Reasons to Buy a Used Car

Let's look at five reasons why it's worth thinking about buying used the next time around.

* Cars are more reliable than ever. Survey after survey shows that the best current cars provide longer, more dependable service than ever before. Consumer Reports regularly publishes lists of the best used-car bets, based on its own extensive survey database. Get a copy of Consumer Reports' most recent annual auto issue; you'll find great choices in most price ranges.

* Avoid the worst of the depreciation hit. Cars depreciate every year, but the biggest slices of value come off in the first two to three years of its life. A two-year-old car that's been well treated will still give you years of service -- and some of that new-car feel -- for thousands less.

* More car for less money. Want a BMW for Honda money? Or maybe just an Accord for Civic money? Buying used lets you take advantage of someone else's depreciation hit. (But research your maintenance and insurance costs first. BMWs are solid and durable cars, but their parts cost more than Honda's. Buy that dream car carefully.)

* The Internet helps you find what you want. Got your heart set on a red Toyota Prius with a navigation system? Before you start calling dealers looking for a new one, check out the used listings on sites such as AutoTrader.com and Cars.com. You may be able to find the car of your dreams: lightly used, close to home, and at a substantial discount from new.

* Dealer "certification" programs. Nearly every automaker now offers a used-car "certification" program, under which the manufacturer inspects, repairs, and "certifies" recent used cars that then get sold with a warranty. These programs are a notable compromise between buying new and buying used; they give used-car buyers a relationship with a dealer, a factory-backed warranty, and assurance that they're not buying major hidden problems. You'll generally pay a bit more for a "certified" used car versus one bought from a private seller, but the benefits can be substantial.

Some last thoughts: If the car you're considering isn't "certified," run its VIN through CARFAX to check for past insurance claims, and have a local mechanic inspect it before you decide to buy. If the seller won't let you have it inspected by an independent mechanic, don't even bother arguing -- move on to the next candidate.

Keep these tips in mind before you get behind the wheel of your next vehicle. You'll be happy you did.

Used Car Loan – Best Loan Rate!

You have found your dream car and now you have to get your auto loan to make your dream come true. Admit it; this is not an easy thing to select the best auto loan as you have to search over thousands of auto loan available on the market nowadays! All claim to be the best offering the lower interest rate.

Same thing happen when you plan to buy a used car, some people tend to drive a used car for economical reasons, you find the car, but you confuse where to get the used car loan? To do your own research definitely will consume lots of time but for sure you can not just apply without any study, at least to do some comparison, right?

Get the best auto loan is one site specializes to help people like you, to find the best auto loan, whether you are looking for a new car loan, used car loan, or even to refinance your existing car loan, this site has all the experience. This site starts as a small site but now they have grown and many have put confident into this provider to find for their car loans.

The method they use is to put your need of new car loan, used car loan, or refinance your current car loan into the business where several lenders will compete. The result is you get more saving by getting multiple online auto loan quotes; you can compare and decide which loan offer the best interest rate and best fitted to your car loan need.

This site works with nation’s top lenders with the lowest interest rate available in the industry, this is what this site claim to offer, they match you with the most efficient lenders! So why wait? Get your free quotes by simply fill out form available on this site. Visit getthebestautoloan.com and get your car!

Being a good partner with your health professional

Here are some tips for being a good partner with your health professional:

* Build a relationship with your health professional. Let your health professional know that you want to be a partner in your health care. Tell the health professional what your expectations are.

* Be an active participant in each appointment. Listen carefully to what your health professional says. If you do not understand a diagnosis or treatment, ask questions. Tell the health professional if you do not think that you can carry out the prescribed treatment.

* Prepare your child for tests and exams. Let your child know why he or she is seeing a health professional and what will be done during the visit. Your child's age and developmental level will determine how best to prepare him or her.

Good Advice for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

There are changes you can make to improve your chances of getting a good night’s sleep. Sleep experts call this “sleep hygiene,” and these measures are routinely recommended for almost anyone complaining of sleep trouble. Some are just common sense, but, unfortunately, many people for whom sleep is a problem do not recognize their importance. Here are some general guidelines to follow:

*Establish a schedule and stick to it; sleep when you are sleepy but try to get up and go to bed each day at about the same time.

