Jad Research Blog

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a dangerous condition that can lead= to stroke, enlarged heart, congestive heart failure, kidney and eye damage, atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries, and premature death.

According to a recent report released in The New England Journal of Medicine of 16,000 adults surveyed over the age of 24, nearly 30 percent had blood pressure of at least 140/90 and more than one-third of them were unaware of their condition.

Blood pressure refers to the force of the bloodstream against the walls of the arteries as they deliver blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Normal, healthy blood pressure ranges from about 110/80 to as high as 140/90. The higher number refers to systolic pressure, which is the hearts contractions. The second number, the diastolic pressure, measures the rests between heartbeats. Here are the categories to consider when evaluating blood pressure:

• Normal - Less than 140/90
• Borderline - 141/91 to 159/94
• High - 160/95 or more

Although there are still questions about the roots of essential hypertension, many researchers name two culprits: The typical American diet and lifestyle factors. Following are 9 major factors that can contribute to this potentially deadly condition:

1. High-fat, high-sodium diet . . . Interestingly, vegetarians who normally eat a low-fat, low-sodium diet have a profoundly lower incidence of hypertension than non-vegetarians.

2. Fat imbalance . . . Too much saturated fat in the diet. We need more essential fatty acids to help clear the system of fat solids.

3. Nutritional deficiencies . . . People whose diets are low in potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamin C are at greater risk of hypertension.

4. Obesity . . . High blood pressure is almost six times more common among overweight people ages 20 to 44, and twice as common in those 45 to 74

5. Smoking . . . Chronic smoking decreases blood flow to the brain, increasing the risk of stroke.

6. Alcohol . . . Heavy drinking is another indicator of high blood pressure.

7. Stress . . . In many instances, stress can be the major factor causing high blood pressure.

8. Atherosclerosis . . . A buildup of fatty deposits can narrow the blood vessels, leading to a rise in blood pressure. The increased resistance means the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the body, placing it under strain.

9. High sugar intake . . . People who had more sugar in their diet had markedly increased blood pressure.

Anti-Hypertensive Diet Guidelines

The following recommendations can help you keep your blood pressure at healthier levels:

• Follow a low-fat diet.
• Increase your intake of potassium, magnesium and calcium.
• Reduce your intake of salt.
• Restrict your consumption of refined sugars.
• Exercise more often. Since excess body fat is a primary risk factor in hypertension, it is critical to maintain a healthy weight. The importance of regular exercise cannot be over-emphasized.

Essential Nutrient Intake
What you eat has a powerful influence on your blood pressure as well as almost every other aspect of your health.

For most people, the sodium/potassium ratio is more significant than sodium alone. We should be consuming about five times more potassium than sodium (5:1), but the typical American diet includes half as much potassiumas sodium (1:2).

By eating more POTASSIUM-rich foods, you can reverse the ratio and promote healthy blood pressure. Foods such as bananas, oranges, tangerines, beans, dried peas, and potatoes provide a wealth of natural potassium.

MAGNESIUM is another vital nutrient for blood pressure. It is believed that magnesium activates the bodys cellular membrane pump, which pumps sodium out and potassium into the cells. Some clinical trials have shown that magnesium supplementation reduces blood pressure. Magnesium- rich foods include nuts (especially almonds, cashews, and pecans), rice, bananas, potatoes, wheat germ, kidney and lima beans, peas, soy products, molasses, oat, bran, and fish.

CALCIUM is important. People with high blood pressure are advised to increase Calcium intake and to eat more calcium-rich foods such as nuts, salmon, sardines, low-fat dairy foods, watercress, kale, broccoli, turnip greens, collard greens, and mustard greens.

Here is a list of other nutritional supplements that can help prevent high blood pressure:

• HAWTHORNE is an herb that has been shown to widen blood vessels, especially the coronary arteries.
• CAYENNE reduces the risk of atherosclerosis, which can lead to hypertension.
• VALERIAN has sedative activity, which has a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
• VITAMIN C supplementation has exerted a valuable blood-pressure-lowering effect in people by promoting the excretion of lead, which is linked to hypertension.
• COQ10 shows promise for hypertensives. Coenzyme Q10 is a nutrient that naturally occurs in our bodies and can be supplemented to assure adequate daily intake.
• GARLIC helps reduce cholesterol as well as blood pressure.

