Get Fit Now With AspireNow Products

Many of you who read the blog may not be aware that I created an Amazon AspireNow store about a year ago. There are some great books in there for Life Purpose, Elegant Simplicity, Business Aspiration, and Smooth Sailing relationships.

Today, I thought I'd point out that you can purchase everything from a power yoga workout CD to a new stair master in the "Get Fit Now" portion of the store. I just added a few new products to the store, so there are new "hot products" you can browse. Check it out and let me know if I should add any cool products to help people get fit now with less effort and higher success:

AspireNow Store: Get Fit Now

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How I Lost 20 lbs In 5 Months

I've officially done it: I lost 20 lbs in 5 months.

Those of you who know me closely know that I don't like being overweight. I never date anyone significantly over weight, nor do I, myself, ever let myself get out of whack with my fitness routine. That was, until last year. What happened is I'd had toe surgery to repair an ingrown toenail. Now, a toe may not seem like a big deal, but that toe problem kept me off the beach (no walks), away from the dance floor (yep, no dancing), and pretty much stopped most of my other power aerobic activity. Unfortunately, I sat around and ate more with all that extra time. The result: I went from 18 lbs overweight to 38 lbs overweight! And even though I'm 6'3" tall, people were starting to comment: not good!


This year, I decided to take action and get myself back into shape.

How did I get in better shape? I'll share my tips here:


1. Do what you love. I started going for walks on the beach, playing golf, playing tennis, and going dancing again. These activities that I love gave me an easier start back into getting into shape. It didn't feel HARD to do any of these things. On the contrary, it was EASY. Always start with something pretty easy before getting into the harder aspects of any program.


2. I started working out. By implementing a workout program, I started to gain muscle again. At first, this didn't help me lose any weight. I stayed the same weight on the scale. BUT I gained muscle. And muscle burns off calories faster than fat, any day. To burn more fat you must gain more muscle! So, I started working out. Not only that, but I feel more toned now and enjoy the feeling of being more muscular.

3. I quit drinking. Okay, not completely, but I cut back on the booze. You retain 4x more fat when you drink alcohol than when you don't. So, if you want to reduce fat, it only makes sense to eliminate or significantly reduce your drinking of alcoholic beverages, including mixed drinks, beer, and wine. The side result is I think more clearly and spend less money! How did I do it? I drink 8 oz. water any time I feel the urge to drink. It works!

4. Dance more! I started seriously upping the amount of dancing I was doing starting on April 1. I did this for two reasons: (a) I wanted to be a better dancer, (b) I had gone through a breakup and wanted to meet other single women. I didn't realize at the time that I'd get in better shape from dancing, but man-oh-man some of those dance lessons kicked my butt! Especially the Afro-Cuban dance lesson with the professional choreographer. See my article on Salsa dancing to learn more on this one...


5. Eat healthier. Instead of drinking a soda, I now drink water or apple juice. Yes, the apple juice has calories. But, the saying "an apple a day" makes sense to me, so I'm not on a low-carb diet, just a healthier diet. I'll eat my fruit, vegetables, and less meat and processed foods like chips or french fries. Since I made this diet change, I found myself initially VERY hungry - to the point of feeling like I could eat the paint off the wall. However, after about two weeks of this hunger my stomach adjusted and now I'm fine with my new diet.

6. Aerobic techniques. The next step of my workout program has been to implement aerobic techniques to combine distance, repetitive, and short-distance activities into my workout. At the beach, I now combine walking with jogging, backwards jogging, and sprinting during two phases of my walk. Doing this aerobic work is raising my heart-rate and also helping rid the fat.


7. Play Competitive Tennis. My final step of my workout program is to find other tennis players and start playing tennis two or three times a week. I'm doing this because (a) I'll make new friends, (b) tennis players are in good shape and (c) I might have a little fun competing.


See, there's an old saying "If you want to be successful, copy other people who are successful." I noticed that people with the best physique are those who either: (a) workout, (b) play sports (like tennis, surfing, volleyball, and racquetball), and (c) dance. If you're seeking a way to get into your ideal shape, what program will you use?


Yes, I still have 18 more lbs to go, but now I'm in the discipline of living in a way that WILL drop the weight and WILL get me in better shape. I started small, and worked up to it. Disclaimer: As with any workout program, always consult a doctor before beginning your own program. But once you start, commit to it and stick with it! Sure, I didn't achieve my initial goal of 20 pounds in 30 days, but I did realize this goal withing 5 months! I hit my goal when I followed through on my commitment and stuck with it.

