If you are a single mom and struggling to get by, you are not alone. Whether you are going through a divorce or the father is absent most single mother face the burden of supporting themselves and their children all on one income.
* Only fifteen percent of women going through a divorce are awarded any form of court-ordered spousal support.
* Thirty-four percent of those women never receive what is due to them.
* Less than half of the women who claim child support ever receive the full amount.
* Within the first year of divorce a women’s average standard of living falls forty-five percent while a man’s will grow fifteen percent.
What are grants?
A grant is an award of financial assistance. The primary purpose of a grant is to transport a thing of value from a Federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or incentive authorized by a law of the United States. A grant is distinguished for a contact, which is then used to acquire property or services for the Federal government's direct use or benefit.
Grants are associated by company, state, local or tribal government, research institution or academia, not-for-profit, or any other kind of institution.
Grants for single mother can be found on one of the 900 grant programs offered by the 26 Federal grant-making agencies. These programs fall into 21 broad categories defined by the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. Agencies may fall under multiple grant categories. Below is a list of categories where grants for single mother may be found:
* Agriculture
* Arts
* Business and Commerce
* Community Development
* Consumer Protection
* Disaster Prevention and Relief
* Education
* Employment, Labor, and Training
* Energy
* Environmental Quality
* Food and Nutrition
* Health
* Housing
* Humanities
* Information and Statistics
* Law, Justice, and Legal Services
* Natural Resources
* Regional Development
* Science and Technology
* Social Services and Income Security
* Transportation
If you are a single mother seeking help with funding for your higher education you should consider exploring financial aid options such as contacting your financial aid office where you attend school. Ask about:
* Direct financial assistance from your college
* Federal and state subsidized grants
* Work-study programs
* Support from alumni, local clubs, or religious groups,
* Corporate-sponsored scholarships or tuition-aid programs for employees or for children of employees
Who can apply for grants?
If you are a citizen of the United States or a U.S. territory, or are a foreign national who has lived in the United States or a U.S. territory for at least three years immediately preceding an application, you are eligible to apply for a grant.
How do I prepare an application?
Each grant program has special instructions and program guidelines on how to properly prepare an application. Make sure to review these carefully before beginning your application for any important information about the focus of the program, eligibility requirements, and the types of funding available.
Applying for a grant is a great way for single mother in debt to get out of debt and stay out.
Helpful sites
- http://www.grants.gov lists over 900 grant programs.
- http://www.neh.gov answers common questions about grants.
About The Author
Kelly Kennedy writes for http://www.singlemotherresources.com, a great online source for single mothers and financial advice
nathan@mindcomet.com
Getting Healthy And Glowing Skin For Men by: Jacky Menon
Everybody wants to have clear, healthy glowing skin.
It is quite common that women take care of their skin like cleansing, toning, moisturising etc. So there are several beauty products available in the markets which are exclusively for women, like fairness cream. Generally men have a tough skin. As the nature of their skin is quite differ from women, so naturally women's products will not make a very good effect on men. In collaboration with Activor Corp, USA, herbalists and dermatologists from India, Emami has created a unique fairness cream for men. Emami Fair and Handsome is not only helpful for making the skin fair, but it's also helpful for relieving stress and fatigue signs.
According to a survey a growing number of Indian Men using this cream. So it's the time for Men to get Fair and Handsome.
If you're very serious about your skin and wants to stay young for long time, then you must protect your skin from sun. Sunburn is one of the main reasons for premature aging. Generally men do not use sunscreen on a regular basis hence left their skin for high risk factors like sun's UV rays. The UV ray of sun is very dangerous for our skin. Along with cancer, cataracts may happen due to of it. Fair and Handsome has a revolutionary double power sunguard counter over exposer of male skin to sun and protect it from harmful UV rays.
And offcourse at the time of shaving. Shaving is the most typical start to a man's day. A soothing cream after shaving is very much necessary. This product of Emami has anti-bacterial agents which actively protect skin from pollution and dark shadows caused by daily shave.
About The Author
Jacky Menon is contributing author for http://www.fairandhandsome.net/
It is quite common that women take care of their skin like cleansing, toning, moisturising etc. So there are several beauty products available in the markets which are exclusively for women, like fairness cream. Generally men have a tough skin. As the nature of their skin is quite differ from women, so naturally women's products will not make a very good effect on men. In collaboration with Activor Corp, USA, herbalists and dermatologists from India, Emami has created a unique fairness cream for men. Emami Fair and Handsome is not only helpful for making the skin fair, but it's also helpful for relieving stress and fatigue signs.
According to a survey a growing number of Indian Men using this cream. So it's the time for Men to get Fair and Handsome.
If you're very serious about your skin and wants to stay young for long time, then you must protect your skin from sun. Sunburn is one of the main reasons for premature aging. Generally men do not use sunscreen on a regular basis hence left their skin for high risk factors like sun's UV rays. The UV ray of sun is very dangerous for our skin. Along with cancer, cataracts may happen due to of it. Fair and Handsome has a revolutionary double power sunguard counter over exposer of male skin to sun and protect it from harmful UV rays.
And offcourse at the time of shaving. Shaving is the most typical start to a man's day. A soothing cream after shaving is very much necessary. This product of Emami has anti-bacterial agents which actively protect skin from pollution and dark shadows caused by daily shave.
About The Author
Jacky Menon is contributing author for http://www.fairandhandsome.net/
Perfect Fitting Short Sizes Shirts For Short Men by: Janine Giorgenti
For Jose Tineo, a chance encounter led to the perfect fit, both personally and professionally.
The owner of his own computer services company, Jose was summoned to Giorgenti Company headquarters almost a year ago to help solve a sticky hardware problem. As a roving IT specialist, he was accustomed to seeing many different kinds of businesses. But the concept of an online shirt maker specializing in short sizes seemed especially intriguing to the lifelong small businessman because Jose, more than just a self-made entrepreneur, was the classic victim of ill-fitting shirts for short men.
“Since I’m a curious person, I wanted to know all about what Best Custom Shirt did, and I wanted to figure out how they could offer customized shirts in short sizes.” recalls Jose. To his delight, business owner Janine Giorgenti not only patiently explained her operation, she offered Jose the chance to try a short men shirt.
“She even said she’d take my measurements so I could try one of her shirts made for short sizes,” Jose marveled.
He admits he was more than a bit skeptical. As a short-statured, powerfully built man, he’d simply resigned himself to the fact that store- bought short sizes shirts didn’t fit. But having garments custom-made was also beyond consideration.
“I’m five foot four and 180 pounds and I’m pretty bulky, not fat. And whenever I bought a stock shirt,” relates Jose, “I would have to compromise. The right neck size wouldn’t match my sleeve length, or the right chest size would have a tail that fell almost to my knees. I found myself having to buy shirts for fat men in order to be able to button the collar.”
When Janine’s sample short men shirt arrived, he was bowled over. His new garment was not only reasonably priced, it was downright smashing.
“I loved the shirt so much, I immediately placed a couple of orders,” relates Jose.
In one fell swoop, Jose has been transformed from a victim of ill-fitting, unflattering garments, to a man with the polished look of a suave and sophisticated professional. His brief introduction to the world of custom clothing spoiled him forever.
“It was just amazing. I would get compliments when I visited old friends in the workplace. They could see the difference right away,” states Jose.
Even better, self-consciousness gave way to confidence.
“Now,” boasts Jose, “I feel like I look great when I dress, and I don’t mind promoting that fact, because I truly feel that having these shirts actually helped to broaden my horizons. I thought I knew how to dress before, but now I know how it feels to really dress well. I’d had no idea how many ‘flavors and colors and styles’ shirts come in. I'd never thought of wearing cufflinks or trying different kinds of collars. Actually, Best Custom Shirt helped me to understand what a professional man should look like.”
It did something else, too. It convinced him that this was a business with a future; a place that inspired trust.
“I was so impressed at how well they did business online. They have formulas they’ve come up with in terms of fit and style that are based on 15 years of experience. And they have a website that can really help people,” he enthused.
So it was no surprise that when Jose heard Best Custom Shirt was seeking a new head of customer service he suggested himself. What better spokesman, he asked, than a truly satisfied customer? Just to be extra careful, he also did some additional due diligence.
“I like to do research on everything I’m doing, so I personally checked out the competition. Believe it when I tell you there’s nobody out there that provides the services that Janine does – from the beginning, when you place the order, to the end, when she ensures you’re satisfied with the purchase,” assures Jose.
A few weeks later, he assumed the post of customer service director.
“Now, I check to make sure all our interactions with customers have gone well. In a typical week, that probably means dealing with about 400 to 500 people who either call, or ask questions or want swatches or a price quote or who want to find out something more about our program for short sizes,” explains Jose.
