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This Week's Fitness Tip
3 Health Tips
How to maintain a simple exercise routine

Last week we talked about getting started on a simple exercise routine but sometimes good intentions do not culminate in regular action that is crucial to a healthy lifestyle so here are some tips to keep going:

  1. The standard 3 times a week hour long exercise routine may not work for you so perhaps for you to achieve general fitness and weight loss then religiously exercising 10 to15 minutes twice a day is a much better option reasons being:
     

    1. It is hard to find a spare hour but almost everyone can find the time and energy for 10 minutes of mild effort even if it is just a stretching routine for one of the sessions plus 3 songs on the radio of dancing around the lounge for the second session.

    2. At the start an hour on exercise may make you so tired and stiff that it will be a week before you try any sort of exercise again if ever!

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Ann's Healthy Living Tips

   
 
  1. After an hour of unaccustomed exercise you will most likely find yourself overeating at your next meal whereas a short burst of effort will inspire you to keep the calorie intake lower each and every day that you keep the exercise up.

  2. Exercising gently for 10 minutes can be done after a meal. This could be a good walk round the block or on a stepper or treadmill and would aid rather than hinder your digestive system.
     

  3. If you are trying to lose weight then working on a daily balanced diet with a lower calorie intake is actually more important than an intense exercise routine therefore if you know what already works for you sit down and plan it along with your intended weight goal. Once you have a plan you feel inspired to get started as soon as you can.
     

  4. Aim to initially lose a kilo a week for 3 weeks then half a kilo a week until you reach your goal; this should be the aim of any person on a weight reduction programme.
    If you don’t know what works for you and feel you need professional help visit your doctor or click on the diet plan banner below which has a great offer for schools and teachers.

Tomorrows Schools Today in conjunction with Dietplan, is pleased to offer exclusively to New Zealand Schools, A no obligation Free Trial of DIETPLAN for 1 Week
For details 03 366 8700
or email anthony@mooted.co.nz 


 

 
 

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Planning your Springtime Health Regime

It’s August and after the winter months you feel like a blob so how do you kick start getting the energy levels up without wearing your unfit self out within the first week?

Here’s an easy way to get started:
1st Week

  1. Make a resolution to replace any high calorie snacks with fruit plus drink two more glasses of water a day than you
    are drinking now that is unless you are already drinking 6 or more.

  2. Every morning spend at least 15 minutes stretching and do 10 sit ups and 10 half press-ups. If you cannot mention 10 at once do in sets of 2 or 3s between
    stretches.

  3. Each evening take a 15-minute to half-hour walk.

That’s it. All you have to is keep that up for 5 out of 7 days and re-assess at the end of the week whether you are ready to increase the intensity. We are working on not having to do more than 45 minutes in total a day so that you should be able to fit this into at least 4 days of each week.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.
 

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Let's see if we can break the endless cycle of colds and flu at home and school

During the past 4 weeks we have been discussing organising a School Health Week and this would not be complete unless you send the following note home with all the students and also put the same information into your schools online newsletter or notices.

NOTE: TO PARENTS, CARE-GIVERS and SCHOOL STAFF

We are having a School Health Week and we would like to offer the following information in order to enhance the results of our efforts:
Winter colds and flus are a teacher’s and caregiver/parent's occupational hazard so if you do come down with a bug and don’t want the endless cycle of each person in your household getting the flu and returning the favour here are the rules:

 

  1. Before anyone in your household gets the first of the winter flus invest in some cheap face masks, buying twice the number of face masks as there are people in your house and keep them with your first aid kit or cold medicines.
     

  2. Isolation is the key so find you or them a room in the house which is warm dry and ventilated and shut them or yourself up in it as much as possible for the duration which should be 7 days for the flu. Remember most flu viruses are caught by airborne transmission, that’s why you can’t avoid it in the classroom.

    2b) Do not let your spouses sleep in the same room for seven days and if they or other members of your family are looking after the sick ones ensure they use their own face-mask whenever they enter the sick room.
     

  3. For at least 7 days instruct everyone in the house to wipe all bathroom surfaces after use or touch everything with a clean tissue. Don’t forget this rule when those with the flu are feeling better and start popping out to the kitchen to make food or cups of tea for themselves, everyone in the house should restrict their intake of dairy products for at least 10 days.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

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How to Organise a School Good Health Week - Part 1 of a 4 part series
And Purge your School of Colds, Flu and Stomach Bugs.

You will need to spend a couple of weeks planning this very special week so read at least 3 parts of this series before commencing on any of the initiatives described over the next 4 weeks.
1st Stage removing the root cause: A sick infectious child is a parent/caregiver’s responsibility and the following exercise will protect the other students and Staff.

A few days before commencing your health week have a Staff Meeting that includes the School Nurse or whoever is in charge of the sick-bay . Now the following may smack of telling Auntie how to suck eggs but this during the week chosen the following exercise is to be done with a determined sense of purpose by you and all your Staff.
At the meeting inform the Staff that as from Monday of the following week

  1. Any child who exhibits infectious symptoms is to be sent immediately to the sick-bay.
    This means that the child doesn’t need to be complaining of feeling ill, a teacher can identify an infectious child by a constantly runny nose and/or cough, looking very pale or hot.
  2. The child then goes to the sick bay where the nurse after deciding that the child is infectious instructs the school office to call the parent/caregiver to come and get them and when the they arrive asks them to have the child checked or keep them at home until their symptoms have gone.
  3. If the child is returned to school the very next day which would most likely be too soon then the whole exercise is repeated and repeated until the child becomes well or the parent/caregiver turns up a doctors certificate to the effect that the child is not infectious.
  4. Even more importantly if a member of Staff becomes ill they should immediately inform you so you can organise a relief teacher.
  5. Help the school nurse to set up an extra area to use as a sick bay and organise standby roster of assistants as you will find that she could be very busy. Make sure that the nurse and all assistants use masks and throw-away rubber gloves.
  6. If you have trouble with any parent over this let them know in no uncertain terms that unless they can produce a certificate of health to attend school from registered M.D ., their child must stay home for the sake of their own health and the whole of the school community.
  7. If the parent/caregiver/next of kin do not turn up or start or are not answering their phones then keep the child in sick-bay and send them home at the end of the day with a follow-up call to make sure someone at home knows that you mean business. Stick to your guns and repeat the exercise for as long as it takes to get the message through.

