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Chapter 7 – What Goes In Must Come Out. How Your Dog’s Diet Affects His Waste

It seems that Mother Nature came up with the rule that what comes in must come out and your dog is no different. What goes in must come out and it is not always pretty. In fact sometimes it can be down right scary.

If you dog’s food contains a lot of fiber, you will know. Their waste will be runny and large. Depending on certain foods your dog eats, the smell can vary from a little to a “oh my god what did you eat” smell that stays with you for a few minutes. My dog has some wicked ones, especially if he grabbed some food from my daughter. He can go about his business and five minutes later you can still smell the stench on him as he trailed it with him. Thankfully I never clean up my dogs business. I think that is a man’s job.

By watching what you feed your dog, and making sure they are on a balanced diet you can help make the process of them doing their business and you or whoever won the task of cleaning it up a lot more easier.

This is also why it is so important to keep your dog on a good feeding schedule. If they are on a feeding schedule they will also get on a good pooping schedule. Not only that but if they are eating a balanced diet, they will also get on a good schedule for doing their business. This is another reason why you want to avoid table scraps. Table scraps can make a dog have to go more often because of the problems some food can cause to your dogs stomach. The greasier the food, the worse it will be.

Of course there are going to be times when there are problems. Dogs can get diarrhea in younger dogs such as puppies who have not yet been vaccinated, you should call your vet right away. Diarrhea can mean your pet has contracted a virus such as the parvo virus which can be deadly to your pet. For older dogs, you might want to wait it out a day or so. There are many reasons for the cause of diarrhea in older dogs. If you switched your dogs food recently with out a transition this could be the cause of it. If you give your dog table scraps, stop immediately because more than likely that is what is causing the diarrhea. If your dog was outside he might have grazed on some grass and some sticks. All of these are common reasons your dog might have diarrhea.

The most common form of diarrhea is acute diarrhea. It can start suddenly and last a few days. As long as your dog is acting normal, and playing, you can treat it at home. Put you dog on a bland diet. This can be cooked meats like chicken or boil hamburger without any fat. You should give them about 1/3 of a cup. You can also give 2/3 of a cup of white rice or oatmeal. Try to keep away from oils and fats when your dog has diarrhea. If you want, you can go ahead and add some plain yogurt also. The key is to keep this up for a few days after the diarrhea has cleared up. If you dog is acting sick, dehydrated or has blood in his stool, then call your vet right away. More serious causes for diarrhea can be worms, and viruses.

I have had experience with diarrhea and my golden retriever. He got into the trash (another cause of diarrhea as you will see) and from what we gathered, ate some soiled paper towels. He woke up at 2:30 in the morning having to go out and then proceeded to wake up almost every hour on the hour having to go. We kept him on rice and chicken for the next 2 days and he was back to normal in no time.

If dogs can get diarrhea, then you better believe they can get constipated also. You can tell your dog is constipated if they are straining to go, and when they do they produce small round waste. The biggest culprit of constipation is not enough water. Your dog needs constant water, especially during those hot summer days. Make sure you always keep a bowl of fresh water out for your dog.

Another reason for constipation is waiting to much time before potty breaks. Some people feel that if they keep water from their dog during the day, they will not have to go to the bathroom as often. While technically this is true, they are also doing a job on their dog’s intestines. If you have changed your dogs diet or cut back on their food intake to help them lost some weight, it is probably a good idea to add some vegetables into their diet. This will help.

You can also use a little bit of Metamucil. Use about half a teaspoon twice a day and make sure he has plenty of water. A final suggestion is to give your dog a little milk. We have said before that dogs are lactose intolerant, but a few ounces might help them along and soften their stools.

A dog doing their business is a normal part of life for them, just like it is with us. Also just like with us, there are going to be times when our system gets a little whacked out and needs a few days to get back to normal. Most of the time diarrhea and constipation can be dealt with at home. If you ever have a concern or feel that your dog is not acting right, call your vet right away.

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Pamper Your Hair to Help Them Grow Faster

Today everyone has one question on their mind i.e. how to make hair grow faster?