He adds, “The typical day might involve someone who calls and says, ‘I need to expedite my order. ’Thankfully, that’s really rare, but when it happens, my job is to immediately get on the phone and track down the order, solve any problems that might be involved, and give the customer the full update, along with an assurance about when their custom dress shirts will arrive.”
Jose’s ultimate goal is to guarantee complete satisfaction, not only to ensure a job well done, but to live up to Janine’s high standards for her custom dress shirts.
“I make sure to resolve any misunderstandings so that both parties are ok. Janine has a one hundred per cent satisfaction guarantee on all custom dress shirts and I make sure to honor that,” he underlines.
Jose’s employment with Best Custom Shirt has now confirmed his initial notion that the perfect spokesperson for a product is a satisfied customer. Besides, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love my custom shirts,” enthuses Jose, “and I feel really good about serving customers who buy our short men shirts , because I know they’ll have the same reaction I did.”
For more information on custom dress shirts for short sizes please visit
About The Author
Janine Giorgenti
For two decades, Janine Giorgenti has dedicated her life’s work to developing cutting edge techniques, for creating a professional image. She is a pioneering top clothing designer, image and wardrobe consultant as well as a dynamic speaker.
As a recognized expert in color psychology and a seasoned Seventh Avenue designer, Janine helps clients substantially improve their professional appearance. Her scientific approach to image enhancement applies the innovations of the world’s greatest clothing experts to each individual’s wardrobe.
Many clients credit her counsel with helping them win promotions, close deals, land new jobs, perform better in the business world and build general self-confidence. Her clients include sport figures, celebrities and Fortune 500 executives from American Express, Deloitte &Touché, Citicorp, MetLife, Marriott and Morgan Stanley, among others.
Janine Giorgenti reaches thousands through her “ Dress for Success” seminars, TV and Radio appearances, while her acclaimed “Image Empowerment” audio series” empower countless more people. Her makeovers are featured on local and regional television programs, and her advice was recently the centerpiece of a McKinsey & Company women's website series on 'business casual'.
Janine is a fourth generation designer who trained at New York’s renowned Fashion Institute of Technology. She was a fashion consultant for Saks 5th Ave, Anne Taylor, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. Janine’s original creations have been featured in The New York Times Fashion of the Times centerfold, as well in Vogue magazine.
Janine is committed to giving back to the community, often providing custom clothing and organizing fashion shows as fundraising events for nonprofits that include The American Heart Association, A Cure for Breast Cancer, Arthritis foundation, The United Way, and the Special Olympics for Handicapped Kids.
Her advice is frequently sought by major national newspapers and magazines, and will soon be collected into a book, co-authored with award-winning television producer and journalist Sue Treiman.
For more information on custom dress shirts and suits visit
www.bestcustomshirt.com
www.clothesforsuccess.com
Janine Giorgenti can be contacted at 1-800-99-IMAGE or info@bestcustomshirt.com.
Copyright clause: My articles can be copied, published and re-printed without my permission as long as I remain the author of the article.
The owner of his own computer services company, Jose was summoned to Giorgenti Company headquarters almost a year ago to help solve a sticky hardware problem. As a roving IT specialist, he was accustomed to seeing many different kinds of businesses. But the concept of an online shirt maker specializing in short sizes seemed especially intriguing to the lifelong small businessman because Jose, more than just a self-made entrepreneur, was the classic victim of ill-fitting shirts for short men.
“Since I’m a curious person, I wanted to know all about what Best Custom Shirt did, and I wanted to figure out how they could offer customized shirts in short sizes.” recalls Jose. To his delight, business owner Janine Giorgenti not only patiently explained her operation, she offered Jose the chance to try a short men shirt.
“She even said she’d take my measurements so I could try one of her shirts made for short sizes,” Jose marveled.
He admits he was more than a bit skeptical. As a short-statured, powerfully built man, he’d simply resigned himself to the fact that store- bought short sizes shirts didn’t fit. But having garments custom-made was also beyond consideration.
“I’m five foot four and 180 pounds and I’m pretty bulky, not fat. And whenever I bought a stock shirt,” relates Jose, “I would have to compromise. The right neck size wouldn’t match my sleeve length, or the right chest size would have a tail that fell almost to my knees. I found myself having to buy shirts for fat men in order to be able to button the collar.”
When Janine’s sample short men shirt arrived, he was bowled over. His new garment was not only reasonably priced, it was downright smashing.
“I loved the shirt so much, I immediately placed a couple of orders,” relates Jose.
In one fell swoop, Jose has been transformed from a victim of ill-fitting, unflattering garments, to a man with the polished look of a suave and sophisticated professional. His brief introduction to the world of custom clothing spoiled him forever.
“It was just amazing. I would get compliments when I visited old friends in the workplace. They could see the difference right away,” states Jose.
Even better, self-consciousness gave way to confidence.
“Now,” boasts Jose, “I feel like I look great when I dress, and I don’t mind promoting that fact, because I truly feel that having these shirts actually helped to broaden my horizons. I thought I knew how to dress before, but now I know how it feels to really dress well. I’d had no idea how many ‘flavors and colors and styles’ shirts come in. I'd never thought of wearing cufflinks or trying different kinds of collars. Actually, Best Custom Shirt helped me to understand what a professional man should look like.”
It did something else, too. It convinced him that this was a business with a future; a place that inspired trust.
“I was so impressed at how well they did business online. They have formulas they’ve come up with in terms of fit and style that are based on 15 years of experience. And they have a website that can really help people,” he enthused.
So it was no surprise that when Jose heard Best Custom Shirt was seeking a new head of customer service he suggested himself. What better spokesman, he asked, than a truly satisfied customer? Just to be extra careful, he also did some additional due diligence.
“I like to do research on everything I’m doing, so I personally checked out the competition. Believe it when I tell you there’s nobody out there that provides the services that Janine does – from the beginning, when you place the order, to the end, when she ensures you’re satisfied with the purchase,” assures Jose.
A few weeks later, he assumed the post of customer service director.
“Now, I check to make sure all our interactions with customers have gone well. In a typical week, that probably means dealing with about 400 to 500 people who either call, or ask questions or want swatches or a price quote or who want to find out something more about our program for short sizes,” explains Jose.
He adds, “The typical day might involve someone who calls and says, ‘I need to expedite my order. ’Thankfully, that’s really rare, but when it happens, my job is to immediately get on the phone and track down the order, solve any problems that might be involved, and give the customer the full update, along with an assurance about when their custom dress shirts will arrive.”
Jose’s ultimate goal is to guarantee complete satisfaction, not only to ensure a job well done, but to live up to Janine’s high standards for her custom dress shirts.
“I make sure to resolve any misunderstandings so that both parties are ok. Janine has a one hundred per cent satisfaction guarantee on all custom dress shirts and I make sure to honor that,” he underlines.
Jose’s employment with Best Custom Shirt has now confirmed his initial notion that the perfect spokesperson for a product is a satisfied customer. Besides, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I love my custom shirts,” enthuses Jose, “and I feel really good about serving customers who buy our short men shirts , because I know they’ll have the same reaction I did.”
For more information on custom dress shirts for short sizes please visit
About The Author
Janine Giorgenti
For two decades, Janine Giorgenti has dedicated her life’s work to developing cutting edge techniques, for creating a professional image. She is a pioneering top clothing designer, image and wardrobe consultant as well as a dynamic speaker.
As a recognized expert in color psychology and a seasoned Seventh Avenue designer, Janine helps clients substantially improve their professional appearance. Her scientific approach to image enhancement applies the innovations of the world’s greatest clothing experts to each individual’s wardrobe.
Many clients credit her counsel with helping them win promotions, close deals, land new jobs, perform better in the business world and build general self-confidence. Her clients include sport figures, celebrities and Fortune 500 executives from American Express, Deloitte &Touché, Citicorp, MetLife, Marriott and Morgan Stanley, among others.
Janine Giorgenti reaches thousands through her “ Dress for Success” seminars, TV and Radio appearances, while her acclaimed “Image Empowerment” audio series” empower countless more people. Her makeovers are featured on local and regional television programs, and her advice was recently the centerpiece of a McKinsey & Company women's website series on 'business casual'.
Janine is a fourth generation designer who trained at New York’s renowned Fashion Institute of Technology. She was a fashion consultant for Saks 5th Ave, Anne Taylor, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. Janine’s original creations have been featured in The New York Times Fashion of the Times centerfold, as well in Vogue magazine.
Janine is committed to giving back to the community, often providing custom clothing and organizing fashion shows as fundraising events for nonprofits that include The American Heart Association, A Cure for Breast Cancer, Arthritis foundation, The United Way, and the Special Olympics for Handicapped Kids.
