Eat Nuts!

By Cristian Truers

Nuts are tasty, loaded with good fat, protein, fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals that are heart healthy and potentially good for the waistline. Barring allergies, there aren't many reasons not to include nuts in your diet. Let's take a look at some interesting studies, tips and tidbits about nuts.

Nuts and the Heart

A study of 31000 Seventh Day Adventists that ate nuts more than 4 times per week were half as likely to die of a heart attack than those who ate nuts less than once a week. The Iowa Women's Health Study came to a similar conclusion: Women who ate nuts or seeds 4 times per week were 40% less likely to die from heart disease than similar women who didn't eat nuts. The Nurses' Health Study showed that those who ate at least 140g/week of nuts were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than those who ate less than 30g/month. Nuts and Weight

Most studies have shown that adding nuts to the diet does not cause people to gain much weight, if any at all. As an example, researchers gave participants 45-70g of almonds every day (320 calories worth) and gave them no further instructions about food intake. After 6 months, participants gained a very miniscule amount of weight (.2 lbs in women, 1.4 lbs in men). This study was funded by the almond industry.

There aren't many studies that show nut consumption to help people lose weight, but one study showed that a low calorie diet that included almonds led to greater weight loss than an equal calorie diet that did not include almonds.

The Seventh Day Adventist and Nurses Health Study showed that those who regularly ate nuts weighed less than those who did not.

The Best Nuts

Are some nuts better than others when it comes to health benefits? All nuts contain good fats, fiber and proteins, but different kinds of nuts have different nutrient profiles.

Almonds are richest in vitamin E (35% recommended daily intake) and calcium (8%) per 1 oz. (30g) serving. Brazil nuts are highest in selenium with just 1 supplying a days worth. Cashews are richest in copper and zinc Peanuts (technically a legume) contain the antioxidant resveratrol, and are highest in protein and arginine content Walnuts have the most alpha linolenic acids (plant-based omega-3's) How much?

Nuts are healthy but are a dense source of calories. 1oz/30g of nuts supply about 170-180 calories. Here is a chart that shows how many nuts are in 30g.

Number of Nuts in 30 grams (1oz)

Almonds: 20-24 Brazil nuts: 6-8 Pecans: 18-20 (halves) Cashews: 16-18 Pine Nuts: 150-157 Pistachios: 45-47 Walnuts: 8-11 Hazelnuts: 18-20

About the Author:

Stephen Trenen is trainer in a sport club and he runs his own useful website about Best Diet Plans, check it out to learn more really working Diet Plans.

The Best Platforms to Blog On

By Andrew Poblano

It's been quite some time since I started my first ever blog, and there have been many of them since my first. I've written about so many different things you wouldn't believe it. Everyday topics like politics, and not so common topics like the Little Tikes kitchen. Men's interests like sports, and women's interests like the Kate Spade handbag.

As far as using a platform goes, I've always had different opinions about this, as I've never known which way to go with things. I've tried so many different options, and at the end of the day I want something easy to use that looks great.

Having said that, I'd like to share my three favorite blogging services with you at the moment. Keep in mind that all of these can be used for free, though purchasing some add-ons could always enhance your blog if you wanted to.

First of all, I'd definitely recommend taking a look at Blogger, which is offered free of charge by Google. It's very easy to set up a blog this way, and you get the benefits of having your content indexed shortly after it's published.

2. Wordpress. I absolutely love Wordpress as a platform because of all of the plugins available. There are really so many of them to choose from.

One of the best things about Wordpress is just how detailed these plugins are in terms of what they do. With very little Internet knowledge, you can easily have a robust website thanks to Wordpress.

The last one I'll mention is a more recent addition to the blogosphere, and it's called Posterous. This is a great service that allows you to post to your own blog without ever having to set it up. As long as you email them your post, they'll have it up automatically for you in less than a minute.

The same can be done for pictures and videos too, making it very, very convenient.

About the Author:

Find more writing by this writer at the Little Tikes kitchen blog.

