EPSOM SALTS BATH Taking a bath or a foot soak with Epsom salts is one of the best ways to increase the body’s absorption of magnesium. Epsom Salts are Magnesium Sulfate and are easily absorbed by the body. Take a hot bath with up to 2 cups of Epsom salts and 1 cup baking soda (optional) to help draw toxins out of the body. Try to do this once a week, but for no more than 20 minutes. A foot soak can also be very beneficial. Epsom salts are so helpful in bringing relief to: • Arthritis pain, stiffness, soreness, and tightness of joints • Muscle aches, pains and tenderness • Painful bruises, sprains and strains • Pain from over exertion as a result of exercise • Insomnia and Sleep Problems • Stress • Insect Bites and Splinters REASONS FOR MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY Diets that are highly-processed and refined – mostly white flour, red meat, and dairy – none of these have magnesium. Food processing removes much of the magnesium (as well as other minerals) that’s naturally found in certain foods. Antacids and other indigestion medicines disrupt magnesium absorption. Modern farming practices deplete magnesium and other minerals in the soil. Medications including diuretics, birth control pills, insulin, tetracycline and other antibiotics, and cortisone lead to magnesium deficiencies. Too much calcium often leads to an imbalance . These two minerals need to be in balance. Refined sugar acidifies the body - requiring buffering with calcium which leads to bone loss. Also, processed sugars strip the body of magnesium, which is needed for bone re-mineralization.

BENEFITS OF MAGNESIUM INCLUDING ABOVE BONE HEALTH Bone density and overall bone health Magnesium is key to good bone health, balancing calcium and converting vitamin D for better calcium absorption. Without enough magnesium, the calcium you take will not be absorbed. Unabsorbed calcium that is not excreted (and most isn’t) gets into your joints where it becomes arthritis or in your arteries where it becomes atherosclerosis. Taking more magnesium can prevent your blood vessels from calcifying and developing into atherosclerosis. HOW MUCH TO TAKE For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (as previously listed), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense. The most absorbable forms are: Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Taurate Magnesium Aspartate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Fumirate Avoid: Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Carbonate Magnesium Gluconate Magnesium Sulfate These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. NATURAL SOURCES Almonds Avocado Barley Beans Brazil nuts Brown rice Buckwheat Dark Chocolate Dates Figs Garlic Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens) Kelp Molasses Millet Parsley Pecans Rye Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality) Shrimp Walnuts Whole Grains Wheat bran Wheat germ

Magnesium is a key mineral that many are deficient in. Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff -- whether it is a body part or an even a mood -- is a sign of magnesium deficiency. Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency: Anal spasms Angina Anxiety Arthritis Asthma Autism ADD Blood Clots Bowel Disease Cardiac Arrhytmias (rapid heartbeat) Chronic fatigue Constipation Craving for Chocolate (interestingly, chocolate is highest in magnesium of all foods) Cystitis Depression Diabetes Fatigue Fibromyalgia GERD - Magnesium deficiency is one of the causes of reflux because magnesium helps the sphincter at the bottom of the stomach relax, allowing the food to go down. Headaches - anything that feels tight or cramp-like Heart Attacks High Blood Pressure Hypoglycemia Inflammation in the body and higher CRP levels Insomnia Irregular, Rapid Heartbeat Irritable bladder Irritable bowel syndrome Irritability Joint Pain Kidney Disease Kidney stones Leg Cramps Menstrual cramps Menopausal Disorders Migraines Muscle cramps or twitching or spasms Nervousness Obesity Osteoporosis Palpitations PMS Raynaud’s Syndrome Reflux - Magnesium deficiency is one of the causes of reflux because magnesium helps the sphincter at the bottom of the stomach relax, allowing the food to go down. Restless Legs Sensitivity to loud noises Sleep Disorders Spasms Stress Tooth Decay Tremors Trouble swallowing Unexpected Cardiac Death

