Archive for August, 2009

Olay Regenerist Skincare Line Receives Low Scores From Previous Users

Sunday, August 30th, 2009
Dylan asked:


Beautyblogtalk.com’s expansive collection of reviews features even more facts on Olay Regenerist.

Find a detailed review of Olay Regenerist at Beautifulreview.com, a highly informative skin care product review site.







Olay® Regenerist™ Overview

Does Olay® Regenerist™ “regenerate skin’s appearance, renewing it outer layer one cell at a time” as the manufacturer claims? This line of products may be affordable, but after looking at the ingredients you may have your doubts that its even worth the asking price.

Ingredients at a Glance

There are tons of ingredients in the Regenerist™ line, many of them preservatives and stabilizers. The active ingredients featured on the official website include green tea, amino-peptide complex, vitamin B3, cucumber, comfrey, fruit extracts, pentapeptides, Pal-KTTKS, and allantoin.

Ingredients in Focus

The Olay® Regenerist™ formulas include a few components that may have a significant effect on ****** skin. Allantoin, for instance, pulls water into the skin thereby smoothing out some fine lines by expanding the skin and helping shed dead cells. Pentapeptides may contribute to the skin’s collagen—a loss of peptides slows collagen production, a replenishment of peptides being vital to skin’s health as you age.

Beyond this, the Regenerist® formulas seem to be made with middle of the road ingredients. Vitamin E and B are fine and necessary for skin health, yet they need not be applied via beauty cream as they are consumed in most diets. And ingredient like Pal-KTTKS, which is a fragment of collagen, may promote collagen production but with no proof behind it this may simply be another quasi-useful component.

Positives

Made with essential vitamins that aid the skin’s health Several peptide incorporated into most Regenerist™ formulas



Negatives

Contains only part of Matrixyl 3000, a preferred peptide complex Contains typical, and likely less effective, moisturizers Seem more concerned with the turnover of old skin cells for new ones rather than reducing lines or adding more collagen Does not seem to contain an ingredient that works to smooth wrinkles directly



Final Thoughts

Regenerist™ products are fairly affordable, yes, but keep in mind that you will be getting a product comparable to the price you paid. While their restorative serums may cost a bit less, they do not include the complete Matrixyl 3000; their moisturizers may be cost effective but they also fail to include Hyaluronic Acid. And the lack of a wrinkle remover like Argireline is baffling, considering these products seem to be geared towards those with aging skin. We suggest looking for formulas that use quality ingredients, are still within a reasonable price range, and are guaranteed to leave you skin healthy and glowing.



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Are Organic Skin Care Products Really Better?

Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Scott Goodman asked:


Lately we have been hearing more and more about the different organic skin care products that are out there and what they have to offer us. Although we like the sounds of these organic skin care products, most of us really have no idea as to what it is that sets them apart and whether we should actually make the switch.

There are organic skin care products of all sorts, from adult face creams to baby skin care products. The term organic basically means that the ingredients are all natural and that there are no harsh chemicals and byproducts used.

Is it Worth the Switch?

So you have heard about organic skin care products but you are probably just not sure as to whether it is actually worth you making the switch or not. Basically it really all depends on your personal preference. There are different opinions on the organic products, as some people think that they are much better for you whereas others feel that there is no difference at all.

If you really want the inside scoop you should speak to a dermatologist, who has been specially trained in the area of skin and who will be able to set apart the truths and the lies for you.

It also really depends on which products you prefer. For instance if you like the Oil of Olay or Loreal skin care lines, you are not going to get the proper choice of organic products, and instead you would generally have to switch to an entirely new line of skin care products.

This can be hard to deal with, especially if you have been relying on the same skin care line for a while now. Once you find something that you enjoy and that you trust in it can be really difficult to make the change to something new.

The Top Choices

If you do want to start using organic skin care products, there are a few lines in particular that you will want to consider. There is the LaVigne line for one, which is reputable and quality and which you can trust in.

