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There’s nothing wrong with gambling, if you use it the right way - as means of having fun, as a hobby or a way of de stressing. The danger comes when the roles get reversed and gambling starts using you. When you start to gamble not to relax, but because you get tense when you are not gambling, you have a serious problem. With online gambling being so prevalent and easy to access, this is now becoming a serious problem.

Gambling addiction has a great deal of social stigma attached to it. While things like alcohol and drug addiction are met with a certain amount of sympathy, people tend to feel that a person dependent on these things is one who could not face life’s pressures and took the easy way out. These people need sympathy and help to recover. Gambling addicts, on the other hand, are often treated a selfish, self centered people who do not care for their families and are throwing away their and their families futures by gambling away all their money.

Gambling addiction is understood by mental health professionals to be an emotional problem and has the same roots as any other form of addiction. Gambling addiction needs to be viewed in the same way as other extreme emotional states like acute anxiety and depression. To treat it merely as a case of a weak or immature personality is to misunderstand the problem and treat it the wrong way.

Like all addicts, the gambling addict will have moments of clarity when he will appreciate what the addiction is doing to his life and to his family. Again, like other addicts, he may make some weak efforts to cure himself and will, in 95% of the cases, fail. He then accepts his addiction as being incurable and inevitable and feels that he has no choice but to gamble. The descent into disaster only accelerates from here.

But gambling addiction is not just treatable, it is curable. There are no magic bullets or pills that can remove the problem overnight. It is a long haul and the cured gambling addict, like the reformed drinker or drug addict, will have to spend the rest of his life being careful about falling back into the trap. But this is a very small price to pay for escaping from the hole.

Gambling addicts rarely see the problems they have, and if they do, forget about it in their desire to gamble. There are fours easy checks to know if you have a gambling addiction. Be completely honest with yourself and ask yourself if you or someone you care about has these symptoms:

Do you feel the need to be secretive about your gambling? Do you hide it or lie about it?

Once you start, are you able to stop at a predetermined point - either at a fixed time or when you have lost a fixed amount of money? Or do you keep on gambling until you are exhausted and / or have no money left?

Do you gamble even when you can’t afford it? Are you spending money meant for other purposes on gambling - money for school fees, utility bills and so on?

Are those who care worried about you? Even if they haven’t said anything as yet, do you sense they are concerned about you?

Forget about having all of these symptoms, having even one of them is enough of a cause for concern. Even one symptom is a sign of if not full blown addiction, at least a sign of being well on the way to becoming an addict.

Cure and treatment is only possible if the person is both honest enough to see that he has a problem and also has a desire to be cured of it. It is not possible to treat someone who does not want to be treated.

Gambling addicts wanting to be cured must accept the fact that this is an emotional disorder and that they will not be able to deal with it themselves. It is normal to feel ashamed of having the problem and therefore reluctant to ask for help. But this is not something that can be self treated. This is a medical condition that needs to be treated by qualified professionals.

Diet is an important factor in many diseases including arthritis. Here are some tips to using diet to help control your arthritis symptoms.

Eat a healthy, well balanced diet. This is the number one rule in controlling many diseases. When the body has the vitamins and nutrients it needs it is better able to fight off disease.

Drink plenty of water. Drinking 8 glasses of water each day helps keep the cells hydrated and working their best.

Eat foods that are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are responsible for ridding the body of excess free radicals that can cause disease and break down the immune system. Antioxidants boost the immune system and have anti-inflammatory properties. Many vegetables and fruits contain high levels of antioxidants.

Eat a low fat diet. Fats can do more harm than good to the body. Eliminate or cut back on saturated fats, which have detrimental effects. Eat the healthy types of fats instead.

Eat foods that contain the five essential components, which include protein, carbohydrates, minerals, fats and vitamins.

Some foods are thought to be triggers for arthritis flare-ups. While the jury is still out on whether or not this is true, some people swear by it. If you have certain foods that seem to cause you problems systematically eliminate them from your diet to see if you see improvement. Some common foods that may be possible culprits are acidic foods like tomatoes and oranges.

