The Trouble with Green Tea...

By RealAge

Did you know that most of the free-radical fighters in green tea never make it to your bloodstream? But there's a solution.
To get a better grasp on the healthy catechins in your green tea, flavor your cup with a squeeze of citrus juice and boost your personal wellness.

Green Tea Booster
Catechins -- the antioxidants in green tea famous for lowering your risk of chronic disease -- quickly lose their power in your intestine. In fact, as much as 80% of the catechins in green tea are never absorbed. The solution to boosting absorption, researchers recently found, is as simple as flavoring your tea with freshly squeezed and strained lemon, orange, lime, or grapefruit juice.

Taking Tea with C
The vitamin C in citrus may help with absorption by increasing the acidity in your small intestine. Other unidentified substances in the juice probably lend a hand, too. Researchers found a 50-50 mix had the greatest catechin-preserving effect, and lemon did it best, closely followed by orange, lime, and, in last place, grapefruit.

It's Not All Bad News
If you do take steps to boost the power of your green tea, you may even get a few added benefits.
 It may help you lose weight. At least one study shows green tea can stimulate moderate weight loss.
 It may help keep your knees young and strong -- catechins fight inflammation and arthritis.
 It can help your skin look great if used in conjunction with an antioxidant cream. Dab it on.
 It can help you stay sharp -- try 2 cups a day to see benefits.
RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

Chances for Long – Term Success...

What are my Chances for long-term success?

If you finding yourself asking that kind of question I have an answer for you. Your chances for long-term success will depend on your definition of success.

Never Give Up!
Nevah, nevah, nevah give up! --Winston Churchill

Let`s all agree on one thing: Every one of us will have the dubious honor of being on the receiving end of life`s setbacks frequently. We all experience speed bumps in life. Suffering is inevitable, but misery is an option. Suffering and making sacrifices in life will change you, but not necessarily for better. You have to choose to change for better.
You can let your setbacks stumbling blocks or make them stepping-stones in your life. Life can make you bitter or better. The choice is yours.
There is saying that “10% of life is what happens to you – the other 90% is how you respond to what happens to you.”

All of us have stumbled but God is not done with us. He believes in us. The game is not over yet!

One of my favorite Scriptures is in Proverbs 24:16 that has given me renewed hope through the years. You see, failure is not something that happens when you fall down. Failure is when you refuse to get up again and do something about it!
Pull your spirit up again! Set your priorities in life again set your sights back on God`s purpose for you. The game is far away from being over! We all can do so much more! God is able, even when you are not!

Take for example David, Jacob, Paul, Peter some of the greatest names from the book of life “The Bible” and build up your spirit your mind, and your body and do what is right, what is noble. Being successful is up to you! Never stop dreaming but also wake up and work hard for it.

Choosing an Accountability Partner

Choosing and maintaining an accountability partner is crucial to your success in every program you get yourself involved.
Accountability is a biblical concept found in Proverbs 27:17 and Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 they both speak to this.

I strongly recommend you choose an accountability partner as the first step of business. While it may seem appropriate to restrict your selection to someone who is also setting out goals in life similar of yours, please don`t limit yourself. What you should look for is someone who will encourage, motivate, and inspire you, and most importantly someone who won’t shy away from issuing a word of correction when appropriate.

In Romans 13:13 says the following: Jealousy grieves the Holy Spirit, but it is nevertheless a vice that abounds within the church community, so use discernment.

With so many ways to stay in touch, I would like to suggest you be in contact with your accountability partner at least daily or every other day. Receiving an encouragement voice mail or an inspiring text message can make a world of difference. Obviously your relationship must be open enough that you are comfortable sharing your progress and pitfalls. It is important to make sure that person you select is a mature Christian who sincerely wants you to succeed and who cares enough about you to pray for you and with you.

Wishing you all the best!


To your success, Louk

Kevin & Melanie`s Wedding

"When two people become one flesh by way of marriage, it is not only their hearts that are united, but their minds and souls as well." --Julie Donner Andersen

"A good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude."
--Rainer Maria Rilke

"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. That is what makes a marriage last - more than passion or even sex!"
--Simone Signoret

"Love is often the fruit of marriage." --Molière

"Marriage, ultimately, is the practice of becoming passionate friends.
--Harville Hendrix

"It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals." --Fred Allen

"Relationships, marriages are ruined where one person continues to learn, develop and grow and the other person stands still. "
--Catherine Pulsifer

"Two souls with but a single thought,Two hearts that beat as one."
--Fredrich Halm

"We can do not great things, only small things with great love."
--Mother Teresa

"There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved."
--George Sands

My Dear Friends,
Congratulations and God Bless your Marriage.

With Love, Louk

The Windermere Family Expo

Was a great day of family fun at the Windermere Family Expo this past Saturday, May 9th. Here are just a few of the things that happened that day.

•Sample the best in food, service and beverages from these great sponsors.
•See what's new for babies, toddlers, tweens and teens (Mom & Dad too) from the sponsors of this great expo event by clicking the following links below for more info. Enjoy!