We don't have to starve ourselves to drop the weight and gain the muscle. We don't have to kill ourselves in the gym 10 times a week, either. We just need to be more disciplined to take the time and make the effort to be our best self.
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Breaking Up And Moving On

So, you went through a break-up? If you're anything like me, you take breakups hard, full-on, and experience the full gamut of emotions ranging from anger, resentment, disconnecting, relief, happiness, sadness, depression, loneliness, then back through the whole thing again. How can you end this cycle sooner?

Well, first of all, it might be HEALTHY to go through all of that. Just try to go easy on yourself - and your ex - through this time. I'm going to give you several practical tips to help you move on and get past the grieving faster and with the minimal amount of pain. Follow this plan, and you'll likely be able to live and love again in a very healthy and happy way.

First, let's focus on what NOT to do:

1. Don't keep contacting him/her.
2. Don't drown your sorrows.
3. Don't make drastic changes or hurt yourself.
4. Don't keep talking about him/her with friends and family.
5. Don't stew in it and sit in a pool of tears with email, letters, and photos.
6. Don't go out and have sex with new people to deal with rejection or loss of love.

1. Don't keep contacting him/her. Don't send her text messages. Don't drop by his work to see if he's there. Don't send email. Don't call or phone. Don't show up unexpectedly at events they commonly attend. Look, whether you were the dumper or the dumpee it really doesn't matter. In one case, you're undecided, which is weak. In the other, you're desperate, which is also weak. So, don't do it. Don't talk to their friends about him/her, either. They'll be on their side and you'll just build up more resentment. So don't waste time with their friends, either. Don't waste your time dawdling around trying to contact them in ANY way, shape, or form. You won't be healing anything and you'll just end up putting your heart through more grief. If you were the dumper, you're being cruel to them. If you were the dumpee, you're setting yourself up for them to be cruel to you. Either way, this behavior doesn't sound like "higher self" behavior to me. So, if you've been doing this: STOP NOW!

2. Don't drown your sorrows in a bottle (or a pill or any other drug). Getting drunk will help you feel better for about 3 - 6 hours. Then, you'll have to face your grief with the added challenge of feeling yucky on top of it. So, deal with your pain other, more healthy ways (more on this in a bit).

3. Don't cut off all your hair, make drastic changes, or otherwise let yourself go. Women have a bad habit of getting a hair cut to symbolize getting rid of their ex. Later, when they look in the mirror, all they can do is cry that they hurt their beautiful long hair over feelings that could have been dealt with otherwise. Don't hurt yourself in any way, shape, or form. Yes, I know, the pain of lost love hurts so very bad and we think we'll never get over it. It seems that way for a month or so, but in time, we WILL move on. Instead of doing anything to hurt anyone, find another outlet: rearrange furniture, clean the house, buy a new pair of jeans or something, write a book, go jogging, but don't whack-off your hair and dye it red because you're pissed at your ex. Also, be careful of the bon-bons, sweets, chocolate, and other goodies that will tempt you at this time. Again, find another physical outlet to release your stress and concern.

4. Don't keep talking about him/her with your family and with your friends. They can usually hear about it once or twice, but beyond that, you need to move on and get on with your life. If they bring him/her up to you, say "we had our moments" and then change the subject. Don't go back down that alley. Your future is IN FRONT of you, not in the rear-view mirror.

5. Don't stew in it and sit in a pool of letters, emails, and photographs. If you're struggling to move on, reading all the loving things they wrote to you won't help you get past it. It will keep you mired in it. I'm not going to advocate that you destroy all of their photos and letters. Just box them up and put them some place (careful with Feng Shui) where they serve to TEACH us rather than LOVE us. If you care about Feng Shui, that would mean putting these items in the wisdom/teachers corner of the room/house, not in the love/relationship corner of the house.

6. Don't go out and have sex with new people just to heal your feelings of rejection or loss of love. I recently watched a re-run movie about a woman recovering from divorce during the 1970's and her therapist told her "You don't need to see me anymore, go explore MEN again." Well, the woman did, but in doing so, her first choice was this pig who used her for sex and then treated her poorly later. She cried. He was the wrong choice for her. The next man was a better choice. So, perhaps, you might want to pass over the first opportunity to jump back in bed and instead be very SELECTIVE over who you share your body with. Yes, I know, you have needs and you also may be feeling extra horny because of rejection or loss of love.