Eat less processed foods. Processed foods contain chemical preservatives and excess salt, which is not good for the body. Processed foods also lose much of their nutritive value, particularly canned foods.

Use more plant oils in cooking. Plant oils are thought to play a role in fighting arthritis. Olive oil is one of the best oils to use in your food.

Eat foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce pain and inflammation of people with arthritis. It is found in oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, trout sardines and herring. Other good sources are grape seeds, walnuts, and oils such as safflower and canola.

Supplement your diet with omega-3 fatty acids if you don’t get enough in your regular diet. Supplements are readily available at your local pharmacy or health food store.

Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These contain antioxidants that are necessary to help fight arthritis.

Eat foods that contain folic acid. Folic acid, also known as folate, is part of the B group of vitamins. These are good for counteracting some of the side effects of prescription rheumatoid arthritis medication. Folic acid is found in green leafy vegetables like spinach and cabbage as well as in whole grains and dairy products.

Green tea has been found to be helpful in providing antioxidants and is helpful for those with osteoarthritis. Drink a cup of green tea daily.

While there is still much more research to be done, eating a healthy diet will help you to improve your health and can also help with arthritis symptoms.

The summer season provides a cornucopia of delicious vegetables, fruits and herbs. Preparing meals during this wonderful season presents boundless opportunities to prepare easily digestible food. This is particularly important to those who suffer from acid reflux.

The tomato, which many consider the quintessential fruit of summer, has long been given a bad rap. Thought of as acidic in nature, many people who experience acid reflux shun the tomato like the plague. When tomatoes are slowly over cooked to produce a thick sauce they do become extremely acidic. When served raw in their natural state tomatoes, however, are sweet and alkaline.

My all time favorite tomato recipe is quite simple and easy to prepare. Made with slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil, it is better known in Italy as Caprese Salad (in the style of Capri). It is the starter listed below for my favorite summer meal.

Cooking outdoors is an American summer tradition. It is liberating to get out of the kitchen to cook and the clean up is much easier. My favorite main dish of summer is chicken. I buy a \”natural\” bird to start with. I then butterfly it by cutting close to the backbone from tail to neck, flip it over and press it down, dry it with paper towels and season it. This makes a much nicer presentation than just grilling loose pieces of chicken.

I live in a log cabin on a mountain top in rural Pennsylvania. Because we have so many bear and other creatures who share our love of outdoor cooking, we confine those activities to the deck using a Weber gas grill with a cover. In order to create that real woodsy flavor of a traditional barbeque, we use one of those metal wood chip boxes filled with oak, mesquite or hickory. The oak is free. Twigs and branches fall out of the trees in the back yard. I like to mix these woods together to produce a unique smoke flavor. I call this cooking technique \”grill-a-quing\”, because you are combining grilling with barbequing and smoking.

Of course, the chicken can be cooked in the traditional manner over coals or wood. The secret is to start off with high heat in order to seal the bird. When the fat starts to flare up, the heat must be brought down to low. The objective it to keep the juices in while making the skin very crisp. This is more easily controlled when using a gas grill with a cover.

A three and one half to four pounder can require up to two hours to fully cook. While the chicken is slowly cooking filling the air with enticing flavors, I have time to make the final arrangements for dinner. When the chicken is done it is crispy on the outside and moist and juicy inside. It is almost impossible to resist eating the skin. I always have a just little piece of skin off the thigh to satisfy that urge. I present the butterflied chicken on a carving board and serve the portions upon request. If you can’t pull it apart with your fingers, then it has not cooked enough.

I like to serve the chicken with a garden salad, utilizing as many ingredients as possible. We grow herbs and vegetables on the decks in large terracotta clay pots. It is very convenient to just walk out the French doors onto the deck and harvest what you will need for the salad while the bird is cooking. If you want carbs, make a simple pasta primavera with the vegetables using penne or even orzo. Toss with oil, vinegar and fresh herbs like oregano and set aside. This dish is perfectly fine served at room temperature.