*Use a fan or other means of creating a steady, soothing sound to drown out other noises.

*Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake; avoid caffeine after noon and don’t use alcohol as a sedative before bed.

*Get heavy curtains or shades to block out bright light early in the morning if you are awakening earlier than you’d like.

*Check your medication list. Because some medicines can interfere with sleep, ask your doctor or pharmacist about the medicines you take.

*Do not exercise vigorously after within several hours of bedtime.

*Avoid heavy meals or excessive fluids within an hour or two of bedtime.

Solution to Your Short Term Cash Flow Issue!

When it comes to way we manage money, some are really good planner, but others are just spender without the ability to trace where all the money have gone. Not everyone born with skill to be a good planner. But good habits are good to follow.

People with ability to plan includes to plan the spending usually will not easy get into financial problems compare to the type of people that just spending without keeping a record.

But we live a life that spin sometime up and sometime down, even a planner type can get into financial problems, only fewer. Whether you are a good planner or spender only type, sometime short of cash can happen, and when it occurs it is time to get help, to get your quick payday loans!

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To get this site services, you need to sign up and provide information, in many cases there is no requirement to send or fax your documents. You can just relax and if there is nothing more to require from your side, your money will be automatically transferred into your saving account.

You need to be at least 18 years, have monthly active income and of course and active saving bank account too.

No one expect emergency but when the emergency affect your cash flow, even a good planner too need to find a solution & PersonalCashAdvance.com is definitely one solution you can consider!

5 Steps To Brilliant Budgeting!

In the words of the classic summer anthem from Martha and the Vandellas: "Summer's here and the time is right for...staying indoors and sorting out your finances?"

Alas, my version doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? On a lovely day like today, the last thing that you want is to be sweating over a spreadsheet in order to balance your household books. Indeed, I'm sure you'll agree that budgeting is the most boring part of money management.

Fair enough, budgeting may not be as thrilling as, say, bungee jumping, but it is the very foundation of financial management. Furthermore, in the words of a former boss of mine: "If you can't measure it, you can't manage it." This man went on to retire worth millions in his early forties, so I think he's worth listening to! So, without further ado, here are five steps to better budgeting:

1. Pull together your paperwork

Without a doubt, rounding up and managing one's paperwork is the dullest aspect of budgeting. Personally, I belong to the piling, not filing' school of money management, so I live in fear of my paper mountain! Nevertheless, without a grip on your paperwork, you have no power over your personal finances. So, get this task out of the way quickly by gathering together all of your recent statements, payslips and so on.

2. Set up a spreadsheet

The next step is to set up a list of all of your earnings and outgoings. The good news is that the spadework has already been done for you by two popular Fools. These clever chaps have produced an online calculator known as a statement of affairs. By entering your figures in the boxes provided, you can view an instant snapshot of your household budget and personal balance sheet. This information can be saved, printed or formatted for posting on our discussion boards.

3. Learn to love your bills

Although no-one likes paying bills, they do have one useful function: they provide information about our spending habits. Thus, by keeping tabs on your bills, you can learn exactly where your money goes. However, before you can begin to bash your bills, you need to bring them together in one place.

It's important not to overlook any of your daily, weekly, monthly and yearly spending. For example, don't forget to track occasional bills, such as insurance policies which renew each year. Furthermore, don't omit the little luxuries which get you through the working week. The most effective way to monitor your money is to keep a spending diary for at least a month. By recording all of your spending in a little notebook, you can build up an amazingly accurate picture of your financial habits.

* Compare Electricity & Gas providers
* Compare Telephone providers

4. Switch to autopilot

Because budgeting is boring, it makes sense to automate as much of it as you possibly can. For example, paying bills by standing order or direct debit takes away the hassle of having to pay them as they come in. The same goes for saving. Instead of saving whatever remains at the end of each month, it's easier to set aside a fixed monthly amount to squirrel away. By keeping things simple, you can switch to autopilot and thus avoid tiresome tasks.

