It’s easy to fall prey to the rosy tint of nostalgia, and it’s doubly easy to get all worked up about technology removing us from ourselves and our roots and all that kind of reactionary crap. But it does seem to me that the passing of vinyl and radio as primary music channels means something. As a literary form, the liner note is a thing of the past. The time when a 45 was the only thing most kids could afford, and hence was important as a release format, is gone. For more than a decade ‘random play’ has been an option. So the meaning of ‘album’ has changed, tending to move in the direction of coherent collection of songs (i.e. away from coherent set of songs that will be played in a strict order). This is all important enough, but I think something far larger has happened. Before the music video and the ensuing technology, music was largely heard over speakers and the FM band. To be sure, bands played gigs and people went to see them. But I have in mind the kids that listened to records and listened to the radio and developed a sense of music from that experience. And that is a different form of experience than that which prevails today.

For many years I’ve relied on FM radio to keep me company on drives. I knew where I was on I95 between New York and Charlottesville, Virginia based on which radio stations I was picking up. For a year or two I drove between Boston and New York on certain Sundays and there were few greater joys than a black cup of coffee and Vin Sclesa’s show Idiot’s Delight (broadcast on WNEW and WFMU at different stages). On the occasions that I left Charlottesville late at night I was invariably thrilled to begin picking up WHFS somewhere on I66 approaching the beltway, thrilled again when I could begin hearing the University of Delaware station further up I95, and finally ecstatic when WBGO came into my range near exit 8 on the Turnpike. On the longest solo drive I’ve ever made, I got an enormous cup of coffee at a 7-Eleven in Albuquerque and like a divine gift a radio DJ played a set that included The The, The Butthole Surfers, Siouxsee and the Banshees, and Public Image Limited. It was a DJ playing the 3-6 AM slot and I love him to this day. During a summer in LA I became a devotee of a girlish Mexican voice that would deliver the best music to Baja, California, mythically audible clear from Santa Barbara to halfway down Mexico.

I’ve never had a CD player in my car. I don’t really think I want one. If I had been listening to CD’s in my car I would not have heard Luna playing live on Idiot’s Delight in winter 1991-92; I would not have heard Marylou Lord’s debut album played in its entirety on WPRB, Princeton, in 1998; I would not have heard the Mountain Stage broadcast to the Shenandoah Valley every weekend; and I certainly would not have heard a reunion of all the recording Wainwrights outside Hartford in 1999. There is a wonderful sense of being a student when you listen to the radio for a while on a drive or play a record in its entirety. It is like having a good teacher, and being comfortable placing control in his or her hands. If I buy an old Stones record or a Smiths record or vintage David Bowie, I feel confident there’s a reason why each song is on there and why the sequence of songs is what it is. I feel like I’ll learn something if I pay attention, I’ll find something cool about the record that I’d miss if it were going on random play.

With these radio shows and records, there are people on the other side. Listening to a DJ for a year or a few years means you are developing a relationship with a person you don’t have any visual sense of, all you have is the voice. The records were pressed, you can see the imprint of machinery and hands and somebody wrote a little piece on the back. Then it spins and the needle comes down and again somebody is talking to you. The people might be shown on the cover of the album but even if they are they may not look like that ordinarily. It’s a static image and when you listen to the record the image is removed from it, you are mainly relegated to the voice and the sounds. And in this sense it is like reading: somebody is talking to you and it is still OK if you use your head a little and think a little, there’s room for it, everything isn’t spelled out in meticulous detail and all your senses aren’t rammed with stuff. That’s why I listen to the radio and that’s why I listen to vinyl records.

Unscrupulous herb distributors have recently been cashing in on the fact that the diet drug fenfluramine has been pulled from the market. There are now many products combining St. John’s wort with either Ma Huang (Chinese ephedra) or phenylalanine being sold as the herbal equivalent of “Phen-Fen” (phentermine and fenfluramine).

I regard these products as unsafe and believe they should be pulled from the market.

This marketing ploy is based on the idea that the “Phen-fen” regimen combined an agent that increases serotonin (fenfluramine) with an agent that that is a stimulant and increases norepinephrine and dopamine (phentermine). Thus, since St. John’s wort supposedly is serotonergic and Ma Huang (which contains ephedrine and pseudoephedrine) is a stimulant, these promoters are claiming that these products will help with weight loss.

Unfortunately, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are among the most common causes of stroke when given with MAO inhibitors. Given that we cannot guarantee the contents of any herbal product in the U.S., and given that whole and/or improperly extracted St. John’s wort contains an MAOI, this is a classic set up for MAOI related strokes and deaths.

