Dear Mr Pickles

Well, sir.  You've stirred it up again this time!   Like Father Christmas bringing the promise of happiness to the masses, dropping down our chimneys weekly to empty our overflowing rubbish bins!

Nice one!

Oh stuff any chance of this being an erudite post.  I haven't got time for that. Instead I'll just say it as it is.

The weekly rubbish collection bribe that your department has announced amounts to nothing but backtracking on any other forms of common sense that has come out of this year's Waste Review, especially with regard to encouraging greater recycling rates.

Today's media talks about treating the public with respect.  How about treating us with intelligence as well as  respect and not just a herd of sheep who will welcome your proposals with a happy bleat.

Our country would not have a problem with overflowing rubbish bins if manufacturers designed out unecessary packaging\product waste and the government invested in proper nationwide recycling infrastructure of mixed plastics.  Really, I cannot believe that we are in 2011 and the majority of the UK can't recycle a bloody yoghurt pot! 

Voters complain about smelly food waste hanging around for a fortnight.  I empathise.  So did I a few years ago and to honest, it's not nice!  But I did something about it.  I followed the advice of www.lovefoodhatewaste.com and even though I'm still not the picture of perfection, most weeks are better than others.  Yes I've had a blimmin' good stab at not creating the waste in the first place and saved a small fortune, thanks to listening to some common sense.

Of course my best advice for your Chicken Tikka Masala test, is instead of letting it become fodder for flies stinking out your bin, cut down your order at your local Indian or invite some friends around and get them to share it.

It's hardly rocket science.

But recycling is...needing well designed  innovations and scaleable solutions that can serve communities and support our economy.

That's where our money should be going Mr Pickles, to actually help provide solutions that wouldn't create the problem of overflowing or stinky bins.  Separate out that food waste and if the councils don't have the infrastructure to collect the caddies weekly, invest in community projects that can, by creating new jobs and feeding the revenues back into the communities themselves. 

There are even solutions in the UK for now recycling nappies and other absorbant waste products, that you could throw some of your money towards or better funded campaigns to support washables.

What's that old saying?  Rubbish In Rubbish Out! Well that's what this country's going to keep getting unless policy and investment change in line with the sustainable future this country and the global society needs.

Today's statement was far too broadbrush. Yes there will be councils that will value the funds, and this money should be used to support and develop the infrastructure in those areas that it's needed, even if it's in certain enclaves of a local authority's collection area, but please don't consider it as a single opportunity for all.  Not all of us want to go back to the dark ages.

Personally, I think this is a lot of fuss about nothing and if one good thing's come of it, there will be much chatter about rubbish as people debate the other solutions that are out there.

Yours sincerely,

Almost Mrs Average!

______________________________________________________________

As it's a Friday, I thought I'd dedicate this post to Kat's "Dear So and So" feature at Three Bedroom Bungalow.

Home Remedies for Hair Removal

Hair Removal has always been a Big Problem for everyone.

Many products have been introduced in market for this issue.

But, what is the most effective way of hair removal? And how to use it? that's what i am going to tell you today.
 
The best way to get rid of facial and body hair is to use natural remedies.

Home Remedies to Remove Hair:

1- Waxing:

Waxing is the most effective and useful way of hair removal which lasts for a long time. The best thing is you can make your own wax at home.

Make Wax at home: Make a mixture of 2 cups of sugar, ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of lime juice. Heat the mixture until it gets thick brown in color. Later use it for waxing your body or face. Apply the wax on the opposite direction of your hair and pull with wax strip.

2- Bleaching:

Lemon is a natural bleaching ingredient. Mix it with the honey and use this mixture to bleach your hair. If you have thin hair, try using bleach which turns them into dull color so it's hard to see.

3- Turmeric Mixture:

Turmeric mixture is also helpful in eliminating the growth of unwanted hair.

Method: Mix Turmeric + Gram flour + Yogurt or Milk and Rose water together and make a paste. Rub the paste gently on the area with unwanted hair and leave it for 15-20 minutes till the paste dries up.

Then rub the paste in the opposite direction to the hair growth. Once done, apply baby oil to soothe the skin.

4- AloeVera Gel:

Aloe Vera is another useful ingredient in removal of hair. 

Method: Take Gram flour + Turmeric powder + Papaya powder 1/4 tablespoons. Mix 2 tablespoons of Mustard Oil + 4 tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel and 2 drops of any essential Oil. 

Then apply this paste in the opposite direction of hair growth. You should apply this mixture thrice a week for 3 months to be effective.

Travel: Snowdonia Day One

Hey everyone! So I wasn't sure whether I was going to write some travel entries on my little holiday to Snowdonia, because I figured our cottage that we rented was kinda in the middle of nowhere, and that we would do some self-catering, and if lucky have a few bog standard meals out. Well I was completely wrong, had rather a nice little foodie experience out in Wales, so I thought I would fill you all in on it.

First of all, I had decided to go on this trip because I really REALLY needed a break, to be honest. I know I went to New York in February and all that, but I had all the stress of the end of my A levels, and then I’ve been working full time over all the summer, and so I thought just before I started University I should at least have one week off to recuperate. Also, it was Nick’s birthday and our three year anniversary so I thought it would be a nice way to celebrate. I didn't want to fly anywhere, but I still wanted to get away from it all, so I thought getting a nice comfy cottage in rural Wales was a perfect idea. I found this nice one bedroom cottage near Harlech called "Becws”, which means “Bakery” in Welsh, because it used to be an old Bakery (they still have the old oven and everything, it was cool). It was a very nice place actually- not as secluded as the pictures/ descriptions on their website indicated, but nice enough. I've just put a load of photos of our cottage on here because I didn't really take any photos the first day.

As it was self-catering, I thought, right “what shall I bring with me??”- and I remembered I had those £50 Waitrose/ John Lewis vouchers, so I thought I would use one of them up (you have to spend at least 50, cause they can’t give you change back on a voucher. I know, it’s weird) getting me and nick some lovely food for our holiday. To be fair, most of that £50+ was spent on booze, as I bought 1.4 litres of gin to make Sloe Gin with later in October (for people’s Xmas presents- watch this space!) and a really nice bottle of Pinot Noir- but basically the rest of these items are what I recommend that you take with you on a self-catering trip:

Instant Coffee, Tea, sugar, milk, orange juice, loaf of bread, ready cooked All Butter croissants, butter, jam, bacon, sausages, eggs, tomatoes, baked beans, cheddar, brie, grapes, apples, little gem lettuces, nice ham, and some form of chutney.