But, that's the time people make mistakes, get diseases, get pregnant, or get into another cyclical dysfunctional relationship, and/or other things that they later might live to regret. So, be selective in who you go out with when you go out again. I could take this a step further and say "don't sign up on a dating site" as that would be called "rebounding" but then again, if that's what you want to do, it's what you're gonna do. Just don't use other people, okay? Not for sex, not for "free" meals, and not for companionship when you're lonely.

Now that we've dealt with what NOT to do, let's focus on what positive actions you can take that will help you move on with your life and be open to living and loving as a fully empowered human being again.

What to do now:

1. Release resentment.
2. Be grateful and loving in your release.
3. Do take on new interests related to YOUR core values and what you most want from life.
4. Do spend time healing, nurturing, and feeding yourself.
5. Do make new friends, enjoy your work, enjoy your spiritual disciplines, and enjoy each day.
6. Do go out on new dates (when you are ready and over the grieving period).

1. Release resentment. I know this sounds crazy, but you might be in the mood to hate your ex or say mean things to them or about them. This is not beneficial. Once I've made the decision to move on and give up the idea of reconciling, if I feel the need to talk to her or reach out to her, what I do is write an email to myself. This is where all the resentment, anger, things you don't like, and stuff like that ought to get written down. I put "to xxxx" in the subject line, but when I hit "send" the email only goes to me. Whatever you do, do not violate this rule! Only send it to yourself - nobody else. Now, once you've gotten out the need to talk and say whatever you want to say (and I do say whatever I want to say in those emails!), you're now in a position to wipe the slate clean and show gratitude and other positive things. But DO have the list of resentment, things you didn't like, and what you didn't want from that person. I then save it in a folder with their name so I can go back and read it if I get a moment of weakness.

2. Be grateful and loving in your release. In your heart, be grateful for who this person was for you, what they did for you, in a good way. They were good in many ways. Be grateful. Then, send out the "I thank you for your love, I release you, I love you, so long..." That's healthy, it is hard to do, because when you send the love, you re-energize that love and create a desire to rekindle. But don't rekindle it, just let it go, with gratitude.

3. Do take on new interests related to YOUR core values and what you most want from life. Go back to each of your core values in each area, like family, social, love, relationships, friendships, career, health, spiritual, etc., and make a list of the top 3 - 5 things or ways of being in each of these that you most want. Then realign your life to match that list. That way, you can attract what you seek.

4. Do spend time healing, nurturing, and feeding yourself. Do spend time exercising and being physically active. It is good to ride a bike, go for a walk, swim, and otherwise get and keep yourself in shape. It is possible that you've gotten away from this before the breakup. This time is a perfect time to throw yourself back into a program. Work up to it little by little, more and more each day. That way, you're bettering yourself. Get a spiritual healing. You can cut the cords through a forgiveness exercise (see Belinda Farrell at http://www.hunahealing.com/ to cut the cords of the past if you feel you're stuck anywhere) or you can also go seek out therapy if you're having an especially hard time letting go (if you're going beyond a month or two of grief, seeing a therapist might be a good idea). Also, read a new book.

Investigate travelling to a place you've always wanted to go. Cook tasty meals for yourself, just as you would have before, or maybe even trying out new recipes. I find that breakups are especially good times to learn new dishes to prepare for both myself and for others. It's a great time to become a better cook! So, take time for you, make sure you get your sleep, and know that by keeping active and busy you'll be back on the path to healthy living in short order.

5. Do make new friends, enjoy your work, enjoy your spiritual disciplines, and enjoy each day.

This really is about enjoying life, you know? What if we only get one pass at it? Make sure you enjoy it while you're here! Start finding ways to focus on this as the day we rejoice and be glad in living.

Life can be enjoyable after loss of love. It is up to us whether or not we choose destructive behavior and thought processes or embrace a clean, healthy, and loving start at life again both on our own and with new friends. We can be more successful, create and build new love, and be the person we want to be most when we mend our broken heart and then get back to who we are at our best.

5. Do go out on new dates (when you are ready). Once you feel you are past crying about them and feeling deeply depressed, it is probably time for you to get out and about and start dating new people. However, when you date new people, I'm going to ask you to be selective in who you date. I Make a new list of what you want. And go for people who match that list. In addition, I'm also going to suggest group activities, or group dates. Rather than go off on a dating service, or dating people one-on-one, it might be healthier for a time to do things in groups. That way, you're in a more protected environment and not as vulnerable to make mistakes I talked about above. If you're someone who prefers going one-on-one, then just go slow. You'll be glad you did later.

