How to Prepare for Your New Puppy

By Terence Roberts

One of the most exciting events for a family or an individual is bringing home a new puppy. Unfortunately, many people don’t organize themselves or their home for the new arrival. There are several things that can be done to make your puppy's first few hours in its new home pleasant and enjoyable. Most of the activities are very simple and will just require a few minutes of time and attention to complete.

Having the right supplies

The following items should be purchased and set up prior to the puppy's or puppies' arrival:

* Stainless steel or rigid plastic non-tip food and water bowls

* Crate of the appropriate size

* Soft, washable bedding for inside the crate

* Variety of chew toys and play toys

* Leash or lead and collar of the appropriate size

* Food that is the same as the puppy or puppies are currently being fed (same brand, flavor, etc)

In addition, depending on your house or puppy room area, you may also need to get some baby gates to contain the puppy in a specific room or to prevent them from going up or down stairs.

Safety considerations

Puppies are a lot like small children: they will want to investigate everything. Puppies learn by chewing and mouthing as much as they learn by looking and smelling. By spending a bit of time puppy-proofing your home you can be assured that your puppy will be safe. The following are puppy-proofing tips:

* Remove all electrical cords from the puppies' reach. This means that they may have to be disconnected from the wall and the appliance moved. Puppies may chew on the cord either at the wall or the appliance end so it is easiest to remove the appliance to protect the cord and keep the puppy safe if the wire is plugged in.

* Remove or pull up all hanging items such as tablecloths, floor length curtains, curtain or blind pulls, hanging plants or other items that dangle temptingly in the puppies' reach. Curtain and blind pulls are especially dangerous as they can easily become wrapped around the puppies’ neck.

* Remove all houseplants. Many common houseplants are poisonous to dogs. Unless you know for sure that the plant is not poisonous remove it from the room. Most puppies will naturally chew on plants, so if you want the plant to remain intact removing it's the best idea.

* Remove all shoes, backpacks, leather items, remote controls, cordless phones, children’s toys, stuffed animals, throw pillows or anything else that could potentially be fun to play with.

Remember that while puppies are very energetic, you don't need to puppy proof the whole house, just the rooms that he or she will be in unsupervised. Crate training is a great way to minimize the amount of puppy proofing that needs to occur to keep your new arrival safe and healthy.

Be sure that the puppy is allowed to settle into the area and that they're given appropriate times to go outside to relieve themselves. Puppies usually will need to go outside at least every three hours, and usually within 20 minutes of eating or drinking. After napping or after playing they'll also need to be taken outside. By allowing lots of trips outside and positively praising them for relieving themselves in the right area, you'll find that housetraining is not difficult.

Special care for puppies involves a lot of prevention. Be sure to get down on the floor and look around at what might be fun for a puppy to chew on or might pose a safety hazard. Have the food, water, toys and crate ready when your puppy gets home and you and your puppy or puppies will be off to a great start together.

Terry Roberts is a professional translator and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more about preparing to welcome your new puppy - and about dogs in general - visit his website http://www.livingwithadog.com

Anti-Cancer: Spice and Everything Nice

By Hendrick Wilbur

Renowned surgeon *Mehmet Oz*, MD had quite a number of appearances on The Oprah Winfrey show. In one particular episode, he presented actual healthy and damaged human organs to show what happens to the body when we continuously eat the wrong kind of food, smoke a pack of cigarettes deliriously, and drink liquor like there is no tomorrow. The results were diabolically life-altering. Hundreds of viewers testified that after watching Dr Oz briefly go from one organ to another, they shuddered in their seats and couldn't believe that those organs could as well be theirs. You could also check out the Discovery Health Channel hit, Second Opinion, and read his bestseller, You: The Owner's Manual. Whether he is on television or speaks through the pages of his books, he advocates a healthy and practical change in everyone. His medical methods and layman approach to disease, specifically cancer and cardiovascular ailments, have challenged people from all over the world to finally take the reins and be the boss of their own body. And the simplest way to gain control is to be mindful of what we eat and drink.

Nowadays, medical professionals are more focused on cancer prevention with the objective to fight the disease even before it starts. More and more people are diverting their attention to the importance of daily nutrition and the choices that they are making with regard to their lifestyle, such as quitting smoking and drinking alcohol in moderation. Most of these studies claim that the use of natural substances can actually help prevent the disease.

One of the most highly advertised anti-carcinogenic substances is lycopene, a member of the carotenoid family which includes beta-carotene and other compounds found naturally in food. It is commonly known as the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color. What some people don't know is that it is also a free radical-fighting antioxidant responsible for warding off damaging matter that disrupts normal cells and cause disease. It has also been proven to boost the immune system. It is shown to be better consumed when the tomatoes are cooked and mixed with a little healthy fat. For the sake of convenience, lycopene has also been made into a dietary supplement. However, studies show that taking it other than its natural form is not as effective as eating real tomatoes because it works better together with other phytochemicals found in the vegetable but not necessarily present in the pill. The combination of these bioactive compounds may be needed to provide optimum protection from cancer. This encourages people to eat tomatoes from pasta sauces, pastes, and freshly squeezed juices.

Capsaicin, the stuff found in chilly peppers that make them hot, could be the next line of defense in modern cancer prevention. Studies show that daily consumption of hot peppers may actually fight off some kinds of cancer. In certain parts of the world, cases of intestinal, stomach, and colon cancer are considerably low compared to the United States. Experts believe that the low cancer rate in South America, for instance, may be tied to their frequent intake of japaleno peppers and hot cayenne, both of which contain capsaicin.

The latest trend in cancer prevention mentions the health benefits of flavonoids. One can find a vast array of flavonoids in a diet composed of various fruits, vegetables, and spices. Flavonoids from citrus fruits such as oranges are said to have antioxidant polyphenols that contain anti-cancer elements. A number of studies also show that red wine and green tea drinkers have a low risk of esophageal, lung, and stomach cancers. Another good source of flavonoids is dark chocolate. Medical experts say that cocoa has a much greater amount of antioxidants compared to red wine and green tea and dark chocolate contains a lot more cocoa than other kinds of chocolate. The production of chocolate sometimes disrupts 50% of the flavonoids but manufacturing companies are now learning to make chocolate to retain as much of the good stuff as possible. While dark chocolate has its health benefits, consuming more than enough (around 1 oz a day) can also be dangerous. It may be packed with flavonoids that fight cancer but it still contains a significant amount of calories. Always remember that a balanced diet and a healthy exercise regimen are still the key to good health.

For more valuable information on Cancer, Heart Health, please visit http://www.healthsnippets.com.