Spirit of Giving Contest

So I told you yesterday how good it feels to give...Remember? In the spirit of giving and to experience even more of the good vibrations, OHSucker's having its own "Feel Good" Contest. Because Soldiers' Angels and the We Stuff 4 Soldiers Project are close to my heart, my contest is centered around supporting them! YAY! Here's what's going down:

Spread the word about the We Stuff 4 Soldiers Project in a blog post. The WS4S Project must be mentioned in the beginning of your post. Also in that blog post, share a giving story, tips on how to give, top charities to give to or your thoughts on the goodness of giving. Once you've written your post, come back to this post and leave a comment with a link back to your freshly penned words of giving inspiration. What will you get for giving? An entry in a drawing for $50 smackeroos...(cash) via PayPal. Plus if you actually enter the giving contest We Stuff 4 Soldiers is having, you'll get a nice little something just for entering there too!

Spread the word and hurry back to let me know what you've done. The OHSucker contest ends this Friday (August 10) at 11:59PM!

PS: I'm having this lil' ol contest posted all around the net (including sites like ContestBlogger) because I sooooo believe in giving and I want to give as many of you as possible the chance to win 50 of my bucks!

Do Some Good

Have you ever heard someone say doing things for others makes you feel better? Or maybe doing good makes you a better person? I have and I do! One of the charities I'm involved with is Soldiers' Angels. SA is an all volunteer 501 (c)(3) non profit organization that supports our military members (including Veterans) and their families during and after their deployments.

As an Angel I've adopted a soldier (well in my case I have a Paratrooper, a Marine and a K-9 Team: handler & military war dog) with the commitment to send 1 letter or card per week and 1-2 care packages (doesn't have to be large or expensive at all) per month. I'm also a Team Leader for the Letter Writing Team and a member of the VA (Veterans Affairs) Team. This is an AWESOME fulfilling experience. Every time I hear back from my soldiers or someone I've written from the letter writing team, I feel such a rush of the "warm fuzzies". It feels so good to help. You wouldn't believe how many of these guys and gals don't receive mail. Just to hear their name at mail call boosts their morale. I love it!

So how can you get your own case of warm fuzzies? Well, you can join Soldiers' Angels or you may want to sponsor a "make your own stuffed animal" kit from We Stuff 4 Soldiers. If you're sponsoring a kit or making a donation to We Stuff 4 Soldiers, you may want to check out the contest going on over there. You can receive a "Stuff On Us" Plushie Gift Card from StuffandPlay and be entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate. How's that for making a case for "it's good to give AND receive"?!

Why I Love Larry Winget

Since we're still working on the Mental aspect of the Total Living Routine, I wanted to share with you one of my mentors from afar. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the "Pitbull of Personal Development", Larry Winget! (insert crowd applause and cheering). For those of you who don't know who he is, let me have the pleasure of telling you. He's one of the most real people you'll ever have the fortune of being exposed to. His way of whipping you into shape mentally sets you up for success in all the other areas of your life, especially your finances. That's the number one reason why I just love him. It's great to see an actual role model of someone who had nothing rise into success. It makes us believe that we can all do it. Larry has such a love for people and it's genuine. He reminds me of well...me.

How about picking up a few of Larry's books or checking out his A&E show on Saturday mornings. You'll fall in love with him too!

Develop Your Total Living Routine: Mental

Part of the "Can You Afford Health" Series

Originally my plan was to give you the information all in one post to assist you with how to "Develop Your Total Living Routine". However, as I began writing, I realized that I would be doing a disservice to you by cramming it all into one post. For one, it would have been too long. For another, it wouldn't have given you time to digest the pieces and give them each their proper "due". Part of developing your total living routine is internalizing and refocusing yourself with each component as they come together as a whole.

The words "internalizing" and "refocusing" go hand in hand with "reimaging" which all make up our first component of Total Living--the Mental aspect.

Get Your Mind Right

Yep, I've issued a challenge. Get your mind right! Change your outlook. Reimage negatives into positives. I was in a discussion on a blog post talking about opportunities being everywhere. This post combatted the popular belief that "opportunites only come once in a lifetime". I agreed with the poster that opportunities were abundant. You have to train your mind to look at opportunities differently. Once you do, you'll find them in many things. Once you've reimaged your mind you've increased your opportunity quotient. And guess what? I'm so proud of you!

How do you reimage your mind?

1- Start reading positive books. What you feed your mind has a direct impact on what your "vision" is.