There are also no studies on any of these substances for weight loss and therefore all claims that “herbal phen-fen” is effective for weight loss are unfounded.

Moisture and healthy skin go hand in hand. When skin is supplied with fluids, it tends to be more pliable and plump, less prone to wrinkles and cracks. Environmental conditions such as dry air, wind and sun damage can suck moisture from skin, making it parched and rough. When you use a moisturizer, it puts fluid in the skin. If we use high fluid foods in our diets, we hydrate the actual tissue builders.

The Importance of Hydration

People with naturally oily skin tend to suffer from dry skin less often, but it’s not caused by a lack of oil. Oil is important because it helps skin hold water, but the real issue is lack of moisture. Because fluid amounts in the body depend on what you eat or drink, it’s important to get plenty of water to keep your skin moist. One way is to make sure you drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day. But you can also get water from foods, especially from juicy fruits like oranges, peaches and watermelon.

The Healthy-Skin Food Plan

Brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as nectarines and sweet potatoes have both water and beta-carotene, which converts in the body to vitamin A. This is one of the most important nutrients to fight rough, dry skin. Vitamin A helps make proteins that form skin tissue and encourages blood vessels to nourish areas of the skin that have been damaged by dryness. While dry skin is not generally a sign of an underlying illness, it can point to a deficiency of vitamin A. Other nutrients that help repair skin include vitamin C, found in citrus fruits such as oranges, as well as in strawberries and bell peppers, and vitamin E, available in wheat germ and sunflower seeds. These are the same ingredients that most skin care products have in them, C and E.

Damage Protection

Skin is especially vulnerable to the effects of harmful free radical molecules that rob skin of moisture and cause skin to age, especially when it’s exposed to the drying light of the sun. One reason vitamins A and C are important is that they are antioxidants that help keep skin moist and minimize molecular damage from the elements. Keeping skin hydrated and healthy depends on getting antioxidants, water, oil and other helpful nutrients from foods such as green vegetables.

I have said in many articles before that green vegetables are your highest sources for both vitamins A and C. Spinach, oranges and mangos are also powerful antioxidants. These are two exceptionally rich sources of Zinc, which works with vitamin A to keep skin cells strong. Zinc also helps the body regulate the production of skin oils that help retain moisture. Zinc sources include wheat germ, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (all of which also contain vitamin E) and turkey. Cold-water fish are famous for their oils, known asomega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help control itchy, scaly skin conditions such as dermatitis and fight dryness. Avocados are rich in vitamin A and vitamin E, and they also contain oils that have been used to treat a number of skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. Many herbalists use avocado oil in salad dressings and rub it on skin. Other natural helpers that relieve dryness are the leaf of an aloe plant or, even better, from the Melaleuca tea tree oil products I use and recommend.

For a soothing, luxurious treat, rub your hands with a little warmed olive oil, soak them 10 min., and wipe off the excess.

Did you know carrots, parsnips and lime contain chemicals known as psoralens, which can boost sun sensitivity? So go outside after eating them, to enhance their effect. Maybe that’s why Grandma and Grandpa used to take a walk every day after supper?

When considering the best method for weight training you must first consider your goals. With this article we want to address the use of weight training for rock climbing.With rock climbing we want to achieve strength, endurance, and agility. Bulk would be a hindrance.

The best training that we can achieve would be to first

stretch out our muscle groups, ie: shoulders, chest, back,

arms, and hands(yes you can work out the hands). Stretching

avoids injury of the muscle,joint, and tendons.

Lets start with some push-ups, try and do at least twenty-five. Move to some pull-ups, again work toward twenty-five or more. This will stretch those shoulders, and back.

Now move to your first weights, only when you are fully warmed up. The first weight that I think would be good to start with will be the Lat Pull Down. You want to go for many reps and at least five sets. Keep the weight around half of your maximum. This lift will work shoulders, lats, and bi-ceps. Secondary will be your tri-ceps, and pectorals.

Second lift will be chest press. Again multi-reps and five sets. This will focus on pecs and arms. Do both the incline and decline lift. Keep your weights around half of your maximum.

Then go to butterfly’s, forward raise, side raise, and

finally dumbbell press. Each of these will bring your training into a focused muscle group. You can alter your work out by moving to machines. This will help keep your muscles from getting bored (it can happen). Now, your probably wandering about the arms and hands.

