In Roman times, Emperor Nero liked to watch gladiator fights through emeralds, to avoid the sun getting in his eyes. It is likely that humans in other time periods prior to the invention of sunglasses may also have put various materials over their face to protect their eyes from the brightness of the sun, but little evidence exists for this until we reach the 12th century. The 12th century is when sunglasses were invented properly, in China. They were using lenses made from imperfection-heavy quartz to block out the light from the sun, and primitive frames to hold them against the wearer’s face. These sunglasses didn’t protect against harmful UV rays or help their wearer to see any better (in fact, they made it very difficult to see), but they provided some relief from having the bright sun constantly shining into their eyes. Only the rich had them, but they found many uses for them – Chinese rulers and judges, for example, found that they could use the sunglasses to hide the expression on their face when they were talking to someone, allowing them to seem emotionally detached from situations. It was not until the 20th century that sunglasses really took off, though, as Hollywood stars started wearing them to protect their eyes from the bright studio lights. By 1929, an entrepreneur named Sam Foster had put sunglasses into mass production in America, and was doing a roaring trade through his company, Foster Grant of Atlantic City. In 1936, Polaroid filters were invented, allowing glasses to protect against UV rays for the first time, and making them a desirable item for health reasons as well as for reasons of fashion and comfort – useful in World War II, when soldiers had to fight in the French summer. Since then, there have been few developments in sunglasses, with the basic science and materials remaining basically the same for the last seventy years – but, like other useful inventions of the period, they remain a big seller.
Archive for ◊ January, 2009 ◊
So you’ve decided that you’re going to do it. You’re sick and tired of being sick and tired and are once and for all hell bent on losing weight. Well, let me be the first to warn you of a very grim fact: Millions have tried before you and most of them have failed miserably at reaching their weight loss and diet goals. Therefore, I’ve put together a little beginner’s guide to help make sure that you are one of the few that actually ends up being successful at this.
- Get an accurate picture of where you are now Many people just go and hop on a diet or weight loss program without knowing exactly where they are from the start. This is dangerous because along the way there WILL be numerous times where you will be tempted to simply quit altogether. Without knowing where you started, you won’t be able to accurately gauge your progress. Not being able too see that progress put you at an extremely high risk of quitting down the road when the going gets tough.
- Set specific, realistic goals for your weight loss, and WRITE THEM DOWN. This is one of the most ill-executed steps in the entire process of losing weight. Most people will passively quote some random amount of weight that they “hope” to lose.
- “I need to lose 30 lbs.”
- “I’m trying to get back down to a size X”
- “If I can just fit back into Y, I’ll be fine” That is the exact WRONG way to go about your weight loss. All above the above are hopes. Wishes. Desires. And none does a thinner body make. What you need are detailed, definite goals that are written and time bound (e.g. “over the next 3 months”) to hold yourself accountable to doing what you said you were going to do by the time you said you were going to do it.