2- Create a Dreamboard/Dreamcards. What are your dreams? What are your goals? Find images that correlate with what you've dreamt up for yourself. Assemble these images and words on posterboard (or corkboard) and hang it in a place where you'll see it daily...multiple times per day. Dreamcards are very similar. Use index cards to write down your goals and personal absolutes. Post the cards in different areas of your living environment. Be creative, colorful, festive when making your dreamboard/dreamcards. You want to make them exciting to look at...which will make you want to look at them more. Constant visual images of your dreams, goals and personal absolutes will manifest into reality.

These are two key steps to "getting your mind right". Once you've become a positive image photographer, you'll find that it's a bit easier to tackle the other components of the Total Living Routine: Spiritual, Physical and Financial. I'll be back with posts dedicated to those! YAY!!

DREAMBOARD EXAMPLE
(Courtesy of Successful Inspirations)

Can You Afford Health? Pt. 1

How much is your health worth to you? I'm hoping that you'll say priceless. In fact, I'm willing to bet most of you will say priceless. But are you just saying that to have something to say? To conform to what you think others are saying or want you to say?

I can't count how many times someone has said "I want to be healthy" on their way to the fast food spot. Or "I need to get more exercise" while still sitting on the sofa. What? Being healthy is not a fad. It should be part of your living routine. What's a living routine? I've devoted a whole post to it that will be published tomorrow. But basically, it's a routine that you've developed for your life that encompasses total health (mental, spiritual, physical, financial).

This series is dedicated to answering the question of "can you afford health"? Or better yet can you afford NOT to be healthy? We'll see...

Eye On Carrots

I'm sure many of you have been told from an early age that carrots improve your eyesight because of the beta carotene. Well that's not entirely true. Even though carrots ARE a prime source of beta carotene. It's the beta carotene that, when consumed in excess rather than moderation, can cause more harm than good.

You see, your body converts carotene into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is a top player in eye health and is responsible for good and bad eye sight. Many of the diseases and eye illnesses result from a Vitamin A deficiency. But before you go on a "What's up Doc" carrot eating marathon, too much Vitamin A is toxic to your body.

Hypervitaminosis A is a fancy way of saying you've taken in too much Vitamin A. This causes, amongst other things, liver problems, hair loss and jaundice. Remember being told if you eat too much of something you'll turn into it? In the case of jaundice, you'll turn into a carrot or squash...at least the same color.

For those kiddies reading this, no use trying to tell your moms and dads that I've told you veggies are bad. I'm not saying that at all. Just eating in moderation is the way to go!

Little known carrot fact: Carrots are a highly refined version of the weed, Queen Anne's Lace and are native to Afghanistan. Who'd have thought?

There's Something In The Water

I'm sure you've heard by now that Coca Cola has purchased the Center for Responsible Hydration aka Glaceau. What in the world is a "glaceau"? They're the makers of VitaminEnergy, SmartWater, FruitWater and my absolute favorite drink in the world...VitaminWater.

If you haven't tried VitaminWater, I encourage you to give it a sip...or guzzle...whichever you prefer. Why? This is one of the most complete drinks I've ever had the fortune to hydrate with. In fact, this is my choice for getting my vitamin supplements in. Yes, vitamins in pill form are readily available but since you only get about 10% of the vitamins in those pills (90% goes undigested), I for one prefer to ingest them already broken down. This pretty much ensures that your body will get what it needs without having to "overextend" itself.

With 15 flavors to choose from (11 of which I love, the other four I haven't tried yet) you are sure to find something that you just can't seem to hydrate yourself without. This water not only makes drinking water hip (who would have thought?), it also says being healthy is in!

Thatsa Mighty Good Pizza

Contrary to popular belief, pizza is actually one of the healthier take out foods. That's a good thing for me especially since I love me some pizza. YUM! With so many varieties, I'm willing to bet you can eat pizza everyday for a year and not have the same combination twice.

For healthier pizza choices you want to stay close to loads of veggies, no extra cheese (as hard as that is), shrimp, clams, chicken and fruit (you've got to try pineapple chicken pizza!). Tofu and tempeh actually make pretty good additions to your healthy pizza choices as well.

Pizza is also a quick and easy, fulfilling meal. Feel free to express your creativity with pizza dough as your canvas. Trust me, you won't be sorry. One of my favorite "make your own pizza" recipes is Pineapple Citrus Chicken with Spinach and Feta Cheese. I know it sounds like there's a lot going on but the first time I "accidentally" made this I was smacking my lips for days. It's real easy to make too. Here's what you'll need:

A Pizza Shell (Di'Giorno or Boboli)
Tomato Sauce
Shredded Cheese
Feta Cheese
Grilled Chicken Strips marinated in Orange Juice, cut up
Pineapple Chunks, drained
Frozen Spinach, thawed

You know what to do: throw everything together and bake for about 20 minutes or so. DELICIOUS!

