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Magnesium is a trace mineral which helps to protect against a cluster of risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The risk factors of not including enough magnesium-rich foods in your diet are: elevated blood pressure, low levels of HDL “good” cholesterol, elevated triglycerides (blood fats), elevated glucose (blood sugar) levels and abdominal obesity.

A lack of magnesium manifests itself physiologically in the form of migraines, attention deficit disorder, fibromyalgia, asthma, and allergies. Many of the following conditions have commonly been linked with each other in conjunction to magnesium deficiency: anxiety and psychiatric disorders, aorta strength, and the calcification of soft tissues including heart valves.

50% of the magnesium we consume is found in the bones; the rest is located in the muscles, tissues and organs. After exercise, muscles spasms and leg cramps are caused by dehydration and the lack of magnesium. Magnesium calms and relaxes the muscles. Magnesium aids the body in controlling nerve conditions, muscle function, bone and tooth formation, protein metabolism, general health and circulatory health. When your body lacks magnesium it shows up in fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and weakness. If the deficiency worsens it leads to muscle cramps, spasms, numbness, and cardiac arrhythmia.

Foods that are rich in magnesium include: beans, peas, unrefined grains such as whole wheat (bread, pasta and pizza), soybeans, spinach, potatoes, cereal, oatmeal, green vegetables, roasted almonds, and halibut.

Apply a dab of alcohol to the tick, which may withdraw its feeding tube if it has just started feeding on your skin. If the tick refuses to withdraw, grasp it with tweezers as near the head as possible and pull it out slowly, hopefully with the mouth parts intact. Try not to squeeze the tick’s main body because that can force disease organisms into the wound. If the mouth parts remain embedded in your skin, you should treat the bite with an antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.

Preserve the tick in a bottle with alcohol or in a Ziploc bag or vial with a dampened cotton ball or cloth so it can be readily identified if necessary. If you are in a high-risk area, you should get the tick identified promptly to determine whether it is a disease-carrying species. If you experience any symptoms, for instance, a rash, within the next four weeks after the bite, you should seek medical attention.

When selecting a pet canary choose a young healthy bird which is bright, alert and bouncy, not one that sits perched with ruffled up feathers.  It is only the male that sings; the female will ‘tweet tweet’ or whistle only.

Get the largest cage possible, that allows for room for flight. A pet canary should never have its wings clipped and should be able to fly in the cage for exercise. ‘Flight’ type cages are the best (home-built or commercial) since they are designed to provide room to move. Remember that a long cage is better than a tall narrow one (the height is not all that important). Try to get a cage at least 24 inches long. Watch the spacing between bars – no more than 1/2 inch. Wire cages are best; wood or bamboo cages are too difficult to keep clean. Perches should be well spaced and placed at different heights if possible. They should be of softwood, round of 12-16mm diameter or square with the corners rounded off, and of different sizes so the birds feet are not always in the same position. Place seed and water containers where they will not be fouled by the pet canary’s droppings.

Provide toys, but place them in the cage in such a way as they do not obstruct flight space. A pet canary will enjoy swings, mirrors, bells, and hanging wooden or acrylic toys.

A pet canary must be kept in fresh atmosphere as it is particularly sensitive to foul or polluted air. Inside, you must select a site well away from any gas appliances. The cage must not hang in draught for fear the canary will catch a chill. Direct sunlight is yet another thing to be avoided, especially in the summer. While canaries love sunlight they do not appreciate being left in direct or in a room which is too hot. High temperatures could quite easily force your pet canary in to a false moult in order to maintain an even body temperature, your bird will then shed some of his feathers and will more than likely stop singing. Located outside under the eaves and against the wall could prove to be a suitable place, but only after you have made sure the canary will be safe from stray cats, wild birds and inclement weather. Stray cats can, and often do cause death to caged canaries; also wild birds are quite capable of removing a pet canary without leaving a trace of their visit. Unless your cage is situated in an easterly or north-easterly direction the weather can easily bring harm. If your bird is to be permanently kept outside, a wooden box type cage is most suitable.