Amon Amarth: Viking Metal Onslaught

By David Glisan

Throughout its history, heavy metal was a beautiful and pristine thing. Bands of burly dudes with long, unkempt hair sung about important topics like slaying dragons, chasing women, and partying. Then, at some point during the 1990s, the cancer of nu metal started to metastasize in the powerful body of the metal gods. Bands started singing about relationships and their feelings in an effort to gain mainstream popularity and get played on MTV. Were not talking about an obligatory power ballad here and there"some bands sung about nothing else than how miserable they were and how sad they were over a failed relationship. Some bands even resorted to such gimmicks as grooming themselves. This shouldnt be confused with the hair metal era when bands like Motley Crue were wearing makeup and platform heels"the bands were more in to carefully groomed goatees and other sissy like pandering to their feminine fanbase.

Fortunately, the cancerous tumor in the body of heavy metal is now in remission and the tide is turning back. Part of the cure has blown across the Norse sea like a cold winter monsoon and has now reached American shores. Amon Amarth is a band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992 who are the latest"and most commercially successful"proponent of a genre known as Viking metal. As the name implies, bands from the Viking metal genre sing about important topics such as sailing, lusting for adventure and conquest, furious winds and treacherous seas. Viking metal bands are too busy metaphorically conquering and pillaging to worry about such trivialities as their feelings, let alone grooming themselves.

Amon Amarth took their name from a location in J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle Earth, and their name means Mount Doom in the Elvish language of Sindarin. Drawing musical inspiration from bands such as Bolt Thrower and their Viking metal predecessors Bathory and Enslaved, who in turn took their cue from the great American band Manowar, Amon Amarth plays their own unique style of melodic death metal. While they are hesitant to identify themselves as Viking metal, they take most of their lyrical content from Viking history and Norse mythology.

The band signed with Metal Blade Records in 1998 and their popularity has skyrocketed worldwide. 2006s With Oden On Our Side earned the band headliner status in North American and has made them one of the most popular metal acts in the US.

Amon Amarth recently extended their deal with Metal Blade records and released their latest album in September 2008 called 'Twilight of the Thunder God'. In a very metal marketing move, the band promoted the release of their new CD with an 8 page comic book in magazines all across Europe based on Norse mythology.

Heavy metal is gaining strength and resuming its powerful greatness under the marauding sound of Amon Amarth. The band tours constantly, so dont miss their brutal onslaught when they come to a town near you.

About the Author:

David Glisan is music editor for The Savage Science, a website covering both MMA news and heavy metal music. He's an avid MMA and boxing enthusiast as well, and reportsUFC news for several mainstream sports broadcasts and websites. He's studied martial arts since childhood and holds a black belt in judo.

Kinds Of Natural Sugar Alternatives

By Esther George

With the growing concern about diabetes and obesity, many people have been looking to sugar alternatives as one way to maintain diet while living a healthier lifestyle. Nearly everyone responds to the sweetness of sugar, but processed regular white sugar used in most of our foods is not good for you and presents a host of health risks. Even though refined sugars are not good for you, there are sugar alternatives so you can still enjoy eating.

Natural sugar is one choice much better for you than refined white sugar. This natural sugar can provide easy to digest energy when consumed in small amounts, benefiting your body. This type of sugar will cause your body to store fat if you eat too much. This is what we try to avoid, but in small doses provides a good alternative.

There are other sugar alternatives available as well, and some of them are better for you than others. First there are the artificial sweeteners like saccharine. This can be found in the Sweet and Low packets on the table in just about every restaurant in the country. This artificial sugar alternative is very sweet so you use a lot less to get the same level of sweetness than you would need with real sugar.

The problem with these sugar alternatives is that they may not be very good for you. Some people think that they cause cancer, but this has not been proven in any scientific studies yet. More importantly, they encourage your body to want more sugar, so they do not help you to eat healthier and avoid sugar at other times. Also, since they are tricking your body into thinking it is getting sugar, it stores the empty calories as fat, so the effects are just the same.