Be You...You're The Best

I've been gone for a while I know. But I'm back and in full effect. Check out my b-boy stance. Oh wait you can't see me. Ok just use your imagination. *CHEESE*

While on my hiatus I've been getting other businesses off the ground and my focus has been elsewhere to be quite honest. I've received quite a few emails from the best readers in the blogosphere (you of course!) telling me in no uncertain terms to get my "sit down place" (my brother especially will appreciate that) back here. As I read through the emails and reflected I have to say that I'm quite happy with what One Healthy Sucker has turned out to be. So many people have told me that it's unlike any other health related blog out there and while that's challenging at times, it certainly makes me feel good that I can be myself and have others appreciate it.

This brings me to something I'd love to share with you all today: BE YOURSELF! NO ONE DOES IT BETTER! So many try to duplicate what others are doing but end up losing themselves and what they're about individually. Yes, I do understand there's something to be said about not reinventing the wheel. To that I say but rims are a great addition and custom rims are even better. *SMILE* You owe it to yourself to be the customized person you were created to be. Make sure you're not easily replaced or easily forgotten. Step outside the box. Go ahead you can do it. I know you can (especially if you're a reader of this blog). We (you and I) exemplify individualism at its best.

I want to thank you all for checking the site daily and standing by me. Now if ya'll would subscribe I'd be in Heaven. I get LOADS of visitors a day but only have a few subscribers and many of my visitors are repeat visitors. So c'mon hit those subscription buttons. YAY!!!

(In case you're wondering yes that's a picture of me. Aren't I a cutie pie?)

Top 5 Health Inspiried Top Fives

Problogger's Group Project really has had some good submissions (including mine if I say so myself) Believe it or not quite a few of them had something to do with health. I'm posting my favorites here. In the spirit of the Top 5 here are my Top 5 Health Inspired Top Fives:

5 Cool Things You Can Do With Your DNA
Get Fit&Sexy While Blogging
Top 5 Healthy Relaxation Techniques
Top 5 Special Health Tips
Top 5 Ways To Get Rid Of Your Muffin Top Without Dieting

This one and this one aren't health related but I had fun reading them. I'll be back with more of these awesome submissions tomorrow. I won't promise they'll all be health related though because there are some great non health posts that I'm really digging. (<-----how 70s is that?) I'll tell you one thing...I don't envy Darren (Mr. ProBlogger himself) in the least. LOL

5 Reasons To Work From Home (or call in sick)

There as so many reasons to actually work from home (something I have the privilege of doing), I had trouble only picking five. Okay, I know there are some of you out there who think that the only reason I had trouble picking five was because I love to run my mouth. My response? So what? *CHEESE* Enough stalling, here's what you've been waiting for:

Top 5 Reasons Working From Home Improves Your Health (of course they're in no particular order)

• Work in your pajamas/don't have to get dressed. What does this have to do with health? Well women especially can appreciate this since foot health is enhanced. There's something to be said about no longer having to worry about high heel induced corns/bunions on your toes.
• Less weight gain. No more fast food lunches. Not to mention office potlucks followed by continuously sitting on an ever spreading rear end (or "sit down place" as we grew up saying in my family) are now shifted to the past.
• Stress Levels/Blood Pressure become lower. Since office politics and gossip are reasons for now ex coworkers going postal, you can breathe a sigh of relief. After all, you're sitting comfortably at home.
• Cultivate a more positive family environment. Now you have more time to spend with your family and have the time to take an active part in your child(ren)'s education. Better yet, Billy and Susie don't have to break into their piggy banks to hire actors for "Parents Day" at school.
• Promotes Respiratory Health. Now that your commute is gone you're not only saving the environment but your lungs too. No sitting in traffic breathing in the fumes of that old truck in front of you.
  

Here's a bonus reason (yeah I know it was only supposed to be 5):
Joint Health: You're no longer jumping through hoops to win that coveted "Employee Of The Month" parking spot. Hallelujah! No more mad dashes for the last decent parking space. That's a two fold reason right there. Why? That also means no more "life comes at you hard" moments when you're trying to park and a coworker tries to swoop in at the same time.

POST NOTE:

Thanks to Darren at ProBlogger for inviting us to submit our TOP 5 lists. Hey if you have a Top 5 click on the link and get your shot at winning $1001USD!