5. Get help from others

After a twelve-year housing boom, we Brits have amassed personal debts totalling £1,436 billion, or almost £58,000 per household. Indeed, every one of us knows someone who has struggled financially in recent years. So, don't be embarrassed to share your financial concerns with your loved ones, because they may be in the same boat!

On the other hand, if you don't want to share your burden with family members, then get help anonymously. Try visiting our hugely popular Living Below Your Means and Dealing with Debt discussion boards, where you'll find great advice from budgeting gurus and people who have celebrated their DFD (debt-free day).

Finally, one of the key benefits of better budgeting is an improved credit record. By cleaning up your personal finances today, it becomes easier to get credit in future. So, mastering your money now should mean lower interest rates and cheaper mortgages further down the line (Source: uk.biz.yahoo.com)

Money Saving Tips

With rising living costs stretching everyone's finances, it makes sense to look at ways to cut your spending. But most of the money saving tips I read seem unrealistic and unsuited to my lifestyle.

Surely there are others like me, who care about their finances, but care about other things more (fun, friends, free time). Nearly everyone I know fits into this category of wanting to save money but not to the detriment of their way of life. I would never in a million years bother with most of the tips proffered by those with the time and energy to go to great lengths to save 50p. So can I save a little money?

Eat cheap

You might have heard of MySupermarket.co.uk where you can go online to find out which supermarket offers cut-price Vimto, and then be directed to their website to place the order. Fair enough, if you are an online supermarket shopper -- most of us are not, either through choice or because they don't deliver where we live.

The supermarkets featured on MySupermarket are Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Asda. But it's not rocket science to work out which is the most expensive (indeed I've listed them in order here for you).

Instead of looking at saving a few pounds on your usual shop why not accept that you might have to buy different products? If I had one supermarket-shopping money-saving tip, it would be: buy 'value' or basic versions of everything. OK, most things --bread and loo roll, for me, would be going too far. But many items are no different to the big brands, like pasta and tinned tomatoes.

And, if you really want to cut down your food bill, I suggest you plan all your meals in advance and make a shopping list -- then you won't waste.

Smoke and mirrors

There have been recent stories about how much you can save by not smoking -- £170 a month according to Abbey and £250 a month according to Moneyfacts. That's great, but drum roll here please smoking is addictive. Which means most regular puffers are neither encouraged or discouraged by the cost. I want to quit smoking for many reasons -- and none of them is to do with the money I would save. If you are smoker and you want to save cash, switch to rolling tobacco.

Goodbye road rage?

Rising petrol prices have led to a million different suggestions about saving fuel. Put less luggage in the car, drive slower or use a half full tank.

How about simply giving up the car? There are many alternatives to owning a car which would still allow you to drive when you wanted to.

Plus, if you walk about more, you can cancel your gym membership (saving even more) as you'll be getting fit by default.

The smart money

Of course, the best savings are done by switching financial products, because you don't have to change your lifestyle. You just pay less for the same thing hurrah!

Over the long term a competitive mortgage will yield the biggest savings, but current conditions mean the usual rules have changed. For many borrowers their lender's SVR is cheaper than paying an enormous remortgage fee for a relatively high rate.

But it's still worth checking with a mortgage broker whether you could save, and checking again in six months (Source: uk.biz.yahoo.com).

Easy Online Payday Loan

Sometime you need extra cash when your financial situation is only enough to cover your daily needs. We can not avoid such emergency, life must go on, and bills need to be paid, while the next payday is still week ahead.

In this case, if you are (at least) 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, have a regular income of $1000 per month, and have an active bank account; you may visit Easy Online Payday Loan.com and sign up for quick cash loans.

This site will match you with lenders to help you to get your extra cash to cover your emergency needs or any other short-term loan. Your pay day loans or quick cash loans are secured against your future paycheck.

Easy Online Payday Loan fully aware your financial situation so they make the process as simple and as easy as possible. You just need to sign up and provide information as required by lender. In many cases, no document needs to be faxed, and it takes only minutes to complete the form.