To complete this meal, I like to serve a simple dessert featuring whatever fruits are in season. Local berries or ripe peaches are always delicious. I like to serve them over lemon pound cake with a dollop of whipped cream. In Pennsylvania we have local apples in late summer. My favorite dessert is a puff pastry apple tart with apricot rum glaze. This is so easy to make, yet looks quite impressive to eagerly awaiting appetites. If you opt for the apple tart, you will have to bake it earlier in the day. Let it cool and place it in a cold oven to keep the pastry crispy.

Bon Appetite!



CAPRESE SALAD

Ingredients:

Four Ripe tomatoes (about two pounds), sliced thin (1/4 inch)

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

One pound of fresh mozzarella sliced about the same as tomatoes

One cup chiffonade of fresh Basil (stack basil leave, roll up and cut into thin slices)

Extra virgin olive oil (first cold pressed)

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Arrange the tomato slices on a serving platter. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle half the basil on the tomatoes and cover with slices of mozzarella. Drizzle more olive oil and sprinkle more basil over the mozzarella. Garnish dish with chopped chives. Hold at room temperature before serving just long enough to allow the cheese to soften and meld with the tomato juices. Serve with warm crusty bread for sopping up the juices.



GRILL-A-QUED BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN

Ingredients:

Grill spray

Wood chips (oak, apple, mesquite or hickory)

3-1/2 to 4 pound natural chicken (butterflied as explained above)

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper

Directions:

Spray clean grill thoroughly with oil and fill the metal wood box with pieces of wood (the wood does not need to be soaked in water). Ignite entire grill at the highest setting. Meanwhile remove excess fat from chicken and season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper to taste. When the wood starts to smoke and the grill is very hot, place the seasoned chicken breast side up on the cooking grates. Wait a few minutes and when fat flares up adjust heat to the lowest setting. Continue to cook, checking periodically, until the skin is quite crisp and the joints are easily moved (about an hour and a half to two hours) . The chicken should be well done but not dried out. When you see that the flesh can be easily pulled apart, carefully move the chicken to a cutting board. Allow fifteen minutes for the juices to set up before serving. The secret to making this dish is \”seal and slow\”. You do not want the flames that might flare up as fat is being expelled to burn the skin of the chicken. If this does occur, open the lid of the cooker until they subside. Natural chickens have less fat.



PUFF PASTRY APPLE TART WITH APRICOT RUM GLAZE

Ingredients:

One sheet of puff pastry (thawed)

Three or four tart apples (Braeburn, Fuji or Gala) peeled, halved, cored and sliced into very thin pieces

Juice of one lemon

Three tablespoons fine white sugar

Cinnamon

One quarter cup apricot jam

One quarter cup dark rum

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare apples and place in work bowl. Toss lightly with lemon juice. Thaw puff pastry according to directions. Place jam and rum in a deep microwave safe bowl partially covered with plastic wrap. Heat until boiling, but not over flowing so that the alcohol in the rum evaporates and forms a glaze. Set aside. Line a 12\” x 18\” baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to make a bit thinner. Fold the edges of the pastry over to form a border of about 1/2 inch on all sides of the rectangle. Place the sliced apples overlapping each other in alternating vertical rows to cover pastry sheet, keeping the rows within the border. Dust with sugar and cinnamon. Bake for about 25 minutes or until pastry is golden and apples are tender. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze over the apples (reheat the glaze if necessary). Serve with créme fraiche, whipped cream or ice cream. A sprig of mint and a few raspberries make a terrific garnish with each serving.



All courses represent a serving for four.

For free recipes, articles and information about acid reflux, please visit: http://www.refluxgoneforever.com

A body detox diet can be a fresh, full, spicy, and delicious feast altogether. What with all the sumptuous fresh fruit salads and vegetable soups, one can easily forget that he or she is actually on a home body detox. However, it is not just all about the solid foods. If there are superfoods, there are superliquids too! Much of the cleansing is really made possible by the liquids that are taken in the body.

