How to have a Great Conversation with anyone

How to have a Great Conversation with anyone

The art of conversation takes practice, and is not as hard as you might think. It will take some knowledge, practice, and patience, and you can learn to relax and enjoy a great conversation.

With these tips you will be well on your way to having a good, meaningful and entertaining conversation with anyone!

Make a good first impression:

Smile, ask questions that require more than a yes/no answer, and really listen. Maintain eye contact and keep as friendly and polite as possible.

Listen:

This is the most important part of any conversation. You might think a conversation is all about talking, but it will not go anywhere if the listener is too busy thinking of something to say next. Pay attention to what is being said. When you talk to the other person, injecting a thought or two, they will often not realize that it was they who did most of the talking, and you get the credit for being a good conversationalist – which of course, you are!

Find out what the other person is interested in:

You can even do some research in advance when you know you will have an opportunity to talk with a specific person. Complimenting them is a great place to start. Everyone likes sincere compliments, and that can be a great ice-breaker.

Ask questions:

What do they like to do? What sort of things have they done in their life? What is happening to them now? What did they do today or last weekend? Identify things about them that you might be interested in hearing about, and politely ask questions. Remember, there was a reason that you wanted to talk to them, so obviously there was something about them that you found interesting.

Forget yourself:

Dale Carnegie once said, “It’s much easier to become interested in others than it is to convince them to be interested in you.” If you are too busy thinking about yourself, what you look like, or what the other person might be thinking, you will never be able to relax. Introduce yourself, shake hands, then forget yourself and focus on them instead.

Practice active listening skills:

Part of listening is letting the other person know that you are listening. Make eye contact. Nod. Say “Yes,” “I see,” “That’s interesting,” or something similar to give them clues that you are paying attention and not thinking about something else – such as what you are going to say next.

Ask clarifying questions:

If the topic seems to be one they are interested in, ask them to clarify what they think or feel about it. If they are talking about an occupation or activity you do not understand, take the opportunity to learn from them. Everyone loves having a chance to teach another willing and interested person about their hobby or subject of expertise.

Paraphrase back what you have heard, using your own words:

This seems like an easy skill to learn, but takes some practice to master. Conversation happens in turns, each person taking a turn to listen and a turn to speak or to respond. It shows respect for the other person when you use your “speaking turn” to show you have been listening and not just to say something new. They then have a chance to correct your understanding, affirm it, or embellish on it.

Consider your response before disagreeing:

If the point was not important, ignore it rather than risk appearing argumentative. If you consider it important then politely point out your difference of opinion. Do not disagree merely to set yourself apart, but remember these points:It is the differences in people–and their conversation–that make them interesting.

• Agreeing with everything can kill a conversation just as easily as disagreeing with everything.
• A person is interesting when they are different from you; a person is obnoxious when they can not agree with anything you say, or if they use the point to make themselves appear superior.
• Try to omit the word “but” from your conversation when disagreeing as this word often puts people on the defensive. Instead, try substituting the word “and”, it has less of an antagonistic effect.

Consider playing devil's advocate which requires care:

If your conversation partner makes a point, you can keep the conversation going by bringing up the opposite point of view (introduce it with something like “I agree, and…”). If you overuse this technique, however, you could end up appearing disagreeable or even hostile.

Do not panic over lulls:

This is a point where you could easily inject your thoughts into the discussion. If the topic seems to have run out, use the pause to think for a moment and identify another conversation topic or question to ask them. Did something they said remind you of something else you have heard, something that happened to you, or bring up a question or topic in your mind? Mention it and you’ll transition smoothly into further conversation!

Know when the conversation is over:

Even the best conversations will eventually run out of steam or be ended by an interruption. Shake hands with the other person and be sure to tell them you enjoyed talking with them. Ending on a positive note will leave a good impression and likely bring them back later for more!

Warnings

• Choose carefully when asking personal questions. You do not want to venture into overly personal issues. Even if the other person might be willing to talk about it, you may end up learning things that you really do not want to know. You certainly do not want the other person to think afterward that you coerced them into revealing personal information.
• Be sincere! Compliments are great, but too much flattery is obvious and will reveal you as being insincere.

• Beware of topics that can be inflammatory – such as religion and politics – and don’t venture into them unless you know the person has roughly the same convictions as you, or the circumstances otherwise allow for pleasant discussion. Again, it’s fine to disagree and can be nice to talk about differences, but it can also be a quick step toward an argument.

