"If you want to be respected by others the great thing is to respect yourself. Only by that, only by self-respect will you compel others to respect you."

- Fyodor Dostoevsky

"No-one gets an iron-clad guarantee of success. Certainly, factors like opportunity, luck and timing are important. But the backbone of success is usually found in old-fashioned, basic concepts like hard work, determination, good planning and perseverance."

- Mia Hamm

Why You Should Toss Your Nonstick Pans

By Kelley Herring

Infertility... from a cooking pan? That's right.

A recent study published in Human Reproduction found that pregnant women and women of child-bearing age in the United States are at high risk for reproductive problems as a result of exposure to the toxic Teflon chemical PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). In fact, women with elevated levels of PFOA experienced more difficulties conceiving and were twice as likely to be diagnosed with infertility as women with lower PFOA body burdens.

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are all over your kitchen - especially in your nonstick pans, but also in tap water, food wrap, and microwaveable popcorn bags.

Toss those nonstick pots and pans and buy a set of nontoxic cookware (for example, from Emile Henry, Staub, Chantal, Le Creuset, or Mercola). And if you're still using a microwave, stop. It excites the molecules in plastic containers and wraps, transferring them into your food and devitalizing it.

[Ed. Note: Eating right goes a long way toward helping you stay healthy and live longer. Pick up a copy of nutrition expert Kelley Herring's collection of recipes for dozens of delicious and guilt-free desserts today.]

It's Good to Know: Self-Healing High-Tech Devices

A self-healing coating for cellphones, MP3 players, and other devices could soon make scratches a thing of the past. Derived from a protein in shrimp and crab shells, it was developed by a team at the University of Southern Mississippi. So when your device is scratched, you simply expose it to ultraviolet rays (sunlight), and both sides of the scratch bind together, making the damage disappear in about an hour.

The coating, still in development, could eventually be used with cars, furniture, even clothing. There is one catch: If the item is scratched in the same place twice, it won't heal the second time.

(Source: National Geographic)

Word to the Wise: Toady

A "toady" (TOH-dee) is a fawning flatterer or "yes man." The word has its origin in the 16th century. A "toad eater" was the assistant to a type of quack who claimed to be able to extract poisons from the body. The assistant would eat a (presumably) poisonous toad so the charlatan could display his skill. Since even pretending to eat a toad is such a lousy job, "toad eater" came to mean the type of person who would do anything to please a superior.

Example (as used by Edward Dahlberg in The Carnal Myth): "The bad poet is a toady mimicking nature."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2627, 03-27-09], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

"A winning effort begins with preparation."

Joe Gibbs

"We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are."

- Adelle Davis

Health Imposters in the Freezer Case

By Kelley Herring

The main benefit of frozen convenience foods is... well, their convenience. But a stroll though the frozen food section of your supermarket is likely to leave you hungry for better options. With good reason. The freezer case is packed with dietary pitfalls that can sabotage your waistline and harm your health.

Pick up a frozen dinner and scan the long list of ingredients on the label. It's likely to look more like a checklist for a chemistry class than the makings of a mouthwatering meal. Leave that frozen dinner in the case.

Even "natural" and organic convenience foods that have shorter ingredient lists and contain no additives and preservatives pose a dietary dilemma. Fortunately, there are plenty of pre-packaged foods that are not only convenient, they are healthy too.

In a minute, I'll share my favorites with you. But first, you need to know what to watch out for. Here are five of the worst "red flags":

High-Glycemic Load. Wheat flour, rice flour, and other starchy ingredients are at the top of the ingredient list on most packaged foods. Scan down the labels, and you'll find that many pack as much as 40 grams of carbohydrate per serving, with only a few grams of fiber. When you see that, this is your clue that you're looking at a high-glycemic food that will spike your blood sugar, promote fat storage, and contribute to chronic disease.

Empty Calories. At first glance, it may seem that a packaged food provides decent nutrition (e.g.,10 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber per serving). But look closer at where those calories are coming from. Clean organic sources of protein? Healthy fats? Nutrient-rich veggies? Probably not. The bulk of ingredients in packaged foods are low quality and devoid of nutrients.

"Filler" Proteins. I've warned you before about the many dangers of soy protein isolate, which range from anti-nutrient activity to hexane exposure. This "filler" appears in everything from pizza and pastas to burritos and baby foods. Why? Because it is inexpensive and versatile, taking on any shape or flavor the manufacturer chooses.

Don't be duped into thinking soy protein isolate is a health food. It's definitely not. And it is in almost every packaged ready-meal - including organic ones like Amy's and Kashi.

Unhealthy Fats. The label tells you that your ready-meal contains polyunsaturated fat - but it doesn't tell you whether it is omega-6 fat or omega-3 fat. As you know from Jon Herring's recent article "Improve Your Health in 2 Simple Steps," omega-3 fats are critical to our health but severely lacking in the typical American diet. Omega-6 fats, on the other hand, are overly abundant and are one of the primary dietary causes of inflammation - the cornerstone of disease.

Unless the label specifically notes the omega-3 content of a packaged food, it's safe to assume the polyunsaturated fat in it is primarily inflammation-promoting omega-6.

Sodium. In order to get bland-tasting wheat flour, beans, and rice to taste good, manufacturers rely on salt. Too much sodium, coupled with not enough potassium in the diet, is a recipe for high blood pressure that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

To make smart food choices, all it takes is an understanding of the factors that go into making food healthy (or unhealthy) and a little time spent on planning ahead. Here are four ways to keep yourself on track.