Do some light weight arm curls. But when you go down let the dumb bell roll to the end of your fingers. This works the hand with the arms. Next turn your forearm and lift the dumbbell with just the wrist. Roll the arm again and repeat. This is a hard work out but it will increase your strength tremendously.

Now, your goal is to increase your strength in increments. Do this workout on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, schedule then add a strength day on the Wednesday.

What is this? This day you do your lifts as a five reps, and three sets. Pyramid your weights from light, to medium, to heavy and back down. Push yourself to increase the maximum weight by tens each heavy day. This should take your other workout into higher weights.

Safety Notes:

Use common sense when your doing this training. Never push yourself into injury. Let your body tell you when it is being pushed too hard.

Always breath when lifting. Holding your breathdoesn’t

help you it only hinders you. Breathe out when lifting and in when lowering. Air is vital to muscle development.

Try and keep a bottle of water with you as you lift. Water helps you with your workout. It is your life blood.

Eat healthy. This isn’t a brilliant revelation. You should obviously know this. Protein and a low calorie diet will help you achieve your goal.

Keep in mind that a conducted drug test may reveal several issues, such as prescription drug use, pregnancy, and other related medical issues. It is important that the employer keep these medical factors confidential in order to maintain the privacy of employees.

The most convenient method for conducting a drug test at the workplace is by using drug testing kits. Accurate drug test kits are now available for sale to the general public. With the aid of these kits, an individual can check their own drug usage or the usage of drugs when it comes to family members. Many small businesses use these drug test kits for their employees because professional labs are costly. The question of an individual’s right to privacy will often be raised when a policy of drug testing in the workplace is instituted.

These testing kits are highly effective for the users. These drug test kits are both easy to use and inexpensive, whether testing prospective new hires, current employees, or your children. With the aid of these testing kits you can test for up to ten different types of drugs. If testing indicates that a subject may be using more than one drug, a panel drug test kit can be utilized as that tests for more than one type of drug. Because it can detect the presence of a number of drugs in use by your employees, the panel drug test kit offers the best value. These drug testing kits aren’t only useful for the employer, but are helpful for employees to test themselves before going through employment testing. Knowing that you are likely to test positive for a controlled substance, you might wish to try a method that will help you to pass a drug test. With the help of these drug testing kits, you can also test whether the detoxifying product is effective or not.

Visit here if you are in need of passing a drug test, urine test, or hair test.

What can cause a shift in the balance of good and bad bacteria? Antibiotics can as they eliminate all bacteria (microflora), good and bad. A diet high in animal products and low in vegetable fiber, high in refined sugar and refined white flour and other highly refined carbohydrates can also lead to an imbalance. The flood of anti-bacterial products on the market hasn’t helped either.

Should you even worry about your gut bacteria? In a word…yes! Microflora play a key role in digestion, including lactose intolerance, immune system function, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, all of which have a big impact on health.

Over $100 billion dollars are spent each year on prescription and over the counter drugs to treat gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as indigestion, heartburn, gas, bloating and burping. A sign peoples’ digestive systems are being affected.

Over the last century, processes such as pasteurization, have decreased the number of pathogens in our food supply. A consequence not often considered is the decrease of non-pathogenic bacteria as well. Health and disease implications from this effect are not fully understood.

Prebiotics, non-digestible food ingredients, promote growth of beneficial bacteria such as bifobacteria. Somecommon forms of prebiotics are whey, Jerusalem artichoke flour and fructo-oligosaccahrides (FOS).

Prebiotics go through the upper GI tract undigested and are not absorbed to any great extent. Once in the colon, they are fermented to short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and lactic acid. The fermentation is what causes growth of good bifidobacteria. Lactic acid production provides an acid environment, which promotes absorption of minerals like calcium and magnesium. SCFA help to restore mucosal integrity and also contribute to a more acid environment in the colon.

While probiotics introduce live microorganisms in the body, prebiotics do not. Instead, prebiotics actually feed the beneficial microorganisms that are indigenous to individual digestive tracts. Just as everyone has a unique biochemical profile, their GI tracts have different residents too. Proponents of prebiotics claim it’s better to increase one’s own strain of bacteria than introduce new colonies of bacteria.

Some reported benefits of prebiotics include decreased constipation, diarrhea suppression, increased calcium absorption, potential improvement of total and LDL cholesterol. Other possible benefits are with irritable bowel disease, short bowel syndrome and leaky gut syndrome.