Eminence Organics is another very respectable organics-based company that you may want to consider and which offers a wide selection of the organic products for you to choose from.

Give it a try if you want, and then after a few weeks if you are having problems or not noticing the results that you were planning on, you can always go back to your old favorite skin care products.



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Quick Cures for Dry Skin

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Nicky Pilkington asked:


When a person’s skin becomes dry, the top layers of the skin are damaged and dying. It may feel rough to the touch, tight, and even sore, and most of all it won’t look healthy. Although there are many causes of dry skin, most of the time it is down to lack of basic skin care and environmental factors which are to blame.

There is no magical instant fix or quick cure for dry skin other than to begin taking the best care of your skin right away. If you follow the advice in this article and begin taking the best care of your skin, any damaged or dry skin ought to heal and become much healthier within a few weeks to a month and you will really notice a difference in how your skin looks and feels.

Skin usually becomes dry because of a lack of sebum. Sebum is the natural protective oils which the skins pores secrete to protect our skin from the elements. If the production of sebum drops off, particularly if our diets aren’t good, or as we get older, our skin can become increasingly dry as our skin finds it increasingly difficult to retain moisture and grow healthy. The key to keeping skin healthy is to give it as much of a helping hand in as many ways as possible.

You can do this by: – Moisturising regularly, particularly after bathing or shaving will help protect your skin from the elements, keep it soft supple and moist. Moisturising is particularly important before going out in the cold, as this is where the most damage usually occurs. – Bathing properly without excessively hot water, flannels and harsh shower gels or soaps. The above combination can wash and scrub the sebum oils from the skin almost completely, leaving your skin completely vulnerable to drying. The idea is to bath to clean, but work with your skin, not against it. Use lukewarm water, a skin friendly soap such as Dove or Olay, and avoid scrubbing utilities. The same goes for drying with a towel, pat yourself dry don’t scrub. – Using a humidifier whilst you have central heating on can help to prevent the central heating from drying out your skin. This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons so many people suffer from bad skin during the winter, even if they don’t go out of the house much. – Eating a good diet is all important. You’re skin can only be as good as the nutrients your body supplies it with, after all. Eating a good balanced diet with plenty of Vitamin A, B and C and sulphur minerals will make your skin much healthier.



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Dry Skin Care | Treating Dry Skin | Causes of Dry Skin | Dry Skin Treatment | Xerosis

Monday, August 24th, 2009
Alien asked:


Climate can be one of the worst enemies for a dry skin, especially during the winter season. Effective dry skin care and treatment are way to keeping your skin younger-looking, supple and full of moisture.

The reason of putting yourself to an efficient dry skin care regime is to minimize the incorrect habits of skin treatment and the factors that injure the skin and causes irreversible damage.

Xerosis

xerosis is the word used to describe dry skin by dermatologists. In more severe cases, skin moisture is nearly not present thereby resulting to characteristic scaling, cracking and itching called pruritus.

Lack of skin moisture is the reason for these conditions. The skin needs a relative amount of moisture to maintain smooth or suppleness, flexibility and protection.

The harmful UV rays get into the skin easily and travel all the way down the delicate subcutaneous tissue and subsequently make you skin vulnerable to damage, if the skin is a not sufficiently moisturized.

Causes Of Dry Skin

It is important to identify the many factors, which results to the unwanted condition, in order to avoid the many activities that jeopardize your skin’s health.

Avoid Using Soaps with Harsh Ingredients

Dry skin is dehydrated wit regular soaps such as anti-bacterial and deodorant soaps, which are non-moisturizing and rob your integument with essential oils, which locks moisture from your body.

Using products containing alcohols also dissolves the skin lipids. This result in evaporation of moisturize, which indeed cause the skin’s moisture to evaporate resulting to skin dryness. Water and oil-based products are perfect for your skin. Use Dove, Olay and other soap substitutes available at your local drugstore.