Short hair is old-fashioned. Thick and long hair is now in vogue. In the prevailing scenario, everyone has one question on their mind i.e. How to make hair grow faster? Healthy hair requires an optimal delivery of oxygen to breathe and penetrate. Adequate supply of nutrients from the circulatory system to the hair follicle is required for hair to grow faster. Hair if deprived of natural vitamins, proteins, amino acids and other nutrients may lack fullness, strength and luster thus hurdling the route to hair growth.

Studies conducted earlier have stated that majority of the people are deficient in nutritional balance because of their busy lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. In order to keep pace with faster hair growth, a nutritional diet is mandatory. Increase the intake of green leafy vegetables in your diet. Drink plenty of water. This improves blood circulation to the scalp and hence helps hair grow faster.

Hormonal imbalances also hinder the way of hair growth. A hormonal byproduct known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) gradually shrinks the hair follicles making them become dormant. Use natural hair care products to fight DHT and improvise hair growth.

Gentle scalp massage twice or thrice a week promotes faster hair growth. Massaging scalp with almond or olive oil can supplement hair follicles with nutrients.

In case you are experiencing a sudden hair loss, keep in mind that it may be due to acute stress or intoxication of the body due to the intake of some toxic metals. Therefore, get awareness on the pros and cons of a medicine before consuming it. Try to live a stress free life by doing yoga or meditation. Rely on the natural method of eliminating stress from your life.

Do no be dependant on stress relieving medicines for this purpose.

Vitamins are essential for hair to grow faster. So, pamper your hair with vitamin enrich shampoo. Limit the use of hair creams and gels on your hair. Deciding the right hair care product is important. With the increasing concern for hair growth a number of hair care products are available in the market. It is advisable to authenticate the product before buying it. You can consult your dermatologist in this effort.

The occurrence of split ends is another stumbling stone in obstructing hair growth. Damaging of the protective part of hair called cuticle, results in the splitting of hair ends. As they cannot be repaired, get them removed.

Trim your hair at regular intervals to promote faster hair growth.

Mayonnaise and beer can effectively serve the purpose of a conditioner.

Using them once or twice a week on you hair can help replenish adequate moisture in hair.

A little care can help you get healthy and lustrous. Coddle your hair to help them grow faster.

Simple Scalp Exercise

A receding hairline is the most obvious sign of aging, being on the most prominent location. It is like falling leaves when autumn comes. That's why most of the middle and advanced aged people suffer from thinning hair.

And, to their constant chagrin, most male suffer from this misfortune.

Caring for your hair doesn't stop with washing and shampooing it. You have to pay equal attention to it in the same manner as you pay to other parts of your body. The hair needs nourishment just like the rest of your system to keep them in place and keep them from moving to your bathroom shower drain.

In your campaign for a healthier body most of the time the hair is not included. You work out every inch of your body, but not the hair. There are no exercises for it anyway, you might think. But decades ago, Sanford Bennett, became a celebrity for experiments that led to his physical rejuvenation at 70. Besides all the exercises he devised to make his face younger and his bodily muscles more robust, he also devised an exercise for a healthier and stronger scalp that could trigger the thicker growth of the hair.

To Bennett, the scalp, just like any other part of the body if exercised, would increase in strength and elasticity. This is because there are microscopic glands and muscles in the scalp. The law that applies in exercising the major muscles of the body also applies to those.

So how does it go? Alternately pull your hair in all directions and massage the scalp with the pads of your fingers while you lie in bed. This will improve the blood circulation and eventually feed the roots of the hair with the nutrients it needed. It also exercises the muscles in the scalp making the muscles stronger, which will logically hold the hair more strongly. And since the blood is pumped through the microscopic glands and muscles in the scalp, they are sure to increase in size, strength and elasticity. This naturally results in much fewer hair falling and healthier-looking hair.

