Fit Women Live Longer

The strongest, best-coordinated, fastest older women
with the most endurance live the longest. French women over
the age of 75 were tested to see how fast they could walk
(speed), how many chair stands they could do (endurance), how
well they could balance themselves (coordination), and the
pressure of their handgrip (strength). Women at the low end of
scores for the total of the four tests and for each test were at
increased risk for dying in the next four years (European Journal
of Epidemiology, Volume 21, 2006).

Strength, speed, endurance and coordination are
measures of fitness, determined by how active you are and how
much exercise you get. What you do now is more important than
what you did in your younger years. More than fifty years ago, a
study showed that college football players die younger than their
non-athletic classmates. Data acquired many years later showed
that some hormones, such as insulin-like growth factor-1, help
muscles and bones to grow and make a person a better athlete.
However, these same hormones cause fat cells to fill with fat
which increases a person's chances of suffering diabetes and
heart attacks. Obesity is a major risk factor for premature death.
If athletes continue to exercise and do not become overweight in
their later years, they probably are not at increased risk for
premature death.

Any type of exercise can help to control your weight and
protect your health. However, out-of-shape people are the ones
at highest risk for sudden death during exercise. If you are out of
shape, ask your doctor to give you a nuclear stress test to
determine your susceptibility to heart damage during exercise. If
you pass the test, you should start a supervised exercise
program today.

Subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition, and get my Fitness & Sports eBook free!

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports -- and the FREE Good Food Book -- at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Christmas Party Invitations and Your Holiday Songs For the Celebrations

Christmas Carols for Your Christmas Party Invitations

Christmas songs are among the most notable things about the winter holiday season. A holiday song such as "Silent Night" can be enthralling to hear in a church or as a Christmas Carol sung by children, family, or neighbors. Christmas music helps get people into the spirit of the season and remind them that Christmas is not just about spending money on presents. The good news is those holiday songs can also be the perfect inspiration for Christmas party invitations.

Singing Christmas Carols

Probably no part of music stands out as much as singing carols. In fact, hosts could send out invitations to others asking them to join the host for a caroling event. To set the mood, the host can print lyrics right in the invites thanks to the ability to add their own message to the cards at Holiday Invitations. The service is just one more reason why so many customers choose the site for their holiday stationery needs. Nothing puts someone more in the holiday mood than a beautiful holiday song.

Enjoying Xmas Songs

Local church or school choirs often perform some of the beautiful songs during the winter holiday season and they usually encourage the public to attend, either for free or for a small donation, and hear them sing songs inspired. It is also a great idea for hosts who are throwing a small gathering during the winter holiday season to invite everyone to attend a performance of holiday songs as part of the event.

Song Inspiration for Christmas Party Invitations

Most people have a favorite holiday song. Maybe they recall singing "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" when they were young or maybe they used to hear "Away in a manger" being sung in church the night before opening their presents. Whichever song a person's favorite is, that song could be an inspiration for the invitations party or gathering. Online sites offer a wide range of stationery selections that will remind customers of their favorite holiday song. Choosing a favorite song for the season might be challenging since so many are available but once the season begins escaping those tunes will be harder than deciding which is a favorite.

Choosing Christmas Party Invitation

Not only is the song important for the holidays and for the event, but the Christmas party invitation needs to inspire family and friends to come together and enjoy the holiday season fully. With holiday party invites from online sites, the host can not only choose from a wide selection of song-inspired Christmas parties invitations but can also save money in the process. Customers receive 10 FREE Cards with each order they place at the web site. Of course, there are other good reasons to choose the site, including the customization options such as being able to add a photograph or to choose the perfect ink color for the message.

About the Author: You will find lots more about Personalized Christmas Party Invitations and Online Christmas Cards written by Sarah Porter for may websites including Invitations-Shoppe, Holiday-Invitations, CardsShoppe and More!

Fat Thighs May Be Good For You

Do you hate your heavy thighs and hips? If you are woman who is thinking about getting liposuction to rid yourself of the fat in your thighs, think again. Dr. Anne B. Newman, of the University of Pittsburgh found that thigh fat may be good fat (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, August 12, 2005).