Weather

One of the factors that are responsible for developing dry skin is winter. In most cases, the problem of the effect of the climate can be solved with the use of humidifier. It balances the insufficient humidity needed for the skin moisture preservation.

Washing with Hot Water

Although one of the efficient moisturizing agents is water, it also strips your skin with valuable oils or lipids, which are responsible for retaining moisture from your skin.

Frequent Washing

limit your bathing time within 15 minutes. Frequent washing and bathing, usually more than once a day depletes your body with moisture and natural oils.

Frequent Bathing

The valuable oils will be removed and your skin will get exposed to infections by destroying your body’s first main line of defense with frequent bathing, especially with hot water.

Once this is lost, your dry skin will become more prone to organic attacks by pathogens and sometimes cause permanent damage to your skin. Replace the hot water with lukewarm water to lessen the effect of skin dryness, if you are used to bathing with hot water and cannot resist the temptation.

Patients under medication

Medication removes water from a patient’s body because the kidney will less likely reabsorb the water filtered through it. In this case, frequent intake of water is needed.

Genetic Disease

Dry skin, is developed by the people who are afflicted with a rare genetic disease called ichthyosis. This genetic disease has no cure and the goal of skin care treatment is to secure the symptoms that manifest along the way.

Dry Skin Treatment

One way to maintain that youthful glow is to subscribe to a skin treatment regimen. This skin treatment regimen will help your dry skin restore moisture when it’s needed.

Bacterial and fungal infections are the most common reasons for dry skin, which do not go away until proper prescription drug treatment is administered. But in reasons not tied up above, products available in the market will help you achieve that goal and maintain a skin that is envied by everyone.

* Balanced-diet and exercise cause your skin to produce more oil and maintain a relative amount of oil that keeps moisture in your skin. Drinking plenty of water is also important.

* Effective moisturizers are dependent on your immediate and long-term needs. If you want to relieve itching caused by dry skin, ordinary moisturizers will serve your purpose.

Humectants such as lotions containing glycerin, propylene glycol promotes moisture retention and allantoin and urea are effective for promoting healing and stripping damaged cells on top of the skin.

* Alpha hydroxyacid lotions are best for dry skin. Oil-based are more effective than water based lotions for they “lock-in” the moisture stored in the skin.

Barrier creams are effective for people who are in a habit of washing their hands frequently. For individuals with advanced dry skin condition (pruritus), anti-pruritic agents such as oatmeal and tar-based pine oil are beneficial.



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Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Trade Secrets Protects Your Invention!

Monday, August 24th, 2009
Geoff Ficke asked:


Patent numbers are issued sequentially, beginning with the number one. Patent number one was issued to Samuel Hopkins on July 31, 1790. It took 75 years for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to issue patent number 1,000,000. Patent number 7,000,000 was issued February 14, 2006. It took only seven years for the USPTO to move from issuance of patent number 6,000,000 to 7,000,000.

What does this mean? Simply, there is more creativity now that at any time in history. The old saw that “there is nothing new” is completely wrong. There has never been so many people and entities creating novel, unique products, technology and services, and so driven to commercialize these inventions. More patents and entrepreneurs attempting to market their products is indicative that there is more competition for successful placement.

It is essential that entrepreneurs protect their inventions. This is a form of insurance. To attempt to market an invention without covering the work with the shield of patent, trademark, copyright or trade secret protection indicates a frivolous approach that will not succeed. Investors, licensees, and investors demand the protection that these intellectual property products afford. Even if the entrepreneur is going to self-market the invention, protection is essential in order to fend off competition.