Be A Boy Scout...Even If You're A Girl

For the past couple days I've been thinking about being prepared in an emergency. I gave myself a test of my own making and realized I barely knew what to have in my emergency kit. I knew the important things such as beef jerky (I prefer the healthy jerky), first aid kit, flashlight with batteries and water. I'd forgotten clothes, plastic garbage bags and needing to pack my items in a water resistant backpack. Ehh, you can't remember everything. But anyway, I figured I'd better get my emergency bag packed now rather than waiting until an actual emergency because I know I'd definitely forget something in the rush should anything actually go down. Of course, saying this to myself made me think of you all. So with that said, here's what the Red Cross says you should have in your Emergency Preparedness Kit. A couple things that aren't on the list are activities and games including books, drawing and writing materials, pocket sized electronic games. These are a must, not only if you have children but for you too. Nothing like keeping your mind occupied. Hmm, I wonder if having one of those inflatable air mattresses would be going overboard? What do you think? Well anyway, definitely keep in mind that there's certainly something to the Boy Scout Motto: ALWAYS BE PREPARED!!

Me Want Healthy Donut...Mmmm

Apparently, I'm late since I'm just finding out about a couple donuts on the market that are proclaimed to be healthy/good for you. You know me, I had to dive in and find out all that I could about these delicious little bits of healthy goodness.

First on the list is the Whole Wheat Glazed Donut from Krispy Kreme. I know, I know, you're salivating at the thought of a Krispy Kreme donut that may actually be good for you. Right? I know the feeling. So just how "healthy" is this donut? Bottom line? Not much.

Here's how it stacks up versus their Original Glazed Donut:
Total Calories: WWG-180 OGD-200
Calories From Fat: WWG-100 OGD-100
Total Fat: WWG-11g OGD-12g

I could post more nutritional information but really, what's the point? Lesson learned here? Naming something "Whole Wheat" doesn't necessarily mean that it's healthier for you. Just think, I was even bent on forgetting about the "sugar shake" that overcomes me whenever I bite into a Krispy Kreme donut for this. Blah!

Now for the second healthy donut "Super Donut", brought to us by former Pittsburgh Steelers star, Franco Harris.

The Super Donut (retails for about $2.69/box of 6) is chock full of vitamins, minerals and protein. They don't contain preservatives, trans fats, artificial flavors or colors. What's the nutritional breakdown here?
Total Calories: 240
Total Fat grams: 13
Carbs: 24
Protein: 7g
14 vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A, C, E and Bfamily, folic acid and calcium.

Of the two of course the Super Donut is the healthier choice. In fact, you can find these donuts in school cafeterias all over the United States, nursing homes, health care facilities, even on our military bases! Come to think of it, as of now, those are really the only places you'll find them unless you live in the Pittsburgh area (pick them up in your grocers freezer. I've always wanted to say that).

What To Eat When You Can't Sleep

Insomnia has many causes including stress, depression, over excitement, overeating too late too close to bedtime and jet lag. Another cause may be just plain old nosiness, being afraid you'll miss something. But I don't know if that's scientific enough to be an "on the record" cause.

If you're one of the many people who suffer from insomnia, you know how hard it is to fall asleep and stay asleep. What you may not know is what happens as a result of you not being able to sleep. Some common complications of insomnia are developing psychiatric problems, taking unnecessary risks, traffic accidents, developing diabetes and also hypertension.

Also as an insomnia sufferer, you've probably tried different things in hopes of finding a remedy. Help is on the way. Today's post is all about foods you can eat that are supposed to be solutions for insomnia.

Just what exactly can you eat that will send you on a roundtrip (yes roundtrip...one way would mean you're dead) journey to "LaLa Land"? According to this list found on Healing Food Reference, the foods that are terrific for calling the hogs are:

• Wheat
• Mulberries
• Zucchini
• Kava
• Chia seeds
• Oysters (hmm now I thought oysters were an aphrodisiac too...)
  
• Pumpkin
• Lettuce
• Oats
• Barley

If you're surprised that turkey didn't make the list since it contains L-tryptophan, don't be. Don't know what L-tryptophan is? It's an amino acid known to have a sleep inducing effect. Don't be surprised because turkey also includes other amino acids that somewhat counteract tryptophan's effect. If you're still skeptical and thinking that you know you feel lethargic on Thanksgiving after eating your delicious helping of turkey, keep in mind that Thanksgiving is normally a carbohydrate, fat filled feast. That certainly contributes to a little sheep jumping over the fence action.

Ok, soon to be sleepy heads, grab a couple slices of Zucchini Nut Bread, Oat Barley Soup or Pumpkin Dip and see how long it takes before you're watching the back of your eyelids. Ahhh, sleep at last, sleep at last, thank God Almighty, sleep at last!