Her advice is frequently sought by major national newspapers and magazines, and will soon be collected into a book, co-authored with award-winning television producer and journalist Sue Treiman.
For more information on custom dress shirts and suits visit
www.bestcustomshirt.com
www.clothesforsuccess.com
Janine Giorgenti can be contacted at 1-800-99-IMAGE or info@bestcustomshirt.com.
Copyright clause: My articles can be copied, published and re-printed without my permission as long as I remain the author of the article.
How To Solve Erection Problems… by: Calle Zorro
Somewhere along the way, a man will out of the blue begin to have erection problems.
He’ll still have and feel desire for his lady but his penis will simply not cooperate.
He’ll feel embarrassed, humiliated, ashamed, and guilty.
And, his lady will feel just as bad because she now thinks that the man has lost his desire and attraction for her which really rattles her sense of self-worth.
Because it’s going to happen if it hasn’t already happened, let’s explore this phenomenon…
As odd as it may seem, few men seem to recognize the "transition" that happens to them.
For the first part of an average male's life, an erection is an automatic, requires no effort, instantaneous, kind of thing.
For the first part of the average male's life, they think how dumb it is that a woman needs to hear the words first, that she needs to be turned on in her head first, before she is really ready for sex.
And then, the transition happens. All of a sudden, things aren't so instant and automatic.
He thinks something is wrong with him which leads to further anxiety which leads to further erection problems.
At the same time, the lady of the relationship - with all of her own self-doubt - interprets the "malfunction" as something wrong with her.
What we have to consider is that the power of the mind is an amazing thing. National Geographic magazine has reported more than once on "natives" who woke up on a given morning in perfect health, decided that they had been "cursed" during the night and were dead before nightfall - all because of what they believed in their mind.
Given this example of the mind's power, is it any wonder that men have erection problems when they don't understand what's really happening within their own bodies?
Well, the good news is that most men don't have a real problem. Nature has just "turned the tables on him".
In other words, when the transition happens, the average male needs to hear sexual words first. He needs to get turned on in his head first. He needs foreplay. He needs his wife to talk sexy talk to him. He needs his wife to assure him of her love and care for him. He needs his wife to assure him of his value and importance.
He needs all the things that she needed during the first part of HER life - and that he thought was so dumb. He needs all those things that felt like nothing but an obstacle to him getting what he wanted.
The bad news is that if he doesn't recognize and understand this "transition", then he will start using the power of his mind in a negative and destructive way such that he will end up having genuine and real erection problems.
But, by understanding what's really going on and by asking the wife to slow things down a bit, to talk sexy talk, to affirm him, to open up and expose all of her secret sexual thoughts, a man and a woman can have sex that is far more incredible than anything they've experienced prior to the transition.
About The Author
Copyright 2006, by Calle Zorro
Learn how to make your ejaculate shoot. Go to: www.IWantMySemenToShoot.com
Learn how to create a happy, sex-filled marriage. Go to: www.NymphomaniacWife.com
He’ll still have and feel desire for his lady but his penis will simply not cooperate.
He’ll feel embarrassed, humiliated, ashamed, and guilty.
And, his lady will feel just as bad because she now thinks that the man has lost his desire and attraction for her which really rattles her sense of self-worth.
Because it’s going to happen if it hasn’t already happened, let’s explore this phenomenon…
As odd as it may seem, few men seem to recognize the "transition" that happens to them.
For the first part of an average male's life, an erection is an automatic, requires no effort, instantaneous, kind of thing.
For the first part of the average male's life, they think how dumb it is that a woman needs to hear the words first, that she needs to be turned on in her head first, before she is really ready for sex.
And then, the transition happens. All of a sudden, things aren't so instant and automatic.
He thinks something is wrong with him which leads to further anxiety which leads to further erection problems.
At the same time, the lady of the relationship - with all of her own self-doubt - interprets the "malfunction" as something wrong with her.
What we have to consider is that the power of the mind is an amazing thing. National Geographic magazine has reported more than once on "natives" who woke up on a given morning in perfect health, decided that they had been "cursed" during the night and were dead before nightfall - all because of what they believed in their mind.
Given this example of the mind's power, is it any wonder that men have erection problems when they don't understand what's really happening within their own bodies?
Well, the good news is that most men don't have a real problem. Nature has just "turned the tables on him".
In other words, when the transition happens, the average male needs to hear sexual words first. He needs to get turned on in his head first. He needs foreplay. He needs his wife to talk sexy talk to him. He needs his wife to assure him of her love and care for him. He needs his wife to assure him of his value and importance.
He needs all the things that she needed during the first part of HER life - and that he thought was so dumb. He needs all those things that felt like nothing but an obstacle to him getting what he wanted.
The bad news is that if he doesn't recognize and understand this "transition", then he will start using the power of his mind in a negative and destructive way such that he will end up having genuine and real erection problems.
But, by understanding what's really going on and by asking the wife to slow things down a bit, to talk sexy talk, to affirm him, to open up and expose all of her secret sexual thoughts, a man and a woman can have sex that is far more incredible than anything they've experienced prior to the transition.
About The Author
Copyright 2006, by Calle Zorro
Learn how to make your ejaculate shoot. Go to: www.IWantMySemenToShoot.com
Learn how to create a happy, sex-filled marriage. Go to: www.NymphomaniacWife.com
The Perfect Fitting Dress Shirt For The Big And Tall Man by: Janine Giorgenti
Outfitting Matthew Tullis used to be a tall order.
At 6 foot 7 inches tall, he frequented the big and tall dress shirt departments of local retailers in West Jordan, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City. But even when the size seemed right, the look was all wrong.
"I'd go to Nordstrom's or some other store and tell the clerk my neck size and sleeve length, 16 and a half neck and 37 sleeve, and I'd always have trouble with the shirt. I'm a thin person, and the shirts weren't made for people like me, so either the sleeves were too short or the neck was too big. And the shirt was always baggy in the body. I began to think that bad fit was just par for the course," shrugs Matthew. "It got to the point where I really didn't care. I wasn't very picky."
As a church leader and a father of three, though, Matthew felt an increasing need to ensure his appearance matched his growing responsibilities.
"I've never been very worried about what other people think, but in this case it came down to something bigger than me; my religion. When it had to do with my church calling, I felt it was important to look my best and to set a good example," explains Matthew.
Desperate for a better answer, he turned to the Internet. Somewhere out there, he reasoned, had to be well-priced, good looking shirts for big and tall men who were more tall than big. The option of custom-made clothing never occurred to him. It sounded too expensive and difficult.
When he stumbled upon Best Custom Shirt, the made-to-order option seemed so affordable it was almost too good to be true.
"I think the terms I put in the search engine were something like, 'cheapest, nicest dress shirt' or something similar. I don't remember how many links it returned, but one of them was Best Custom Shirt. When l looked it at the site, I thought the prices were really good. So I immediately compared them against five other online stores that had big and tall men's shirts," says Matthew.
Matthew shared the news with his wife, who did her own online comparison shopping. The result, says Matthew, was that she was happy, too.
"She enjoyed the fact that she didn't have to go buy them. And when she looked at the price, she thought I should go ahead and do it. Frankly, at that point I was sick and tired of spending so much time comparing everything. I figured I would just order the shirts and see what happened," recalls Matthew.
Matthew's first custom shirt arrived within days. He enjoyed the look and feel, but still wasn't totally satisfied with the fit. So he called a customer service expert and described the problem.
"I told him this was my first custom-made shirt and it seemed to pull across the back when I touched my elbows together in front. I didn't know how much more space it needed, but they put me in touch with Janine and she told me how she thought the shirt could be changed. She also talked to me about some of the other little things I might like," says Matthew.
New York Designer Janine Giorgenti, owner of Best Custom Shirt. Com, spent time helping Matthew define his own preferences, tastes he was previously unaware of. Working together, they pinned down the particular look Matthew sought for his shirt's collar and buttons.
Ten days after Matthew's initial Internet foray, he was the proud owner of four handsome, well-made, crisp white shirts – precision-tailored to his proportions. These big-and-tall men's dress shirts were big on style, but, even better, these were the first shirts he worn that genuinely fit his frame. Suddenly, all the little discomforts he'd taken for granted with standard men's dress shirts vanished. No longer did he have to contend with a baggy chest, too- short sleeves or ugly collars that just didn't lay right.
"Now, if I raise my hands right above my head, the shirt doesn't pull, so I'm glad about that. And some of the other options, like a collar without any buttons, made me really happy," says Matthew.
He credits extraordinary customer service for his extraordinary results.