A pharmacist in Atlanta, at the beginning of the 20th century, created a formula for syrup that he sold at the soda fountain in his pharmacy. John Pemberton mixed the syrup with soda water and sold drinks of the concoction as a wellness beverage to cure aches and pains. Mr. Pemberton had created Coca-Cola. He never anticipated that Coke would become an international comfort product, the soft drink. The smartest thing John Pemberton ever did, besides inventing Coca-Cola, was to handle the secret formula for the syrup as a Trade Secret. To this day, the Coca-Cola Bottling Company zealously protects the ingredients and chemistry involved in producing the base syrup that is the essence of classic Coca-Cola.

Big Boy Restaurants protects the recipe for the tartar sauce that goes on their sandwiches, and that many customers buy by the bottle and take home. McDonalds doggedly protects the process their restaurants utilize to cut, cook and season their French-fries. William Wrigley was just as manic in keeping secret his technique for delivering powerfully flavored, long lasting, chewing gum.

Trade Secrets typically are not able to secure patent protections. The novelty of the Trade Secret is in the blending, chemistry or chronology utilized to deliver the finished product. If you have such a recipe you will want to keep this knowledge very near, as it can become very dear. If the public knew the formula for Coca-Cola, quite possibly there would be a lot of consumers keen to blend their own drink at home. Coke would not like that!

If your product has the potential and necessity to become a Trade Secret you will want to follow several very basic steps. First, write down every event related to the development of the formula. Keep a logbook with the data, dates and details of your work. As you finalize your development work memorialize all of the steps essential to delivering the finished product you wish to keep secret in a recipe or summary document. Then store in a very secure place (a safety deposit box, or safe) all of the work product and the recipe or formula.

The Trade Secret gains incredible asset value when your product becomes a market success. Selling a business built around a fully protected Trade Secret exponentially increases the value of the company. Coca-Cola, Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Oil of Olay, Schlitz, Dom Perignon, Ben and Jerry’s and Estee Lauder’s Youth Dew are only a few examples of famous brands built around a Trade Secret.

A Trademark is important in developing brand awareness for a product. Use a Patent Attorney when approaching the highly specialized area of seeking Trademark protection. I have never seen an entrepreneur successfully navigate the very complex workings of the USPTO. I HAVE seen many attempts to handle the process, all resulting in complete failure.

The content of a Trademark can include a customized, identifying icon, stylized brand name and a branding statement. Nike uses the famous slash (icon) the Company’s name (recognizable stylized font) and “Just Do It!” (branding statement). Include all of the elements that the public will recognize in your Trademark application. 

Look around at local, regional, national and international companies and brands that you see every day. Pat’s Cheese Steaks in Philadelphia is a local business that has gained great fame and brand recognition and protects their brand with a trademark. It is a destination for visitors to Philly. Chanel, the French haute couture brand, is internationally revered and the classic “C” that adorns every unit of Chanel product is one of the most recognized brand icons in the world. Truly Nolen, the national pest removal service, trademarks the mouse ears seen on every piece of sales collateral, advertisement and service vehicle the Company uses.

Owning a Trademark confers an obligation to police and protect the assigned mark. The inclusion of ™ on every unit of product is essential. Again, consult an attorney. Trademarks can inadvertently become vacated and lost. 

Copyrights are utilized to protect intellectual property. Movie content, poetry, music, books and plays are copyrighted. We have worked with clients on a number of video and board games. We always copyright the rules and/or the play features of the game.

Recently, Dan Brown, the writer of the wildly successful book the “The Da Vinci Code”, was suited for plagiarism by the British authors of a book about the search for the Holy Grail. The search for the Holy Grail is central to the plot of the “The Da Vinci Code”. There are full library shelves devoted to the search for the mystical Holy Grail. And yet, during the run-up to the movie release of “The Da Vinci Code” a legal action involving this intellectual property was commenced. Brown and his publisher vigorously defended their rights under their Copyright protection. They won full vindication from the court.

Producers of intellectual content properties (movie studios, record labels, book publishers) are very hesitant to accept unsolicited proposals for review. “The Da Vinci Code” saga is the reason. Legal action is rife in the area of intellectual property. We all remember things that we saw, heard or experienced from the distant, but dim past. Regurgitating a variation of that experience may find its way to the written page. Voila, was this material plagiarized? 

