Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Bikram Yoga

With the prevalance of lifestly diseases, people nowadays are more conscious of their health, taking time out to go to gyms and fitness centers, One activity that has been gaining popularity whether for improvement of physical health or appearance, is Bikram Yoga, also known as the "Beginner's Yoga."

   Bikram Yoga is a series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises done for 90 minutes in a room heated to 40 degrees-"just a little above the normal human body temperature."
Each posture is a prelude to the next one. She further explains that you would not be able to perform the next posture with the maximum benefit and full stretch of the body without doing the previous one.

The concept behind Bikram Yoga is that each person differs in strength , flexibility, and other physical capabilities. The heat is utilized to help the body open up to prevent injuries and gain more flexibility.
It will not force you into perfectly executing a pose that is physically impossible for you to do.
Participants in fact are allowed to not go all the way in executing the poses if it gets too difficult for them.
But through consistent practice and repetition, the body's strength and flexibility will naturally develop until they are eventually able to complete the posture.
It is also considered as a "Beginner's Yoga" simple because the poses used in it are quite basic and are among the easiest to do even for casual yoga practitioners.


Yoga for everyone
     This is something that everyone can do regardless of age, shape, size, or physical condition. This is probably a big factor as to why Bikram Yoga quickly gained popularity among the health buff people.
Many people are actually intimidated to try this out at first thinking that they do not have the physical capacity to perform such yoga movements and positions, but as was mentioned, Bikram Yoga does not force its participants to perform perfectly and that the flexibility and physical ability to perform unusual positions with the body will come with constant practice.
Being easy however does not mean that it is not challenging, just staying in a room that is hot for that long while doing a physical activity is already a challenge. Every session utilizes the same poses performed in the same order. It might seem boring doing the same thing over and over again, but actually, every day is different.
There is always a challenge. It's really exciting to see yourself doing something you couldn't do a few years or a few months ago. It's very exciting to see the kind of discipline that you develop just by doing that.
     There is also an advanced level for Bikram Yoga but this is only practiced by the teachers in order to prevent illness and injuries and limit the effects of aging. The series of postures additionally promotes mental clarity and reduce stress by combining skills of concentration, patience, determination and self control. It also improves body posture and spine alignment; back pain and headache relief; muscle strengthening; body image flexibility and balance for a general feeling of wellness and peace.


Medical concerns
   During the time when Bikram Yoga was still new, doctors would advise their patients against trying it, fearing that it might be too strenuous for them. Nowadays however, doctors themselves practically prescribe it. Some patients who are about to undergo a surgery are advised to attend a session in order to prepare their body for the procedure. Some students with hypertension and certain chronic diseases eve find themselves feeling healthier and needing less of their medications. In conclusion Bikram Yoga is safe enjoyable and fun to do while acquiring a lot of health benefits.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Retail Therapy

Are you a compulsive shopper? The holiday season seems to be the prime enabler for what may be society's most tolerated--- if not accepted and even promoted--- behavioral addiction. Here are 5 helpful tips to keep you from turning into a shopaholic wreck,

They're hard to ignore. what with larger-than-life signs and big bold letters catching you off-guard and forcing a double-take midstride. That four-letter "S" word seems to send people into mass hysteria every time its single syllable is heard or seen. "SALE."
   We're surrounded daily by advertisements enticing us to buy the latest styles, handbags, or cellphones, or to go to the mall for clearance sales. We're pressured by friends and coworkers to keep up with a certain lifestyle. And, if we're honest, we always seem to want what we can't have.
   Shopping is necessary, for sure, but there comes a point where it, like everything else done in excess, becomes unhealthy. It's called "Oniomania," a term that originated in the early 1900s by psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler and Emil Kraepelin, although it goes by a lot of other more common names like "compulsive shopping," "shopaholism," or "compulsive buying."
   Compulsive buying, or CB, is a little-known clinical addiction and impulse control disorder. It usually begins in the late teens to early adulthood and often co-occurs with other disorders like mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, other impulse control disorders, and personality disorders. For the most part, shopping becomes that individual defense mechanism when coping with stress such that it starts to clearly have a negative impact in other areas of their life. As with all addictions, it begins to damage their relationship and, naturally, their finances (and potentially the finances of those they've take loan from) as well.

Many forget the easily disregarded advice we're told growing up, "Budget, budget, budget." Dependent on our parents for food and other necessities, and armed with a shiny, new credit card. we hit the malls ready to swipe that piece of plastic at whim. Little by little, the bills add up--- and who would know any better?
You sure aren't hurting anyone. If anything, you're probably the most popular amongst your group of friends, using the latest gadgets, and treating them to dinners like there's no tomorrow. but before you know it, you don't even have a single centavo to your name.

The scene need not to be so grim. Identify your problem early on and immediately begin to cut back on unnecessary expenditures. If need be, seek professional help. The single piece of advice you can definitely ignore? "Shop till you drop."