If you have a student who is constantly sick and you know that they have not seen a doctor then do ask to see the parent and if they are not co-operative call social services.

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How to Organise a School Good Health Week -  Part 2 of a 4 part series
Building immunity through your Canteen, Tuckshop and Food Tech Classes - Rid your school of constant sniffles and coughs.

Changing Lunchtime Habits will help clear blocked noses. The following is an explanation on how to lower the amount of mucus forming foods in everyone’s diet during the lunchtime break.

For this second part of your School Health Week Plan it is best if you again enlist the help of parents and local businesses. You may be pleasantly surprised at how well your community will respond.

Send home a note with the following requests:
Extra kitchen equipment:
Optional as you may have enough fridge/freezer space but if not ask for the loan of a couple of average sized fridge-freezers. Many parents or even staff may have spare fridges that they use only for summertime parties and wouldn’t mind lending to the school as long as you pick them and return them once this exercise has been fulfilled.
If you do not have a stove in your tuck shop ask to borrow one of those electric two elements stove tops.
Also optional. If you don’t already serve hot chips see if you can obtain a low-oil instant chip cooker or simply use the inside of your canteen stove with a big roasting pan.
Extra soup ladles and big spoons and serving spatulas.
Ask if any parent/caregiver owns, works in or has strong contacts with a restaurant/ cafe/ butcher/ supermarket or catering company as you may have some business for them (or you can ask them for the sponsorship of some or all of the following for your planned health week) with a view to permanently ordering these foods throughout the year so there could be extra business for them.

  1. Hot cooked plain chicken drumsticks.
  2. Large pot of hot soup so you can have a soup of the day.
  3. Gluten free bread or rice/corn cakes.
  4. Plenty of cheap serviettes and disposable cups for hot drinks.

If none of your parents are in catering of any sort then ask for donations of the following:

  1. Bottles of Blackcurrant/ Lemon and Honey/ Lemon Barley Cordial or anything you can make hot or cold drinks with.
  2. Fresh Fruit
  3. Pumpkins or any other vegetables fresh or frozen that soup (including chicken soup) can be made from. Ask if several mothers/ grandmothers are willing to make the same pot of soup on certain days so your school can have it as the soup of the day. Always return their pots and see if you can get some of the ingredients donated to the mums. Ask them to avoid adding milk or cream and to use plenty of leeks/ onion/ garlic wherever possible.
  4. Packets of chicken drumsticks
  5. Corn/ Rice Cakes
  6. Extra Hot Drink Cups for the soup and hot Vitamin C Drinks.
  7. Packets of frozen potato and kumara chips
  8. Donations of cheap serviettes. (The reason being that for the health week the canteen/ tuckshop is only going to serve the following low gluten and mainly dairy free foods:
  1. Hot chips.
  2. Bread crumbed fish pieces.
  3. Chicken drumsticks.
  4. Hot Soup of the day with no milk or cheese added a rice cakes and with either gluten free bread, corn or rice cakes.
  5. Fruit and jelly cups.
  6. Fresh Fruit.
  7. Packets if corn or rice cakes.

Finally send a separate note home to parents/ caregivers asking them that for the period of your health week they avoid putting into lunch boxes the following:
Milky drinks, cheese, biscuits, pies, sausage rolls, white bread, in fact anything loaded with gluten and milk products.
The whole idea of this community diet is to lower the amount of mucus forming foods that every-one in school is consuming over your designated health week.

And of course remember to ask your staff to set an example.

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How to Organise a School Good Health Week - Part 3 of a 4 part series
Hygiene

The last but most important part of your planning for your School health week is to simply re-enforce the basic hygiene rules for everyone in school.
Make a competition out of hygiene by awarding prizes and certificates at the conclusion of your health week/fortnight. You will need to give each child a notebook into which happy faces/stars/blue dots will be awarded for effort and sad faces/clouds/red dots for those not adhering to the rules.

If you haven’t already done this organise a roster of hand-washing monitors for each class in the toilet blocks at break and reward these volunteers with extra stars for doing the job.

Arm every teacher with extra tissues for their classroom and again award happy/sad faces for the use or lack of use of these tissues and their proper disposal.

Also provide disposable paper towels and a low allergenic but effective anti-bacterial spray for every classroom and instruct teachers to get their students to take turns using it to spray and wipe down their workbenches/desks twice daily. As well as taking care of their own desks and other well-used surfaces The teachers should also spray all door handles on cupboards and doors a couple of times a day.

In the school office and staff room similar precautions should be taken.

Ask the caretaker to also pay special attention to door handles on the showers, toilet blocks and other well-used communal doors that are always been opened and shut by staff and students.

Make sure that in every classroom there is a lesson plan on hygiene during the first part your health week/fortnight.

Any child who becomes ill during the health week should be sent home immediately with a note that they will not be allowed back without a doctor’s approval or until they no longer appear infectious i.e. free of a runny nose and/or cough etcetera.

Also include in health for that week the importance of breathing in through your nose and out fully through your nose or mouth especially during cold weather.

Award happy faces to students for coming to school warmly dressed and in addition to issuing sad faces send notes home to those parents who have not made sure that their children are dressed for the weather.