1. Stock Up on Superfood Staples

When you keep your fridge stocked with superfood staples, healthy and delicious meals are just minutes away. And, as I'll show you, high quality doesn't have to mean high dollar.

All of the items listed below are available at SuperTarget, Publix, and Whole Foods Market. You may also want to look into delivery services like Wellness Grocer (wellnessgrocer.com) and DeliciousOrganics (deliciousorganics.com).

• Earthbound Farms Organic Salad Mixes ($3.99 for 10 oz.)
• Organic Valley Omega-3 Eggs ($3.99 for a dozen)
• Applegate Farms Organic Roasted Turkey Breast Slices ($5.93 for 7 oz.)
• Archer Farms Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon ($7.99 for 1 lb.)
• Archer Farms Wild Shrimp ($8.99 for 1 lb.)
• Maverick Ranch Buffalo ($6.99 for 1 lb.)
• Organic Dairy (feta cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, etc.)
• Organic Condiments (olives, artichokes, salsa, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, horseradish, mustard)
• Raw Nuts & Seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc.)

2. Save Time and Fight Cravings

When hunger strikes, it's tough to muster the willpower to avoid that grab-and-go meal. To ensure you'll stick to your healthy eating during a hectic workweek, do a little prep ahead of time.

I suggest you do things like boil eggs, cook shrimp, and brown grass-fed beef on the weekend. (Keep in mind that seafood is best within two days of cooking it.) Store these pre-cooked items in glass containers in the fridge, and then you can...

3. Get Healthy in a Hurry!

Once you've stocked up on staples and have done a little prep work, you have everything you need to make fresh, nutrient-dense, low-glycemic meals in no time flat. To get you started, here are three meals for under $4 that take less than five minutes to prepare.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Time: 5 minutes
Approximate Cost: $3.50
Preparation: 3 slices Organic Valley Roasted Chicken Breast over 3 cups Earthbound Farms Mixed Greens topped with 1 oz. Organic Valley Feta Cheese, 6 organic grape tomatoes, 4 kalamata olives, and 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette

Asian Sesame Shrimp Salad

Time: 5 minutes
Approximate Cost: $3.00
Preparation: 4 ounces pre-cooked, thawed wild shrimp tossed with 1 Tbsp. Asian Sesame Vinaigrette over 2 cups Earthbound Farms Arugula topped with 1 oz. slivered almonds

Buffalo Burrito Wraps

Time: 5 minutes
Approximate Cost: $2.50
Preparation: 4 ounces cooked Maverick Ranch Buffalo with Simply Organics taco seasoning in 3 lettuce wraps topped with 1/4 cup organic salsa, 1 Tbsp. organic sour cream, and 1 oz. shredded organic cheddar cheese

4. Choose Better Bites in a Box

There is no substitute for fresh, unprocessed, whole foods. That said, the packaged foods below make the grade with high-quality "clean" protein, a low-glycemic index, and a better balance of omega-3s to omega-6s.

EcoFish Products (ecofish.com): This line of sustainable, omega-3-rich seafood is available at Target and Whole Foods. Naturally low-glycemic and "Seafood Safe" (low in mercury and PCBs).

• Henry & Lisa's Alaskan Salmon with Asian Ginger Marinade. ($10.16 for 9 oz.)
• Henry & Lisa's Wild South American Mahimahi with Caribbean Marinade. ($10.89 for 9 oz.)
• Henry & Lisa's Bay Scallops with Japanese Glaze. ($10.74 for 9 oz.)

WildCatch Products: Sustainable, wild seafood available at wildcatch.com and Whole Foods. (Sockeye Salmon Burgers - $3.49)

Organic Classics (organicclassics.com): An extensive line of organic ready-meals containing organic chicken and pastured meats. While most are heavy on the carbs, their Chicken Cacciatore ($5.69) and Honey BBQ Chicken ($5.69) are lower.

All of the above are delicious, fast, pocket-friendly... and truly healthy too. Enjoy!

Scammed by Text Message

By Jason Holland

By now you should be well aware of e-mail scams: authentic-looking messages "from" your bank or credit card company that are actually from scammers "phishing" for your personal information. But now scammers have gone mobile. They are sending similar messages to cellphones via text messaging.

So keep an eye out for "alerts" from banks or credit card companies - even if they look official - urging you to call a number or text back personal information. Instead, call the financial institution directly through its official phone number (found on your statement, card, or the company website) to find out if there really is a problem with your account.

A good rule of thumb: Never, ever give out PIN numbers, bank account details, or Social Security numbers over the phone (or through a text message) to sources you don't know. That goes for e-mail, too.

(Source: Consumerist)

The Language Perfectionist: But I Repeat Myself

By Don Hauptman

On National Public Radio recently, a newscaster reporting on the Middle East conflict said that Gaza had been "bisected in two." Of course, the word bisected means divided into two parts, so the phrase is redundant.

In an article in the interior design section of a respected newspaper, a report on mirrors included this phrase: "With their capacity to reflect back nearly all incident light... ." The back is unnecessary because it's contained in the definition of reflect.

I used to expect journalists to display a minimal level of literacy, but I'm no longer surprised by the egregious errors I routinely spot. In an earlier column, I discussed redundancies. The problem is obviously still with us, so here's another take on the subject.

One reason this error is committed so frequently is that it isn't always obvious that a particular combination of words is repetitive. Another reason is that certain phrases have become cliches, and because of their familiarity they "seem right."