Mattel and Hasbro will not review ANY outside toy submissions. Is it not coincidental that there has not been a breakthrough toy introduction in years from Hasbro or Mattel? This is one of the unfortunate byproducts of a litigious society, the limits placed on needed innovations. Protect your intellectual property with a Copyright.

I recommend to my clients, before spending a dime on a patent attorney, that they perform a cursory search at the USPTO.Gov web-site by providing all obvious key words applicable to their invention. If a number of patented products come up, and they are spot-on their idea, the item might not be a candidate for a filing. If the field seems open and clean, then I advise hiring the patent attorney to conduct a professional, thorough search. The in-depth search will confirm the potential for successfully obtaining patent protection.

Patents are the preferred style of protection for most inventors and entrepreneurs. Patents (utility) are very powerful agents of defense against predators, thieves and knock off artists. Not to be a boor, but, again, utilize the services of a patent attorney. I am always amazed and amused at how many people think they can successfully write, provide highly specific 3-D CAD art, file, handle USPTO objections and move the patent through the labyrinth of a Federal Government bureaucracy. Go Figure! They waste time and money, and usually negate any opportunity to have a re-filed patent successfully obtain a patent number. 

The Provisional Patent filing is basically a letter that is placed on file with the USPTO. The Provisional filing advises the USPTO of the description of the product you are attempting to develop. The letter has a one-year life cycle and must be extended with a formal patent filing (Utility or Design) or the product is vacated forever. 

We utilize the Provisional Patent as a fully legal way to state that a product in early stage development is Patent Pending. This filing is also very inexpensive relative to a design or utility patent. A Provisional Patent filing also enables the entrepreneur to have a one year time window to test and gauge market response to the invention. If reaction is positive, then it reinforces the necessity of continuing to devote assets to further development of the opportunity.

The Design Patent simply covers art features noted in the application. This is the weakest form of patent protection. A competitor only needs to change a design element, cosmetic feature or add an artisan variant to overcome a Design Patent. However, for products that have real commercial potential, but cannot overcome prior, existing product art to obtain a Utility Patent, the Design Patent offers one potentially important benefit: the option to keep a product suspended in ongoing Patent Pending status.

We have done this on a number of occasions. A simple amendment to the initial filing means that a bureaucrat at the USPTO must find the file, pick it up, insert the amended filing detail and re-log the filing. As a result the filing goes to the back of the line and we gain months more Patent Pending protection. 

Why go through all of this? When a product is in Patent pending mode it has ultimate protection. When a patent number is issued the clock starts ticking on the effective life of protection and details of the novelty of the patented product become public knowledge. Your product is obviated. It can be amazingly simple for the less than scrupulous knock off artist to engineer around your inventions unique features and benefits. 

By keeping a product in Patent pending limbo we keep the features shrouded from any public awareness. This often leads to a first to market advantage and competition is only aware that there is a Patent pending. The added time that the product obtains, to build and extend sales traction, and begin the branding process is exponentially more valuable than the legal fees required to keep adding elementary addenda to the Design filing. You want to be first to market, and have as much time as possible to stand-alone in a market. 

The Utility Patent is exceedingly valuable, both as a protective shield against competition and as a business asset. The invention that receives a Utility Patent number from the USPTO is potentially of interest to licensees, partners, investors and venture capital. Most patented products (Utility), however, never make it to market. We often see inventions that are novel, and thus patent possible, but not commercial, or needed, or beneficial. We all know a mad scientist or two, with endless designs, inventions and patents, none of which are ever going to be a market success.

The Utility Patent protects the novel features and benefits that the application describes in great detail. The patent attorney will narrate the unique aspects of your invention. They will also mention other patents near your space but painstakingly note the differences inherent to your invention. In addition, a great deal of effort will be devoted to creating 3-D Computer Assisted Design art that portrays your product from every possible angle and graphically depicts the uniqueness of your product.