Once your form is submitted, lender will review and if approve, money will be transferred into your account. Now you know where to go to apply for your loan request, yes, just sign up to www.easyonlinepaydayloan.com! This site understands their business and you are in good hand to fulfill your quick cash loans.

4 Steps to Set Your Internal Clock

The repetition of these four steps to set your internal clock should help you permanently change your internal clock, which, for example, is useful for the guy who is chronically late to work.

step 1 Plan to get a normal amount of sleep
The first step to set your internal clock is the most difficult: Prepare yourself so that you can get a normal amount of sleep, whether that’s 5, 6, 8 or even 10 hours. The reason is fairly obvious: This is shifting your ordinary sleep pattern by however many hours separate your typical wake-up time from this unusual time.

While this step isn’t crucial to set your internal clock for a different time, it is crucial for being alert and competent throughout the course of the day, especially if you’re doing this on a regular basis. Society chronically undervalues the importance of sleep; consider that prior to the invention of the light bulb, however, people routinely slept for 10 hours each night.

step 2 Block out all the light
Harvard researchers dub the circadian rhythm “the internal clock that drives the daily activities of all living things,” and it is housed among a set of nerve cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Light and dark act on it as external cues. The key to set your internal clock comes down to manipulating this rhythm.

In this step, simulate your normal bedtime by blocking out any possible sources of light in an effort to kick-start that rhythm. Darkness -- rather the absence of light -- plays on the back of the eyes and stimulates the SCN to decrease your body temperature and encourage the release of melatonin, a hormone known to aide in sleep.

step 3 Embed the time into your brain
Embed into your brain the time you want to get up -- whether you do this through visualization (concentrating on a mental image of the clock telling the time you want to wake up), pounding your head into the pillow five times for a 5 a.m. wake-up call or any other manner. The point is, anticipating that time can help you get up at that time.

If you think this won't set your internal clock, think again. How often have you woken up just minutes before your alarm went off? This phenomenon isn’t coincidental. According to research from University Lubeck in Germany, the anticipation of a certain time triggers a release of stress hormones (like adrenocorticotropin), such that within an hour or so prior to really waking up, these secretions intensify, preparing you for the “stress” of actually doing so.

Furthermore, Cecil Adams at the Straight Dope notes that in almost all alarm clocks, there is “a faint click or some other change in rhythm a short time before the alarm goes off,” which you’re able to hear on a subconscious level.

step 4 Upon waking, immediately expose yourself to light
Just like the absence of light kicks the SCN to lower your body temperature and stimulate the release of melatonin, light itself stimulates the SCN to increase your body temperature and release a variety of hormones that turn protein into energy, gearing you up for the day ahead.

Thus, to further awaken yourself and condition your mind and body to wake up at a certain time, immediately expose yourself to a source of light once you get up. If sunlight is not available, turn on the lights in the bathroom.

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5 Healthiest Anti-Aging Snacks

Most of us are used to eating three times a day, but it is much healthier to eat smaller meals more frequently -f ive small meals a day, for instance. Eating in this way delivers a steady stream of nutrients, blood sugar, and energy to your body throughout the day and is also much less taxing on the digestive and metabolic systems.

And when you eat more small meals throughout the day, you will most likely avoid the pitfalls of overindulging at your next meal and may actually consume fewer total calories for the day.

Keep healthy "grab-and-go" snacks on hand all the time to avoid the tempting lure of high-calorie snacks. Here are my top five snack choices:

1. Nuts and Seeds Keep You Young
Healthy and appetizing, nuts and seeds are absolutely the best snack of the bunch. Helping yourself to a handful of nuts and seeds every day can improve circulation and muscle tone.

And nuts and seeds are especially full of arginine, an amino acid that helps to combat heart disease, impotence, infertility, and high blood pressure, and it also facilitates the healing process. Additionally, arginine can stimulate the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.

The pituitary releases growth hormones, which begin to decline quickly in humans after age 35. This means that after 35, your hormones start to plunge and you experience some aging symptoms. The skin loses elasticity, the muscle loses mass and strength, the lean body tissue decreases, fertility and virility decrease, and other signs of aging start to set in.