Here are the tips:

Distinguish must have vs nice to have
   If you want something you can't afford, thing what else that money could buy: a week's groceries, a month's rent or a weekend away. That will put things to perspective.

Change your desires
   The things you want change throughout your life. If you've been shopping, shopping, shopping for ten years. It's unrealistic to stop completely. Instead try slowing the pace. Go to the shops, walk around, have a lovely time, enjoy the whole experience then head to the lipstick counter. Instead of buying a Chanel suit, buy a Chanel lipstick; it is a treat that isn't going to break the bank.
   Look at what you spend each month, work out what you can really afford and set yourself a budget.
And if all else fails, go out carrying really heavy bags, then you simply won't be able to carry anything else.

Control your emotions and get organized
   Shopping is emotional, but you need to get your head involved, too. Look in your wardrobe and make a list of what you actually need. If you have five pairs of red shoes, do you need another pair? In case you were wondering, the answer is "No."

Spend other people's money
   Shopping with friends is a great way of still enjoying the thrill of the chase without having to make a purchase. It can also be a real bonding opportunity. Helping your friend find something nice is just as rewarding as helping yourself.

Save then buy (Minus the credit card)
   There is something exciting about saving up for a special treat. Bring back the piggy bank! Label boxes with "Shoe fund or "Shopping fund' on them. Start saving for things you want instead of putting them on your credit card. The moral of Confessions of a shopaholic is that credit card debt can ruin your life.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Women Driving: Do's and Don'ts

Here are some Driving tips that can lead you and your loved ones to safety:

DO wear comfortable flat shoes. Driving in heels is a no-no. Aside from the fact that it can ruin your shoes, it will surely give you difficulty in gauging the depth and precise location of the pedals. So always keep a pair of driving shoes in your car for a quick change.

DO make sure all the kids are settled comfortable and happy when you're driving with them. Spoiling the kids a tad is always your prerogative - but doing so while driving should definitely in moderation because nothing distracts a drive more than a bunch of wailing or fighting kids. And we could be talking about a serious safety hazard here. Give them spill-proof drinks and non-messy snacks for trips that will take more than one hour. Kids can't sit still and easily get bored; but if the noise level climbs above normal for more than a minute, pull over and stop. Calm them down and give strict instructions for them to sit still.

DO have the car checked at a reliable gas station at least once a week. Have the service attendant check the vehicle's radiator water, the engine oil, transmission oil and brake fluid. Always have the tires inflated properly. Have your front and rear windshield cleaned and do change your windshield wipers when they begin to show wear (streaking on the glass). Rain significantly impairs driving vision even when only drizzling.

Don't touch up your make-up while driving. The rear view mirror does not double as a vanity mirror. for that essential re-touch before and important appointment or exciting date, do it when the car is parked before you get going or after arriving at your destination.

Don't smoke while driving (this applies to both men and women). Fumbling around for your cigs and lighter in your bag while driving takes concentration off the road and both hands from the wheel. Never mind the fact that smoking in an enclosed space stinks up the car, your clothes and your hair; the ashes can fly when you're flicking the cigarette and burn a hole in your dress or your car, but worse it can make you do a sudden, non-driving move. The negatives are endless on this one.

Don't talk or text while driving. We don't need to cite studies here in order to point out the inherent and  serious dangers of doing so. Always remember, keep both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Concentrate on driving, not on any distracting thoughts - it's best to leave the worrying for when you're not driving. To get where you're going and then arrive home safely is the best driving of all. Always stay safe!!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

The Queen of Fruits

In these times of modern preservation techniques and the swiftness of importation and exportation of raw materials, products and produce, the world has just about literally shrunk into a "global village." One can visit various local markets today and find fresh fruits available from all corners of the world that obviously do not, and cannot, grow in commercial quantities in tropical climates. These include the likes of apples, "Florida-grade" oranges, pears, lemons, lychees among others.
It's definitely not that tropical countries lack fruits. They have mouth-watering, wide variety of unique, health-enhancing and delicious fruits, many of which are sought after around the world: bananas, mangoes, pineapples just to name a few. But none of the aforementioned are as rare, exotic and exquisite in taste as "The Queen of Fruits," as it was ontensibly crowned by Queen Victoria during her historically recognized quest for this tropical delicacy - the Mangosteen.