Utility Patent filings rarely sail though the USPTO without being challenged. A competent patent attorney often anticipates the weakness in a filing and has a sheath of retorts ready to address the examiners concerns and questions. This re-directs the file back into the bureaucracy at USPTO. I tell my clients that they can expect up to an 18-month wait before receiving notice of the USPTO decision. However, on several complex filings, I have seen the process take up to six years.

Believe me, it is worth the work, the wait and the investment if a successful outcome from the USPTO is achieved. A Utility Patent conveys gravitas. The invention has stood up to the most stringent scrutiny and been accorded the most highly desired verdict: this invention has import. 



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Olay Coupons

Friday, August 21st, 2009
Kevin Rogers asked:


Check for latest Olay Coupons here.

You have to always use olay coupons to get the best price possible on Olay Regenerist and any of the other great Oil of Olay skin care porducts.  It amazes me daily given the state of the economy, that the majority of people are still not using Olay coupons when they are shopping at the local CVS.

Given the premium price of Olay Regenerist in particular, I use olay coupons even when the economy is great!  Why would anyone want to pay full price for their Oil of Olay products?

Well, the other day I finally asked a few people in the local CVS who were looking at the olay products area.  While this little study of mine isn’t exactly scientific, it gives you an idea of why people are not taking advantage of all the Olay Coupons that are available these days.  This is a small sample size of ten customers, results ordered from highest percentage to lowest percentage.

Current Olay Coupons here!

1. Didn’t know there were olay coupons available online — 60%

Six out of ten people didn’t know you could get olay coupons online!  They never  even searched them out on google or yahoo.  Most times you can find the with a quick google search.  Sometime even get them directly from the Olay website.

2. Didn’t want to take the time to print coupons  — 20 %

Two people admitted that while they knew you could find olay coupons online, they were just too lazy to find and print them!  Too lazy to save money on Olay products?  That is crazy to me.  But not as crazy as the next result.

3. Don’t like using coupons — 10%

Thats right, one person just doesn’t like to use olay coupons or any coupons in general, because she said it makes her feel like a “poor person”.  I laughed at her, and said she will soon be poor if she doesn’t start using Oil of Olay coupons to buy her Regenerist that she says she buys every month!

So, there you have it, since you’ve read this post, now you have no excuse to not save a ton of money using the available Olay coupons!



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The Internet Marketing Bullseye Approach

Saturday, August 8th, 2009
Kim Morris asked:


ght (c) 2009 Kim Morris

A Step by step guide to building an internet business and the key tactic to ensuring your product stands out from the crowd.

Firstly, find what other people want; find a hot niche market first. In doing this you need to find a solution to their problem. You can use www.googleeasysearch.com to see how many people are searching on your niche topic. Also, you could try using a survey form to ask potential clients what they want. Once you have your niche worked out you can hire a ghost writer at www.elance.com to write either articles or an ebook.

Secondly, create a product which gives your market what they want. Start off with an information product or an audio product, and answer the needs that your research revealed.

Thirdly, create a powerful compelling sales message. This is the most important part of your website. Use a sales letter on your website to sell your product, and an important note here is that “ugly” sites sell – these are the simple no frills sites. When writing your sales letter remmeber its about how exciting the letter is, not how long it is.

Fourth, design a simple website. Black text, white background is a good start. When your just starting out, forget technology and focus on getting your sit up – hire a web designer if you don’t have the skills to do this yourself. Ensure that on your sales letter you only ssk for one action; you don’t want your visitors getting distracted and the more clicks on your website the less people will buy.

Fifth, bring traffic to your site using Pay per click with google adwords. You also should encourage organic free traffic through articles (submit at www.articlecity.com, or www.ezinearticles.com), press releases (submit at www.prweb.com, and through adding video about you or your site to you tube.