Nadia, here's lots and lots of info. Probably far more than you asked for ;). Glucosamine sulfate - a safe, natural anti-inflammatory supplement that has no side effects. Most studies show that 500 mg taken three times a day is sufficient. Be patient. It could take two or three months before you feel a difference. Some people take glucosamine sulfate alone; others take it with chondroitin sulfate. These nutrients do help – especially glucosamine sulfate. Good for arthritis Only glucosamine sulfate has been scientifically shown to have any efficacy whatsoever. But, glucosamine HCI is really, really cheap. Glucosamine is a natural substance classified by the FDA as a dietary supplement, which means that it is available over-the-counter without the safety and efficacy testing required of drugs. Furthermore, there is no quality control so consumers cannot count on the supplement containing the ingredients or the amount listed on the label. Studies conducted with glucosamine in standardized doses show that it is safer than OA drugs and just as effective in alleviating pain. Most intriguing, glucosamine appears to slow the progression of OA. The Cochrane Collaboration reviewed 16 randomized, controlled trials ( RCTs ) and evaluated the effectiveness and safety of glucosamine for people with OA. In 13 RCTs in which glucosamine is compared to a placebo, glucosamine was found to be superior in all but one trial. In the four RCTs in which glucosamine was compared to a NSAID, glucosamine was found to be superior in two and equivalent in two. This review concluded that further research is needed to confirm the long-term effectiveness and safety of glucosamine. Few of the RCTs lasted more than six weeks. Glucosamine appears to be far safer than NSAIDs and acetaminophen—based on the mostly short-term results of these RCTs . One RCT in this review found that the people taking a placebo showed a progressive joint-space narrowing that did not occur among those taking glucosamine. Symptoms worsened slightly in the placebo group, but the significant lessening of pain and disability was sustained for three years among those taking glucosamine.

would you feel offended? Do you cull your friends list on FB and if so, do you worry about offending some? Floridamom said this: I have very few facebook friends who I don't know in real life, and they're all people I currently have regular contact with (except for faraway family). My online friends on facebook are people I've known online for quite a while, so even though we might not have ever met in person, we know each other. I like it that way. I'm trying to decide if I should cull my friends list from time to time. Ideally, I would prefer my FB friends to be ones that I know IRL and care about, as well as online friends whom I have known for some time and really care about also. Yet, I worry about offending some ... sorry to sound like such a wimp. :001_huh:

You're right :). I'd forgotten. It just happens to be that the only Persians I've met with those names are usually Baha'is. Usually.

This is what I want to do. All of this. :)

:grouphug: I might start a poll or another thread soon to ask about this. I would love to declutter my friends list. :) But then again, I really don't want to offend some. :confused:

This is quite funny and a cool way of doing it. :D Nakia, feel free to delete me if you wish. I won't be offended. Love you anyway. :grouphug: I've often wondered about this. :confused: Dh's belief is to be friends with whoever asks and to not remove anyone from my friends list, unless if they're personally offensive. I do hide several people from my News Feed since they post endlessly. I don't post very often on FB, and seldom personal stuff. On the one hand, I would love to be very selective and have fewer than 100 friends on FB - just some very good online friends and mostly IRL friends and family that I like very much. I'm very selective IRL, but not as much on FB. :confused: I'm undecided as to what to do. I don't want to offend anyone. I have unfriended 3 people recently who were really horrible to me IRL and really and truly hurt my feelings.