Many nuts and seeds are rich sources of vitamin E, lignants and omega-3 fatty acids, which protect you from heart disease and also from the ravages of aging.

Almonds, pine nuts, sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, peanuts, and pistachios: mix them in any combination and enjoy! Keep in mind that there are more nutrients in the raw form than roasted. Make sure that the nuts and seeds are fresh and not old and rancid.

2. An Apple a Day for Heart Health
There are many reasons to eat an apple - or two or three - every day. One study discovered that subjects who ate five apples or more a week had a healthier lung function than those who ate no apples.

And scientists have confirmed that apples also contribute to a healthy heart. Thanks to the fruit's rich pectin content, eating two to three apples per day leads to decreased cholesterol levels. Pectin also helps prevent colon cancer, one of the top causes of death in adults over age sixty.

3. Bring On the Berries
In season again, berries are bursting with antioxidants. The enticing red, purple, and blue skins of berries contain bioflavonoids, antioxidant compounds that reduce free radical damage.

These flavonoids are more potent antioxidants than vitamins C and E, and they also help to reduce inflammation - more effectively even than aspirin!

• Blueberries are your best pick because not only do they have the highest level of antioxidant activity, but they also possess powerful neuroprotective properties that shield brain cells from damage , helping to slow down the age-related onset of memory loss, Alzheimer's, and senility.

• Cherries also contain these beneficial anthocyanin compounds, which stimulate your pancreas to produce insulin. In fact, Chinese researchers have observed that cherries help keep diabetics healthy. These compounds also protect you against cancer, arthritis, and heart disease because they lower cholesterol.

4. Avocado: Packed with Nutrients
Among the many antioxidant nutrients, glutathione is known as the "master antioxidant." This naturally occurring compound, found in avocados (as well as asparagus, walnuts, and fish), is made up of the three amino acids glycine, glutamic acid, and cysteine. Glutathione regulates immune cells, protects against cancer, and assists in detoxifying.

A deficiency in glutathione can play a part in diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, low sperm count, and premature aging. Avocados are also a source of L-cysteine, which helps protect your body from the harmful effects of pollution, chemicals, radiation, alcohol, and smoke. L-cysteine may also help boost immunity, protect you from heart disease, and build muscle. It is also useful for combating inflammation and encouraging healthy hair and nail growth.

Pair your avocado with whole-grain crackers or whole-grain crisp breads for a fiber-rich tasty treat.

5. Apricots for Anti-Aging
One of the staple foods of the famously long-lived centenarians in the Hunza valley of the Himalayas is the apricot. Research has discovered that apricots have the highest levels and widest variety of carotenoids of any food.

Carotenoids are antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, reduce "bad cholesterol" levels, and protect against cancer. (Source: Yahoo! Health)

3 Red Flags That You're Headed for a Breakup

When it comes to breaking up, hindsight is 20/20. But wouldn't it be nice if you could tell that you and your partner were headed for a falling out before it happened?

Fortunately, you can predict a break up. And with just a little bit of tweaking, you can get back on track and rescue your relationship before it hits the rocks.

Red Flag #1: Tuning Out
One of the most common reasons relationships fail is because one or both partners is tuning out. It might sound minor, but in actuality, few things are more hurtful than being ignored by your loved one, whether that is accompanied by emotional neglect or physical distance.

The Cure: Take Down the Wall
Tuning back in is easy. All you have to do is agree to listen to your partner's feedback and dedicate time and emotion to the relationship again. Start taking down the emotional wall, brick by brick. Look at your partner in the eye when he or she speaks (even if it is not what you want to hear), make physical contact daily (even if it is just holding hands), and re-commit to the relationship.
Red Flag #2: Fighting Fire with Fire
Couples who fight fire with fire can expect a relationship that is constantly up in flames. Name-calling, sarcasm, criticism, and violence (from throwing things, slamming doors, to actual physical abuse) result in emotional wounds that are hard to heal and relationships that are hard to rescue.