Keep the cage spotlessly clean at all times. Wash the food and drink utensils regularly. Disinfect the cage at least every 2 months. Perches should never be washed unless there is another set to take their place. Wet perches cause canaries discomfort. If you have just one set of perches it would be far wiser to take them out and scrape them clean with a sharp knife or similar implement. You may sandpaper the perches but be sure they are not left too smooth , as the smoother the perches the harder the bird has to grip to keep his balance. Wood perches of varied diameter work best (3/8 to 3/4 inches). Do not use sandpaper perch covers. The drinking tube is most effectively cleaned using a small bottle brush. Use brown or clear white paper to cover the floor of the cage. Do not use newspaper as it can be most harmful since there is a risk of the print coming off. When this happens the ink tends to take the moisture out of the canary’s toes and legs.

Buy a good fresh seed mix from a pet shop. A good seed mix will help provide a balanced diet. Blow of the husks daily and change the seed in the dish regularly. Cuttlefish bone provides extra vitamins, and is good for the bird’s beak.

Fresh water must be available at all times. The plastic tube feeder is very convenient but must be kept clean at all times. Give your pet canary a separate suitable dish containing water for a bath about three times a week.

Once a year your pet canary will, under normal conditions, shed all its feathers for a complete new set. It will commence his moult sometime during the late Summer or early Autumn, and will usually take as many as ten weeks to complete the change. During the time the moult is taking place the canary might cease to sing. The annual moult is a natural thing for a bird, but there are several ways you can assist it through this period. You must keep your pet canary out of the sunlight as much as possible, cover it up at night much earlier than you normally would and allow it to get as much rest through the day as it needs by not disturbing it unnecessarily. Feed your pet canary oily seeds such as sunflower, rape and linseed. Give it the opportunity to bathe more often. If you look after your pet canary during the moult you will be well rewarded when it again begins to whistle….. complete with its new set of feathers.

A single pet canary is unlikely to suffer many health problems as most issues are caused by interaction with unhealthy birds. The most common warning signs of potential issues are:

Excessive preening – this could indicate mites, treatable with medication from the vet if diagnosed early enough,
Diarrhoea – the simplest solution being binders such as banana or cheese, or antibiotics from the vet if recurring,
“Runny” beaks – colds are common. Heat and rest usually solve these and if recurring, again this can be medicated by a vet.

While dogs can eat some of the same foods that we humans do, there are many foods which dogs should not eat. Some common foods you may have at home could even kill your pet if ingested in abnormal amounts. The following is a list of foods which should NOT be consumed by your dog.

Grapes and raisins  -  Can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill a dog.

Onions – Destroys red blood cells and can cause anaemia.

Chocolate – Can cause seizures, coma and death. Baking chocolate is the most dangerous since it is the most concentrated.

Coffee and tea – Drinks containing caffeine can cause seizures, coma and death.

Macadamia nuts – Can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis.

Animal fat and fried foods – Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis and diabetes.

Bones – Particularly chicken bones can splinter and damage a dog’s internal organs.

Raw fish – Particularly raw salmon can cause poisoning in dogs.

Tomatoes – Can cause tremors and heart arrhythmia.

Avocados – The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart.

Nutmeg – Can cause tremors, seizures and death.

Apples, cherries, peaches and similar fruit – The seeds of these fruits contain traces of cyanide which is poisonous to dogs as well as humans. Unlike humans, dogs do not know to stop eating at the core/pit and easily ingest them.

Raw eggs – Can cause salmonella poisoning in dogs. Dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans and are not as likely to suffer from food poisoning, but it is still possible.

Salt – Excessive salt intake can cause kidney problems.

Prepared cat food – Although not dangerous, if eaten regularly or in large amounts, can cause obesity and diabetes.

Vegetables – Dogs have shorter digestive tracts than humans and cannot digest most vegetables whole or in large chunks. It is recommended to put the vegetables through a food processor before giving them to your dog.

Dairy products – Use with caution as they are high in fat and can cause pancreatitis, gas and diarrhoea.

