Why Lemon Water

Starting every morning with a glass of warm lemon water is actually a ritual in Ayurveda or Yogic traditions, used to stimulate digestion for the day and clear the body of any toxins that may have settled in the digestive tract overnight. While it is tricky to apply the strict burden of evidence expected by Western science to traditional practices (often called “folk medicine”) that originated long before modern medical science standards were developed, research on the nutritional elements found in lemons suggests the numerous health benefits traditionally associated with drinking fresh lemon water daily may have merit.

We tend to reach for those warm beverages in the morning like coffee and tea, but try starting your day with some warm lemon water first to kick-start digestion. The water doesn’t always have to be warm, but it should be purified. Simply use half a fresh lemon per large glass of water or to taste and sip throughout the day. On a simple level, fresh lemons take plain old water up a notch. Here are some health benefits of drinking lemon water that elevate drinking it for reasons beyond just taste.

Support immune function: Lemons are high in antioxidant vitamin C, known for its supportive role in healthy immune function which may reduce the risk of respiratory infection. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) found in lemons demonstrates anti-inflammatory effects, and is used as complementary support for asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Lemons also contain saponins, which show antimicrobial properties that may help keep cold and flu at bay. Last but not least, ascorbic acid enhances iron absorption in the body; iron plays an important role in immune function. 

Alkalize the body: Although the tartness of a lemon may make them seem acidic, lemons are actually one of the most alkalizing foods for the body. Lemons contain both citric and ascorbic acid, weak acids easily metabolized from the body allowing the mineral content of lemons to help alkalize the blood. 

Aid digestion: Citrus flavonols are believed responsible for lemon’s traditional use as a digestive tonic. Believed to stimulate and purify the liver, lemon juice is traditionally understood to support digestive hydrochloric acid in the stomach further aiding digestion. Vitamin C status has been associated with reduced risk of peptic ulcers caused by the bacteria Helicobacter pylori. 

Clear skin: Vitamin C and other antioxidants in lemons combat free radical damage. Free radical damage — especially as caused by UV exposure and environmental toxins — is responsible for many symptoms of aging. Antioxidant intake can help offset this damage, minimizing wrinkles. Further, lemon juice can be applied topically to scars and age spots to help reduce their appearance. Traditionally used as a liver stimulant, lemon water is also believed to help purge toxins from the blood, helping to keep skin clear of blemishes. 

Promote healing: Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), found in abundance in lemons, promotes wound healing, and is an essential nutrient in the maintenance of healthy bones, connective tissue, and cartilage. As noted previously, vitamin C also displays anti-inflammatory properties. Combined, vitamin C is an essential nutrient in the maintenance of good health and recovery from stress and injury.

The Psychology of Dating Nerves

Why do we get nervous being nervous when dating is completely natural while there s nothing physically threatening on a date,people are exposed to vulnerability and uncertainty. this may translate to a primal feeling of danger - Visually.

A Brief History Of Android

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

US “Deeply Concerned” About Legal Actions Potentially Delaying Maldives’ October 19 Election

The US has said it is “deeply concerned” about continued legal actions “that could further delay the Maldivian presidential election”.

The Supreme Court opened at midnight on Thursday in response to a petition from the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), and ordered the Elections Commission to redo the entire voter re-registration process, despite previously ordering polls to be held before October 20.

Earlier in same day the PPM had sought to file another petition to bar former President Mohamed Nasheed from the polls on the grounds of him being “irreligious” and critical of the judiciary, although this appeared to stall following dissent within the party.

“It is important that the [election] go forward unimpeded in a fair, inclusive and transparent way,” said Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, Marie Harf, in a statement.
“The basis of any democracy is for citizens to choose their government, for political differences to be decided at the ballot box in an environment free of violence and for election results to be respected,” the statement read.

“We continue to urge a peaceful political process that is inclusive of all candidates in order to ensure the Maldivian election that will meet international standards of an elected, legitimate democracy,” it concluded.