The problem can be solved by deleting the redundant element, which is most often an adjective. If any of the following appear okay to you, take a second look.

• actual fact
• close proximity
• completely surrounded
• confer together
• consensus of opinion
• convicted felon
• deliberate lie
• disappear from view
• necessary prerequisite
• new innovation
• new recruit
• merge together

I borrowed some of the above examples from a clever little book: Armed Gunmen, True Facts, and Other Ridiculous Nonsense, by Richard Kallan. Though it's primarily intended for amusement, the hundreds of redundancies cited also serve an educational purpose. If certain people make you "shriek loudly" by committing this type of mistake, a gift of this book "might possibly" help raise their "mental awareness" of their habit.

It's Fun to Know: So When Does an Orchestra Become a Symphony Orchestra?

An orchestra is a musical group thatthree types of instruments: woodwinds (e.g., flutes, clarinets, oboes), percussion (e.g., drums, triangles, cymbals), and strings (e.g., violins, cellos, basses). It can be as small as four or five members.

A symphony orchestra is an orchestra capable of playing symphonies - longer pieces that require more instruments. So symphony orchestras have more members and add brass instruments (e.g., trumpets, tubas) to the mix.

So how about a philharmonic orchestra? An orchestra becomes philharmonic when there is already a symphony orchestra in town. It's a way to distinguish between the two.

(Source: Mental Floss and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra)

Word to the Wise: Adventitious

Something that's "adventitious" (ad-ven-TISH-us) - from the Latin for "coming from without" - is not inherent, inherited, or innate. It comes, accidentally or by chance, from an external source.

Example (as used by J.F.A. Pyre in The Atlantic): "But his posing was mostly harmless - as superficial as the swagger and millinery of the soldier - merely adventitious to the genuine strength and gallantry underneath."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2574, 01-24-09], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

The Real Salt of the Earth

By Dr. Al Sears

Contrary to what you may have heard about salt, fewer than 20 percent of people with high blood pressure improve on a low-salt diet. The real problem with salt isn’t salt at all… it’s a lack of potassium.

Your body needs real salt, straight from the earth, and is well-equipped to handle it. But commercial salt producers remove all the good minerals (for sale to industry) and add several harmful chemicals (to bleach the salt white and keep it from caking).

Potassium neutralizes the negative effect of too much sodium. It also lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke. But we just don’t get enough potassium in our diets. The media loves to scare you into thinking that too much salt will cause all sorts of health problems – but the right amount of potassium keeps everything in check.

So where do you find potassium?

Despite what banana growers want you to think, bananas are not the best source. A typical banana gives you just 490 mg of potassium. You’d have to eat 10 bananas to get the 5,000 mg a day I recommend. And when you figure in the glycemic index (GI) of bananas, eating 10 a day would make you put on fat. Instead, try an avocado, which will give you 1,483 mg of potassium with a much lower GI. But your best source of this mineral is nuts. They are quite high in potassium and have a glycemic index of zero.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure and 12 Secrets to Virility, is a leading authority on longevity, physical fitness, and heart health.]

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This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise [SEARS, 10-13-07], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

"The fool wanders, a wise man travels."

- Thomas Fuller

How to Fly for Peanuts

By Lori Allen, Director of AWAI's Travel Division

I didn't think the mouse in the pink hat could catch me... but I often wondered what he would have done if he had...

Soon after graduating from college, my roommate and I enjoyed several spontaneous weekend trips to random cities across the U.S. via Air Tran's X-Fare program. Flights were cheap if you were under 23 and willing to fly standby. So cheap, in fact, that one weekend we decided to fly to New Orleans and back just for dinner.

Long story short, we landed late due to weather. Missed dinner. Had a crazy time in New Orleans that started with a man in a mouse costume with a pink furry hat chasing us down Bourbon Street. And we didn't make it back home until the next day.

Back then, that was my idea of a last-minute cheap weekend trip. And it was fun.

Today, things are different.

You can't get X-fares anymore. And even if you could, I'm willing to bet most people wouldn't qualify for them because of the age limit.

But you can still get cheap flights. And you can still enjoy last-minute, spontaneous getaways, and find incredible deals on your flights while you're at it.

These days, I use Kayak.com's new Weekend Search option. And Farecast.com's Graph Fares.

Flying for Peanuts Secret #1: Kayak.com

If I know where I want to go, but I don't care which weekend, I use Kayak.com.

At the top of their search page, there's a button titled: "weekend."

With that button selected, you can choose upcoming weekends or search weekends within specific months. (Once you put in your preferences, look at the top left corner on the Kayak website for a list of the cheapest weekends and hit "Search.")

As I write this, for instance, a flight from Washington, DC to Las Vegas is cheapest the weekend of July 11. It's $128 cheaper than it would be this weekend and $64 cheaper than it would be the weekend after the 11th.

Flying for Peanuts Secret #2: Farecast.com

If I know where I want to go but I don't care what day I leave, I use Farecast Graph Fares.

There's a box on their homepage at the bottom right corner titled "Travel Tools." Click on "Compare Airfares." Then click on the tab that says "Graph - when to travel." Then simply put in your closest airport and the airport you wish to travel to and Farecast will show you a chart of the cheapest days to fly over the next 30 days.

For instance, when I put in DC to Vegas on this website, I can see that my flight would actually be $50 cheaper if I can leave on July 4.

