There is a new area of scientific study called “inactivity physiology” or commonly called “sitting disease”. Us humans have evolved over millions of years to be on the go! Recently due to industrialization and high technology, we are literally killing ourselves by sitting too much on our butts. Our bodies were built to be erect and active. For thousands of generations the environment kept us constantly active. Women, in fact, are less active than men, simply because they tend to do less sports and have more sedentary jobs.

When you sit for extended periods of time, your body starts to shut down at a metabolic level. Your circulation slows down and you burn less calories. Also the less you move the less blood sugar you burn and the more likely you can get diabetes. Even your brain gets less circulation and those feel good hormones levels go down and blood pressure goes up. Sitting down too much also hurts your lower back, weakens your spine muscles and you are more prone to get heart disease because enzymes that keep blood fats in check, are less active. Even if you exercise regularly, if you sit more than you exercise, stand or walk around, you are metabolically too inactive.

So it boils down to this, try to stand up more often! The simple act of standing up, makes a world of difference and burns more calories. You become healthier, less depressed and have a sharper mind. Below is a few suggestions.

• Take more breaks at work, get up and walk.
• While on the phone, stand up and talk.
• Stand at your desk instead of sitting.
• Go to a coworker’s desk instead of emailing them.
• Use the stairway instead of the elevator.
• Spend less time watching TV. Try to exercise, while watching TV or better yet, make out!
• Do your own house cleaning, laundry, meals, instead of hiring someone, calling for takeout or getting fast food.

This information was summarized from an original article written by Selene Yeager, Women’s Health.

Not a year goes by when you don’t hear in the news that someone was robbed or assaulted around the Holidays. Most of the time it happens in shopping center or mall parking lots! What you don’t hear are suggestions on how to avoid these types of crime. Below are a few safety tips to keep in mind while you go shopping this Holiday season.

Shopping Safety Tips

• Try to go shopping during daylight hours. If you have to shop at night, try taking a friend or relative with you.
• If you go shopping at night or know it will be dark when your done shopping, try to park your car in a well lit area and not behind bushes or where your car is obstructed from plain site.
• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or restraining clothes. You should be comfortable while shopping and able to move quickly if need be.
• Try not to use large amounts of cash, use credit cards or checks if possible.
• Keep your money or credit card in your front pocket instead of a purse or wallet.
• If you carry a wallet or purse, be very aware of possible pick-pockets.
• Try not to do all your shopping on one trip, excessive amounts of shopping bags are very hard to manipulate and keep track of.
• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason, even if it is to hand you a flyer.  At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.
• If it gets dark outside when you are done shopping, try to get an escort or security guard from the store to walk you to your car. If this is not possible carry a self defense product with you and have it ready when you go toward your car.

Keep these safety tips in mind throughout the the whole year and not just while shopping this Holiday season.

Many people go away for the Holidays, to find out that their home had been burglarized while they were gone. The Holiday season is a robber’s favorite time of the year. Many homeowners are away and a robber knows this by observing their house. Read the following safety tips if you plan to leave your home for the Holidays.

Home Safety Tips

• Never leave your house pitch dark, keep some lights on at night by purchasing digital timers that will turn on or off your lamps or TV. This makes it look like someone is home. Digital timers are programmable and can store up to 20 programs. Digital timers are also handy for exterior house lights or garden decoration.
• If you have a home alarm, don’t forget to turn it on before you leave.
• If possible get a house sitter to keep an eye on your house and turn some lights on and off at night. They can also take care of your newspaper deliveries and mail. If you have a home alarm, show them how to work it.
• If you can’t get a house sitter, ask a dependable neighbor to get your mail or newspaper deliveries or have your post office or newspaper delivery paused until you get back.

These safety tips are good all year round, not just for the Holidays. Always keep your home safe!

We are getting closer to that special time of the year when people get closer together and share their love and friendship with each other. This includes parties, dinners and an overall joyful experience for the most part. But what about the times when it isn’t so joyful? What about the time when someone drinks too much or someone gets into an unwanted situation? Below you will find some handy tips to keep in mind so your Holiday can be safe and enjoyable.

