Saw this is the paper today and thought you would find it helpful. Though we may try to eat right sometimes we are do not get all the nutrients we need. Here are the most common nutritional deficiencies and what percentage of woman experience them. Also listed are foods you can add to your diet that are high in those nutrients. Nutritional requirements are expressed as daily nutritional requirements.

 Vitamin A - Women need 700 mcg and 52% of women are deficient in Vitamin A. Good sources are dark colored cooked vegetables and sweet potato.

Vitamin C - Women need 75 mg and 48% of women are deficient in Vitamin C. Good sources are citrus, juices, vegetables.

Vitamin E - Women need 22 International Units of Natural Vitamin E or 33 International Units of Synthetic Vitamin E. 93% of women are deficient in Vitamin E. Good sources are fortified cereal, nuts, sunflower oil.

Fiber - Women need 22 to 28 grams of fiber. About 50% of women are deficient in their fiber intake. Good sources of fiber are high fiber cereals, beans, or lentils.

Magnesium - Women need 315 mg of magnesium and 66% of women are deficient in magnesium. Good sources are bran and cooked spinach.

Potassium - Women need 400 mg of potassium and a whopping 99% are deficient. Good sources are bananas, sweet and white potatoes and white beans.

Calcium - Women under 50 need 1000 mg and over 50 years of age need 1200 mg. 54% of women are deficient in calcium intake. Good sources are milk, soy milk (read the label because brands vary), dairy foods and spinach.

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Plan For a Loss of Income with Private Unemployment Insurance.

Most of us plan to save, but months of hard earned deposits can be wiped out with one car repair or medical emergency. So when we enter a period of unemployment, we just don’t have a few months of income in the bank to back us up like we should. So instead of having time to find a decent job, we find ourselves out of time within days.

State unemployment benefits average less than $400 a week in most states, and that is just not enough to pay a mortgage, pay other bills, and also buy food for most families. These days, most salaried or hourly workers can benefit from private unemployment insurance, or layoff mortgage protection.

These programs actually pay cash, which may be better than traditional credit insurance. Traditional credit insurance only pays off the bill it was purchased for, or at least makes payments towards that bill. A cash benefit can be used in any way the consumers needs to, and by letting the consumer apply the money to the most urgent needs first, better choices get made, and the benefit becomes more useful!

A layoff protection program may also be more useful than traditional mortgage protection because a person is likely to become unemployed a few times before they actually pass away. And so they are more likely to lose their home and credit over an income loss than a death. 

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I just read some reviews in our paper of something called a walking dvd. These are exercise DVD’s where the main form of exercise is walking. These are called I guess I haven’t checked out exercise DVD’s since purchasing my easy yoga dvd’s but these sounded kind of interesting so I thought I would look in to it.

According to my research,  a walking dvd will either teach you how to walk with good form, on the treadmill or outdoors or use walking combined with other exercises for an indoor cardio workout.  In this post, I want to discuss the latter. These “walking” DVD’s give you a  low-impact workout that is as easy as walking and is good for outdoor walkers when they are prevented from walking outdoors. Walking is the easiest and most basic form of exercise. These videos would be a good way to begin an exercise program if you are just starting out.

Fast and Firm! 4 Really “Big” Miles (Leslie Sansone) - Running time 56 minutes. Cardio with a little resistance and flexibility, basic beginning-intermediate. According to the review you “walk and lift knees in your living room with chatty, chirpy direction. Miles quicken to ponytail whipping 10 minutes.” Boosted walking is included which mean jogging in place and that as strenuous as it gets. The reviewer did not like the music on this one and said the standing ab crunches were worthless. There is a stretching cool down at the end.

Leslie Sanson - 2 Mile Walk - Running time 30 minutes.  Cardio workout using walking and low-impact aerobics. According the site I got this from Videofitness.com rated this as a favorite. Beginners could follow it easily and stop at the 1 mile mark, while more advanced walkers got their heart rates up for a good workout. Comes in VHS or DVD.

Kathy Smith - March To Fitness - Running time 30 minutes. Kathy Smith always has great videos. I did her pregnancy workout way back when and loved it. She is always very careful to make sure you don’t injure yourself and her instructions are easy to follow. This DVD is recommended for beginners and as a tape to do indoors every day of the week. The workout uses simple, low-impact marching steps. Kathy also teaches you about calorie burning  interval training. According to the review people liked this non-intimidating video with a warm and friendly instructor.

Denise Austin - Blast Away The Pounds - Running time 55 minutes. Fitness level beginning to intermediate. The disk has three 15 minute exercises of increasing intensity - easy walk, fat blasting interval, and power walk and tone. Each walk is one mile. There is a ten minute stretch at the end. Many reviewers liked this video and said it was particularly good for the chronically unmotivated. Most of the negative reviews I encountered took issue with Denise herself. I happen to love Denise Austin but some people are really put off by the bubbly blonde personality. My kids can’t stand her, but hey their not the ones doing the exercise. 