"The people I dealt with were very good, very nice, and very easy to work with," smiles Matthew.
He now feels the shirts help him to do his best work. When he presides over church group meetings, he looks and feels like the leader and role model he is. He never has to worry whether his polished appearance will disappear when he takes his jacket off.
Now that he's a made-to-order shirt fan, Matthew ready to take on another challenge: color.
"This time, I just wanted white shirts. Now that I have all the white shirts I need, I'd like to add some cool colors. I love blue and may even want to get a maroon shirt. And I'm thinking about custom-made slacks, too," remarks Matthew.
The ease of caring for his custom shirts makes them all the more appealing. Matthew finds the garments look just as good after machine washing as when they first arrived. His over-the-counter dress shirts never stood up as well.
As a newly-savvy shirt buyer, Matthew intends to approach garment purchases with a more exacting eye. He also plans to apply the same high standards to dress-up clothing for his three sons; six-year-old Landan, three-year-old Dalin, and Alex, who's just a year old. All, he laughs, are destined to inherit their father's hard-to-fit stature and build.
"They'll be big and tall like me," smiles Matthew. "I like to look good and I'm sure they'll want to look good, too…in shirts that really fit."
For more information on big and tall dress shirts please visit www.bestcustomshirt.com.
About The Author
For two decades, Janine Giorgenti has dedicated her life’s work to developing cutting edge techniques, for creating a professional image. She is a pioneering top clothing designer, image and wardrobe consultant as well as a dynamic speaker.
As a recognized expert in color psychology and a seasoned Seventh Avenue designer, Janine helps clients substantially improve their professional appearance. Her scientific approach to image enhancement applies the innovations of the world’s greatest clothing experts to each individual’s wardrobe.
Many clients credit her counsel with helping them win promotions, close deals, land new jobs, perform better in the business world and build general self-confidence. Her clients include sport figures, celebrities and Fortune 500 executives from American Express, Deloitte &Touché, Citicorp, MetLife, Marriott and Morgan Stanley, among others.
Janine Giorgenti reaches thousands through her “ Dress for Success” seminars, TV and Radio appearances, while her acclaimed “Image Empowerment” audio series” empower countless more people. Her makeovers are featured on local and regional television programs, and her advice was recently the centerpiece of a McKinsey & Company women's website series on 'business casual'.
Janine is a fourth generation designer who trained at New York’s renowned Fashion Institute of Technology. She was a fashion consultant for Saks 5th Ave, Anne Taylor, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. Janine’s original creations have been featured in The New York Times Fashion of the Times centerfold, as well in Vogue magazine.
Janine is committed to giving back to the community, often providing custom clothing and organizing fashion shows as fundraising events for nonprofits that include The American Heart Association, A Cure for Breast Cancer, Arthritis foundation, The United Way, and the Special Olympics for Handicapped Kids.
Her advice is frequently sought by major national newspapers and magazines, and will soon be collected into a book, co-authored with award-winning television producer and journalist Sue Treiman.
Janine Giorgenti can be contacted at 1-800-99-IMAGE or info@bestcustomshirt.com
Copyright clause: My articles can be copied, published and re-printed without my permission as long as I remain the author of the article.
At 6 foot 7 inches tall, he frequented the big and tall dress shirt departments of local retailers in West Jordan, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City. But even when the size seemed right, the look was all wrong.
"I'd go to Nordstrom's or some other store and tell the clerk my neck size and sleeve length, 16 and a half neck and 37 sleeve, and I'd always have trouble with the shirt. I'm a thin person, and the shirts weren't made for people like me, so either the sleeves were too short or the neck was too big. And the shirt was always baggy in the body. I began to think that bad fit was just par for the course," shrugs Matthew. "It got to the point where I really didn't care. I wasn't very picky."
As a church leader and a father of three, though, Matthew felt an increasing need to ensure his appearance matched his growing responsibilities.
"I've never been very worried about what other people think, but in this case it came down to something bigger than me; my religion. When it had to do with my church calling, I felt it was important to look my best and to set a good example," explains Matthew.
Desperate for a better answer, he turned to the Internet. Somewhere out there, he reasoned, had to be well-priced, good looking shirts for big and tall men who were more tall than big. The option of custom-made clothing never occurred to him. It sounded too expensive and difficult.
When he stumbled upon Best Custom Shirt, the made-to-order option seemed so affordable it was almost too good to be true.
"I think the terms I put in the search engine were something like, 'cheapest, nicest dress shirt' or something similar. I don't remember how many links it returned, but one of them was Best Custom Shirt. When l looked it at the site, I thought the prices were really good. So I immediately compared them against five other online stores that had big and tall men's shirts," says Matthew.
Matthew shared the news with his wife, who did her own online comparison shopping. The result, says Matthew, was that she was happy, too.
"She enjoyed the fact that she didn't have to go buy them. And when she looked at the price, she thought I should go ahead and do it. Frankly, at that point I was sick and tired of spending so much time comparing everything. I figured I would just order the shirts and see what happened," recalls Matthew.
Matthew's first custom shirt arrived within days. He enjoyed the look and feel, but still wasn't totally satisfied with the fit. So he called a customer service expert and described the problem.
"I told him this was my first custom-made shirt and it seemed to pull across the back when I touched my elbows together in front. I didn't know how much more space it needed, but they put me in touch with Janine and she told me how she thought the shirt could be changed. She also talked to me about some of the other little things I might like," says Matthew.
New York Designer Janine Giorgenti, owner of Best Custom Shirt. Com, spent time helping Matthew define his own preferences, tastes he was previously unaware of. Working together, they pinned down the particular look Matthew sought for his shirt's collar and buttons.
Ten days after Matthew's initial Internet foray, he was the proud owner of four handsome, well-made, crisp white shirts – precision-tailored to his proportions. These big-and-tall men's dress shirts were big on style, but, even better, these were the first shirts he worn that genuinely fit his frame. Suddenly, all the little discomforts he'd taken for granted with standard men's dress shirts vanished. No longer did he have to contend with a baggy chest, too- short sleeves or ugly collars that just didn't lay right.
"Now, if I raise my hands right above my head, the shirt doesn't pull, so I'm glad about that. And some of the other options, like a collar without any buttons, made me really happy," says Matthew.
He credits extraordinary customer service for his extraordinary results.
"The people I dealt with were very good, very nice, and very easy to work with," smiles Matthew.
He now feels the shirts help him to do his best work. When he presides over church group meetings, he looks and feels like the leader and role model he is. He never has to worry whether his polished appearance will disappear when he takes his jacket off.
Now that he's a made-to-order shirt fan, Matthew ready to take on another challenge: color.
"This time, I just wanted white shirts. Now that I have all the white shirts I need, I'd like to add some cool colors. I love blue and may even want to get a maroon shirt. And I'm thinking about custom-made slacks, too," remarks Matthew.
The ease of caring for his custom shirts makes them all the more appealing. Matthew finds the garments look just as good after machine washing as when they first arrived. His over-the-counter dress shirts never stood up as well.
As a newly-savvy shirt buyer, Matthew intends to approach garment purchases with a more exacting eye. He also plans to apply the same high standards to dress-up clothing for his three sons; six-year-old Landan, three-year-old Dalin, and Alex, who's just a year old. All, he laughs, are destined to inherit their father's hard-to-fit stature and build.
"They'll be big and tall like me," smiles Matthew. "I like to look good and I'm sure they'll want to look good, too…in shirts that really fit."
For more information on big and tall dress shirts please visit www.bestcustomshirt.com.
About The Author
For two decades, Janine Giorgenti has dedicated her life’s work to developing cutting edge techniques, for creating a professional image. She is a pioneering top clothing designer, image and wardrobe consultant as well as a dynamic speaker.
As a recognized expert in color psychology and a seasoned Seventh Avenue designer, Janine helps clients substantially improve their professional appearance. Her scientific approach to image enhancement applies the innovations of the world’s greatest clothing experts to each individual’s wardrobe.
Many clients credit her counsel with helping them win promotions, close deals, land new jobs, perform better in the business world and build general self-confidence. Her clients include sport figures, celebrities and Fortune 500 executives from American Express, Deloitte &Touché, Citicorp, MetLife, Marriott and Morgan Stanley, among others.
Janine Giorgenti reaches thousands through her “ Dress for Success” seminars, TV and Radio appearances, while her acclaimed “Image Empowerment” audio series” empower countless more people. Her makeovers are featured on local and regional television programs, and her advice was recently the centerpiece of a McKinsey & Company women's website series on 'business casual'.