Summary . . . The consequences of untreated high blood pressure are too serious to go untreated. By making smart choices about the foods you eat, the intake of beneficial nutritional factors and your exercise regimen, you can help control your own blood pressure.

Roger Jirves an authorized dealer of the Vitamin Power line of Quality Nutritional Supplements and personal care products.

Car Sales Training is something that the more successful dealers in America are embracing with open arms once again. As competition stiffens across the States, dealers are finding it more important that they have a well-oiled machine…accomplished through an effective car sales training program.

As new technologies sprout up every day, more dealerships realize that they are able to leverage them to their advantage and implement much of this new technology into their car sales training programs.

Car sales training programs are now teaching advanced prospecting methods as well as relationship-building techniques; thus enabling the dealership to leverage the new relationships of their entire sales staff with the prospects and customers. This has been a huge leap forward in overall growth…all accomplished through a better car sales training program.

Another area that car sales training programs have improved is through the usage of computers and the internet. Car sales people from coast to coast are building their own personal sites, many through a program called AutomatorPlus a program that has literally changed the landscape of how sales consultants are communicating with their customer base.

As car sales people realize that they indeed are the ones building the relationships with the prospects and customers, it has grown more important for them to have their own individual approach, rather than one sponsored through the dealership itself. Car sales training has literally taken the 21st century by storm.

Another area that car sales training has keyed in on is the use of Weblogs, otherwise known as blogs. This is a place where sales people can “let their hair down,” so to speak, and just be themselves. The effectiveness of this strategy alone has been enormous.

Think about it for a second. You have a sales person…working day in and day out. They are coming into contact with literally hundreds of prospects on a weekly basis on behalf of the dealership. We all know that people buy from people they like…and the blog has been a huge contributor to the “like” aspect.

Let me paint a really quick picture. A prospect comes in…visits the dealership for the first time to begin some initial research on a vehicle. They meet up with a nice young man…utilizing all of the strategies that he has been taught through the dealerships car sales training program, including the use of a blog.

The prospect completes their research and leaves. The young salesperson has done everything correctly…dealt with the prospect in a professional manner and collected some contact information. On the back of the salespersons card, he placed the URL of his personal blog (used for professional purposes only).

When the prospect arrives home, they go to the URL and learn a little bit more about the salesperson. They learn what high school they went to. They learn the name of the sales person’s wife and young child. They meet the family dog…and even see the family and their friends having a barbeque on the 4th of July.

Do you think that the prospect sees this salesperson as merely just “another guy,” or do you think that there is a connection that is beginning to happen? Do you think that this prospect perhaps might even share this blog URL with a few of their friends and family? We are sure of it…and it is an amazing thing sweeping the country.

We congratulate the dealers that are engaging technology and more efficient car sales training programs, you are definitely the leaders moving forward. Car sales training is a must for every sales person who wants a successful career in this business, so start turning things your way right now by clicking car sales training.

In the course of my career, I’ve had to deal with a lot of vendorssoftware companies, sensor manufacturers, electronics distributors and more. Some of them have left lasting impressions on me, whereas others have been eminently forgettable. I’d like to talk about two of the more memorable vendors, and the simple technique that they used (perhaps unknowingly) which made them stand out in my memory.

As my byline shows, I have the letters “Ph.D.” after my name; however, I seldom use that title, except in my various writings and official correspondence. For professional reasons, I do have these initials on my business cards and my e-mail signature; however, I never expect people to call me “Doctor,” and if they do, I almost invariably insist that they call me by my first name instead. For most of my daily affairs, this title simply isn’t very important.

Most salespeople don’t mention this title either, which suits me just fine; after all, I’ve always been a fairly informal fellow. On two occasions though, a vendor actually took notice of my degree, and chose to address me using the “Doctor” honorific. Even though I normally eschew that title, this was still a pleasant surprise. It was nice to see a prospective vendor take notice of such details, however unnecessary they may be.

Any good salesman knows that building rapport and making yourself pleasantly memorable are key elements in developing customer loyalty. This simple, trivial act made these particular salesmen stand out prominently in my memory, and in a pleasant way. I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I found that I almost wanted to send these people some of my businessperhaps because such deference is noticeably rare.

This simple tactic can be especially helpful when dealing with prospective customers of foreign descent. Remember that some cultures are more title-conscious than American society is. The failure to mention this title may prove offensive to some of these individualsor at the very least, it may suggest a lack of attentiveness. Better to err on the side of caution, I would say.