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How to Organise a School Good Health Week - Part 4 of a 4 part series
A checklist for bringing it altogether for your school’s health week/fortnight

Your Health Week/Fortnight Check List

  1. Have you prepped your School Health Nurse and sick bay?
  2. Prepared notes for parents/caregivers with the following information:
    a) That all children who have become ill at school the week before or during health week/fortnight will need a doctor’s certificate in order to return to school. A complete explanation of how to do this is in part one of organising a health week/fortnight click here to read part one.
    b) That you need help with extra canteen equipment such as a loan of spare garage beer fridges and donations of fruit and healthy drinks. For a complete shopping list see the previous part two article by clicking here.
     
  3. Have a Staff Meeting to:
    Alert teachers to this strict policy for this week/fortnight and inform them that if they themselves become ill they must inform the office as soon as symptoms appear so a relief teacher can be arranged.
     
  4. With regard to hygiene inform your entire Staff of the procedures and back up with a memo plus provide them with the extra anti-bacterial sprays, paper towels and tissues and of course the essential extra reward stickers and reward notebooks for the student incentive competition especially important for those students who volunteer to be rostered on as hand=washing monitors. To read the entire hygiene article again please click here.
     
  5. If everyone is now informed of the parts they need to play and the canteen and sick bay are stocked up and ready to go then set the date in concrete and go to it! Once your health week/fortnight is completed you will be able to look forward to a much healthier school and at home community for the remainder of the winter and spring months. Now that the staff, parents and students have reaped the benefits of this exercise you may find all will vote to continue with all or some of procedures as part of your school’s regularly enforced health policy.

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Just unearthed last year's favourite “End of Year Party Outfit” and don't feel comfortable in it? 

This plan will work beautifully for 3 Days after that you should return to a normal weight control plan as long term this particular plan will have the reverse effect.
You do not need to exercise although the plan does work more effectively with at least 2 exercise sessions over the 72 hours.
This is also a good way to kick off a new long-term weight loss plan which you would start on the 4th or 5th Day.

Warning:
If you suffer from diabetes, low blood pressure or any low blood sugar condition please do not follow this plan.


What you will need
Fluids and healthy food choices
 

Shopping List will consist of:

  • 2 Lemons and about 8 to twelve pieces of other fresh fruit
  • Oats, rice or whole-wheat bread
  • For proteins buy from a choice of chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, small packet of raw unsalted brazil nuts or almonds and
    240gms of any type of cheese.
  • Any vegetables that you would enjoy eating raw.
  • Natural Apple cider vinegar,
  • Pure honey,
  • Extra-virgin olive oil or any cold-pressed oil of your choice.
  • Herbal tea or decaffeinated drinks.

Day 1
Start the day by first measuring yourself
Then drink ½ lemon squeezed into a 200ml glass of warm water.

Breakfast
2 to 3 pieces fruit: Suggest an apple and 2 kiwi-fruit with either, 4 to 6 Brazil Nuts or Almonds plus 60gms of any sort of cheese or 2 boiled/poached eggs. Water and/or herbal tea

Lunch
As many salad vegetables as you want plus 150gms fish, chicken or tofu. Dressings should be a combination of any good oil such as extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice or cider vinegar and honey, drizzled over your salad.
Fluids can be unsweetened herbal tea or water.
Dressing
Combine equal quantities of oil and vinegar or lemon-juice plus a small teaspoon of honey per cup of mix. You can add pepper and any herbs you like but no salt during the 3 days.

Afternoon Tea:
Repeat Breakfast

Dinner
Same as lunch but make sure that you consume dinner by 6.30pm. Eat nothing after this but drink plenty of the suggested fluids.

Days 2 & 3
Start the Day with ½ lemon squeezed into a 200ml glass of warm water.

Breakfast
First consume 2 to 3 pieces fruit: Suggest an apple and 2 kiwi-fruit
Plus
Today you have a choice of third of a cup of plain cooked oats or rice or 2 small slices of wholegrain dry toast.
Add 1 teaspoon of honey to any of the above. Don’t forget your water or herbal tea and multi-vite

Lunch
As many salad vegetables as you want with the dressing you made up plus 150gms fish, chicken or tofu.
Unsweetened Herbal Tea or water.

Afternoon Tea:
Repeat Breakfast and if you are feeling tired drink more water and try a pear which is a great pick-me-up fruit

Dinner
Same as lunch but make sure that you consume dinner by 6.30pm.

If possible exercise at least two of the three evenings involved in the plan, preferably away from the house to get your mind off the fridge and pantry. Go for a good walk or play a ball game with the kids or partner for an hour or more, go for a half hour steady swim, or take in an aerobic class. If you are at the gym use all your favourite aerobic machines or do a light circuit workout but keep moving for at least an hour. Whatever you choose add in 4 sets of at least 10 abdominal crunchies which can be spread throughout the work-out or done at the end. A word of warning do not overdo the exercise or engage in lifting heavy weights as your food cravings to replenish the body will overcome you and you will negate what you have already achieved.
When you come home avoid the kitchen, get glass of water and go to bed as soon as possible.

Day 4 or Party Day
Measure yourself and if you don’t get a pleasant surprise repeat Day 1 until party-time.
If you follow the plan exactly you will lose at least 3cm off your waistline and hips by the end of day 4.
On day 5 DO go back to a complete healthy eating plan.

Next week a complete and satisfying winter eating plan.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

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Calm and Focus your class and yourself with these three Balance exercises

This is the sequel to last week’s tips on the benefits of a three minute daily balance routine.
If you would like to first read last week’s tips click here

Starting position for all three of the following exercises is simply to stand up straight with feet together arms by your side.

Exercise 1:

Raise your arms above your head and interlock your fingers now lift one foot a few centimetres off the ground, close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly 3 times whilst balancing. If this is easy try more breaths.
Repeat with the other foot.

Exercise 2:

Raise both arms straight up palms facing each other. Now bending your knees lift your right foot and straighten the right leg out in front of you.
Bend your left leg and do a mini squat 3 times.
Repeat on other side.