Janine is a fourth generation designer who trained at New York’s renowned Fashion Institute of Technology. She was a fashion consultant for Saks 5th Ave, Anne Taylor, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. Janine’s original creations have been featured in The New York Times Fashion of the Times centerfold, as well in Vogue magazine.
Janine is committed to giving back to the community, often providing custom clothing and organizing fashion shows as fundraising events for nonprofits that include The American Heart Association, A Cure for Breast Cancer, Arthritis foundation, The United Way, and the Special Olympics for Handicapped Kids.
Her advice is frequently sought by major national newspapers and magazines, and will soon be collected into a book, co-authored with award-winning television producer and journalist Sue Treiman.
Janine Giorgenti can be contacted at 1-800-99-IMAGE or info@bestcustomshirt.com
Copyright clause: My articles can be copied, published and re-printed without my permission as long as I remain the author of the article.
Six Yrs Of Stunning Naturopathic Research Says: Lose The Weight, Lose The Guilt: Gain Your Immunity Too
Weight loss and subsequent balance now becomes the side-effect of 'growing the cellular immune system of your body' NOT an effect of Mind-set or Willpower to 'force' weight-loss / balance...
For indeed you may achieve tens of kilos in weight loss by becoming the equivalent of an 'Olympic athlete' BUT when you've reached your goal weight but realise you want your life back seeing there is more to it than spending 2-4 hrs daily in the gymnasium or at the track WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED?
.. Sooner or later your-underlying-physiology-will-revert-to-the-old-you unless you can reclaim your ideal cellular health especially if you don't know how to build your gut immunity & use immune positive foods to maintain it forever thereafter.
"Have you ever wondered why Doctors tell us Obesity itself is powerfully related to the 'big 4' illnesses of Diabetes, Arthritis, Breast/Bowel cancer & Heart disease?"
We'll tell you! ...Because much of the stubborn weight issues is ALSO IMMUNE-RELATED-DISORDERS just as are these 'Big-4' illnesses in the first place!
Current Medical research states:
• Diabetes IS officially classified as an Auto-immune disease.
• Arthritis IS officially classified as an Auto-immune disease.
• Breast & Bowel cancer are both MAJOR immune related illnesses.
• Heart-Disease is officially NOT classified as an immune disease YET. However since 1999 both Scandinavian & more recently even USA studies are beginning to powerfully link the immune-system even here too. So much so that we believe by the year 2010 Medical science will begin to classify it in the same category as these first three illnesses above.
But it seems the doctors who make those Obese-Diabetes-Arthritis-Cancer-Heart statements themselves JUST-CANNOT-SEEM-TO-JOIN-THE-DOTS.
In light of the above, My job as a Naturopath now is quite simple.
Work out just what is it that is interfering with our immune systems!
Hmm, not so easy or even straight-forward.
However the past 7 years have elucidated the 9 following areas mostly, as you will see are, directly attributable to the complex world we all live in being:
• Genetic patterns-(Yes weight issue CAN run-in-family-lines)
• What we do to ourselves with diet and drugs of addiction (Damages gut/immune cell)
• What Doctors do to us with drug side effects (Again damages Gut/immune cells)
• What Dentists do to us; Root canals, Amalgam metals, etc(Toxins placed by man)
• Ill-effects of Radiation; X-ray, Microwave foods, Nuclear, etc (All forms of Radiation tend to suppress our immune systems)
• Shock -Be it near Drowning/starvation(Anorexia)/near Asphyxia (thru acute asthma), near death(Car accident), etc.
• NOT being breast-fed properly as an infant (The genesis of your immunity stems from the Maternal breast)
• Chronic spinal issues (Just ask your chiropractor),
• Foreign bodies such as Gall/Kidney stones, Surgical/cosmetic implants- (Foreign bodies are seen as invaders & place the immunity under load)
BY FAR, the most common areas as they relate to obesity is the first Six above
• TREATMENT
Our activated 'milk extract (Allowing the Life Force) capsules' will clear the ill-effect of these issues at around 16% per week.
• We can tell you the immune positive foods and immune negative foods to employ and use ALF to revive damaged gut cells.
• We can tell you which to try and reduce over time.
• Again, the ALF revives gut drug damaged cells.
• Please seek out a biological dentist in your area to measure your metals in your mouth.
• Reduce if you can- Microwave foods, X-ray exposure, excess Mobile phone radiation, Move out of radius of Nuclear power stations if possible, Deep-screen computers, Even your solarium could be dangerous too.
We write the above NOT to shock or even threaten, but simply inform you.
Twenty four years of hands on Full-time naturopathy in country Victoria, Australia.
Glen F Rees BSc, ND. http://www.pranicpulseoflife.com
For indeed you may achieve tens of kilos in weight loss by becoming the equivalent of an 'Olympic athlete' BUT when you've reached your goal weight but realise you want your life back seeing there is more to it than spending 2-4 hrs daily in the gymnasium or at the track WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED?
.. Sooner or later your-underlying-physiology-will-revert-to-the-old-you unless you can reclaim your ideal cellular health especially if you don't know how to build your gut immunity & use immune positive foods to maintain it forever thereafter.
"Have you ever wondered why Doctors tell us Obesity itself is powerfully related to the 'big 4' illnesses of Diabetes, Arthritis, Breast/Bowel cancer & Heart disease?"
We'll tell you! ...Because much of the stubborn weight issues is ALSO IMMUNE-RELATED-DISORDERS just as are these 'Big-4' illnesses in the first place!
Current Medical research states:
• Diabetes IS officially classified as an Auto-immune disease.
• Arthritis IS officially classified as an Auto-immune disease.
• Breast & Bowel cancer are both MAJOR immune related illnesses.
• Heart-Disease is officially NOT classified as an immune disease YET. However since 1999 both Scandinavian & more recently even USA studies are beginning to powerfully link the immune-system even here too. So much so that we believe by the year 2010 Medical science will begin to classify it in the same category as these first three illnesses above.
But it seems the doctors who make those Obese-Diabetes-Arthritis-Cancer-Heart statements themselves JUST-CANNOT-SEEM-TO-JOIN-THE-DOTS.
In light of the above, My job as a Naturopath now is quite simple.
Work out just what is it that is interfering with our immune systems!
Hmm, not so easy or even straight-forward.
However the past 7 years have elucidated the 9 following areas mostly, as you will see are, directly attributable to the complex world we all live in being:
• Genetic patterns-(Yes weight issue CAN run-in-family-lines)
• What we do to ourselves with diet and drugs of addiction (Damages gut/immune cell)
• What Doctors do to us with drug side effects (Again damages Gut/immune cells)
• What Dentists do to us; Root canals, Amalgam metals, etc(Toxins placed by man)
• Ill-effects of Radiation; X-ray, Microwave foods, Nuclear, etc (All forms of Radiation tend to suppress our immune systems)
• Shock -Be it near Drowning/starvation(Anorexia)/near Asphyxia (thru acute asthma), near death(Car accident), etc.
• NOT being breast-fed properly as an infant (The genesis of your immunity stems from the Maternal breast)
• Chronic spinal issues (Just ask your chiropractor),
• Foreign bodies such as Gall/Kidney stones, Surgical/cosmetic implants- (Foreign bodies are seen as invaders & place the immunity under load)
BY FAR, the most common areas as they relate to obesity is the first Six above
• TREATMENT
Our activated 'milk extract (Allowing the Life Force) capsules' will clear the ill-effect of these issues at around 16% per week.
• We can tell you the immune positive foods and immune negative foods to employ and use ALF to revive damaged gut cells.
• We can tell you which to try and reduce over time.
• Again, the ALF revives gut drug damaged cells.
• Please seek out a biological dentist in your area to measure your metals in your mouth.
• Reduce if you can- Microwave foods, X-ray exposure, excess Mobile phone radiation, Move out of radius of Nuclear power stations if possible, Deep-screen computers, Even your solarium could be dangerous too.
We write the above NOT to shock or even threaten, but simply inform you.
Twenty four years of hands on Full-time naturopathy in country Victoria, Australia.
Glen F Rees BSc, ND. http://www.pranicpulseoflife.com
About The Author
Glen F Rees BSc, ND. A fulltime practicing Naturopath of some 24 yrs.
http://www.pranicpulseoflife.com
http://www.pranicpulseoflife.com
The World's Most Effective Diet
Monday morning in town. Skies are bright, air is clear and as I stroll to work, I easily spy 40 000kJ. Office workers gobbling croissants, muffins and coffees. The deli at the corner does brisk business. Two giant cheeseburgers hover over me on a billboard. But none for me, thanks.
I haven't eaten since Saturday night. Thirty-six hours. I'm not hungry. A bit spaced out, maybe, but in a peaceful way. This is maybe my sixtieth weekly fast in a row. I do this, honestly, because I love food. It's my favorite comfort, my most exquisite treat. I've forgone clothes, electronics and a better car in order to budget more for beef ravioli, fresh mozzarella and my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon.