- Adopt a step-by-step course of action to get you there
In order for this to work there needs to be a concrete method to your weight loss madness. To this end, you need to chose a weight loss plan that will lead you step-by-step through what to eat (and what not to eat), how and when to exercise, and every other imaginable aspect of losing weight. The reason for this is that goals have a much better chance of becoming reality when they are being attained as a result of a plan or system of action.- Get started IMMEDIATELY
Most flunkies know how to study. Most broke people know how wealth is generated. Most overweight people how to lose weight. However, what separates all of these very knowledgeable, yet unsuccessful people from the results they desire is action. Don’t let that be your fate. Once you have written specific goals and chosen a plan of action, don’t delay in getting right on track to weight loss. The cheesecake, burgers, chocolate, and pastries aren’t going anywhere. You can snack on them moderately once you’ve achieved your goals. Don’t get caught into the trap of holding off having Your Best Body any longer. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be done.- Be Prepared for the emotional roller coaster
Nearly everyone who has tried to lose weight has had some level of success at one time or another. For those who have not been able to sustain desirable results, being knocked out by the emotional roller coaster is most likely to blame. Look, losing weight is very simple, but not easy. If it were, there wouldn’t be so many people trying to get it right. The #1 skill that you will need to develop in order to make it through is surviving the roller coaster of emotions. One day you’ll feel as if you’re getting great results. A week later, you may actually feel that you are moving backwards. Either way, just know that as long as you consistently follow the weight loss principles, you will ALWAYS move forward, even if it does not feel like it.- Don’t stop until your goal is reached, no matter WHAT
So many times people come to a screeching halt in their efforts to lose weight and diet because they get discouraged a portion of the way through OR after they reach a certain benchmark they allow themselves to be satisfied and quit the program even though their goal has not been reached. DON’T DO IT. There was a specific reason that you set your initial goal. Do not sell yourself short by settling for anything less. Stick it out until the very end, and your sense of accomplishment will be irreplaceable.- Once you’ve reached your goal, never, EVER let yourself blow up again
This is the last and final barrier to ultimate success in your efforts to lose weight. Make sure not to allow yourself to relapse while you are in maintenance mode. I recommend sticking to the same general principles that helped you lose the weight and then occasionally indulging in some of the foods that you love. This balance is the best way to keep the body that you’ve worked for and not feel over-restricted. - “I’m trying to get back down to a size X”
Make this the first and last time that you ever have to go through a weight loss program. Remember that if you can just get it right one good time, you can literally maintain it forever with little effort. To YourBestBody, Lawrence Cole
Your Lifestyle and Fitness Coach
See this Weight Loss Article at YourBestBodyNOW.com
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All those years of tea, smoking, red wine and raspberries will come back to bite you. Teeth have a nasty habit of discoloring at a rate proportional to your age. Now we’re not talking “I discovered my toothbrush at 11″ here. Discovering the science of tooth whitening after you’ve lost them is sad. All those with dentures- stop reading. No, we’re talking the average, two kids, one dog and one cat people here. Regular, over-the-counter tooth whitening candidates. Its not pearly grays or the mellow yellow that make the flash on the camera go off – it’s the pearly whites. If your smile makes your shirt look bright, consider a tooth whitening kit. So, how do you really know if you need kit? Don’t rely on relatives – they lie. “It’s nothing darling, just a mild discoloration. You’re beautiful just as you are.” (Permission to retch here.) There are various independent tests that you can perform to assess your tooth color situation: * The organic test: first catch your chameleon. Place firmly against the teeth (no biting). Smile and hold for approximately three minutes. Remove chameleon and check color. Discard (gently) after use. * DIY doesn’t work. The stuff you use to streak your hair – hydrogen peroxide – may be an ingredient of your tooth-whitening kit but the term “bottle blond” refers strictly to hair. Don’t use it on your teeth! You may learn the meaning of the phrase “your teeth are OK but the gums will have to come out.” * Or… dramatic pause… you can buy a tooth whitening kit. If you believe advertising, you absolutely need, must have, and can’t live without a whitening kit. You’ll get that promotion, seduce the prom queen, catch Mr. Right, etc, etc. These ubiquitous kits come, broadly speaking, in two forms: whitening strips and help-me-get-it-in-my-mouth gel holders. Being inherently irresponsible, you can’t buy the super-saturated with active ingredients kit such as your dentist is licensed to use on your teeth. If you want the full Monty you have to have the in-office treatment at your dental surgery. Depending on your financial and/or tooth color status, you may even be advised to go for the caps, crowns, laser treatment or veneer bonding options. All