One of the best refreshers for the hair ad the scalp is the alternate washing of hot and cold water. It also accelerates the blood circulation there. Wash the hair first with hot water, as hot as you can bear it. Then follow up with very cold water (but without using ice). Applying hot and cold towels alternately can be a good substitute. This procedure should be repeated at least five or six times.

Antioxidant Food Supplements

Antioxidant supplements play a protective role for our general health including the health of our hair. Antioxidants supplements are supposed to slow down the oxidation reactions which are brought about by the free radicals. The Free radicals are highly reactive unstable atoms generated in our body that can damage cells leading to a number of diseases and ageing.According to the Free-radical theory of aging, these highly reactive oxygen species (ROS), damage the DNA, proteins and other cellular structures like the cell membranes and cell organelles.

The reaction of free radicals within cells, and subsequent damage has been linked to a range of disorders and chronic diseases including cancer, arthritis, atherosclerosis, alzheimer's and diabetes and inflammatory conditions

Antioxidants are able to slow down or block these dangerous reactions in the body. They do it either by reacting with intermediates and halting the oxidation reaction directly. They react with the free radicals and prevent the oxidation reaction from occurring.

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Whether your child is leaving the toddler stage or is in the pre-teen years the Melissa & Doug deluxe magnetic responsibility chart is a great gift idea.

It also makes a unique present for aunts, uncles, and grandparents to give. There are many benefits of using a chart to track chores and daily routines. Kids will not have an excuse when their requirements are spelled out and organized by the day. They will always know what they need to do and when they need to do it.

Parents can use the chart to determine if rewards should be given or if kids have earned special privileges. When kids hear reminders over and over they tend to tune parents out. Having a special place to remind them of what they should be doing eliminates the need for constant reminders.

The product features a wood base and a magnetic surface for placing the responsibility and reward tags in the right place. It also includes a dry erase board. The board can be used for chores that are not listed or for motivational messages. It is adaptable to many different family situations.

Though the product is aimed toward younger children it can be used to communicate with older kids. The dry erase board will allow for specialized reminders. Many of the message magnets are applicable to both younger and older children. It is helpful for teaching younger kids to stick to a routine or schedule and may make doing some of the required activities more fun, when children compete with each other or try to earn points.

The product is designed as a case that opens and closes. It can be stored on a shelf and opened at the end of the day to record completed tasks. It can be opened and hung on a wall for families with multiple children. This is a good idea for families to keep track of the completed tasks without losing any of the parts of the kit.

Having a dry erase board means changing messages will be simpler and there is no water required for a clean surface. The product comes with a handle so it can be taken on trips or vacations. It can even go to grandma's house if kids are spending a few days away from home. The product is reasonably priced at under $20 and can be purchased online. It makes an excellent gift or a handy tool for moms and dads.

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CHRISTMAS - PINEAPPLE CHEESE BALL

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. of cream cheese
1 (8 1/2 oz.) can of crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups of chopped pecans
1/4 cup of chopped green pepper or 1/4 cup of chopped pimiento
2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt

Beat softened cheese with a fork. Stir in well drained pineapple, 1 cup pecans, pepper or
pimiento, onion and salt. Shape into 1 or 2 balls and roll in remaining pecans. Wrap and
store in refrigerator for 24 hours. Serve with assorted

VEGETABLE CHRISTMAS TREE

1 recipe Hidden Valley sour cream based dip
1 bunch fresh broccoli
1 head cauliflower
15 cherry tomatoes

Spread bottom of a large oblong Pyrex dish with dip. Cut broccoli flowerettes into short
pieces; cut cauliflower into bite size chunks. Clean one broccoli stalk for tree trunk.
Arrange broccoli into a tree shape on top of dip; stud with tomatoes and surround by
cauliflower.

CHRISTMAS CHEESE SPREAD

1 lb. of sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of chopped pecans
1 tablespoon of garlic
2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Shred cheese. Mix all ingredients, shape in mold, refrigerate. Remove from mold prior
to serving. Serve with crackers.