But a few years ago, something began to turn. Knowing the way food soothed me, I started slipping - a milkshake from the popular takeaway outlet near work, a convenient cashew chicken from the local Chinese place.
My eating became mechanical, joyless. This is an easy trap to fall into: from our hunter-gatherer ancestors, we retain a genetically encoded anxiety - however unconscious - that food can be scarce. So we're hard-wired to eat when we can, even though food is ubiquitous. It's also cheap and tasty. Primal fear plus abundant food equals an obesity epidemic. For me, my love of food evolved into an imperative to eat that cared little for the distinction between fast food and foie gras. Apostasy. I committed to a year of weekly fasting to see if I could restore the relish to my life.
There are, it turns out, many reasons to fast. I was only vaguely aware of the health benefits when I started, but studies suggest that regularly abstaining from food lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, staves off diabetes and protects your tissues from the ravages of free radicals.
Fasting poses a good kind of stress, much like exercise. Our cells respond by increasing their ability to cope with other, stronger stresses. In rodent studies, fasting also confers dramatic resistance to cancer, brain ageing, stroke and heart disease. Since I began this experiment, I've lost five kilograms (from 83 to 78) and shaved two points from my body-mass index (from 25.6 to 23.6). More important, I love food again.
Fasting does, in fact, improve your taste-bud sensitivity to sweet and salty flavors. And fasting forces me to make better choices when I do eat. On either side of a fasting day, I crave smaller, more vegetal meals. Come midweek, I want to celebrate. I go for dry-aged steak and stinky cheese with less guilt and more gusto. And more patience. In practice, an empty gut brings a sense of peace, as if I'm on holiday. This calm, along with the promise of health, has kept me fasting beyond the year I initially committed to.
In the last hour of my fast this Monday morning, I fed my dogs, then myself. Nothing tastes better than a sip of orange juice poured into that calm. And strawberries. Yum. Three of them and I'm full.
Nearly a week later, I'm ready again. Eager for it, really: my gustatory reset button. I typically fast from Saturday night until breakfast on Monday, drinking only water, only when I'm thirsty, and beginning and ending the fast with light meals. Tonight it's kale, rice, chicken and melon - a high-fibre selection. Last meals can lead to constipation if they don't contain enough fibre to push through your system. I read this in a book and confirmed its veracity by ignoring it.
That book, called Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster, is a guide to spiritual Christian practices. Tonight, I read the fasting chapter again. Foster's tone works for me. There's no histrionics - going without food is no big deal. This was critical for my first few fasts. When my inner food-child threw a tantrum, I responded with nonchalance, and it worked.
I didn't look beyond Foster for months, and I'm glad. Most fasting information out there is nonsense. Charlatans promote it as part of their weight-loss scams. Most doctors are equally as ignorant. When I asked one about it, he mumbled something about electrolytes and cardiac arrhythmias before surrendering: ‘They don't teach fasting in medical school.’
They ought to, if only out of respect for the billions of people who fast for religious reasons, from Yom Kippur to various Christian and Hindu holidays to Ramadan. And there is strong, if scattered, scientific literature that includes empirical evidence from doctors with fasting experience; a smattering of more-controlled experiments in humans; overwhelming evidence from animal experiments; and a sort of amicus brief from a better-studied field called calorie restriction. In calorie restriction, participants eat only 60 percent to 70 percent of their weight-maintenance intake. This consistently decreases the biological rate of ageing and increases lifespan.
One empiricist is Dr Joel Fuhrman, a family doctor and author of Fasting and Eating for Health. He has put thousands of patients on multiday fasts and followed their vital signs and blood work closely. For a healthy person, medical supervision is not needed for a five-day fast. He's never seen electrolyte depletion or potassium loss, which can cause cardiac arrhythmias, prior to the tenth day of a fast.
Fuhrman instructs patients with inflammatory problems like lupus and arthritis to consider episodic fasting. I have Crohn's, an inflammatory bowel disease. I've had far fewer flare-ups in the past 14 months. Rodent studies show this anti-inflammatory benefit, as does at least one human study. Dr James Johnson, author of The Alternate-Day Diet, put nine overweight asthma patients on a near-fasting regime every other day for eight weeks. On average, those patients lost eight percent of their weight, lowered their cholesterol by 20 points and improved their airflow by 15 percent due to less airway inflammation. There's nothing out there that would work as well as that, other than systemic steroids.
Other studies piece together what happens to hunger strikers and starvation victims. The bottom line: our bodies are built to go long stretches without food. When you eat, your liver and muscles store up energy in the form of glycogen. When you fast, your body feeds off that glycogen for several days and then starts burning your fat stores. Once those are depleted, starvation starts: the body breaks down muscle first and then organs, which leads to death after eight to 10 weeks. This timeline assumes access to water. Dehydration can kill in days.
For me, fasting is vaguely spiritual, a time for reflection. I close my eyes and munch on my last bit of melon. I picture a hunter-gatherer ancestor. He hasn't killed game in days, but that's okay. He has bodily wisdom to last many weeks. That's an awesome capability. My 36 hours is a mere gesture.
Any other day I develop a headache if I skip coffee, but not on fasting days. I have no idea why. I often play squash with my friend, and I exhibit fierce energy on the court. My body feels springy on fasting mornings, and my mind is as clear as water. I occasionally choose different days to fast, to work it comfortably around dinner parties, travel and whatnot, and by now I've done it on every day of the week. I've gone to work, driven long distances, taken hikes, had sex and lifted weights while fasting. Admittedly, I'm flying in the face of alternative medicine, which considers fasting a detoxifying process best done by easing into it. Don't send so much blood to your muscles, the theory goes - send it all to your liver. Without digestion of food to deal with, the liver can scrub the blood, ridding it of pesticides, food additives and other toxins. These exit through your pores, sinuses, colon and urine. Some people apparently suffer from acne, rashes and headaches while fasting. I don't. But my tongue coats over with a white film, and my breath stinks. These are classic signs of detoxification.
Fasting increases production of several molecules, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which protect the neurons from all sorts of disease down the line. Fasting rats show better memory, cognition, motor function and neurogenesis (production of new nerve cells from stem cells). He's shown that fasting mice bounce back from heart attacks and strokes better than everyday eaters.
If just a fraction of the fasting benefits seen in rodents were conferred by a pill, drug companies would be racing to prove them in humans. The human studies so far have involved too few participants to yield sweeping claims. Having said that, in the studies that have been done, there are no documented downsides to fasting. None. But that doesn't mean they're not there. One problem that crops up in the similar world of calorie restriction: fertility takes a dive. I know my sperm is okay. A Crohn's medication had tanked my sperm count, but I've been off the drug for three months - fasting weekly the whole time - and recent testing shows my swimmers are once again rigorous and plentiful.
I admit it: on Sunday afternoon, I usually get hungry. The primitive drive to eat is strong. I've cut a few fasts down to 24 hours. Twice I gave up fasting for good, but within 10 days I noticed my food sense regressing. I started eating crap again, and my body started creeping back up to its prefasting weight. I returned to the practice. I'm hooked, it seems, despite myself.
None of this helps when I'm hungry on a fasting day. I don't know if, like the rats, I'm getting any smarter over time, but I do know that when I'm in the thick of a 36-hour fast, intellectual activity is best avoided. Rearranging the furniture is great. The best afternoon pastime, honestly, is to nap. Naps on fasting days are glorious. I instantly go deep and drool on my pillow, and I wake up in the best part of my fast, my peaceful zone.
By five in the afternoon, my hunger is gone and I am infused in this calm that I can't describe, except to say that when I'm in it, I'd rather not talk to you. For once in my week, I don't give a crap about email or my to-do list. Time dilates in my perception. It also frees up for real, regifting me the two hours I'd normally spend preparing and eating food. I also like grocery shopping on fasting days.
It's a happy preview of what I will eat in the days ahead. What I will savor with the gusto and guiltlessness of a man who's earned it: fresh asparagus with organic blue cheese, roasted leek and Rosa tomata tart, lamb tagine with medjool dates, home-made chocolate-cake with cracked hazelnuts...
It's enough to make me not want to eat. Not yet.
I haven't eaten since Saturday night. Thirty-six hours. I'm not hungry. A bit spaced out, maybe, but in a peaceful way. This is maybe my sixtieth weekly fast in a row. I do this, honestly, because I love food. It's my favorite comfort, my most exquisite treat. I've forgone clothes, electronics and a better car in order to budget more for beef ravioli, fresh mozzarella and my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon.