• Try not to argue! You do not have to agree with everything someone says, but you do not have to tell them all about how you disagree. If you feel the need to explain an opposing viewpoint, express it simply and without putting the other person on the defensive. It is better to simply change the subject in a casual conversation than to get involved in an argument.
• Try not to nod or respond with “Yes” and “I see” so much. It might make the person think you are bored and sometimes it may seem like you are rushing them along. Never say anything hurtful or offensive to the other person, this may project a bad feeling between you.
• If it is a planned conversation, try listening to the news in case you run out of thing to say, it is always a good solution.

• Also try not to cut the person off mid-sentence. It seems disrespectful and it makes it seem like what you have to say is more important than what the other person has to say. Let the person finish their thoughts and then continue on with thoughts of your own.

How to Protect Your Skin for Acne Infection Forever

Washing your skin is essential. You will want to wash at-least 2-3 times a day, but usually no more than that. Washing too much is considered harmful, and will make your situation worse. Make sure you look for acne scrubs that suit your situation- from dry to oily skin types, to acne prone or exfoliating options.

The typical person will rub his skin dry after a shower or bath. If you suffer from back acne, it is important not to do this. Instead, take your towel and pat yourself dry. Rubbing of the skin can further the irritation and cause the skin to get more inflamed.

Baking Soda. Starting off the natural remedies for acne, you can use baking soda. Baking soda can be used to exfoliate your pores and remove dead skin. Simply take a rag and a small amount of baking soda and gently rub it on your skin. Wash off the baking soda and towel blot your face dry.

When you're dealing with acne it is important to remember that you now have very sensitive skin. It is not as likely that you can just go out and buy any kind of lotion or face cream that you want, but rather you will now have to shop more carefully for cleansers, make-up, moisturizers and treatments.

After exercise, you should make sure that you wash your face gently. Simple water can do the job nicely, and you should do the same when working around grease or become hot enough to sweat. You should wash these areas as soon as possible, so that you can cut the amount of dead skin cells or sweat that will re-infect you.

The lemon juice should be applied with a pad or cotton swab and rinsed of after several minutes. This has a dual effect as the acid in the lemon juice will help to break down the upper layers of the scar tissue and the natural bleaching agents will help to remove the appearance of redness.

In the same way as the Oatmeal Cleanse the honey is applied to the affected area and left for about 15 minutes before being washed off with cold water. Honey has natural enzymes that neutralise the acne bacteria and at the same time helps to clear acne scars as well.

Pollution and stress play a major role in aggravating the acne infection. In order to remove the pollutants from the surface of your facial skin, you simply need to apply a face pack, preferably a fruit facial, on a weekly basis. Likewise, you can try and soothe your mind by listening to soft music.

Courtesy: articlesbase

Dietary cholesterol is not the heart killer, say docs

If you shunned meat because its cholesterol content could adversely affect your heart, you were wrong. If you felt an egg a day is unhealthy, think again. New nutrition guidelines released in the US say that cholesterolrich food—be it an egg, meat or milk—is not a recipe for a health disaster. The problem arises when cholesterol-containing foods are eaten along with foods that are high in saturated fats: Eggs eaten along with sausages and butter-dripping toast could be an issue. Americans have been avoiding dietary cholesterol for the fear of increasing their risk of heart disease. "But there is nothing to show a relationship between increased dietary cholesterol intake and incidence of coronary heart disease,'' say researchers. Nutritionist Shilpa Joshi says: "The body produces the bulk of its cholesterol needs. And it's only a meagre 200-300 milligrams of cholesterol-containing food that one needs to take in.'' The problem arises when unsaturated fat is eaten in excess. "When excess of saturated fat is eaten, the liver tends to convert some into cholesterol that leads to the beginning of heart disease,'' said cardiologist Dr A B Mehta.

Endocrinologist Dr Anoop Misra says Indian foods like parathas and puris dripping in ghee contribute so much unsaturated fat that it is converted into cholesterol.

"Lay per sons always make a mistake between cholesterol and fat. They would willingly buy oil that claims to have zero cholesterol but has high saturated fats,'' says Misra.

Then there is the genetic factor. Mehta adds, "There will always be a person who has a heavy cholesterol count but a healthy heart. There could be a person with low cholesterol who develops heart disease.'' He blames this on the 'permeability factor' that entrenches the bad cholesterol along arterial walls, creating plaque.