TO Strikes Again: The MyBlogLog Train

I could go on and on about the great site that is Truth & Opinion. The dedication to quality and willingness to help others grow their sites AND have an opinion in the world is something that isn't always seen in today's net world. As you can probably tell from the title of this post, I've been tagged again by BigRayvin of TO. This post is my "purchased" ticket on the MyBlogLog Express. CHOOOOO CHOOOOOO!!

My New Community Members:

AllHolisticHealth- Join The Community
Electronic Village- Join The Community
A Not So Desperate Housewife- Join The Community


***Start Copying Here:***
Here are the rules:
1) Write a short introduction about how you found this list and include a link back to that blog.

2) Copy these rules and the entire list below and post it on your blog.

3) Take “My New Community Members” and move them into the “The Original Community
Members” list.

4) Find 3 new blogs, join their MyBlogLog Community and add them to the “My New Community Members” section. Remember to also add the “Join the Community” link next to your new blogs.

5) Join as a member to each Community listed here by clicking on “Join the Community.” The goal is that all of the new Members listed will join your community, and you should do the same!
The Original Community Members

OneHealthySucker- Join The Community
PimpMyPageRank - Join The Community
IdleProfit - Join The Community
Darin Carter - Join the Community
Truth &Opinion - Join theCommunity
BlogTalks - Join the Community
Marisa - Join the Community
Andy Beard - Join the Community
Ed Lau - Join the Community
Julie - Join the Community
David Culpepper - Join the Community
2Perfect - Join the Community
Dietriffic - Join the Community
Shawn Knight - Join the Community
Reformat This - Join the Community
Kelly Cho - Join the Community
Ms. Danielle - Join the Community
The Man of Silver - Join the Community
Nate Whitehill - Join the Community
Leo Chiang - Join the Community
Garry Conn - Join the Community
Samanathon - Join the Community
Mr. Gary Lee - Join the Community
Feats of a Chilean Dot Com Entrepreneur - Join the Community
Jon Lee - Join the Community
Everyday Weekender - Join the Community
Bryan’s Rants - Join the Community

****END Copying Here *****

***A little advice for newbies: if you are trying to figure out how to copy the code with all links intact just go ahead highlight the links and right click and click view source then right click on that and press the copy button. Then you're done. See you on the train!

Top 5 Issues In Black Health

When considering who takes their health the least seriously, you'll hear more than a few people say Blacks are in the lead in that area. Personally, I'm of the mind that while there could be some truth there, we're actually making strides to become healthier.

What you're finding now in Black Americans is a generation that is benefiting from the many health strides that have been made over the years. We're presented with more and more information on specific health concerns and we're also in a better financial position to take advantage of prevention, treatment and care of these health issues we face. I would even say that a consideration could be that of sports nutrition. So many of our youth have dreams of competing in sports on a professional level, they are now realizing that nutrition may be one of the top factors that will set them apart. It's no longer "talent" alone that will get them that golden opportunity.

Of the many health concerns in America, the Top 5 Black Health Issues are (in no particular order)

• AIDS
• Stroke
• Hypertension
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes

Now that we have more information readily available and socio economic (while certainly still an issue) factors are more positive, we're in position to tackle these health issues head on. We know that lack of exercise contributes to hypertension and heart disease. We're more educated concerning AIDS as well.

I will not say we're at a point that the issue of Black Health has become a non issue. I will say that we have the tools to continue on the positive path of change where our health is concerned.

Healthy Job Spotlight: Neuromuscular Therapist

As you know the "Healthy Job Spotlight" focuses on health related jobs that are not the "common" jobs one would think about when considering a career in the health field. Today's spotlight shines on the Neuromuscular Therapists of the world.

What exactly is Neuromuscular Therapy? Buckland Massage & Neuromuscular Center defines Neuromuscular Therapy as a specialized form of manual therapy. The therapist is trained and educated in the physiology of the nervous system and its effect on both the skeletal and muscular systems. In a nutshell, a Neuromuscular Therapist (NMT) is a specialized Massage Therapist that works on your muscles restoring balance to the central nervous system.

If you're interested in Neuromuscular Therapy and wonder where to go as far as education is concerned, visit the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). If you're in the Atlanta area one school to definitely check into is the Academy of Somatic Healing Arts (ASHA School of Massage). Not only will you get a certification in Neuromuscular Therapy, you'll also receive certifications in Clinical Sports Massage and Massage Therapy (for no additional cost at that).

Workplace Fitness

America is overweight. Yep, we already knew that. Larger portions and more moving away from natural foods has quite a bit to do with it. Another contributing factor in my opinion is the fact that we're working more, exercising less and sleeping less (oh you didn't know insomnia is a contributing factor to being overweight? Yep it sure is...especially when you're up in the middle of the night snacking and aren't active enough to burn off those calories you've just ingested).