But a few years ago, something began to turn. Knowing the way food soothed me, I started slipping - a milkshake from the popular takeaway outlet near work, a convenient cashew chicken from the local Chinese place.
My eating became mechanical, joyless. This is an easy trap to fall into: from our hunter-gatherer ancestors, we retain a genetically encoded anxiety - however unconscious - that food can be scarce. So we're hard-wired to eat when we can, even though food is ubiquitous. It's also cheap and tasty. Primal fear plus abundant food equals an obesity epidemic. For me, my love of food evolved into an imperative to eat that cared little for the distinction between fast food and foie gras. Apostasy. I committed to a year of weekly fasting to see if I could restore the relish to my life.
There are, it turns out, many reasons to fast. I was only vaguely aware of the health benefits when I started, but studies suggest that regularly abstaining from food lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, staves off diabetes and protects your tissues from the ravages of free radicals.
Fasting poses a good kind of stress, much like exercise. Our cells respond by increasing their ability to cope with other, stronger stresses. In rodent studies, fasting also confers dramatic resistance to cancer, brain ageing, stroke and heart disease. Since I began this experiment, I've lost five kilograms (from 83 to 78) and shaved two points from my body-mass index (from 25.6 to 23.6). More important, I love food again.
Fasting does, in fact, improve your taste-bud sensitivity to sweet and salty flavors. And fasting forces me to make better choices when I do eat. On either side of a fasting day, I crave smaller, more vegetal meals. Come midweek, I want to celebrate. I go for dry-aged steak and stinky cheese with less guilt and more gusto. And more patience. In practice, an empty gut brings a sense of peace, as if I'm on holiday. This calm, along with the promise of health, has kept me fasting beyond the year I initially committed to.
In the last hour of my fast this Monday morning, I fed my dogs, then myself. Nothing tastes better than a sip of orange juice poured into that calm. And strawberries. Yum. Three of them and I'm full.
Nearly a week later, I'm ready again. Eager for it, really: my gustatory reset button. I typically fast from Saturday night until breakfast on Monday, drinking only water, only when I'm thirsty, and beginning and ending the fast with light meals. Tonight it's kale, rice, chicken and melon - a high-fibre selection. Last meals can lead to constipation if they don't contain enough fibre to push through your system. I read this in a book and confirmed its veracity by ignoring it.
That book, called Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster, is a guide to spiritual Christian practices. Tonight, I read the fasting chapter again. Foster's tone works for me. There's no histrionics - going without food is no big deal. This was critical for my first few fasts. When my inner food-child threw a tantrum, I responded with nonchalance, and it worked.
I didn't look beyond Foster for months, and I'm glad. Most fasting information out there is nonsense. Charlatans promote it as part of their weight-loss scams. Most doctors are equally as ignorant. When I asked one about it, he mumbled something about electrolytes and cardiac arrhythmias before surrendering: ‘They don't teach fasting in medical school.’
They ought to, if only out of respect for the billions of people who fast for religious reasons, from Yom Kippur to various Christian and Hindu holidays to Ramadan. And there is strong, if scattered, scientific literature that includes empirical evidence from doctors with fasting experience; a smattering of more-controlled experiments in humans; overwhelming evidence from animal experiments; and a sort of amicus brief from a better-studied field called calorie restriction. In calorie restriction, participants eat only 60 percent to 70 percent of their weight-maintenance intake. This consistently decreases the biological rate of ageing and increases lifespan.
One empiricist is Dr Joel Fuhrman, a family doctor and author of Fasting and Eating for Health. He has put thousands of patients on multiday fasts and followed their vital signs and blood work closely. For a healthy person, medical supervision is not needed for a five-day fast. He's never seen electrolyte depletion or potassium loss, which can cause cardiac arrhythmias, prior to the tenth day of a fast.
Fuhrman instructs patients with inflammatory problems like lupus and arthritis to consider episodic fasting. I have Crohn's, an inflammatory bowel disease. I've had far fewer flare-ups in the past 14 months. Rodent studies show this anti-inflammatory benefit, as does at least one human study. Dr James Johnson, author of The Alternate-Day Diet, put nine overweight asthma patients on a near-fasting regime every other day for eight weeks. On average, those patients lost eight percent of their weight, lowered their cholesterol by 20 points and improved their airflow by 15 percent due to less airway inflammation. There's nothing out there that would work as well as that, other than systemic steroids.
Other studies piece together what happens to hunger strikers and starvation victims. The bottom line: our bodies are built to go long stretches without food. When you eat, your liver and muscles store up energy in the form of glycogen. When you fast, your body feeds off that glycogen for several days and then starts burning your fat stores. Once those are depleted, starvation starts: the body breaks down muscle first and then organs, which leads to death after eight to 10 weeks. This timeline assumes access to water. Dehydration can kill in days.
For me, fasting is vaguely spiritual, a time for reflection. I close my eyes and munch on my last bit of melon. I picture a hunter-gatherer ancestor. He hasn't killed game in days, but that's okay. He has bodily wisdom to last many weeks. That's an awesome capability. My 36 hours is a mere gesture.
Any other day I develop a headache if I skip coffee, but not on fasting days. I have no idea why. I often play squash with my friend, and I exhibit fierce energy on the court. My body feels springy on fasting mornings, and my mind is as clear as water. I occasionally choose different days to fast, to work it comfortably around dinner parties, travel and whatnot, and by now I've done it on every day of the week. I've gone to work, driven long distances, taken hikes, had sex and lifted weights while fasting. Admittedly, I'm flying in the face of alternative medicine, which considers fasting a detoxifying process best done by easing into it. Don't send so much blood to your muscles, the theory goes - send it all to your liver. Without digestion of food to deal with, the liver can scrub the blood, ridding it of pesticides, food additives and other toxins. These exit through your pores, sinuses, colon and urine. Some people apparently suffer from acne, rashes and headaches while fasting. I don't. But my tongue coats over with a white film, and my breath stinks. These are classic signs of detoxification.
Fasting increases production of several molecules, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which protect the neurons from all sorts of disease down the line. Fasting rats show better memory, cognition, motor function and neurogenesis (production of new nerve cells from stem cells). He's shown that fasting mice bounce back from heart attacks and strokes better than everyday eaters.
If just a fraction of the fasting benefits seen in rodents were conferred by a pill, drug companies would be racing to prove them in humans. The human studies so far have involved too few participants to yield sweeping claims. Having said that, in the studies that have been done, there are no documented downsides to fasting. None. But that doesn't mean they're not there. One problem that crops up in the similar world of calorie restriction: fertility takes a dive. I know my sperm is okay. A Crohn's medication had tanked my sperm count, but I've been off the drug for three months - fasting weekly the whole time - and recent testing shows my swimmers are once again rigorous and plentiful.
I admit it: on Sunday afternoon, I usually get hungry. The primitive drive to eat is strong. I've cut a few fasts down to 24 hours. Twice I gave up fasting for good, but within 10 days I noticed my food sense regressing. I started eating crap again, and my body started creeping back up to its prefasting weight. I returned to the practice. I'm hooked, it seems, despite myself.
None of this helps when I'm hungry on a fasting day. I don't know if, like the rats, I'm getting any smarter over time, but I do know that when I'm in the thick of a 36-hour fast, intellectual activity is best avoided. Rearranging the furniture is great. The best afternoon pastime, honestly, is to nap. Naps on fasting days are glorious. I instantly go deep and drool on my pillow, and I wake up in the best part of my fast, my peaceful zone.
By five in the afternoon, my hunger is gone and I am infused in this calm that I can't describe, except to say that when I'm in it, I'd rather not talk to you. For once in my week, I don't give a crap about email or my to-do list. Time dilates in my perception. It also frees up for real, regifting me the two hours I'd normally spend preparing and eating food. I also like grocery shopping on fasting days.
It's a happy preview of what I will eat in the days ahead. What I will savor with the gusto and guiltlessness of a man who's earned it: fresh asparagus with organic blue cheese, roasted leek and Rosa tomata tart, lamb tagine with medjool dates, home-made chocolate-cake with cracked hazelnuts...
It's enough to make me not want to eat. Not yet.
About The Author
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Getting a Girl's Phone Number
When you really understand how to be a natural man with women in the true universal sense, they will be so attracted to you anyways that everything will become easy.
It does not take an intensive study of seduction, pick up art, or memorizing are trying dozens of different techniques are lines. You can really say just about anything and you'll be more likely to have success because you're coming from the proper meta frame and she will respect you.
I try to teach my students just to step back from and look at things from a different perspective instead of being so focused on the pickup lines. She really does have to take a breath of fresh air and see the things that really matter. This really is like Mr. Miyagi teaching Daniel-San in the Karate Kid. But anyways here is just some advice on how to easily get a woman's phone number.