Of course, I don't want to leave on July 4, because it's a holiday. Which is why I didn't book this flight. But it's cool to see that it's an option. And when my schedule is a bit more flexible, I use Farecast's graph to help me choose the best departure day.

You can't search for first-class fares on Farecast, but you can on Kayak. (I don't worry about that, though, since I can usually get free frequent-flyer upgrades on Delta.)

These first two Flying for Peanuts secrets work best for quick or last-minute trips. But you can still get good deals on major vacations.

Flying for Peanuts Secret #3: Make your flight cheaper with a round-the-world (RTW) ticket.

A round- the-world ticket is one of the best ways to get a great travel deal.

RTW tickets seem to defy logic. How could it be that adding destinations to your itinerary makes it cheaper?

Amazing as it is, you can get unbelievable deals on flights to Australia, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, and more on a round-the-world ticket.

How It Works: RTW booking agencies, like Airtreks.com, work with almost every airline in the world to combine the cheapest flight segments they find into attractive, inexpensive itineraries. And they buy so many tickets, they can negotiate low-low fares.

Say you want to go to Australia...

With an RTW ticket, you could fly to the Cook Islands, Auckland, New Zealand, and Sydney, Australia from $1,499 plus tax.

The cheapest round-trip ticket I found from Los Angeles to Sydney on Expedia.com is $1,639. So not only is the RTW ticket cheaper, you also get to fly to New Zealand and the Cook Islands for free.

RTW tickets open up many doors to travel that is otherwise out-of-this-world expensive. For example, if you want to go from New York to Bangkok, you could pay around $1,780 for a round-trip ticket (from Expedia).

But if you take an RTW ticket, you could do New York - Singapore - Bangkok - Rome - London - New York starting at $1,749 plus tax. Again, it's like getting an extra continent into your itinerary for free.

If continent-hopping isn't your thing, sometimes you can leave stops off of your itinerary altogether. Check with your booking agent to find out for sure.

Before you plan an RTW trip, keep a few things in mind: Waiting until the last minute to book RTW tickets won't get you the best deal. Since the ticket agency has to figure out the cheapest tickets for your route, you'd do best to book as far ahead as you can.

Also, pay attention to high-season and low-season at your travel destination. Some RTW tickets charge a supplement for high-season.

RTW fares aren't hard to book. But I suggest you do your research before you dish out your credit card number. I could have saved $2,000 on my last RTW ticket if I'd known then what I know now.

An Antioxidant That Beats Breast Cancer

By Dr. Ray Sahelian, MD

Yesterday, I told you that animal studies have shown that resveratrol can help prevent the development of prostate cancer in men. Women, too, have a specific reason to pay attention to this powerful antioxidant: It can help protect against breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology found that female mice given resveratrol had a significantly reduced risk of developing breast cancer.

This anti-aging substance has a host of additional health benefits - and we look forward to more research over the next few years to give us a fuller understanding of them.

Meanwhile, blueberries, red grapes, cranberries, bilberries, and - of course - red wine are all good sources of resveratrol. You can also find it in supplement form in many health food stores.

[Ed. Note: For more about the supplements you should and shouldn't be taking, visit www.RaySahelian.com, the website of Ray Sahelian, MD, internationally recognized as a moderate voice in the evaluation of natural supplements and the author of Mind Boosters.]

The Language Perfectionist: Reject Redundancies

By Don Hauptman

A common type of misuse is redundancy, also known as tautology or pleonasm. Here are some examples, drawn from print and online sources:

• "I hope that your advance planning has brought you the sense of security and peace of mind that comes with knowing that everything is as it should be." (The word planning presupposes that it is done in advance.)

• "What appears in Wikipedia is not always necessarily a true fact." (By definition, a fact is always true. Thus, avoid saying false fact, too.)

• "Before long, emoticons had accomplished what Esperanto never could: establish a universal lingua franca." (The term lingua franca means universal language.)

• "The track proceeds past a rock shelter on the left to the open summit... from whence there are excellent views." (The word whence means "from where.")

• "Don't you think Germans were sitting around having this exact same conversation about their country during Hitler's rise to power?" (The word same means identical.)

Argumentative readers might dispute my interpretations by citing liberal dictionary definitions or by claiming that certain phrases were not redundant centuries ago. They may have a case, but these locutions are still best avoided. They add more words than necessary. They're awkward, clunky, and cliched. Finally, some people are irritated by such linguistic tics as "tiny little" and "screaming and yelling."

Of course, we copywriters are not immune to criticism on this point, especially for the frequent use of the marketing promise "free gift."

It's Fun to Know: Whale Milk

Newborn whales (calves) feast on their mothers' milk after they're born, just like every mammal does. But there's no low-fat milk in the ocean. Whale milk, which is 50 percent fat, has 10 times the fat content of human milk. The high fat content allows young whales to attain growth spurts of 200 pounds per day.

(Source: Mental Floss)

Word to the Wise: Interpolate

To "interpolate"- from the Latin for "to polish up," hence to falsify - is to insert new or foreign material into a text or conve

Example (as used by Richard Corliss in Time magazine): "Twenty years earlier, [Richard] Rodgers was not so pleased when, at the request of the star Belle Baker, [Irving] Berlin had written a song for her to interpolate into an otherwise all-Rodgers-and-Hart score for the Broadway musical 'Betsy.'"