So take advantage of a home body detox and don’t worry much about getting diuretic. Surely, it will be to your body’s benefit. It is highly recommended that the liquid detoxification process be implemented in the morning when the body is in its best cleansing mood.

The All-Important Water

If you are the type who seems to get regular headaches, then you must also be the type who doesn’t really care much about your water intake. Much of the headaches are really caused by the depleted water level in the body, which could translate to dehydration. In a total body detox however, water plays a very important role as it helps flush out the toxic wastes. As such, the more water you drink, the healthier you become.

If you have to put a big pitcher or container full of water beside you wherever you go then do so as it will encourage you to drink more from time to time. An important reminder though! When it comes to water, it has to be purified. Otherwise, it will defeat the purpose of the whole body detox plan. Do not rely too much on tap water because these days, it can contain bacteria and other harmful substances that you do not know of. So go for distilled water or spring water and you’re good to go.

All-Natural Herbal Teas

Next to drinking coffee, drinking herbal tea is a common practice. While it is extremely soothing to drink a hot tea, its natural healing properties have been likewise recognized since the ancient times. These days, herbal teas come in different flavors and are more enjoyed over coffee because of its minimal or non-existent caffeine content.

In particular, herbal colon cleanse teas work to detoxify the organ by breaking down mucoid plaque in the colon walls and then eliminating the wastes. It is also known to strengthen the lower bowel. More importantly, herbal colon cleanse teas give a whole body detox from yeasts, parasites, bacteria and viruses.

All Fruits and Vegetable Cocktails

Watermelon, as the fruit name suggests, has lots of water content. Carefully selected watermelon can be deliciously red and sweet. Watermelon juice is definitely great for body detox as well. With a juice extractor, juice up the watermelon flesh, some of its seeds, and a small portion of the green part right below the rind.

On the other hand, juices that are made from fresh vegetables have numerous health benefits. The multivitamin content in vegetables builds up the body’s resistance against diseases. It also facilitates the metabolic processes and increases the energy levels. Most importantly, vegetable juice helps the body detox system in expelling the toxins from the body.

If you have ever flipped through a copy of one of the more popular bodybuilding magazines on the market you have seen them.

Page after page of ads, each one proclaiming their unique benefits - one promises massive gains in six weeks another serious fat loss.

Almost all of them have catchy names and the ads sure look impressive - and healthy price tags to boot.

Here’s the thing - nearly all of those products you see should be viewed one way - as supplements to a solid bodybuilding program.

One that focuses on the basic lifts contains plenty of high quality protein, clean carbs, and healthy fats.

And almost more importantly - focuses on getting at least eight hours of sleep per night - every night.

Only when you can ask yourself if your program fits all of the above criteria and can honestly answer yes, then and only then should you start looking into buying supplements.

Then it is simply analyzing what you are currently trying to achieve and searching out a quality product that will HELP you achieve your goal - but won’t get you there all-by-itself.

For example, if you are severely underweight and need to gain weight for football or another sport, looking into buying a quality weight gainer would not be a bad option.

Notice above I said quality weight gainer, when purchasing supplements it is never a good idea to go cheap - sure you might save a few bucks, however, chances are that cheap products contain cheap ingredients that will yield little if any positive results.

What I mean by the above is this, a cheap weight gainer that uses cheap fats and sugars to inflate its calorie count will; chances are, only increase the size of your waist - not good.

One other point, people often complain that they are not getting any results from using a certain supplement, the thing is, when you question them about it they say things like, well they had to cut the serving size in half to save money, or they only use it when they remember.

No supplement, no matter how good is going to do anything for you if you do not take enough of it, within reason of course, or if you only take it once a week.

Lastly, when you do make the decision to buy a supplement make sure you only buy one at a time, this way when you add it in to your diet and exercise program you will be able to tell if it is working or not.

Actually if possible it would be best to keep all the other factors as close to constant as you can for a couple of weeks (meaning keep the same routine and diet you had before adding in the supplement) so that you will be able to tell with pretty good accuracy if the supplement you bought is doing what it said it would do.