The Cure: Pour Water on the Flames
The next time you feel anger guiding you to say, or do, things you might regret, take time to cool off. If that's not possible, try framing your complaints as requests. For instance instead of, "Why did you forget our date?," you could say, "I feel sad that you forgot our date. How can we make sure this doesn't happen again?" If your partner is the one who is fanning the flames, don't engage in the vicious cycle of insults and tantrums. You can't fight fire with fire if the other person won't engage in the flame-throwing.

Red Flag #3: Refusing to Own Up
No one is perfect, so why is it that some of us refuse to take responsibility in our most important relationships? Passing the buck and playing the victim are surefire ways to put a relationship in jeopardy.

The Cure: Take Responsibility for Your Actions
The next time you forget an anniversary, or say something hurtful to your spouse, don't try to pass the buck and refuse to take responsibility. Instead, admit where you went wrong and try harder next time. Sounds simple... but it can save your relationship.

By making simple changes to the way you and your partner communicate, you can keep your relationship intact. All couples fight and argue, but it is how you fight and argue that determines whether your love can weather the storm. (Source: Yahoo! Health)

4 Instant Intimacy Boosters

Healthy ways you can jump-start your hormones, boost your own libido-arousing brain chemicals, and give your whole relationship an extra boost of all-natural adrenaline. Here are four ways to set your own love and lust records

Shot 1: They Add Adventure to their Romance

Research shows that adventurous men and women have more testosterone (good for libido). You can amp up the intensity of your relationship by amping up the intensity of your activities.

That doesn't mean that you necessarily need to do something really risky, like skydive or punch out a paparazzi. But it does mean that adding a little element of risk to your typical Saturday to-do list will make you - and your relationship - feel a little more alive than usual.

Take a rock-climbing class, or book a white-water rafting trip. Not up for that? Riding a roller coaster will give you a quick shot, as will seeing a scary movie.

Shot 2: They Cyber Flirt when They're Apart

One of the big complaints I hear from men and women about what goes wrong in a relationship is that it can feel staler than yesterday's bagel. After the novelty has worn off and the commitment has solidified, the closest thing anyone will hear to flirting is "can you please grab me a diet soda from the fridge?"

Try this: If you haven't already, set up instant-messaging accounts. Then, if you have a laptop and a desktop, initiate a convo while your partner's in one room and you're in another. Let sexual tension mount and innuendos fly, and you're off and running.

Bonus: In this scenario, you're only a room away. Or better still: You can conduct this dirty dialogue when he's in his workplace, and she's in hers, which means tonight's reunion will be good for more than just a distracted peck on the cheek.

Shot 3: They Show up on Each Others' Turf

It's good for relationships when each party has his or her own interests. She goes to yoga three days a week; he plays Ultimate Frisbee on Sunday afternoons. Space is good.

But more than you do now, make a point to watch, participate in, or ask about each other's outside activities. She'll be thrilled that he's risking his hamstrings (and dignity) to experience what downward dog is all about; he'll be ego-stroked when she's sitting on the sidelines as he hits disc paydirt. Independence is good, interdependence is better.

Shot 4: They Take a Walk on the Wild Side

Routine is great when it comes to some things (like car maintenance), but routine can also be the drizzle on the tinder of a hot relationship. So, here's what you do: Identify one part of your relationship where you feel like you're in a rut, and find a way to break that routine. This will help you overcome the obstacles to sex that everyone faces.

It doesn't have to be a major overhaul, just subtle changes that send the message to your partner that you're going to keep the surprises coming. If Sunday is chores day, plan brunch out with a group of friends, instead-but make sure you order wisely each and every time. (Source: Yahoo! Health)

5 Causes of Rapid Aging

Most people are aware that negative lifestyle habits like smoking and excessive alcohol can lead to rapid aging. But what about the repeated stress and poor nutrition that are so often a part of a high-pressure style of living today? Read on to see what could be causing rapid aging in your life.

1. Poor Diet
What you eat probably affects your health more than anything else you do. When you eat a poor diet—fatty, processed, or fried foods and simple sugars—you invite rapid aging by burdening your body with chemical additives and trans-fats and depriving your body of essential nutrients. On the other hand, when you eat the life-giving foods, you prevent disease and improve organ functioning.