Exercise 3:

Named the Stick so you may know this one from Yoga Class.
Extend your left arm straight up so that your upper inside arm is against your left ear.
Your right arm is against your right side with the palm against the right thigh or hip.
Balancing on your left leg lean forward lifting your right leg backwards in a straight line counterbalancing with your straight left arm out in front of you. Hang there as long as you can!
Repeat on the other side.

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Balance exercises give you a level and positive outlook on life.

Advantages to practicing simple balance exercises.
Focuses the mind, improves memory and has an overall calming effect.
Strengthens muscle groups equally on both sides of the spine and body. Normally the strong side always carries the weaker side when performing similar exercises with both limbs.
Creates a positive but firm attitude helping you to make quick rational decisions helping both your self and others overcome the daily traumas of running a school or class.
All of the above save your precious energy.

3 Tips to practicing balance exercises.

  1. If possible practise alone and clear the decks just in case! Once you have mastered an exercise then share it with your students by verbal instructions using a volunteer from the class to demonstrate the moves.
  2. Focus your eyes on one spot and breathe easy through out each exercise.
  3. To begin with choose simple exercises such as standing with feet together and lifting one foot off the ground then bend and straighten the supporting knee as though you are performing a mini-squat.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

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Simple Breathing Exercises Build Immunity and can increase concentration levels.

Learning to breathe regularly in through the nose and out through either the mouth or nose is a good way to stop absorbing germs from students already suffering from colds and flus.

The nose with all it's small hairs is a natural air filter.

The following exercise is also a good way to calm yourself and your students enabling eveyone to concentrate more fully on the lesson that is about to commence. Great for Maths and Literacy.

Famous anonymous quote:
The average person can live for weeks without food
Days without water
Three minutes without air.

The beauty of the following short but wonderful exercise routine is that no matter what your fitness level is you can safely practise this 5 minute exercise 3 times a day anytime, anywhere.
Stand with feet together or sit comfortably with your chest lifted, shoulders back and down and remember to retain this positioning of your shoulders and chest throughout both the in and out breaths.
Finally fold your hands across your stomach.

  1. Start a sequence of 5 to 10 breaths by first emptying the lungs. You do this by blowing air out through the mouth and sucking the tummy in at the same time.

  2. Breathe in through the nose expanding the stomach like a Buddha so you can fill the lungs as much as possible.

  3. Hold the breath for no more than a couple of seconds then breath out slowly either through the nose or mouth, whichever is easier, at the same time sucking the tummy in keeping the chest lifted and shoulders down.

  4. Hold for a second then relax the stomach and breathe in again.

  5. Repeat the In - Out breath 5 to 10 times and it is guaranteed that you will feel relaxed and energised.

Even if you have a cold always breathe in through the nose as much as possible as your nose is a natural filter for all the dust mites in the air and so will help to clear your nose and stop more irritants entering the breathing passages. Out breath can be either through the nose or mouth and in some instances exhaling loudly through the mouth is great way of expelling bugs from the body and is also a relaxation technique very similar to laughing.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

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Avoiding the to-ing and fro-ing of winter colds in your household.


Winter colds and flus are a teacher’s occupational hazard so if you do come down with a bug and don’t want the endless cycle of each person in your household getting the flu and returning the favour just here are the rules:

  1. Before anyone in your household gets the first of the winter flus invest in some cheap face masks, buying twice the number of face masks as there are people in your house and keep them with your first aid kit or cold medicines.
     

  2. Isolation is the key so find your self a room in the house which is warm dry and ventilated and shut yourself up in it as much as possible for the duration which should be 7 days for the flu. Remember most flu viruses are caught by airborne transmission that’s why you can’t avoid it in the classroom.

    2b) Do not let your spouse sleep in your room for seven days and if they or other members of your family are looking after you make them use their own face-mask whenever they come into your room
     

  3. For at least 7 days wipe all bathroom surfaces after use or touch everything with a clean tissue including your spouse. Don’t forget this rule when you are feeling better and start popping out to the kitchen to make your own food or cups of tea.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

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An Apple a Day + 2 More Tips to Build Up Your Winter Immunity


Building up Immunity means adding as many natural anti-oxidants into your diet as you can. Here are three more ways of doing this.

  1. An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor away – Definitely a great deal of truth in this old saying
    Try a cut up apple instead of coffee to wake you up and eat as much of the core as you can. Don’t forget to first give your apple a wash under the kitchen tap.
     

  2. Start drinking green or white teas, there are heaps of varieties on the market. Black teas are also full of anti-oxidants but are so acidic they generally need milk however if you would really rather drink black tea than any other shop around for a full leaf loose tea and brew in a pot. If it is a good quality it should be quite drinkable without milk.
    If you really crave a milky drink replace dairy with organic rice or soymilk.
     

  3. Cut out adding sugar to your brews and use pure honey instead, NZ active Manuka if you can afford it. Do not use an artificial sweetener.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

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3 Tips to Building Immunity against Winter Ills and Chills

 

As a teacher it is impossible to avoid flu bugs and winter colds so for the next few weeks I will remind you of obvious and explain the not so obvious precautions you can take which will also improve your overall health and well-being:

  1. Take a supplement that is rich in Iron, Calcium and Vitamin C. (Avoid just iron pills on their own as they clog up the system and are in effective unless taken in conjunction with Vitamins C, D and Calcium)
     

  2. Each and Every Day eat dark green winter vegetables such as silverbeet, brocoli, curly kale.
     

  3. On warm winter days to develop Vitamin D get out into the sunshine at lunch-time preferably with your arms or legs bare for 15 to 20 minutes and do not use suncreen unless you are really sensitive to UV rays or are going to be outside longer than 20 minutes. This should be fine from mid-May until late August; However before or after this winter period it would be safer to wait until after 3pm to obtain your Vitamin D fix from the sun's rays.

