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Many women in Asia toil all day in the rice field under the hot sun yet retain glowing complexions well into their golden years. And they don't set foot inside a Body Shop. So what's their secret?

The fact is, they have all the cosmetics they need around them - in the coconut tree, the banana plant and the jasmine bush, to mention just a few. In fact, their whole environment's a source of beauty products. Here's a quick look at some of nature's cosmetics and what they can do for your face.

Nothing quite evokes the tropics like the coconut palm. You can see it in all the tourist posters. In fact the coconut palm is at the heart of tropical life. People use the wood for building houses, the leaves for roofing, and the fruit for everything. The husk is used as fuel for cooking, the inner fruit as a food, and the water for refreshment and medicine. But the coconut has amazing properties as one of nature's medicines and cosmetics, too. For one thing, coconut oil has antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties. And it's a wonderful moisturizer. Try massaging your face with it at night and see how it smooths out your skin.

The banana too is one of the staple flora of the tropics. Not only is it a tasty snack but is also one of nature's cosmetics. Try making a facial pack with mashed banana and almond or olive oil. Your face will thank you. And this delicious fruit is packed with vital nutrients. The banana contains five times the vitamin A and iron and twice the quantity of most other vitamins and minerals. So enjoy a banana and let those anti-oxidants work their magic.

From the world of flowers, jasmine is venerated in Buddhist cultures and its scent adds magic to the garlands used in daily rituals. But jasmine also has therapeutic and cosmetic properties. Jasmine is classed as an aromatic herb. These herbs boost the circulation and reduce stress. As an ingredient in a facial pack, jasmine purifies and clears oily skin. And jasmine tea is a detoxifier that will help clear toxins from your system. This will let your beauty shine through.

So maybe you don't live on the Malabar Coast or the Gulf of Siam, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the fruits of the tropics. These joys are as far away as your supermarket or herb shop.

For a complete tropical beauty makeover, discover the natural beauty secrets of Siam only at http://www.ampawan.com

With the huge number of web sites out there on the Internet all put up with the goal of advertising one type of penis enlargement product or another, it can be quite a difficult task to wade through each and every one of them in search of the ones that can actually deliver on their lofty claims. In fact, you do not even have to lift a fingeror click a mouse button as the case may be, to be on the receiving end of any number of spam emails, all hailing the seemingly miraculous benefits of the latest new penis enlargement device or medication. These penis enhancement products seem to be a favorite of spammers, as the deluge of emails received by many unwary users will attest.

One of the more reputable penis enlargement products howeverand one that you would do well to take notice of--is Extagen. If you have ever wondered about Extagen and its potential effects upon yourself, this article is meant to shed some light on the matter.

One of the most important facts for you to realize is that Extagen is manufactured in a facility that conforms to the strictest FDA mandated requirements and regulations. This fact alone should make it adequately clear to you that Extagen is by no means similar to the dozens of other products out there that for all you know may have been concocted in someones basement!

Furthermore, Extagen uses only the highest quality herbs and natural ingredients in its blends. This way, you can be assured of the most satisfactory results with the least possible risks to your health. Every ingredient in Extagen has been medically tested to be as safe and effective as possible. With Extagen, the potency of the ingredients is guaranteed in order to give you satisfactory results with proper use.

Trying to find out more about Extagen?

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Many of us value our relationships, romantic and otherwise, above all else. We share laughter and love, while supporting each other through challenging times. But how do we mingle our finances and our relationships, if at all? Conversations about money often seem disparate from the connectedness and intimacy we share with each other.

Are relationships and money talk really paradoxical? Considering how many studies list financial issues as a leading precursor to relationship conflict, the obvious answer may be yes. Is this because relationships and money are akin to the proverbial oil and water, or is something else at work here?

In truth, money or the lack thereof does not, in itself, cause conflict. Rather, conflict arises due to the underlying values money tends to represent. Money is simply a form of energy that embodies our emotions, feelings, values and priorities. How we use this energy becomes representative of who we are and what we value most, as indicated by our money messages.

The way we earn, spend, save, invest, and gift money transmits messages to ourselves and others, whether or not we are aware of it. As a result, conflict frequently arises not because of lack of money, but because we misunderstand the messages our money behavior sends to ourselves and others.

Think about it. What does it say to yourself and your loved ones, for example, if you are excessively thrifty and tend to hoard your hard-earned money? Perhaps such behavior indicates someone who is cheap. Some might say it shows a person who cares more about money than about the people in their life. Meanwhile, this behavior may transmit the message to yourself that you question your ability to earn more in the future, or that money is a scarce commodity. Are these really the messages that thrifty people intend to espouse?