:lol: Rosie, dd is named after a Baha'i youth who was martyred in Iran in the early '80s. I loved her personality and spunk. Until her last days, she would make every effort to be strong and maintain a sense of humor, despite torture and persecution. Amazing young girl. Her name is Roya, which means vision or dream. She is very dream-ish. :) Ds is named after a Baha'i book. His name means the spoken words or eloquent, etc. He is that way and basically cannot stop talking :lol:. His name is Bayan. Neither child has middle names. Dh and I decided against it. Persians on the whole don't usually do middle names ;). Some Baha'i names that I can think of: Mateen (male - means steadfast) Anisa (female - is often a Baha'i name, but not always - means Tree of Life) Trying to rack my brains to think of others, but I'm a bit slow at the moment. :tongue_smilie:

Dh and I were both born in Iran and although we both left Iran as children and do not consider ourselves very Persian, our children both have Persian names. Ds's name is not really and truly Persian. It's more of a Baha'i name. Not that there is really and truly such a thing as a Baha'i name, but once you hear that name, you pretty much know that the individual is a Baha'i, if you have knowledge of the Baha'i Faith, that is.

Reading Someone Knows My Name. Liking it quite a bit, but for some reason, having a hard time giving it my 100% attention. Very Roots-ish. I loved Roots when I read it about 15 years ago.

Thank you all. :) Glad you clarified that. You made me giggle, even though you probably weren't trying to be funny. Having the other kind of bar :smilielol5:. I would love to have them all. :D Ballet Beautiful looks gorgeous. :) Oh wow. Now that would be a real treat. :D Yes, thank you. I got so much info, all thanks to you. :grouphug: :D I think that Physique 57 might require some stuff. Not sure. I emailed them and am waiting to hear back. Do you use the ball for some of the DVDs? I know that I will likely need one further one down the road. Seems like many use those small balls. My goal/plan is to do a ballet-based/pilates/challenging yoga DVD every other day or so. Since it will be so often, I will likely get bored and need variety. The other days, I plan on doing cardio/weights/walking/swimming/rebounding/whatever. I hope I can do this and stick to it. :)

Me too. I can just imagine :smilielol5:. A friend baked us some Red Velvet Cupcakes yesterday also. I haven't even touched them yet. Dh and dc love them. Ever since reading some of the comments here, I'm slowly getting turned off Red Velvet :lol:, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Dh still loves it, however. :) I'm almost embarrassed to say that I did make these the other week for breakfast and everyone loved them. But now I'll only make this as a rare treat. Red dye = not good. :glare: I blame all this on pinterest and take no responsibility whatsoever. ;)

Sorry to sound like a complete and indecisive flake :tongue_smilie:. As I patiently wait for some of my ballet-based DVDs to arrive, I keep adding and deleting things to my never-ending wish list. Not to buy immediately, but to slowly build up - birthdays, etc. I love them all and obviously want them all. :D Yikes. Can you help me decide which seems better? Physique 57 6 DVDs for just under $100. I've heard the instructor jabbers on endlessly, but they seem effective and very popular in the infomercial sort of way. The Bar Method - already ordered one - just seems more classy overall :D - not sure why, just feel that way. Other - just individual DVDs from my amazon wish list - different instructors, more variety - I did my research on collage video - too bad that collage doesn't have reviews on either of the above Mary Helen Bowers - who trained Natalie Portman for Black Swan Angles, Lines and Curves II Cathe Friedrich has very good reviews on collage. Karen Voight Ballet Body Sculpt Thank you, thank you, thank you.

None. :)

These books might come in very handy. I love lists also. Tim Gunn's show has a great list. His book has a list. I don't have his book, but would like to get it. I watch his show regularly, however, so I get the basic idea. The Lucky Shopping Manual Dress Your Best How to Never Look Fat Again - even if you don't have a weight problem.

Fabulously helpful post. Love it. I'm working through two style books at the moment and am taking notes. I have great difficulty finding tops to match skirts. I hardly ever do T-shirts anymore. I think selling skirts without "suggested" tops should be banned. ;) :lol: I have to say that I agree, Imelda. :lol:

Magnesium is a key mineral that many are deficient in. Anything that is tight, irritable, crampy, and stiff -- whether it is a body part or an even a mood -- is a sign of magnesium deficiency. For most people on a healthy diet, 400 mg of Magnesium daily should be sufficient. But for those who have symptoms of deficiency (which most of us do), I would recommend more, but probably no more than 1200 mg. Add in more magnesium gradually. Your body knows how much it can handle according to how much your bowels can tolerate. The stools should feel soft, but not excessively loose. Take in divided doses and with meals to ensure optimal absorption – preferably more at night I have read that it’s preferable to not take magnesium at the same time as calcium. Others say that it’s fine. This is where I am confused. I think the former makes more sense. The most absorbable forms are: Magnesium Citrate Magnesium Glycinate Magnesium Taurate Magnesium Aspartate Magnesium Malate Magnesium Succinate Magnesium Fumirate Avoid: Magnesium Oxide Magnesium Carbonate Magnesium Gluconate Magnesium Sulfate These are not absorbed well and are the cheapest forms Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to Magnesium Glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. NATURAL SOURCES Almonds Avocado Barley Beans Brazil nuts Brown rice Buckwheat Dark Chocolate Dates Figs Garlic Greens (including Collard Greens and Dandelion Greens) Kelp Molasses Millet Parsley Pecans Rye Sea vegetables (seaweed and kelp – but make sure they come from non-polluted waters and are high-quality) Shrimp Walnuts Whole Grains Wheat bran Wheat germ REASONS FOR MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY Diets that are highly-processed and refined – mostly white flour, red meat, and dairy – none of these have magnesium. Food processing removes much of the magnesium (as well as other minerals) that’s naturally found in certain foods. Antacids and other indigestion medicines disrupt magnesium absorption. Modern farming practices deplete magnesium and other minerals in the soil. Medications including diuretics, birth control pills, insulin, tetracycline and other antibiotics, and cortisone lead to magnesium deficiencies. Too much calcium often leads to an imbalance . These two minerals need to be in balance.

Christine, I agree. If one is borderline, best to have a professional tell you. :) I would avoid fake nails. Charla Krupp in her book, How Not to Look Old, says that the best choice for nails for women our age is to keep your cuticles manicured and nails at a moderate length, all the same length, and with light pink or neutral nail polish if you wear polish at all. Long, long nails and fake nails are aging. Lisa, great job. :D To me, that's the whole purpose of this thread - little steps. Do-able ones that we can all try to work on. I've never used one and am not sure if I will, but I have been researching. Here are my notes from Charla Krupp and from this thread: TINTED MOISTURIZER should give you a little coverage and a glow. It evens out skin tone, looks natural and is lightweight. It’s a moisturizer that they put a tint in like a foundation, but it’s a lighter coverage, you can also get an SPF in it. It's good for a one-step product if you don't need much coverage. Tinted moisturizer is more natural-looking than foundation. If you're looking for just a hint of coverage to even out some skin tone issues, tinted moisturizer is great and very light. Charla Krupp says that Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20 consistently wins “best of” in this category. Aveeno has them and many other OTC brands Bobbi Brown Physicians Formula Organic – you can get at Target http://www.physiciansformula.com/en-us/productdetail/organic-wear-product/02154.html Neutrogena Tinted Moisturizer is an awesome substitute for foundation. It has Retinol (anti-aging), sunscreen, moisturizer and light foundation all in one product. If you have skin that is especially dry, first put on a moisturizer/lotion a few minutes before the tinted moisturizer to help it blend easily and keep your skin from drying out. Applying a light powder (such as SkinClearing Mineral Powder) makes it last longer and keeps you from looking shiny. I was in the same exact boat for years, particularly when mine were very small. To me, that's fine and understandable. Don't be too hard on yourself. :grouphug: Wow. That really is a lot of $$! What do they offer for that? Guess I need to look it up. I visited their site very briefly. I just can't imagine paying that. I'd rather buy a few great style and beauty books and visit sites. One year of watching What Not to Wear is free and, to me, the absolute best. Dd and I watch that all the time. We also love Tim Gunn's show. I'm not great with accessories. I don't see why not. Your ring and watch is on your hands. Your earrings and necklace, if they're silver and since not right next to your hands - should be fine to do both. Lisa, I assume you don't want the more "weird" yoga, right? :lol: I LOVE yoga and started teaching myself from a book when I was 14. Collagevideo is a fabulous site. You can do all sorts of searches and watch video clips. I love how you can refine your search on this site - by instructor, level, type of workout, etc. Have fun searching. Videofitness.com is another great site, but no video clips – very helpful reviews, however. My absolute favorite yoga DVDs are by Mark Laham . You can see for yourself if you think he's a bit weird or annoying. As with all exercise DVDs, these things can be a bit subjective and depend on individual taste. Both his yoga DVDs are my absolute favorites. I feel so energized and my muscles feel so stretched. He's a great instructor and you really get your $'s worth with each DVD - about 3 separate workouts in each DVD. He knows his stuff. Plus, he's not annoying, like some exercise videos can be. You can only order his DVDs from his site, it seems. Amazon doesn't carry them. The cover of his DVDs (the fact that he's bare chested), his DVDs are not like that ;). He's dressed and quite normal in the DVDs. His DVDs are done in a studio. They might seem "strange" at first, but as far as the stretching and instruction, he, is, to me, without a doubt, the absolute best. And I've gone through many yoga DVDs in the past year. My yoga instructor likes him a lot also. And her opinion is one that I obviously respect. I think an absolute beginner can do this. The Power Yoga DVD has the following options: Warm Up Only (20 Minutes) - this is a good start to yoga in and of itself and later you can work up to the rest of the DVDs. There are 2 types of Warm Up - Beginner and Intense. Strengthen the Core - 60 Minutes Open the Hips - 65 Minutes The Yin Yoga DVD is one I really love. Well, you know that I love them both. It has the following, each of which are pretty much an hour each. Front Line Sequence Back Line Sequence Hips and Pelvis Mark Laham does an excellent job of explaining. Here's an image from one of his DVDs. Other yoga DVDs I like a lot: Iron Yoga Tough and challenging Uses weights Good and clear instruction Rodney Yee: Yoga Burn Rodney Yee: Core Cross Train Have fun choosing! :)

:iagree: ... if only I had the ingredients. :lol: Dawn, yes, dh and I shared the cheesecake together at Cheesecake Factory once. Loved it. Very rich, however. We also once had Red Velvet Ice Cream at Maggie Moo's (similar to Cold Stone). Oh. My. Goodness ... :D Good point - grab and go would be nice, particularly since he'll already have a birthday cake. And yes, that cake is very complicated. Bill described Kashk perfectly and Persian food is sooo good. You do need to pick the right place and order the right food. You can seldom go wrong with kebabs and rice. Kashk is more of an appetizer. Oh my, I'm craving some now. :lol: Bill, I couldn't agree more. I was raised on it and never fully appreciated it till I was older. I took it for granted then. Think we all did. And yes, not spicy at all. I can't handle hot at all. Very good point. Usually something I try to avoid. Bad stuff anyway. :tongue_smilie: Thank you all for your helpful replies. Dd and I are still undecided. May be the brownies or the trifle. Most likely the brownies.

Thank you. :)

Yes, I see what you mean. Not that I know what YEC or OEC are. We do secular. I agree that one would think that there would be more secular science options to choose from. Yes, huge landslide. Very interesting. :iagree: I wish they would listen. :lol: I can't always figure out these boards and I've probably been here a bit longer than you. Sometimes people here really and truly surprise me. But overall, I think that it's a very diverse group of homeschoolers, more diverse than any that I've seen. That's why I love it here. I thought the secular and religious would be divided fairly evenly. I'm pleasantly surprised. :) This is by far one of the most eye-opening and interesting polls I've seen in a long time. Thank you to Mrs. Mungo for starting this. :D

I like you and enjoy your posts very much :grouphug:. Are you astounded in a good way or bad way? Sorry, my brain's not fully functioning yet.

We're religious (although not Christian). We use secular. :)