These essentially are the perfect items to bring to ensure lush self-catered breakfasts, and sandwiches to make on the trip there and the trip back (it took 4/5ish hours to drive from where we are in Bath). Usually at self catering places they provide fairy liquid/ washing up gloves and kitchen roll (not at ours though- stingy or what?) The drive there was lovely actually- we took the AA route instead of what our Satnav recommended and it involved driving through lots of beautiful Welsh countryside (although the rounds were really good quality and not windy at all). Much nicer than the motorway route we took back, lol. So on day one we had a lovely drive up there, had a little look round our local villages (the ones either side of us were “Llanbedr” and “Dyffryn Ardudwy” ) and settled into the cottage for a bottle of wine and a film, and planned the next day ahead.

Competition: "Haute Cuisine Love Marmite" Recipe Competition- Runner Up!

Heya everyone. So a few months ago I mentioned that i had entered Marmite's "Haute Cuisine, Love Marmite" Facebook recipe competition, and after entering two of my recipes (i think the one that won it was my "Marmitey Venison Casserole"- like my venison casserole on the website, just using marmite stock instead of beef stock) , and having a fair few votes for them, i have won one of the runner's up prizes!

I won a pair of Marmite Oven Gloves, and a month's supply of Marmite! (I did wonder how much "a months supply" of Marmite actually was, but i won 3 x 500g jars, which I reckon is a fair amount). This is a picture from another runner's up prizes, just like mine I guess, but i got 3 larger jars rather than 6 smaller ones.

So yeah, thank you Marmite! I think your campaign to prove that you can do many other things with marmite, other than having it on toast, was a success- well done!

#5) I bet you can't do this

Over the next couple of days make an agreement with yourself that you will write down everything you eat or drink, even if it is a taste of whatever at Costco or a sip of soda or juice or a single bite of a cookie.  Write it all down, the time of day and  how much you ate/drank or simply tasted.    Now that I have your attention I would like you to go back to before you took this bite or taste and try to develop this next sense of awareness .  Before you ever take that bite or taste/drink , what I want you to do is to ask yourself these questions:  1)  why do I want to take this bite or have this drink?   Am I hungry or thirsty and if so , how hungry and thirsty am I,  on a scale of 0-10 with 10 being very hungry?  2)  what is the emotion or feeling that I am experiencing  that is associated with my desire/urge/need for food or drink?   It could be sadness, loneliness, emptiness, or excitement and joy, feel the feeling or feelings at the time and write them down.

What you will learn from this simple process is how unconscious we are with our food and drink, most of us eat or drink  and don't even think about or remember the process until we are done eating and then we say, damn, what did I eat or drink that for?   When you grade the intensity of your hunger or the intensity of your need for a drink, be it soda or alcohol you will learn over time that maybe you are eating or drinking out of boredom or habit or some habitual characteristic emotion or feeling that is taking control of you.

Keep a journal/record of  your consumption over a period of 5 days.
Before you take a bite of food or drink,  rate/grade the intensity of the desire/need,  0-10.
As you eat, make a conscious effort to "drop the fork/spoon" with each and every bite, set the utensil down.  This will help separate you from trance eating.
Then study yourself and determine the emotion or feelings associated with this desire/hunger.
Make a note of all the times you impulsively ate or drank first , without thinking, you will know you were acting unconsciously if you failed to abide by the rules of  this  introspective  journal game.

After 5  successful days of accurate and timely journaling, review your stats and look for your pattern.

Call my office and tell me what you learned, I would like to know.

One addition to this game, as you eat or drink, see if you can stay conscious  of every bite .  You will find we not only unconsciously grab for food or drink but we consume it unconsciously as well.  The journal will make you conscious of the "grab,"  but now add the art of being conscious and aware of every bite/drink you are consuming.  Most folks are eating and drinking while preoccupied watching TV, on the computer, talking on the phone, reading, lost in thought, etc.

See what happens when you become present time conscious of your consumption.  Until next time, Dr. Mark Doyle.

Dr. Doyle is a chiropractic physician and a clinical hypnotherapist.  He created the DEEP Release Clear Mind Process.  He operates a chronic spine pain and weight loss practice in downtown Bellevue and he is co-founder of the superb 30/10 Weight Loss For Life program. Women average 30 pounds in 10 weeks and men average 50 pounds. 

For more information on our Weight Loss Programs in Bellevue, WA, please visit:

http://www.3010WeightLossForLife.com/

Visit our website for more information on the Best Chiropractic Care in Downtown Bellevue, WA.

http://www.8thstreetchiropractic.com/

Home Remedies for BlackHeads

BlackHeads Treatment At Home

Blackheads are dark bumps visible on the surface of the skin.

While they are medically harmless, their appearance can be embarrassing.

Blackheads are most common on the face covering the forehead, nose and chin.

 

Treatment:

Exfoliating can clear your skin from blackheads, use a good facewash or scrub on daily basis.

Lemon and Milk:

Lemon is well known for cleansing purpose. Warm a cup of milk and mix few drops of lemon in it. Use this mixture to wash your face. Due to anti-oxidant quality of both these ingredients you'll see a visible reduction in the amount of blackheads. Use it on daily basis for a week.

 

Cornstarch And Vinegar Mixture:

Cornstarch and vinegar is a commonly used home treatment for blackheads. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of cornstarch into a bowl and add vinegar slowly while stirring. Add the vinegar until the mixture forms a thick paste. Apply the mixture to the blackhead affected areas on your face and leave on for 20 minutes. The mixture will dry to a hard plaster-like substance in the meantime. Rinse it off with warm water, and follow this with a cold water rinse to close the pores.

How It Works?

Cornstarch is a mild astringent, reducing the amount of oil produced temporarily. It also absorbs a large proportion of the oil that is on the surface of the skin at the time of application. Vinegar is an acid, and acids can reverse oxidation. In other words, vinegar can bleach the blackheads, turning them to their original pale clear/yellow color.