The most common food sources of FOS are wheat, barley, rye, onions, bananas, tomatoes, garlic, leeks, chicory root and Jerusalem artichokes. The amount of FOS in any of these foods is still low. It would take 16 tomatoes or 13 bananas to get just one gram of FOS. With 1-4 grams of FOS a day being recommended, supplementation is more practical.

Prebiotics appear to be safe for intake. Gas, cramps and bloating may occur when prebiotics are initially taken. This is from the bad bacteria dying off and the good bacteria taking residence in your gut. Starting with a lower, divided dose can help alleviate this. Once the body has adjusted, the symptoms should subside.

In this article, you’ll read about how your timer can create space for your to-do list and for you to relax. Time can be your friend.

WANT TO TRY A NEW TOOL?

Here are way you can use the timer method in your day to day life.

Sorting Mail

Are still looking at a pile of mail in a box, basket, or desk? Feeling clueless inthe clutter? Are you willing to try a new way? Okay. Get your timer or your alarm clock.

Now, clear some space on a table, your desk, or even the floor. Believe it or not, theempty space will help your thoughts calm and add clarity to your decisions. The greater theamount of focus you can have while working on your project, the greater efficiency and senseof success. With that in mind, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Remember, this time isfor 20 minutes of time and energy to change that stack of mail into a sigh of success.

Great! Gather your (1) mail, (2) organizing tools (file folders, pen, paper, baskets, andclips), (3) waste container (4) a colored pencil, and (5) your timer. Now label the file folders: “READ,” “ACTION,” and “TO OTHERS.” Then staple one lined sheet of paper on the folder marked “ACTION.”

If you would like abeverage, prepare it and place it well off to the side. You and the mail are the focalpoint.

Ready? Great. Set you timer for 20 minutes and have fun.

Ideally, each paper is touched only once. This means open the mail and file in appropriate folder.

Step 1:

Throw all junk mail into garbage container. If it is obviously ads andmail you know are not what you want, throw it in the waste container. Do not get personally involved with it. Toss it immediately. If you aren’t sure, then open the envelope and assoon as you know it is junk; throw it away. No need to read every word of something which isof no future interest. Now you know that all the rest of the mail is either giving information or requiring action.

Step 2:

All the papers that are for information and are for reading withno action required, do two things: date the papers and put them in the “Information” folder.

Step 3:

All the papers that require action are recorded on a lined sheet ofpaper. Record three things: (1) company or person who sent it, (2) state what must be done, and (3) date to be done. Clip paper(s) and envelopes together. (4) Place in the “Action” folder. (5) When you are done with the action mail, attach list to the outside of the folder. Check this folder every day so that you know when items are due.

Note: If you want more organization, you could add the action dates to your calendar or palm organizer. Write who, what, when, and location which is the “action” folder.

Step 4:

The papers that need to be given to someone else go into the “To Others”folder. Distribute these after your twenty minutes are complete. Keep only the mail which is in your area of response.

When the timer rings, congratulate yourself. Continue breathing and relax. Congratulations. Good job.

If you have more time and want to continue,set the clock for another 20 minutes and continue. Always congratulate your self for what you have just accomplished, and then decide if you want to continue. Appreciation is essential.

If you chose to stop and do more later, then clear your workspace. Put your remainingmail in a basket and set your two folders in a visible holder. That way you can see yoursuccess and have space for when you are ready to work on this or another project.

Read more: human-euphoria.com

5. Evaluating function: Many kinds of arthritis impair function. By assessing an individual’s function, the doctor can gather some valuable information. Asking the patient to perform tasks that require strength, mobility, flexibility and stamina, the doctor can assess the joints ability to perform certain tasks. If a person is unable to perform these tests, the doctor can relate that to the extent of the disease process. If the muscles are weakening, then that could give the doctor a clue that the person is not getting enough exercise or spends most of their time sedentary.If this is the case, it might alert the doctor to ask more questions about the level of pain the person is experiencing. Loss of mobility is many times a direct result of inflammation. If stamina is an issue, this may indicate increased pain, increased inflammation and an increase in disease activity.

Each of the different diseases of arthritis has it’s own characteristics. Some forms of arthritis, like Osteoarthritis, are relatively easy to diagnosis. This form of arthritis is not as complex and therefore can be diagnosed with a minimal amount of testing and in a fairly short period of time. But some of the other inflammatory forms of arthritis are much more difficult to make a conclusive diagnosis. With inflammatory forms of arthritis, many of them have similar symptoms and some overlapping symptoms. Because the inflammatory forms of arthritis are more complex to diagnosis, it takes a longer period of time and usually several tests have to be performed over a period of time. This whole process can become very frustrating for the person waiting for some answers.