Another downside to artificial sweeteners is they are not good to use for cooking. They may work to sweeten coffee or tea, but when baked they get a chemical taste. This explains why most houses have a bag of refined white sugar in the kitchen, even if they use artificial sweeteners.

There are natural sugar alternatives you can adapt for baking and other sweetening needs. Honey, one of the oldest natural forms of sweetening, can be used for most needs. It is all natural, and good for you when used (like all other sweeteners) in moderation. When used during baking, it will thicken batters.

Honey is also a good option for coffee or tea. You can get honey crystals that have been dried, making them easy to use. These honey crystals are perfect to use in beverages or over cereal.

Another one of the interesting natural sugar alternatives is Agave. This is a thick liquid that is derived from a plant. It is not quite as thick as honey that comes with a sweet, wonderful flavor while not being overpowering.

With all the natural sugar alternatives out there, make sure you do your research well. Natural sugar alternatives like Honey Crystals offer the additional benefit of being dry and easy to use. It replaces sugar 1:1 and is great for keeping your weight in check and your health in shape.

About the Author:

Check out top notch recipes made using the natural sugar known as organic honey crystals then visit the Mama Healthy website to get one of the best natural sugar alternatives in the market today.

Gucci Purses Perfect Gift For Xmas

By Donna Tiy

A Gucci handbags might be one of the finest things a woman can possess, because it will always be a classic as it has been down the years. The Gucci bag has captured the women all over the world with the casual sleek style that accompanies you with elegance wherever you may go.

Buying a Gucci handbag can be a great gift for your wife, sister, mother or friend. In order to get the best buy, you need to check the reliable sites where the bags are for sale, such as EuroHandbags. They will give you the best, along with having excellent customer service.

The Gucci handbag has been carrying its trademark since the 1920s. When choosing a gift, try to choose the appropriate color. When looking for a Gucci bag for someone you can shop for the favorite color of the person who will be receiving the gift. You may think if she is a spring, a summer, an autumn or a winter person. A Gucci hysteria bag might be perfect for a person who likes winter colors. If she is more like autumn, the last collection should be quite appropriate. When speaking of a summer kind lady, a Gucci Crocodile Hysteria bag would be perfect.

Before buying Gucci purses, keep in mind if the person that will receive the gift is more romantic or has a more sporting personality. Carefully choose the details like leather or chain handles in order to avoid any unpleasant experience. Try to observe the color that is predominant in her wardrobe and pick something that will suit the majority of her shoes and clothes. For a really thrilling effect, shop for a purse that is exactly designed for the Gucci handbag.

If you are looking for style, safety and comfort all in one combination, you should pick her some travelling Gucci bags. One of the best choices in this category is the Gucci Duchesse medium Boston bag that has been proven as a quality product.

Another aspect that you should take into account when you buy a Gucci handbag as a gift should be the body type of the person in cause. Choose a bag that will accentuate her natural beauty and elegance. So, if you are a man, try to buy your loved person a bag that will make her look prettier. Avoid the big handbags as a gift for short women because they will tend to look much larger than they are. If you are buying a Gucci handbag for a petite lady, make sure that it is a small one, in order to balance her features.

You can also buy a Gucci messenger bag for a weighty person, because it will draw the eye to the bag while taking attraction away from the larger mid section. All these kinds of bags and more are available to purchase on the online retailer websites. It is extremely easy and relaxed to shop from the comfort of your home, without needing to walk to the store. Just add all your favorite products to the cart and place the order online. It will be delivered to you in no time.

About the Author:

www.salevogue.com offers several different styles of authentic gucci handbags ranging from sporty to classic. This particular company boasts a complete line of Gucci products and challenges you, the customer, to find better items at better prices. Salevogue.com offers one stop shopping in an easy to use format for the online shopper.