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2394, 06-28-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

How to Calculate the Risk/Reward Relationship of a Trade

By Rick Pendergraft

One of the basics investors need to know when making an investment decision is the risk/reward relationship of the trade. But just because it's basic and necessary doesn't mean you know how to calculate one. Today, I'll show you.

I always look at the risk/reward relationship before entering a trade. It doesn't matter whether it is a stock trade, an options trade, or a futures trade. The first thing I look at is the risk. And I always have a stop-loss point in mind to protect my investment.

Here is an example - a recent short-term stock trade I analyzed with my colleague Andrew Gordon...

The stock was trading at $86 at the time. A good stop-loss point would be a move below the 50-day moving average, which was at $84. If that happened, our loss would be in the vicinity of 2.5 percent. The chart showed clear resistance at the $96 level, so our target gain was $10 or 11.6 percent.

If we take the target gain of 11.6 percent and divide it by the target loss of 2.5 percent, it gives us a risk/reward ratio of 4.6. This is a very good risk/reward ratio.

I make trades only with a risk/reward ratio over 3.0, the higher the better. And when I combine this basic tool with the leverage provided by options (the type of trade I do most frequently), I can create extremely nice returns.

An Antioxidant That Can Help Prevent Prostate Cancer

By Dr. Ray Sahelian, MD

Wine lovers are probably already aware that red wine contains a powerful antioxidant: resveratrol. And Dr. Sears has written about the anti-aging effects of resveratrol in ETR. For instance, animal studies hint that it can help prevent weight gain and developing the symptoms of diabetes and obesity. But the health benefits of this antioxidant don't end there.

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology gave male mice, on a daily basis, the equivalent of resveratrol found in a bottle of red wine. They discovered that the mice were significantly less likely to develop prostate cancer. And those mice that consumed resveratrol but still got cancer developed less serious tumors.

Red wine has about two to three milligrams of resveratrol per liter. (A liter is almost 34 ounces.) But even if you drink wine fairly regularly, taking resveratrol in supplement form is a good idea. Most resveratrol supplements on the market have about 10 mg per capsule. Taking one or two resveratrol supplements a week is fine if you are also consuming many other antioxidants every day. However, if you hardly take any antioxidant supplements, you can take the resveratrol more frequently. You can find resveratrol supplements in most health food stores.

Word to the Wise: Palliate

To "palliate" (PAL-ee-ate) - from the Latin for "to conceal" - is to lessen in severity or make less intense.

Example (as used by Steven Polansky in Harper's Magazine): "I had held a hope that she would take my class, that I would have the chance not only to cope with but to help palliate her pain."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2393, 06-27-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

C.S. Lewis

"Too much of a good thing is wonderful."
"When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better." - Mae West

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." - William Jennings Bryan

"I've learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it." - B. Bancard

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Improve Your Health in 2 Simple Steps

By Jon Herring

I hope you are taking the time to set some goals and make plans for the year ahead.

Considering the turmoil in the economy, I understand if your primary concerns are to protect your wealth, boost your earning power, and increase your financial independence. But if you want to achieve all of that (and certainly if you want to enjoy it), you must also focus on your health.

When your mental and physical health are in top form, your thinking improves... you have more creativity and energy... you are more confident... your relationships get stronger... and your success is an inspiration to those around you.

When your health is at its best, your skin maintains its youthful appearance. You have fewer aches and pains. Your immune system protects you from illness. And your body naturally sheds fat, leaving a leaner, fitter you staring back from the mirror.

So I urge you to make the strongest commitment to regaining or maintaining your health and fitness this year. The great news is that it is not complicated and it doesn't require toil and sacrifice. In this article, I will share with you two very simple things you can do that will make a PROFOUND impact.

It doesn't matter whether your goal is to lose weight... heal a condition... reduce pain and inflammation ... improve your appearance... have more energy and stamina... live longer... break free of prescription drugs... or just feel well again... the following two steps will help you achieve it!

Step #1 - Eat a Low-Glycemic Diet

The first and most important step you should take is to strictly limit the amount of sugar and high-glycemic carbohydrates in your diet. Carbs that are high on the glycemic index are rapidly converted to glucose in your system. This raises your blood sugar levels and requires a rush of insulin to shuttle the glucose molecules into the muscles where they can be used as fuel.

Here's why that is a bad thing: Perpetually elevated blood sugar and insulin levels lead to premature aging, wide swings in mood and energy, reduced immunity, and chronic inflammation. Not to mention a much higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's and more.

Insulin is also the hormone that controls fat storage. If you want to convert your body to a perpetual fat-burning state, you must keep your insulin and blood sugar levels low. For many people, controlling insulin levels by eating a low-glycemic diet can produce nearly effortless weight loss.

High-glycemic foods that you should limit or avoid include starchy carbohydrates - potatoes, flour, rice, pasta, corn, cereal, bread and other grain products (even whole grains), and baked goods. If you can't live without bread, tortillas, and cereal, look for Ezekiel 4:9 organic sprouted grain products made by Food for Life. They are all low-glycemic and taste great.

You should also strictly limit the amount of sugar in your diet. In one form or another, sugar is in most foods. And it is a primary culprit in our epidemics of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Read the labels and try to avoid anything with more than 10 grams per serving.

And don't use artificial sweeteners. They can damage your health - and there are better alternatives. If you wish to sweeten foods and drinks or make your own desserts at home, use sweeteners like erythritol and stevia (or agave nectar, in moderation).

