Chairs, Posture and the Alexander Technique

As a teacher of the Alexander Technique(1), I am frequently asked about chairs by my students, and about which designs are best. Some have been given very expensive, ergonomically-designed chairs at work and wonder if they are actually any better than ordinary ones. Others complain about their car seats, or about the curved plastic chairs often found in waiting rooms and in many airport lounges.

t is certainly true that some chairs are a lot more comfortable than others, and that some chairs make it easier to have a healthier upright posture. But even if you could find the perfect chair, you could hardly carry it around with you all day long. Sooner or later, you would be confronted with a choice between standing or sitting in a less than desirable chair.

From an Alexander Technique perspective, looking for the perfect chair is an exercise in futility. It is our body that sits in a chair, and if we want to improve our comfort and health, our primary attention must be directed at improving our own functioning - that is, what we do with our own body when we sit.

Its a sort of bad news, good news situation: The bad news is that we cant blame our aches and pains on our furniture. As the cartoon character Pogo once remarked, We have met the enemy and they is us! The good news is that we have it within our power to change the way we sit and, in fact, we can learn how to sit well in virtually any situation that presents itself to us.

The Alexander Technique is a very powerful method of learning to do just that. It teaches you ways to direct your body so that you can have an easy upright posture in virtually any sitting situation you find yourself in.

But what about those expensive ergonomically-designed chairs? Wont they insure good seating posture at least during the time youre using them?

Im afraid the answer is no. Its entirely possible to slouch, or distort your body in other ways while using these chairs. An ergonomist colleague of mine tells me that offices around the country are littered with unused very expensive chairs (and other furniture items) because they didnt seem to help.

In fact, some ergonomic designs are positively harmful. When I lived in England, training to become an Alexander Technique teacher, I often had occasion to use the British Rail system. I soon noticed three distinct types of seats: older, very basic, seats with padded flat bottoms and backs; somewhat newer seats (from the 1950s and 60s) that had a forward bend in the seat backs; and some quite new seats that combined an exaggerated bend with a forward-protruding head rest.

I noticed that the newer chairs made it very difficult for the average rider to sit without having his or her head pushed so far forward that a slouch was almost inevitable. Of course, as I said earlier, with training its possible to sit well in pretty much any chair, but these new seats were among the most challenging Ive ever encountered. The older chairs were far better because their neutral design didnt force unnatural body contortions.

I learned that these new seats were, in fact, designed by ergonomists and that the way they went about their design was to match the chair to posture of the average rider. But the average rider has pretty poor sitting posture to begin with so these chairs were simply reinforcing that prevailing pattern.

So, what advice can I give regarding chairs? First, dont look to a chair as the primary solution to poor posture - remember its your posture and so its you that has to learn how to change it. But if you have a choice, I recommend very simple, basic designs - fairly flat, reasonably firm bottoms and backs that do not force your torso into any particular shape.

In addition, theres a lot to be said for having your knees at a lower height that your hips. This tends to encourage the natural double C curvature of your spine that provides easy upright support for your body. The simplest way to do this is to use a stool whose base is higher than the typical chair when you can. My students are often skeptical when I recommend this (Theres no backrest!) but most of those who try it for a few days report feeling far more comfortable once they get used to the added height.

1. The Alexander Technique is a century-old method of learning how to release harmful tension from your body. The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique is a comprehensive information source.

The Ergonomics.org website at http://www.ergonomics.org explores the relationship between the science of ergonomics and the benefits of Alexander Technique training.

Robert Rickover is an Alexander Technique teacher living in Lincoln, Nebraska. He also teaches regularly in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of Fitness Without Stress - A Guide to the Alexander Technique and is the creator of The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique website at http://www.alexandertechnique.com

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How Does Nicocure Work?

Its one of the lesser known quit smoking patches out there but if you have never heard of it, then listen up.

Nicocure is the strong silent saviour of all smokers looking to give up the dreaded weed for good. This patch is one of the rising stars in the stop smoking market as it is unique. Most people only stumble upon Nicocure by chance but once they have found it, boy are they grateful

Now you may be reading this and wonder what so special about this patch. Why is it so different to all the other stop smoking aids out there? The answer is simple. IT WORKS!

Everyone including myself who has tried this product notices a massive decrease in cravings for the cigarettes, especially compared to a lot of the other well known patches out there for sale.

But one thing which makes Nicocure so cool is its effectiveness. What do I mean by this? Well as I discovered, once I started using this product it was impossible for me to smoke again. 3 days after starting using Nicocure, I reached for my cigarettes (purely out of habit) and lit the end, then took a puff. YUKit tasted FOUL! I dont know how that happened but Nicocure altered the way I taste any cigarette, and it is not pleasant.

And this sensation is not uncommon amongst other would be quitters using this product. This is a major plus as the nasty taste alone is enough to make you quit.

And the main reason why I tried this product is that it had a very good 30 day money back guarantee. I thought Why not.got nothing to lose. If it has not worked within a month, Ill get a full refund. As you can imagine, I didnt take them up on the money back offer.

If you have tried the rest without success, you should try looking into Nicocure. Remember, they have a money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

Trying to give up smoking? There are so many 'stop smoking' products and aids available so how do you decide what is for you? For more reviews on Nicocure, visit Nicocure Patch

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Financial Needs Analysis

Financial Needs Anaysis (FNA) is defined as a process to identify individual financial needs in order to strategise an investment plan that meet such needs and financial goals. Before I go into details about FNA process, let me explain the three broad categories of financial needs;

(i) Accumulation Needs It is defined as a future financial need that one desire to set aside. The motivation to accumulate a sum of money in future include children education, starting a business, property investment, buying a car, retire early or giving to charity.

(ii) Retirement Needs It is defined as financial need that provide fund to support our life after our retirement. When we retire, our pension or social security benefits begin but our earned income ceases. Our working expenses reduce but our leisure and medical expenses increase.

(iii) Protection Needs It is defined as financial obligations that we need to fulfil upon death, disablement, contracting critical illness, loss of or damage to property and/or when a personal liability arises.

Having a general idea about the three main categories of financial needs, let me go through the process of Financial Needs Analysis:

(1) Fact finding --> (2) Identify and quantify financial needs --> (3) Identify investment products that meet financial goals --> (4) Periodical review of financial needs

1. Fact Finding

Gather personal details, employment details, number of dependents, financial information, existing insurance policies, retirement needs, saving goals, objective and investment preference. Personal details such as age, gender, martial status and smoking habits will offer us a preliminary assessment of the types of financial products that will likely suitable for us. Employment status enables us to determine if income protection is needed for high risk job, and the ability to commit long to medium term investment product. The number of dependents will determine the amount of additional financial support. The more dependent we have, the greater the number of years we have to support them, which means we need more life insurance and income protection. Financial information such as monthly income will help to determine the continuing income needed in the event of death, disability or retirement.

Expenditures information will help to determine the level of income needed for the family to survive in the event of premature death of the breadwinners, and to estimate the funds available for investment. Assets and liabilities information helps to determine net worth, which enable us to decide on the amount of funds for investment or to adjust our lifestyles to reduce liabilities. Existing insurance policy will serve as a starting point for any further insurance products. The objectives and investment preferences will help to determine our attitude towards investment risk, which classified into Risk Averter, Cautious, Balanced and Risk Seeker. Retirement needs information enables us to determine the monthly amount in today's dollar that we and our dependents need to live on retirement. Generally, most singles need about 50% to 60% of their pre-retirement income to maintain same living standard after retirement. The percentage increase to 60% to 70% for married couples with one retiree. Saving goals information helps to determine if the funds earmarked for various financial goals are adequate.

2. Identifying and Quantifying Financial Needs

After we have gathered all the data through facts finding, the next steps of FNA process is to analyse the data to identify and quantify the financial needs. We should pick up weaknesses that can negatively affect the financial objectives. For examples; amount of debts, investment portfolio, existing insurance products, living within means, investment time horizon, liquidity need, children education and risk profiles. Determine which objectives should be given higher priority. Three factors should be considered when analysing objectives:

• Establish if the objective is short-term or long-term. Short-term objective is more appropriate for retired person who may wish to increase income produced from investment capital. Long-term objective is more suitable for someone who want sufficient fund to send his new-born child to university in future. However, objectives can be both long and short term.
• Establish if the objective is for the benefit of us or for others, such as dependants. For example, the objective may be passing our estate to our grandchildren in the event of death. Alternatively, the objective may be to retire early.
• Prioritise the objectives. For example, we may want to invest a second property but to achieve this objective; it may detriment a reasonable income in retirement. It is important to tackle each financial need and uncover those needs that need immediate attention.

Once all the financial needs are identified and prioritised, each need must be quantified. The ways to quantify retirement, protection and accumulation needs are different. There are two methods to quantifying retirement needs, namely the replacement ratio method and expense method. As for protection needs, the method include determine the sum of total liabilities and immediate expenses required at the time of death and the amount needed for dependants as long as needed. Multiple approach and needs approach are two common approach used to quantify the amount needed for dependants. For accumulation needs, the approach is to find the future value of the target amount taking into consideration of inflation. After we have quantified the data, proceed to next step to identify investment products that meet financial objectives.