Simple Vehicle Modifications by Using Custom Auto Bulbs

By David Ostiguy

Some of the smallest modifications to your vehicle can really make things stand out, for example, using Custom Auto Bulbs to your vehicle will make your ride look slick and cool. What sort of Automotive Bulbs am I talking about? There are various things, such as HID Conversion Kits, LED Taillights, Clear Corner Lenses and Chrome Bulbs.

The HID Conversion Kits are adding head lights to your vehicle that make the car look like much more modern that the manufacturer lights. Things such as Halo Bulbs, Diamond Bulbs are some of the common conversion kits out there. These bulbs make your headlights brighter than the manufacturers and will also give your ride a more futuristic look.

The LED Taillights are pretty much the same as the HID Conversion Kits, but are much brighter than the standard tail lights. Not only will this make your car look modern, but it'll bring out a certain look that you're looking for.

Adding Clear Corner Lenses into the mix will now give you an extremely cool looking ride. What exactly are Clear Corner Lenses? These are clear lenses that are installed to the blinkers of the vehicle. Recently, car manufactures have been taking notice of these aftermarket products and have been creating vehicles that have this similar look and feel.

After installing Clear Corners to your vehicle, it would be silly to add those ugly looking yellow bulbs to your car. You don't have to do this to be street legal! Thanks to Chrome Bulbs, you will have bulbs that blend in with the Clear Lenses. Some people call these Mirror Bulbs simply because you can see your own reflection in the bulbs.

Are Chrome Bulbs legal? Yes they are! Stealth Auto Chrome Bulbs have no hint of yellow in them, but once the blinker is turned on, it lights up in a yellowish/amber look.

Stealth Auto makes all their lights in the United States and offers excellent customer service.

There is a difference between modifying your vehicle and going overboard when modifying your vehicle. With so many things to choose from nowadays, it's easy to go overboard with modifications. Remember, the simpler the better. Also before adding any other lights to your vehicle, always be sure that what you're adding is street legal. The traffic violations can be steep when an officer pulls you over for having the wrong color lights.

We're hoping that this article will help you find answers to modifying your vehicle with custom auto lights.

About the Author:

Learn more about Automotive Bulbs. Stop by David Ostiguy's site where you can find out all about Auto Bulbs and how it can modify your vehicle.

Discover What Your Eye Glasses Frames Have Been Saying About You

By Adam Webster

Your personal flair or style includes more than just the way you dress and your hair style. It also includes the kind of eye glasses frames that you wear that tells of your unique personality. Your personal style is your overall look and your eye glasses frames are part of that look.

In fact, not only your fashion style is evident from the frames you choose but also your habits, economic status and your job itself are revealed in the eye glasses frames that you wear. For instance, if your frames are thick and studded with gems and shaped like cat-eyes this is an indication of an eccentric personality. On the other hand, the polished business type personality will probably be wearing frames that are slick and probably silver half type frames that are really thin. This indicates a sharp, high-class professional type personality.

Now you can see that the correct kind of eye glasses frames is a bigger thing than you thought. There are four categories to consider in picking out the best frames. There are the shapes that the frames have, the material from which the frames have been made, the decorations on the frames and most importantly the color of the frames. Each one of the categories lends its own value to your choice and what the frames will say about you and your unique personality.

When you are considering the shape of the frames you choose to wear you will need to think about how they will represent your basic personality. As an example, if you are a really fun type person you will probably want to wear frames that have unusual shapes like the cat-eye shape or maybe a star. But if you want to appear romantic and mellow the oval or gentler type of shape will represent that kind of personality.

Another grouping is the materials from which the frames are made. If the frame is made from plastic it says you are budget conscious and gives a younger feeling or cheeky feeling to your personality. On the other hand, frames made of metal will appear sleek, highly professional and expensive no matter what color they appear to be. Metal can easily be considered fun as well as plastic if that is what you want to accomplish. If you want the look of metal but your budget does not allow for this, then plastic can be made to look just like metal. There are really endless options.