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Women live an average of 22 years after retirement versus 19 for men, and medical costs are rising, so women will need to save 2 percent more than men every year over 30 years to maintain their standard of living upon retirement.

Here are some of the interesting statistics from the article:

- Workers today will need to save 126 percent of their income each year to maintain their lifestyles upon retirement.

- 19 percent of all employees studied will be able to maintain their standard of living after retiring, without post-retirement medical subsidy from employers.

- 67 percent of workers are saving less than 80 percent of their projected needs for retirement.

- Less than 60 percent of large companies now offer defined pension plans.

I don’t think there is much we can do about being in and out of the workforce and sometimes it is really hard to save when we have unexpected expenses I do think though the information about women being more conservative investors is valuable. It makes sense to take a look at your investments and see if might be able to take on a bit more risk. Most people don’t realize that because of inflation sometimes very conservative investments actually yield zero gains.

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I just read an excellent ebook about ways to make money online. This book is truly for the beginner or the person who has been trying to make money online but has not been as successful as they had hoped. I checked out the website because the name intrigued me -  Affiliate Underdog. I read the ebook and liked it so much, I decided to review it on my site.

>>>> Earn Money Online <<< Check Out Affiliate Underdog!

The book begins with the premise that you don’t have to be a big company to make an income off the internet. The author is a stay at home mom who is supporting her three children with her online income. The author explains that because web site design has become so user friendly, anyone can build their own website - “if you can muddle your way through a word processing document or send an email, you can build a website.” Not only that but the great thing is you don’t have to spend any money to set up your website. But ofcourse building the web site is only the first step.

Affiliate-underdog gives you easy to understand explanations of how search engines work and how you attract the search engine traffic to your site, again without spending any money. The book details a very simple method that the author used to build her online business.  All the technical terms are explained in plain english. She also gives you time estimates for each step. The book is filled with links to sites that will help you bring free website traffic to your site. The whole concept of affiliate marketing programs is explained in great detail and the book gives you the names of the affiliate programs the author actually uses and makes money from.

The book walks you through the whole process - developing an idea for a web site, building your own website, writing posts for your web site, how to find key words, how to develop links and how to  track your web site traffic. I thought the book was reasonably priced at $23.50. I think I probably spent that much on coffee at Starbucks last month. So make yourself a cup of coffee at home and spend some time with Affiliate Underdog. It’s a very quick read and not overly technical.

If you are looking to earn money online or eventually work at home full time, this is the book for you. It offers an easy way to get started without having to invest any money. The only thing you have to give is your time. Believe me, when you start making money it gets easier and easier to spend the time. Also get more help at the Affiliate Underdog Blog: Make Money On Your Computer!

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The dog days of summer are here. If it is too hot to go outside, there is a lot of fun stuff you can do inside. If you want to keep the cost down try this homemade play dough recipe from the Tightwad Twins book:

Homemade Play Dough Recipe:

Mix together -2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, ½ cup cornstarch, 1 ¼ tablespoons baking soda, 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon cooking oil and a pinch of food coloring. Microwave for about 4 minutes on high and store in an air tight plastic container.

If you don’t want worry about the kids cooking, the Tightwad Twins also have a recipe for no cook homemade play dough recipe.

No Cook Homemade Play Dough Recipe: Mix together - 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup salt and 3/8 cup hot water from faucet. Add food coloring if desired. The kids would probably have fun mixing this themselves.

My favorite recipe from their book “Saving Money with the Tightwad Twins: More Than 1,000 Practical Tips for Women on a Budget” by by Ann Fox and Susan Fox is the funky edible play dough one. These crafts you can eat and eating is one of favorite indoor and outdoor activities.

 Edible Playdough

 1 cup butter or margarine
6 hard cooked egg yolks, mashed
2 tsps. Cream of tarter
5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup shortening
2 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tsps. Baking soda
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Red, yellow or green paste food coloring

Cream butter and shortening: add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, baking soda, cream of tarter and vanilla beating well. Add flour a little at a time, mixing well. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Color one part red, one yellow, one green and leave the dough part plain. Wrap each part up seaparately in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

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In my day you always had to finish everything on your plate. There were starving children in somewhere in the world. But now portions are huge and if you finish what’s on your plate you may have eaten enough for two. Diet and nutrition experts say since we are always eating on the go, we might not even recognize the feeling of a full stomach. Here are some suggestions from diet and nutrition experts on learning to recognize when you are full:

Dr. Michelle May of Phoenix, Ariz., author of Am I Hungry? What to do When Diets Don’t Work, suggests getting in touch with our instinctive ability to manage weight and hunger. Dr. May refers to the fact that babies instinctively know when to stop eating. May says we need to relearn, the signs of fullness. She suggests visualizing our stomach as a balloon. “When its small (about the size of a fist), it isn’t taking up much space. As you force more into it, the walls stretch and expand. As it gets bigger picture what it is pushing out of the way and how that feels. Perhaps you notice heartburn, feel short of breath, or have to undo your pants.”  I know I hate that really uncomfortable feeling I get in my stomach when I have eaten too much.