One of the most common causes of leg cramps is a lack of potassium in your body’s system. To add this beneficial electrolyte to your body, you can take a supplement. Or you can add plenty of potassium-rich bananas, apricots, tomatoes and raisins to your daily diet. Potassium is also good for your heart. One homemade remedy for leg cramps is to drink an Apple Cider Vinegar Cocktail. Mix up two teaspoons of vinegar in a small glass of water; stir in a teaspoon of honey and drink it down. The Apple Cider Vinegar is full of potassium, and beneficial vitamins and minerals to help ease your leg pains. Or you can rub your leg muscles with undiluted Apple Cider Vinegar instead.

Make sure that you drink plenty of water every day to keep your body properly hydrated.

Take a hot shower before you turn you go to bed to help loosen tight muscles. Better still, take a hot bath soaking your legs for several minutes; then gently massage your legs with your fingers to further relax the muscles and increase blood circulation.

Once you get a muscle contraction you need to exercise to stretch it away. Performing some simple exercises can also help keep your legs from cramping up either in the daytime or nighttime. To loosen the muscles in your legs stand up and push your left leg behind you as far as you can reach. Bend your foot so your toes are pointed behind you. Hold this position to the count of twenty. Then, move your foot back and forth several times. Now, move your left leg in front of you as far as possible; repeat the process. Do this five times, then change legs and repeat the entire process.

Another homemade remedy for leg cramps is to drink two or three cups of chamomile tea every day. Chamomile contains an amino acid called Glycine. Glycine is known for its calming effects on the nervous system, as well as on the muscles in your body.

Tools Needed
To write an ebook you will need a computer with relevant software. Microsoft Word is the standard for writing documents. Many computers come preloaded with Microsoft Word or Microsoft Works. OpenOffice also offers writing software, and is free. Adobe Acrobat is the norm for creating ebooks. There are also other 3rd-party software that you can buy, or obtain for free on the Internet to create a PDF format ebook. I can thoroughly recommend PDF reDirect which I have been using successfully for many years.

Establish Your Reasons
Your reason for wanting to write an ebook will have a major impact on your success. For example, it may be for financial gain, promoting a business, advancing your career, education or self-satisfaction. Write down your reason(s) because this will help you to stay motivated.

Choose Your Subject
There are countless subjects that you can write about. It’s wise to choose something you have an interest in or knowledge of. It is worthwhile spending the time and research on this. The more you know about your subject, the easier it will be to write about.

Choose Your Title
After you’ve chosen your subject, you’ll need a title for the ebook. It’s worth writing down a few different ones before deciding on the one you’ll use. This will help to keep your focus and may give you some other ideas. The title should give a clear indication of the content in your book. A catchy title may help to sell it, but remember to balance this with clarity to keep it in context.

Choose Your Audience
The subject and style of your writing will determine your audience. Decide who your desired audience will be. Age, gender, culture, social background and education are factors you may want to consider. What you write should be targeted at your desired audience.

Write Your Thesis Statement
A thesis statement is a sentence or two written to clearly show the reason(s) for your ebook and what you expect to write about. The thesis statement should contain the following: your subject, your opinion on the subject and a supporting reason for your opinion. While you are writing your document you can revise your thesis statement at any time up until it is published.

Create Your Document
Now that you have the foundation you can begin writing. Choose the format and layout of your document, including chapters, headings and introductions. Dependent on your subject, you may wish to add photographs, anecdotes or testimonials that keep the reader’s attention. Since an ebook is generally read from a screen, you may want to break up the text more than in a printed book. Experiment with a few different fonts and look at other ebooks for ideas you can use. Spell check and save your document regularly.

Always backup your document. As a precaution you should also keep a copy on another media such as a pendrive.

Choose and Create Your Ebook
The format of your ebook is a personal choice. You may decide to create an executable (.exe) file or a Portable Document Format (.pdf) file. Here are some points to consider before you choose.