In general, your diet should consist of a wide array of colors and balance of organic sources of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Numerous studies show that the different pigments in the skins of fruits and vegetables are powerful antioxidants that are crucial for maintaining health, preventing cancer, and protecting against environmental toxins.

Avoid fatty foods, processed or fried foods. Keep dairy to a minimum because most dairy products are high in saturated fat. Take candy, sugar, soda, and all simple sugars out of your diet. Excess sugar gets stored as fat in your body, which spells in weight gain—a sure path to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes. You truly are what you eat, so eat well!

2. Unhappiness
Unhappiness does not only depress your mood, it also negatively affects your health. In fact, depressed, unhappy people are twice as likely to develop heart disease. And it has been confirmed that personality profile Type C—people that tend towards melancholy, depression, and excessive worry—are prone to develop cancer. Do not underestimate the power of your mind. Your experience is determined by the energy you embody, and in the end, it is your choice to have a negative perception or a positive attitude in reaction to life's breakdowns.

Years ago, I had the pleasure of working with the late Norman Cousins. His research showed that the mind has a powerful influence on many physiological functions, including the immune system. He found that an increase in immune killer cells that attack cancer occurred in cancer patients who experienced 30 minutes of deep belly laughter every day for twelve weeks. Laughter also increases the release of endorphins, compounds that give you a sense of well-being. Undoubtedly, joyful people liver longer and healthier lives.

3. Lack of Exercise
I have never met a healthy person or centenarian that lived a physically inactive life. Exercise is essential for a healthy metabolism, proper energy circulation, and the expelling of cellular wastes. Being overweight and inactive is a surefire path to rapid aging and a host of diseases. Cardiovascular exercise is the key to speeding up your metabolism, burning excess calories, and fighting body fat. Brisk walking, hiking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, stair climbing-the options are endless for cardio health! Exercise for 30 minutes at 60-80% of your MHR (You can find this number by subtracting your age from 220.) Regular exercise is also the key to preventing non-insulin-dependent diabetes, which is the fastest growing disease in industrialized countries throughout the world.

You can stave off rapid aging to your muscles, joints, and tendons by practicing exercises that extend your range of motion; some options include tai chi, qigong and yoga. Check out simple tai chi moves that you can learn easily in my book, Harmony Tai Chi by clicking here. Also, moderate load-bearing exercises are essential for bone density and muscle strength. Don't forget when you are exercising to always warm up and cool down properly to avoid injury.

4. Stress
Stress is a huge byproduct of our busy lives and it takes a tremendous toll on our health. Our body's "survival mode" gets turned on all too often these days. When you are experiencing stress, your body is programmed to go into fight-or-flight mode, a state that requires a lot of energy. Adrenaline is released from the adrenal gland, and it tells the body to convert stored sugar from the liver to glucose because the energy needs of the body increase substantially during the supposed fight-or-flight scenario.

Unfortnately, this scenario almost never plays out and the excess blood sugar that never got used ends up being stored as fat—inevitably resulting in weight gain. What's more, all of this stress continually depletes your body of its energy resources until it crumples under the overload, leading to adrenal exhaustion, a nervous breakdown, or a broken-down immune system.

To stay stress-free, remember to breathe deeply all day. And give yourself a break! You are a human, not a machine. Try taking a 15-minute powernap during your lunch break. If you only have 5 minutes to spare, just closing your eyes will release tension. Better still, consider taking up meditation, a great way to dissolve stress. To learn more about how to use meditation to decrease stress, click here.

5. Lack of Sleep
There's no way around it: the average adult needs seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night to maintain health. Consider that your immune system drops by an average of 60% after just three nights of poor sleep. Without sufficient "recovery time" each night, you will run your body down and wear out your life force, paving the way for disharmony and disease. (Source : Yahoo! Health)

8 traits of a bad fitness instructor

Let's face it. If you are taking any type of fitness class, whether it be aerobics, body sculpting or yoga, there is a good chance you are there to learn, to be motivated and to get a good workout. As a result, you are probably looking for an instructor who will be a great teacher, fun and effective.