Many experts, trainers and gym teachers (thrown in for novelty) will tell you that you should be exercising more. 30 minutes a day at least 3 times per week is a widely suggested minimum. With many Americans working more than a 40hour week just how are you expected to squeeze time in for a good 30minute workout? One way is to get to work a little earlier than usual and take advantage of that employee fitness center. More and more employers are realizing that a "fit" worker is a productive worker. As a result they've instituted more "wellness in the workplace" programs. After all, there's nothing like being hopped up on endorphins to start your day and close that deal come meeting/presentation time. Employers realize the benefits of this.

Another good way to get that exercise in is to do the obvious...walk. Take the stairs (start a couple days ahead if you work on the 80th floor), park as far from the entrance as you can, take your running shoes and enjoy a brisk stroll during your break time.

Most of these suggestions may not be anything new to you. The main thing here is to just get active. No more excuses. Go, go, go, go...

Health Myth: I'm Too Busy To Eat Healthy

Have you ever said this to yourself (or someone else) "I'd love to eat healthier, but I'm just too busy"? Great! This post is just for you.

For me, eating healthier has become a normal routine in my life, without me even realizing it. My brother and I joked about this a few weeks ago saying that growing up without a lot of money pretty much dictated a healthier eating menu. That's not to say that I was always a healthy eater though. Ok enough about me, you're reading this to find out how you can eat healthy on the go.

Does the picture accompanying this post have you salivating? It should. But before you get all worked up thinking there must be way too many calories to be healthy, think again. Those are actual menu offerings at a healthy, "good for you", fast food place called b.good based in Boston, MA. I have to applaud them with their menu offerings because I was starting to think that the food bigwigs were taking the "overweight people don't want to buy fashionable clothing" approach to healthy fast food.

Remember BellyBytes, the website I "hipped" you to a couple days ago? They have a great list of fast food/brand name food that's good for you. Then of course you have my Top 10 Healthy Snacks list from earlier this month. So go on have a "looksee". See how easy it is to eat healthy on the go?

Oh and just in case you're wondering, my personal fast food favorites are Red Robin's Grilled Turkey Burger and their Teriyaki Chicken Burger.

Meme Reading: The Elite 12

BigRayvin of Truth & Opinion has sent out a meme to a few elite bloggers. Guess who made the list? Yep you guessed it...lil' ol healthy me! So according to the good ol' meme I'm posting my Reading list for the year one book a month for the next 12 months. Now since I'm an avid reader anyway, this list is going to be a bit of a challenge because if you read BigRayvin's post I get the impression that we should be posting books designed to increase our knowledge/business acumen (I guess those Romance novels may have to take a back seat for a minute).

OHSucker's 12 in 12 Reading List

1. Girl, Get Your Money Straight
2. Girl, Get Your Credit Straight (notice the theme here? lol)
3. In The Name Of Allah: A History Of Clarence 13X and The 5 Percenters (at 460something pages it may take me a year to read this. Just kidding)
4. Little Green Book Of Getting Your Way: How to Speak, Write, Present, Persuade, Influence and Sell Your Point of View to Others
5. The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
6. Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success
7. The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World
8. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (I've been meaning to get this for a long time)
9. Never Mind Success- Go For Greatness!
10. The Covenant With Black America (another book I've been meaning to get for the longest)
11. Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life(I absolutely LOVE Tony Dungy so of course this is on my list)
12. You Play To Win The Game: Leadership Lessons for Success On and Off the Field

There you have it! My reading list...now to be honest it may not take me a year to read these but...

In the spirit of meme I'm going to do a little tagging of my own and invite my elite list to carry on the reading meme!

afrobella, msdanielle, YAR, ND and Kimberly.

BellyBytes.com Says It's All About Food

During my search for post worthy topics, I came across a little site that sure enough packed a wallop of information. What site was it? It was none other than BellyBytes.com. This site gives you a great wealth of information without being "showy" in its presentation. Upon arriving you may even be tempted to just skip over it. STOP!! Step away from the mouse... Trust me, you'll learn more in a few paragraphs than what you'd imagined. BellyBytes has information on healthy fast and brand name foods which I absolutely love because we may not have time to always cook healthy for ourselves and our families. Sometimes we just have to get food on the go.

Another "wealth of information" article that made my "I'm grateful for this..." list is The 29 Healthiest Foods On The Planet. From fruit to seafood, it lists what's good and what's good about them. Definitely check out that article. I'm sure you'll learn something...just like I did.

Did I mention this site also has a wonderful "Recipes" section? They even have recipes for zinc-ful foods and healthy BBQs. I can't wait to try those out.