The statement followed UK Foreign Secretary William Hague’s urging of presidential candidates “to act in line with the interests of the people of Maldives”.
“It is imperative that there are no further delays and the elections be free, fair and inclusive, and that international observers are invited,” the Foreign Secretary said.

“Cynical attempt to delay election”: MDP

Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has meanwhile begun the task of re-registering tens of thousands of voters, in line with the Supreme Court order. Re-registration is required for new voters or people wishing to vote at a location other than their home island, with almost 65,000 people re-registering in the annulled first round – almost 30 percent of the voter turnout.
At the same time the MDP condemned Thursday’s ruling, warning that it risked further delaying the elections.

“The MDP is extremely concerned that the Supreme Court is interfering in the electoral process for political reasons, issuing unconstitutional rulings and acting with impunity,” said the MDP in a statement.

“The MDP fears that the PPM is seeking to delay the elections and also disenfranchise overseas and resort-based voters, who will now likely have to re-register and who tend to vote overwhelmingly in favour of President Nasheed,” the party stated.

“This is a cynical attempt by the PPM and the Supreme Court to prevent elections from taking place next week,” said the party’s spokesperson, MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

“The PPM is running scared of the voters because they know they will lose a free and fair election., and the Supreme Court is facilitating the subversion of the democratic process.”
The party reaffirmed its confidence in the embattled Elections Commission, and called on security forces and the international community to ensure the Commission’s protection.

PPM MP Ahmed Nihan meanwhile told Minivan News last night that he believed the Supreme Court’s latest order would mean additional delays to the voting, currently scheduled for October 19.

http://minivannews.com/ 

Healthy eating tips - 3 It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat

Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.

• Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
• Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
• Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
• Avoid eating at night. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary adjustment—eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day—may help to regulate weight. After-dinner snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided, anyway.

by: www.helpguide.org

Breaking Bad: The 8 Big Questions We're Still Pondering.

"Did you wake up today feeling like something was missing from the universe? Was your brain woefully underused last night? Do you feel remarkably well rested because you didn't go to sleep feeling unnerved? These are all symptoms of Breaking Bad withdrawal, which is currently affecting people all over the country like a bad cold or a catchy tune from whatever alterna-folk hipster song is currently playing during smartphone commercials.
Breaking Bad may be gone, but that doesn't mean we're done thinking about it. In fact, now that we've had a week to let the series finale twirl around in our heads, we have new questions! And since we entered the finale with eight big questions, we figured we'd also exit with eight, just to be fair.

1. Did Walter White win?

I don't like to use the term "win," but it seems everyone else is, so I'll abide. To me, Walter didn't win. Not even close. Yes, he killed Jack's crew and might have figured out how to get some money to his family, but to determine whether he won, we need to look at the entire game. And he lost the game pretty badly. His family was destroyed and will forever be rained on by the dark cloud of Walter's criminal activity, their reputation as favorable as Enron's. The money he made? Somewhere in a hidden Nazi room, just waiting for a bunch of kids to stumble upon it Goonies-style. And oh yeah, he's also dead. So you take a look at that scorecard and tell me if you think he won. He hit a home run in the ninth inning, but he was already way down in the score. 
BUT! And this is one of the things that makes Breaking Bad so great, there's more to the question than that. From Walter's perspective, there is that side of him who rightfully believes he won. Breaking Bad wasn't just about a chemistry teacher's transformation into a drug kingpin, it was about one man's kickass midlife crisis. He was living the life of a castrated man who got yelled at by a guy with huge eyebrows while working a second job at a car wash, and then he used his talents to become someone new and he grew some gigantic testicles as a result. As Walter laid there dying on the floor, his smirk said, "That was fun." Certainly more fun than teaching a bunch of bored teenagers about ionic compounds for the eighth time in a semester, certainly more fun than letting his wife do all the talking, and certainly more fun than slowly dying from cancer in a budget clinic. Walter was going to die anyway, and cancer may have gotten him much earlier if he hadn't found a new sense of rejuvenation in all the naughty escapades he was involved in. Taking away all the carnage he left in his wake, Walter had a pretty good run for a man with a terminal illness, didn't he?

