Healthy Beverages

We all know the benefits of drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. From preventing headaches, minimize bloating, and keeping you from getting sick, water is a must for everyone. However, drinking water all the time can get quite bland. Here are some other beverages to try that also have proven health benefits:

Coffee - Lowers the risk of various many types of cancer, including breast, skin, and oral. Java drinkers also make half as many errors as their decaf counterparts. This is because caffeine helps you process information faster. It is also linked to reduced risk of depression.

Orange juice - The antioxidants in OJ helps you fight inflammation that can cause blood vessel damage. In fact, people who drink a glass of orange juice with their burger and fries had fewer artery harming free radicals in their blood than those that drank it with water.

Chamomile tea - Can keep you calm and less anxious. You can ease into a mellow mood with a cup of this.

Cranberry juice - Can help prevent gum disease and urinary tract infections. It also delivers 39% of the daily value for Vitamin C in an 8 ounce glass.

Chocolate milk - A glass of skim chocolate milk can keep your abs flat. Delivering a combo of carbs and protein, this is an Excellency post-workout option. Simply stir 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder or syrup into your glass.

Green tea - May keep your weight steady. This tea can also rev up your metabolism and make it easier for your body to fry off the fat. Don't forget about the stash of antioxidants that come in handy in slashing your risk of cancer and heart disease.

Tomato juice - Loaded with vitamins and lycopene, which prevents cancer.

Black tea - Can fend off skin cancer. Also loaded with flavonoids, antioxidants that carry anticancer perks. Drink it hot or cold.

Toothpaste Myths

There are so many choices today and toothpaste is no exception. Many toothpaste makers make claims about how using their product will whiten your teeth, prevent tooth decay, etc. But the truth may surprise you. Here are some things that you may not have known about toothpaste that can help you choose the right one, or in many cases, which ones to stay away from.

- Its all about the fluoride.

This is a host of ingredients in toothpaste, however the key is to find the one that has the most fluoride. Brushing with fluoride toothpaste can prevent tooth decay by up to 40%.

- Look for the seal of approval.

While its tempting to go for the generic, an American Dental Association stamp of approval means that the product has been scientifically proven to do what the box says.

- Whitening toothpaste works, to a certain degree.

Like all toothpastes, whitening toothpaste contains mild abrasives to remove surface stains. The whitening particles are shaped so they simply do a more effective job at removing these stains. They don't however have bleach, which is really what causes those dramatic whitenings.

- Less is more.

A pea size amount of toothpaste is enough to clean your teeth effectively. That will extend the life of your tube as well.

- How you brush is more important than what you brush with.

To do it properly, you need to position the brush at a 45 degree angle so that you get some of the bristles in between the tooth and the gums. Move the brush in small circles in those areas, and then continue on to the rest of the teeth. This process should take about one to two minutes to complete.View the ADA’s step-by-step guide to brushing and flossing for more information.

- Organic toothpaste is just as effective as the regular stuff.

Remember to look for the fluoride content.

- Pastes or gels, they all do the trick.

Both clean your teeth just as effectively. It really comes down to your preference.

Out of Shape

We are all busy people. At times because of work or personal events (wedding, new child, etc.), our lives get even more hectic. One of the first things that we tend to do away with is our workouts during this time. So how long of an absence of exercise does it take before you are out of shape?

Well that matter depends on many factors including your general level of fitness, age, and genetics. Also, your cardio level drops much more significantly than your strength during times of inactivity. An interesting note, because of muscle memory, you can generally get back up to 50-90% of your strength levels after one set of workout. So if you are unable to spend much time during a hellish week getting your workout in, if you can at least get one set of five exercises in, you will at least be maintaining your fitness level.

So breaking it down:

After two weeks - You will probably see a general decline in your fitness level at this point. However, its probably safe to jump back in at the same intensity as where you left off.

More than two weeks - The longer you have taken a break, the more you will have to scale back. If you had a good level of fitness before your break, you will regain your levels much faster than someone who is not.

A break can be a good thing for you as well. If you have been going all out on your workouts, getting some time off may be just what your muscles need to fully recover.

Healthy Snacks

Snacking is a great way to curb your appetite, increase your energy level, or simply keep you satisfied till your next meal. Although usually associated with potato chips, candy bars, and other unhealthy foods, there are almost as numerous healthy options. It may make it easier if you have these snacks prepared in advanced so when the urge hits, you can give the same amount of effort it takes to open up a bag of Cheetos. Keep in mind that food that has a lot of sugar content will actually make you eat more. Hopefully that will make you rethink that Kit Kat bar.

Typically speaking, products that are steamed, boiled, or raw are the best options. As a general rule of thumb, try to keep the calorie intake around 100-200 range. Also watch your portions! There is a big difference between consuming 15 almonds (roughly 100 cals) to a cup of almonds (over 800). Here is a list of healthy snack alternatives. Later on, I will also add some healthy snack recipes as well.

