Top 15 Amazing Facts About the Human Body

1. The stomach’s digestive acids are
strong enough to dissolve zinc. Fortunately
for us, the cells in the stomach lining renew
so quickly that the acids don’t have time to
dissolve it.
2. The lungs contain over 300,000 million
capillaries (tiny blood vessels). If they were
laid end to end, they would stretch 2400km
(1500 miles).
3. A mans testicles manufacture 10 million
new sperm cells each day – enough that he
could repopulate the entire planet in only 6
months!
4. Human bone is as strong as granite in
supporting weight. A block of bone the size
of a matchbox can support 9 tonnes – that
is four times as much as concrete can
support.
5. Each finger and toenail takes six months
to grow from base to tip. 
6. The largest organ in the body is the skin.
In an adult man it covers about 1.9m2
(20sq ft). The skin constantly flakes away
– in a lifetime each person sheds around
18kg (40 lb) of skin.
7. When you sleep, you grow by about
8mm (0.3in). The next day you shrink back
to your former height. The reason is that
your cartilage discs are squeezed like
sponges by the force of gravity when you
stand or sit.
8. The average person in the West eats 50
tonnes of food and drinks 50,000 liters
(11,000 gallons) of liquid during his life.
9. Each kidney contains 1 million individual
filters. They filter an average of around 1.3
liters (2.2 pints) of blood per minute, and
expel up to 1.4 liters (2.5 pints) a day of
urine.
10. The focusing muscles of the eyes move
around 100,000 times a day. To give your
leg muscles the same workout, you would
need to walk 80km (50 miles) every day 
11. In 30 minutes, the average body gives
off enough heat (combined) to bring a half
gallon of water to boil.
12. A single human blood cell takes only
60 seconds to make a complete circuit of
the body.
13. A foreskin, the size of a postage stamp,
from circumcised babies take only 21 days
to grow skin that can cover three (3)
basketball courts. Amazing isn’t it. Thanks
to science. The laboratory-grown skin is
used in treating burn patients.
14. The eyes receive approximately 90
percent of all our information, making us
basically visual creatures.
15. The female ovaries contain nearly half-
a-million egg cells, yet only 400 or so will
ever get the opportunity to create a new
life.

Doctor Performs Surgery On His OWN Tongue To Try And Cure His Snoring Problem

A doctor who snored terribly for years says he has cured the problem by performing surgery on his own tongue.

Dr Zhang Xiangmin undertook the remarkable operation to help his long-suffering wife sleep.

He believes his snoring was caused by obstructive sleep apnoea, where the throat closes repeatedly during the night.

In severe cases, the airway can become completely blocked, stopping breathing for up to ten seconds, before the brain jolts the body awake, causing the airway to reopen. 

During his experimental procedure, Dr Xiangmin inserted two thin pipes through tunnels he made on the back of his tongue.

At night, he loops these pipes onto his teeth to stop his tongue from collapsing and causing him to snore. 

Three months on, he has now declared the procedure a success.

Speaking at a press conference in Changsha, the capital of China's Hunan Province, he said: 

'The surgery won't affect normal speaking and eating functions at all, and is very safe.' 

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a risk factor for a number of conditions, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, daytime fatigue and weight gain.

One of the most successful treatments for the condition is a continuous positive airway pressure mask or CPAP, where mildly increased air pressure keeps the airways open during sleep.

However, many people dislike wearing the mask, with some estimates suggesting that only half of sufferers with a CPAP device regularly use it.

10 Signs To Know That You Have Found The Right Career

10 Signs You've Found the Right Career
Whatever you’ve picked as a career, I hope it makes you want to tap dance – at least a few times in your work life. When you look back and survey where you’ve been, look ahead to the distant shore, or consider the people who have rowed alongside you, take an occasional pause to click your heels.