3. Identify Investment Products that meet Financial Objectives

Points to consider includes investment objectives, product suitability, affordability, taxation, tax relief, rick tolerance, pension schemes, prioritisation and effect of inflation and time value of money. Investment Instrument that meets accumulation and retirement needs includes Money Market Securities, Fixed Income Securities, Equity Investment, Derivative Instruments, Property, Unit Trusts, Whole Life Insurance, Endowment, Investment-Linked Products and Annuities. Investment products that meet protection needs include Term Insurance, Whole Life Insurance, Endowment Insurance, Investment-linked Life Insurance, Riders, Critical illness Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance, Medical Expense Insurance and Managed Healthcare Insurance and Disability Income Insurance. General Insurance products that meet protection needs include Fire Insurance, Household/House owner Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance and Personal Liability Insurance.

4. Periodical Review of Financial Needs

The process of identifying financial needs does not stop with implementation. Our financial needs may change over time. It affects our initial investment plan, as they may no longer be adequate. For example, a steep fall in price of equities would signal that a review of our investment portfolio and saving is required if we invested substantially in equities. Regular review of financial needs ensure we stay on course to our financial goals.

For more information about Financial Needs Analysis, go to http://growmoneytree.com

Christopher Goh is a Financial Adviser who based in Singapore. He achieved financial independent and debt-free by age 36 through saving and prudent investment. Christopher passion is to share his knowledge on the importance of financial protection and wealth creation. For more information about Christopher, go to http://www.growmoneytree.com

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Makeup Tips on PH Balance

PH is a medical term that describes the balance of your system and it refers to the condition of metabolic changes. Most skin problems are a derivative of diet and the lack of proteins. Now, for a stepping-stone to a beautiful you, let us look at our regime involved in prepping our skin. Once again, skin problems stem from unbalanced PH. Our skin has a happy PH balance and when your diet is unstable, as with the typical American junk food diet, our skin changes as a result.

An increase in sugar or a lack of vegetables changes the PH balance of your skin; if you over cleanse your face (by cleansing in the morning and again at nighttime) you will age your skin by reducing the natural moisture in the T-zone area. Sometimes, just a white, warm washcloth soaked with distilled water, followed by a cleanser, and is better than toner. The base ingredient of most toners is alcohol, which dries out your skin. At nighttime, before you go to bed, is the best time for toners, because they remove makeup, and environmental impurities, and dead skin cells.

Over-cleansing your face will age you. The best oil is that which your body produces. As a rule, those who have oily skin look younger, because oily skin is not prone to wrinkles like dry skin owing to abundance in natural oils. Each of you has a specific skin type and each of you needs a balanced moisture cream that suits your individual needs. Let us consider some things that cause changes to your skin that you perhaps overlook. Many women fast, thus draining the body of the needed vitamins that one gets from food. If you dehydrate your body, you change your sodium and potassium level, which changes your PH.

Many women think that it is a good idea to put oil on their skin; this is fine for your arms and legs, but never put oil on your face. This method is a myth. Why? Well, if you apply oil on your face, your sebaceous glands (oil producing glands) will stop producing the skin's own precious natural oils. Here's what happens: The brain sends a message to the glands that oil is present, thus cutting off your natural moistening and the result is an increase in aging because of dryness.

Your PH Level greatly affects your skin. PH imbalances (too much or too little acid) are your skin's worst enemies. PH imbalances are the result of stress and poor dietary and lifestyle habits. (Junk food; extreme diets; not enough fruit and vegetables; excess salt and sugar; alcohol; drugs (legal or otherwise); overuse of antacids or laxatives; smoking; lack of exercise; not drinking enough water; too much sun and wind; etc.)

Some women try to correct the effects of PH imbalances with an inexpensive moisturizer while others spend megabucks for a product that will do the same job. Remember, if your skin is dry, you need to moisturize and you do not need an expensive product to do this. Skin demands different products, so listen to your skinif it is breaking out, or drying out, it is telling you it needs a change of product (you may also want to review your lifestyle habits to see if there is something you are eating or doing that may be affecting your skin). Should you use the same products year after year? Let us seeshampoo, after 90 days, builds a residue on the hair shaft. Deodorant, after 90 days, does not work as effectively.

As your body builds tolerance to your products, you must change products. Also, do not use the same product in the summer as in the winter months because your skin will have different needs when exposed to cold or hot weather. If, for whatever reason, your PH level changes, so will your need for products. Does this make sense? Common sense is your rule to follow. In addition, as you age, your skin will require different products, so let you skin tell you when to change. The Artemus Objective Method of Makeup

Having had vast experience over the years in training make-up artists and models on how to apply makeup correctly, he has also worked as a makeup artist in his own right and has made up some of the most well-known faces in the industry. He has worked as a consultant for designers and photographers as well as advised on makeup techniques for films and plays. Today, he offers you the opportunity to learn his unique techniques through his e-book Bible Of Makeup

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