For additional information on this subject, see:
Healing a Broken Heart
Let Go Of Guilt and Resentment
The Serenity Prayer
How To Know When Its Over
Considering Getting Back Together?
Problem Reconciliating Rejected Now What?

Sponsored program: How To Get Your Ex Back: Click Here!
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Copyright © 2008 AspireNow. All rights reserved. Want more? Subscribe to the A-Blog.
If you are experiencing a serious relationship problem, we recommend you seek a qualified relationship therapist. This information is guided by the terms and conditions posted at http://www.aspirenow.com.

Are You A Workaholic?

Have you ever met a workaholic?

In the 1960's Japan, a term was coined:

According to Wikipedia, Karōshi (過労死, karōshi: which quite literally means "Death From Overwork", is occupational sudden death. The major medical causes of karōshi deaths are heart attack and stroke due to stress.

Does karōshi (death from overwork) sound fun to you?

Yeah, not to me, either. Yet, I've met many people who are definitely victims of overwork, and quite possibly on their way to a karōshi.

Just yesterday, I met a manager of an aerospace company who shared with me that he oversees a division of 30 direct reports, and 300 more underneath that team. He bragged that "I decide when I can come and go. I decide where I travel." Okay, great. But, guess what? He also confided, "I took only 6 vacation days in the past three years." In my opinion, this fine gentleman is suffering from a karōshi addiction to work.

According to a Wikipedia article:

Usually, Japan's rise from the devastation of World War II to economic prominence in the post-war decades has been regarded as the trigger for what has been called a new epidemic. It was recognized that employees cannot work for twelve or more hours a day, six or seven days a week, year after year, without suffering physically as well as mentally. A recent measurement found that a Japanese worker has approximately two hours overtime a day on average. In almost all cases, the overtime is unpaid. The recent international expansion of Japanese multinationals has also led to an export of the Karōshi culture to countries such as China, Korea and Taiwan.

While this problem may be lesser-known in America, nevertheless it is not unknown in other countries, as well. In the Netherlands, workers are known to overwork. Check this out: according to WebMD's Sid Kirchheimer, people have actually developed "leisure illness," a phenomenon that occurs from getting ill while trying (albeit unsuccessfully) to relax on vacation. The problem? They're so used to overwork that they simply cannot relax. Crazy, huh?

In the United States, the average worker takes 12 vacation days a year. If you ask me, that's nowhere near enough time to balance a person's life. We need at least three weeks - probably four weeks at minimum - to re-balance our lives from our work schedules.

Yet, employers routinely dole-out only two weeks vacation. It's disgusting. Workers need to request MORE vacation and point out how much their health suffers when they don't get to take a break. It's our life - it is up to us to stand-up and speak-out!

In Europe, they seem to have a better handle on work-life-balance. Europeans average 4 to 8 weeks of vacation a year. Clearly, they have a better understanding of the important things in life: experiences with friends and family. The only way to have these quality experiences is to take VACATIONS and TAKE TIME for these important people. Not only that, but it is critical to take a break just to recharge our batteries and refresh our soul.

(Please note: I need to fix this chart - Stress is on the X axis and performance on the Y-axis, but otherwise, everything is correct here.) The point is that our productivity drops dramatically when we are fatigued.

Are you a workaholic?

Are you spending enough time with your loved ones?

Another way to ask this is: are you taking enough vacation and time for life?

If you're a workaholic, you may be heading for a stroke, heart-attack, or stroke. In any event, you're probably more stressed-out and more difficult to be around, because you're not balancing your life.

Do something about this before it is too late. If your loved ones have been expressing worry about how much you work, take a break. If you notice that you're getting more stressed-out than you used to, why not build in a few more vacations each year and take more weekends away from the Blackberry, computer, and cell phone?

Sometimes, the answer isn't to take Prozac but rather to take a vacation.

Remember: in the end, we do not take our company with us, our paychecks do not go with us, nor does the debt, nor the toys, when we pass away. In the end, the only thing that matters most is the quality time we spend with those we love the most. Most often, those people are our friends and family members.