For best effects, use this mixture two to three times per week.

Warning

This mixture might not be suitable for people with sensitive skin. You should do a patch test at least 24 hours before applying the face mask, and do not use this remedy if you are allergic to any of the ingredients.

Measure your recycling with the new Recyclometer

Measuring the impact of recycling is always a challenge, especially when trying to communicate the wider benefits of what is, let's face it, a pretty mundane household task.

However, during the summer, along with other bloggers, I was brought in to help road-test Coca-Cola's Recyclometer, a brand new stats-crunching tool, which has been developed in association with WRAP.   After a few tweaks, the Recyclometer has now been officially launched, on the company's website and at Recycle Now. providing consumers with a means of calculating the wider impact of their recycling activity, by simply translating the action into energy saving data.

Saving energy and fuel resources are one of the key beneficial outcomes of recycling and the Recyclometer tool demonstrates the savings across a wide range of materials that you'd find on your cupboard shelves.

For example, simply totting up the contents of my recycling actions today reveals that I've saved enough energy to power a lightbulb for 12 hours.   Widen the impact of this nationally and the figures highlight that enough energy would be saved to power over 84,000 lightbulbs for a whole year.   That's quite an incredible figure from just a few juice bottles, a can, our local newspaper, a breakfast cereal box and a loo roll tube.  It also demonstrates how wasteful it would be if I just bunged these into landfill.

To work out your own stats, just click on the image above.  Alternatively visit  the company's own website, where there are also links to the organisation's waste-reduction actions, including lightweighting innovations, implementation of recycled materials and, more recently, their usage of plant-based fibres in plastic packaging.

DARK CIRCLES

Home Remedies for dark circles

Dark circles can be effectively diminished somewhat with home remedies. 

Please be cautious when applying anything to the sensitive skin around the eyes. If you accidentally get a few drops of lemon juice in your eye, not only will you have dark circles, you'll also have an unsightly, staring, bloodshot eye, too. The skin around the eyes is very sensitive so don't rub, scratch or exfoliate enthusiastically.

Now, onto the remedies for dark eye circles!

• Drink at least ten glasses of water everyday.
  
  
• Eight hours of sleep is a must for all of us, especially for people having dark circles under their eyes.
  
  
• Almond helps to remove dark circles and is an excellent "skin food".
  
• Close your eyes and cover your eyelids with slices of raw potato or cucumber for 15-20 minutes. Wash with warm water and apply a cream. 
  
  
• Grate a cucumber, squeeze to take out its juice and refrigerate. Make a mixture of lemon juice, lanolin cream and cucumber juice and apply around the eye for 10-15 minutes.
  
  
• Apply crushed mint around the eye. 
  
  
• Reduce your intake of vitamin A. Over dose of medications such as Retin A produces "excessive" vascularization.
  
  
• Remove any cream you applied around the eye. No cream should be left on the skin around the eyes for long periods. 

Dark circles may be hereditary for some people or simply a part of the aging process, but most people would agree that they are a struggle to conceal. When the fat pad beneath the eye begins to thin with age, it can create a sunken look to the under eye area.

Studies have shown that sluggishness of blood flow underneath the eyes may also contribute to dark circles. Vitamin K has been found to diminish the appearance of these dark circles.

Vitamin E for dark eye circles

Use of Vitamin E for dark eye circles works very well for some people, and not at all for others. Take a Vitamin E capsule and carefully pierce it with a pin or needle. Dab a bit of the oil on your fingertip and pat it into the skin under your eyes. This remedy can help reduce dark eye circles and puffiness as well.

Tea Bags

Take a used tea bag (black or green), after it has cooled, and apply it to the skin under your eyes. Lay down while you do this - otherwise, it's hard to get the tea bag to stick. Leave in place for about 10 minutes. 

The cold washcloth

When washing your eyes after using any of these remedies for dark eye circles, use a washcloth soaked in cold water. Cold water helps to constrict the blood vessels under the eyes and can also reduce puffiness.

Recipe: Apple and Sage Chutney

I realised that this food blog has started to become a bit of a preserving/jamming blog these days! It's always the way though, I would say that August through to November is the time when people get all their jam jars out and have a go at turning their homegrown/home gathered produce into things that will keep for the rest of the year. The good news is that certainly for the next month, I will be getting a nice steady stream of scrumptious apples, courtesy of my friend Ralph who has a shared garden full of fruit trees. It's a regular oasis, ralph's garden, with damsons, plums, pears, apples and blackberries- I must admit i'm a little bit jealous! Anyway, the more apples he gives me, the more jars of apple chutneys/preserves he'll be getting back- I think thats a fair deal! With most, if not all, apple based chutneys, you should avoid heavy stirring, because it's nice to try and keep chunks of apple in the chutney, rather than it all mushing down.

Apple and Sage Chutney (makes 2kg)

1.8kg cooking apples (unpeeled/uncored weight), peeled and diced
2 large white onions, finely diced
20g fresh sage, finely chopped
120g sultanas
550g sugar
170ml red wine vinegar
230ml cider vinegar
50ml Worchester sauce

1. Put all the ingredients into a large pan, covered, and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes.
2. Uncover (by this time the mixture should be boiling), and cook on a medium heat for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, but gently (to try and stop the apple pieces from “mushing up” too much).
3. Allow to settle for 10 minutes, pot, and seal!

#4) The Real Value

The real value of losing the weight is not in looking good , even though this is the prime motivator 95% of the time.  From my  perspective the real value is regaining your health.  I will start detailing the health ramifications of folks who are overweight and I will not be grabbing at  statistics from journals, I will be providing you with the facts from the individual clients we coach in our 30/10 Weight Loss For Life  Bellevue clinic every day.

