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South African Journal of Science
On-line version ISSN 1996-7489
Print version ISSN 0038-2353
S. Afr. j. sci. vol.111 n.1-2 Pretoria Jan./Feb. 2015
Assessing the quality of food served under a South African school feeding scheme: A nutritional analysis
Nthabiseng Nhlapo; Ryk J.F. Lues; Edmore Kativu; Willem H. Groenewald
School of Life Sciences, Central University of Technology Bloemfontein, South Africa
School feeding schemes have been implemented in various schools across the globe to improve the nutritional welfare of learners. The purpose of this study was to identify possible nutritional benefits or deficiencies of the foodstuffs served in the South African National School Nutrition Programme in the Free State Province (South Africa). Representative meal samples were collected from randomly selected schools and the nutrient content of meals was determined. The results were measured against nutrient-based standards for an average school lunch for individuals aged 7-10 and 11-18 years. The meals did not meet the nutrient standards for carbohydrate and energy contents for either age group. Protein standards were met by 90% of meals for individuals aged 7-10 years and by 40% for those aged 11-18 years. Only 10% of meals met the standards for calcium and zinc, while 80% and 30% met the iron standards for those aged 7-10 years and 11-18 years, respectively. The lipid and vitamin C contents were within standards. The implementation of proper storage and food preparation procedures may assist in preserving the quality of nutrients.
Keywords: National School Nutrition Programme; malnutrition; nutrients; chemical analysis; nutrient-based st
Approximately one-third of young children globally experience stunted growth; causes of their growth failure may be traced to poverty.1 Malnutrition and hunger account for nearly half of the death rate of preschool children worldwide, with approximately 26% of undernourished children residing in Africa.2,3 An estimated one-fifth of the total population comprises those of school age. Approximately 25% of all children in developing countries are vitamin A deficient, whilst other nutrients most likely to be deficient in school-aged children are reportedly iron and iodine, with prevalence rates of the latter between 35% and 70%.3-7 Although data regarding the nutritional status of school-attending children in South Africa were not established during the current study, Iversen et al.5 report that undernutrition particularly affects young children residing in rural areas of the country. Furthermore, during a national food consumption and anthropometric survey among South African children, it was revealed that the Free State Province has a high prevalence of nutritional disorders.8
Nutrients are not only essential for growth and development, but also provide young children with fuel to perform physical and metabolic functions. Nutrition also influences the efficiency of educational programmes.9 Adequate nutrition is therefore vital during the school-age years because nutrition and health influence a child's cognitive development.3,10 Children lacking certain nutrients in their diet and who suffer from protein-energy malnutrition, persistent hunger, parasitic infections or other food-related diseases, are likely to have a reduced potential for learning compared with healthy, well-nourished children.8 Difficulty in concentrating and performing complex tasks in hungry learners can be attributed to poor or inadequate nutrition.10 Nutrient deficiencies account for the inability of a child to achieve their full mental and physical potential because of stunted growth, low physical work capacity, reduced IQ and a lower resistance to infection.4 In a report compiled by Usfar et al.1, a study conducted in rural villages of Guatemala indicated a more rapid growth in children who received supplementation (with a vegetable protein mixture) while children who did not take supplements were stunted and at risk of chronic infections even during adulthood.
Schools are uniquely positioned to promote healthy eating behaviours and attitudes among children, which may be the foundation for future dietary preferences and eating behaviour in their adult lives.11,12 Furthermore, school feeding schemes such as the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), a South African school feeding scheme, provide access to various nutritious foodstuffs that promote learners' health and their capacity to perform academic tasks.13 The NSNP was initiated in 1994 and, as an integral component of the Department of Basic Education (DBE), serves meals to schools located in communities with low socio-economic status nationwide in South Africa.14,15 The programme is funded through a provisional grant that is transferred to provinces according to the Division of Revenue Act and directives from the DBE and National Treasury (Grant Framework 2010/11).16 The provincial/district office and/or schools are allocated funds for the procurement of foodstuffs.17 Food items are then delivered to schools by private contractors and further prepared on the school premises.18 The NSNP aims to improve class attendance and participation among learners by alleviating short-term hunger.14 The UK government established food-based standards (to increase intake of healthier foods such as fruit, vegetables and oily fish) and nutrient-based standards (to promote an increased provision of foodstuffs containing essential nutrients) as guidelines for school lunches. The standards are aimed to address concerns regarding the poor quality of school meals and to improve the quality and nutritional balance of meals served to schoolchildren.19-21 In this study, we used chemical analyses to determine the nutrient contents of the meals served during the administration of the NSNP in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The study aimed to cast light on the possible nutritional benefits or deficiencies of the school meals.