CHRISTMAS TREE SPREAD

8 oz. of extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon of chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon of grated onion
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
Chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of sliced pimiento, or cherry tomatoes
Chopped nuts

Combine cheeses, green pepper, onion, and Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Chill.
Arrange cheese mixture in Christmas tree shape. Sprinkle with parsley, dot with
pimiento or tomato "ornaments". Cover "trunk" with chopped nuts. Serve with crackers.

CHRISTMAS PICKLES

10 pickles, sliced thin
1 cup of green peppers
1 cup of red peppers
1/2 cup of onions, diced
1 cup of vinegar
2 cups of white sugar
1 tablespoon of mustard seed
1 tablespoon of dill seed
1 tablespoon of salt

Heat vinegar and sugar until it comes to boil. Do not boil. Cool and pour over pickles,
peppers and onions. Will keep without sealing for months in refrigerator.

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Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder

The Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder has different 40 individual grind settings. It is able to grind from fine to coarse. You can grind for the special coffee beverage you want with a gamut of repeatable and accurate grind settings. It has an accurate medium for coarse grinding with popular manual brew methods including Aeropress, Chemex, and Siphon. It is has an efficient motor that keeps the beans cool during the extended grind times. It combines gear and electric speed reducers, which slow the grinding to 450 RPM. This ensures you have reduced noisy, heat build-up and smooth bean feed.

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Features

• Innovative calibration system. With this system, you are assured of full range grind. It is possible to calibrate the grinders.
• Speed control. The grinder has a unique speed control by using combination of electric and gear speed reduction. It is able to control the burr rotation to 450 RPM.
• Cleaning. It comes with cleaning burrs that are easily removable without the use of tools. This makes the cleaning process quite easy.
• Great performance. The grinder is a great machine for manual brewing and making espresso. It is able to maximize freshness and minimize the ground coffee that is left in the grinder.

Pros

• Easy cleaning
• Good size
• Consistent results

Cons

• Paper filter

Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder Reviews

One of the recent customers who purchased the Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder said, “This is an amazing espresso machine that is very easy use. I love its consistent with the grounds. I have used it for several weeks are I am really satisfied with its performance.”

The Baratza Encore Conical Burr Coffee Grinder is designed to grind wide range of beans for a variety of beverages. It comes with paper filters.

Baratza Preciso Coffee Grinder 685

The Baratza Preciso Coffee Grinder 685 is an amazing espresso-grinding machine. It can also be used to grind beans needed by high demanding French press. It is able to deliver fine grinds in minimal time. It is estimated to be 2.4 times faster than the normal grinders and conical burr grinders. It has a micro adjust feature, which is adjusted by Preciso. The machine is easy to control and maintain. The grinder features a thermal safety. This ensures that your motor is kept in a good shape and thereby preventing overheating.

Baratza Preciso Coffee Grinder 685 Features

• Precise control. Users are assured of total control over the machine. This is made possible with the intuitive controls and buttons. You also have control over the coffee with 440 distinct steps.
• Removable burrs. The machine features burrs and comes with a bristle brush. This aids the cleaning process of this grinder.
• Thermal Safety. This device ensures that your motor is maintained in a good shape. This prevents overheating which can result to explosion.
• Durable. This is a long lasting machine made from tough materials. It can be used for many years before replacing it.

Pros

• Excellent grounds retention
• Easy to use
• Easy to use

Cons

• Poor resolution

Baratza Preciso Coffee Grinder 685 Reviews

One of the recent customers who purchased the Baratza Preciso Coffee Grinder 685 said, “I have been using the machine for two months now. I am able to make fine adjustments. It is very sturdy and easy to clean. The build quality is quite good and I am sure the machine will last for many years.”

The Baratza Preciso Coffee Grinder 685 is highly rated on the market. This is attributed to its high performance and excellent features.

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1 - WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE MADE BY BEGINNING DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS?

Trying to load 35mm film into the camera's SD card slot. But seriously, folks, the biggest mistake made by beginning digital photographers is assuming that this latest stage of photographic technology will correct *ALL* of the hurdles faced by generations of film photographers coming before them. Granted, advancements in sensing technology and lens control simplify much of the labor in setting up basic shots, but even the most advanced digital camera cannot suggest composition, dramatic lighting or mood behind capturing a striking photo.