Obesity is defined as a person who is 20%+ over their ideal weight, maybe your ideal weight is the weight you graduated high school or maybe it is a weight we compute once we know your body fat % and your muscle mass % and your visceral fat rating and we then coordinate these numbers with your age, height and current weight.  If you are a 5 ft. 4 inch female and you weigh 155 lbs. and your body fat is 40%  and your visceral fat is 13%  and you  graduated high school at 120 lbs., I am going to guestimate (new word)  your ideal weight may be around 125lbs. for starters and therefore you are now 30lbs. over ideal weight which defines you obese.   Many folks in this condition will  typically be experiencing  low energy, poor sleep and  a dark cloud mood.  You may have heartburn or a burning stomach and some health issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, ...  You may be taking some medications for some weight/diet related condition and may have been  told you have low thyroid or some hormonal/ovarian troubles.  Your body/metabolism is messed up you are told .  Your doctor may have advised you on the last visit to go on a diet and exercise and you leave his/her office more frustrated then ever.  You just figure the stubborn weight gain  is a factor of getting older and having kids and genetics, so why try, it is all too overwhelming, so the hell with it. I will take the pills you conclude, put on a happy face and go about my day, feeling sick and tired and depressed and hopeless.

When you enter my downtown Bellevue 30/10 Weight Loss For Life clinic and I sit with you for a consultation and  evaluation and if you are a candidate for one of  my  slim down programs then we can get started right away.  I only require that you want to make a change in your life, I cannot make positive changes in you without you having the intention, the desire to become a new you.  Your goal and objective must be weight loss for life, a new lifestyle, a new way of thinking.  I take away  the bad in your diet and we put the good back in.   Dr. Nelson and I have co-authored our hot off the press new book, Weight Loss For Life and the emphasis of our program is not reaching a target weight but in creating a lifestyle change that is better and easier and healthier then the one you are living now.  Our multifaceted approach to weight loss makes it easy and enjoyable and the process is fast and  exciting.  People feel so much better when they get those 20 30 40 50 ... pounds off as they delete the bad foods and replace with good foods.  It is so much easier than you think , it just requires a person to stop the procrastination and make a committed  decision.  Procrastination and its good friends "excuse & denial" prevent folks from getting out of the rut. If we continue doing on into the future what we have done in the past, we will continue to get what we got.  
Until next time, Dr. Mark Doyle.

Dr. Doyle is co-developer of the 30/10 Weight Loss For Life program, women average a loss of 30 lbs. in 10 weeks, men average 50/10,  and they love the program and the results.  Dr. Doyle is a clinical hypnotherapist registered with the State of Washington and he has created the DEEP Release Clear Mind Process. He is a chiropractic physician with over 35years experience and great skill.  He understands that 50% of weight gain and weight loss is physical or diet related and the other 50% is mental/emotional/habit and he strives to address both aspects for a goal and objective of weight loss for life.

For more information on our Superb Weight Loss Programs, please visit:

http://www.3010WeightLossForLife.com/

Visit our website for more information on Dr. Doyle's faster patient recoveries visit:

http://www.8thstreetchiropractic.com/

Bellevue chiropractor Bellevue chiropractic Bellevue Chiropractors Weight Loss Back Pain Ideal Protein

Home Remedies for Anti Aging

Everyone has to face aging with time. No one likes the fact of having wrinkles on skin. Your skin becomes more sensitive and thin while you get old. To take better care of your skin, please find below Home Remedies for Anti Aging.

HOME REMEDIES for ANTI AGING

When talking about anti aging, Coconut is the best ingredient. Coconut Milk can help your skin have a glowing effect. 

Aloe Vera is a great Anti Aging herb. Use aloe vera gel to remove wrinkles.

Honey can be used to get rid of wrinkles around eyes.

Avocado really helps to give you a young and fresh look because of its oily nature. Simply apply either the pulp or slices of avocado on your face and your skin.

Castor Oil is another useful substance in treating wrinkles. Apply castor oil on your skin, it makes your skin softer and removes wrinkles.

Few drops of lemon juice on your skin can help keep away aging marks on your face.

The oldest and most affective remedy is to drink plenty of water.

Skin Care with Olive Oil

Olive oil is the most popular and ancient fruit.

Not only the skin, it's very useful for your body as well.

Using it in cooking keeps you healthy.

See below i am going to tell you some home remedies about use of olive oil.

Skin Care with Olive oil

Olive oil provides a smooth and radiant complexion.

Olive oil has high levels of Vitamin A and E, both of which have antioxidant qualities. Which acts as Anti-aging.

Olive oil helps maintain elasticity of skin.

Olive oil is a Natural Moisturizer. It also speeds the healing of minor cuts, acne scars, and wounds.

Apply olive oil with few drops of rosewater 10 minutes before bathing on whole body. It Moisturize your skin.

Once a week exfoliate your skin using sea salt mixed with olive oil. Use a soft cloth to apply the salt blend in small circles over your whole face. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. This removes old, dead skin and leaves your skin looking younger and fresher.

Olive oil is a Natural Conditioner, it helps bringing shine into your hair and moisturize them.

You would be amazed to hear that Olive oil can also be used as a Make Up remover. Soak a piece of cotton with 1 or 2 drops of olive oil and apply it on your eyes and face to gently remove make up.

Olive oil acts as a best solution for dry nails and dried up cuticles. Use one drop olive oil on your nails and gently massage around it.

Hope these tips could solve many problems of your's :).....

#3) Are You a Big Fat Procrastinator?

I just bet you are, most of us procrastinate doing things we know we should do, waiting for that "right" time.  We procrastinate taking care of our health with lifestyle change or weight loss or exercise until we have a crisis.

Maybe its a health issue or someone says something unkind or we just get fed up with  our status quo.  For the chronic spine pain  aspect of our downtown Bellevue practice,  pain is the motivator and for many folks the pain has to be bad before they become motivated to come in for care. Often its when they are told they need surgery for their back condition that they pick up the phone, wanting  a non-surgical option.

Clients who come in for weight loss are different, they have known all along they need to slim down  but their weight gain often begins slowly  during a stressful period of their lives.   When these stressful periods in our lives are happening we neglect our diet and  our exercise.  With stress our body goes into a fight and flight mode and our body chemistry changes and we naturally enter into a metabolism of fat storing vs.  healthy fat burning.  Before we know it we have locked in 10 lbs. of fat around our waist or on our butt and we go out and fix it with a bigger pair of pants or a longer blouse , saying all the while, " I will start my diet after Christmas, after New Years, after my birthday,  after kids graduate , after the summer...  Fast forward another year and the 10 lbs. is now 15 lbs. or 20 lbs. and you notice the fuller face and thighs, now you feel self conscious and unattractive and sad.   With the additional emotions and stress your diet becomes worse and you find yourself eating to self medicate your moods and feelings.  So you try a diet, you lose 10 lbs.  but you find those 10  lbs. make barely a dent and you feel more sad and helpless and frustrated so you get angry and say the hell with it, "maybe its my genetics, my parents were heavy..."