Having taught aerobics for over ten years, I'm extremely atuned to the level of quality an instructor brings to the class. I am often amazed at how many instructors aren't very good, or for that matter, aren't very inspiring. As a result, I've outlined some traits that you should look for to know if the instructor is worthy of your time and money or if you are better off with someone else. If you take a class and find that you leave underwhelmed, there is a good chance that the instructor was lacking in one of these capacities...if not all of them.

1. Forgetful Freddy: Look, all of us can be forgetful at times, but if there is a pattern of forgetfullness on the part of your instructor, it is probably a clue that they aren't so great. Things that might suggest your instructor's mind might be somewhere else:
1. Your instructor has problems remembering where they are in routines during classes
2. You find that your instructor continually doesn't remember what they did the week before, even though they are 'adding' to last weeks's classes

2. Lopsided Lola: If your instructor works your body assymetrically (doesn't work both sides of your body equally) it can lead to possible injury and/or lopsided muscle development, especially if it happens class after class. This is not good in the long term. You want an instructor who works both sides of the body equally, and even more importantly, all muscle groups, ensuring that you don't over-develop any one muscle or muscle group.

3. Offbeat Olga: If you are in a structured class that requires you to follow a routine to up-tempo music you should be able to literally 'feel the rhythm'. If routines don't flow well, or if you feel like they are awkward, there is a good chance your instructor just doesn't know how to choreograph routines properly. Moreover, if moves aren't choreographed well, you might trip, fall or even pull or sprain a muscle due to the fact that your inner rhythm wants to do something different than what your instructor has taught you. Rhythm and flow of classes are important in maximizing your 'feel good' endorphins and motivation, as well as keeping exercises safe.

4. Sergeant Sam: Some people like to be told what to do or even like to be yelled at to do things, but in most cases, people want to be treated nicely. If your instructor has a drill sargent mentality and doesn't treat you with respect, then you shouldn't bless his class with your presence. Find an instructor with the personality that is right for you. A little 'tough love' isn't bad, but if it is all you get, that can be demotivating and leave you feeling stomped upon. Neither of which you need when trying to release stress.

5. Basic Barbara: From the beginning of taking an exercise class, your instructor and class should challenge you. Sure, basic moves are good and safe for beginners, but as you get used to a class and as you become more and more comfortable with the different exercises, routines or moves, you should progress and move forward. If your class isn't a specific level (e.g., beginner, intermediate or advanced), your instructor should show you modifications that make the moves more challenging or less challenging, depending on your individual level.

6. Fast and Furious Freda: The tempo of the music needs to be right for the class. For instance, if you are in a step class and the beats per minute are too fast, you will possibly injur yourself or fall. If you are in a class where the tempo is too slow for the exercises, you might not get an effective workout. Either way, there is a range of appropriate beats per minute for different types of classes. If you feel that the class is too fast or too slow, there is a good chance you are not alone. Politely ask your instructor to slow or speed up the music to meet your level of comfort.

7. Monotonous Mona: As an instructor, I know that it can be difficult to constantly create new choreography or exercises...sometimes you even burn out. That said, instructors are paid to motivate people and to be creative. It is their duty to make the class fun and interesting. If it isn't, then they aren't doing their job.

8. Lazy Larry: When you take an exercise class, you should feel challenged. Granted, different classes challenge you in different ways. For instance, if the class is meant to be a cardio or aerobic exercise class, your heart rate should fall within the target heart rate zone of exercise. If the class is more strength training oriented, you should feel 'the burn' in the muscles that you are working (it should 'hurt' a little to complete the set). And if the class is more flexibility training oriented, you should be able to stretch a little further every class. If within any of these class types you aren't working very hard or don't feel very challenged, you probably aren't. Find an instructor that makes you work for your money...that is what you are there for. You should feel that you have gotten something out of any and every class you go to.

So good luck finding your ideal instructor. They are out there...just be choosey. You owe it to yourself! (Source : Yahoo! Health)