Older women with lots of fat in their thighs are at much lower risk for ''metabolic syndrome," a condition associated with high blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure that increase risk for diabetes and heart disease. The bad fat appears to be stored in the abdomen and wraps around organs. In post-menopausal women, heavy thighs and buttocks are associated with lower triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure. However, women who also stored lots of fat in their bellies lost much of their advantage.

We aren't sure how thigh fat prevents disease. It may be a receptacle that draws triglycerides and other fats from the bloodstream or it may draw fat from the abdomen and around organs where it could be lethal. Sadly, there is no way to store fat only in the belly or thighs. When you gain weight, you add fat everywhere. But it's safer to look like a pear than an apple.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

Powerful Thoughts

In 1881, the New York YWCA's proposed typing lessons for woman brought protests citing "the female constitution would break down under the strain." I wonder how many women believed that and didn't sign up? Or how many would-be-travelers listened when "experts" determined that riding a speeding train of fifteen miles an hour would cause them to suffocate in tunnels as blood spurted from their noses? These incorrect thoughts are amusing now. But, don't laugh too hard. We have plenty of our own that limit progress and hold us back.

Once Roger Bannister ran a mile under four minutes, proving that the human heart could hold up when running that fast, others quickly followed. And once Olympic champion, Vasily Alexeev broke the weight lifting barrier of 500 pounds, other weight-lifters broke his record knowing it was possible. Yet before he could do it himself, Alexeev's trainers changed his limiting belief by rigging 501.5 pounds of weights to look like 499.

Our thoughts are powerful. What we belief to be true, often is. One of my favorite stories involves an elementary school teacher who was delighted the first day of school to see what a smart class she'd been given. Next to each child's name were numbers like 138, 140, 154. Taking these numbers as the students' IQs, the teacher worked extra hard to challenge the class. By the end of the year, the progress was remarkable. It was then that she discovered the numbers weren't their IQs but their lockers.

Are your thoughts limiting or invigorating? Self-restricting or self-empowering? Think it's impossible and you'll build your own walls. Think you can't and you set yourself up for a self-fulfilling result. Think you can and your thinking can help make it happen. Take Florence Griffith-Joyner who wrote in her diary before the l988 Olympic Games that she would win the 100-meter dash in 10:54 seconds. She did win in exactly 10:54 seconds. That's because thoughts can determine reality.

Years ago, I told a friend about a promotion that would take me from what I knew into a new discipline. She quickly responded, "Nan, how could you say yes? You won't know what you're doing." It surprised me. I'd never thought of saying anything other than yes. "I'll figure it out," I told her. And I did. My thinking told me I could figure things out. Her thinking told her she couldn't. That difference played out in our careers.

People who are winning at working understand there's power to their thoughts. Power to bring results, create realities and banish walls. Power to overcome challenges, eliminate barriers and achieve what others only dream. Want to be winning at working? Power your thoughts to positively impact your future.

(c) 2005 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

Sign up to receive Nan's free biweekly eColumn at http://www.winningatworking.com Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. She has held leadership positions in Human Resource Development, Communication, Marketing and line Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford University and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Currently working on her first book, Winning at Working: 10 Lessons Shared, Nan is a columnist, writer and speaker. Visit http://www.nanrussell.com or contact Nan at info@nanrussell.com

Women in the Bible (20-Part Series) #2 - Eve (The Rib)

Let's talk about Eve. Her story will take two of these short articles. Next time we'll discuss the 'Fall'. Today, we'll talk about the Rib.

First of all, the Hebrew word that is translated as 'Adam' is actually a gender-neutral word that means 'a creature of earth'. In other words, Adam was initially created neither Male nor Female.

The creature was placed in the Garden and given only one restriction - not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Adam lived a quiet, comfortable, and all but purposeless life in the Garden, tending the flora and distributing names to the animals. But God saw that Adam was alone with no emotional life, no struggle, no tension. So God decided to put Adam to sleep and separate it into Male and Female in order to provide an emotionally meaningful life for humanity.

