psychoneurimmunology is all about the physiological result of emotions. Mind-body psychology is about teaching people strategies to bring the body back to its normal way of functioning. Mind-body psychology teaches various stress busting strategies including managing your thoughts and emotions as well as meditation. Today these strategies are frequently discussed as research continues in this field. Source by Cathy Chapman, Ph.D.

“The more we discover the magnitude and abundance of God’s gifts, the more we will find ourselves.” – Mother Theresa “Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into” ~ Wayne Dyer In a conversation with a dear friend and colleague, the subject of money and abundance came up. She has had a very prosperous year personally and in her business despite all the media reports of the economic climate. She’s a very savvy business woman and marketer as well as having highly attractive products and services that people clamor for which would explain why she was so successful, right? Was her marketing expertise and knowledge the most important keys to her success and abundance? Yes….and no. First, I want to make a comment about abundance. In most dictionaries abundance is defined as, “A great or plentiful amount, an overflowing fullness, and an over-sufficiency and wealth. Often people equate abundance strictly in terms of money and they miss out in recognizing all the forms abundance can take in addition to money such as having an abundance of love, time, health, support from friends and colleagues, happy memories, knowledge, being willing to forgive…. Being prosperous means giving and receiving abundance with joyfull gratitude and humility for the gifts and blessings that flow to and from you. Give what you most want to receive in your life for the joy of prospering another, NOT for the purpose of getting something in return. You cannot enjoy the riches of the universe unless you are willing to share them with others. This is the meaning of the Law of Abundance, or The Divine Law if Prosperity. The spirit of this law asks us to take an action in order to express thanks for the abundance that has already manifested in our life and for the greater good that is yet to come. So, I asked her, “What else contributed to your having such a great financial and abundant year?” She said two things added to her success. The first was really listening to her inner guidance, inspiration, and instincts to make business and life decisions that aligned with her spirit. Cool. That’s what I believe is a key factor in having a prosperous life – listening to and following the calling of your heart. Second? She tithes consistently. I have always admired her generosity and loving heart. My favorite book on tithing is written by my good friend Paula Langguth Ryan called Giving Thanks: The Art of Tithing. What exactly is a tithe? On page 22, She says, “Tithing is about saying thank you which always begins with putting some gratitude in our attitude. Giving thanks is about tithing with our money, but also with our thoughts, words, actions, time, efforts, and possessions. She reminds us to give thanks by sharing a loving and gratefull heart with everyone and everything that comes into our life for the role they play even if that role is unwelcome. She also says that, “Tithing proves us with a proven systematic way to multiply our good through a demonstration of our willingness to give back one-tenth of everything we’ve been given. We tithe as a show of gratitude for what we have already been given and as a symbol of our gratitude for and faith in the fact that greater good is coming to us. Tithing is a way of showing we are ready, willing, and able to embrace that increased abundance. The word tithe is based on the word tenth, which is believed to be a powerful number of increase. When we joyfully and selflessly give thanks to God by sharing one tenth of the good we receive, we connect to the flow of abundance and our blessings are multiplied tenfold, even one hundredfold. Paula emphasizes that, “You do not an obligation to tithe, you have an opportunity to tithe.” Tithing is an act of faith rather than a duty or obligation. Tithing might be called a love offering, a free will gift or blessing that is shared willingly with another without any expectation of repayment. The size of the gift does not matter, the intention of the offering does. Everything that is freely given with thanks will be multiplied and returned to you in expected and unexpected ways – The Divine Law of Prosperity Are you hoarding your good? Do you withhold sharing with others because you fear you won’t have enough? Scarcity thinking and poverty consciousness will constantly block the flow of abundance, money, and opportunities coming into your life that the Universe desires to give you> Prosperity and abundance isn’t just about having money. Imagine having more joy, more love, health and vitality, greater freedom, peace of mind, and time to be with the people and things you love. Consistent practice with tithing will increase your inner wisdom, judgment, health, wealth, fulfillment in relationships, spiritual connection, and open your receptivity to receive what you truly need without fear or expectations. Give with joyfull thanksgiving rather than annoyance, desperation, frustration, or in the hopes and expectation of getting something back. Give without strings attached as you would offer any gift from the heart. Imagine what you can then share with others? Who to tithe to? Give freely and generously to those who spiritually feed you. Your local spiritual centers, leaders, teacher, mentors are great places to begin. Personally, I often tithe money to friends and colleagues who have been of service to me by offering me healing sessions, business advice and expertise. I also enjoy gifting to my local non-profit organization that feeds families in the area so they don’t go hungry. Tithe to whoever brings you spiritual inspiration, joy, help, and comfort. Be sure to write your tithe check first even if you cannot initially give a full 10%. Do this for 30 days with joy and gratitude. Open your heart, mind, and body to recognize all the gifts, blessings, and miracles of abundance that flows to you. Be on