And that legend would certainly not be difficult to believe, given the indescribably complex taste of Mangosteen... sweet, sour, sharp, soft, creamy, fleshy - all exquisitely and perfectly combined to deliver a taste that is out of this world . There just isn't anything even closely comparable


The Rare and Costly Best
   The most exquisite and delicious of foods are the rarest and often the most expensive to acquire... truffles, caviar, saffron, Kobe beef, bird's nest soup are but just a few examples.
Mangosteen or Garcinia Mangostana is a tropical fruit tree native only to the hot and humid weather of countries in Southeast Asia like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. And even within the counties in which it is indigenous, the Mangosteen tree is challenging to grow. It is weather-sensitive and slow-growing, taking approximately 15 years to become fruit-bearing.
Mangosteens are not only known for its exquisite taste but for its health benefits and use as a folk medicine to ease and treat dysentery, skin infections, wounds, stomach conditions and other ailments, recent developments and exposure for the dynamic health properties of the fruit and its rind around the world has turned this purple-skinned health wonder into much, much more than just "The Queen of Fruits."


Mango-what?
   Mangosteen is a round fruit of about two to three inches in diameter with a deep, reddish-purple rind encasing the white-as-snow, soft, creamy, sweet, tangy and exquisite edible flesh inside shaped in aril segments, usually five of them. it's been said that one can determine the number of aril segments within by the number of petals at the top of the fruit, but such is not as important as what we will learn next.


Health Properties
   The health benefits of mangosteen come from both the inner fruit as well as the rind. Mangosteens have been discovered to be the greatest single source of xanthones or natural constituents found in vegetable and fruit plants, particularly those belonging to Bonnetiaceae and Clusiaceae families.

Xanthones contained in mangosteen are active therapeutic compounds like alpha-mangostin, beta-mangostine, garcinone B and E that have antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterials, antitumor and even antihistamine acid and anti-inflammatory medicinal properties. Xanthones contain much more antioxidants than Vitamin C and E which translates into more power in the battle versus free radicals, the boosting of immune systems, improved joint and cartilage function, more robust respiratory system and overall health.
The rind of the mangosteen has, in fact, been used for generation by Southeast Asian people to make tea, a brew or ointment for a myriad of stomach-related ailments or disorders as well as a cure for skin rashes of all sorts. So aside from mangosteen's antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungual benefits, the fruit as a whole is likewise credited for its antitumor, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity.

Mangosteens are likewise recognized for their ability to prevent and treat infections, diarrhea, eczema,  and gleets. Overall, mangosteens appear to be beneficial to all the organs of the body and, therefore, overall health. As earlier noted, even in its country of origin, the mangosteen can be fleetingly available in its fresh fruit form. Thankfully, its healthy benefits are available all year round in powdered or juice form all around the world. To sate your mangosteen cravings practically anytime of year.

Needless to say, should one desire to reap deep,deep down and honest-to-goodness the full gastronomic benefit of this healthy powerhouse "Queen of Fruits" there's nothing like the real thing, as they say..... that is, the fresh fruit itself. And for that privilege, we'll simply need to heed the proven adage, "Good things are worth waiting for."

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Where Freedom Rings Loud and Clear

What is there to love about Philadelphia? aside from yours truly being born and raised in the "City of Brotherly love", the city has so much to offer, The Phillies for baseball fans, Philly cheese steaks for meat lovers, sales-tax free shoes and clothes for shopaholics, to name a few, but for most, the affection for Philly goes deeper.
Philadelphia abounds in historic attractions for freedom-loving individuals who wish to trace the very foundation of American independence.

What's in a Name?
Quaker founder William Penn sailed from England to America and arrived on November 8, 1682. He left England convinced that religious toleration could never be achieved in his homeland, and instead asked the King for a charter enabling him to establish an American colony. Charles II, the reigning monarch at the time, signed a charter for territory west of Delaware River and north of Maryland, approximately the present size of Pennsylvania, where about a thousand Germans, Dutch, and Indians lived without a particular government.
The King is said to have proposed the name Pennsylvania, which means "Forest of Penn," honoring Penn's late father, the admired, respected and decorated Admiral Penn of the British naval fleet. Other sources say that it was William Penn himself who chose the name Philadelphia, which means "City of brotherly love" in Greek. Once he arrived in the designated territory, Penn set an example in the pursuit of the libert. He showed how people could live free and how individuals of different races and religions could live together peacefully. Penn's policy of religious tolerance led to the influx of immigrants such that during the American Revolution a century hence, Pennsylvania became one of the largest colonies and America's first great melting pot.

Streets of Philadelphia
Exploring Philadelphia today, visitors will find some of the country's most treasured historic sites such as the Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell Center, and the Betsy Ross House. For Americans, revisiting history will make one feel proud, patriotic, moved and inspired especially in these financially trying times.