In the military, there are obvious results from stress and fatigue. Officers frequently report that "exhausted men offer little more worth than dead men" in many cases. I've seen this first hand. When, in a strategy game simulation playing "Rome: Total War" I noticed a huge difference in performance in my troops when they were stressed. For example, in examining the difference between a "fresh" unit, a "warmed-up" unit, a "tired" unit, and "exhausted" unit, my "fresh" units far outperformed equally equipped, talented, staffed, and trained "exhausted" units. In addition, units placed in unfair position (downhill vs. an uphill force), units "surprised" by an enemy, and units in fear of a superior force (such as infantry vs. cavalry or cavalry vs. elephants) also fared poorly. When mismatched, it is obvious that troops will suffer undue stress, and that stress will cause the unit to break, flee, and become routed by the enemy.

How are we any different in our work life?

If you are a workaholic, I suggest you seek out professional assistance from a doctor, career therapist, or other professional. Also, why not seek out a "life coach" to help you rebalance your life before you die of karōshi? Ultimately, your life will be far more balanced and you ought to experience higher happiness.

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Letter To A Wounded Soldier

The Associated Press announced today that letters addressed "To A Wounded Soldier" were being returned as undeliverable and return to sender. Reasons given: (1) threat of anthrax through the mail, and (2) concern over whether a message contained in the email would be demoralizing (such as "stop killing babies" or stuff like that).

A comment by one woman was "I just wanted to say, 'I'm sorry you're hurt. Thank you, Merry Christmas.'"

In the spirit of such a gesture, I've decided to write my own version of a "Letter to a wounded soldier" here at AspireNow. If this letter moves you, feel free to forward/copy to your friends and family members who are affected by this war. All I ask is you keep the original author copyright and links attached. Blessings!

"Letter To A Wounded Soldier:

December 11, 2007

Dear Wounded Soldier,

I am writing on behalf of the parent who is too numb, scared, upset, or unable to write to you.

I am so sorry that you are not home with us this year for the holidays. More importantly that that, I am sorry that you are wounded and in pain.

I know you felt it worthy to fight for the cause in Iraq. I know you felt it worth dying for, or you would not have gone. I just can't imagine anyone would have thought you'd get hurt. I am so proud of you for fighting to right injustices in the world. I have not been there to see everything you may have done. But whether all of your actions have been good, or bad, I give you the benefit of the doubt. Why? Because I love you and believe you are standing up for the right thing. Just as the men and women who planted a flag in the ground the morning of September 11, 2001 stood up for the right thing.

Some people do not believe in this war. To those people, I can only say that I understand your frustration. It seems that our government rushed to war in both Afghanistan and in Iraq. Many people feel the war is the right thing to do, while many oppose it. Nevertheless, it is the American responsibility to stand up and serve our commander-in-chief, even if we do not always agree with him. This letter especially goes to the soldier who felt this way prior to going to this war, fought in the war, and suffered injury due to the war. To you, especially, I write to share in your frustration.

While you may not know me, and I may not know you, it is so important to so many of us back home that you hear this message:

We love you. We miss you. We are sorry you are hurt. Please heal to the best of your ability. We pray that God would summon a quick healing for you and bring you back to be with us soon. We miss you, today, and every day that you are not here with us.

Thank you, so much, for what you do for every one of us, and our country, America.

Love,
Me."
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This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. You may republish this article only AS A COMPLETE WHOLE with ENTIRE LINKS and copyright messages attached. To read more articles like this, subscribe to the A-Blog.

What To Do About PMS?

PMS Survival Tips:

PMS is a challenge for many women. Surviving a woman's PMS is a challenge for many men. When a woman has PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome), a man often tries to wrestle with what to do about this phenomenon with the women we love: how can we still love this woman when she suddenly asks strange questions or behaves in ways that don't run logically with other times?

Women, on the other hand, are coping with PMS symptoms that often make it difficult to feel happy or normal.

According to Dr. Marilyn Glenville:
What are the symptoms of PMS?

"This is where a lot of confusion has arisen because over 150 symptoms can be classed as PMS. These can include:

Mood swings Irritability
Anxiety and tension
Bloating
Breast tenderness and swelling
Water retention
Acne Tiredness
Weight gain
Headaches/migraines
Crying Spells
Depression
Sugar and food cravings
Constipation
Dizziness

Quite a list! Personality changes associated with this time can be very severe with some women describing a Jekyll and Hyde change where they literally become a different person pre-menstrually." Dr. Glenville goes on in her website to discuss the difference between anxiety, craving, hypdration, and depression symptoms. I'll keep it a little more basic, here, and deal more with how we RELATE to each other during times of PMS.

If your woman starts asking questions like:

Do you still love me?
Does this dress make my butt look fat?
Did you take out the trash this morning like I asked you (when you know it's not even trash day)?