The Hebrew word tsela appears many times in the Bible. With one exception it is translated as 'side', typically referring to the side walls of important structures such as the Tabernacle. On one occasion only, here in Genesis, tsela is translated as 'rib'.

This unique translation has had devastating repercussions.

But if we give the word the same meaning that it has on every other occasion, the story makes more sense. God took one side of the composite creature and out of this he made Eve, the woman, and the other side became Adam, the man - where neither had existed before. The 'One' has become 'Two', and there is nothing in this description to indicate anything but perfect equality.

The isolation of one human creature can now be replaced with a new form of wholeness that is attainable through erotic longing and love between two individuals.

One possible reason for the early translator's choice of the word 'rib' in this one place is that by taking a rib God revealed the Heart of the creature, analogous to opening Pandora's box, thus bringing emotions (which are universally symbolized by the Feminine) into the realm of human life. Like Pandora's story, this is where pain and difficulty enter the world, but also joy and meaning, and only then do mortal beings become moral beings with the ability to make choices and mistakes, and thus to grow and evolve.

Even if we retain the word 'rib' as the translation of tsela, we see that this rib did not come from a previously created male, thereby suggesting some sort of primacy for the 'man'. On the contrary, the rib came from a previously created earth creature of no gender. And in fact, the Woman was created before the Man!

Next time we'll talk about Eve a bit more and see that her role in the 'Fall' as been horribly misconstrued.

About the Author

Dr. Andrew Cort is the author of Love, Wisdom and God, The Sacred Quest in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and The American Psyche in Search of its Soul. Come find out more about the meaning of Biblical and Mythological Symbolism at his website http://www.andrewcort.com and receive a Free Report: Reconciling Science and Religion.

South American Soccer

Argentina

Did you know- Soccer was introduced as an official sport in the First Pan American Games - Latin America's largest multi-sports event-- in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1951. The host country's team won the Pan American title. They are the most successful squad in the men's soccer event in the Pan American Games.

Bolivia

Did you know- By 1983 the Under-20 South American Championships were held in Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and La Paz. The local team placed fourth, behind Brazil (winner), Argentina (runner-up) and Uruguay. Despite to this, Bolivia did not compete in the IX Pan American Games in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. By 1997, La Paz, the nation's sporting capital, hosted the South American Tournament. In the final, the local squad lost 3-1 to Brazil, which had won the FIFA World Championship in 1994.

Brazil

Did you know- Surprisingly the Brazilian squad did not win an Olympic medal at the 21st Summer Games in North America in the mid-1970s, in one of the most disappointing results in its history. In the first round, in Toronto (Canada), the team of Brazil defeated Spain 2-1, and then tied with East Germany 0-0. In the quarter finals, they routed Israel 4-1. Subsequently, Poland beat Brazil 2-0. Finally, in the bronze medal-game, the Brazilian squad lost 2-0 to the Soviet Union. The Olympic players were Carlos Gallo, Rosemiro Correa de Souza, Roberto Franqueira, Edino Nazareth Filho, Leo Lins Gama Junior, Alberto Marquez, Mario dos R. Emiliano, Joao Batista da Silva, Eudes Medeiros, Erivelto Joao dos Santos, Mauro de Campos Junior, Julio C. da Silva Gurjol, Francisco Fraga da Silva, Jarbas Tomazoli Nunes, Edual T. da Costa, and Jose Pessanha. Curiously Brazil will be host to the 2016 Olympic Games.

Chile

Did you know- The Chilean Olympic Committee sent soccer players to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Holland. Chile was one of the four Latin American teams in the Olympic Tournament, together with Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico.

Ecuador

Did you know- Between February 15 and March 8, 1981, the Under-20 South American Tournament was held Ecuador. Uruguay was the champion, followed in order by Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia.

Peru

Did you know- At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin (Germany), the Peruvian football squad ranked 7 of 16 countries, behind Italy (winner), Austria (silver medal), Poland (bronze medal), Norway, Great Britain, and Germany (host county). In the first round, the South American squad had defeated Finland 7-3. However Peru withdrew after a disagreement with Germans.

