Light Painting

I learned a new technique in class this quarter. It is Light painting. You use a flashlight to out line or paint the subject. I had to do still life but I think it will be cool with a person. The first images is done with a LED flashlight with a snoot that I made. The second images was done with a regular flashlight. the third image is done with a match and the last image is done with a candle. You can see how each one gives a different effect. Anyone want to try it? It has to be totally dark and you will have to be able to hold position for 15-30 seconds.

Model shoot

I had the opportunity to shoot with some talented photographers and gorgeous models last night.  We were at Lions park with flashes and water, trying at a different pose or technique. I had a great time. I can't wait for more get together. My photography wish list just got bigger though. I want a soft box for my flash. I am looking for new people to take pictures of let me know if you are interested and we can work something out.

Military Portraits

I had the opportunity to do a military photo shoot. He was going to a funeral for his great grandpa. He joined to honor both his great grandpa and grandpa, which both served our country and has passed on to watch over us.

Omega Supplements

Do you know that MOST omega supplements out there give you a ratio of about 3:1 between Omega 3 and Omega 6? Our body really needs FAR more Omega 3, but those are more expensive to produce so most fill theirs with more 6! NOT ViSalus' Omega Vitals- they are optimally formulated with a ratio of 12:1 of Omega 3 and 6! (6 are easily found within most diets). The fish oils are distilled to remove mercury so you're getting the benefits without the risks! Did you know these amazing supplements are formulated to help your JOINTS? AND your HEART?!

 ps- this can be ordered individually, or it will come in the transformation kit, core kit (with the vipak) and within the vi-pak!

http://wyophotographer.bodybyvi.com/ 

Three Benefits Of Dark Chocolate To Help You Lose Weight !

NaturalNews) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 68 percent of adults over the age of 20 are overweight, half of whom are considered obese. Of course obesity is also strongly linked to many other health problems including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The economic costs are enormous. A 2011 article in the The Lancet estimates the annual medical costs of these diseases will increase by as much as $60 billion by 2030. While there is no magic solution to weight loss, research supports a number of health benefits of dark chocolate for this purpose including reduced insulin sensitivity, increased feelings of fullness and reduced stress and cortisol levels.

1. Reduce insulin resistance with dark chocolate

Insulin, which is released by the pancreas when blood sugar rises, has the job of escorting blood glucose into the cells. Repeated release of insulin due to too much sugary food causes the cells to develop resistance to insulin preventing it from doing its job and depriving the cells of needed nutrition. Now the body fears starvation, calls for more food and signals a need to store fat to protect against starvation. The result? Weight gain.

Substituting dark chocolate for some of the sugary foods may help reduce insulin resistance. A 2005 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported on research in which 15 healthy individuals ate either white or dark chocolate for 15 days. At the end of this time those who ate the dark chocolate experienced significantly higher insulin sensitivity and significantly lower insulin resistance compared to the white chocolate group. As a nice bonus, the dark chocolate group also experienced lower blood pressure.

This is not an isolated study. Research published in 2012 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and based on a meta-analysis of 42 studies of chocolate and cocoa, supported the connection between dark chocolate consumption and significant reductions in serum insulin which caused resistance to insulin to decrease. They also found chocolate associated with consistent reductions in blood pressure.

2. Chocolate helps stop food cravings

Reductions in food cravings between meals can help prevent overeating and this means foods that promote feelings of fullness can be important for weight loss. Once again healthy dark chocolate may be part of the answer. A study from Denmark reviewed in a 2008 edition of Science Daily found that dark chocolate, compared to milk chocolate, was more filling and also lessened cravings for unhealthy foods.

Sixteen lucky study subjects ate either dark or milk chocolate and then gave feedback on how hungry they felt over the next several hours. At the two and a half hour mark they were given as much pizza as they could eat. Researchers recorded calorie intake for each individual and found that it was 15 percent less for those who had previously eaten dark chocolate. The same group also noted lower cravings for snack foods (sweet, salty or fatty) compared to the milk chocolate group.

3. Chocolate reduces stress and cortisol levels

Stress triggers release of cortisol which causes the body to secrete more insulin leading to overeating. In a 2009 study published in the Journal of Proteome Research, 30 subjects who suffered from anxiety consumed 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate daily for two weeks. Urinalysis showed a resulting reduction in the excretion of cortisol prompting the scientists to conclude chocolate can alter human metabolism.

http://wyophotographer.myvi.net/

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Contents
How is Lauric Acid Used
Composition of Coconut Oil
Hair Care
Skin Care
Heart Diseases
Weight Loss
Digestion
Healing and Infections
Immunity
Other Benefits
The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc.
How is Lauric Acid Used by our body?

The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia. As a result of these various health benefits of coconut oil, though its exact mechanism of action was unknown, it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system. The Coconut Research Center has compiled various references on scientific research done on coconut oil.


Before we move on to the benefits of coconut oil in detail, let us understand its composition.
Composition of Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil consists of more than ninety percent of saturated fats (Don’t panic! First read to the last word. Your opinion may change), with traces of few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Virgin Coconut Oil is no different from this. Let us have a bit detailed study of this.