Or, perhaps she demonstrates a sudden burst of anger that defies logic. Well, guys, consider your responses carefully. I saw a film doing a parody on PMS and one comment they used to sum up the feelings a woman experiences during PMS as "somewhere between Christmas and being BURIED ALIVE!" So, perhaps, it might help to have a sense of humor about the matter.

This video, albeit from a male perspective, offers some amusing tips to PMS (complete with a new definition for the acronym!



When your woman says "honey, do I look fat?" Don't answer "YES" because the question is a trick question! Instead, do like the guy does in this video:

Honey, may I draw a hot bath for you... with your favorite bubbles? Because, I really love you, and thought you might appreciate it. B-I-N-G-O! Ha!

Now, say, he had said, "yes, you look fat." Then what?

Well, he had better be prepared to run before the next available object (near her) finds its way to the back of his head!

But, then, being a guy, I couldn't help but think of the classic ways to better manage the physical challenges of PMS and perhaps finding ways to MINIMIZE it. These are not things you can suggest to a women DURING her PMS cycle. However, they might be useful later. And, for women, these might be ways you can minimize the crying meltdowns or episodes of unexplained anger or frustration.

Women, do you have PMS? Well, maybe this is one you can forward to the man in your life. We all can use a little more understanding to help each other build more love. Beyond that, maybe these tips (not from me, but from doctors and other women) can help minimize this troublesome period each month.

Solutions for women:

1. Get medication. For heaven's sake, how can you expect the rest of the world to "just deal with it" when it isn't anything logical or expected! There's a lot of good medication out there to help minimize and balance hormones. Just be aware of the side effects and seek medical advice, of course. Caution: I'm not giving medical advice here. Before taking any drug, talk to a licensed practitioner about what is best for you.

2. Try herbs. Sometimes, it can be better to take herbs than a drug. However, with any herb or drug, these can produce certain side affects. Make sure you talk with a licensed practitioner who specialized in herb treatments, and also be careful if you're taking the pill or other supplements/drugs that might interact with the herb. Again, I'm not dispensing medical information and I strongly recommend that you begin any herbal or medical treatments under the care of a licensed doctor or specialist.

3. Vitamins. Again, my caution/disclaimer applies, but according to Dr. Glenville, the following vitamins have been found useful:

Multivitamin, especially B6 (B6 in the form of pyridoxal-5-phosphate - can help with moods and balancing chemicals in your body, E (balances moods and helps with breast symptoms), Magnesium (reduces tension, anxiety, and migranes), and "A number of studies have shown that evening primrose oil (EPO) is effective in reducing the symptoms of PMS and especially helpful to women whose main pre-menstrual symptoms is breast tenderness or fibrocystic breast disease." There are some other tests at this site which could be useful for diagnosis and treatment of symptoms.

4. If you find the urge to yell at someone for something, refrain. Remember, you might have something going on to justify feeling angry or hurt, but that may be magnified by your symptoms of PMS. If that is the case, why say something now that you'll regret later. Apologies only go so far and I've never been one to agree with the concept that [PMS = Get Out Of Jail Free card]. I know, it seems like it ought to be, though.

Maybe a better idea is to EXERCISE whenever you feel like yelling or crying. Sometimes, we can work out our emotions by physically moving our body. And I'm not talking about taking a swing at the man standing closest to you, either!

5. Do NOTHING different. That's right, just go on being mean, emo, and bitchy. There, I said it. Does that give you permission to be mean? Is that better?

I really don't know. I'm not sure it will make the people AROUND YOU like you any better, though!

6. Write the author of this article a flame message. If it really helps, write me hate mail. If it saves the man in your life the abuse, I can take it. Better yet, why not just write it, then delete it! Once you get it out of your system, it will probably be easier to go on with life. That's my rule of thumb: write it out, then save it to the draft folder. Two days later read it again. If anything is negative in there, delete it! I had to learn this one the hard way, unfortunately.

7. Improve your diet. Besides herbs, drugs, or vitamins, there are other dietary steps you can take to remain balanced.

8. Retreat a little from society. If you know you experience particularly difficult PMS, you might want to keep your calendar and block these days off and put your PEAK PERFORMANCE on other days. After all, if you know you get migraines during PMS, why schedule that big presentation during this day. Or, why make this the day of the big party. It's like putting an elephant in the room before the party ever happens. And, if you've ever seen the movie with Peter Sellers called, "The Party" you'll know that elephants at parties create one wild party.