this information is available from you friendly dentist so we won’t repeat it here, except to point out that the cost of chair-side whitening may leave you with little to smile about. The real tooth-whitening bazaar happens at home. The home kits are where it’s at, financially speaking that is. Clutching your $xx.99, you casually stroll into the drugstore and browse until you build up the courage to ask about the tooth-whitening kits. No really, it’s OK – nothing to be embarrassed about – we’ve seen worse. Questions rattle around in your head. Will the assistant recognize me again? Do I really need this? Is it safe? Will it work? Definitely, yes, maybe and maybe. Teeth are not what they may seem to the unaided eye. A healthy enamel covering is porous with microscopic holes that trap material that can become, with optional extra staining, discolored. The active ingredients in over-the-counter kits contain active ingredients with fancy names such as hydrogen peroxide in buffer gel solution and carbamide peroxide. These are the chemicals that bleach the non-enamel substances trapped in the pores of enamel. If your tooth discoloration is caused by yucky stuff trapped in your enamel pores, whitening kits can help. If however your discoloration stems from the enamel itself being discoloured, whitening may not work. So-called intrinsic stains caused by OD’ing on antibiotics or fluoride as a child are largely impervious to whiteners, as are dead teeth from which the nerve has been removed. Other conditions that are contra-indicated for tooth whitening kits are cavities or caries and fillings in the front teeth. The first condition may cause mega-pain and the latter may leave the filling material a totally different color in your whitened smile. Assuming that you don’t have the suggested contra-indicators, you are still in the running to buy a kit and now a perplexing array of brands lies at your disposal. Choices, choices. Teeth come in a variety of off-white shades and we quote from a well-known color chart: “A (reddish brown); B (reddish yellow); C (gray); and D (reddish gray)” Things to look for in a kit are: the duration of the treatment – some of them go on for days with a two hour interval between treatments – a real test of how serious you are about getting two shades whiter. Some require you to sleep with a bite plate and gel so hold off on the romantic evening. Bottom line… read the instruction and make sure you can live with the treatment before selecting a kit. Read the fine print. These things are not guaranteed to work under all circumstances. Some people have minimal results, (probably the reddish gray types); others come away smiling. One contra-indication for using a tooth-whitening kit is pregnancy. The prospect of having a baby may make you beam but stick with the horsy yellow until confinement is over. Whitening your choppers may make junior a bit slow. Another no-no is when you’re the sensitive type that can’t bite robustly into an apple without wincing, check with your dentist first. In fact, check with your dentist anyway. Whitening kits have come a long way in buffering the active ingredients to lessen sensitivity but some people are naturally prone to the condition. Try brushing with toothpaste that contains potassium nitrate to help soothe tooth nerve ending. If you do find a tooth-whitening kit that that does it for you, don’t forget to take some “before” photos. The manufacturers will take the after ones and make you smile… all the way to the bank. Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.
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Most people suffer from headaches at one time or another, and many people in North American suffer from migraines, ranging in frequency from several times a year to once a month or more often. In many cases, a migraine or severe headache forces the sufferer into isolation until it goes away, damaging their ability to work, socialize, and generally live life to its fullest. What most people don’t already realize is that many migraines and headaches can be prevented through the regular use of a good set of sunglasses! Regardless of whether it’s the summer solstice or the frigid depths of winter, a high quality pair of sunglasses is a very useful preventive health item as well as a fashion accessory. Since bright light can trigger migraines, headaches, and contribute to tension and other disorders, a good pair of sunglasses can significantly improve your quality of life, as well as preventing serious eye degeneration that can eventually lead to blindness. An effective pair of sunglasses should block both UVA and UVB rays, but new research suggests that High Energy Visible (HEV) light may also contribute to eye disorders, particularly in children. There is still insufficient data on this subject, but some manufacturers now design to block UV rays as well as HEV light, reducing your changes or visual damage from light sources. It’s very important to note that dark glasses are not the same as UV-exclusive glasses. Check to make sure that your shades are made by a reputable manufacturer, and that they’re certified to block out UVA and UVB at least – if they don’t do this, it’s very possible that they’re worsening your exposure to harmful light by tricking your eyes into. Since damage from UV exposure is cumulative, it’s important to regularly wear a high-quality set of sunglasses, and to start young. If you teach your children at a young age about the value of wearing good sunglasses, you may save their eyes from damage later – and besides, everyone knows how cool a good set of shades look.