Wheat Cracker with Cheese
Sliced Apple and Almond Butter
Sliced Apple with Sliced Cheese (actually pretty good)
Grapes
Strawberries
1/2 or whole Banana
Small side salad of greens, tomatoes with a tablespoon of dressing
Baby carrots and low-fat ranch
Mini muffins (read the box!)
Popcorn (little or no butter)
A cup of non-sugar coated cereal
Pretzels
Unsalted nuts and raisins mixed together
Low-fat pita with hummus
Orange
Toasted Pumpkin seeds
Fruit smoothie (Freeze fresh fruit such as bananas in a plastic bag, then take them out a couple of days later to blend with ice, soy or regular milk, and a bit of cocoa powder to make a smoothie)
Small can of tuna
Nonfat Cottage Cheese
Protein Bars
Hard Boiled eggs
Frozen Yogurt
Pickles
Olives
Bean Salad
Soy Chips
Sunflower seeds
Sugar free Jello
Broccoli Florets
Cucumber with dip
Small Bagel
Pineapple -canned chuck
Rice Crackers
Mozzerella with Tomato or Lettuce
Edamame
Fruit Crisps
Fat free chocolate pudding
Small baked potato with a tablespoon or two of fat-free yogurt and sprinkle Cajun seasoning
Half an english muffin with low fat cheese, a tomato slice, and one slice Canadian bacon
6-inch soft corn or flour tortilla with 2 tablespoons shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
Oatmeal
Dried fruit
Papaya
Pear
Green Tea
Figs
Raspberries
Dark chocolate
Watermelon
Corn chips with salsa
Mini pizzas

New e-reader will set off a price war

Borders is getting in on the action with its release of the Kobe e-reader. At a price point of $149, this is the most least expensive e-reader out there. While it does not dote the features present in the Nook or Kindle, its a great value for those those who simply want a no-trills reading alternative. Coupled with the ipad's release, e-reader manufacturers need to make lower-cost devices in order to continue to appeal to the public. Barnes and Nobles is expected to launch a $199 Nook Lite later this year and Amazon will almost surely follow suit.

The Kobe e-reader is simplistic in design and erogromic, making it feel more natural in your hands. The "quilted" back appears to double as a trademark selling point and extra grip. It sports a single usb and SD card slot, with an on-board memory offering of 1 gigabyte (about 1,000 books). Consumers can create a Kobe account to buy books for the device. However, there is an absence of 3G or wi-fi capability, instead offerring bluetooth as your wireless solution. It has an excellent expected battery life of 2 weeks or 8,000 pages.

Some of the cons for the device are that it only supports e-Pub and PDF formats. There is no web browser, games, apps, etc. that are found on devices such as the Nook. At this point in the e-reader market, you are getting exactly what you paid for. For consumers the Kobe is a step toward the right direction. It may even be worth waiting to see how the other e-reader giants respond to the Kobe. With its first pre-orders sold out till early July, the competition will need an answer...

Building a loyal team @ work

Building a loyal team is vital to companies, especially in times where many can't offer much in financial incentives. In the past, loyalty was vertical and employees were committed to the company or those running the business. It has now shifted to horizontal loyalty, where employees are committed to colleagues, former colleagues, and certain projects. So when you put people on a team, loyalties develop. Here are seven ways you can build a more loyal team, hence productive team at work.

1. Frequently take a pulse of your team.

Ask them how they feel about their job. Some sample questions include:

Do you see how you fit in?
What are your aspirations?
Which of your talents give you the greatest satisfaction?
Do you understand where the company is going and what you need to do everyday?

2. Create great jobs.

How do you do this? Take a look at the following aspects that fall into job satisfaction:

Task variety
Workplace friendships
Fair procedures
A balance between how much effort workers put it and the rewards they receive
A certain level of autonomy and control for employees to work unsupervised.

3. Create great careers.

Work with your direct reports to develop an extended career plan for them — even if that plan means the individual must leave the business to achieve a certain professional goal. The reality is that some of your key people will leave for a variety of reasons, no matter how much they seem to like their jobs. Why not map a path that would welcome them back into more senior roles after gaining other experience? So-called ‘boomerang’ employees can be great external advocates for your company. McKinsey and Microsoft realized this benefit and created online alumni networks to keep in touch with departed colleagues.

4. ReBalance the blame culture.

Most people don't leave their company --- they leave you.If you want engagement, you must show that you care, delegating more than just the things that you don’t want to do.” A manager who is quick to apportion blame for mistakes is highly corrosive. Delegating effectively means sharing credit and taking blame. Do that, and the staff will take the risks that are required for success. They’ll do it with you and for you.

5. Make meetings optional.

Most people do not like meetings because they don't create results. If you have to have a meeting, make them shorter, more focused, and get everyone who is attending to influence the agenda. And always start the meeting with something positive because that will set the tone for the rest of it.

6. Acknowledge individuals.

There are lots of ways to create a sense of respect among your team. “Some things are really banal: "saying good morning,If you’re a manager make sure you make yourself available to people when they need to speak to you. General team praise is largely meaningless, but specific and personal thanks goes a long way. Move from “Good job, team” to “Thanks, Jane, for staying late last night.”

7. Put employees into the bigger picture.

It’s your job to align business values and goals for employees. Focus on results, says Kjerulf. Find ways to make people feel like their work has an impact on the overall business, such as keeping them in the loop on what happens next for a project they’ve completed or acknowledging when their work has generated more customers or revenue.