FIRST DRIVING LESSON

At last I was able to practice my driving skills. I was supposed to enroll myself in a driving school for a confidence-driving course. The course would take around 5 hours of pure driving but I was not able to enroll myself because of the tight schedule that I have. Instead of enrolling myself, my brother decided to teach me how to drive. Ironically, I was able to acquire my drivers’ license before enrolling in a driving school. Starting 10 in the morning all my hands are tied to the steering wheel of the car. I drove a 2003 Honda City. It used to be my brother’s car but he decided to give it to my mother, what a cool brother I have!

My first destination was a car shop near Shoe Mart. I bought 4 pieces bolts for the plate of the car. After installing it to the car, I decided to take along drive going Tagum City. Approximately around 56 kilometers form Davao City and back. I was driving slowly because I was afraid that I might bump on other vehicles that are in motion just like mine. From Tagum City and back it took me around four hours before I was able to complete that leg. Driving is fun but it can cause body aches especially on my right leg.

I am just happy because nothing bad happened to me and to my passengers. Next Sunday I will be driving again for more practice and confidence driving. But at this moment a body massage will be a good idea.

DIABETES

Having Diabetes is no fun, the fundamental rule behind managing diabetes is one’s ability to lower blood sugar and keep it at a safe level. Obviously a type 1 diabetic has a completely different way of doing this, namely the intravenous use of insulin via daily injections but the type 2 diabetic should be concerned with more natural ways to lower blood sugar.

How is this accomplished? There are three main aspects to controlling blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetics, unfortunately, these rules do not apply to the type 1 in quite the same way since the nature of their condition is hinged upon a different set of rules.

The 3 natural ways of lowering blood sugar are as follows.

1. Controlling the level of carbohydrates eaten on a daily basis. When we talk about carbs, we mean all carbs, not just biscuits and cakes. Pasta, rice, grains, pulses, fruit and fruit juice, sugar in your coffee, flavoured yogurt, ready made soups, wholemeal bread, root vegetables, cereals. The list is nearly infinite and once you start to read the back of every pack of food you purchase, you will realize just how many foods contain carbs. They are everywhere. The carbs you do eat should only be from the low glycemic end of the scale. There is plenty of free information the glycemic index available online, read as much as you can.

Arming yourself with this knowledge and cutting back severely on the level of carb intake is fundamental to maintaining better sugar levels. Don;t worry about feeling washed out or strange if you don’t have your morning double helping of cereal and orange juice. Your body is quite capable of supplying you with is own energy source. It has done for the thousands of years before doughnut stores were invented and man’s food supply was limited to pretty much meat, berries and, well more meat really.

2. Start your day either by skipping breakfast or having one based more around protein, fat, low carbohydrate nuts and vegetables. Keeping those so called sugar cravings at bay starts with never enticing your system with them in the first place. Much like when a smoker lights up his first cigarette early in the morning and from then on kicks the nicotine cycle into play. So it is with the carb/sugar craving cycle. Once your body has had sugar and carbohydrate. It releases insulin to combat the rising glucose levels. You body shuts down its natural (fat metabolism) cycle and converts over to carbohydrate metabolism. From then on throughout the day, as your sugar levels dip every few hours and you start to experience that shaky, foggy, irritable washed out feeling. Your body will automatically crave and seek out the nearest available source of carbohydrate. Be that bread, pastry or lump of sugar. Since the body temporarily shuts down fat metabolism, it seeks to keep the carbohydrate burning cousin going in its place. And will do so unless you foregoe the sugary snack and spend a few more hours climbing the walls until your body rights itself and balance is restored.It is no coincidence that most people are snacking every couple of hours.Try not starting the day with carbs. You will be surprised.

3. Another golden natural way to lower blood sugar is to eat absolutely no carbs after about 5 in the evening or more to the point, after you finish work, this may be a little different if you work nights but you get the point. Since your body burns carbs far better when you are active, namely working, it will keep levels down so much better during the day. Come the night time and your second helping of pasta carbonara later, things wont be quite so dynamic from your metabolisms point of view.

CAR TIPS

#1-crumple zones-A mainstay in todays automobiles, this is the harmonic flow of numerous body panels and brackets that absorb the energy normally associated with a crash. Parts like the hood, bumper and fenders are engineered to crumple like an accordion, therefore taking the brunt in any accidental situations.

#2-Wraparound Headlights-Just like its name implies, it’s a one piece headlight design that integrates the low beam, high beam, and turn signals. The headlights wrap around from the front or back of the car to the sides. Not only are the halogen headlights brighter and wider with the use of reflective cuts in the chamber, but folks driving along our blind spots can easily know our lane changing intentions. As a result, causing less accidents.

#3-Breakaway Motor Mounts-These mounts attach the engine to the frame of the car. They’re not noticeable, but the life saving impact is huge. In a front impact collision, they’re specifically designed to break the engine away from the frame and with the forward motion, will make the engine slide underneath the car at a 45 degree angle. Making it less likely to have an engine sitting in your lap when the crash comes to a halt.

#4-steel belted radials-It’s pretty obvious, our tires are very important safety features, it is what keeps the car on the road. Tires are built with steel fibers built right in, how do they help? Well, motorists will have the peace of mind that their tires will hold up in even the most extreme conditions. Those belts will also give these tires a longer lasting life span. Less maintenance in the long run.

#5-ventilated disc brakes-Equally important as the tires are, disc brakes stop the car. Brakes are constructed of a rotor, pads, and calipers for short. The rotors are engineered with internal vanes, to help vent out the heat. And this will help defend against fade and making it less likely to repair the brakes often.

#6-Side Impact Door Beams-Like the crumple zones, this aids in absorbing energy in a side impact collision. They are steel intrusion beams built inside the door for extra reinforcement. Every car and truck have these.

#7-Laminated Windshield-This might be important, it is the very object that keeps bugs out of our teeth, and the rain out of our hair. The windshield is made up of two pieces of tempered glass with a laminate sheet in between. This is a glass sandwich that holds together well when sharp or heavy objects smash into it. There’s no shattering or large pieces of glass flying about.

#8-Tempered Safety Glass-The other glass that gives us 360 degrees of protection is also designed with safety in mind. Automotive glass is heat tempered, so that when it breaks, it shatters into a multitude of small cubes. The small cubes won’t cut or injure the occupants.

#9-Child Safety Door Locks-As this name indicates, they are small locks in the inside door jams of the rear two doors(4 door sedan or suv only). Lock them up and the little guys in the back seat can’t unlock and pull the inside door handles while we are driving.

#10-5 mph bumpers-I would classify this as a safety item for the car itself. In the event a driver lightly hits a lightpole, grocery cart, etc. at 5mph or under, it is unlikely there will be any major structural damage. These days, the government mandated limit to follow is 2.5 mph, most automakers have the 5 mph variety.

#11-Center High Mounted Brake Light-It’s actually just a 3rd brake light mounted higher than the two main brake lights, and most autos have them. They’re main purpose is to make drivers behind the motorist aware of their braking intentions, normally cars 6-10 back can see this clearly.

#12-Safety Cage Construction-Think of a built in rollcage, it’s the main exo-skeletal feature that provides the most protection. In every accidental situation, this protects 360 degrees. We can even literally turn a car or truck upside down on its roof, the cage will support 1.5x it’s own weight. There’s nothing more important.