Few of us know what career is in store for us when we take our first job. But here are some signs that you've increased the odds for a spontaneous outbreak of tap dancing:

1. You've found something you can be really good at. I recall taking up piano lessons at the same time as another young hopeful would-be musician. It wasn’t long, though, before she was in “John Thompson Book Three,” while I remained stuck in “Book Two.” Had I stayed with piano, I’d have been as miserable as those on the receiving end of my performances. My fellow student, however, went on to delight others with her gift as she became a professional musician. Thankfully, I merged into her audience – to the benefit of all. There’s no sense in fighting Mother Nature on the career front if you ever hope to tap dance.

2. You like the nuts and bolts of the job. Pick something where you don’t have to fake it to make it. When I watch natural extroverts gather energy from social situations, I recognize they have something I don’t. Whereas Bill Clinton comes alive and is energized by others, being on stage for too long drains my energy. I can finally host events without anxiety, even enjoying the occasional party – but I’m always happiest to retreat into a book or a private conversation with a friend. This means that as much as I love policy issues, governance and leadership, a career in elected politics would have undone me.

3. The job lifts you. For those doing what they were meant to do, the normal irritants of the job become a kind of “atmospheric dust” that creates the foundation for beautiful sunsets. Every career has its dust, but you might be in the wrong one if that’s all you see. If you find yourself grousing, fussing and fomenting, give yourself – and the rest of us – a break. In your torrent of objections and cautions, you’ll never build a great career – and you might just keep others from achieving their dreams. No career is perfect, but the right one for you will be filled with many uplifting sunsets.

4. You're in the thick of things. Life in the backseat or on the periphery of the action rarely makes for a great career. Naturally, there are lots of great support roles on the edge of every industry, but if you’re determined to leave a mark, it generally pays off to operate at the center. If you love accounting, work for an accounting firm. If you're fascinated by the law, get into the judicial system. If you’re an engineer, build cool new stuff. If you love finance, work for a bank or an investment house. Build the motor, buy the brake pads.

5. You're in an industry that fits your personality type. Engineers are not like real estate developers, who in turn don’t think like fashion mavens, who are wired differently from lawyers and accountants. We all have psychometric preferences – ones that tend to make us more or less like those in various industries. While this alone shouldn’t determine what you choose (as there are many roles on every winning team), make sure you understand your dominant traits and those of industry leaders. Then get on a field with those playing the same sport as you.

6. You like the other people in your field. My best-ever career (and investment) decisions have come from genuinely liking and admiring people I’m working with. Grappling with the discomfort of interpersonal contretemps is never productive. It saps everyone and it ensures suboptimal performance. Also, it can take down a career faster than anything else. If you can handle snakes, you’ll be OK getting into the viper pit; but if not, pick another industry.

7. You've found an inspiring mentor. Having someone to look up to is a key to finding a meaningful career. Your mentor doesn’t need to be your file leader – or even in your industry. But if you would have a great career, find a mentor… then become one yourself.

8. You look forward to Mondays. Don’t let your week become what Thoreau called a life of “quiet desperation,” awaiting the weekends for rejuvenation. But this also doesn’t mean you should be a workaholic. There is an emotional chasm between being a workaholic and loving work. Workaholics are driven by fear; joyful workers are motivated by passion. They both work hard, but it’s not the same. So find passion. Eschew fear. I can still hear Trammell Crow say, “Work is more fun than fun” – and mean it. And Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This is the essence of having found a great career – one that grows out of passion, that merges work, life, family and friends into a whole with few bright-line boundaries. This sort of “career” is a Friday-less and Monday-less one.

9. You learn, grow, become, test, try. As Oliver Wendall Holmes wrote, “Alas for those that never sing, but die with all their music in them.” Great careers test us, try us, stretch us. We find out if we can hit the high notes and we learn to recover from the low ones. But those who have figured out how to have a great career – and not just a great job – don’t die with their music in them.