Decorating the frames with different little characters or designs is yet another classification to consider and do make bold statements about the personality of the wearer. For instance if there is glitter or etching or gems added the otherwise plain frames become very fashion forward. Sweet little things like flowers or birds make the frames very feminine or youthful while the plain, wide and sturdy or wired, rimless frames portray a polished business-like personality.

Probably the biggest grouping is the color of the frames. Your personality is greatly expressed in the use of colors. For instance, using powerful kinds of colors like red or black express a very strong-type personality. Plain and black frames are definitely telling the world you are a very strict and reserved kind of person while using red says you are flamboyant, dominant and a fashionable kind of person.

Using eye glasses frames that are pastel in color portrays a gentler, kinder kind of personality. The bold, bright colors like aqua or lime say you are very extroverted and fun. The solid, darker colors like navy for instance can give a feeling of a little trendy while being sophisticated. Solid or patterns on the frames done in brown are very natural and earthy feeling.

About the Author:

Are you looking for the latest in Eyeglassesmake sure you download a Coupon for 10% off your next purchase of the latest in fashionable prescription Eyeglasses at Opti Mart

Eternity Cologne: 5 Things You Must Know Before Buying This Fragrance!

By Jon A. David

1. CK Eternity Cologne - Class Men's Fragrance

Eternity Cologne, the men's fragrance from the house of Calvin Klein is a delightful marriage of musk and spice with beautifully gentle undertones of amber and lavender with gentle hints of basil, greens, jasmine, and rosewood. It is boldly masculine but with a lovely soft edge to it, and ideally suitable for a casual lunchtime tryst or a full on romantic evening.

2. History of the Maker of Eternity Cologne

Eternity Cologne made its debut back in 1989 when Calvin Klein gave the public their first chance to buy this unique fragrance. It was some years before then in 1968 when the CK brand first burst forth upon the public stage offering a superb choice of designer jeans plus other items of high fashion. Calvin Klein himself came in to the world in 1942. He had a talent for both sketching and sewing, and soon won himself a coveted place in The High School of Art and Design in New York City. He also studied at the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology and after the culmination of his studies, together with his friend Barry Schwartz, he launched what is now one of the world's premier fashion brands; Calvin Klein.

As one of the world's leading fashion lights, Calvin Klein played a prominent part in developing a unique style of advertising. The iconic jeans campaign that starred Brooke Shields turned the fashion advertising world inside out. The genius of the man responsible for the elite range of Eternity fragrances has been awarded many awards in his illustrious career, including the elusive "America's Best Designer Award" in 1983.

3. The Collection of Eternity Fragrances

You can buy Eternity Cologne in 1.7 ounce and 3.4 ounce bottles. The cologne on its own is a special part of any fashion conscious man's body care products, but in order to maximize its impact you should also try using the body wash, the shampoo, the aftershave and the deodorant. Eternity is an all round winner with its warm spicy, herby, masculine fragrance that exudes style and class.

4. Women Love Eternity Cologne

Many women attest to the fact that they love Eternity Cologne. They love the subtle fragrance of amber and musk blended with spices and fruits. Some women think that men who wear this men's cologne radiate with much confidence and inner peace.

Once discovered, Eternity cologne is a lifelong friend. You'll never get tired of being stopped and complimented by women who adore the way you smell and want to know what it is you're wearing.

There are many wives who give their husbands Eternity Cologne because of its alluring smell that lasts long. For most of them, the smell of this cologne has created lots of memories for them and their husbands.

5. Perfect for All Occasions

Eternity cologne can be worn anytime, anywhere. Whether it's at work, out socializing with your buddies, our taking your lady friend out to the theatre of for a quiet intimate dinner, it is perfect for all occasions. Eternity cologne is a great choice for any discerning man. No matter what your occupation is or what pastimes you enjoy Eternity fragrances will enhance your presence.

About the Author:

Searching for free cologneLook no further! Find eternity cologne and other great designer colognes at Outlet Prices! You'll Get the Cheapest Prices Online at MensCologneOutlet.com.