Party Safety Tips
It’s not a party if there is no drinking! Obviously the main rule to remember is to not drink and drive! But also keep in mind this Holiday that with all the hoopla, some people like to take advantage of others. A big concern, is someone putting something in your drink that can harm or impair your judgement or even worst, make you unconscious. Below are some safety tips to remember when you are at a party or nightclub.

• Never get a drink from the punch bowl.
• Accept drinks that are from other people, waitresses or waiters only if they are sealed or in closed containers.
• If getting your drink from the bartender, keep an eye on him or her until they give you your drink.
• While you are interacting with others, always keep an eye on your opened drink.
• Have a designated sober driver picked from your group before you go out together for drinks.
• If you are going to a party alone and consume alcohol, call a taxi cab or phone someone you know that is not drinking to take you home. You can also use public transportation or stay at a hotel close by overnight.
• If you are walking home alone, avoid going through dark pathways and try to choose places where there are other people around. It’s always good to carry a self defense weapon such as pepper spray or a stun gun.

Of course these safety tips are not only good during the Holidays, but all year round! Enjoy the season safely!

Now is the season most people ask themselves, what sort of presents or gifts they should buy for their family and friends. You want to buy something different to surprise your loved ones this Holiday. People get bored with the usual gifts such as clothes, candy, pens, etc. With the exception of children, who mostly just want toys for Christmas, most of us like to get something unique, yet useful.

Most people never consider buying self defense products as a stocking stuffer or Holiday gift. What better way to express your love for someone by giving them something that can protect their life? Particularly, non lethal, self defense products that will protect your loved ones. Non lethal, self defense products come in all shapes, sizes and prices. Below is a list of such self defense weapons by category, that can be purchased for Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or any other season of the year.

Pepper Spray
Probably one of the most popular products for personal defense in the world. Pepper spray can come in stream, spray, foam, gel and fog form. They can be in a simple metal canister, plastic container,  leather soft case,  or even as a gun shaped item. Some pepper spray is disguised to look like a lipstick container, perfume, pager, baton or even walking weights! Disguised pepper spray present an element of surprise against an attacker.

Personal Alarms
Personal alarms are a great attention getter when you are in danger. They have a very high pitched sound when activated and most have flashlights attached. Some even have a disable pin wrist strap. If someone tries to take it from you, the high pitched alarm will go off. This disable clip can also be used on doors and windows. Attaching it to these objects will alarm you if someone is trying to open a window or door into your home. Personal alarms are also used as medical or panic alarms. This self defense product requires batteries, which are usually included with the purchase.

Stun Devices
Stun devices are becoming more and more popular these days. These self defense weapons work by giving an attacker an electrical shock. The most common of these products are stun guns. But there are also stun batons, stun pens and cell phone stun guns. Recently the general public has also been able to purchase Tasers in addition to stun guns. A citizen air Taser comes in different models such as the Taser C2, X26c and M26c. Stun devices range between 200,000 volts and 3,000,000 volts. Many stun devices include flashlights and alarms. Some run on batteries and others are rechargeable.

Whether you want to give a simple small gift such as a pepper spray or a more elaborate present such as a Taser for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, your gift will surely be appreciated!

A previously convicted rapist that served 15 years in prison for raping a 21 year old woman back in 1989, was arrested again by Cleveland, Ohio police last Saturday. Anthony Sowell allegedly raped another woman last week. She informed police of the crime and that is what lead the authorities to his home. Two bodies were discovered at first in his home and later 4 other decomposing bodies were found. All 6 women were black, 5 had been strangled to death. The cause of death of the 6th woman has not been determined. Ohio police do not think that they will find other bodies, but a cadaver dog will be taken to the house to search further.

This crime in Cleveland is yet another example of the fact that rapists are repeat offenders and that their prison sentences should be extended considerably for their crimes. Anthony Sowell was a registered sex offender and was required to check in regularly at the Sheriff’s office. He followed the rules given to him for his crime, yet still managed to rape women. He is now, not just a rapist, but a serial killer. This proves that the system does not work and needs to be drastically revamped. As it stands now, there are an awful lot of rapists that are loose, comply with their sheriff’s office, and still rape and even kill women throughout our neighborhoods.