I can tell you it does not have to be this way.  We can help, at our 30/10 Weight Loss facility in Bellevue, our Weight Loss For Life program is the best, a mind-body( integrative) approach to slimming down and losing weight fast , a  program that is doctor supervised and effective.  Women lose an average of 3 to 5 lbs. per week and men lose 5 to 7 lbs. per week.  Our goal and objective (yes, that is you and me) is weight loss for life and a healthy happy lifestyle.

I have absolutely no doubt you can do it, stop procrastinating, stop the excuses and take control of your life and your health today. We are creatures of habit and sometimes those habits can be useful and beneficial and some times they can be hurtful and destructive.  The good thing about any habit is that we have the ability to change our habits, sometimes we just need a little help, a little coaching from the outside.  When you think about it, every professional athlete has a coach, someone to help guide and error correct them out of a bad habit into a better one or to encourage them to ascend into that next level of accomplishment. You can do it, it all boils down to a decision and a commitment and then action.  Sometimes we get stuck and cannot see our way out,  this is normal, happens to us all with pretty much any issue or situation.  Decision, Commitment, Action, you can do it if you really want to.

Until next time, Dr. Mark Doyle,   Dr. Doyle is a certified clinical hypnotherapist and creator of the DEEP Release Clear Mind Process.

For more information on our 3010 Weight Loss Program in Downtown Bellevue, WA, please visit:

http://www.3010WeightLossForLife.com

Visit our website for more information on Dr. Doyle's high tech spine pain clinic in Downtown Bellevue, WA.

http://www.8thstreetchiropractic.com/

Bellevue chiropractor  Bellevue Chiropractors Weight Loss Back Pain Ideal Protein

Almost Mrs Average gets to speak at waste exhibition

It was a real honour to speak yesterday at RWM, the UK's largest recycling and waste management exhibition, especially as I was sharing the stage with the very inspiring Joy Bizzard, chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC)

The context was very much how local authorities can engage with householders to help individuals and communities reduce waste.  Joy's presentation was packed with advice on how councils can raise awareness and find new ways to inspire new audiences, despite the current economic culture of squeezed budgets.

The area that particularly interested me was the subject of peer endorsement, i.e., the difference that can be made by engaging ordinary members of the public to share their own stories amongst their peer groups.  It's a subject that has fascinated me for a long time and certainly set the scene for me telling my own tale of the Zero Waste challenge that I undertook in 2008 and the events that have unfolded since.

It is an extremely surreal experience addressing an audience of waste and recycling professionals.  I've done it a couple of times before and it's very difficult not to feel like a waste geek groupie, especially when you know how hard officers are working to battle against the problem of waste, which comes with its own set of economic and contractual constraints, misguided government strategies and often divisive public opinion.

And as I said yesterday, I am no expert in behaviour change. I can only tell my own personal story.  However, since taking St Edmundsbury's Zero Waste Week challenge in 2008, I have become more aware of the challenges that exist, the opportunities that are available and the need for formerly disparate groups to work together in accepting increased responsibility, whether that's producer responsibility, local authority responsibility, individual responsibility or from further along the waste chain.

In context to yesterday's event, I really feel that to work towards the UK's 2020 Zero Waste goal, local authorities are going to need to work harder and smarter in engaging their immediate community groups and actively seek out more formal relationships with individuals, who are themselves happy to inspire others within their own communities.

Last week, I made this very point at the Making 2020 Zero Waste Work conference in Coventry.  So you can just imagine my delight, whilst returning home from yesterday's exhibition, I read news of a volunteer training programme that's been rolled out by Zero Waste Scotland.  It's fabulous news that the Scottish agency has already created a blueprint for this and are putting such ideas into practice, having itself been inspired by the Master Composter network.

And for any doubters, who might raise an eyebrow over the effectiveness of such action, I could highlight many examples of personal stories that I've received from my own community where I've seen the impact locally.  But even more significantly than that, I'd like to point readers in the direction of one of the most successful peer endorsement case studies of the last three years, and that's the story of  "My Zero Waste".

You may have to enlarge the photo below, but pictured at the centre of the presentation slide is the Strauss family, who were unknown to me four years ago.  However, thanks to St Edmundsbury Borough Council engaging me in a Zero Waste challenge, and as a result of me writing about it on the Internet and my story being broadcast widely on national radio, word soon got around.  Rachelle Strauss noticed and consequently felt empowered to reduce her own family's household waste.  Driven by environmental concern, she led the way in creating her website, www.myzerowaste.com, attracting a growing community of people keen to seek advice and share ideas about reducing their waste.  This year Rachelle hosted her 4th National Zero Waste Week, a simple grassroots campaign that received over 12,000 hits within just a few days of being announced at the end of August.

Yesterday's visit to RWM was most certainly an interesting one and my only regret is that I didn't get a chance to have a proper gander around the exhibition, but that's only because I was too busy catching up with some of the folk who spend their professional lives trying to inspire others.  I'll just have to make sure I visit next year.

#2) Fat Proof Your Medina/ Bellevue Home

You have most certainly heard this before, don't buy the crap that is bad for you and don't bring it into your house.   "Well, Dr. Doyle ,  what is the crap of which you speak?"   I will tell you exactly what you should not eat but it is really all the same stuff you have heard so many times before.   People who have a lot of weight to lose have specific reasons as to why they put on the weight.  I can tell you what to eat but it will just go in one ear and out the other until you are at a place in your life that you really and truly want to make a permanent change.