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Do you know that the computer is only one cause of discomfort for contact lens wearers? Have you ever found your eyes are often dry and irritated when wearing them? All these happen because of bad habits in caring for your lenses normally developed in a group of new contact lens’ users. Properly caring for your lens and following the guidelines for your type is important in protecting your vision and ensuring your contacts are comfortable to wear. See if you’ve been making these following mistakes that could be ruining your contacts and possibly harming your eyes. The first mistake is that Cleaning Your Lenses With Water. Your eyes are very sensitive and can easily become infected when you do not clean your lenses properly. The lens develops a build up of deposits that can irritate the eye. Lens cleaning solutions will break down the deposits and disinfect the lens. Moreover, water and homemade saline solutions are not clean enough for cleaning contact lens because they can contain micro-organisms, chlorine and other minerals that can damage the lens and harm your eyes. Unless you are wearing disposable lenses you must clean your contacts after every wear. Use an appropriate lens case for storage and clean the case and allow to air dry between uses. Secondly, some users wear contact lens longer than the recommended amount of time, stated on the box. Some contacts are meant to be thrown out after one day of wear. Others can be worn for a week or a month without removing them in between. Most require removal and cleaning every day. It is important to know the schedule your contacts are intended for to prevent problems with your eyes. Lastly, the hygiene of your eyes is very important. You have to make sure that anything like hands that will contact to your eyes is clean. When you remove or insert your contacts be sure to handle them with clean, dry hands. It is better to avoid washing your hands with soaps containing perfumes or oils and don’t allow sunscreen, hand cream or nail polish remover to come in contact with them. You can use eye drops or natural tear to remoisten your contacts when they are dry and irritated while wearing them rather than trying to take them out. In fact, if your eyes do feel dry and the contact is sticking try to remoisten your contacts before attempting to remove them. If you wear makeup you should insert the contacts before applying cosmetics and remove them before washing cosmetics off. Powders and sprays can irritate contact lens wearers so be careful when applying powdery shadows or hair spray when wearing contact lens. If irritation occurs DO NOT rub your eyes; remove lenses first and clean them in the cleaning solution before wearing again. Your eyes are precious – take care to protect it from harm. If you do think you’ve injured or infected your eye do not wear your contacts until you have been seen by an eye care specialist.
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If you’re realized, nobody in the world would be nuts enough to one day suddenly decided that they wanted to be a smoker. It all starts off with various reasons. Some would experience the need to be accepted or do not want to be left out in a group and hence peer pressure. Many if not all says that it releases stress. I do personally know some friends who started out of curiosity. Some would do it on purpose thinking they could stop anytime, I could go on and on. But for whatever the reason is, one thing for sure is that By The Time They Realize They’re Addicted, It’s Already Too Late! It is most likely that if you’ve come across this article, you are already hooked to cigarettes. You’re bounded to go through all the withdrawal symptoms if you didn’t smoke. The crucial thing you must realized before quitting smoking is that: You DO NOT need cigarettes in your life regardless of the excuses! Let’s take a look at some of the infamous excuses of why people smoke: • Smoking releases stress Somehow this is not really the case. The truth is, your body and mind are capable of handling a lot more stress than you can imagine. How did you handle your stress before you started smoking? Think about it. The reason why you feel relieved is because you are satisfying your addiction. The real stress comes from your addiction. Not anything else. • It keeps you awake from sleeping Many have resorted this to “burn the midnight oil” to make ends meet for their tasks and schedule. As human beings, sleep is natural response and process. When you smoke, chemicals are introduced into your brain to interfere with the natural response of sleeping. In fact, many smokers seem to have got this concept twisted. Studies have shown that when you get more rest and sleep, you’ll be so much more productive at a higher rate compared to trying and forcing yourself to stay awake through cigarettes. • It gives me the boost to keep on going The question here is… are you so incapable of keeping your spirits high that you need to depend on cigarettes? If that’s any truth in this excuse, then why do people whom do not smoke have so much more energy and higher spirits and enthusiasm about themselves compared to smokers? Remember that every reason to continue smoking is an excuse. You do not need cigarettes in your life. There so other ways to get you on the go and keep you in your best. The best way to gain that energy is by starting to exercise, perhaps once or twice a week of 20 minutes is good. It’s little but makes a huge difference in assisting you to quit smoking.