10. You're proud of what you do. Once when climbing a mountain with a successful entertainment industry executive, I apologized for what I was doing in my life at that point – particularly as I compared it with his fame and fortune. He carefully chose a moment to pull me out of the earshot of others to say: “Don’t ever be ashamed of what you’re doing with your life. Life is not a competition. Unless you self limit, you can make a greater difference in the lives of the young people you work with than I’ll make in a hundred lifetimes working with the world’s celebrities.” Finding the gold amid the dross of my present situation became the key to an important renewal. And it started by feeling proud of what I was doing.

If you're planning out your future, you're not likely to be satisfied with a series of jobs that merely keeps food on the table. Instead, turn your progression of jobs and assignments into a career that creates relationships, promotes learning, and makes a difference – all of which will send you tap-dancing to the office.

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4 Signs She’s Worth Marrying

She Shares Your Values - I cannot express how critical this is. A bride must share your value system on the points that matter – spirituality, children, sex, family, and even divorce. If she’s not on board with your core, you might want to get back in the market for someone who is.

She Respects You - Men have an innate desire to be honored and respected. This is not about submission, rather admiration, adoration, and encouragement. If you find a woman who has a head of respect (She thinks honorably about you), a heart of respect (She desires to follow you) a mouth of respect (she speaks highly of you), and hands of respect (out of love, she helps you) then you my friend, have a keeper.

She Supports You – A woman worth marrying is an incredible helper. Not out of gender role but out of love. She desires to serve, assist, and support you through the obstacles you meet together. It’s not about laundry. It’s not about dishes. It’s about a heart that pours out a nurturing love of companionship. Like the saying goes, “behind every good man, is a great woman.”

She Captivates You – Let’s throw culture’s definition of beauty to the wayside for a moment. Men are predominantly physical, visual beings. Science, scripture, history, studies, they all back this truth. Luckily, a man’s desires come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and smells. It comes in noses, feet, butts, necks, hands, eyes, and everywhere else imaginable  But the key is captivation. Not lust. Can you look at this woman outside of time (because she will change), and say to yourself, “I can wake up every day of my life and believe she is beautiful.”

I know I’ve only touched the surface here. What are some other qualities of a woman worth marrying? Let me know in the comments below.

Top 10 brain damaging habits

1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient
supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating (deadly)
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar Consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may
interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of
oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6 . Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head Covered While Sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working Your Brain During Illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well
as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in Stimulating Thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.

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AMAZING HEALTH BENEFITS OF CARROT

Naturally sweet, delicious and crunchy, carrots are healthy additions you can make to the vegetable list in your diet. Indeed, these root vegetables come with wholesome health benefiting compounds such as beta-carotenes, vitamin A, minerals and anti-oxidants in ample amounts.

Botanically these taproots belong to the Apiaceae or umbelliferous family of the genus; Daucus and known scientifically as Daucus carota. The other close Apiaceae members include parsnips, parsley, dill, cumin, etc.

Carrot plant is cultivated across the world for its prized taproot. The plant is biennial and bears flowers during second year of life. However, in general, the whole plant is harvested prematurely when the root reaches about an inch in diameter, tender and juicy

Health benefits of carrots

* Sweet and succulent carrots are notably rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber; however, they provide only 41 calories per 100 g, negligible amount of fat and no cholesterol.

* They are exceptionally rich source of carotenes and vitamin-A. 100 g fresh carrot contains 8285 µg of beta-carotene and 16706 IU of vitamin A. Studies have found that flavonoid compounds in carrots help protect from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers.

* Carotenes are converted into vitamin A in the liver. Beta-carotene is the major carotene that is present in these roots. Beta carotene is one of the powerful natural anti-oxidant helps protect body from harmful oxygen-free radical injury. In addition, it also has all the functions of vitamin A such as vision, reproduction (sperm production), maintenance of epithelial integrity, growth and development.

* Carrots are rich in poly-acetylene antioxidant falcarinol. Research study conducted by scientists at University of Newcastle on laboratory animals has found that falcarinol in carrots may help fight against cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells in the tumors.