You have to be ready  mentally and emotionally to change.  The foods we eat that put on the fat are addictive, when we go off them we have withdrawal symptoms and it can be very very difficult, people do not like to feel deprived or hungry .  At 30/10 Weight Loss in downtown Bellevue I understand this fact .  Statistics inform us that  95% of the folks who go on a diet and lose the weight, end up gaining it all back and people who go on diets, lose the weight, put it back on, then diet again, lose and put it back on... are called yo yo dieters.  We see these people in our clinic, they are frustrated  and they feel hopeless and powerless .  I  address  these all important issues with my state of the art  slim down program, and it is easy, yes I said easy, my clients  love the program. Their weight loss is big ,  3-5 lbs. a week for women and 5-7 lbs. for men  average.   Our program is designed to change your metabolism from  fat storing to fat burning and our  emphasis(you and me)  is weight loss for life.

 I co-authored the book Weight Loss For Life, it is hot off the press and we offer a free copy to anyone reading this blog.   We work with clients who have  difficult to lose weight loss conditions and we incorporate a mind-body approach.  Changing your internal programs about how you view yourself, food and a healthy lifestyle is the foundation for weight loss for life.    Weight loss is not just about looking good, it is really about getting healthy , getting the blood pressure and cholesterol levels under control and reversing your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and various forms of cancer.   Feeling good again with renewed levels of energy, better sleep, improved libido and a brighter frame of mind as you take control of you.

For those who want to do it on their own, the first step is making that decision, creating that intention of changing your life.   Focus your attention on your desired goal, your future best case scenario and on the solutions to the problems that stand in your way . Not to focus on the problems but your focus and attention is on the solutions to those problems and that distinction is very important.

Once you have your objective defined, then plan your attack.  Fat proof your house, your meals, your snacks , your habits and your friends.  Fat proof means to let go of the environment,  foods and junk that create the fat storage, eliminate all the "whites" in your diet, delete ALL sugar,  say goodbye to the breads, grains,  pastry, pasta, cookies, candies, crackers, soda, diet soda, fruit juices, potatoes and seriously moderate your fruits.  And I am not done with the "don't consume" part of this program, if you are serious and you want to lose the weight you have to say no to alcohol.

When I tell clients no alcohol on the weight loss program,  they always ask me,  "Dr. Doyle, what about a micro brew?  How about vodka, gin...  Certainly Dr. Doyle a glass of wine is OK with a meal???" My response is, how serious and dedicated are you , over the next 6 to 12 weeks (depending how much you have to lose) to let go of all the crap that has made you fat?  How serious are you, do you want to be in control of your weight loss or do you want the doughnut or the beer or the wine to be in your drivers seat?

Once you have reached your ideal weight you will find yourself with a new found metabolism and you can go back to your wine or drink of choice in moderation.  There is a big distinction between the process of losing the weight and the process of maintaining the weight loss.  But once you understand how it all works you will find yourself in control and when you are in control you will have achieved weight loss for life.

With our 30/10 WLFL system (women  lose 30lbs in 10 weeks, men lose 50/10)  these "addictions" and the perceived difficulties are minimized greatly with our 30/10 weight loss for life protocol.  We hear our clients tell us all the time that they did not think they could do it or that it could be this easy.  I tell you it is easy and it is fun and the fun part of this program is the quick changes that you see in yourself not only  physically and  emotionally but also significant changes in how you feel with greater energy and improved mood.

Have protein each meal  eggs, beef, chicken , fish, ...  and vegetables, variety of vegetables in salads, stir fry or baked.  Use olive oil, little butter, salt, spices and for your salad dressing try ample olive oil, add some mustard(has no sugar) and the squeeze of half  a lemon.  Shake it up in a pint jar and add salt, pepper, garlic, onion and other healthy spices and then  pour it over your salad of greens and veggies. If you find it a tad too tart then add just a pinch of Stevia (natural plant extract sweetener).   Our  slim down 30/10 weight loss for life program is what we call your last diet, it is short term with a  quick weight loss while preserving your muscle mass, it is easier than you think.

If you can do this on your own then you do not need our help and we sincerely hope you can.  We enjoy the challenge of the person who has a difficult to lose weight condition and we make  the process fun and enjoyable for them and for us. We are all excited  to be a  part of a persons transformation and when you are losing  12 to 24 lbs. a month it is motivating for both the client, the  doctor and staff.

The Key to the 30/10 WLFL program is that we will never abandon you, when you reach your ideal weight we want you to continue to come in for frequent periodic weigh-ins for the rest of your life, at No Charge!  This is the secret to you becoming empowered with the skill and experience of identifying a weight gain early on and then "error correcting" yourself with regular foods back to where you want to be.  We simply guide and educate you to lose any gained pounds by yourself at 3 pounds per week.  After a few times of  experiencing how to do it yourself you will have a new found confidence and skill that is lacking in all other weight loss programs out there.

Remember that we all gain and lose weight above and below our ideal weight all the time, these fluctuations in weight are normal for everyone so don't freak out.  If we catch these gains early then we celebrate this gain in our clinic with the client as an opportunity for them to lose any gained weight by themselves with our guidance and coaching. 

Wishing you the very best always and until next time,   Dr. Mark Doyle.

Sophisticated weight loss in Bellevue takes on a mind-body approach in an effort to achieve faster and long lasting results.

For more information on our superb Weight Loss Programs in Bellevue, WA, please visit:

http://www.3010WeightLossForLife.com/

Visit our website for more information on the Best Chiropractic Care in Bellevue, WA. Dr. Doyle 

http://www.8thstreetchiropractic.com/

Protein

#1) Losing Weight is EASY as Pie

Yes, you first heard it here, as easy as pie and let me tell you why.  I specialize in hard to lose weight conditions, if it was easy you could do it on your own.  Personally I can not blame anyone for having a difficult time in losing weight on their own.  Everything you read is contradictory, eating out is really difficult  and the whole process of what to eat and what not to eat  is confusing and frustrating.   What we find is that most folks are not eating enough protein at their meals and therefore their hunger is not satisfied and they then supplement with bread, dessert or additional wrong foods an hour later.  Some just don't eat all day and then have a big dinner or the wrong dinner and find they cannot lose the weight.   The weight loss program we provide is hands down the best system out there and the reason  I say its the best is because  we make it easy and simple, fun and satisfying.  Our program is not about starving yourself, that does not work.