This simple technique is exceedingly trivial to use, requiring no additional investment of time or effort. At the very least, it can be one way to make yourself stand out from the crowd of other vendors who are vying for someone’s attention. So why not try it? It costs nothing, it can’t possibly hurt, and it may just land you some new customers.

1. Design your web site to be a targeted resource center. Choose one subject and build on it. You’ll gain repeat visitors that are interested in that topic.

2. Offer something that is really free. If people go to your site and what you said was free really isn’t, you’ll lose their trust and they won’t buy anything.

3. Add a chat room or message board to your web site. People want to interact with other people that have they same interests as them.

4. Entice people to link to your web site by giving them something free in return. This’ll increase your ranking in some search engines.

5. Trigger your reader’s emotions in your ad copy. Example, if you sell a book on gambling tips, tell them the feelings they’ll get when they win money.

6. Make sure your site looks good in all browsers. You could be losing sales because it looks distorted in some web browsers.

7. Increase your sales by e-mailing full page ads to your e-zine subscribers. Remember to tell people before they subscribe or they may consider it spam.

8. Ask people questions in your ad copy that make them think about their problems. For example: Do you want to be free of your debts?

9. Magnify the size of your prospects problem in your ad; show how your product can solve it. The bigger the problem, the more sales you’ll have.

10. Invest a percentage of your profits right back into your business. Spend it on marketing, product improvement, customer service, advertising, etc.

It is essential that we find affordable and workable sources of alternative energy before the world completely consumes the already limited stock of fossil fuels. Many countries have started to introduce renewable energy schemes and more still have invested money into researching and even producing different sources of alternative energy. While it is essential that we become less reliant or not reliant at all on fossil fuels, many forms of alternative energy have their disadvantages as well as their obvious advantages. It has to be said though, that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages in many cases.

Wind Energy.

Harnessing the power of the wind and using it to our ends is hardly a new idea. Windmills have been and still are used for many different purposes and have been for a great many years, but the improvement of turbines combined with the improved technology to turn the motion of turbine blades into an energy source has seen the use of turbines explode.

Wind power is very popular, but in order to provide a reasonable amount of power it may prove necessary to have large amounts of turbines. On windy days, and even not so windy days some turbines make a noise that many residents consider to be unbearable. Areas of open countryside are protected by conservation orders, which means they can’t be built there either and if there is no conservation order there are still protestors willing to do almost anything to stop the turbines being built. The only viable option left is to use offshore wind farms and these are being investigated, developed and planned all around the world but it takes too many turbines to create a reasonable amount of power and eventually they will have to be built inland; a matter that will be contested wherever the wind farms are proposed to be built.

Solar Energy.

Solar energy is probably the most common form of alternative powers for everyday people and you can see solar lights ad other solar accessories in many gardens. Governments are beginning to offer grants to assist in paying for photovoltaic roof tiles; these tiles are easily fitted onto your roof and collect the heat from the sun. This heat can either be used to heat water or can even be converted into electricity. The advantage for the consumer is that by including a grid tie system you can actually sell unused electricity back to the grid. Photovoltaic tiles take the place of ordinary roof tiles and can be perfectly blended to fit the look of the outside of your house. With solar energy you too can help the environment.

Biomass.

Ask most people which renewable energy source is the most widely used and they would say either wind or solar, but they’d be wrong or at least they certainly would in America. Since 2000 Biomass has been the most highly produced alternative energy in the United States. Using plant and animal material to create energy isn’t without its downfalls. It would almost certainly meet with competition from residents if biomass power stations were to be created in built up areas. The decomposing plants and animal waste creates an awful smell that is incredibly difficult to mask but it is very renewable (there’s always plants and animal waste).

Other renewable energy sources.

These are the main three renewable energy sources that the countries of the world are creating at the moment but there are others. Whether nuclear power is a viable alternative or not is a debate that will undoubtedly rage on forever, but it is a renewable energy and some countries already have extensive capabilities to produce it. Modern technology means that nuclear power stations are safer than they’ve ever been and damage to people, animals or plantation is highly unlikely. However, it takes a long time to develop nuclear power station and even plants that are already being built may take ten years to come to fruition.