* Fresh roots are also good in vitamin C; provide about 9% of RDA. Vitamin C is water soluble anti-oxidant. It helps the body maintain healthy connective tissue, teeth and gum. Its anti-oxidant property helps the body protect from diseases and cancers by scavenging harmful free radicals.

* In addition, this root vegetable is especially rich in many B-complex groups of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc., that acts as co-factors to enzymes during substrate metabolism in the body.

* Further, They also compose healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

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DO YOU KNOW WHY TERRORISM IS ON THE INCREASE IN OUR WORLD TODAY?

Episode One
The world we are living today is full of evil. Evil people are now dominating and humiliating innocent people in the world. Our media are awash with news of killing, destruction, suicide bombing, terrorism, genocide and all other terrible news. But is this the plan of God for His people? And how did a once peaceful world degenerate to this point in which there is no more respect for human lives? In finding answers to these mystifying questions, we will discover that all these peoples and nations who take pleasure in committing these horrendous crimes were born out of disobedience to God, and the desire to please the flesh rather than God.

God created the world to be peaceful, just as heaven is. But God hates disobedience, whenever man disobeys God, the consequences are always unpleasant.  In 1 Samuel 15:22 Prophet Samuel asked Saul a very pertinent question after the later came back with livestock and even the king of Amalek contrary to God’s instruction to kill all living things, both humans and animals (1 Sam. 15:1-3). This was Prophet Samuel’s response to him after he gave the excuse of wanting to use the livestock for sacrifice to God:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” 1 Sam. 15:22.

In Psalm 83:4-8, the Psalmist cried out:

 "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more."  With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you — the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre.  Even Assyria has joined them to lend strength to the descendants of Lot.

This shows that this calamity did not just start in this our time, it had already started in the ancient time. It had only grown to a bigger proportion in this our time. Let us examine some of those nations mentioned, and discover the circumstances that brought them about.

Ishmaelites: When God called Abram (Abraham), He promised to make him a great nation and to make him exceedingly prosperous. God also promised to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, Gen. 12:2-3, 15:5. Now note that God had already deposited the seed of prosperity and multiplication in Abraham, both in wealth and in offspring. So when Abraham decided to listen to his wife and his canal mind to disobey God, and to sleep with the Egyptian maid- Hagar; it did not make that seed of prosperity and multiplication less effective, even though God had intended to multiply Abraham’s seed through his legitimate son- Isaac.

To make this clearer, hear the word of the angel of God to Hagar, who was fleeing from her mistress – Sarai (Serah):

Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude."  And the Angel of the Lord said to her: "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. Gen 16:10-11

So from this we seen it that Abraham had received that grace of multiplication, wherever he wished to sow his seeds whether on a good land or a bad land, one thing was certain – multiplication. But what is the penalty for sowing on the wrong field? Let see the next verse.

He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man,

And every man's hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."  Gen 16:12.

Did you see that? He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man…

Now do you why the descendants of Ishmael are killing people, bombing places of worship and even carrying out suicide attacks without batting an eye lid? Because they are wild men; and their hands shall be against every man. Today they go by various names Al Qaeda, ISIS, Jihadists, Boko haram, etc., yet with the same ideology and mandate.

The later part of that verse 12 says: And every man's hand (shall be) against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Yes, that is true; the police, military, air force, navy and other security arms of the government are killing them every day. But have they been able to wipe them off? No, because – as descendants of Abraham, God had already blessed them with multiplication:

"I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude."  Gen 16:10-11.

Supposing Abraham had waited on God, and refrained from disobeying Him, no doubt, the world would have been more peaceful than it is today.

Watch out for the next episode this article.

Tips For Surviving An Airplane Crash

LONDON (AP) — Each day, 8.3 million people around the globe step aboard some 93,500 flights. They almost always land safely.