Hmm. I could go on, but I think I've covered enough for now. If you're still struggling, seek professional help!

Okay, I can't just talk to women. If would be unfair, right? Surely, there's more than one man who will read this article. Just so you know I've got ideas for you, too, men. Guys, check this list out!

Solutions for men:

1. Relate to her.



Besides taking Monthly Man, what can you do to help relate to a surge of hormones rushing through your body every 28 days? Well, you certainly can't TALK about it. Yes, this is a no-no. All you can do is act in ways that show you understand. Yeah... I know... easy... (er, not)... I was tempted to just put a blank in this section. There aren't any EASY solutions!

2. Mark your calendar! In some cases, it is better to just be gone during this time. If you're dating, this is easier to arrange than if you live together. This is often why a man will create his own little kingdom out "in the garage". It's a place to escape during, eh, certain times of the month. ;)

3. Be aware of changes in behavior. If you live with or are around a woman who experiences strong PMS cycles, take note, and stay on-guard in future months. If you've been attacked once, or if you've experienced unusually high emotional swings, this might be something to look out for in, eh, 28 days. Just a word of caution, guys.

4. Make sure your woman eats regularly (balanced sugar levels help) or make sure she gets an extra dose of chocolate during this time! I've noticed that I am also affected by sugar levels. It is important to eat regularly, eat healthy, and exercise regularly no matter what our gender.

5. Don't initiate sex. Come on. Get a clue. Why do you think this is an issue with women, guys? If a woman's body is going through a rash of hormone changes (as in flushing out), she is likely not feeling as good as normal. Let her initiate during this time. It's just a wise idea. Then again, I have a friend who is a bit chauvenistic who thinks he should just "take" his woman and she'll thank him later. Apparently she says sex makes her PMS symptoms diminish. Every woman is different, no? Well, I can't recommend this, for obvious reasons. Just learn what works best in your relationship and be respectful of each other's wants and needs.

6. Rather than telling her she looks tired, tell her she is still as pretty as the day you met her. Oops, I might have just recommended you lie to her. But, guys, the truth is, sometimes a lie will help soothe strange emotion better than logic. Better than a lie is this: let her know she is SPECIAL to you. That's really what she wants to know the most, anyway. Be smart, treat her special - whether during PMS or not!

7. Offer to do something nice for her. Not what YOU would normally think is nice for her, but what SHE would normally think is nice for her. Examples include picking up your things around the house. Pampering her a little (like drawing a bath). Cooking the meal. Doing the dishes. All of that type of stuff might help you during these days her "friend" is coming to visit.

8. Give her a gift. Remember the expression "diamonds are a girls best friend"? Actually, most gifts of jewelry, perfume, lotions (ooh, you can even add a massage with the lotion), and more show her you still love her. Rather than answer that question with words, answer it with a gift. Hey, if it works at other times, it might work now, too. Just don't be surprised if she criticizes the gift is she doesn't like it!

9. Don't make excuses for things. Don't go around like a pansy saying "I'm sorry" for everything. Just say this: "You're right. I'm wrong." Nothing else you say is likely to matter at this time. If nothing else helps, well, THEN say "I'm sorry!" (Saying this once, used last, can be effective.)

9. Don't ask if she is on PMS (or on anything ELSE). And, whatever you do, do NOT mention any word that might pop up in a thesaurus as related to CLOTH (hint: GAR spelled backwards)! If someone is having an anger episode, you're probably not going to find THIS the best time to suggest anger management. You know what I mean?

As with most of my articles, I'll remind you that love is an action word, as much as a doing word. So, act smart. Act loving. And if all else fails, RUN!

I wish I had all the answers on this one. Truth is, like most men, I don't. And for double-jeopardy PMS (PMS in lesbian couples), ladies, you're on your own on that one!

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Note: I know I took a humourous look at this subject. But, in all seriousness, if PMS is causing serious havoc in your life, please seek out medical help from a qualified specialist. Why put yourself through monthly torture? Why put those around you through mood swings? Life can be better! As with all of our articles, our focus is on helping people love more. Love is always the answer.

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This article is written by Scott Andrews, Founder of AspireNow. Copyright 2007. Videos are copyright their respective owners. All rights reserved. No infringement is intended.

Disclaimer: The contents of this site are for information only and are intended to assist readers in identifying symptoms and conditions they may be experiencing. This site is not intended to be a substitute for taking proper medical advice and should not be relied upon in this way. Always consult a qualified doctor or health practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, taking the pill or on any medication. Your situation will need to be looked at individually and you should not attempt to self treat. The author and publisher cannot accept responsibility for illness arising out of the failure to seek medical advice from a doctor.