Great Food combinations of Thai-Chinese-Singapore Cuisines at Asian Table http://asiantableus.com

In today`s world everyone seems to be multitasking, balancing work, family, and responsibilities. If I am speaking to you I would like you to know there is help. My friend Tim Clark, Owner of RECESS by Charley and his wonderful staff would love to help you with your precious Kids as you planning your day. For more Info, visit them at http://recessbycharley.com or call and ask for Dianna.

Say hello to my friend Jay Johnson and his staff at Royal Dance Academy. “The first step in achieving any dream is to actually have one” says Jay. Go Dream, Go Dance, Go Royal Dance by visiting them on line at http://goroyaldance.com or give them a call and ask for Jay.

Looking for an amazing Haircut for your precious children? If yes then say hello to my friend Pam Leasure, Owner of Halfpint Haircuts a children`s hair salon. Comfortable environment for your children with large play area with soft equipment, video games and most of all experienced stylists. Give them a call or visit them on line at http://HalfpintHaircuts.com and ask for Pam.

You need to rent a Fire Truck for your special event? Call my friend Chris Wilkins or visit him at http://kcfiretruckrental.com for more details.

Be sure to check back often my blog for updates on exhibitors, attractions, entertainment and much more. God bless you and keep you well.

The formula BE-DO-HAVE

Dear Friends,

The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame. -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

People say, “Relationships are made in Haven.” On some level that may be true, but we all have to manage these relationships here on Earth. They start with ourselves first. Just as we create all the scripts of our lives, we create our relationships with others as well.

The bottom line is that living smart means three things; believing in YOURSELF, VALUES, and WORTH.

I am a believer in the formula BE-DO-HAVE.

BE committed to what you want in life for yourself and others!
DO what it takes and do the right things to get what you need and want. I believe you will and you have to believe, too!
HAVE what it is that you want to have! Don’t let anything stop you from not having Goals and achieving them! I think that is true in any area of our lives.

Wishing you all well with your BE-DO-HAVE! Keep in touch and make it a great week and God bless you all.

Live For Christ

2 Peter 1:3 (NIV)
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

We do not have to rely on our own abilities to serve God at all. Know that Christ will not call you to any form of service without equipping you for it. He has set the example and all that He would like to in you is that you follow Him. Committing and Trusting in Him so you truly live.

Here is my prayer to you Heavenly Father, I dedicate myself to your service anew, in the certain knowledge that You will provide everything that I need to live an abundant life. Thank you! Amen.

What are your prayers to God?
Do you find time to stay in His Presence?

Thank you for reading and God bless you!

Cultivating Spiritual Growth

Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Christianity without spiritual growth cannot bring a deep, true joy and satisfaction. When you received Christ into your life, you did not only accept a system of doctrines; you promised eternal faithfulness to Him because you believe in Him. You can only understand Him better if you share life with Him, and stop focusing on yourself all the time.

Growing in Christ is not an exercise meant to create a comfortable religious feeling far removed from the hard realities of life – it should rather inspire the believer to positive action. Renew your prayer life; rediscover the Spirit of Christ in the Scriptures and see hoe growth in Christ will lead you to NEW DIMENSIONS of LIFE.

My prayer for me and all of you believers out there is that the Lord makes our faith a dynamic power through the renewal of our prayer life and Bible study. Amen.

Avoid Negative Thinking! Choose to be Positive...

Negative self-talk is a destructive habit and part of an essential defense mechanism that we often develop to protect ourselves. Many people end up talking themselves out of actions that may be scary or uncomfortable. "I can't do this" is really just a way of saying "I don't want to deal with the experience of doing this." We are all strongly influenced by our feelings, often determining how and what action we ultimately take. If the feeling is uncomfortable, negative self-talk results; then we often decide not to take any action at all.
Many people assume that if a past experience produced a certain result, there is nothing they can do to change that experience in order to produce a different result. "I've tried every diet there is. I know what I should do; I just can't do it."

Please understand that you can make the choice not to repeat old patterns of eating, non-exercise, and negative thinking. You have the ability to choose the emotions you have. If you don't like feeling guilty, frustrated, or doubtful, you can choose not to. You, and no one else, must decide what is comfortable for you. In order to become successful at making healthy choices, you must avoid negative self-talk and start practicing positive thinking.

Positive or negative self-talk plays a big part in your decisions. Be on the "look-out for negative self-talk and notice how it influences your choices; notice how it can negatively affect your efforts to change. For example, perhaps you've just returned from a week's vacation where you took a break from exercise and healthy eating. You tell yourself, "I feel so fat. I'm back where I started." You feel guilty and frustrated. "I don't have enough will-power to start all over again. Maybe I'm just meant to be overweight." Feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, you give up.

First, reflect on the feelings you had before you decided to give up. You basically told yourself that the healthy habits you learned before your vacation were all for nothing and that you have to start over. Ask yourself if these feelings are reasonable. Are you really back to ground zero? Of course not. You accepted change and developed a new way of living; these skills are yours forever. The vacation might even have done you some good: everyone needs a break sometimes. Otherwise, you might have felt deprived and not really enjoyed yourself. It's time now to tell yourself: "It felt good eating whatever I wanted and taking a break from exercising; I had a great time. But now I'm going to focus back on the healthy, active lifestyle I was enjoying before vacation. There is no reason to beat myself up; I'll just take it one day at a time." Now you can rethink your previous decision and take action that will move you forward towards more positive change.