Hydropower is used in some countries and uses the motion of waves to create energy. While it is a possibility, the amount of energy produced is minimal and the outlay to set these schemes up is quite large. Without further investigation and improvement in the techniques used it is unlikely that Hydropower will become a major player in the renewable energy world.

About the Author

For more more information about alternative energy please visit http://www.alternative-energy-solutions.com

The size of a locust plague is often over five miles wide and five miles or more long. And it continues up to 200 feet above the ground. The Locust Plagues in Africa are by far the largest and most devastating and in a nation where humans are already under a crunch to feed everyone and starvation is common place. A locust plague and massive swarm can take out a years crops in seconds and it is all over.

One think tank online got into a serious discussion on how to kill locust swarms and one member Warren states; “I submit if you find their weakness and exploit it, there will be no need for flamethrowers or insecticide. OF COURSE the chemical corporations do not want a mechanical or sound energy solution, it is not in their $ interest.”

Indeed I see the World Bank is offering funds for research in big amounts of money for someone who can solve this problem, as it impedes their work tremendously as we head into a world water crisis and that also would mean a time of more locust plagues and that means Billions of humans will die. So, I agree. Indeed our Chemical Companies will still be needed, because sound alone, which we can use to control or steer them will not kill them or completely stop them. Other than an ELF Detonation Pulse ’snapping’ charge, it will be nearly impossible to put out enough sound to over power the thunderous train locomotive sound they already make and thus will not kill the locusts completely.

Perhaps we can send our 747 fire bomber in with BBQ sauce and chemicals to chemically burn the Locusts and make them tasty at that same time. Basically pre-cook them so they don’t rot when they hit the ground and thus provide protein and storable food for months. And sure you could say that is a way out idea, but it isn’t really. And remember chemicals are plentiful in Africa, left over from refining and industry there too. Still no concrete answers, but you can bet many people are working on this and wish to find a way to stop them. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

I was using Twitter the other day to ask people for help about the best Broadband UK deals as I am trying to change provider, and I was most impressed by the help I got, thanks guys!

But something else came up from one of my tweeples (what I call people I talk to on Twitter), the idea of mobile broadband. Now they didn’t have too much to say on the subject as they had only just got it, but said that initial usage seemed very promising, with download speeds and coverage being better than they expected.

The idea is one that I find very attractive, the ability to take my laptop anywhere in the UK and be able to connect to the internet and either surf across sites or access my emails in a far more user friendly way than my Blackberry currently allows. I took a look at Broadbandgenie.co.uk they had a very helpful comparison site, but would still like advice.

But the good people of Twitter were less helpful here; no one I talked to had used mobile broadband connections in the UK. So I am making an appeal to you guys, my loyal readers. Is mobile broadband as good as it sounds? Because right now I am very tempted to get one, especially with some of the deals that are on offer at the moment. Who couldn’t use a free laptop?

Anti-spyware is software that protects computer users from spyware and other unwanted software. Anti-spyware programs secure the computers against the effort of malicious spyware, to take partial control of, or intercept a computer’s operation without the user’s consent or knowledge.
Anti-spyware programs offer real time protection, and scanning and removal. Real time protection functions similar to real time anti-virus protection. That is, the program monitors all incoming data by scanning all the files that the user tries to download from the Internet, and blocks the activity of components that represent spyware. Real time protection also blocks any unauthorized attempts made to install startup programs or to change the browser settings. The scanning and removal features offered by most anti-spyware programs are simple. The program scans the contents of the operating system files, Windows registry, and installed programs and removes any entry or file which tallies with those in the already existing list of identified spyware components.
Anti-spyware programs also require a frequently updated database of latest spyware components. Whenever a new spyware is released, the anti-spyware developers discover and evaluate them, and create “definitions” or “signatures” which help the anti-spyware programs to identify and remove the spyware. Hence, it is highly recommended to update the anti-spyware program frequently to ensure protection.
Major anti-virus firms including McAfee, Symantec, and Sophos have added anti-spyware features to their existing anti-virus products.
Anti-spyware programs of recognized companies are usually not available for free use; occasionally the manufacturers allow a free trial, enabling only certain features. Very often they only provide free scanning; the actual removal of the spyware is possible only with a registered version of the product. Because fake anti-spyware programs that are actually spyware exist, one should not be put off by the price of legitimate software and the protection it offers.