2 - HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHERE AND ON WHAT TO SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A DIGITAL CAMERA?

THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND REVIEWS ARE NEARLY COUNTLESS AND USUALLY ONLY AGREE ON THE “TOP OF THE LINE” ITEM AS THEIR PICK. THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!

A better way, if you haven't done this already, is to start by making a list of your needs in a camera, especially the most elemental need: will you be carrying your new camera in a bag or a pocket? I have a small pocket camera that has many unique features, but doesn't have the all the "bells-and-whistles" that my full- sized SLR camera body offers. Determining simple needs like time-exposure, close-up, external flash control and portability can save you hundreds of dollars and help you avoid a bad case of buyer's remorse.

3 - HOW DO I DECIDE IS A PICTURE IS WORTH TAKING?

Before digital cameras became affordable for the consumer market, choosing what photos to take was a matter of finances and processing time. Everyone envied the contributing photographers for glossy magazines that had deep enough pockets to afford taking a hundred exposures to get that one keeper for the cover. Digital photography has made it economically feasible for the amateur photographer to feel more relaxed and experiment by taking numerous exposures and sort through them quickly without the long processing time. Should you take the photo? Take 3!

4 - HOW DO I GET THE WHITE BALANCE RIGHT?

For most situations the auto white balance on your camera does a good job, but there are times when it doesn't work as well. If your camera has preset white balance settings, you can work with them to get the result you want. If you still don't get the right shot, try to manually set the white balance. Change the camera settings to manual or custom white balance, then point the camera at something white or gray -- a white/gray card or t-shirt -- filling the screen completely with that card or shirt, and pressing the White Balance button on your camera (if you have one). Make sure the white that you focus on is not in the shadows, and is illuminated by the artificial light of the room. If you can't get the results you want, try using the raw file format available on some advanced cameras. This takes the pictures without any automatic enhancements. The pictures can be adjusted in your photo program later.

5 - HOW DO YOU TAKE CLEAR SHOTS FOR INDOOR SPORTS?

The main key in shooting sports is speed. You MUST have a quick shutter speed in order to freeze the action. You can get try it with a slower shutter speed, but you will have follow the subject with the camera as you're taking the picture, and this can lead to very unpredictable results. To get the best results, set the ISO to the highest setting -- 400-800. That's like using fast film in a 35 MM camera and works better in low lighting. Action photos are difficult because of the delay in the shutter release and in recording the picture. If your camera has a rapid fire mode, then you'll want to set it to that.

6 - WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES OF RAW VS. JPEG FORMAT PHOTOGRAPHS?

When you take a picture in a jpeg format, the camera does things to it before it's saved. The image sensor converts analog to digital, adds any specifications that were made, like white balance, sharpening, contrast, image effect, digital zoom, etc. After all of that is done, the image is saved to the memory card.

In a lot of cases, that is the best way to go, because the camera is very smart about interpreting the surroundings and adding the right specifications. A raw file format is the unprocessed data file that is captured by the camera's image sensor before any specifications are applied. This can be very helpful to have when the camera doesn’t interpret the light or the images the way you want it to. If you don't get the results you want with the settings you've made for a picture, you can take a raw picture and not have anything "added" to the image. The picture can then be edited in your photo editor to get the look that you want, rather than having to adjust from the settings made to a jpeg image.

In the picture below, the top photo was taken in auto jpeg mode and the bottom picture was taken as a raw format. The top has better lighting but less detail. The bottom is darker but has greater detail.

7 - WHAT ARE THE BEST SETTINGS FOR LOW LIGHT/NIGHTTIME CONDITIONS?

A setting of ISO 800 works best in low lighting situations but given the lighting sources, could increase the background noise. A tripod or a very steady hand helps when shooting at a slower shutter speed in low light, also. Some helpful settings to try are: