10 Easy Ways to Flatten Your Belly

1. Eat a bowl of raspberries. Packed with fiber, they fight constipation (that can swell your midsection like a balloon).

2. Drink lots of water. It's filling, calorie-free, and keeps your metabolism running in high gear.

3. Skip the cocktails. Sure, alcohol may be fat-free, but it's loaded with calories. It can also raise your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that helps your belly store fat.

4. Sit up straight. Hunching forward makes your belly look bigger. For a slimming effect that actually trains the stomach-supporting muscles to stay taut, sit with your shoulders back, chin up, and lower back supported against the chair.

5. Plant a garden. All the bending, lifting, and twisting help shape your middle, and you'll burn about 350 calories an hour.

6. Move your hips. Hula hooping works on the same calorie-burning, waist-whittling principle as gardening—but with less dirt.

7. Hit the greens. Ditching the golf cart earns you a walking workout; whacking the ball tones and tightens your midriff.

8. Get a leg up. Crunches with your legs off the floor tone the upper portion of your ab muscles. Lie on your back with your legs propped up on a bed or chair. Curl up slowly, raising your head, shoulders, and upper back off the floor, then slowly lower. Do 10 to 12 repetitions, two or three times a week.

9. Reverse that crunch. To tighten your tummy from a different angle, lie on the floor with your arms at your sides, feet off the floor, and your legs and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Contract your abdominals and press your back into the floor, lifting your hips about 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Hold, then lower. Do 10 to 12 repetitions, two or three times a week.

10. Do crossover crunches. To work the muscles that define your waistline (the obliques), lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle on your left knee and your hands behind your head, elbows pointing out. Lifting your head and upper back off the floor, twist, and bring your left shoulder toward your right knee. Hold, then slowly lower. Do 10 to 12 repetitions, then repeat to the other side. Do two or three times a week.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/

An Angel's Wedding (unknown author)

Vows to take, and prayers to say
On that their blessed wedding day
The dream has been seen, and fantasies thought.
And the angels dress already bought.

Her little girl fantasy will come to life
When the two come together as man and wife.
That day the church will be filled with stars,
Coming from galaxies both near and far.

Tears will shed when exchanging the rings.
And kissing when on glasses there are clings.
She’ll look gorgeous before him in a gown of white
‘Cause an angel is such a wondrous sight.

They’ll dance on the softest clouds of gold
And begin the promise to have and to hold.
We’ll remember her veil, and the long matching train
And know how she looked when taking his name.

That day will be filled with joy and with love
And heaven sent blessings from god up above.
Sadly the day must come to an end.
But the angel now has a lover and friend.

If you think the story I tell is not true
Believe that it is. The next angel is you.

Philippines Senator's Proclamation

Opponents of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's administration have prevailed in the contest for Senate held three weeks ago. The Commission on Elections in the Philippines proclaimed ten of winners in the senatorial race. On the other hand, they did not proclaim yet the two contested seats for the final results coming from the tallies in southern part of the Philippines are still being surveyed.

Among the ten declared so far, and of those only two have been won by allies of Ms. Arroyo. This is only means that the opposition has the majority in the Senate and giving them the ability to veto key legislation.

The following are the 10 winners of the Senate race:
Loren Legarda
Francis Escudero
Panfilo Lacson
Manuel Villar
Francis Pangilinan
Benigno Aquino
Edgardo Angara
Alan Peter Cayetano
Joker Arroyo
Gregorio Honasan

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/
http://www.samarnews.com

June Wedding

For the Bride and Groom

"Two hands to hold onto forever, Two arms to be embraced by eternally, Two eyes to gaze into for always, Two lips to kiss so passionately. Two souls fused by commitment, Two names written in the stars above, Two lives intertwined by God, Two hearts joined by the purest of love."

JUNE- it’s been the traditional month to get married. The month of June is always synonymous with weddings, right? BUT ever wonder why June wedding is so popular and well practice by some of us? Blame it on the Romans. It so often as if we can blame the Romans for every ritual or tradition we have. Essentially, the Romans favored June Wedding because that was the month dedicated to the observance of Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. Well, there was a practical side to June Weddings and realism also shows up fairly a bit in rituals or also called as traditions. A marriage in June could result in a conception early enough so that a wife wouldn’t be too full with child to not be able to help out during harvest. It also meant that the baby would be born soon enough so that the recovered bride would be in shape for the next harvest pending no unexpected second bundle. To what history stated, harvest time plays a role in wedding traditions around the world. Even today, weddings are traditionally heavier in the summer that in the fall. The reason used to be that so many women were needed to help pull in the crops, but for us to know how rituals are? People don’t care to question the modern-day strength based on the original need and they just blindly follow along.