Alejandro Guevara Onofre: Freelance writer. Alejandro is author of a host of articles/essays about over 220 countries and dependencies (and American States as well), from ecology, history, tourism and national heroes to Olympic sports, foreign relations, and wildlife. In addition, he has published some books on women's rights, among them "History of the Women in America" and "Famous Americans."

Positive Women - What Causes Overwhelm in Women Today? 6 Categories For You to Examine

There are six life categories that contribute to "overwhelm" in today's woman and learning the causes and simple solutions are critical to keeping (or developing) a positive attitude and outlook.

6 Things That Cause Overwhelm:

1. Family: It may be your aging, ill or just plain irritating parents or your own husband and children who all have lives you are a part of and must keep up with.


2. Dating: Just saying the word can stress us out because we've all had good experiences that didn't last as well as bad ones that did.


3. Work: If you are a corporate woman, you have many responsibilities as well as coworkers you only put up with because you're paid to. If you are an entrepreneur, not only do you have responsibilities but there is no regular paycheck, schedule or boundaries unless you really know what the heck you're doing!


4. Health: Every positive woman must work out 3-4 times per week even if it is my favorite workout that only takes 15 minutes and is fun to look forward to. When you have health issues or loved ones do, it diminishes your physical, mental and emotional strength and that in its self is overwhelming.


5. Finances: Yikes! This is the cause of much of the overwhelm women experience and affects all aspects of our lives from grocery shopping to buying clothes for the kids to paying the mortgage or going to a movie with a girlfriend. This is why many women, still today, seek a mate for the sole purpose of achieving financial peace of mind.


6. Beliefs: Your spirituality will carry you through the darkest tunnels and up the steepest hills but if you haven't found your spiritual place yet, your beliefs can tear you down to nothing, weighing on every cell of your being without you really identifying what is bothering you.

There are 3 simple tips to dealing with overwhelm I will address in my next article and although simple is not synonymous with easy, they work together to make a positive woman's life much more successful and fun!

To be more positive, empowered, successful, and have greater peace of mind, I invite you to visit http://PositiveWomenRock.com/gift where you will receive audio and pdf versions of "3 Reasons Positive Women Excel at Everything" and invitations to TeleWomenars - empowering conversations for women.

Submitted by Kelly Rudolph, Creator of PositiveWomenRock

Watch Body Affirming TV Like "How to Look Good Naked" - Tip 14 - Be Curvy and Confident at Any Size

For a plus size woman, it's not easy living in our fast fix, thin is in media driven, pluck and tuck, chop and drop, diet obsessed society. Most women struggling with excess weight find themselves stuck in a private body war, playing body comparison games with every gal they see. Almost certain that they've drawn the shorter stick, they feel miserable about themselves. This plays out in food and weight obsession, "not being in the mood", feeling overwhelmed by mental and/or physical clutter, "doormat syndrome", avoiding social activities, fear of intimacy, low sex drive, trust issues, risk avoidance, and a general lack of confidence, not to mention how it undermines the very foundation of the entire family.

With their body image in tatters and self image worn to a frazzle, many accomplished and powerful women suffer silently resenting their mirrors, fearing their scales and hating their bodies, wishing they were thinner. Research shows that nearly 4 out 5 American American women today say they hate their bodies. That's 80% of the female population in the entire United States. Are you one of them? If you are, I have a great body image booster blast for you!

60 Minute Self Image Makeover - Lifetime Reality TV's, "How to Look Good Naked"

Good News, America! Lifetime television has a fabulous hit reality TV series, called "How to Look Good Naked" (HTLGN) Originally created in the UK, it became a whirlwind hit, and came to the U.S. Enter Carson Kressley, an openly gay man, who is a professional stylist and fashion designer to the stars. He is a former co-host of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and an actor whose delightfully playful attitude and approach to empowering women and coaching them to love their bodies makes him the perfect host of Lifetime's new show Take it from me, girl. This is a 60 minute self image makeover guaranteed to leave you feeling all tingly inside, because it will make you question all the irrational beliefs that you have about your body.