2. Did Walter White redeem himself?

He redeemed himself as much as one man can in that situation. Given the change that Walter experienced throughout the show's five seasons, and all the despicable acts he committed, he'd dug himself a pretty deep hole. Imagine if Breaking Bad had been told from Jesse's point of view. Would we look at Walter the same way? The guy was a dick—we're talking about a Joffrey-sized jerk here—who selfishly put others at risk in order to save his own skin. So for Walter to completely redeem himself, he'd need to undo a lot. And last time I checked, bringing chicks who choked on their own vomit back to life was pretty hard to do.
However, he did make an effort to see that Walter Jr. and Holly would be as comfortable as they could be before he left, and he 'fessed up to Skyler and told her truth, revealing that the reason he did everything he did was that he liked the way it made him feel. Is it redemption? No. But is it a step in the right direction? Yes. It was a good way to send Walter out on an upswing, leaving us to remember the man in a more positive light than we otherwise might have. And maybe there's a hint that no matter how bad Heisenberg got, there was a little Walter White in him that would never go away.

3. Two parter: Where did Jesse go? What happened to Skyler?  

Here's where we get to have a little fun because we just don't know. Some will say that Jesse drove away to star in a Need For Speed movie, which makes sense given how fast he was truckin' into the desert night when we last saw him. Obviously in a perfect world, he rode that into a crossover with the Fast & Furious movie franchise and is sipping Piña Coladas on a beach with Vin Diesel. But let's face the facts here. Jesse is a sensitive guy with an addictive personality, two things that, when combined together, mean that his life is going to suck. I'm sure he made some effort to help Brock out, but the chances that he and Brock lived happily ever after in the champagne rooms of strip clubs are slim. In all likelihood, Jesse cried a lot and hung out with Wendy where he dated women who were killed, leading him to slowly deteriorate into junkie hell. Sorry, it's the truth!
As for Skyler, well Walter Jr. won't catch that generous windfall from the Schwartzes for another year or so, so she probably stared out her window smoking cigarettes for several lonely months. In an ironic twist, let's assume she got lung cancer and then BAM! She started cooking meth with Jesse because WHY NOT? Bride of Heisenberg, coming to AMC in 2015. In all seriousness, sheesh, I hope Walter Jr. accepts that money and they live out their lives as best they can. First step, move the hell out of Albuquerque and all the horrible memories. I hear Belize is nice this time of year!

4. Was the finale all Walter White's dying hallucination like some people are saying?

No. No, no, no. But it's not a dumb theory; in fact, two of its biggest proponents—comedian Norm MacDonald and New Yorker writer Emily Nussbaum—are very smart people. Basically, those who subscribe to this line of thinking believe that Walter White died in the car outside the New Hampshire bar when he was trying to stay clear of the police. Stuck in a snow-covered car with police lights flashing outside, Walter prayed to someone to help him get home and voila! The keys fell from the front-seat visor, and before we knew it, he was on his way to murder some rednecks. The idea is to poke holes in many of the curiously fortunate circumstances Walter experienced on his road to revenge (MacDonald's Twitter timeline during the finale was basically a play-by-play of un-Breaking Bad "Felina" was). He wasn't spotted by authorities driving across the country despite being the subject of a nationwide manhunt and having his face plastered all over television, he easily walked into the Schwartz's home and Skyler's house despite the latter having a police watch, and he made contact with a gun man, bought a garage-door opener, found Badger and Skinny Pete, and faked being a newspaper man with ease. In fact, everything went about as well as it could have for Walter in that situation. So, dream situation? It kind of sounds like it.
But an ambiguous ending with a sneaky dream ending is exactly the sort of thing Breaking Bad never would've aimed for. Breaking Bad respected Walter's science so much that the facts bled into the show itself. The series was never as mysterious as internet fandom claimed it was, and Vince Gilligan repeatedly expressed bewilderment with all the theories that sprung up. Great television doubles as art, and art is always open to interpretation. "Felina" left some wiggle room in that sense, but the intentions of Gilligan and crew were never to pull one over on the audience. Aside from one soaking wet, one-eyed pink teddy bear, Breaking Bad has always been much more straightforward than many people have thought. To change gears and make the series' most important hour completely different would be preposterous, don't ya think?