Now where did I put that chef hat?.....

OHSucker Weekly 3rd Edition

It's that time again ya'll! Our week in review and a little glimpse of what's to come for this week. YAY!!

Ok, last week was an extremely busy week for me so in order to get all posts in as I promised, I posted two topics today. But that's ok right? Thank you, my beloved readers...what would I do without you? Being that I had the "two posts today" overlap, our week in review will look a little different (no day of the week prefix).

OHSucker Week in Review Week of 4/16-4/22

A Better Natural Deodorant
Is Colon Cleansing Necessary?
Everyday Home Spa+
A Healthy Home For You and Yours
Healthy Job Spotlight: Athletic Trainer*
Michael Vick Criticized

* My Favorite Post Of The Week
+ Readers' Favorite Post Of The Week


Upcoming Topics For This Week 4/23-4/28

Health Site/Product Review
OHSucker Speaks
Health Job Spotlight
Health Myths
Black (African American) Health Issue
Workplace Fitness

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Michael Vick Criticized

This past week we "witnessed" a horrific tragedy when a gunman killed over 30 innocent people on the Virginia Tech campus. Many of us were deeply saddened by this event. We've expressed grief and offered condolences and support to those directly impacted. We've also recognized that the victims include those whose lives were taken and those that remain to mourn the loss of those lives.

So tell me why criticism is being heaped on someone who has donated thousands of dollars to the families of those that were killed?

The criticisms are coming from many who feel that Mike Vick (Atlanta Falcons Quarterback, Virginia Tech Alum) should have given more. My question is why should he have given more? He wasn't obligated to give anything at all. Most also think that his partnering with the United Way to give this money is an attempt at improving his image. Again, I beg to differ. Michael Vick is one athlete who is criticized and will continue to be criticized no matter what he does. I truly believe that he gave this money out of the goodness of his heart. It really angers me that we (society) think celebrities are obligated to do anything just because they have money. This man has given millions to the Virginia Tech campus and the community. This gift should be applauded, not condemned because of the amount.

Healthy Job Spotlight: Athletic Trainer

OHSucker's Healthy Job series spotlights jobs in the health industry that aren't the normal "physician, dentist, nurse" type jobs. Today's post is on something very dear to my heart...Athletic Training. For 4 years (3 years at Eastern CT State University and 1 year at NC Central University) I was a Student Athletic Trainer (complete with an ATC's version of the AMEX card...a Fanny Pack. Never leave home without it). To say I loved being a valued part of the Sports Medicine team would be an understatement. This is a great profession to get into, especially if you love sports and medicine (basically someone like myself).

So what exactly is an Athletic Trainer? A Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) is a health care professional who specializes in preventing, managing and rehabilitating injuries that occur during physical activity. An ATC isn't a physician so they don't diagnose injuries or prescribe medications. In order to become an ATC a student needs to enroll in an accredited program (a big congratulations goes to NCCU who in 2005 became the first HBCU to have an ACCREDITED Athletic Training Program. EAGLE PRIDE!!) and upon completion take a comprehensive test administered by NATABOC (National Athletic Training Association Board of Certification). Athletic Training isn't to be confused with Personal Training nor are ATCs' duties limited to working with athletes. Really, anyone who engages in physical activity can be part of an ATC's work load.

To learn more about Athletic Training or to see which schools have accredited programs, visit Athletic Training's governing body, NATA.

Photo courtesy of NATA.org

A Healthy Home For You And Yours

Often when the subject of a "healthy home" comes up one thinks about the foods we choose to eat and daily physical activity. Hardly does the toothpaste, laundry detergent, dish detergent, other cleaning agents, candles or air fresheners we use come to mind. We don't realize that many toxins in our home come from everyday items that we use regularly.

In fact our homes play host to these top "hidden" toxins: formaldehyde, lead, carbon monoxide, radon, solvents, pesticides, disinfectants, vinyl chloride and hydrochloric acid. These are called hidden toxins because they are not visually detected and they are found in places that you wouldn't necessarily think to find them. For instance, would you think that toxins could be emitted from your sofa cushions? No, neither did I. Formaldehyde sure has that carrier as one of its ways to make its dangerous presence known.

What can we do to begin to create a healthier home for our families and ourselves? For starters you may want to start using more natural products. Natural deodorants and other personal care items (Jason and Tom's products top this category), laundry detergents and cleaners (Seventh Generation is a top pick here). Remember our post on Natural Wax Candles and their benefits? Yes, you guessed it...this is another easy way to make your home a "Toxins Free" zone.