It focuses on creating an internal transformation by guiding women to see themselves differently, and enabling them to shed their old negative fat and ugly self images. When I saw the show I was moved to tears. Feeling inspired to share the women's stories with my readers, I contacted several of the show contributors (nominees) and asked to interview them.

The plan for the show is that over the course of 5 days, each woman learns how to dress to flatter her body type, find the right foundation undergarments to give her a great shape, and gets her makeup and hair done for maximum impact. Each episode celebrates the transformation with a glamorous Hollywood style photo shoot in which the women not only accept what they see in the mirror, but flaunt it, naked.

In my opinion, these women are real role models and incredibly brave to be willing to go on national television and share so much of themselves, opening up and exposing their vulnerabilities, letting other women know they are not alone. To inspire and encourage my readers, I've included their interviews in my upcoming book, "Lovin' the Skin You're In." The following is an excerpt of Shannon's story:

So Many Sighs Over Her Big, Fat Thighs -"I was so embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit." - Shannon

Shannon Flores is 29 years old. She's a beautiful, curvaceous plus size woman who lives in sunny California with her husband, Jeremy and four children, Ryan, Samantha, Kaitlyn and Kyra. Although she has a pool in her back yard, prior to being on HTLGN, she never used to enjoy it because she was embarrassed to be seen by her husband or the neighbors in her bathing suit. After having four children, back to back, she says, "my chest just drooped. My hips got bigger. My thighs got larger. My butt got bigger. It seemed like every part of my body just fell apart, and it's not fun what babies do to your body."

Keeping Herself Tightly Closed in a Box

Like so many other women, as a busy wife and mom, Shannon put everyone else before her. Hiding behind oversized, drab and dull mommy clothes, she refused to spend money on anything new, hoping to one day get thinner. Taunted by her own negative self talk for years, Shannon tortured herself by focusing on her imperfections. Avoiding mirrors, bathing suits and anything revealing her curvy body, Shannon admits to not being as physical with her husband as she'd like to be, saying, "It definitely put a damper on our relationship. And with lights off, I still felt uncomfortable." Keeping herself tightly closed in a box. She knew that she wasn't really living and admitted to being ashamed and disgusted with her body, not wanting her husband to really see her naked. So she nominated herself to be on the show.

The Transformation

In our interview Shannon candidly shared with me, "when they stuck that picture of my body on that truck and they asked everybody, "What do you see? What do you see? Not one of them said, "You know she's perfect. She's got a model's body. Because I don't. But they pointed out the good things. Look at her eyes. Look at her skin color. Look at this. Look at that. And I started realizing, I'm not half bad. My body is more than my thighs. That's not the point that everyone is looking at. " So I started realizing that I need to start looking at life that way too. I need to start looking at all the positive things, even if they're little. I just need to point out those and start focusing more on those."

Now Shannon enjoys her pool at least twice a week, either to swim or sunbathe, saying, "I don't care. I walk around in my front yard with my bathing suit. Life is way too short to be concerned about what other people think about me. After gaining back 30 of the 60 pounds that she lost on Weight Watchers, following the birth of her last child, she says, "I'm pretty good. I feel great. I look good and I'm not going to put anymore effort into trying to lose weight. When I asked her what her special advice to women who are in the spot now where she was before, she said, "Just feel good with who you are in the moment, right now."

Here are a few fashion tips that Shannon shared with me and some extras from the How to Look Good Naked website. Follow these tips if you want to be more curvy and confident at any size:

Be Daring - Try on everything. If you see something that you like, take a chance and try it on. You'll never know what you're missing if you just stay stuck in the same rut.

Educate yourself - Look for clothes on women shaped like you that you admire. Watch shows like How to Look Good Naked and What Not to Wear to get ideas for how to buy clothes to accent and highlight your body type.

Piece by Piece Build a wardrobe of separates. Similar to renovating a house, shopping is a process. It's always a work in progress.

Accentuate the positive Carson suggested to highlight a small waist and large hips, by wearing fitted jackets that tie around the waist, and and for short women like Shannon, to aim for jackets to just cover the hips or cropped shorter.