Diet plays an important role. As fast food culture catches on, there is a corresponding rise in heart diseases, say doctors. The healthy mantra is: Keep out the fat and not necessarily the dietary cholesterol.

Trans fats are more deadly

CHOLESTEROL is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in every body cell. It helps the body produce hormones, Vitamin D and even aids digestion

DELICATE BALANCE

The body produces 85% of the cholesterol it needs. Only a tiny proportion of outside supplements are needed. The cholesterol balance in blood is so delicate that it can get tipped any moment. Extra cholesterol in the blood lines up along the arteries as plaque, eventually leading to heart disease THE PROBLEM | Most people ) believe that avoiding food rich in cholesterol is a way of keeping the heart healthy. But doctors say that this dietary cholesterol may not be a cause for worry. Saturated fat is the main villain. It gets deposited in the liver and is converted into bad cholesterol that leads to heart problems

Cholesterol-free labels are misleading: Foods with saturated fat or trans fats (even cooking oils) claim they contain zero cholesterol, but they are a bigger threat to your heart and arteries than foods with a little cholesterol and less saturated fat Trans fats raises LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels and lowers HDL or the "good cholesterol". It is found in partially hydrogenated oils but is being phased out.

Incredible People Portraits…All Made From Maps !

Blessed with both an impressive imagination and artistic skill, Nikki Rosato creates incredible people portraits...all made from maps! Her reason for choosing road maps as her medium? "Our physical bodies are beautiful structures full of detail, and they hold the stories that haunt and mold our lives," she says. "The lines on a road map are beautifully similar to the lines that cover the surface of the human body."

Skin Rashes Symptoms Causes and Treatment

Skin Rashes inflommatry and irritation condition on skin it is caused by microorganisms.

Symptoms of skin rash

The symptoms of skin rash includes:

• Itchiness,
• Blisters,
• Fever,
• Lesion,
• Little red bumps,
• Pus-Filled Sacs,
• Inflammation,
• Burning Sensation,
• Dry Scaly Patches,
• Bruise-Like Spots, And
• Pink-Red Rings On The Skin.

Causes of skin rash

Causes of skin rashes differ from person to person, which includes:

• Skin contact with an irritant,
• Bacterial infection,
• Viral infection,
• Fungal infection,
• Reaction to vaccination,
• Skin diseases like eczema or acne,
• Exposed to heat or sun,
• Autoimmune disorder,
• Food allergy,
• Friction due to crafting of skin,
• Menstruation And,
• Reaction to chemical substances like perfumes, lotions, soaps and detergents.

Treatment of skin rash

Aloe Vera - It is one of the oldest treatments for skin disease. It contains many nutrients and properties that are beneficial to the skin. It is also used as an anti-inflammatory agent, as it provides anti-bacterial and anti-fungal aid. It is prepared from the leaves of the aloe vera plant, into a gel form and applied directly to the skin rash. It is advisable to apply aloe vera gel for at least 3 times a day.

Baking Powder - Baking powder is used to reduce itching. It is applied to the rash as it will dry up the rash.

Calendula Essential Oil - It is also considered as an anti-inflammatory treatment of skin. Calendula essential oil provides great relief and helps to eliminate the root cause of the rash. It is recommended to apply the essential oil directly to the affected area.

Chamomile - Chamomile acts as anti-inflammatory and this also helps in reduction of itchy rashes as well as irritation. You can either use the essential oil or boil the tea bags.

Olive Oil - Olive oil is used to soothe the dry skin and restore moisture. Skin rashes are treated by applying olive oil to the affected area of the skin.

Oatmeal - Oatmeal is another common skin treatment option. The main benefit of oatmeal is that it reduces the inflammation of the skin to a great extent. So it is recommended to try an oatmeal bath, i.e. by pouring a cup of oatmeal into your bath water and soak for at least 15-20 minutes.

Jewelweed - It is a process where the leaves of the plant is crushed and rubbed over the affected area of the body covered by a rash caused by poison oak or poison ivy. It also helps to improve the rashes caused by insect bites and stings.

Witch Hazel - It is an effective treatment, which helps to reduce itching from various rashes. It is also considered as an antioxidant, which is helpful in treating, preventing, and eliminating skin rashes. Witch hazel is mixed with water and applied to the affected area. It is used with a cloth and applied to the skin and is kept for at least 30 minutes before rinsing.