Materials and methods
Sampling procedure
Representative food samples were collected from 10 randomly selected schools that were beneficiaries of the NSNP in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The school sample included primary, intermediate, combined and special schools, categorised under the three quintiles - Q1, Q2 and Q3. This sample also represented an even distribution of schools in the urban and rural areas of the region. The NSNP representative or school principal was notified prior to the visit and arrangements were made to collect food samples which were collected during serving times (between 10:30 and 12:00) during the summer season. This notification was necessary because schools were found to not always adhere to the serving time stipulated by the DBE as they operate differently in terms of the duration of classes and general attendance. The samples consisted of representative portions of food that were served to children under normal serving practices. In an attempt to collect a variety of food and obtain a wider perspective on the nutritional benefits of the meals, the samples were collected on specific days with guidance regarding menus provided by the schools. Schools used the menu provided by the DBE,13 which gave detailed descriptions of meals to be served each day, as a guideline.
Meal samples of between 267 g and 477 g were collected using latex gloves and placed in sterile polythene bags. Schools were alphabetically coded to maintain confidentiality. Samples consisted of the following from each of the schools: A - maize porridge and cabbage with potatoes; B - maize porridge and soup with beans and cabbage; C -maize rice and soya mince stew with potatoes and carrots; D - maize rice and beef stew with carrots and potatoes; E - rice and cabbage with potatoes and carrots; F - maize porridge and cabbage with tinned fish; G - samp (a South African staple food made from broken, dried corn kernels) and soya mince stew with potatoes and pumpkin; H - maize porridge and milk; I - maize rice and soya mince stew with potatoes and carrots; and J - rice and tinned fish (pilchards in tomato sauce) stew. Onions, cooking oil, salt and spices were included during the preparation of all meals except for the meal served by school H. The food handlers followed recommendations of the DBE in preparing the meals with some modifications according to availability of ingredients.15 All meals had been prepared on the day they were sampled. The samples were transported to the laboratory on ice and homogenised upon arrival at the laboratory. Sampling and analyses were performed in triplicate.
Gravimetric determination of moisture content
Samples were dried in an oven at 105±5 °C for 24 h and the moisture content was expressed as the percentage of moisture in the fresh sample upon determining the difference in mass between the fresh sample and dry matter.22
Analysis of soluble sugars
High-performance liquid chromatography analysis
A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system consisting of a Shimadzu Prominence HPLC apparatus (Shimadzu Corporation, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan) equipped with a pump (LC-20AD), a solvent degasser (DGU-20A3), an autosampler (SIL-20AC, 230V), a refractive index detector, a CBM-20A controller and an integrator running DataApex Clarity Chromatography software was used in the determination of soluble sugars. For separation, a Phenomenex Luna NH2 250x4.60 mm reverse-phase column (5 μm particle size) (Phenomenex, Torrance, CA, USA) was used with an oven temperature of 40 °C. An isocratic elution was employed with 75% acetonitrile (HPLC grade from Merck, Johannesburg, South Africa) in nanopure water at a flow rate of 1.25 mL/min and the injection volume was 10 μL. A carbohydrate kit (Sigma-Aldrich, Johannesburg, South Africa) was used to identify and quantify individual sugars by comparing the relative retention times of sample peaks with standards using calibration curves. The calibration was carried out using the external standard method and four sets of
calibration standards at concentrations of 0.4 g/L, 0.8 g/L, 1.8 g/L and 3.2 g/L were prepared for each reference sugar. The standard material was weighed, the appropriate volume of nanopure water was added and the mixture was vortexed for 30 s. The resultant solutions were filtered using syringe filters and analysed using HPLC.
Extraction of soluble sugars
The sugars were extracted from the various food samples using a modified method as proposed by Barreira et al.23. Approximately 10 g of the homogenised samples was extracted using 40 mL of 80% aqueous ethanol (Merck) at 70 °C for 30 min. After cooling to room temperature, the samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 min. The ethanol in the supernatant was evaporated and the extract was diluted to a final volume of 10 mL in nanopure water, filtered at 0.45 μm and injected for HPLC analysis.