The Sound of Liberty
The Liberty Bell Center located within the Independence National Historic Park is home to the liberty bell, a worldwide symbol of freedom. Throughout the expansive, light-filled center, historic documents and graphic images explore the facts and myths surrounding the icon of the American Revolution.
The bell was cast in the Whitechapel Foundry in the East End of London and sent to the Independence hall, formerly known as the Pennsylvania State House, in 1753. It is 12 feet in circumference around the lip and weighs 910 kilos. Inscribed at the top is part of the Biblical verse from Levictus, "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."
    The liberty bell now bears a gap, often called a "crack." The gap is the result of an attempt to fix a thin crack that destroyed the bell's tone after the AMerican Revolution. Exactly when that crack developed is lost to the passage of more than two centuries.
The repair work dates back to 1846. After the bell was rung for President George Washington's birth anniversary, the original crack reappeared. go lengthened and led to the silencing of the bell, at least physically. forever.
While it's clang may no longer be heard, the liberty bell has a far more enduring message. It embodies the never-ending quest for freedom and the need to remain vigilant because liberties gained can be lost.Its sound of freedom resonated far and wide even among visitors from so many varied cultures. Nelson Mandela, the living icon of liberty, was quoted saying. "The liberty bell is a very significant symbol for the entire democratic world." As a sacred relic of the nation's beginning, it is well preserved as a tangible link to the struggle for freedom that created the United States.

Flag of America's Fathers
Another iconic symbol of the American Independence is the American Flag, the first of which was believed to have been created by Philadelphia patriot Betsy Ross. The Betsy Ross house is a historic house museum that commemorates her life, and research conducted by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History notes that the story of Betsy Ross making the first American flag for General George Washington entered into American consciousness about the time of the 1876 centennial celebrations. Six years prior, in 1870, Ross' grandson, William K. Canby, had presented a paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in which he claimed that his grandmother had "made with her hands the first flag" of the United States. Canby said he first obtained this information from his aunt Clarissa Sydney (Claypoole) Wilson in 1857, 20 years after Betsy Ross' death.

Signatures for Change
Certain rare moments change the course of history. Within a mere 11 years, two such moments - the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the signing of the Constitution of the United States - occurred in the Independence Hall of Philadelphia. The sculpture of the Signer commemorates the courage of those who altered their lives and those of the next generations of Americans by affixing their names on the momentous documents without which the United States would never have been born.

Philadelphia's Pride
One of the few men who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution was Benjamin Franklin. The teen-aged Franklin arrived penniless in Philadelphia in 1723. He opened his own printing office eventually and helped transform Philadelphia from a small town to the most socially advanced and cosmopolitan city in the American continent. By 1748, Franklin's printing business had become so lucrative he was able to retire and shift his attention to science and politics.

Irony of Independence
Two other men notable for their signatures and contributions were the first two United States Presidents - George Washington and John Adams. The President's House in Philadelphia was home to the two presidents and served as America's first executive mansion. An interesting paradox was that President Washington brought at least nine enslaved Africans from his Mount Vernon home to live and work in the President's House/ A visit to the mansion reveals a long-obscured glimpse in the lives of the enslaved Africans who toiled in and around the house during Washington's presidency.

Once Upon a Nation
After visiting the first "White House," visitors are curious to learn how Philadelphia became the capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800. The answer? Research revealed that the Federal Government moved from New York City to Philadelphia in 1790. Southern delegates favored a site along the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia, both slave states. Northern delegates, on the other hand, favored New York or Philadelphia. Alexander Hamilton was eager to have Congress pass a bill that would allow the federal government to assume the states' huge financial debt from the Revolutionary war. A compromise was reached. In exchange for southern support of his debt relief bill. Hamilton and his supporters voted in favor of designating Philadelphia as the temporary capital for a period of ten years, after which the seat of government would move to Washington, D.C.
With its unmistakable air of liberty, Philadelphia emerged as an intellectual center. Between 1740 and 1776, Philadelphia presses issued an estimated eleven thousand works, including books pamphlets and almanacs. In 1776, there were seven newspapers reflecting a diverse range of opinions. To this day, Philadelphia fosters an environment of enlightened thinking, tolerance and diversity. With this atmosphere, it is easy to fall in love with Philadelphia, America's most historic city  where human aspirations for political and religous liberty were forged and fulfilled.

Start at the Center
The Independence Visitor Center is the perfect place to begin your visit to Philadelphia. The Center is just a stone's  throw from some of Philadelphia's most popular attractions, including the Liberty Bell Center and the Independence hall. Armed with pamphlets and maps, you'll know where to go, what to see and how to get the particular attractions you wish to visit.

Privacy Policy

If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at celis.sylvester91@yahoo.com.

At celis77.blogspot.com/, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by celis77.blogspot.com/ and how it is used. 

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, celis77.blogspot.com/ makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. 

Cookies and Web Beacons 
celis77.blogspot.com/ does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser. 

DoubleClick DART Cookie 
.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on celis77.blogspot.com/.
.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to celis77.blogspot.com/ and other sites on the Internet. 
.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html 

Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....
Google Adsense


These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on celis77.blogspot.com/ send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see. 

celis77.blogspot.com/ has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. 

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. celis77.blogspot.com/'s privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites. 

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.