St. John's Wort - It is one of the popular natural anti-depressant, which is applied to the skin, as it reduces itching and moisturizes your skin.

Wild Pansy - It is basically applied to eczema skin rashes to eliminate the irritation and itching of the skin.

When it comes to effective treatment of skin rash, it is very important to have a correct diagnosis. Skin rash can range from mild to severe, depending upon the patient. Therefore, it is recommended to follow the medicines as prescribed by the doctor; otherwise, it can be life threatening too.


Courtesy: Mediartical

Cancer Prevention: Adjust Your Diet

Through our diet , we can affect the occurance of cancer and its evolution. We all can gradually change the way we eat and thus transform our food into a weapon of preventive cancer ! For each category food : that change and in what sense?

• Fruits and vegetables galore
• Cereals and legumes: choose full or half-full
• Milk, dairy products and cheeses in moderation
• Meat and charcuterie: limit
• Fats: keep only the good fats
• Fish 2 times a week or more
• Foods and beverages sweetened: limit
• Alcoholic beverages: to eliminate!

Fruits and vegetables galore

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, fruits and vegetables often act early in the process of carcinogenesis , helping to protect cells against harsh environmental (smoking, pollution, asbestos, solvents, radiation …). Thus, fruits and vegetables decrease the risk of cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract (mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus), lung, stomach, bladder and cervix. Fruits and vegetables contain lots of water and are thus very low in calories, which helps reduce the risk of overweight and obesity. Yet obesity is itself a major risk factor for mostcancers , and particularly cancers of the colon , breast, cervix, kidney and lung. The third advantage of vegetables (especially when cooked) is their fiber content, which is found also in larger quantities even in cereals and legumes.


Cereals and legumes: choose full or half-full



They bring energy as carbohydrate, but more importantly, they are rich in fiber.These fibers pass through the colon and to promote the elimination of compounds carcinogens of power .Indirectly, they also facilitate the removal of estrogens, hormones that increase the proliferation of tumor cells of cancer of the breast. In the end, cereals and legumes help prevent cancers of the colon and breast. But the fibers are also known to decrease the risk of overweight and obesity. Note that whole grains or semi-complete (which have retained their envelopes, called "sound") contribute to the intake of vitamins and minerals.

Milk, dairy products and cheeses in moderation

Dairy products are very interesting for their calcium intake, mineral element critical to the construction and maintenance of the skeleton, which is also known to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer . However, do not abuse it because they are high in calories and rich in saturated fatty acids, thereby promoting excess weight. Furthermore, excess and during adolescence, dairy products may induce a too strong growth and thus promote cancer of the breast, ovarian and colorectal.

Meat and charcuterie: limit

Red meat increases the risk of cancer, colorectal and prostate. It is therefore recommended to limit quantities and to opt for diversification in several dishes replacing red meat per week of fish, poultry, eggs, cereals and legumes.Moreover, it is better to be wary of cooking: the meat is overcooked carcinogen while fat burning on the grill are also toxic. Said processed meats, or deli, are very much limited because they contain excessive amounts of salt and chemicals. In the end, to prevent cancer , it is better to settle for a contribution of meat twice a week and a plate of protein per day with a focus on poultry, eggs and fish.

Fats: keep only the good fats

Fats (lipids) are concentrated energy and calories. They therefore promote obesity and indirectly cancers . The total intake of fatty acids also contributes directly to cancer colorectal, breast and endometrial cancer. Overall, these are saturated fats and trans fats are hydrogenated to adverse health . Are found primarily in raw animal products (meat, cheese, butter …) and second in industrial products (pastries, cookies, cakes, donuts, breadcrumbs, etc.).. It can therefore be only those products and focus on fats: olive oil and canola in particular.

Fish 2 times a week or more

The effect of fish is particularly well demonstrated in preventing cancer of the colon. The asset is its wealth of fish fatty acids omega-3 , especially the fattier fish such as sardines, salmon, herring … Note that omega-3 content in fish are also beneficial for the cardiovascular system and also to prevent neurodegenerative diseases such Alzheimer's disease.

Limit Sweetened Foods and Beverages

Attention cancerous cells "feed" of sugar. Sweet foods are therefore limited.It should focus on foods with low glycemic index, with peak insulin after concommation remains moderate.Furthermore, consumption of sugary foods (which are often very bold) promotes weight gain, which should be avoided to prevent cancer .