With these all-natural ingredients, you can make low-glycemic desserts that are perfectly healthy and taste even better than those made with sugar.

Step #2 - Balance Your Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratio

The second highly important step you must take to improve your health and longevity, lose weight, and slow down the aging process is to balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

Omega-3s and omega-6s are known as essential fatty acids. They are essential to every cell in your body, and they must be consumed in your diet. Your body cannot manufacture them. However, while omega-6 fats are essential in small amounts, they actually promote disease when consumed in unnaturally large amounts.

Based on our evolutionary history, the ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the diet is 1:1. Our ancestors evolved over millions of years eating that way. However, our modern diet has skewed the ratio significantly.

A hundred years ago, the average American ate less than one pound of vegetable oil per year. Today, the average American eats more than 75 pounds of these polyunsaturated omega-6 fats each year. So, instead of the ideal 1:1 ratio, most people consume anywhere from 20 to 50 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids!

This is a prescription for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cataracts, infertility, skin wrinkles, and much more. The twofold solution is very simple:

First, reduce - as much as possible - the omega-6 fatty acids in your diet.

Strictly limit vegetable and seed oils - corn oil, soy, canola, safflower, and sunflower oils. You should also avoid fried and processed foods. Potato chips, baked goods, salad dressings, margarine, shortening, etc. all contain vegetable oils and high levels of omega-6 fats.

Replace any vegetable oils you currently use with extra virgin olive oil, organic grass-fed butter, and organic unrefined coconut oil.

Conventionally raised meats are also much higher in omega-6 fatty acids than meat from animals raised on their natural diet. Cattle raised on corn, for example, have a much, much higher ratio of omega-6 fatty acids in their meat than cattle raised on a natural diet of grass. Grass-fed beef is generally very rich in beneficial omega-3s. Buy organic, naturally raised meats whenever possible. (U.S. Wellness Meats is a multi-family run business that takes great care of their customers.)

Second, boost your intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in very few foods, which is why most of the population is deficient. This is a shame, because omega-3s are one of the most beneficial nutrients in the human diet. Hundreds of published studies show that optimal omega-3 levels can greatly improve your overall health, optimize your weight, increase your energy, and help you retain mental function as you age. Omega-3s also reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression. And they can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, hyperactivity, diabetes, digestive disorders, and a host of other conditions.

While you can get omega-3s from flaxseeds and walnuts, these plant sources contain only the fatty acid ALA. The best omega-3 fats are those found in fish - DHA and EPA. Your brain is highly dependent on DHA. Low DHA levels have been linked to depression, memory loss, and a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Wild Alaskan salmon (not farm-raised) is one of the best food sources of these fats. But your best bet is to take a fish oil (not cod liver oil) supplement. I recommend Carlson's Lemon Flavored. I find it's easier to take from the bottle, rather than swallowing capsules.

That's it!

1. Eat a low glycemic diet, and
2. Balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

And you will have taken two of the most important steps toward a lean, fit body and a lifetime of health.

Of course, that's not all there is to it. You should also break a sweat on a regular basis. You should eat a varied, natural diet of whole foods, and avoid chemicals and preservatives. Drink plenty of purified water every day. And allow your body to rest peacefully at night.

It doesn't matter what your age or prior bad habits... or how overweight and unhealthy you might feel at the moment. You can experience a higher level of fitness and the profound sense of well-being that comes with it - and you can accomplish it this year!

It's Good to Know: The Flat-Tire "Rule"

You're headed to the airport when your car gets a flat - and you miss your flight. No way will the airline waive a rebooking fee or the difference in the price of a later flight, right? Especially not in these days of $50 checked baggage and no free peanuts.

But, actually, airlines will sometimes put you on standby for a later flight - for free - if unforeseen circumstances prevent you from making it on time. The emphasis, here, is on the word "sometimes" - and you have to know how to talk to them. These situations are handled by airline reps on a case-by-case basis. And remember that when air traffic is heavy - and flights are already overbooked - they are less likely to fulfill this request. They just won't have room for you.

• First thing to keep in mind is that you can't be more than two hours late for your missed flight.

• If you know you're going to be late, call the airline as soon as possible and explain the situation.

• Don't mention the "flat-tire rule"! It's not an official policy, but an unwritten "understanding" at some airlines - and the rep might not know what you're talking about. Simply explain why you were late and ask politely if you can be rebooked for no fees.

• Have a legitimate excuse for being late. Traffic, hurricane, car accident = good. Side trip to the mall = bad.

(Source: Aviation.com and Airfarewatchdog.com)

Word to the Wise: Urbane

Someone who's "urbane" (ur-BANE) - from the Latin for "of a city" - is polite, polished, and elegant.

Example (as used by Robert Dallek in Flawed Giant): "The son of a famous father... Harvard-educated, handsome, charming, urbane, a northeastern aristocrat with all the advantages, JFK appeared to be everything LBJ was not."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2553, 12-31-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

"I feel that luck is preparation meeting opportunity."

Oprah Winfrey

Are You Risking Cancer With This Fat?

By Shane "The People's Chemist" Ellison

You know by now that there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. And you've probably heard that small amounts of omega-6 fatty acids from seeds and plants are essential for your body. When combined with omega-3 fatty acids from fish, omega-6s appear to play an integral role in maintaining health. Together, these two fats can help regulate brain development, energy production, and immune function, and control inflammation.