Do remember that any time of year longer than 20 minutes between 9am and 4pm without the protection of sunscreen can be unsafe.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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3 Low Fat nourishing Breakfast Tips to keep those sinuses and your waistline in check over winter

 

  1. Always start the day with a glass of hot water infused with fresh lemon juice or make a good black, green or herbal tea. Coffee will not do at this time of day as it is terribly dehydrating for the kidneys.
    No milk of any sort and if you must sweeten use PURE honey.
     

  2. Meanwhile chop up 1 large or 2 small kiwi fruit (No 1 Fruit is always Kiwi Fruit) plus an apple or pear or orange or slice of pineapple (An apple works almost as well as coffee and is much healthier for us).
     

  3. Next have something sustaining with a good deal of low G. I. carbohydrate and a small amount of protein and if possible a good oil in it. Here are two of my favourites.

a) Preferably the night before, prepare this bowl of goodies. First put in half a cup of rolled or whole oats, a dozen raisins or 2 chopped dates or prunes plus an optional half-dozen almonds or walnuts and add cold water to cover. Soak overnight and before consuming either add a splash of rice or soya milk and then eat or cook over a low heat until boiling. Before consuming you have the option of adding a teaspoon of honey and a splash of soya or rice milk.

b) On Saturday and Sunday mornings I love to make the following whilst I eat my chopped fruit and this is also pretty quick and easy but very satisfying.

I) Microwave or bake washed but unpeeled medium to large kumara or potato per person
II) Meanwhile boil up some peas or frozen or fresh spinach or watercress
III) Poach two eggs per person very lightly
IV) To serve first split the kumara in half sprinkle with rock salt and place the lightly poached eggs on top so that the yolk will soak into them. (If your eggs have gone rock hard before putting them on top add a drizzle of cold-pressed virgin olive oil or any good oil such as flaxseed or avocado oil to the potato or kumara}.
V) Add the greens to the plate and serve.

NOTE: Coffee Addicts wait at least half an hour after consuming any of the above and then drink your fix.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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How to avoid weeks of blocked sinuses or a leaky tap nose after suffering from a flu or cold.

 

We all know that for teachers colds and flu are an occupational hazard; Here’s how to minimize the effects and shorten the length of that residual cold which lowers your immunity to the next bout of bugs to hit your school or office.

  1. If you have the flu or feel a cold or flu coming on immediately remove all milk products containing milk from your diet until the cold has completely gone. (This is a temporary measure but if you are worried you can always take calcium supplements). Instead of coffee or black tea, try herbal teas or better still manuka honey and lemon drinks.
     

  2. Remove all processed sugar and as much as possible all products containing sugar. Replace with pure honey and natural fresh or dried fruits. If you would like to know all the names that processed sugar goes by on the back of food packets and tins please view a list of these names now...
     

  3. If you are prevalent to long-running re-occurring colds try removing all wheat-based products and all types of food containing gluten from your diet and replace with simple gluten free products such as corn or rice. You will find that the cleansing effect of removing this clogging substance from your digestive system will automatically rid you of residual bugs living in your system which has the marvellous side effect of drying up a runny nose.

If you want to read in more detail the effects that processed sugar has on the both children and adults read Sarah Brooks complete article on TSTNZ now...

Next week I’ll be giving you a couple of nourishing breakfast menus that are entirely without or very low in content of all three of this system clogging foods and will also help you to ward off your ever increasing wintertime waistline.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Sweating is Good for You


Perspiring is the body’s way of cooling down and also of ridding itself of toxins.

If you find yourself perspiring when sitting or lying still in a relatively cool atmosphere you are either

a) Experiencing menopause
b) Trying to digest something that has not agreed with you
c) Quite ill or very stressed and need to see a doctor.

Whether it is a, b, or c you actually need to sweat more because your body is trying to rebalance itself. However if you suspect it is number 3 do see a doctor first and get the AOK to practise the following 3 safe ways to achieve a healthy sweat that will help you return to good health and stop you sweating at the most inopportune times:
 

 
  1. 20 minutes aerobic exercise each day which can be a mixture of walking, cycling, rowing, dancing, aerobics, swimming in a heated pool.

  2. A sauna. Start out not too hot and stay in for 5 to 10 minutes only.

  3. Add a SMALL amount of chilli, garlic or ginger to your cooking. However for obvious reasons do avoid these ingredients if you are having dinner out.

What ever your state of health do start out gently with all three of the options above.

AND don’t forget to replenish your body with 1.5 to 2 litres of plain water per day.

 

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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KISStretching Tips

 

To avoid injury and get the most out of any standing stretch practise the following:
Begin with your breathing technique

  1. First adjust your posture by tightening the glutes (butt cheeks) and lift your diaphragm or chest area keeping the shoulders down.
     

  2. For all standing forward bends:

    1. Rather than heading straight for the toes focus on extending the body, arms and even the hands forward.

    2. As your body reaches full extension drop your hands and relax into the position even if the palms come to rest only as far as your knees then ease off slightly by bending the knees a little before relaxing a little further down into the move.

    3. Check the breath before unrolling the body back to standing the position like a bedroll. Repeat 2x
       

  3. For all Standing sideways stretches for example a simple sidebend, triangle, warrior pose.

    1. Check posture, squeeze glutes and extend the arms upwards and out to the side rather than just sideways and downwards.

    2. Push hips away in opposite direction.

    3. Keep extending arms and breathe easily throughout the move.

    4. Come out of a sideways stretching pose in the reverse order of moves that you made when going into it.

    5. Check posture and repeat each side 2x.

If you just practised 2x each, one type of forward bend and one side stretch each morning you would have done the equivalent of 10 crunchies for your stomach muscles and burned as many calories as a 10 minute walk plus you would have stretched your body like a cat and all in 3 minutes or less!

Take time to care for you so you can care for others.
 

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Combining Breathing with Stretching.