The Saturated Fatty Acids: Most of them are Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are supposed to assimilate well. Lauric Acid is the chief contributor, with more than forty percent of the share, followed by Capric Acid, Caprylic Acid, Myristic Acid and Palmitic.
The Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Linoleic Acid.
The Monounsaturated Fatty Acids: Oleic Acid.
The Poly-phenols: Gallic Acid, which is phenolic acid. These poly-phenols are supposed to be responsible for the fragrance and the taste of Coconut Oil and Virgin Coconut Oil is rich in these poly-phenols.
Certain derivatives of fatty acid like Betaines, Ethanolamide, Ethoxylates, Fatty Esters, Fatty Polysorbates, Monoglycerides and Polyol Esters.
Fatty Chlorides, Fatty Alcohol Sulphate and Fatty Alcohol Ether Sulphate, all of which are derivatives of Fatty Alcohols.
Vitamin-E and Vitamin K and minerals such as Iron.


Let us now explore the benefits of coconut oil in detail:


Hair Care:

Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. Most of the people in these countries apply coconut oil on their hair daily after bath. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.




Skin Care:

Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc., used for skin care. Coconut oil also helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its antioxidant properties.
Heart Diseases:

There is a misconception spread among many people that coconut oil is not good for the heart. This is because it contains a large quantity of saturated fats. However, coconut oil is beneficial for the heart. It contains about 50% lauric acid, which helps in preventing various heart problems including high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. The saturated fats present in coconut oil are not harmful as it happens in case of other vegetables oils. It does not lead to increase in LDL levels. It also reduces the incidence of injury in arteries and therefore helps in preventing atherosclerosis.
Weight Loss

Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Further, it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on pancreases, thereby burning out more energy and helping obese and overweight people reduce their weight. Hence, people living in tropical coastal areas, who eat coconut oil daily as their primary cooking oil, are normally not fat, obese or overweight.
Digestion

Internal use of coconut oil occurs primarily as cooking oil. Coconut oil helps in improving the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion related problems including irritable bowel syndrome. The saturated fats present in coconut oil have anti microbial properties and help in dealing with various bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc., that cause indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in absorption of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Immunity:

Coconut oil is also good for the immune system. It strengthens the immune system as it contains antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid which have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Healing and Infections

When applied on infections, it forms a chemical layer which protects the infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil is most effective on bruises as it speeds up the healing process by repairing damaged tissues.

Infections: Coconut oil is very effective against a variety of infections due to its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, etc.

Other:

Liver: The presence of medium chain triglycerides and fatty acids helps in preventing liver diseases as they substances are easily converted into energy when they reach the liver, thus reducing work load on the liver and also preventing accumulation of fat.

Kidney: Coconut oil helps in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases. It also helps in dissolving kidney stones.

Pancreatitis: Coconut oil is also believed to be useful in treating pancreatitis.

Stress Relief: Coconut oil is very soothing and hence it helps in removing stress. Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing mental fatigue.

Diabetes: Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar, and improves the secretion of insulin. It also helps in effective utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and treating diabetes.

Bones: As mentioned earlier, coconut oil improves the ability of our body to absorb important minerals. These include calcium and magnesium which are necessary for development of bones. Thus coconut oil is very useful to women who are prone to osteoporosis after middle age.

Dental Care: Calcium is an important element present in teeth. Since coconut oil facilitates absorption of calcium by the body, it helps in getting strong teeth. Coconut oil also stops tooth decay.

HIV and Cancer: It is believed that coconut oil plays an instrumental role in reducing viral susceptibility of HIV and cancer patients. Preliminary research has shown indications of the effect of coconut oil on reducing the viral load of HIV patients (Reference).

Finally, coconut oil is often preferred by athletes and body builders and by those who are dieting. The reason behind this being that coconut oil contains lesser calories than other oils, its fat content is easily converted into energy and it does not lead to accumulation of fat in the heart and arteries. Coconut oil helps in boosting energy and endurance, and enhances the performance of athletes.

Coconut Oil and Alzheimer's Disease: There are reports of  research conducted by Dr. Newport stating that coconut oil is useful for treating Alzheimer's disease. Apart from this there is no scientific evidence or traditional knowledge or coconut oil being used for treating Alzheimer's. It was also not known traditionally that coconut oil helps in the brain function.

Why is Coconut Oil Solid?: Unlike most other oils, coconut oil has a high melting point - about 24 to 25 digress Celcius or 76-78 Farenheit. Therefore it is solid at room temperature and melts only when the temperatures go high. Hence, if you buy a bottle of coconut oil and find it solid, don't think that there is some problem with it. Coconut oil is like this only. And of course, don't keep it in your refrigerator.

How to Use Coconut Oil?: If you are using coconut oil for topical purposes, especially hair care, just melt the oil (if it is solid) by keeping the bottle in the sun or warm water. You can also take some coconut oil out and put it in a small bowl and heat the bowl over a flame (do not use microwave). Then take the oil on your palm and apply it to your hair. If you want to use it for internal consumption, simply replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes. Remember, you need not switch to coconut oil completely, as you will miss the benefits of other oils and dairy products.

Can I Use Coconut Oil for Cooking?: Yes, in most of the tropical coastal regions, people use coconut oil for cooking.

I Don't Like the Taste of Coconut Oil. What Should I do?: Try using coconut oil in some different recipe. That may help. If you get nauseated after eating coconut oil, don't force yourself. As it happens with any other food item, your body may be allergic to coconut oil and it is best not to consume it.

http://wyophotographer.myvi.net/

My family- Large group

For school I had to do a group of 8 or more. Well since most of us were here when my grandfather passed away we did them. They have my mom with 3 of 4 of her daughters with their children. My nephew had is some to be wife with him. We also did some couple and individual families.