As you begin to understand your reasons for negative self-talk, you'll find yourself recognizing it more and more quickly after it occurs. Eventually, as you practice, you'll be able to recognize and stop negative self-talk before it interferes with your decisions.

It is very important to practice positive thinking and to remind yourself that you're a worthwhile person whatever you do. Try to consistently acknowledge that you are making positive changes to improve your health. You should be proud of yourself. Visualize yourself as capable, happy, and confident. These positive feelings will help the process of change. Remember, there are bound to be times when you're feeling frustrated or depressed.

Positive thinkers know that these feelings are valid, and they don't try to ignore them. Positive thinkers acknowledge and try to understand them, but they don't blame themselves for the conditions that lead to these feelings. Good luck, stay positive, and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy lifestyle!

Trip to Japan

Tokyo is Japan's capital and the country's largest city. Also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, but is called a metropolis (to) rather than a prefecture (ken). The metropolis of Tokyo consists of 23 city wards (ku), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of Japan's main island Honshu.


I had the pleasure to visit many places such as Shinjuku which is one of the 23 wards of Tokyo but the name commonly refers just to the large entertainment, business and shopping area around Shinjuku Station. Shinjuku Station is Japan's busiest railway station. Shinjuku' is the home to many of Tokyo's tallest buildings, including several premier hotels and the Metropolitan Government Office.


The current Imperial Palace (Kokyo) and the residence of Japan's Imperial Family is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo station. From Kokyo Gaien, the large plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, visitors can view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds. The stone bridge in front is called Meganebashi (Eyeglass Bridge) for its looks. The bridge in the back was formerly a wooden bridge with two levels, from which the name Nijubashi (Double Bridge) is derived.

Tokyo Tower - 333 meters, is 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower of Paris, and the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower. It was completed in the year 1958 as a symbol for Japan's rebirth as a major economic power, and serves as a television and radio broadcast antenna and tourist attraction.

Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people. Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, which erupted most recently in 1708. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.

If you have the opportunity to visit Japan I am sure you will have an unforgettable experience. I did and would love to go back one day again.

Build Your Family Kingdom

Building a happy marriage should also include the idea of building a “family kingdom.”

There is an old saying: “A man’s home is his castle.” This analogy should apply to his entire family, where he is the king, his wife the beloved queen, and his children the royal princes and princesses who need training to fulfill their future responsibilities.
So the parents enthusiastically work together to ensure that these future leaders are carefully nurtured, guided, disciplined and trained for the important roles they must play in years to come.

The intelligent and joyous blending of these two concepts in marriage—the open and loving union of the bodies, hearts and minds of the married couple, and the creation of the vital “family kingdom”—can and should produce an opportunity and an atmosphere where men and women can find complete fulfillment. This fulfillment is pictured by the Psalmist:
“Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in His ways.... Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table” (Psalm 128:1-3).

Once you fully grasp these concepts relating to the meaning and purpose of marriage, why not set about building your marriage and your home around them?

Instead of the husband and wife being bored and disinterested in sharing each other’s thoughts, both should be vitally interested in the miniature “family kingdom” which, together, they are energetically building. There should be a purposeful common interest in teaching and improving their home and their financial position and in planning for the future—their future.

For in a truly happy marriage, it is not “my house,” “my car,” or even “my paycheck.” Rather, the attitude should be “our house, our income, our future.”

Trip To Paris, FRANCE

Paris - Called with famous title "City of Lights” is no exaggeration a multi-faceted jewel of a European city! With overwhelming beauty of its art and architecture and culture you are going to be amaze at every turn. The Metro connects the entire city in minutes with the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur; the treasures created by Renoir, Monet, Cezanne, Gauguin, Matisse; the artistry of its chefs, and the fruits of French vineyards; the retreats to cozy cafes, bistros and elegant restaurants - the romance of it all! This very walk-able city also offers an excellent public transportation system. We loved it!

The Law Of Attraction – Very Inspirational...

Each one of us on this earth has it the ability to lead and inspire others. Sometimes our works feels small and insignificant but remember, a small ripple can gain momentum… and build a current that is insurmountable.
Begin with one small step. Don`t let others stand in your way. Walk your own path.
Some may laugh. So what but many will follow. Don`t ever give up!

Success… seems to be largely a matter of HANGING ON after others have let go. --William

FeatherFear keeps people small. Run towards your fears. Embrace them.

On the other side of your greatest fears lives your greatest life. –Robin Sharma

Get out of the stands. Get on the court. Play the game of life. Take risks. Leap and the net will appear. Be positive. What you think is who you become. Dream, Dream big. Feel it. Believe it. Achieve it. Whatever your dreams are… go for it! You will inspire others. Extend a hand. Care and be kind. When someone does something good, applaud!

You will make two people happy. --Samuel Goldwyn

Be a positive role model. Be the change you want to see in the world. --Gandhi

Make a difference NOW IS THE TIME TO…