For hourglass figures - Wear a wrap dress to accentuate your curves, knee-high boots with jeans will give your body more length and balance your curvy hips. To define a small waist, choose tailored shirts with V-necks

For plus size women - Choose monochromatic outfits to create a long, slenderizing effect. Wear skirts that taper in, then flare at the hem to balance you. Draw attention to the center of your body by wearing bright tops under jackets. Try on clothes that are different shapes and colors.

For a Bust with Bam! - To compliment your curves and create balance use scoop necks to draw focus away from the bust, high armholes on jackets to create a more balanced, slimmer silhouette, and wear delicate necklaces that end just at the top of the cleavage

For Big Arms - Wear open-neck wrap tops to flatter the cleavage and waist area. Three-quarter-length sleeves show only the thinnest part of the arm. Jackets with puffed shoulders ease armholes for a roomier fit.

For Full Fannied Gals - Buy fitted jackets that end just above the widest part of your leg. Wear tops in bright colors with beautiful detailing to draw the eye upwards, Avoid jeans with small back pockets that'll make your butt appear bigger, Wear belts low to create an illusion of a smaller butt, Choose A-line skirts with natural waists to flatter your figure.

For more information on this fabulous, and fun self image makeover in 60 minutes, I encourage you to watch the show. If you can't find it in your local listings, run, don't walk, and go directly to http://www.carsonkressley.com You can download entire episodes on iTunes. There are also some that you can watch for free.

And to learn more about how to how to make peace with food and friends with your body go to http://www.thejuicywoman.com and learn the strategies I use every day to be curvy and confident at any size

From Andrea Amador - The Juicy Woman

Women in the Bible (20-Part Series) #5 - Hagar

Despite several promises from God, Sarah was getting old and had still not had a child. She had an Egyptian servant named Hagar, whom she had raised herself, and according to the accepted custom of the times she said to Abraham, "Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a son through her." According to Hebrew legends, Hagar was herself a princess, a daughter of Pharaoh, who had been given to Abraham and Sarah to give her a better life.

So Abraham and Hagar spent a night together and she conceived. At first everyone was happy, but the pregnant Hagar soon began to treat the barren Sarah scornfully, reversing their roles and trying to increase her own importance, and Sarah complained to Abraham. He told her to do whatever she thought was right. She started treating Hagar harshly and Hagar ran away.

But God sent an angel to find her, and when the angel found her near a well (which always signifies a source of divine truth) he told her she must return home and put up with Sarah's treatment. But he promised her that God had heard her cries, and that through her son, who was to be named 'Ishmael', she would be the mother of a race of great warriors. Satisfied, Hagar responded joyfully, "The Lord has seen me!" She named the well 'Beer-lahai-roi' which means 'the well of the Living One who sees me", and then she returned to Sarah.

Thirteen years later, when Sarah was 99 years old, she gave birth to Isaac. Once again, a conflict arose between Hagar and Sarah. This time, Sarah became worried that Hagar's son Ishmael was going to share the inheritance she wanted exclusively for Isaac, so she told Abraham to cast them out! Abraham consulted God, and God told him to obey Sarah but not to worry - God would take care of them and Ishmael would father a great nation.

Abraham gave them supplies of food and water, and mother and son left. Soon the water ran out, and Hagar wandered away from Ishmael, not wanting to see him die. But again, God sent an angel to find her, and to open her eyes so that she saw yet another well which sustained her and Ishmael in the wilderness.

Hebrew legends confirm that Abraham loved his eldest son and visited him often during his long life.