If you add two or three things at one time you won’t know which product is working, so stick to trying one thing at a time until you find something that works.

Conclusion

If you make sure that your diet and exercise program are on track before you purchase a supplement, and only buy supplements that were meant to help you achieve your particular goal, not only will you make better gains, but chances are you will keep more money in your wallet as a result - and that’s definitely a good combination!

…Always Train Hard…

With summer quickly approaching, more people will be shedding their winter clothes in favor of clothes that expose more skin. What better time to start clearing up those skin problems than now.

For black men and women, razor bumps is probably one the most unsightly skin problems that exist. Razor bumps can be embarrassing in a job interview by drawing attention to your skin rather than your credentials.

Also, women who suffer from razor bumps are often embarrassed by wearing bathing suits in public.

It is estimated that 60% of the black men in America suffer from razor bumps. Yet, despite the prevalence of this skin condition, it is easily treatable.

Here are five simple steps that will help clear up your razor bumps and prepare your skin for the summer:

Step 1 - Read The Labels Of What You Are Putting On Your Skin

Most men who shave with a razor and women as well, use shaving foams that contain some form of alcohol. Products that contain alcohol will dry out your skin. Dry skin is the main culprit of causing black people to get razor bumps. Consider using oil based shaving oils or creams.

Step 2 - Wash The Area You Are Planning To Shave

Resist the urge to immediately shave your face, legs, or pubic area without first washing the area. You never know what could be on your skin after being at work all day or sleeping on your bed all night. Use a gentle cleaner so as not to dry out your skin, but rinse away any bacteria or fungus.

Step 3 - Learn How To Shave The Right Way

When using a razor, use cold water to rinse in between strokes. Hot water will warp your blade which can bump up your skin faster than you can say ouch! Men should shave with the grain of the hairs and not against the grain. Since the neck hair grows in a different direction, change direction of the strokes when you shave your neck.

Step 4 - Skip The After Shave

If you were James Bond or Magnum P.I., I would recommend using the alcohol based after shave products. However , if your skin is more like Denzel Washington or Sidney Poitier, you will need to play to it’s strengths. I recommend using a daily moisturizer that will also prevent break outs and is alcohol free.

Step 5 - Stop Plucking Out Those Ingrown Hair

Plucking out ingrown hairs will cause your skin to bruise and look even worse. As your skin heals, the ingrown hairs will become exposed. This will allow you to gently remove the tip that has poked back into your skin, thus healing the razor bumps.

It will take time to heal your skin. However, if you use the above steps you will begin to treat your skin better and with time your skin will look great for any season!

I had my first panic attack while giving a speech. One minute I was telling a joke and appreciating the reaction of the crowd. In the next moment, I felt like I was watching myself from a distance. My heart raced, my body shook, and I could not catch my breath. I wondered how I’d be able to finish my talk without anyone noticing. Somehow, I did finish the speech. But the panic was not finished with me.

Over the next two years, I experienced more panic attacks. Determined to not shrink my life, I sought help. I visited my doctor, began therapy, and read every book available on overcoming panic. Over time, I put together a grab bag of resources to survive the panic attacks. They worked. More than ten years after that first panic attack, I am nearly panic free. When the panic starts, I know what to do to stop it. Do you? Here are my tips to support you in overcoming panic.

First Things First

No matter how great you are at coping with panic and stress, no matter how helpful my list of strategies might be to you, the first steps you need to take toward healing are setting up appointments with both a physician and a therapist.

Panic attacks can be caused by health problems and by medication as well as by emotional stress. Your doctor can help you to discern this and guide you toward taking the appropriate actions.

If your panic stems from past emotional wounds, a therapist can work with you to heal these. In addition, a therapist can provide you with coping skills that are appropriate to your specific situation and personality.

Coping Strategies

The following strategies have helped me cope with stress and alleviate panic attacks. I hope that they will be helpful to you in your own journey of healing.