Total carbohydrate determination
Total carbohydrate content of food samples was determined by difference,24 that is: 100 g minus the sum of grams of water, protein, fat and ash.
Total lipid content and fatty acid analyses Quantification of total lipid content
With minor adaptation, the method proposed by Gressler25 was applied for the identification and quantification of lipids and fatty acids. To each homogenised food sample (5 g), 250 mg of pyrogalic acid (Sigma-Aldrich) (to minimise fatty acid degradation) and 5 mL of ethanol were added. For acid hydrolysis, 25 mL of 32% HCl (Merck) was added and the solution was shaken for 40 min at 70-80 °C, followed by vortexing for approximately 10 min. The lipids were extracted (at room temperature) with ethyl ether (60 mL mixed in vortex for 1 min) and petroleum ether (60 mL mixed in vortex for 1 min) (both were purchased from Merck). The samples were centrifuged (4000 rpm x 5 min) and the ether phase was evaporated to dryness under nitrogen gas. The residue was gravimetrically determined as total lipid content.
Identification of fatty acids
The fatty acids in the extracted lipid were methylated to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) with boron trifluoride/methanol complex (5 mL of 20% BF3/MeOH reagent) (Merck) followed by heating in 2.5 mL toluene (Merck) at 100 °C for 45 min under gentle mix. At room temperature, nanopure water (12.5 mL) was added and the FAMEs were extracted with 5 mL hexane (Merck). The hexane fraction was dried in nitrogen gas, suspended in 500 μL hexane and the solution was filtered prior to analysis. The fatty acids were analysed using a Finnigan Focus gas chromatograph (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) with a flame ionisation detector and a 25 mm x 0.32 mm ID SGE capillary column BPX70 and 0.25-μm film (SGE, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia). The temperature conditions were 100 °C for 5 min, 100-240 °C (at a rate of 3 °C/min) and at 240 °C for 20 min. The samples were injected at 225 °C and detected at 285 °C with helium (linear flow of 200 mm/s) as the carrier gas and a split ratio of 1:50. A 37-Component FAME mixture (Sigma-Aldrich) was used to identify the fatty acids.
Protein content determination
The Dumas combustion method as described by Jung et al.26 was used to determine the nitrogen content of food samples. The protein content was determined by means of a nitrogen conversion factor of 6.25.
Analysis of vitamins A and E
High-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet conditions The HPLC system used for the analysis of vitamins was the same as that described earlier for carbohydrate analysis, with minor variations. For vitamin separation, a Phenomenex Luna C18 (2) 5-μm 150x4.60 mm reverse-phase column (Phenomenex) was used and the analyses were performed under isocratic mode (mobile phase of acetonitrile) at a flow rate of 2 mL/min with the oven temperature at 40 °C. The injection volume was 10 and a UV detector was set at 325 nm for vitamin A (retinyl acetate purchased from Sigma-Aldrich) and 290 nm for vitamin E (δ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol and α-tocopherol acetate purchased from Sigma-Aldrich) to monitor column effluents. The retention times, peak areas/heights and the spectra of the standard compounds were used for vitamin identification. For standard solutions, a stock solution of each vitamin was prepared by dissolving 3 mg of the vitamin standard in 100 mL ethanol containing 3 mg of antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (Sigma-Aldrich) as a protection reagent.
Saponification and extraction of vitamins
With minor adaptations, the method proposed by Salo-Väänänen27 was applied to identify vitamin A and E contents of the homogenised samples. For saponification, samples of approximately 2 g were weighed into flasks after which 20 mL pyrogallol (15 g/L, dissolved in absolute ethanol, Sigma-Aldrich) and 10 mL KOH saponification solution (which consisted of 100 g of KOH pellets - purchased from NT Laboratory Suppliers Excom, Johannesburg, SA - dissolved in 100 mL of nanopure water) were added. Taka diastase (0.01 g) (Sigma-Aldrich) was added to digest starch and prevent formation of lumps. The flasks were heated at 60 °C for 30 min and cooled to room temperature for about 15 min. To avoid emulsion formation, 10 mL of 10% NaCl (Merck) was added.