But in the rare chance of a crash, there are some things passengers can do to improve their odds of surviving. British Airways offers frequent fliers a half-day safety awareness
course. Among the tips offered there:

— During the safety demonstration, count the number of rows to the nearest exit. Then count the number of rows to the second nearest exit, remembering that it might be behind you.

— Next, practice putting on and taking off your seatbelt to build muscle memory. Check where your life vest is and touch it.

— Learn the proper brace position: Bend forward as far as possible, keep your head down. Place your feet flat on the floor and slide them back. Your dominant hand goes on the back of your head. Protect that hand by placing the other hand over it. Do not interlock fingers. The goal is to ensure that the bones in the stronger hand aren't broken so you can eventually unbuckle the seatbelt.

—Red lights always signal an exit because the color cuts through smoke the best.

— Once an evacuation order is given, seconds count. Move quickly to the nearest exit and jump down a slide. If you hesitate, the flight attendants will push you out.

— Always inflate life vests outside the plane. They can limit mobility in a tight space. Or, if water fills the cabin, passengers with inflated vests can be pressed up against the ceiling, unable to swim down to the door.

7 Home Remedies For Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common reason people visit their doctors each year. Men get UTIs, but they are much more common in women — more than eight million women head to their doctor for UTI treatment annually. And 20 percent of these women will get a second UTI.

If you’ve ever had a UTI, you’ll probably never forget the symptoms. It usually starts with a sudden and frequent need to visit the potty. When you get there, you can squeeze out only a little bit of urine, and that’s usually accompanied by a burning sensation in your bladder and/or urethra. In more extreme cases you may end up with fever, chills, back pain, and even blood in your urine.

The good news is that there are many home remedies you can try to prevent or remedy a UTI. Go to the next page to learn more.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

1. Baking Soda
UTIs that last longer than two days require medical intervention. Untreated UTIs can infect the kidneys and turn into a much more serious problem. To help prevent a UTI from developing or nip one in the bud, try adding 1 teaspoon baking soda to a glass of water as it may help ease your infection. The soda neutralizes the acidity in your urine, speeding along your recovery.

2. Blueberries
Blueberries and cranberries are from the same plant family and seem to have the same bacteria-inhibiting properties. In one study, blueberry juice was found to prevent UTIs. Since you’re not likely to find a gallon of blueberry juice at your local store, try sprinkling a handful of these flavorful, good-for-you berries over your morning cereal.

3. Cranberry Juice
Many studies have found that drinking cranberry juice may help you avoid urinary tract infections. It appears that cranberry juice prevents infection-causing bacteria from bedding down in your bladder, and it also has a very mild antibiotic affect. Drinking as little as 4 ounces of cranberry juice a day can help keep your bladder infection-free. But if you tend to get UTIs or are dealing with one right now, try to drink at least 2 to 4 glasses of cranberry juice a day. If pure cranberry juice is just too bitter for your taste buds, you can substitute cranberry juice cocktail . It seems to have the same effect as the pure stuff. Take note: If you have a UTI, cranberry juice is not a replacement for doctor-prescribed antibiotics in treating your infection.

4. Pineapple
Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapples. In one study, people with a UTI who were given bromelain along with their usual round of antibiotics got rid of their infection. Half the people who were given a placebo plus an antibiotic showed no signs of lingering infection. Eating a cup of pineapple tastes good and may just help rid you of your infection.

5. Water
If you tend to get urinary tract infections, be sure to drink plenty of water — about 8 eight-ounce glasses a day. You should be urinating at least every four to five hours. If you are currently dealing with an infection, drink buckets of water to fight it off. Drink a full 8 ounces of water every hour. The river of water in your system will help flush out bacteria by making you urinate more frequently.
You can also heat up some water on the stove and pour it into a hot water bottle. Place the water bottle on your lower abdomen to help ease any pain caused by the infection.