Dr. Nelson and I just released our new  book "Weight Loss For Life" and  this is exactly what our Bellevue program is really about,  weight loss for life.  Losing 50lbs. to reach your ideal weight , only to gain it all back again is not  the objective, the goal and objective is a change of mind over how you view food and a healthy lifestyle.   The goal is to change your metabolism from that of fat storage  into  fat burning and we do so by creating a healthy diet program that puts your pancreas to rest for a long enough period of time that it is able to  reset  itself so to speak.  We want your body to establish a normal and healthy insulin response to the foods you eat.  And you can do this, our clients love our slim down program and so will you.  Make weight loss for life a lifestyle choice, you can do it, we know you can and we can help you.  It is just about as easy as pie, really it is.

Our 30/10 program provides  the missing "links" for the complex subject of weight gain/weight loss. Weight loss is not just a diet issue, WL can be very confusing and frustrating for the person with a difficult to lose weight condition.  One essential  link to our program  is the fact that we will never abandon you when you have reached your "ideal" weight.  Realizing  your ideal weight with the  30/10 solution is easy.  The hardest part for every person who has lost the weight,  is keeping it off.  Once you reach your ideal weight on our 30/10 program  we want you to return for frequent periodic accountability weigh-ins at no charge for the rest of your life.  When you  have a weight gain, which is normal by the way, as we all fluctuate in weight, both up and down.  We want to catch any gain early on and then coach you on how to lose it yourself, 3 lbs. a week with regular foods.  This exciting and encouraging  process will give you the skills, experience and confidence  for an empowered weight loss for life mentality.

Until next time,  Dr. Mark Doyle.   Read my many blogs pertaining to the DEEP Release Clear Mind Process.  Successful weight loss clients must have the belief they can not only reach their ideal weight but also the belief they can achieve weight loss for life.  They need the belief that their process of slimming down can be easy and quick and they need to be able to release any past experiences that hold them back from achieving their goal/desired state.

 Dr. Doyle is a clinical hypnotherapist and incorporates his skills with his  slim down clients.  He is also co-founder of the 30/10 Weight Loss For Life program. Women average 30 pounds in 10 weeks-men average 50 pounds in 10 weeks.

For more information on our Superb Weight Loss Programs, please visit:

http://www.3010WeightLossForLife.com/

Visit our website for more information on Downtown Bellevue’s Leading Chiropractor

http://www.8thstreetchiropractic.com/

al Protein

Recipe: Blackberry Jam

Simple, but oh so good. The smell and taste of blackberries (that you've gone out and picked yourself- not from the shop) symbolise both autumn, and home to me. It's one of my favourite flavours because going out and picking blackberries was always one of the great things to do when I grew up in the countryside. Mum would always make a pie or a crumble with them, or later my first few experiments with jams- that got me interested in preserving- were always with mixtures of blackberries, elderberries and plums. Basically because that's what we had growing in the garden! It was funny, when i went blackberrying the other day, after i'd picked a few, Misty (my dog) started copying me and started picking the blackberries off the brambles and scoffing them! I sware my dog is so weird, she likes fruit and veg! She nicks potatoes, and gobbled up almost a pound of green beans that I picked the other day. Gawd i have to keep my eye on her these days. Anyway, this is a scrummy jam, really nice on toast with loads of peanut butter (although not Elvis style, with bacon too, lol!!)

Blackberry Jam (makes 1.2kg ish)
1.5kg fresh blackberries
225ml apple juice (from concentrate)
1200g sugar
45ml lemon juice.

1. Bring all the ingredients in a large pan to a rolling boil, and boil for 50 minutes, stirring often.
2. Pot, allow to cool for a couple of hours, and seal!

Shedwyn gets her skates on for the end of National Zero Waste Week 2011

To celebrate the last day of National Zero Waste Week, I sent the 1000 Bins mascot Shedwyn, into Suffolk's  rollerskating venue CurveMotion, to check out their recycling.

They have great recycling facilities behind the scenes, but don't have any specific recycling bins in the public zones.  Consequently customers end up throwing their empty bottles and cans into the general rubbish bin.

Even if there were public recycling bins, there is a real issue that the number of unemptied containers that are often thrown away by the customers, would quickly contaminate any efforts to recycle properly. So Shedwyn was on a mission to think of ways that could improve recycling without having to rely on expensive and sticky recycling bins.

After a spell of whizziness with the laptop and a touch of lamination, a simple methodology was born.  A  sign advising customers to leave their containers at the servery counter instead of shoving them in the bin!

Whether it's an effective solution, only time will tell, but it is an idea that's worth trying and if response is low it's well worth testing out new wording or different poster designs.

So with the job done, Shedwyn was ready to do a few laps around the roller rink before scooting off home to put her feet up for the rest of the day, but the bonkers old bird got so inspired by CurveMotion's Charity Skateathon that she challenged herself to 50 laps, "Anything for charity", she said, knowing it would be a struggle to keep on her feet for even 25.

However, fifty laps later she was still going strong.

After a wobbly start, taking a tumble over a fallen-down child at lap 75, and peforming a spectacular forward-slide-and-knee-bounce herself during the 200th lap, our recycling bin champion knocked us off our chairs as she made it to 211 laps, the equivalent distance of a half-marathon!

The poor old girl couldn't walk for ages after she'd come off the rink and was soon caught napping when she should have been on binwatch.

211 laps eh!  Who'd have guessed that would happen this Sunday, rounding off National Zero Waste Week  with bruised knees.

So, could the moral of the story be that no matter what your goals, assumptions or expectations, Shedwyn has shown that it's possible to exceed these, even if obstacles and setbacks get in the way?  We just need to to keep setting our sights much higher and pushing ourselves just that little bit more whether that's about recycling, reducing waste or other ambitions (government and industry are you listening?)

Then again, as a friend suggested after Shedwyn's super-impressive tumble, perhaps the moral of the story is that she really should have worn kneepads! 

So, while the bespectacled roving reporter nurses her knees, I wish you a happy end to National Zero Waste Week. I hope it's been a great week for you.   Of course, if like me, you've enjoyed Shedwyn's expoits with the 1000 Bins Challenge, it would be fab if you could sponsor her for her charity skateathon today.  It would help her knees get better much more quickly and it's for a a brilliant cause too:  St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds, which needs as much money as it can get to continue its great work.  You can find all you need at my Justgiving page or click the blue fundraiser badge at the top of the page.