  1. Begin any stretch by checking your posture and breath out. Breathe in slowly whilst going into any stretch position and breathe out slowly extending as far as you can in the stretch.
     

  2. Now breathe in as you come out of the stretch position and do one more breath in and out in the resting position before beginning the next stretch and breath action.
     

  3. Further down the track we will talk about extra breaths during a stretch but for now we want to keep the breath and movement flowing together so whatever you do always remember to breath out which will automatically stop you from holding your breath in because after every complete outbreath the body very quickly demands that you breathe in again.
    In other words holding the breath in should always be avoided at this point in your training.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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A stretching and breathing routine is the foundation for good health at any age. 

As discussed previously achieving a good night’s sleep is paramount to good health and the next most important 2 things that you can do for your body are breathing well and stretching whenever you get the opportunity.
Whether you are 5 or 105 you can build an exercise programme for yourself comprising of breathing, stretching plus adding a half hour walk a day and with a healthy diet you would be set for life or from this foundation you can progress to any level of fitness you aim at.

Your 3 points on how to get started:

  1. Plan to give 30 minutes entirely to stretching either early in the morning or evening before food but on a well-hydrated body i.e. water or herbal teas.
     

  2. Going to a yoga, pilates or stretch class is great but you may not have the time, class times may not suit you or you find you are unable to do many of the moves; Therefore begin by hunting out a beginners DVD and use that to get started.
     

  3. If you find that you do not have the will power to use a DVD or don’t have clue on how to follow it then join a gym where you should be able to hire a personal trainer, tell your trainer what you want to achieve and they will generally give you a routine where you will need to hire them 3 consecutive times to start with and then a follow-up session once a fortnight will give you the knowledge and incentive that you need to thoroughly enjoy your routine and not get bored with it.

Next week, more on how to get the most on stretching and breathing so in the meantime go for a walk and decide whether you want to join a class, buy a DVD or hire a personal trainer but DO choose at least one and I’ll be back with more tips on this subject next week.
 

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Sunshine and Fresh Air You Can’t Beat it.


Light and fresh air are two of the best germicides and disinfectants we have for both our exterior and interior systems and they are still FREE!
We just need to know how to use the sun’s rays to obtain maximum vitality and health with out the negative side effects:

  1. Get outside as early in the morning as you can even if it’s only for a few minutes each day because the first 4 hours after sunrise the sun’s rays impart maximum vitality to the body with much less risk of sunburn. If it’s warm wear as little clothing as possible but at the same time wear a hat and sunglasses.
     

  2. Even early in the day you need to build up your exposure to the sun so begin with 10 minutes. For busy people even this may seem impossible so plan to use your time outside effectively by, stretching, going for a walk, watering the garden, having breakfast on the porch, writing lessons plans, marking papers, prioritising your work and errand diary, catching up on the news, or whatever you find useful and at the same time relaxing.
     

  3. If you can only be outside between 10am and 4am stay in the shade as the light and air on your skin still helps your pores to breathe and being in the shade means you won’t need to use pore blocking sunscreen. However the second you are out of the shade whether blue skies or cloudy always use the “Slip, Slop, Slap!” Rule.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Sleeping Well on Hot Nights helps you lose weight. Read How:

Deciding on how much sleep you need is important to your total well-being even affecting your ability to control your weight.
If you go to bed with 7-8 hours of sleeping time ahead of you but wake up two or three times in the night and feel to tired to get out of bed the next morning then the following 3 tips will help you.

  1. Steady exercise for 45 – 60 minutes 3 evenings a week plus 30 to 45 minutes of mild after dinner activity such as gardening or even active housework on all the other nights will have an amazing effect.
     

  2. After any activity drink a warm relaxing tea at least an hour before planning on going to bed and turn the TV off as soon as you settle down to sleep.
     

  3. It’s very important that after 4.30 pm you avoid bread, pasta, rice, sugary food and drink. Keep potatoes at dinner down to an absolute minimum and don’t eat roast potatoes or kumaras at this time of day.

Eat dinner at least 4 hours before retiring and in the warmer seasons try to keep to mainly salads with medium servings of low-fat protein foods.
If nothing else it will save on kitchen clean-ups and you can go do something more active than the washing up. You do need the good oil so make dressings with cold pressed oils and balsamic or natural apple cider vinegar.

Here’s the reason for the minimum carbohydrate rule after 4.30pm:
4 to 5 hours after consuming them carbohydrates give the system a boost by sending energy to the muscles throughout the body which in turn stimulate the brain and unless you are a growing youngster or elite athlete this boost manifests itself by waking you up generally between 1am and 3am when you should be experiencing a deep replenishing sleep. Whether you get up and do something so you can go back to bed after an hour and finally sleep or lie in a restless stupor for the rest of the night you will find that because of this interruption you will find it hard to get out of bed and keep going through-out the next day.
Please note the tip above is not a low-carb eating plan because you should eat carbohydrates in small amounts throughout the day until 4.30pm.

Alcohol – Keep to a minimum such as 150ml of wine or 1 small beer.
Imbibing 2 –3 drinks around dinnertime will initially send you off to sleep but then as alcohol is pure sugar it will upset the digestion of your evening meal and therefore your sleep.
Counteract the 2 – 3 drinks effect by getting up after your post dinner alcoholic snooze and do something mildly physical even housework whilst drinking plenty of water. This does mean that you may still need to relieve the bladder at 2am but you should be able go back to sleep right away. Better still stick with 1 small alcoholic drink or no alcohol at all.

Visit www.platinumsport.co.nz and ask about their $15 per week membership special for TSTNZ readers. (Normally $24 per week) Minimum of 3 month membership.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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A Good Summertime Eating Plan with Simple Ingredients

This is a summer long eating plan for trimming down and is most easily adopted after completing the 3 to 4 Day instant waist cinching eating plan (Click here for 3 - 4 Day plan)
However there is nothing wrong with adopting the summertime plan right away.