When you are just being a man who lives in his own reality as I teach, you really do not put too much importance on any outcome. You're not afraid to approach any woman even celebrities or actresses when you become congruent with what I teach.
Getting a girl's number is like second nature because you are finally getting in touch with your alpha male pattern behavior which was always there, just clouded over by the thing I called the 'forced reality'. It is not a good idea to say, "Can I have your number?" because you're probably getting across as insecure. How you say something is pretty much everything...way more important than the words.
I want you to think about everything you are saying and have said in the past and ask what frame were you coming from. Were you giving her the power, or did you have natural authority and control over the situation?
How you say something and not just in the superficial sense, but really where you are coming from when you say something is what matters. Women can tell and pick up if you are a smitten regular Joe who is just going to keep calling them over and over again. They want a man who has natural authority, who understands how to play the natural role of attraction.
When you ask a woman, "Can I get your number?" or "Can I take you out sometime?" you are setting up a losing relationship proposition for her. This is a pattern she has seen before with numerous guys who she knows are just going to end up pandering to her and letting her control the direction of the relationship. It's probably going to be the (yawn) courtship approach of 'wooing her'.
She does not want to have the natural authority in the relationship because underneath it all she knows that a man really is supposed to lead the direction of the relationship despite what the feminists may say. This is a great problem in our society, in that the men are not stepping up to the plate and just being naturals. Elsewhere I explain specifically where this comes from.
What works best for me is that I'm just casual or I'll say some kind of comment. If I'm in a social situations such as a party I have found that I would say things like, "Hey let's get together and do something sometime". That is a natural transition into getting her number when done in the right context. Just be purely normal and unphased; there doesn't have to be a mental buildup of 'anything' in your mind. You're normal around yourself, friends and family, so why not women?
It is going to be a challenge for anyone just to get numbers off of the street unless you really do focus on techniques. But where you're coming from anyways is a guy that seems a little more desperate when you have to try and get numbers of women just walking down the street. This does seem a little creepy to them and they may not call you back. It is best to be in social or natural environments where you can interact with them without any sort of creepy context.
Although you may want to get the numbers of each and every hot women walking down the street, you have to remember that beautiful women are everywhere (at least if you are in a big city) and that you are going to have to just be a little more indifferent when it comes to walking down the street. Enjoy the eyecandy and then take advantage of opportunities where it is normally acceptable to talk to people (ie. coffee shop, store in mall, cocktail bar, etc.).
When you can just be casual and natural about the whole thing and not be thrown off by her beauty, she will not feel the pressure that you will keep draining the life out of her or following around at her heels. She's going to be a lot more likely to give a man who secure her phone number because she is more certain that you will not keep calling her all the time. All the 'pick up artists' are trying to fight away around just being a pure natural; it's so much work to be a 'seducer'.
So if you just start a natural conversation with a woman and just speak to her like a normal human being (remember you just have to come from a really strong frame and paradigm that actually cancels out her perception of hers to get through to the 'normal' part of her), then she will be more open to finding out more about you as the more natural process will commence. It's up to you not to set a 'friendship' frame which I teach elsewhere, rather to by a little mysterious, cool, funny, with a sexual edge.
This is how all women want to meet men. They do not want pickup artists hitting on them, although they will often go with these men if they get their techniques just right, or those who do not put up with their crap; just because they finally found 'someone' close enough to the 'real thing'.
The art of just being normal around women is almost gone in our society (esp. when it comes to approaching women). You will find that I will not even have to tell you how to talk to beautiful women or ask them for their phone number when you are just a natural, conversational and interesting man. Everything will commence naturally. I have found this to be true dozens of times in my history.
So if you do start a normal conversation with a woman and she realizes you are not giving in to her and are not fazed by her beauty, she will much more easily drop her barrier of social persona because she does not have to keep her guards out because she finally met a normal guy.
She will still keep her guard up for all of the seducers and pickup artists because she knows that they are playing a game (in which they better be good at if they want a chance with her). Your ability just to be normal will open all the doors you can imagine.
Of course it helps if you are an interesting guy to begin with, and have a little bit of social status yourself. I have generally observed in fact the homelier you are, the more 'hardass' you have to be around these women as far as counteracting anything they might say to you. But even less than average men now stand a great chance, esp. if they can live in a strong, natural reality and spice it up with some other techniques on top of that.
Even if you are one of these average-or-so men, if you can just be normal in the sense that you do not let her control the relationship with her drama, then maybe you will just have to spice things up a little bit by teasing her every now and then. Teasing in a playful, flirty sense is something that I have always done naturally with women and it has always worked.
I'm going to be developing a complementary line of products under the name 'model magnet' that is fully going to exploit a man's potential for rapid attraction with being more of a clever, witty, personality and techniques. A sense of humor helps as well. Women love a funny guy; but too funny equals a 'showman' who will have little chance of a physical relationship. You must be balanced.
But yes to understand that you are coming from your own frame, and that if she gives you her number there's not going to be any Mikey'ness' of calling her immediately after you leave a dozen times (as in Swingers). So if you do not think that I gave you an answer that maybe that is the whole point.
Just think of how you are around other guys and if you meet a cool guy or whatever and you wanna hang out with them in the future as friends or acquaintances, it is very easy to get a phone number. Once you can cut through all of the 'forced reality' that has been throwing you off getting real phone numbers from women will be very easy.
Okay I will try to get a little more technique based for a minute here. When you are just talking to her naturally, tease her little bit, talk about interesting or intriguing things; and I would recommend just walking away from her (not in every case) but to prove that you have your own independence.
If she gets on the phone or starts talking to someone else just walk away; remember that you are living in your own reality and you are seeing if other women may be interesting enough to be invited in for more of a stay. Come back to her after a little while and treat her like a buddy, teas her like a kid sister, but do not overdo it; different women have different tolerance levels (ie. she could be really intimidated by you).
You can really say just about anything and she can be very interested in you when you fully get it. Before you take off, you have found that you have naturally had a conversation with a potentially interesting woman, then just tell her, "Hey, give me your e-mail." Or just, "Give me your phone number". Do not tell her anything else, do not tell her that you will call her and DO NOT high five your buddies on the other side of the room or do a Stifler impersonation on the lacrosse field. You really have to be 'cool' and when you get it, you accept you always get beautiful women and it's a normal part of your life.
She must have the feeling of potentially having a relationship with you where she can just be herself, let her guard down and exercise her desires for fun, freedom and even sex, without you putting a lot of pressure or expectations upon her like 99% of the other guys (even rich, good looking ones).
If you can just be cool, learn to become a more socially 'with it' guy, and lead a life of your own without giving in to her reality, you will find that getting phone numbers from women is the easiest thing and you won't have time enough to develop something with all these women. It would really be easier if you were a social network hub yourself. Since I've been a nightclub promoter and photographer, it is so easy for me on this angle to get their numbers or email addresses; then you can follow up with them later to let them know 'what's up' or where a cool afterparty is. More on all this stuff in the future. Make sure you subscribe to my free newsletter on http://www.mensguidetowomen.com.
I was recently at a conference where I saw the same woman as I did two years ago who was still single. Out of all of the other guys that were at the conference who kept hanging around her, I was amongst them for a little while and then just walked away will they all just stayed or 'static clinged' around her.
I know that she picked up this energy from this and that I was unlike the rest of the guys. I would naturally tease her about why she took all the food away before I could eat any of it and things like that. No one had to teach me this stuff, it's just 'natural'. At the end I was only one who got her phone number. I asked her "Where are you at?"
And she said Miami I said "okay I'm going down there for another conference, give me your phone number". So she did. If you can just easily set yourself apart from all of the other guys, you have a distinct advantage because they are acting unnatural and you are not.
If at any point when you're talking with the woman who you think might be interesting, before you leave just go ahead and get her e-mail address or phone number and then you can contact her at some other time. Remember you must operate out of your reality with natural authority and control, anything else is not in biological order and women ultimately resent it.
If at any point you feel the conversation is slipping away or you are staying too long around her, either just walk away or just start to walk away and then turn around and tell her to give you her phone number.
About The Author
Rion Williams
Copyright Dreamcore Productions, Ltd. 2005. Use of article is permissible as long as you make no changes or alterations of the content and include the unedited byline.
Rion Williams offers a free newsletter subscription on how to have 'natural success with women' and dating. He is the author of the eBook 'Mens Guide to Women'.
You can sign up for his free newsletter by visiting Men's Guide to Women and you will receive 2 free ebooks immediately. His material will change the way you think about dating and women forever. rion@modelmagnet.com