After saponification, the vitamins were extracted using three portions of 20 mL n-hexane-petroleum ether (80:20) (n-hexane was obtained from Merck). With each portion, the flask was vortexed for about 30 s and centrifuged (4200 rpm χ 5 min). The phases were allowed to separate, and the organic layers were washed with 20 mL of 5% NaCl and evaporated. Then 5 mL ethanol and 5 mL n-hexane were added to the flask and the solution was evaporated to dryness with nitrogen gas. The residue was dissolved in 1 mL n-hexane (containing 5 mg of BHT) and filtered (Whatman, 0.45 μm) prior to HPLc analyses. Exposure to high temperature and bright light were eliminated throughout the process to prevent the loss of vitamins.
Vitamin C analysis
Total vitamin C content was determined according to AOAC Method 984.26 as proposed by Moses et al.28
Determination of total ash and mineral content
The total mineral content was determined by a dry ashing method during which the dried food samples were ashed at 525 °C overnight in a muffle furnace.29 The resultant ash was determined gravimetrically while individual minerals (calcium, iron and zinc) were identified and quantified using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) as per the method proposed by Zhou et al.30.
Energy calculation
Energy was determined using the following formula as described by Charrondiere et al.24: energy (kJ) = (total carbohydrate grams χ17 kJ) + (protein grams χ17 kJ) + (lipids grams χ 37 kJ).
Analyses of data
The results of this study were analysed according to the United Kingdom's nutrient-based standards (NBS), which are derived from the Dietary Reference Values, for an average school lunch.19 The NBS were used as they articulated well with the units and best described assumptions used in this study. It was deemed necessary to compare schools that served the same meal in order to explore the possible impact of the preparation methods on the nutritional quality. The results were expressed as grams/ day and milligrams/day for macro- and micronutrients, respectively, and as kilojoules/day for energy. All descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed using SigmaPlot 10.0.1, Systat software. In the cases of determination of significance, the t-test was used with a significance level of 0.05. Means of triplicate values ± standard deviations and percentages are used to present the results.
Results and discussion
According to the menus received from the schools and the one which had been designed by the DBE, balanced and wholesome meals should alternately include a green and yellow vegetable along with the starch and protein portions. However, the only measurable vegetables served during sampling were cabbage (served by schools A, B, C, E and F) and pumpkin (served by schools G and J) (data not shown). In addition, the cabbage was served as a replacement for or in combination with the protein portion of the meals. To further supplement the nutrient intake, it was expected that a fruit would be provided to each child per week; however, it was observed that only one school adhered to this regulation during the course of this study.
The soluble sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) were quantified and the mono- and disaccharide contents are listed in Table 1. Low sugar contents were also reflected in the results of a study by Menezes et al.31, who found that the contents were below 0.5% of fresh weight for all foods and ranged between 3.07 mg/100 g and 38.42 mg/100 g for glucose, 3.77 mg/100 g and 55.90 mg/100 g for fructose and 9.39 mg/100 g and 368.27 mg/100 g for sucrose. These results were attributed to the high starch content of the foodstuffs. Carbohydrates (in the form of glucose) are the main source of energy in the human diet and consist of a diverse family of compounds, namely mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides.9 Further illustrated in Table 1 are the total carbohydrate contents of meals which ranged between 20.29±0.76 g/day and 59.41±0.10 g/day. These data were significantly (p<0.05) below the NBS minima of 70.6 g and 86.1 g for pupils aged 7-10 and 11-18 years, respectively (Figure 1). Similar results were observed from a study by Nicholas et al.32 in which school meals were below the standard (>86.1 g) required for carbohydrates at a content of 73.2±35.6 g. However, Pearce et al.33 found that school lunches yielded a carbohydrate content which was above the standard at 89.2±38.9 g.