First and foremost drink plenty of plain water and vary it only with clear unsweetened teas. If you like fruit juice dilute it 50% and add mint leaves, pieces of orange or lemon plus for variety instead of ice use the frozen blueberry trick.

Breakfast
At least two pieces of fresh fruit (not bananas)
Half a cup soya/rice/oats or low fat dairy milk or natural yoghurt.
Half Cup of low-sugar high fibre cereal - Kellogs Sultana Bran is one of the best on the market or third cup cooked or raw oats + 1 teasp honey.
Note many cereals are low-fat but high in sugar you are better off with a little more fat and a lot less sugar.

Mid-morning
4 Unsalted natural Brazil Nuts or other natural unsalted nuts or 100gms of any cheese plus a banana or other fruit.
If you are allergic to either of the above how about a chicken drumstick or boiled egg?

Lunch
1 Cup cooked rice/ 2 small potatoes/1 pita pocket/small kumara plus as many salad vegetables as you like with a light dressing such as a virgin olive oil/ apple cider vinegar dressing.
>> Combine equal quantities of oil and vinegar or lemon-juice plus a small teaspoon of honey per cup of mix. You can add pepper and any herbs you like but no salt.
Note: Avoid bread and other yeast based bakery products.

Afternoon Tea
4 Unsalted natural Brazil Nuts or other natural unsalted nuts or 100gms of any cheese plus a banana or other fruit.
If you are allergic to either of the above how about a chicken drumstick or boiled egg?

Dinner
As much salad as you like plus choose up to 150 gms of lean meat/chicken/fish/tofu/nuts or 2 eggs or 100gms cheese. Avoid beans at this time of day. Will discuss the reasons for this in 2010.
Alcohol - Yes it's party time but during your more normal days restrict to 1.5 standard drinks per day or better still non at all. (Read your bottles and cans for standard drink measurements) and if you drink fruit juice cut that out on the days you drink alcohol or alternatively just drink the suggested fruit juice mix.
Remember alcohol is so fast into the system that it does not convert to energy and is immediately stored by the liver as fat but if you like a regular tipple do have a glass of water just before your favourite drink in order to quench your thirst so you can savour your wine, beer or spirit and minimise the effects of the alcohol.

Exercise
During the holidays even if it's only gardening or spring-cleaning get an hour's worth of activity in a day during the summer holidays! Better still do something new like joining a gym as you will have time to get used to the extra energy expenditure before going back to your normal work day.
 

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Here’s a no product sponsored Plan to lose 5cm all over in 3 Days

Just unearthed last year's favourite “End of Year Party Outfit” and don't feel comfortable in it?

OK here's the plan which will work beautifully for 3 Days after that you should return to a normal weight control plan as long term this plan will have the reverse effect.
This plan will work without an exercise plan however it does work more effectively with at least 2 exercise sessions during the plan.
This is also a good way to kick off a new long-term eating plan which you would start on the 4th or 5th Day.

Warning:
If you suffer from diabetes, low blood pressure or any low blood sugar condition please do not follow this plan.


What you will need
Apart from some healthy food choices the only thing you should invest in is perhaps a good multi-vite of your choice. For dosage see the plan below.

Fluids over the next three days are vitally important. Each daily 2 litre or more in hot weather intake should consist of plain water, unsweetened clear herbal teas and diluted lemon juice see below
Absolutely no alcohol, fruit juices, sodas or milky drinks during the 3 days and also do not add additional salt or sugar to your food or drinks.
The secret to this plan is that the fruits and vegetables are raw so whether hot or cold do not use any cooked vegetables such as beetroot, potatoes, kumaras or carrots. Grated raw carrots and beetroot are fine as are any other vegetables you would eat raw.
Timing is really important too so eat the food choices stipulated for that time of day or else the 3 day plan won’t work.
Now check the plan out make a shopping list from the one below and stock up before you start the 3 day plan.

Shopping List will consist of:

  • 2 Lemons and about 8 to twelve pieces of other fresh fruit

  • Bottle of good quality multi-vites from a pharmacy.

  • Oats, rice or whole-wheat bread

  • For proteins buy from a choice of chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, small packet of raw unsalted brazil nuts or almonds and 240gms of any type of cheese.

  • Any vegetables that you would eat raw.

  • Natural Apple cider vinegar,

  • Pure honey,

  • Extra-virgin olive oil or any cold-pressed oil of your choice.

  • Herbal tea or decaffeinated drinks.

Day 1
Start the day by first measuring yourself
Then drink ½ lemon squeezed into a 200ml glass of warm water.

Breakfast
2 to 3 pieces fruit: Suggest an apple and 2 kiwi-fruit with either, 4 to 6 Brazil Nuts or Almonds plus 60gms of any sort of cheese or 2 boiled/poached eggs. Water or herbal tea and before drinking the last two mouthfuls of fluid take a multi-vite

Lunch
As many salad vegetables as you want plus 150gms fish, chicken or tofu. Dressings should be a combination of any good oil such as extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice or cider vinegar and honey, drizzled sparingly over your salad.
Fluids can be unsweetened herbal tea or water.
Dressing
Combine equal quantities of oil and vinegar or lemon-juice plus a small teaspoon of honey per cup of mix. You can add pepper and any herbs you like but no salt.

Afternoon Tea:
Repeat Breakfast

Dinner
Same as lunch but make sure that you consume dinner by 6.30pm.
 

Days 2 & 3
Start the Day with ½ lemon squeezed into a 200ml glass of warm water.

Breakfast
First consume 2 to 3 pieces fruit: Suggest an apple and 2 kiwi-fruit
Plus
Today you have a choice of third of a cup of plain cooked oats or rice or 2 small slices of wholegrain dry toast.
Add 1 teaspoon of honey to any of the above. Don’t forget your water or herbal tea and multi-vite

Lunch
As many salad vegetables as you want with the dressing you made up plus 150gms fish, chicken or tofu.
Unsweetened Herbal Tea or water.