Photo courtesy of Spa Finder, Inc

Everyday Home Spa

There are many posts out in the net world that give pointers on how to bring the spa experience home and/or how to create your own at home spa. Most of these posts center around creating ambiance and an atmosphere of relaxation rather than an actual room transformation. If you're an avid reader of this blog you've probably already guessed that since I like to be a little different, this post is all about transforming a room (in this case the bathroom) into an affordable spa retreat all your own.

So why did I choose the bathroom? Well, many of us spend quite a bit of time here. This is one room where privacy is almost guaranteed. Notice I said almost. This is also one of the top answers when asked "where do you relax at home".

Making changes to your bathroom/soon to be home spa retreat doesn't have to be an expensive project. The first thing you'll want to do is change your lighting and add a dimmer switch while you're at it. Don't be afraid to do something with recessed lighting or track lighting. You may even want to think about contemporary, "not usually found in the bathroom" light fixtures.

So what's next now that you've made the lighting switch? Well now you can concentrate on the one area that's sure to get the most use...the tub. An easy, inexpensive way to create the ultra relaxation experience in your tub is to purchase a bath spa along with a spa showerhead. Add a cushy bench or chair, bath soaks, natural wax candles or aromatherapy oil diffusers. Don't forget to complete your getaway with your favorite soothing music, a nice leafy plant or two and decadent dark chocolate treats (remember dark chocolate is good for you).

Photo courtesy of Spa Finder, Inc

Is Colon Cleansing Necessary?

Colon Health is one subject that has been getting more and more attention over the last few years. It seems as if every natural health guru worth their salt has stated at one time or another that you should colon cleanse. I've seen recommendations from 7 days upwards to 4 months. Personally, I couldn't get down with a 4 month colon cleanse. Especially since part of the colon's duty (no pun intended) is to maintain your body's fluid and electrolyte balance. Improper or prolonged colon cleansing can have you become dehydrated. Why substitute one potential health problem for another that's completely avoidable?

Is colon cleansing for you? First, let me state that I am in no way giving medical advice. I'm only putting information out there for you to dissect and discuss with your health provider. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, should you cleanse? Well, there are pros and cons. Many traditional physicians say that colon cleansing is not necessary, although they do recommend that you may want to cleanse when preparing for a colon exam. They don't feel it's necessary because the colon already eliminates waste on its own. Advocates for colon cleansing feel that while the colon does a decent job of eliminating this waste, it may need assistance because of our diets over the years. They feel that since many of the foods we eat now are not as "natural" as they could be, this introduces more foreign bodies and parasites into our digestive systems. This may not give the colon an opportunity to catch all the waste that we're trying to eliminate and can cause it to become backed up. A clogged colon is full of toxins and as you know...toxins are the prime cause of certain illnesses and ailments. I've even heard of people who have lost weight, along with stubborn pot bellies as a result of cleansing.

For those of you who are seriously considering whether colon cleansing is for you, Colon Cleansing Zone is a good resource. This site is full of information and resources to assist you with making the cleansing decision. Enjoy!

A Better Natural Deodorant

I know many of you may have tried a natural deodorant or two ever since the news came out that aluminum found in many other deodorants was linked to Alzheimer's Disease. Like me, you may have been disappointed with the lack of antiperspirant deodorants in the natural category. It was a hit or miss for the most part. Rarely could we find a natural deodorant that was both a deodorant and an antiperspirant. In fact, most natural deodorants state that you may want to back it up with talc or body powder. WHAT? I don't know about you but I'm not feeling rubbing deodorant on my underarms then having to find a body powder (that also has a scent that doesn't clash) and have to rub that on my underarms too. No thank you!

So what's an aluminum avoiding, natural deodorant seeking, person to do?

Well you could either do the deodorant/body powder combo or you can take a swipe at Oyin Handmade's Funk Butter. I've been a user of Funk Butter since it was introduced to the many Oyin fans a couple of years ago. Let me tell you, this natural deodorant certainly does the trick! It keeps you dry and keeps the funk away. Applying this cream to powder deodorant takes a little getting used to (you don't want to apply too much at once). In fact, I'd say that's one of the only cons to this "should be" staple. The only other thing I can think of is that it doesn't come in more than 3 scents (unscented, fig and coco mango), because once you try it you'll definitely want to get more than one. A word of warning, the Coco Mango scent may not be for those who are wearing tank tops or halters...you'll be hard pressed NOT to lick at your underarms!! LOL

Give Funk Butter a shot (if you've just shaved you may want to wait a day or two since your skin is irritated from the shaving). It's definitely worth the $4.50 it costs and it lasts for quite a while! Once you try it out come back and let me know what you thought.