Sixth, use email to turn more people into customers. Capture peoples email wherever possible by having an optin page on your site. Email gives you a second bite of the cherry when someone has come to your site and not bought anything at that point in time. By having thier email you can contact them with other product offers. It allows you to educate people to your value and your products value.

Finally, have an army of people to sell your products. You can achieve this through setting up your own Affiliate program. Clickbank.com is a great place to check out for affiliate products that you can mail to your list.

Secrets to marketing your products

Firstly, ensure you have a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Here are some examples: Head and Shoulders (Gets rid of dandruff), Olay (Gives you younger looking skin), Red Bull (Gives you wings), Dominos (Get fresh hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or your money back), Dyson vaccum cleaner (worls first bagless vaccum cleaner) Fed Ex (when it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight), M&Ms;(they melt in your mouth, not in your hand) Apple (think differently), Energizer (keeps going and going and going). You need a USP to make your business work. Be specific and differentiate yourself from the crowd. The secret question that finds the USP for you: “Why should I do business with you over anyone else”

Secondly, make doing business with you irresistible. Its not about the product, its about the offer. Think of more ways to make visitors say yes, for example, Is $100000 a lot to spend? Well, it depends on the offer.

Thirdly, let your visitors show you the way to succeed. Test your headlines with customers who will tell you which is best.



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Tips for a Healthy and Happy Pregnancy

Saturday, August 8th, 2009
Britt Michaelian asked:


Many of my dear friends are pregnant right now and I often find myself answering questions for them, so I thought I’d share my own experiences and knowledge with you. If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, this is your lucky day!

First of all, many of us spend years trying NOT to get pregnant, so when we are finally ready to go for it our bodies aren’t always up for the challenge. Don’t expect to get pregnant the first time you try (although many people do). The statistic that I often hear quoted from fertility specialists is that 80% of couples will conceive within the first year of trying. Those are pretty good odds!

While a couple is trying to conceive, it is important for both partners to take an active role in the process. Talk to your gynecologist and tell him or her that you are trying to get pregnant. Start taking a prenatal vitamin and take care of yourself (eat healthy foods, regular exercise, no drugs, moderate if any alcohol etc). If after one year of trying to get pregnant you find yourself in the 20% of couples who don’t, get a referral to a fertility specialist. Both partners should be tested to check fertility and go from there.

If you do find yourself with two lines on the pregnancy stick (or a plus sign, as some indicate), count your blessings! Now, it is time for a reality check. Pregnancy is not always as glorious as we hope it will be. From the get go your ******* are sore, you are in the bathroom constantly, insomnia can be a problem, you want to crawl in bed at every moment during the day and your skin tends to break out due to hormones. On top of all of these lovely symptoms, you might have rapid mood swings and **** your husband. Sound fun? Just wait until the hemorrhoids set in Laughing On the plus side, your hair and nails will grow like never before and gaining a little weight is a good thing!

All kidding aside, some women have wonderful pregnancies and don’t experience any uncomfortable side affects while others are plagued with morning sickness and insomnia throughout. It is hard to know how your body will react, but if you are one of the lucky ones, who feel better than ever during pregnancy, enjoy it!

Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

* Make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you find out you are pregnant and then schedule and keep regular appointments throughout your pregnancy.

* Take your prenatal vitamins daily and if they do not have Omegas in them, take an Omega supplement as well (I prefer Nordic Naturals as they are tested for metals like mercury).

* If you feel the symptoms of morning sickness (which by the way happens any time during the day, but mostly in the morning) make sure you have crackers near you at all times. Grab a cracker (or four) before you set your feet on the ground in the morning and usually this helps to ward off the queezies. Ginger helps too.

* If your face is breaking out from the increase in hormones, schedule monthly ******* and wash your face both in the morning and evening with a gentle cleanser (organic is always best). If you can’t wash your face, grab some of those handy face towelettes (Oil of Olay makes great ones!) for a quick wipe down anytime.