Spyware provides detailed information on Spyware, Remove Spyware, Free Spyware, Anti Spyware and more. Spyware is affliated with Adware Spyware Removal Tool.

Historically horsemen have always needed protective footwear as well as preferring boots with a higher heel. The origin of the cowboy boot that we know today comes from various boot styles including the Wellington boot, which originated from Britain’s Duke of Wellington. At the time it was a straight plain leather boot with one-inch heels and straight tops. Cowboys also wore the Hessian boot, which had a V-cut in the front, and some of these had a silk or leather tassel hanging down in the V.

The Coffeyville-style cowboy boots originated in Coffeyville, Kansas around 1870 and were normally black leather with a low Cuban heel. The front of the boot, known as the “graft”, was higher than the back and was usually a different color. Texas cowboys were known to have a lone star inlaid in the graft.

Cowboy boots continued to evolve through the late 1800s and the designs were influenced by the European cavalier style of boot, which were characterized by higher heels and better-quality leather.

The toes of cowboy boots were square or rounded and this did not change to pointed until the 1950s.

The straight lines of stitches across the top of the toe of the cowboy boot are called a toe wrinkle. Boot makers in the early 1900s started to add decorative stitching on the toes in addition to the wrinkle and these designs became and have remained to this day the personalized signature of custom-made boots.

In the 1920s and 1930s cowboy boots became a fashion item as a result of the movies and radio shows about the Wild West.

After 1940 boot designs became more colorful and intricate incorporating images of the west such as cacti, eagles, horses and horseshoes.

In the 1950s when rodeos became a popular form of entertainment and country music started being heard, the popularity of cowboy boots skyrocketed and millions of pairs were reportedly being made in all shapes, colors and styles.

After this the designs of cowboy boots followed the fashions and styles popularized in the movies - if John Travolta or Tom Cruise wore cowboy boots then those styles were immediately in demand.

Since the early 1990s boot makers have become even more adventurous and we are now seeing styles incorporating studs, conchos, rhinestones and precious stones, no doubt partly as a result of the interest in line dancing. Of course it is still possible to buy an attractive plain leather boot.

Part of the enduring appeal of the cowboy boot is that they can be worn by anyone.

There is an excellent book that covers everything to do with the cowboy boot called appropriately The Cowboy Boot book, which you can get from Amazon.

Copyright © Jakki Francis,(UK), 2005

About the Author: This article is copyrighted. Please feel free to use it in it’s entirety including copyright information and information about the publisher. Jakki Francis operates the website http://www.1st-For-Boots.Com
For information and resources on all types of boots.

Source: www.isnare.com

Ten years ago, cell phones were just beginning to appear. Today, it seems every person on the street has one. However, not all cell phones are equal. How do you find the best one?

Ask yourself what qualities are important to you. First, the physical aspects. Do you prefer flat cell phones or those with a flip? Are slim cell phones more attractive, or does size really matter?

Cell phones seem to come in all shapes and sizes, and color can also be a determining factor. Have you seen the changeable covers? Who knew cell phones would become such a fashion statement?

A critical factor to consider is ring tones. Some cell phones come with standard rings that could drive anyone crazy. Others have downloadable tones, letting you show off your taste and personality. If you’ve ever been on a crowded train where six cell phones started ringing at once, you know how important it is to have the pleasant ring tone. No one wants to draw negative attention.

Cell phones have all sorts of new features, and they keep improving. Some cell phones allow you to take pictures. Other cell phones give you internet access on the road. And like most technology, there are new improvements made on a weekly basis. Remember that you’ll be paying for these features; make sure you’ll use them before you spend the money.

Manufacturers of cell phones have done extensive research to find out what is important to you, the buyer. The carrier, though, is also important to consider. What good are cell phones, after all, if you can’t get service? Find out who in your area has the widest service and the best rate plan.

Most of us have become spoiled by our cell phones. It’s hard to remember the days when no one could reach you until you got home from class or from work. Cell phones have opened up our lines of communication considerably. (Sometimes it’s questionable whether that’s a good thing….) The fact is, it looks like cell phones are here to stay. Is it possible anymore to escape? Of course! The best thing about cell phones is that you can use them when you need them, but sometimes the best cell phones are the ones that are turned off.

About The Author

Jeff Lakie is the founder of http://www.cell-phone-companies.info and http://www.cell-phone-covers.info websites providing information on cell phones and cell phone deals