EXE file

• Compiled using an ebook compiler.
• Can offer features that are not available with PDFs.
• Can only be read on a PC.
• Does not require any other software to be read.
• Is easy to open, easily branded, and good viral marketing tools.
• May be susceptible to viruses, although some compilers offer virus protection.

PDF file

• Can be created using Adobe Acrobat or the recommended PDF reDirect.
• Can be created with several other 3rd party applications.
• Is an industry standard.
• Can be read by both PC and MAC.
• Requires Adobe Reader to be read (which is free software).
• Is highly unlikely to become infected.

There are certain items that cannot be sold on eBay. Also, bear in mind that some items are copyright protected and if spotted on eBay may lead to the seller being imprisoned. Below is a list of definite no-no’s.

1. Firearms and weapons.
2. Alcoholic drinks.
3. Cigarettes and cigars.
4. Prescription drugs.
   Continue reading 12 Items You Cannot Sell On eBay

The three primary points to bear in mind when purchasing a digital camera are:

Level of Control
Many people prefer the ideal digital camera to be one which they can use in  automatic mode, letting the camera do all the work. Others will choose the digital camera that allows them more input in the creative process by manually adjusting the focus, speed, aperture and other settings. A simple point and shoot camera is the best digital camera for people not wanting to make any setting changes. The range of manual controls available on other cameras varies with make and model, and will require more research to find the best digital camera to meet your requirements. The point and shoot cameras are the cheapest to buy, but this does not necessarily mean that performance suffers.

Resolution
The resolution you need can narrow down which is the ideal digital camera for your requirements. The resolution affects the detail of an image for printing quality and the higher the resolution the greater the detail. The best digital camera for printing standard size pictures has a lower resolution than if you want to create oversize prints. The best digital camera for being able to edit and manipulate your images is one with a resolution of 8 or 10 megapixels so that you can crop the images with photo editing software and still print them out full size.

Size and Weight
The size and weight of a digital camera for one person varies greatly to that of another. If you want a camera that is lightweight and will slip into a pocket or purse then an ultra-lightweight camera will be ideal for your needs. These are often the least complex of the digital cameras as they offer point and shoot simplicity and are the best digital camera for beginners. At the other end of the size and weight scale comes the bulky SLR camera for the professional photographer who wants the best digital camera with all of the accessories to take the perfect shot.

Massage
Some experts think that arthritic pain conditions in general aggravate and flare up trigger points, and that one can get additional relief to theses arthritis symptoms through self-massage. The idea is not to massage the area where it hurts, but to find pressure tender areas in your muscles near the actual pain area and massage them. For example, if your arthritis pain is in your knee joint then you would find and massage tender points from your quadriceps muscles.
Continue reading Three tips for arthritis pain relief

Arthritis is caused by the body not been fed the proper nutrients that keep your joints healthly and free of wear and tear. Specific joints in your body can develop arthritic pain, namely the spine, knees, feet and hands. When your joints have bone-to-bone contact and grind against each other that area becomes swollen and inflamed.

Main Types

• Osteoarthritis is inflammation of the bony part of your joint. As your joints move against each other, the protective coating and surrounding material – membranes, oil sacs, cartilage – wear down. This occurs when the joints experience excess activity. Other factors that can contribute to osteoarthritis are nutrional deficiences and emotional state.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where healthy cells and tissue are attacked by the immune system. Rheumatoid arthritis first affects the joint membranes and later the bone structure at the joint. The disease develops in people of all ages, and can become crippling as it progresses.
• Gout is a disease where uric acid deposits in the joints of feet and legs. When the body has an excess of uric acid which it can’t eliminate through normal channels of elimination, i.e. the kidneys,  the uric acid settles in the joints and soft tissue causing pain. Gout is more common with men, people with high blood pressure, alcoholics, diabetics, and those who are overweight.

Lesser Known Types

• Bursitis is inflammation of the shoulder joints and muscles.
• Neuritis is rheumatism of the nerves.
• Myositis is pain that comes from working hard causing friction inbetween the muscles.
• Fibrositis is when connective tissue becomes inflamed.
• Lumbago is mild to severe pain in the area of the lower back.