Since a positive diagnosis can take weeks to months, it is very important for people to go to the doctor soon after experiencing some of the symptoms mentioned at the beginning. The longer they wait they increase the risk of more damage being done to the joints or muscle fibers. It has been proven, through research, that early diagnosis and aggressive treatment can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of the inflammatory disease process. With early detection and proper treatment many times the disease process can be slowed down or even halted. If left undiagnosed and untreated the person runs the risks of joint damage leading to joint replacement surgery or deformities that decrease a person’s ability to function independently.

As you have read, getting a proper diagnosis is very important. Just sitting back and not seeking help for your joint aches and pains could possibly lead to loss of function, joint deformity, and eventually loss of independence. Knowing that the doctors do have specific tests they can perform to determine the type of arthritis you may have or rule out a diagnosis of arthritis is worth a trip to see your healthcare provider. Once the proper diagnosis has been made, there are several medical and non-medical treatments for all the different forms of arthritis. Remember early diagnosis and aggressive treatment can reduce the symptoms, possibly slow the disease progression, and possibly help avoid joint replacement surgery in the future. Don’t let another day go by if you suspect you have any form of arthritis. See your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis. Your joints will be glad you did.

One of the most common reasons people don’t get a proper diagnosis is they don’t go to the doctor for an evaluation. They have heard over the TV or read in a magazine or the newspaper; everyone will eventually suffer from the “minor aches and pains of arthritis.” The advertising has been so convincing that most people, and especially people over the age of 60, don’t seek out a proper diagnosis from a healthcare professional. Another reason people don’t get a proper diagnosis is they feel even if they do get a diagnosis, there isn’t much that can be done to treat the illness. These are both misconceptions that could lead to improper treatment or exhilaration of the disease process because of the lack of treatment.

Lets look at some general evaluation processes and how you can assist the doctor in reaching a proper diagnosis. Here is a list of some of the most commonly used tools:

1. Personal Medical History: The doctor is looking for several pieces of information that will give him/her information about you.

* Personal account of medical history
* Explanation of the current problem
* Report of any injury that may have caused the problem
* How long has the problem existed
* Is there swelling around the joint
* Is the joint stiff - if so, for how long
* Does the joint appear red and feel warm
* Is the joint painful - rate pain on a scale of 0 - 10 (0 being no pain)
* Is there anything you do that makes the pain worse/better
* Has this current problem made every day tasks difficult/impossible to do

2. Physical exam: The doctor will move the joints assessing them for range of motion. He will feel them for warmth, look at them to see if they appear red, evaluate for bony protrusions, tender spots, and inflammation. The doctor would also take a heart rate and blood pressure and examine the eyes, ears, and throat. Glands around the jaw and neck are evaluated and the stomach is examined.

3. X-Rays: The doctor may require x-rays of the problem joint. If x-rays of that joint had been taken in the past, the doctor would ask that the patient bring those x-rays along for comparison. These pictures are used to see if there have been any joint changes. Some changes in the cartilage, or surface of the bone might indicate the beginning of arthritis. The doctor would also be looking for changes in the joint space.

4. Lab test: There are many lab tests that can be done. Some of these tests are conducted to rule out other forms of the disease rather than to make a final diagnosis.

* Rheumatoid factor (RF) - This test is done as part of the evaluation for people who the doctor suspects have rheumatoid arthritis.

* Antinuclear antibody (ANA) - These antibodies may be found in the blood of people who have lupus. They can also indicate the presence of scleroderma, Lyme disease, polymyositis, sjogren’s syndrome  or other forms of inflammatory arthritis.

* Uric Acid - This test is done to help doctors diagnose gout.

* HLA tissue typing - This test detects the presence of certain genetic markers in the blood that can help diagnosis ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter’s syndrome.

* Erythrocyte sedimentation rate - This is also sometimes referred to as the “sed rate.” A high sedimentation rate indicates a greater amount of inflammation. Inflammation is present in several forms of arthritis.

* Skin biopsy - Taking small samples of skin and examining them under the microscope can help doctors make a positive diagnoses for some types of arthritis.

* Muscle biopsy - By taking a biopsy of the muscle fibers, doctors can look for possible damage and this would help confirm a diagnosis for polymyositis.

* Joint fluid exam - The doctor extracts fluid from the joint with a needle and it is examined for uric acid crystals, which would help confirm a diagnosis for gout or bacteria, which may indicate an infection in the joint.
…to be continued…