Kendra Evans, a registered dietician and YMCA fitness instructor, says it takes 20 minutes for the food to register in your brain that your stomach is full.

Because we eat on the go so frequently, we don’t even take 20 minutes for a meal, and often overeat because we are still hungry. To help control hunger and prevent binging Evans suggests people work more protein and fiber into their meals. I know that I often overeat because I am not sure when I will have an opportunity to eat again that day. I know that if my meal contains protein and fiber it stays with me a lot longer and I am not to overeat to stave off hunger later.

Emily Fonnesbeck, a registered dietician with Fitness Ridge Resort and Spa in Utah, recommends using a smaller plate and dividing it into three sections: fruits and vegetables, whole grain and lean protein. I know that the dinner plates that come with most sets are really huge. I usually use the salad plate when I have lunch or dinner. I also use a small bowl for cereal instead of the big cereal bowl that came with my set. Portion control is the foundation of the Weight Watcher’s Program and many people have had success with that program.

Take time to enjoy your meal if you can. If you really want to pay attention to what you are eating, don’t read or watch television. According to experts, being mindful of what you eat and how your body feels during a meal can help prevent overeating and save on your food bill too. 

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If your dental health goes untreated it can painful and expensive. Most dental procedures run from $100 for a cavity to $650 for a dental crown to $1000 for a root canal. Plus dental problems can come on suddenly and the pain can be really bad. If you suddenly have to have dental surgery you don’t want to have to choose a dentist while you are in pain and maybe can’t make the best choice.  You can avoid worry and stress  by having regular dental checkups that will probably run you from $5.0o to $20.00. 

You can also do things at home to prevent expensive dental procedures. Practicing good dental hygiene is not that hard. Just flossing once a day can help a lot. Dental floss is so much better than it used to be. Easy glide brands are great dental tools and really do just slip right between the teeth and don’t hurt as much as some of the other brands. If you have not flossed for awhile it may be a little painful in the beginning but it will get better. Children seem to do better with those disposable flossers that look like little swords.

You can also buy special tooth brushes that help clean your gums. I began using one of these and the condition of my gums really improved. Some over the counter mouthwashes also contain fluoride or you can purchase a flouride rinse from your dentist. I have used the flouride rinse when my teeth became overly sensitive and reduced the sensitivity. 

If I have a sore in my mouth, I use a few drops of the essential oil lavender diluted in about 1/4 cup of water and swish it around in my mouth. The lavender rinse also helps with sore gums. Also, if all your teeth or several of them are aching, you may be grinding your teeth. Try using a mouthguard (you can buy them for a dollar or two at sporting goods stores) at night and see if the pain stops.

Most dental insurance will cover two cleanings per year and x-rays. Generally you will get a 25 percent discount on all other dental procedures. Pediatric dentists are more expensive because they are specialists but still the discount is helpful in bringing down the cost.  Take it from someone who has bad teeth and has been through it - dental insurance is worth the money spent. The only cautionary note is to choose your dentist carefully and don’t be afraid to change dentists or get a second opinion if you feel the recommended treatment is not necessary. 

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A columinst in our local paper always writes a column on minimum specs for personal computers. This summer though he says because of the popularity of notebook computers, he devoted his column to a review of notebook computers. He always gives really good advice so I wanted to pass on some of his recommendations. 

Processor - He says for users who needs are very basic i.e. you use Microsoft Word, Excel, email, web surfing and simple multimedia such as watching movies or listening to music - almost any available processor will do. For budget users he recommends Intel Celeron, Pentium and Core 2  Duo processors. Core 2 Duo processor has the best battery life. Intermediate users should look at Asus’ Eee PC which has a Via processor. Finally, heavy duty notebook computer users should consider Intel’s Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Extreme or AMD’s Turion 64 X2 processors. 

Memory - If you are a basic user you only need 2 gigabytes of memory. The intermediate and advanced user will want 3 to 4 gigabytes of memory.

Hard Drive - These recommendations apply if you are not using your notebook computer as your main computer. Basic users will only need 120 GB, intermediate 160GB and advanced users 200 to 320 GB. He does not recommend getting a solid state drive as they hold too little data and are too expensive.

Removable storage - Everyone will want a CD or DVD burner.

Video - Most basic and intermediate users will probably have to settle for a shared-memory graphics card (which means it takes memory space from your system memory). He recommends trying to find  cheap notebook computers with a graphics card which has its own dedicated memory. Advanced users will want a graphics adapter with at 128 MB  to 256 MB of its own.

Display - Basic users 13 to 15.4 inches, Intermediate 12 to 14 inches, Advancd 15.4 to 20 inch screens.

Connectivity and expandability - He says almost all notebook computers now come with WiFi adapters. Basic users can go with 802.11g and 2 USB ports and an Ethernet jack. Intermediate - 802.11n, 2 USB ports, an Ethernet jack and a PC card slot for use with a cell phone modem. Advanced - 802.11n, 2 USB ports, an Ethernet jack, a PC card slot and a Firewire connection if you plan to capture and edit video from you camcorder.

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