Why this conflict between Hagar and Sarah? Remember, this is a symbolic inner story. Women in the Bible represent Emotions. Both of these women are called 'princesses', which means they certainly represent positive attributes. But Sarah represents emotions from the highest, most sacred part of the soul: Sarah comes from Canaan, the Promised Land. Hagar is a child of the Ego; she comes from biblical 'Egypt', which signifies the material level of the soul, the level of illusions. Now Abraham is the Bible's great personification of Mercy and Loving-kindness, the highest qualities of a human being. But it is possible for loving-kindness to go too far, becoming undisciplined, and generous-to-a-fault. Sarah is once again protecting Abraham, this time from himself! Hagar and Ishmael represent very high level qualities, but they are worldly qualities, not spiritual qualities, and Abraham must not become too attached to them. Ishmael is a great and powerful warrior - a man of this world. The name 'Hagar' means 'stranger' - she is a stranger in Canaan, where it was completely inappropriate for her to try to reverse roles with Sarah and make herself superior. This, of course, is exactly what her father, the Ego, tried to do to Abraham when Abraham and Sarah were in his palace. So, Sarah is once again protecting Abraham and making sure that lower influences do not take advantage of him and usurp his authority.

About the Author

Dr. Andrew Cort is the author of Love, Wisdom and God, The Sacred Quest in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and The American Psyche in Search of its Soul. Come find out more about the meaning of Biblical and Mythological Symbolism at his website www.andrewcort.com and receive a Free Report: Reconciling Science and Religion

Best Jeans For Curvy Women - CJ by Cookie Johnson Versus PZI Jeans

Only in the past couple of years has the fashion industry seen the likes of stylish denim jeans made for women with curvy figures. Now the meaning of the word "curvy" in everyday speech may be up for debate, but in the eyes of the fashion industry, it means women who have relatively small waists in proportion to their hips and thighs. If you've ever heard of "body typing," then this means your average pear shaped or hourglass figure. Currently, there are only two major brands of curvy jeans: PZI Jeans and CJ by Cookie Johnson Jeans. Sure, some companies like Gap or Levi's produce one style of "curvy jean," but these brands pale in comparison to the variety of styles you can find from the two companies listed below:

PZI Jeans

PZI Jeans sets itself apart from the competition by being the first entire line devoted to creating jeans that fit shapely women's bodies. If you often struggle to find jeans that fit around your ample hips and thighs, these jeans are made with your body type in mind. For this reason alone, PZI has a loyal patronage of women who will tell you that these jeans fit and flatter their curvaceous bodies. Now in terms of styles available, the question to ask here isn't whether you can find skinny jeans, cropped jeans, or wide leg jeans for curvy women, but rather what style of jeans CAN'T you find by shopping PZI Jeans? Within their collection of skinny jeans alone, there are over 10 different styles to choose from. Also no matter if you're short or tall, you can order jeans with the correct inseam length.

CJ by Cookie Johnson Jeans

CJ by Cookie Johnson was perhaps the second sole fashion denim line to dress women with curvy figures. Originally created by former basketball superstar, Magic Johnson's wife, these jeans also offer tons of stretch to fit voluptuous figures with larger hips and thighs. TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey featured these jeans as one of her "favorites" on the Oprah show after CJ by Cookie Johnson launched in 2009. No doubt, these jeans are a direct competitor with PZI Jeans. Despite all of the accolades (and who wouldn't want an endorsement from Oprah Winfrey!), PZI Jeans still has a "leg up" on the competition by having a wider range of available styles. CJ by Cookie Johnson also lacks the ability to purchase jeans in short, tall, or extra tall.

All things considered, it looks like PZI Jeans win the current Battle for Best Jeans for Curvy Women due to more contemporary styles to choose from and a more affordable price tag. PZI Jeans are much more affordable than CJ by Cookie Johnson - compare an $80 vs $140-$150 price tag, respectively. PZI Jeans are sold in major department stores, such as Macy's, but you can also order all of their styles online. CJ by Cookie Johnson is currently sold in Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus department stores, as well as some online retailers like Amazon. Maybe over time, CJ by Cookie Johnson will expand its line to rival that of PZI Jeans, but as of now, the 5 years of extra experience in the fashion industry has PZI Jeans winning the title of best jeans for curvy women, hands down.

According to recent surveys, the majority of women struggle with finding jeans that fit and flatter. You don't have to be one of them! Please visit Jeans for Curvy Women for your guide to finding your best-fitting best jeans for curvy women!