Eliminate alcoholic beverages

If one drink per meal may be positive vis-à-vis the cardiovascular disease, it is not the same for cancer . From a glass of alcohol, the risk of cancer increases. While it is difficult to choose, it should at least respect the utmost restraint. For your overall health, do not exceed 1-6 glasses of alcohol per week and avoid intoxication!


Courtesy: Todayhealthtips

Most Used Shortest Word in English

What is the world UP TO ????   Lovers of the English language might enjoy this. It is yet another example of why people learning English have trouble with the language.  Learning the nuances of English makes it a difficult language. (But then, that's probably true of many languages.)   There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v]. It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use ! it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is choked  UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.We seem to be pretty mixed UPabout UP ! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes  UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add  UP to about thirty definitions If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP , for now........ my time is UP, so time to shut UP! Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book.     Now, I'll shut UP.

Clear the Mind of Negativity & Fill it with Positivity !

Clear the Mind of Negativity & Fill it with Positivity !

Make a list of the things that worry you most and decide if they are in your circle of influence or worry. Think about what you can really do to have an influence on each of them in an effective way. By determining which of these two circles is the centre around which most of your time and energy revolves, you can discover a great deal about your level of positivity. 


Positive people focus on the things they can do something about. If necessary, they change their attitude. They are aware that perhaps they cannot change the circumstances but they can improve their inner attitude. This is what positive focusing is all about:

• Being creative
• Thinking differently
• Being open to listening
• Being more understanding
• More communicative And,
• Showing more solidarity. 

Reactive people focus on the problems of the circle and on the circumstances about which they have no control. They react to the defects found in other people. From this worrying, accusations, destructive criticism, feelings of blame, a reactive language and feelings of weakness and frustration can arise. They want others or the circumstances to change first and when that happens, then they will change. Whenever they think that the problem is on the outside, this thought is the problem. 


The negative energy produced as a result of this approach, combined with the lack of attention to the areas in which they could do something to improve the situation, means that the area of influence decreases in size. They give power to what is external so that it dominates them. In other words they think that change must come from "outside towards the inside"; they think that something that is outside must change before they themselves change.

8 Food Orders to Strengthen Your Memory

Holes of memory, learning difficulties, decreased concentration … are concerns that can occur at any age and more or less temporarily. Exercise, training the brain and social activities are all ways to maintain our memory, but diet also plays an important role.

Strengthen your memory through food supply

A healthy food allows us to maintain our brain, but we can also, at any age, boosting our performance brain maximizing our contributions food. And good news, the 8 instructions listed below are also excellent for preventing many diseases (diseases cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer …).

1. Take a full breakfast. Prefer whole grains. Avoid added sugars (white sugar, chocolate spread, jam …) and fatty foods (sausages, fried …). The brain then has all the nutrients and energy (slow carbohydrates) necessary for its optimal functioning, and it also avoids the sudden fatigue intellectual in the late morning.


2. At breakfast, avoid refined carbohydrates: white bread, white rice, pasta, semolina … and potatoes. Prioritize proteins (poultry, fish …) and vegetables. Also avoid sweet desserts. Refined and simple sugars are quickly absorbed by the body, which then promotes decreases in attention, concentration and performance intellectual in the afternoon.


3. Dinner refined carbohydrates are allowed. Rapid assimilation, they promote resting in the evening, necessary for the proper functioning of the brain and the consolidation of learning.


4. Avoid overeating. Focusing conversely, low calorie snacks. If necessary make small snacks in the morning and afternoon (fresh or dried fruits, dairy sweet little …). And why not keep his dessert for a snack lunch in the afternoon?


5. Eating omega-3 by eating fish three times a week (mackerel, sardines, salmon …) but also some nuts like almonds or brazil nuts, and even rapeseed oils and nuts. The omega-3 fatty acids are entering the membrane composition of our neurons. Thus, omega-3 are essential for the proper functioning of our brain and they help prevent Alzheimer's disease.


6. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. They bring good dose of vitamins, some of which are antioxidants and protect our brain.


7. Iron, which is often lacking in women, also plays an important role. It was he involved in the transport of oxygen to the brain. Red meat, offal and blood sausage are foods rich in iron, but there is also this element in shellfish, green vegetables, cereals and legumes.


8. Finally, dehydration can cause a decrease in concentration. We must therefore ensure drink sufficiently and regularly throughout the day.