5. Where does "Felina" rank among other great series finales?

So many series have ended! So don't expect a concrete number here. But "Felina" definitely deserves a spot in the upper echelon, along with Six Feet Under, Friday Night Lights, St. Elsewhere, Newhart, and The Shield. Every series finale is met with heaps of scrutiny, and "Felina" definitely has its critics. But the outpouring of praise has overshadowed the boos, putting "Felina" well ahead of a pair of contemporary season enders that were closer to an even split: The Sopranos and Lost. I'm putting Breaking Bad's "Felina" in the 90th percentile of series finales—a remarkable achievement, especially in this age of anonymous hatred that dominates the internet. It was really good, but it wasn't the best.

6. How should we rank Breaking Bad's seasons, from best to worst?

Throwing this list out there is like wearing a huge target at a festival that celebrates extra-ripe tomatoes and that's populated by fastball-throwing hecklers, but here we go anyway:

1) Season 3
2) Season 2
3) Season 5b
4) Season 1
5) Season 4
6) Season 5A

Now, before you slam your fingers on the keyboard in rage and start yelling about how dumb I am, you try ranking them. You'll see for yourself that one of the seasons has to carry the misnomer of "worst season of Breaking Bad." They were all great, but some were better than others. And if you're interested in knowing, my all-time favorite episode of Breaking Bad is Season 3's 12th episode, "Half Measures." How about you?

7. Where does Breaking Bad fall in the list of the greatest television shows of all time?

This is all personal opinion, of course. And my personal opinion is the only correct answer, of course. Breaking Bad is the best television show ever. Yeah, I said it! It's usurped The Wire to become my favorite show of all time, edging out the HBO series because it embraced every aspect of television production. The Wire had oodles and oodles of wonderfully depressing things to say about society, and we're all better for it, but Breaking Bad evolved the medium with some of the best cinematography, acting, and directing of anything to ever run on any screen. Your opinion may differ, but mine is quite clear: Breaking Bad is best. The Wire is second best. But Dog With a Blog is still running, so this list is subject to change.
 8. What do I watch now that Breaking Bad is over? 