6. Vitamin C
Some doctors are prescribing at least 5,000 mg or more of vitamin C a day for patients who develop recurrent urinary tract infections. Vitamin C keeps the bladder healthy by acidifying the urine, essentially putting up a no-trespassing sign for potentially harmful bacteria.

7. Do’s and Don’ts
DO use it. When you’ve got to go, go. It sounds simple, but how many times have you held it — when you’re in a business meeting, when you’re stuck in traffic, when you’re at a concert and the lines are too long. If you hold your urine, you’re more likely to get a backup of bacteria and end up with an infection.

DO consider cotton. Anything that comes into close contact with any of those ultra-personal areas should be cotton. Women should wear cotton underwear or cotton-lined panty hose to help stay fresher and dryer. Guys should go for boxer shorts.
DON’T drink alcohol. Alcohol is an irritant to your bladder, just what you don’t need when you’re dealing with an infection.
DO cut the caffeine. Also avoid caffeine-loaded drinks such as caffeinated soda pop, coffee, and tea. Caffeine can irritate the bladder, which is the last thing you need when a UTI has taken hold.

DO pull out a nonprescription pain reliever. Taking acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin can help ease the pain during your infection.

DO follow the rules for making love. If you have trouble with UTIs, be sure you and your partner clean up before making love. After you make love, head to the bathroom to urinate and get rid of any potentially harmful bacteria. And try using a condom instead of a diaphragm. Diaphragms may promote UTIs.

DO go with the flow. After urinating, be sure to wipe from front to back to keep bacteria from getting close to the urethra.
These home remedies can help you prevent a UTI or eliminate one already in progress. However, be sure to check with your doctor, especially if a UTI lasts longer than two days.
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THE AWESOME POWER OF CUCUMBERS

15 Amazing Importance of Cucumbers in our homes

Spice up your 8 glasses of water per day with a slice or two of cucumber. It's wonderfully refreshing, but there are amazing benefits to cucumber as well. Cucumbers are cooler than you think ...

Benefits of Cucumber

1. Fat busting: Do you ever wonder why women put cucumbers on their eyes to relieve puffiness? The photochemical in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten, thus the lack of puffiness. Did you know that you can rub a cucumber on a problematic spot of cellulite anywhere on your body to lessen the visibility of it? Did you also know that it has the same effect on wrinkles? You can also rub a little bit under your kiddo’s eyes after a long bout of crying to avoid that puffy ‘I cried for an hour straight’ look.

2. Defogger: Do you get annoyed when you get out of the shower and you have to fight the fog on the mirror? Who has time for that when the kids will be awake at any moment? Try rubbing a slice of cucumber on the mirror before you hop in and not only will you get a fog-free mirror, but you’ll have a nice smell that will boost your mood.

3. Headaches: If you suffer from headaches from chasing your babies all day (or pets or your husband), or had a little too much wine with dinner and want to avoid a hangover, eat half of a cucumber before bed. Cucumbers are high in B vitamins, sugar, and electrolytes, and they replenish the nutrients missing in your body to help you avoid a hang over or to beat that headache that’s been threatening to take over.

4. WD-40 replacement: Did you know you can get rid of a squeak by rubbing a cucumber on the hinge? Wow, now you don’t have to tear your garage apart looking for that little can with the red straw, and the baby won’t wake up when you slowly open the nursery door to check on him.

5. Crayon on the walls: Take an unpeeled cucumber and rub the crayon off of the walls in the event that your kiddo left you some art. You can also use this technique to erase a pen mistake.
6. Halitosis killer: Take a slice of cucumber and put it on the roof of your mouth. Hold it there with your tongue for 30 seconds. The photochemical that you love for cellulite and puff reduction will also kill the bacteria that is causing your bad breath.

7. Tarnish remover: If you’re finding tarnish on your stainless steel kitchen faucets and appliances? Rub it off with a cucumber slice. Not only will it remove years of tarnish, it will leave it streak free and your hands will thank you, and your kids won’t be put at risk from a dangerous chemical.