UPDATE:

Other bodies have been found at Sowell’s home. This brings the total number of bodies to 11.

A teenage girl that attends Richmond High School in California was gang raped last Saturday night by at least 4 rapists or as much as 7. She was attending the high school’s homecoming dance and stepped out around 9:30 p.m., to get a ride with her dad, who was going to take her back home. The victim was also robbed and beaten. There were at least a dozen spectators that walked by, who did nothing and some might have even joined in on the rape. According to police, some of the spectators may have actually recorded the rape with their cell phone cameras. No one bothered to call the authorities.

So far there has been 2 arrests. A student was taken out of class by police and later arrested Monday night. Manuel Ortega, 19, not a student at Richmond High, was also arrested. Both men where charged with allegedly raping the teenage girl. Police mentioned that the victim knew at least one of the students.

The school had several security guards around the area where the dance was taking place but not in the actual area where the gang rape occurred. Richmond High also has surveillance cameras around campus, but they are broken and don’t work.

The teenage victim was beaten so bad that she had to be taken to the hospital by helicopter. She remains there in stable condition.

Missing child’s body was found in a Georgia landfill, near her home in Florida. Somer Thompson, the little girl who lived in Orange Park, FL, disappeared on Monday, while walking home from school with her sister and a friend. Somer was misbehaving and her sister asked her to stop. Somer got angry and ran ahead of the group and was never seen again.

An Orange Park detective suggested they search a close-by landfill where the little girl’s neighborhood garbage trucks take their trash. On Tuesday all the trucks were inspected as they came to the landfill. This was a smart decision by the police. The body may have been buried under tons of garbage, if they had not acted so quickly. Police went through 100 tons of garbage before they found Somer Thompson’s missing body. Somer’s clothing and a birth mark, helped police identify her body.

The Orange Park police, so far, have been interviewing 70 registered sex offenders from that area. There are officially 161 offenders within a 5 mile radius of the little girl’s home. Also a $25,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can lead police to the arrest of the person responsible for her murder.

For more complete information regarding this little girl, read entire article HERE.

Are you looking for the most powerful stun gun available today? Well, look no further! WomenOnGuard.com is selling these knock’em down, self defense stun guns that will stop any attacker.

The new 3 million volts stun guns are uniquely designed weapons with a rubber shell, so you can get a good grip on your self defense product. The Hottie which comes in a pink color and the Blackout which comes in black, are also rechargeable. Simply plug it into a standard wall outlet and you’re ready to go! This weapon also has a convenient, bright LED flashlight that helps in dark surroundings. It includes an optional disable pin that prevents the attacker from using it against you, if he or she takes it from you. These 3 million volt stun guns, the Hottie and the Blackout, are also available in 2 million, 1 million and 400,000 volts. To top it off, you also get a convenient color matching holster with it!

British scientists have come up with a new drug known as VA111913 that could be the answer for many women who suffer from severe menstrual cramps or painful periods. This new drug does not have a name yet but it is being tested on British and American women. Studies so far have been positive and it seems to be safe. This new pill is expected to be available in 4 years, if the studies go well. There are a few side effects, but they have not been mentioned yet.

VA111913 will relieve women who suffer from primary dysmenorrhea or painful periods. This means that if you are a woman with severe menstrual pain and have no other diseases or infections, you would be a good candidate to take it. Sometimes women have painful cramps that are due to other factors such as infections, fibroids, ovarian cysts, PID, etc., these are women considered to have secondary dysmenorrhea and this new drug will not help them.

This new drug will be a tremendous relief for us women who suffer from painful cramps! Not to mention the better quality of life for women. The benefits are mind boggling! We will be more productive at home with our children and the workforce will benefit as well. Less absenteeism for younger women with painful periods, who are still in school too. Many women now a days also take birth control pills to control the pain, they will not have to do this anymore. Parents of younger girls that  take birth control pills for this reason, no longer will need to worry. They would be able to choose VA111913 for their daughter, instead of the birth control pills.

Let’s cross our fingers! This might be a major breakthrough, even better than the Viagra hoopla! Hopefully it won’t be expensive and will be sold over the counter, so all women will benefit.