However, large quantities of omega-6s promote oxidative stress by disabling the body's second defense against cancer: the antioxidant. Adding insult to injury, they increase inflammation within skin cells. And inflammation can be a driving force behind the growth of skin cancer and its ability to spread to nearby tissues and organs.

This omega-6 threat did not exist 100 years ago. Our ancestors consumed only small quantities of omega-6 in the form of whole corn, seeds, and legumes. Their ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was about 1:1. Today, a large segment of the population consumes a ratio of at least 20:1.

The omega-6 overdose exists thanks to the advent of technology - chemical extraction methods, to be exact. Instead of getting omega-6 in its natural state - from plants and seeds - our primary sources are now plant and seed oils (corn, safflower, and sunflower). A single tablespoon of omega-6-laden corn oil is derived from a whopping 12 to 18 ears of corn.

The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids has not yet been determined. One thing is certain, the overdose of omega-6 manifests into poor health as well as dry, brittle skin that predisposes us to skin cancer.

The best thing you can do to protect against skin cancer is rid your diet of omega-6-laden plant and seed oils while consuming more protective omega-3 fatty acids.

[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology and is a best-selling author. He holds a master's degree in organic chemistry and has firsthand experience in drug design. Get the benefit of his knowledge and insight with his no-BS practical guide to living young naturally without dangerous, prescription drugs.]

The Language Perfectionist: More Mispronunciations

By Don Hauptman

In an earlier installment of "The Language Perfectionist," I presented a list of the most commonly mispronounced words, courtesy of Charles Harrington Elster, a leading expert on pronunciation. In that column, I pointed out that if you don't pronounce words properly, your image and reputation could suffer.

That Top Ten list, however, hardly exhausted the roster of words that are frequently mangled. So I asked Charlie for a sequel. He emphasizes that the following list, like the previous one, isn't necessarily in order of offensiveness.

• Pronouncing the "t" in often. Say AWF-in, not AWF-tin.

• Rhyming assuage with massage. Correct: uh-SWAYJ (rhymes with "a sage"), not uh-SWAHZH.

• Putting a spurious "beast" in bestial. Say BES-chul, not BEES-chul or BEES-chee-ul. The word has two syllables, not three.

• Inserting an extraneous "moment" in memento. Pronounce it muh-MEN-toh, not moh-MEN-toh.

• Pronouncing height as if it were highth or height-th. The word rhymes with "right."

• Stressing the "par" instead of the "dis" in disparate. It's DIS-puh-rit, not dis-PAR-it.

• Putting a "he" or a "he nee" in heinous. Say HAY-nus, not HEE-nus or HEE-nee-us.

• Finally, two pronunciation crimes often committed in courtrooms: saying "or" at the end of juror and "ant" at the end of defendant. It's JOOR-ur, not JOOR-or and dih-FEN-dint, not dih-FEN-dant.

Charles Harrington Elster is the author of the quintessential guide, The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations. The current paperback second edition contains 200 new entries.

Thanks again, Charlie. You have our GRAT-uh-tood!

[Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was an award-winning independent direct-response copywriter and creative consultant. He is author of The Versatile Freelancer, an e-book recently published by AWAI that shows writers and other creative professionals how to diversify their careers into speaking, consulting, training, and critiquing.]

It's Fun to Know: What's Cooler Than Cool?

By Suzanne Richardson

Driving through Montana on a recent visit to my family, my car's thermometer hit a number I haven't seen in years: 24 degrees... below zero.

As a Montana native, I'm no stranger to severe dips below freezing. But there are places where it gets even colder than my home state.

In the U.S., the coldest temperature recorded was minus 79.8 degrees Fahrenheit in the Endicott Mountains of northern Alaska. Worldwide, the coldest temperature recorded was in Vostok, Antarctica - minus 129 degrees Fahrenheit.

But that's nothing compared to what physicist Wolfgang Ketterle has cooked up. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Ketterle and his team "created" the lowest temperature ever recorded: 810 trillionths of a degree Fahrenheit above absolute zero. (Absolute zero is minus 459.67 degrees Fahrenheit.)

(Source: LiveScience, InfoPlease, and SmithsonianMag.com)

Word to the Wise: Horripilation

"Horripilation" (haw-rip-uh-LAY-shun) - from the Latin for "to bristle" + "hair" - is goose bumps.

Example (as used by the Washington Times in an article about Social Security): "There are a few things capable of sending an icy horripilation through even the bravest man."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2550, 12-27-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

When Fresh Is NOT the Best

By Kelley Herring

If you're adding herbs and spices to your meals, you're doing yourself a big favor. Recent research shows that many herbs and spices pack more age-defying, disease-fighting nutrients than the foods we use them on. And today, I have a tip that will help you power up the flavor and boost the antioxidants in your meals nearly tenfold.

Use dried herbs!

The Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity (ORAC) score ranks foods on their ability to neutralize free radicals. As you probably know, blueberries are extremely rich in antioxidants, ranking 6,552 on the ORAC scale. But that doesn't come close to the antioxidants found in common herbs like basil and oregano.

Let's see how these herbs stack up:

ORAC Score of Oregano

• 13,970 (fresh)
• 200,129 (dried)

ORAC Score of Basil

• 4,805 (fresh)
• 67,553 (dried)

While conventional wisdom says "fresh is always best," here we see that dried is sometimes better.

Buy organic dried herbs and store them in opaque containers, away from light and heat. And replace your herbs every six months to get the most flavor and free-radical fighters out of your shaker.

The Language Perfectionist: "I Now Pronounce You..."