Lipids and fatty acids
The values for the total lipid content (Table 1) were within the NBS of below 20.6 g and 25.1 g for individuals aged between 7-10 and 11-18 years, respectively, as illustrated in Figure 1. A study by Haroun et al.20 indicated that the majority of the school lunches also met the standard for total fat content. Lipids, particularly fats, are dense sources of energy and facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble dietary components such as vitamins. Lipids also aid in regulating blood pressure and nerve transmissions.34-37 While fat intakes should be kept minimal, intakes below 25% of total energy have been associated with low vitamin levels in young children.35 Lipid intake further depends on the composition of fatty acids and the health effects of various lipid components (saturated, unsaturated and trans-fatty acids).34 Table 2 lists the fatty acids identified in the various samples analysed in this study. It is apparent that saturated fatty acids were dominant in the majority of the meals. A high content of saturated fatty acids in school lunches was also observed in the study by Pearce et al.33 Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are synthesised by the human body and are thus not required in the diet, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3 and -6, are essential fats which should be obtained from the diet.35 School B's meal contained omega-3 (C18:3n3) fatty acids while meals from schools C, H and I contained omega-6 (C18:3n6) fatty acids. Meals which excluded foodstuffs of animal origin (schools D, E and G) were deficient of essential fats, whereas the meal from school F had the highest fatty acid composition and, along with that of school J, had both omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids (Table 2). Schools F and J served tinned fish (pilchards) and it is a recognised fact that essential fats are abundant in fish oil.38 Prior et al.39 elaborate that these essential fats occupy one-third of the central nervous system while approximately 20% of the human brain consists of omega-3 fatty acids. This occupation of essential fatty acids in the brain was found to reduce attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children during a study by Johnson et al.40
One meal (School D) did not contain the protein required in a school lunch (minimum of 7.5 g) for children aged 7-10 years. For pupils aged from 11 to 18 years, only four school meals (B, H, I and J) met the nutrient standard of a minimum of 13.3 g, whereas the remaining six schools were significantly (p<0.05) below the standard as indicated in Figure 1. School meals analysed for nutritional quality during the studies by Nicholas et al.32 and Pearce et al.33 met the standards for protein requirements. As indicated in Table 1 and Figure 1, the meal served by School B had noticeably higher protein content than those sampled from the other schools. This difference was because School B's meal was the only one that included meat (beef), which is a primary source of protein. Proteins mainly provide structure for the body and are major components of bone, muscle, blood, cell membranes, enzymes and immune factors.41 Additionally, proteins may be a source of energy; however, the body does not rely on protein for daily energy requirements.37 The quality of protein in food is dependent on the composition of amino acids, which bind together to form proteins such as in hormone formation.35,41 The human body is unable to synthesise the eight (or nine in the case of infants) essential amino acids - lysine, tryptophan, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, threonine and, for infants, histidine - and these should be obtained from the diet.36
The energy values indicated in Table 1 were significantly (p<0.05) below the minimum required values for an average school lunch (> 2215 kJ for individuals aged 7-10 years and >2700 kJ for those aged 11-18 years) as illustrated in Figure 1. According to the School Food Trust19, a minimum of 50% of energy from food should be obtained from carbohydrates, less than 35% should be from fats, and a portion (quantity not specified) should be supplied by proteins. Data obtained from the current study indicated that meals from the majority of the schools contributed the required amount of total carbohydrates to the energy values and did not exceed the standard for lipids. This finding is similar to those of a study by Charrondiere et al.24, regarding numerous food items from various countries, during which the total carbohydrate content supplied 50-80% of energy and 7-11% of energy was from protein. However, the meal from School B supplied approximately 47%, 17% and 37% of energy from carbohydrates, lipids and protein, respectively, and therefore relied on protein for energy, and the meal from School I contributed approximately 31%, 45% and 23% to the energy value from carbohydrates, lipids and protein, respectively (data not shown), indicating fats as the main source of energy. In an ideal diet, carbohydrates should be the main source of energy and the body should avoid reliance on protein for energy.37,42 Similar results of low energy provided by school meals were observed during a study by Nicholas et al.32; however, the meals generally met the standards for percentage of energy from carbohydrates and fats, but not from non-milk extrinsic sugars (sugars that are not contained within the cellular structure of food). Burgess and Bunker43 found that the energy values of school meals in their study were above the minimum standard, although none of the percentages of energy from carbohydrates, fats and non-milk extrinsic sugars were within the standards. Energy intake of children should be sufficient to ensure growth, and meals consumed by children should provide all the required nutrients without additional excessive energy sources to the diet.44
Vitamins A and E