So thank you all for your support this week and during the last three months's 1000 bins challenge.  It's been spectacular.  Here's to National Zero Waste Week 2011.  Special thanks go to Mrs Green at MyZeroWaste for organising it.  With another successful week over, who knows what will happen next year! Whatever happens, I bet your bottom dollar it will be exciting.

___________________________________________________

This post has been written in support of National Zero Waste Week 2011, which is hosted and organised by www.myzerowaste.com. This year's theme is reducing waste away from home.  The photo competition for the 1000 Bins project, promoting "recycling on the go", ends at midnight today (11/9/2011).  See www.1000bins.com for details.  Huge thanks to CurveMotion for extending a very warm welcome to Shedwyn today.  More information about their Charity Skateathon and other events can be found at www.curvemotion.com.

Recipe: Chicken and Kidney Bean Enchiladas

Now this recipe does make A LOT- I reckon if you used all the filling mixture in one go then you could probably make about 20 wraps (serving 6-10 depending on personal greed and whether you are serving them with a side dish or not). I love enchiladas because they are very quick to make, and because of their texture- i enjoy the contrast between the soft tortilla and filling, and the slightly chewy cheese topping. This isn't an incredibly authentic mexican recipe for enchiladas, but it's a good weekday supper, that can be adapted to feed an army, or to feed a couple of people with the rest frozen for another time.

Chicken and Kidney Bean Enchiladas(serves 2- 10,depending on how many wraps you make)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp Schwartz Cajun seasoning (main ingredients: chilli powder, cumin, and oregano)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 vegetable Oxo cube
2 tins kidney beans, drained
1 x 340g tin sweetcorn
400g cooked shredded chicken
Large handful fresh coriander
Salt and pepper
5 Discovery soft plain tortilla wraps
1 Jar Doritos Mild Salsa
150g grated cheddar

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Fry the red onion, garlic and Cajun seasoning in the olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, sugar, garam masala, oregano, paprika and the Oxo cube and cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring often.
2. Mix in the kidney beans, sweetcorn, chicken and coriander, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste and set aside to cool down a little bit. Get a tortilla wrap, put a few tablespoons of the chicken mix into the wrap, and then wrap it up. Put these wraps into a baking dish side by side (I can fit 5 into mine).
3. Spoon a jar full of salsa evenly over the top of these wraps, and then top with 150g of cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, and then grill for 5 minutes to allow the cheese to gratinate. Serve!
4. You will have a lot of the filling mixture left, and you can now either repeat the cooking process with more wraps/more salsa/more cheese- or you can freeze the filling and use at another time. It will last a month in the freezer, make sure to properly defrost before using again.

Making 2020 Zero Waste Work: Coventry Conference

Professor Paul Connett, presenting at the Coventry conference

Today, representatives from central government, local authorities and universities gathered together in Coventry along with social enterprises, mulitnationals, waste management companies, the third sector and environmental bodies, to explore how UK society can create a proper zero waste economy in line with aspirations for 2020.

For many, zero waste translates as 'zero waste to landfill', but a strong message that was made clear at today's conference was that a zero waste goal should be exactly what it says...simply ZERO waste, achieved through innovations that design out waste during manufacture and a society that promotes reuse and technologies that enable precious resources to be properly recycled rather than the assumption that the simplest destination for residual waste is to be burned with no other opportunity for recovery.

Anyone who has any doubts over whether this zero waste vision could become a reality, should consult with American waste campaigner Professor Paul Connett, pictured above, who presents a strong case for product redesign, economic incentives, community empowerment and the development of separation & research facilities at landfill\incineration sites, as being vital components in making it work.

And the key to success is everyone in the chain working together to drive the results forward, an example of which was announced in Coventry today, where Coventry University, which already runs 50 courses in sustainability and the environment, revealed plans to create a Zero Waste research centre, working closely with the local authority.

Today's programme also presented examples of industry's approach to creating zero waste through manufacturing processes and facilities management as well as examplers of community-based programmes and waste stream development.

The presentation by Garden Organic's Myles Bremner particularly struck a chord, as it was one of the strongest case studies  for how individuals can make a difference, not only regarding reducing their own waste, but by empowering their communities.  Through the Master Composter scheme, Garden Organics has been successful in creating a peer-to-peer network, where members of the public are able to help others, by sharing their expertise locally.

Of course I couldn't leave the conference without highlighting my strong belief that a similar peer-to-peer network is needed to nurture recycling champions across the UK, where trusted and enthusiastic members of the community are empowered to share their knowledge through local groups and at key events.  Social-networking has already demonstrated the power of word-of-mouth. If this could be replicated throughout local communiities, this greater awareness could bring beneficial results to not just recycling rates but to waste arisings too.

Although this event was organised independently of National Zero Waste Week, it was a welcome coincidence and well-timed for this week's calendar.  It would have been news to most of those who attended today's conference that this week is indeed the 4th national awareness week of its kind.   And with reference to my earlier point about community champions, National Zero Waste Week, as organised by Rachelle Strauss of MyZeroWaste is an excellent example of how a positive role model can engage with the community around them, allbeit a virtual one.  With over 12,000 visitors to the campaign page, it certainly has proven its wide reach.

The Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was in attendance today and stayed for a short while following her keynote speech.  Although the government is placing waste prevention high on its agenda and has created a path towards a zero waste economy, today's  conference demonstrated that it needs to work harder and be tougher on manufacturing to design out waste and solutions for maximising the waste that remains.  I hope that government now shifts its expectations to fit more closely in line with the visionaries we saw today, who are passionate about better use of the world's resources and the socio-economic opportunities of managing them more effectively.

Mal Williams, CEO of the Welsh community recycling network Clych, who also spoke at today's conference, really couldn't have put the point more bluntly.

"Waste is a mistake, not a resource," he asserted and referring to how society goes forward, he added that it is time to move from a "Careless system to a CAREFUL system".

And I have to agree, this should be the barometer against which a sustainable zero waste strategy should be measured and judged.

____________________________________________________________

This blogpost has been written in support of National Zero Waste Week 2011. More information about the awareness week can be found at www.myzerowaste.com.  Further details about the Making 2020 Zero Waste Work conference are available at www.climate-change-solutions.co.uk, where the speakers' presentations will be published very soon.