* Cramping and some spotting are NORMAL during all stages of pregnancy. However, if you are doubled over in pain from cramping or if bleeding is bright red or more than a pad an hour, call the doctor or go to the ER.

* You will take MANY blood tests and possibly have other more invasive tests such as amnio or CVS tests. Listen carefully to instructions and adhere to them. If the doctor tells you to take it easy, follow their orders (unless you don’t care about complications).

* Listen to and trust your instincts with regard to tests, doctors, symptoms, techniques and problems. This will make sense to anyone who has had a baby and probably sound like a foreign language to anyone who hasn’t, but just trust your gut when it comes to your pregnancy!

* Take care of yourself, have a pregnancy massage once a month if possible. Allow yourself to take naps and eat a piece of chocolate cake if you want to (every once in a while, not all day). Relax and try to enjoy the miracle of life happening inside of your body. **Many women experience depression during and after pregnancy. If you feel sad, confused, angry or otherwise depressed, you are not alone. Seek the care of a good therapist or support group and get help. Partners need to look out for symptoms in pregnant women as well.**

* If you and your partner are having issues (and many times pregnancy will bring them up) find a therapist that both of you feel comfortable with and make a commitment to strengthening your relationship BEFORE baby arrives. You have to be on the same team when you have a baby and the sooner you commit to this, the easier and more enjoyable your experience will be.

For all of you lovely people who are about to become parents or who would like to be parents someday soon, I congratulate you and wish you the best! Read lots of baby books, take baby classes and have fun with the ride. Remember to take good care of yourself and each other along this journey. Being a unified team provides a healthier and happier environment for you and for your family. Just as a map can help you find your way when you are lost, a good therapist can do the same when you hit the rough patches.

Life is worth living and happiness is worth seeking. Building your family on a solid foundation of happiness starts with you and the choices you make now. Acknowledge this responsibility and embrace it. It is a gift that only you can give to yourself and your family. I wish you much patience and humor in this process, as you will need it!



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Music and Entertainment From the Caribbean is Growing in Popularity

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
Sam Mitchell asked:


Did you know that the favourite congaline cruise song is “HOT HOT HOT”… come on… i am sure you heard of it…  OLAY OH LAY OH LAY OH LAY… FEELING HOT HOT HOT ”… how i cringe… Mr Pointdexter remade the song from a calypso artist called ARROW…

Have you heard or conga-lined to the tune “WHO LET THE DOGS OUT”??? Well… the Bahamen remade that song from Anslem Douglas who is also a Soca artist.

Soca / Calypso, Reggae, and Zouk are all musical genres that are recognizable when it comes to artists like Bob Marley or songs that have been remade but there is so much more to offer with these genres…

Hundreds of releases are done daily with these genres and the quality is amazing. Some people only seek out this music when they travel to the Caribbean but I dare you to seek out these songs and experience the entertainment value that comes with it.

This entertainment industry is growing and people are discovering the beautiful sounds of Soca, Reggae and Zouk… Names like Machel Montano and Movado are becoming common, plus there are Reggae Videos, Soca Videos and Zouk videos popping up on several social networking websites.

There are Caribbean carnivals all over North America, the U.K. and Australia… i guarantee that you can experience this culture without going too far…

I dare you to experience it by visiting http://www.islandmix.com . The site introduces you to all genres via their video and music rooms… See what musical sounds you have been missing… Join the site and ask the knowledgeable members about Caribbean carnivals in your area…

Or… simply head to Trinidad Carnival that occurs just before Ash Wednesday every year or travel to Barbados for Cropover… Or head to Toronto for Caribana or New York for the West Indian Day parade… just experience it… buy a CD and tell a friend ;) http://www.islandmix.com .

http://www.islandmix.com – Your Caribbean Entertainment Source



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