8. Energy booster: If you’re feeling tired in the afternoon, don’t give Starbucks your five bucks. Instead, grab a cucumber. There are just enough carbohydrates and B vitamins to give you a longer-lasting and healthier boost of energy than soda, coffee, or those health hazard energy drinks.

9. Munchy madness: Did you know that European trappers ate cucumbers for energy and to keep from starving to death? If those big burly manly men can eat a cucumber to keep from starving, you can eat one as a healthy choice when the munchies hit. Slice some up and take them in a small plastic container to the movies if your theater doesn’t offer healthy alternatives to munching on butter soaked popcorn.

10. Frugal facial: Slice up a cucumber and boil it in a pot of water. The chemicals inside of the cucumber will mix with the steam. Remove the pot from heat and lean over it, letting the steam hit you. Your skin will be more radiant and healthy, and you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

11. Shoe polish: Cut a slice off of your cucumber and rub it on your shoe. It will not only shine it up, but it will repel water.

12. Pest control: Put three or four slices of cucumber in a small pie tin and place them in your garden. The chemicals in the cucumber have a reaction that pests hate. You won’t smell it, but it will drive them from your garden all year long. Replace them periodically.

13. Sunburn: Sometimes sun block doesn’t always protect your little ones from sunburn. If you have burnt little kiddos you don’t have any aloe, rub some cucumber on them. Many doctors even use cucumber to treat patients with irritated skin and sunburns.

14. Blood pressure: Cucumber has been long used to treat high blood pressure. If you have it, add cucumbers to your daily diet. There is also ongoing research into the use of cucumbers for lowering cholesterol.

15. Constipation remedy: The seeds of a cucumber are a diuretic. If you’re constipated, try eating a cucumber. If you suffer from chronic constipation, add cucumber to your daily diet

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20 Ways to Boost Your Self Confidence

Self-confidence is the difference between feeling limitless and wanting to pee in your pants. Do you know that others see you just as you see or perceive yourself? (Well, except in cases like grandiose delusion) Your perception is key because perception is reality.
Self-confidence is extremely important in our lives, every aspect of it. Yet many struggle to find it. It is directly proportional to success. The more self confident you are, the more likely you are to be successful. Let's take our school exams for example. Although self-confidence could be dependent on preparedness, one could easily make mistakes or suffer from brain-block (the condition where someone forgets what he has learned for a period of time) even after adequate preparation. This occurs mostly in oral exams. You might have experienced this.

Self confident people inspire confidence in others, their friends, colleagues, their audience, customers and even their "ogas" at work. This is one key way at which they easily achieve success. It's easier for you to be persuaded by someone who speaks clearly, looks at you straight in the eye, holds his head up high and answers questions assuredly.

Likewise, you will be reluctant to follow or support a project that is being executed by someone who is always nervous, fumbling, scared and overly apologetic; in short, someone who lacks self confidence.

I'll be sharing some tips on how to build your self confidence. Even if you think you are already self-confident, read on.

Note: these tips won't make you Johnny bravo overnight but with consistency and determination you will get there.

I will be dividing the steps in the self confidence building process into 3 broad groups.

A. Psyche

B. Physique

C. Social habits

The 3 groups are not necessarily distinct. They can be practiced concurrently.


Steps in PSYCHE are:

1. First of all, don't go down low but take a look at yourself. Recognize who and where you are at the moment. Then think about where you want to go and where you will rather be. Get your mind focused on the task ahead.

2. Make a list of your achievements so far. Think about the things you have done in the past that you have been commended for. Or something that when you look back to, you feel fulfilled and proud of yourself. Take a look at this list regularly so as to enjoy the success you have already had.

3. Think about your strengths and identify them. In what area of your life have you been most successful? Or what aspects of your being do your friends regard to be your strength or weakness. By identifying them, you get to know your strong point (opportunities) and weak points (threats). You can build from there on.