Afternoon Tea:
Repeat Breakfast and if you are feeling tired add in an extra multi-vite but make sure you take it by 4pm.

Dinner
Same as lunch but make sure that you consume dinner by 6.30pm.

Exercise at least two of the three evenings involved in the plan, preferably away from the house to get your mind off the fridge and pantry. Go for a good walk or play a ball game with the kids or partner for an hour or more, go for a half hour steady swim, or take in an aerobic class. If you are at the gym use all your favourite aerobic machines or do a light circuit workout but keep moving for at least an hour. Whatever you choose add in 4 sets of at least 10 abdominal crunchies which can be spread throughout the work-out or done at the end.
When you come home avoid the kitchen, get glass of water and go to bed as soon as possible.

Day 4 or Party Day
Measure yourself and if you don’t get a pleasant surprise repeat Day 1 until party-time.
If you follow the plan exactly you will lose at least 3cm by the end of day 4.
On day 5 DO go back to a healthy eating plan.
 

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Sleep well and control your weight

Deciding on how much sleep you need is important to your total well-being even affecting your ability to control your weight.
If you go to bed with 8 hours of sleeping time ahead of you but wake up two or three times in the night and feel to tired to get out of bed when it is time to get cracking then the following 3 tips will help you.

  1. Steady reasonably strenuous exercise for 45 – 60 minutes 3x evenings a week plus 30 to 45 minutes of mild exercise such as walking, gardening or even active house-work on all the other nights will have an amazing effect.
     

  2. After the exercise drink a warm relaxing tea at least an hour before planning on going to bed and turn the TV off as soon as you settle down to sleep.
     

  3. Each day after 4.30 pm avoid bread, pasta, rice, sugary food and drink. Keep potatoes at dinner down to an absolute minimum and don’t eat roast potatoes or kumaras at this time of day.
    At dinnertime in the warmer seasons try to keep to mainly salads with medium servings of low-fat protein foods. If nothing else it will save on kitchen clean-ups.

    Reason for no carbohydrates after 4.30pm: 4 to 5 hours after consuming them carbohydrates give the system a boost and unless you are a growing youngster this boost manifests itself by waking you up generally between 1am and 3am and because you have not yet had enough sleep you will most likely experience a restless stupor for the rest of the night making it hard to get out of bed and keep going through-out your busy day.

Please note the tip above is not a low-carb eating plan because you should eat the carbohydrates you need for energy throughout the day until 4.30pm.

 

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Control your food and drink temperature to control your weight.
Balance is being temperate in all things - Ancient Chinese proverb.

  1. Now it's summer avoid really hot food and eat as much as possible raw or gently cooked keeping the food temperature neither too hot nor too cold.
    A salad made up of a combination of cooked and raw ingredients is one of the best ways to absorb fragile nutrients and the warm ingredients will give you that satisfied feeling not normally associated with a bread free salad.

    At this time of year you can make a good inexpensive meal by combining lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with steamed asparagus, cooked frozen peas, boiled eggs and for added energy small pieces of steamed or boiled potato with mint leaves. Dress with a healthy dressing to aid digestion, see recipe below
    If pressed for time you could do a salad for both lunch and dinner exchanging the eggs for fish or skinned chicken or small amount of meat at either meal.
    An extra tip for those over 45 or very overweight, do keep the spuds down to a bare minimum or leave them out altogether at dinnertime.
     

  2. Avoid really cold food or drinks. Room temperature is best or if you really want a chilled drink leave out the ice.
     

  3. Every time you eat chew your food slowly and make sure to take small sips of water with it.

IMPORTANT FOOD SAFETY

One more thing do remember to cover store any left-overs in the fridge immediately after a meal. You can always bring the food out again, keep covered in a shady place for 10 minutes letting it come to room temperature or just below that temperature before serving.


Recipe for a Healthy & Digestion friendly low-fat dressing. To a jar with a shake proof lid add

  • 1 teasp of chopped ginger

  • 1 teasp of chopped garlic

  • Pinch of salt and shake of pepper

  • Optional additions chillies other spices or herbs to taste or leave out altogether.

  • Half a cup of 1/2 Cup Virgin Olive Oil

  • Half a cup of Natural Apple Cider Vinegar

  • Add 1 heaped teaspoon of preferably active Manuka Honey.
    If necessary very gently warm over a low-heat so it liquefies.

Screw lid on tight and shake well.
You can use immediately or better still let stand at room temperature for at least an hour.
Keeps for up to 6 days in the fridge but that never happens as you will want to use it all the time.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.

 

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Killing the Cravings

  1. Eat 3 healthy low-fat meals a day plus 2 snack sessions containing at least 1 piece of fruit and in the afternoon when cravings hit hard try 4 raw almonds, brazil or walnuts. If not nuts about nuts try a boiled egg, small piece of chicken or beef jerky stick along with your chopped up fresh fruit. Add the following fluid options to all your snacks and meals.
     

  2. Drink 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day preferably in the form of plain water or for variety a shot of juice from a fresh orange, lemon and/or mint leaves. Unsweetened herbal tea is another way to cut out the boredom.
     

  3. Avoid caffeinated drinks and all sugary foods but if you must consume any of these during the morning snack break and make sure you have a piece of fruit and a glass of plain water as well.

Incentive tip: Before starting on any new exercise and eating plan hide the bathroom scales and use a tape measure instead as the results will be more obvious especially during the first month.

Copyright all rights reserved Ann Polaschek.
 

After 25 years in the fitness industry Ann took a ten year break to work on her business but found that as she got older it was even more important to maintain a healthy lifestyle so if you would like to ask her a question about getting fit and healthy again email ann@tstnz.com 

   
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