In such a case, thriftiness may also be construed as healthy financial conservatism, but beware of the potential subconscious messages you transmit with your money behavior. Despite our own best intentions, misguided and disconnected money messages often demonstrate values, beliefs and priorities that differ dramatically from our love ones and it is this incongruity that frequently leads to conflict.

Ultimately, improperly conveyed money messages jeopardize our self-esteem, our ability to effectively connect with and serve our partners, and a healthy, synergistic place in our communities.

How can we avoid falling into this trap of money miscommunication?

First, understand your money behavior. Take a money personality test to determine how you behave with money. Are you a spendthrift, hoarder, risk-taker, etc.? Only by knowing how and WHY you tend to behave with money can you truly understand the kinds of money messages you transmit to yourself, your loved ones and the community.

Second, determine if your money behavior truly expresses the deeper you. Does the way you earn, save, invest, and gift money demonstrate your core values, priorities and morals? Or does your money behavior contradict them? How do your money messages affect your partner and other relationships? Does your behavior with money instill intimacy and connectedness, or is money a taboo topic or a chasm? Do you use money to enrich yourself and your relationships? Why or why not?

Third, determine ways to change your money behavior so that it appropriately expresses your feelings. Harness the energy of money to support who you really want to be and what you want your relationships to be. Do you interact with and use money as a tool to enrich your soul, or is it a commodity you simply hope to accumulate and/or spend?

Fourth, learn to talk about money comfortably. Money often is a very personal, quasi-taboo topic, more so than religion, politics and even sex. If money is so personal, why do we tend to depersonalize it by treating it as a commodity, rather than a tool to support and enrich our souls or increase our connectedness with each other? Personalize money by talking about it. Learn to understand what money means to you, your partner and others in your life. Talk about money regularly and consistently, from a centered place, as it ties into your values, priorities and life goals. Discuss the ways your money behaviors may or may not be consistent with these underlying emotions.

Fifth, turn off the noise. We are constantly inundated with financial rhetoric from the outside world that can easily derail us and our relationship from acting deliberately or in our best interest. The many fear-based money messages permeating our culture encourage us to use money for the wrong reasons. Hearing that we must save as much as possible, above all else, translates into our saving out of fear. Being urged to buy a house now because the market is getting too expensive translates into the fear that we will miss out, or the sense that a certain type of house is necessary to prove our success. Many of the external messages may make sense, but be aware of making financial decisions based more on emotion, namely fear, rather than in the context of nourishing yourself and your relationships. Emotional decisions made from fear, or because everyone else is doing it, rarely accomplish either.

Tuning in to the way we interact with money and remaining cognizant of the money messages we send out enhances the intimacy, strength, and longevity of our relationships. Sure, there will inevitably be conflict but seeing and using money as energy to nourish ourselves and others, rather than as a commodity, will make our cherished relationships much more rewarding.

Todd Smith, Certified Financial Planner, is a financial author, speaker and coach who helps working adults navigate the complex financial landscape to achieve greater economic success and prosperity. 602-485-3896, http://www.azmythfinancial.com or todd@azmythfinancial.com

One of the most common practices to improve athletic performance is through nutrition for mountain biking.

Athletes who participate in endurance riding know about getting nutrition for mountain biking by storing extra energy in the muscle tissue for endurance riding.

The right nutrition for mountain biking is essential for endurance riding and is commonly referred to as "carb loading."

Glucose is the fuel the body extracts from the breaking down of carbohydrates.

The glucose, called glycogen, is stored in the liver and muscle tissue.

The more glucose (bloodstream) and glycogen (muscle tissue) the body can access when in endurance situations the longer the muscles will continue performing at an optimal level and avoid fatigue.

The newest scientific findings suggest that athletes should eat a diet of 70 percent carbohydrates three days prior to an event, and physical workouts should get shorter prior to an event.

The increased carbohydrates should come from reducing protein and fat and not by simply increasing caloric content otherwise weight gain can result.

A diet of higher intake of carbohydrates should be only temporary as an extended high carbohydrate diet decreases other essential nutrients.

Go For It Outside: Nutrition for Mountain Biking Leads to Great Fitness, Exercise and Health

Feed your great outdoor spirit with mountain biking for fitness and exercise.

Mountain bike riding is low impact, gets you off the treadmill, and into the great outdoors.

Now you know about nutrition for mountain biking, but is the price of equipment standing in your way?

Good used equipment can save you serious bucks and get you on the fast track to fitness outdoors.

If you dont want to ride alone all the time, check out the social scene as well.

Go online, and youll find mountain bike cycling groups and great resources for places to ride.

Just dont forget the safety equipment! See the world and all its glory right from your handle bars!

For More About Nutrition Your Health Visit Us for Sports and Excercise Nutrition.