The views expressed by third parties placing material on these pages are not representative of the views of the author or publisher. The Author and Publisher cannot monitor the content not produced by us and has not reviewed all the third party material published on this site and the Author and Publisher accept no liability whatsoever in relation to the content of third party material placed on these pages.

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How I Got Rid Of My Joint Pain In My Hands

I was listening to a program today about health and wellness programs. You know, so many people are focused on thinning their waistline, diets, workouts, but even more people are taking prescriptions for problems with energy, brain power (mental clarity), focus, stress, joint-comfort, and other diseases.

Are you looking for peak performance in your work, play and daily tasks?

I might have a solution for you, as simple as a daily drink of water (or other liquid), that costs less than a Starbucks cup of coffee.

Still here? Cool. I'll take the attention from your eyeballs as an expression of interest and permission to share more.

I recently got involved with a product that is delivering on this promise of lower stress, optimal health, higher joint flexibility, and better mental clarity. These are all things that, in running a site like AspireNow, I always have interest in learning more. How about you?

In just a short time after learning about it, the stories about this product are incredible.

For example, a friend of mine said she started taking this juice supplement after being diagnosed with Lupus (a mysterious blood condition). She started taking Xperia and after only one month was given a CLEAN bill of health.

Personally, I found that my mental accuity is more focused, my sense of taste and smell seems heightened, and more than that, the pain I'd experienced for the past year in my foot and hand WENT AWAY! Pain in the hand, which, by the way, a doctor had told me to "just live with it, you're getting older." I'm a saxophone player, so I can't have my hands hurt and play optimally.

My bass player, Jamie, who gifted me product to introduce me to this daily supplement, stopped going to the chiropractor and took off a knee brace he'd worn for 10 years after using this supplement regularly. As a result, his work production in his masonry business went up dramatically. He went back into his chiropractor's office with a box of this liquid supplement. The chiropractor said, "I haven't seen you in a while, Jamie, what's up?" Jamie said, "well, try this, Doc, and you'll find out why."

Shoot, if you ask me, CEO's ought to gift every employee in their company this product. Isn't productivity good for the bottom line? How much money do companies lose on "sick time" for mental, stress, and health issues?

Professional athlete coaches ought to get their athletes (and other personnel) using it... teachers ought to get their parents to give it to kids. One story I haven't personally experienced, but heard about from Jamie, was this kid who took Univera's products and went from being a "D" student, diagnosed with ADD problems, to an "A" student (with remarks about how quickly he changed and improved his focus).

I'm not giving you a sales pitch. This stuff doesn't need one. I just want people to get involved and at least TRY it. What could you lose? Yes, ask your doctor first. But try it... I'll offer it to you without charging you for your first try, that's how much I believe in it.

I can't promise that you'll have this same result, but if you're going to a chiropractor, taking meds, trying to lose weight (and struggling with it), experiencing pain, or simply want to live longer and sustain PEAK PERFORMANCE, visit my Abundance Awaits You website, sign up for the free gift, and try it out. Why am I gifting this free? Because I care about HELPING PEOPLE. You probably already know that from reading the articles at AspireNow.

You can learn more at my site for Univera:
http://www.univeraPowerTeam.com/AbundanceAwaitsYou

This is the only mention I'll make of this at my blog. I'll post more at http://www.advancedbreakthroughs.com/ and also probably a page that describes more at AspireNow in the future. As you can tell, I'm excited about Univera's products enough to post them here on the A-blog - but, hey, it's about SELF-HELP. I haven't had a product that literally healed me of pain (other than a temporary drug) and delivered on the promise before like this one, so can you blame me?

Learn more about it here:
http://www.univeraPowerTeam.com/AbundanceAwaitsYou

P.S. - There IS a business opportunity if you wish to share the product with your friend, too. I won't go into details on that, except to say that people are making anywhere from $500 to $27,000 per month (not kidding) after getting involved in this program. Just try the Univera product yourself for a while, and if you're convinced that you like the product, why not share it with others? I'll help you get started if you're interested. Also, there's a link for that at my site, too:

http://www.univeraPowerTeam.com/AbundanceAwaitsYou

Note: claims are true personal stories of the author and two of his friends. Your individual results obviously may vary. According to the FDA guidelines, consult a physician before beginning any supplemental diet program.