By Don Hauptman

As a copywriter, I collaborated from time to time with a friend, a marketing consultant, and we worked as a team. On one occasion, we drove to another city to spend a day with a client - let's call him Dave.

After the meeting, as we walked back to the car, I asked my colleague, "Did you notice the word that Dave mispronounced repeatedly?" My friend didn't hesitate. "Lambaste," he said. Dave had pronounced the second syllable, as many people mistakenly do, with a short A, to rhyme with "fast," instead of correctly, with a long A, to rhyme with "taste."

The incident slightly tarnished our opinion of this client. And if you don't pronounce words properly, your own image and reputation could similarly suffer.

Charles Harrington Elster may be America's leading expert on pronunciation. At my request, Charlie agreed to share "Elster's Top 10 Pronunciation Pet Peeves" with you. He wants to make it clear, though, that the following aren't necessarily listed in order of offensiveness!

1. One of the most frequent mispronunciations, even by presidents and TV personalities and others who should know better, is nuclear as NOO-kyuh-lur. Correct: NOO-klee-ur.

2. The word loath (meaning reluctant) is pronounced differently from loathe (hate). Loath rhymes with oath, while loathe rhymes with clothe.

3. Don't stress the second syllable in affluent, affluence, and influence. The correct stress is on the first syllable: AF-loo-int, AF-loo-ints, IN-floo-ints.

4. It's wrong to stress the "or" syllable in mayoral, pastoral, pectoral, and electoral. The correct pronunciations are MAY-ur-ul, PAS-tur-ul, PEK-tur-ul, and eh-LEK-tur-ul.

5. The words foliage and verbiage are pronounced not with two syllables but three. Correct: FOH-lee-ij, VUR-bee-ij.

6. A mispronunciation that's particularly irritating to Charlie is coupon as KYOO-pahn. Correct: KOO-pahn.

7. In the words succinct, flaccid, and accessory, pronounce the "cc" as X or KS, not as S. Correct: suhk-SINGKT, FLAK-sid, ak-SES-uh-ree.

8. The second-syllable stress in preferable and formidable is not only wrong but pretentious. The stress should be on the first syllable. Correct: PREF-ur-uh-bul, FOR-mih-duh-bul.

9. In negotiate, controversial, and species, pronounce the "ti," "si," and "ci," as SH, not S. Correct: nih-GOH-shee-ayt, kahn-truh-VER-shul, SPEE-sheez.

10. The word forte, meaning a skill or strong point, is commonly mispronounced as for-TAY. Correctly pronounced, it rhymes with port or short. But FOR-tay, with first-syllable stress, is now also acceptable.

Charles Harrington Elster is the author of the quintessential guide The Big Book of Beastly Mispronunciations. The current second edition paperback contains 200 new entries.

[Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was an award-winning independent direct-response copywriter and creative consultant.]

It's Good to Know: Beating the Weather

Delayed flights waste time for the flyer, and time and money for the airline. Happily for both, a new computerized tool could get many weather-delayed flights off the ground.

A prototype used in New York last year cut delays by 2,300 hours and saved $7.5 million in operating costs. It's called RAPT, the Route Availability Planning Tool, and was created by researchers at the Michigan Institute of Technology. Relying on satellite and radar systems, RAPT will help air traffic controllers make more-informed decisions as to whether or not a particular flight is advisable in bad weather.

Word to the Wise: Appellation

"Appellation" (ap-uh-LAY-shun) - from the Latin for "to name" - is a name, title, or designation.

Example (as used by Anita Shreve in Fortune's Rocks): "For as long as Olympia can remember, her mother has been referred to, within her hearing and without, as an invalid - an appellation that does not seem to distress her mother and indeed appears to be one she herself cultivates."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2472, 09-27-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

"Any act often repeated soon forms a habit; and habit allowed, steady gains in strength."

Tryon Edwards

"Money is plentiful for those who understand the simple laws which govern its acquisition."

- George Clason

"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."

Benjamin Franklin

"My yachts were, I suppose, outstanding status symbols."

Paul Getty

"The most splendid achievement of all is the constant striving to surpass yourself and to be worthy of your own approval."

- Denis Waitley

Stevia: The FDA’s Dubious Double Standard

By Jon Herring

I’ve written a number of times about my favorite sweetener, stevia. It has no calories, it tastes great, and it doesn’t raise your blood sugar. Nor does it come with the potential side effects (like cancer and neurological disorders) of artificial sweeteners. This prompted an ETR reader to ask:

“It seems like everything we use to sweeten food causes health problems. But what about the naturally sweet herb – stevia? Why aren’t more manufacturers using stevia instead of sugar, fructose, aspartame, or high fructose corn syrup? Could it be that stevia costs too much?”

It is not because stevia costs too much. Unfortunately, it involves politics.

Stevia cannot be patented, so it does not have the profit potential of artificial sweeteners. And because it’s much safer, it represents a threat to the multi-billion-dollar artificial sweetener industry. So, these companies have used their lobbying power to wage a campaign against it. And despite the fact that stevia has been used safely for centuries, it was BANNED by the FDA for years – and was even subjected to armed seizures of its manufacturing and storage facilities.

Stevia is no longer banned, but it can only be marketed as a “dietary supplement.” It cannot be sold as a “sweetener” or used as a “food additive.” That’s why you don’t see it in foods, tea, and soft drinks (as it is used in other countries).

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This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #1664, 02-28-06], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.