Women Who Have Their Own Internet Business - Why and How They Do It

The term 'homemaker' is not what it used to be. In today's economy, many families find it hard to survive on a single income. Many mothers cherish their role as parent. For some, business challenges offer an escape hatch to child rearing which omits intellectual stimulation.

Partnering these concerns with a home based internet business is the answer for many women who feel this way.

Here's why:

1) Family Priorities: Moms want to raise their children and not delegate that role. A loving mom doesn't want to miss a thing from first baby steps to the first day of school. Studies have raised concerns about the impact of outsourced childcare on kids.

2) Money: It is possible to make as much money from home as it is at the traditional office. Access to the internet is making that a reality for women.

3) Low Overhead: No more commuting expenses. No more work clothes. A tax deduction for your home office expenses. The top reason is that a start up internet business does not require a lot of capital. It can be based almost entirely on desire and sweat equity!

4) Balance: You get to be your own boss and meet expectations that you set. You can work at your own pace and you set your own deadlines.

5) Experience: You can start from the bottom and work your way up. Internet businesses are unprecedented: they level the playing field for newcomers from various backgrounds. The renowned marketing guru, Mike Dillard, was once waiting tables!

Because of the unbelievable reach made possible by the internet, opportunities are without limit. Profitability can be achieved much faster than traditional businesses and build exponentially.

Here's how:

• 
  Affiliation: The affiliate business model is a great place to start. This structure offers a pre-determined market and quick return for promoting products or services. You don't need to recreate the wheel, just let


• 
  Information: Teaching others what you already know can offer another strong possibility. If you like to cook, share your favorite recipes in an eBook. Prepare video tutorials from your kitchen 'office." Build a club to exchange information and insider secrets. This technique can be applied to other areas of expertise as well.


• Blogging: Many are unaware of the untapped potential of blogging. Buy a strong domain name with hosting to get started. Select your target niche, do your homework and plan your release schedule thoughtfully. With continuous marketing and link building, you can make it work.

Women who have their own internet business can work from home but they don't have to. They can work from anywhere. A laptop and Wi-Fi access are all it takes. Your online business works 24-7 for you.

You know why to do it and now you understand how to do it.

Women are taking the online business world by storm because they can!

For more information for women who want their own internet business, check out http://www.maestromom.com

To learn how you too can build your home based business, please visit http://www.masestrocasa.com

Home Based Business For Women - How Women Can Run a Successful Business From Home

Are you a house wife? Do you know that you can run a successful business from home and make thousands of dollars every month? Let me first show you few women who are making thousands of dollars every month.

a. Rosalind Garner of netprofitstoday.com: Rosalind Garner makes thousands of dollars every month by promoting affiliate products. You need not have a huge office and thousands of employees to earn this kind of money.

b. Aileen Siroy of aileensiroy.com: She started online business about her passion, photography. Within no time she could successfully start driving traffic to her site. She now offers photography services by covering weddings, conferences, kids parties, events etc...

So, it is not really difficult for women to run a business from home. To run a successful online business,

1. You need to have a product: Firstly, you need to have a product to market it. A product can be an ebook, a website, a service etc. For example, if you are an expert at cooking, you can start a blog which offers cooking recipes and tips, make an ebook and sell it to your subscribers.

So, the opportunities are innumerable.

2. Market it: Even if you have a world-class product your business can not sustain if you can not generate sales. So marketing plays an important role. But with more and more people becoming internet savvy, it is quite possible to market a product of almost any niche. Check out few marketing ideas here.

Let us assume that you have started a blog on cooking.

a. Make a video while preparing different dishes.

b. Upload the video in your blog and in YouTube. I am sure that this method can alone send a 1000 visitors to your site.

c. Search Facebook group that talk about cooking. Become a member of such groups and promote your site. Create a Facebook fan page and upload your videos there.

d. Create an account in Twitter and tweet about your videos, blog posts, answer the queries of your followers.

These are only just few methods of marketing your site.

Next, click here, if you want to learn how to drive 1000 targeted visitors to a site in just a week. In this FREE guide, I also gave a list of 85 sites that are sending thousands of visitors to my site every month.