Red Headed Giant Mummies When you read these articles you do not have to believe or disbelieve them. Go to the Net and find out for yourself. There is so much information and artifacts proving that the Vikings were here in 1000 AD that you wonder why it is being hidden from us. Go find out. All I can do is point you in the right direction. Legends of the Piute Indians of Northwest Nevada were recorded in 1883 in the “Life Among the Piutes”, by Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins. Legends of Red Haired Giants and Runic Mysteries inscribed on rocks. The Museum of the American Indians, pooh poohed the evidence. Part of the evidence: a skeleton nine feet tall found in a cave near Pyramid Lake. One eight and one half feet in the Humboldt lake bed. One seven feet, seven inches on the Friedman Ranch. One Nine and one half or possible ten feet in a lake near Troy. They may not be Giants but they are definitely Vikings. Vikings mated alpha males with alpha females to produce the Giant sized warriors. They traveled and explored in small groups of about thirty warriors. They used their narrow dragon ships to travel the rivers inland. Thirty men were enough to portage their ship across land. That is why we only find one skeleton at the time of these exploring Vikings. By the way the hair of the mummies found in the Ried collection is a Reddish-Brown color. There is an obvious lack of interest in determining facts about the Red-Haired Giants. In the Lowic Museum of Anthropology, in Berkly California the giant mummies talked about in this article were sent and have disappeared. Only three mummies all under six feet are on exhibition. What happened to the Red Headed Giants? What is going on? Source by Ellis Peterson

By using the 10 gods, it has simplified a lot complex procedures. The ten gods are not only in helping determinate the characteristic of the DM – Day Master in the natal chart but also gives an indication on reading the luck pillars or decade pillars. The 10 Gods are a bit difficult to manage at the beginning. However, once you have fully understanding the meanings of the 10 Gods, you have gained a giant leap into the world of Chinese Astrology – Four pillars of destiny. So what are the 10 Gods? The Chinese Sages used the 10 Gods to simplify the relationship between the Wu Xing or Five Elements. Just to remind you that each element has Yin and Yang. Yin wood is Yi and Yang wood is Jia. Yin Fire is Ding and Yang Fire is Bing and so on. The Ten Gods are also known as the Variable Stars. The Ten Gods are like the variables in computer programming. They store different kinds of information about the natal Four Pillars or Bazi Chart. The Ten Gods are variables between the Five Elements too. The following demonstrates the way: In Wu Xing theory, Water enhances Wood, Wood enhances Fire, Fire enhances Earth, Earth enhances Metal, Metal enhances Water From the above, a special term is given to any one of Five elements enhance another element. It is called RESOURCE. Water enhances Wood. Water is the Resource to the Wood. On the other hand, Water is used by the Wood. Wood drains Water. As a result a special term is given to Wood from the Water point of view. It is called Hurting Officer or Eating God. An easily way to remember is that an Element is eating away! Wood help Wood, Water help Water, Fire help Fire Earth help Earth Metal help Metal. In such helping situation, it is called Self-Element or Sibling Element help. Yin element helps Yin element or Yang element help Yang element, it is called Self-Element help. Wood controls Earth Earth controls Water Water controls Fire Fire controls Metal Metal controls Wood. One element controls another element, Say Wood controls Earth, Wood is the Power to the Earth. In Ten Gods it is called Officer or 7 Killings. On the opposite side, Earth is conquered by the Wood. Earth is the Asset to the Wood. In Ten Gods, the name is Direct-Wealth or Indirect-wealth. By employing the Ten Gods in the Chinese Astrology Four Pillar Natal Chart, a Chinese Astrology consultant is able to see the followings: 1. The relationship between the Day Master and other Heavenly Stems 2. The relationship between the Day Master and Earthly Branches. 3. The Ten Gods show the Yin and Yang Symbols. 4. The relationship between the Day Master and its Parents, Siblings, wifes, friends, kids, boss… 5. What is the career path 6. Good luck bad luck, promotion, demotion, 7. Increase or decrease of wealth and so on. Source by Edgar Lok Tin Yung