1. Eat Regularly

The Panic Attack Recovery Book by Shirley Swede and Seymour Sheppard Jaffe, M.D. provides helpful dietary guidelines for preventing anxiety. They suggest that drops in blood sugar can induce panic attacks. Eat small, healthy meals every 2 hours throughout the day. Keep safe snacks with you at all times in case you get stuck waiting. In addition, keep yourself hydrated!

2. Eliminate Stimulants

Stimulants - simple sugars, caffeine, and cigarettes - can cause you to feel the symptoms of a panic attack and, for some people, can actually cause panic attacks. Limiting or eliminating your use of these stimulants can help to eliminate panic attacks.

3. Breathe Deeply

Learn to breathe deeply. During a panic attack or in the midst of a fearful moment, people tend to take frequent shallow breaths. This style of breathing may cause you to experience tingling in our hands and feet and to feel light-headed. Taking slow, deep breaths can calm you. Put your hand on your stomach and breathe in so that your stomach expands. Practice this. After you learn how, try taking three breaths in this way whenever you experience stress: breathe in for a count of 8 and out for a count of 7.

4. Learn Creative Visualization Techniques

Creative visualization allows you to escape the stress of the moment and create a different reality. You can even fool your body into believing it is experiencing the vision in your head instead of the reality in the present. Visualize sitting in a calm environment - at the beach or in the mountains. Imagine yourself taking a vacation or succeeding at a challenge. Use these creative visualizations to cope with panic, to image success in stressful situations, and to provide yourself with a break from the stress of daily life. As with deep breathing, the more you practice, the better you will be able to utilize this tool in the midst of a panic attack.

5. Practice Relaxation Exercises

In my college theater classes, our teacher taught us progressive relaxation exercises. Now, this and other relaxation exercises have helped me to survive daily life and childbirth! To progressively relax yourself, find a quiet corner of your home and lie on the floor. Beginning with your toes, tense and relax each muscle group in your body - from your toes to your head. When you are completely relaxed, take a moment to notice how you feel. The more you practice this, the better you will be able to recall this feeling in the midst of a panic episode or a stressful situation.

6. Exercise!

Participating in daily exercise, such as walking, can relieve stress and alleviate panic attacks. Make the time doubly effective by using your walk as a time for prayer or meditation. Start your walk with a question to God about your life, an affirmation about yourself (\”I am loved,\” \”I am okay,\” \”I am a survivor.\”), or a simple prayer (\”Thank You,\” \”Bless this moment,\” \”Guide me.\”).

7. Write!

Research by psychologist James Pennebaker has shown that people who used writing to make sense of their traumatic life experiences had the long-lasting effect of feeling happier and less anxious. Pick up an inexpensive notebook. Every morning, take fifteen minutes to dump all of your negative, stressful stuff into that notebook. Write three pages of this stuff. At the end of writing about what is difficult, write five experiences or people or situations that you are grateful for. (For example, \”I am grateful that I am alive,\” \”I am grateful that the sky was a beautiful shade of blue,\” \”I am grateful for the smiles of children.\”)

Carry a small notebook in your purse. Just as you begin to experience the symptoms of panic or stress, write down the following: the situation you are in, the sensations you are feeling in your body, the thoughts you are thinking now and the thoughts you were thinking before experiencing the first symptoms, your present feelings and what you were feeling before the symptoms began. As you do this, remind yourself that what you are experiencing does not define you - it is simply something that is happening. You are not the symptom. This exercise can help you, over time, to pinpoint the causes of your panic attacks. It can also relieve the symptoms of panic attacks. (I use this exercise to control my asthma. It comes from the wonderful book Asthma Free in Twenty-One Days by Kathryn Shafer and Fran Greenfield.)

Connect!

New research suggests that connecting with others relieves stress and increases our happiness. When I first experienced my symptoms of panic, I isolated myself. That was the worst thing I could do! No matter how challenging your panic becomes, connect with someone daily. Join a class or group in a shared area of interest - such as gardening or crafting. Connecting with others will lower your stress!