The analysis for vitamins A and E in the present study yielded undetectable results for both vitamins. Depending on the cooking method and composition of food, variable losses of vitamins may occur as a result of processing and cooking conditions.45 Kuyper46 reported an average loss of 53% of vitamin A during the preparation of maize meal. The results obtained from a study by Pretorius and Schönfeldt47 indicated that fortification contributed to the improvement of the overall vitamin A status of children aged 1-9 years, whereas foodstuffs that were not fortified did not yield results. Vitamins enable numerous chemical reactions to occur in the body, which may aid with the release of energy from carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.37 The important roles that fat-soluble vitamins play in several functions of the human body include vision (vitamin A), calcium absorption (vitamin D) and antioxidative protection in cell membranes (vitamin E).48
Vitamin C
Vitamin C contents of meals are indicated in Table 3 and meals from all the schools met the requirements for pupils of all ages as stipulated for an average school lunch (Figure 2). Similar results were observed in the studies by Nicholas et al.32 and Pearce et al.33. Both groups of researchers reported that the vitamin C contents of the school meals they analysed met the required standards. A study by Fontannaz et al.49 revealed that soya-based food contained higher vitamin C levels than meat-based food. This trend was also observed in the meals analysed in the current study as the food provided by Schools D and G, which included soya mince, contained higher vitamin C levels than the meals of School B (which included beef) and School H (which included milk). Vitamin C is essential for growth and repair of tissues in the body.50 In addition, ascorbic acid acts as a cellular antioxidant and facilitates intestinal absorption of iron and maintenance of plasma iron.51 Interestingly, meals collected from Schools D and I were prepared using similar ingredients, but the meal from School I contained higher counts of all quantified nutrients, except for vitamin C. The t-test indicated that the meal from School D had a significantly higher (p<0.05) vitamin C content than that of School I. This finding may be because vitamin C is water soluble and School D's meal had a higher moisture content (86%) than that of School I (78%). Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation between moisture and vitamin C was observed (Figure 3).
Mineral content
As illustrated in Figure 2, only two school meals did not comply with the nutrient standard (>3.0 mg) for iron content, for pupils aged 7-10 years, while seven schools did not comply with the standard (>5.2 mg) for those aged 11-18 years. In addition, meals of Schools C, H and I had iron levels that were above the NBS for both age groups and the standard for the zinc content of school lunches was met by one meal (School B) for both age groups (Figure 2). Furthermore, for the 11-18 years age group, the calcium standard (>350 mg) was not met by any of the meals analysed while only one sample (School J) met the standard for individuals aged 7-10 years (>193 mg). Llorent-Martínez et al.52 observed significantly higher levels of minor nutritional elements (copper, iron and manganese) in soya products than in products of animal origin; however, the authors found that zinc levels were higher in foodstuffs of animal origin than of soya. A similar observation was made during the present study with the meal from School B containing the highest level of zinc (which may be attributed to the inclusion of beef) and lower levels of the other micronutrients. The results of the studies by Nicholas et al.32 and Pearce et al.33 indicated school meal values that were below standards for calcium, iron and zinc. A below standard calcium content and an above standard iron content were reported in the results of a study by Burgess and Bunker43. Iron is critical for the transportation and storage of oxygen in the body and children are at risk of developing iron deficiency anaemia should iron be deficient in their diet.42 Children require calcium for mineralisation and to maintain their growing bones. The primary sources of calcium are milk and dairy products,37 hence a calcium content above the NBS was expected from School H's meal (which consisted of milk). Zinc is essential for growth and healing of wounds in children, with the major sources of zinc being meat and seafood.
The effect of storage conditions and preparation methods on the different nutritional categories was notable in this study. According to Yuan et al.53, food preparation methods induce significant changes in the chemical composition of foodstuffs. In addition, the literature suggests that high temperatures used in cooking have an effect on the contents of nutrient and health-promoting food constituents such as vitamins.54,55 Yuan et al.53 reported that various cooking treatments caused major losses of total soluble proteins, soluble sugars and vitamin C in broccoli as a result of the application of heat for prolonged periods. The authors also identified the use of excessive liquid as reducing the nutritional content of foods via leaching of water-soluble components into the liquid. Components of the meals sampled in the present study were prepared using high volumes of liquid with the possible aim of supplementing the foodstuffs. However, this practice may compromise the nutrient content of food as water-soluble nutrients (such as vitamin C and soluble proteins and sugars) may be lost through leaching into the surrounding liquid medium.56 Further deterioration and loss of nutrients (particularly vitamins) may occur from excessive exposure of foodstuffs to UV light and oxygen, the pH of the solvent or combinations of various conditions.56,57 Moreover, a study by Vinha et al.58 revealed that in all the studied parameters, temperature and storage duration caused statistically significant differences in the nutritional values of each food sample analysed. Macronutrients are relatively stable under various storage conditions; however, the length of storage considerably affects the retention of micronutrients with high losses observed as a result of prolonged periods of storage.56,57 It is therefore essential that NSNP-benefitting schools adhere to the first-in-first-out principle for storage.