4. Think positively about yourself. Remind yourself that, despite your problems, you are a unique, special, and valuable person, and that you deserve to feel good about yourself. Identify and challenge any negative thoughts that you may have about yourself, such as ‘I am a loser’, ‘I never do anything right’, or ‘No one really likes me’.

5. Time to get more active. Set achievable goals for yourself. This is a very important step in the development of self confidence. Start with smaller tasks so that you won’t be overwhelmed. As you achieve the small goals you set, don’t forget to celebrate your success. As these little successes pile up, you'll have developed some confidence to take on bigger tasks. Make setting and achieving goals a habit. But WATCH-OUT, do not get over-confident or over-stretch yourself.

6. Learn to catch yourself every single time you tell yourself that you can’t have, won’t get or aren't good enough to get what you want.

7. Listen to your doubts but be ready to make deliberate decisions once you've heard them. Sometimes your doubts are there to let you know what you need to prepare for, so you can use them to your benefit as you move forwards.

8. Be thankful. A lot of times, lack of confidence stems from the feeling that you do not have enough of something (money, love etc). This also causes one to be insecure. When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. Combat that feeling and find that inner peace.


PHYSIQUE

9. The way you dress says a lot about you. Dress in clothes that make you feel good about yourself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. This doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune on clothes. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many but select high quality items. This decreases the amount of money spent in the long run because they don’t wear out as fast and they remain in fashion longer than cheaper, low quality ones.

10. Work on your personal hygiene. Bath and shave frequently, wear clean clothes, style your hair, trim your nails, and floss your teeth. I am sure it wouldn't 'add' to your confidence if you are described (even once) as the guy or lady with BO or MO (Body odour/Mouth odour). This alone can crash the confidence you have been building like the world trade centre on 9/11.

11. WORK OUT!!!! And not by MOUTH. Get fit. Put yourself in the shape of your life. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physical appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive.

12. Your posture and how you walk say a lot. Stand up straight, keep your head up and make eye contact. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movement automatically send a message that they lack confidence. When walking, walk faster. People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you are not in a hurry or got nothing to do, don’t show it.


PSOCIAL HABITS (the 'P' is silent)

13. Do more of the things that you enjoy doing. Do at least one thing that you enjoy every day, and remind yourself that you deserve it. Make yourself feel good.

14. Do something nice for others. Think about other people around you. Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. For example, visit a friend who is sick, or get involved with a local charity. The more you contribute to the lives of others, the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.

15. Learn to compliment other people. When you feel bad about yourself, you tend to project that feeling to other people. Break the habit of gossiping, back stabbing etc and replace it with smiles, good gestures and praises. When you do these, you become well-liked. People in turn say good things about you and you gain more confidence. So, always look out for something good to compliment others on.

16. Be heard. When in group discussions or meetings, always endeavour to make contributions. Don’t be scared because you think you might say something silly. You will be surprised that people are much more accepting than you imagine. Share your thoughts, project your views. Ask questions. You become a better public speaker this way and also become recognized.

17. Avoid places, people that make you feel bad about yourself as much as you can. Or be more assertive.

18. Meet new people. When you attend social events, don’t keep to yourself or to the people you already know. Go and have a conversation with someone you don’t know and you never know what – or who – you’ll discover.

19. When you make embarrassing mistakes in public, make fun of yourself. Laugh at your stupidity. This way, when other people try to make fun of you, you’ll be having your own fun.

20. Lastly, get support. Share your troubles. Talk to friends and family about your difficulties and get advice from them. Who knows/ they may also be having similar problems hence, you can form a support group, or may have gone through something similar in the past, you get to learn from their experience.

Jack Welch once said, “Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do. Because then they will act.”

Low self-confidence can be self-destructive, and it often manifests itself as negativity. Self-confident people are generally more positive – they believe in themselves and their abilities, and they also believe in living life to the full. So, which would you rather be?

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