Oh sure, the web blew up with the usual boring recommendations covering shows both old and new: The Sopranos, The Wire, Justified, and The Shield, all of which are great and all of which you should have seen all the way through six times already. But those are obvious because of the shared subject matter of morality and the law and cops and shooting people, and a little too simple when you think about how great a show Breaking Bad was from every angle. So I've got two more recommendations that feature the same complete package—acting, writing, cinematography, direction—as Breaking Bad. They may not feature train heists or Pontiac Azteks running over drug dealers or Star Trek fan fiction, but they can impress in a multitude of ways.
First up is Sundance Channel's Rectify, which aired its shortened first season earlier this year. (You know what other show had a shortened first season? Breaking Bad!) Rectify was often promoted as "from the producers of Breaking Bad," and the connection is evident in the details. The series follows one man's release from Death Row after DNA evidence clears him of a murder charge, 19 years after the crime took place. It's mostly deliberate and cautious, lacking the adrenaline charge of Breaking Bad, but the careful examination of characters under stress, stellar acting, tension between events, surprising humor, and beautiful cinematography are all there. Rectify is going to be my methadone while shaking my Breaking Bad addiction.
This next one is going to be a bit tricky, but I'm going to try anyway. HBO's Enlightened. How does a half-hour "comedy" starring Laura Dern enter the same conversation as Breaking Bad? They're both about character change. I've even joked that Enlightened should be called Breaking Good (surprise, no one laughed) because it's Breaking Bad backward. When we first meet protagonist Amy Jellicoe, she's hit a personal low and is having a mental breakdown at work. After a quick trip to have her mind reworked at a new-age treatment facility, Amy spends the rest of the series trying to do good, while often ruining the lives of the people around her because of her inability to live within the lines of acceptable behavior. And just like Walter White, viewers aren't quite sure whether or not to root for her because she's written with remarkable consistency as a flawed character who just doesn't know when to stop. Plus, if you're a nerd for Breaking Bad cinematographer Michael Slovis's keen eye, you'll love the lens of Xavier Pérez Grobet, who contrasts the color and comfort of the natural world with the monotony and monochromatic prison of the workplace. I'll even say this: Enlightened rivals Breaking Bad for the title of the best-looking show on television. Thematically and creatively, Breaking Bad and Enlightened are more similar than people think.
Thanks for reading my reviews over the last several years! I'll miss your comments as much as I will miss Breaking Bad!"

 By Tim Surette
@timattvdotcom
http://www.tv.com/
 

Microsoft's New Surface Tablets Close To Selling Out

 

The company's developers group says in a tweet that both the Windows RT and Windows 8.1 versions of the device are in short supply. But how short is "short," exactly?

It soon may be tough to find one of Microsoft's Surface tablets, the company said.

The Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 "are close to selling out," Microsoft's developers account tweeted earlier Friday.

At this time, it's unclear how many tablets Microsoft made and what "close to selling out" actually means. A Microsoft spokesman declined to provide information about how many devices the company built but reiterated that inventory is low at Microsoft stores and at the company's site, with some models shipping later than the slated October 22 release date.

"Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 are close to selling out. All those buyers are gonna need apps. Your move: "

 Said Microsoft Developer @msdev

A quick check in the Microsoft Store online shows the higher-end models of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 have shipping delays. The 64GB version of the Surface 2 won't ship until October 25, three days after it's available in stores. The 32GB version, however, will ship by October 21. The 256GB and 512GB models of Surface Pro 2, meanwhile, should ship by October 29 while the 64GB and 128GB versions ship by October 21.

In the case of its first-generation Surface RT device, Microsoft ended up building many more tablets than it could sell. In July, the company booked a $900 million write-down for excess Surface inventory, and it also revealed that it had generated only $853 million in revenue from Surface RT and Surface Pro since their debut in the fall. Rather than dump the remaining Surface RT tablets, Microsoft continues to offer the product at a discounted rate alongside its updated devices.

Surface tablets are Microsoft's own take on the burgeoning niche -- one that is largely dominated by Apple's iPad, but with a healthy dose of competition from devices using Google's Android OS. Microsoft, not wanting to miss out on the tablet gravy train, opted to push Windows 8 and Windows RT through its own products. While Microsoft's first attempt last year led to disappointing results, the company is trying again with improved internal specs.

The Surface Pro 2 is what Microsoft calls a full laptop in a tablet design, while the Surface 2 runs a stripped-down version of Windows 8. Microsoft opened preorders for the devices on September 24, and they'll hit stores October 22.

Despite the apparent strong preorders, Microsoft has faced some recent hurdles ahead of an update to its Windows operating system. Dell earlier this week became the latest company to dump plans to develop products running Windows RT, the version of Microsoft's software that runs on chips typically used in cell phones, those based on technology from ARM Holdings. The operating system has failed to gain traction with users, in part because traditional Windows programs won't run on Windows RT. 

Microsoft earlier this week told CNET in a statement that Windows RT "continues to be an important element of the Windows strategy."
By: Shara Tibken