The small variety of ingredients in the meals served may be why the content of some nutrients are lower than the standards. In this regard, a study by Snelling and Yezek59 indicated that using nutrient standards to guide the selection of foods offered in schools may positively affect the intake of energy and nutrients. Therefore, to improve the macro- and micronutrient quantities of meals, NSNP-participating schools should serve meals that include a variety of whole grains, meat/meat alternatives, fruits, vegetables and dairy options.13 Food-handling methods, especially during storage and preparation, may also have a significant influence on the nutritional quality of foods. This influence was observed in the present study, in which there was a wide variation in nutrient levels in meals that contained similar components. Moreover, it may have been possible that vitamin C leached into surrounding media because meals with a high moisture content yielded higher values for this vitamin. It is further postulated that the undetected contents of vitamins A and E may be attributed to deterioration of these vitamins during handling of foodstuffs. Therefore, proper storage practices should be maintained to minimise loss of nutrients caused by exposing foodstuffs to surrounding elements and meals should be prepared in a manner that preserves the quality of nutrients.
The Central University of Technology (Free State) and the National Research Foundation (South Africa) are hereby gratefully acknowledged for research funding. The Department of Basic Education (Free State) is acknowledged for support and cooperation in providing information about the schools and allowing us access to the school premises.
Authors' contributions
This work formed part of N.N.'s master's degree. N.N. performed all of the experiments and wrote the manuscript. W.H.G. was the project supervisor and made conceptual contributions. R.J.F.L. made conceptual contributions and was responsible for the experimental and project design. E.K. assisted with the project design, made conceptual contributions and supervised the experimental analyses.
46. Kuyper L. Stability tests and sensory evaluation of fortified food vehicles for the national food fortification programme. Pretoria: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; 2000.
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16. Department of Basic Education (DBE), South Africa. National School Nutrition Programme: Annual report 2010/11. Pretoria: Government Printers; 2011. [ Links ]
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18. Noe MH. The influence of aerosolized microorganisms on the safety and quality of fortified biscuits [MTech dissertation]. [ Links ] Bloemfontein: Central University of Technology; 2005.
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20. Haroun D, Wood L, Harper C, Nelson M. Nutrient-based standards for school lunches complement food-based standards and improve pupils' nutrient intake profile. Br J Nutr. 2011;106(4):472-474. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007114511002297 [ Links ]
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22. Moreno-Rojas R, Sánchez-Segarra PJ, Cámara-Martos F, Amaro-López MA. Multivariate analysis techniques as tools for categorization of southern Spanish cheeses: Nutritional composition and mineral content. Eur Food Res Technol. 2010;231(6):841-851. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00217-010-1338-z [ Links ]
23. Barreira JCM, Pereira JA, Oliveira MBPP Ferreira ICFR. Sugar profiles of different chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) and almond (Prunus dulcis) cultivars by HPLC-RI. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2010;65(1):38-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11130-009-0147-7 [ Links ]
24. Charrondiere UR, Chevassus-Agnes S, Marroni S, Burlingame B. Impact of different macronutrient definitions and energy conversion factors on energy supply estimations. J Food Compos Anal. 2004;17:339-360. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2004.03.011 [ Links ]
25. Gressler V, Yokoya NS, Fujii MT, Colepicolo P Filho JM, Torres RP et al. Lipid, fatty acid, protein, amino acid and ash contents in four Brazilian red algae species. Food Chem. 2010;120(2):585-590. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.10.028 [ Links ]
26. Jung S, Rickert DA, Deak NA, Aldin ED, Recknor J, Johnson LA, et al. Comparison of Kjeldahl and Dumas methods for determining protein contents of soybean products. J Am Oil Chem Soc. 2003;80(12):1169-1173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11746-003-0837-3 [ Links ]
27. Salo-Väänänen P Ollilainen V, Mattila P Lehikoinen K, Salmela-Mölsä E, Piironen, V. Simultaneous HPLC analysis of fat-soluble vitamins in selected animal products after small-scale extraction. Food Chem. 2000;71(4):535-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(00)00155-2 [ Links ]
28. Moses SK, Whiting AV Muir DCG, Wang X, O'Hara TM. Organic nutrients and contaminants in subsistence species of Alaska: Concentrations and relationship to food preparation method. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2009;68(4):354-371. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v68i4.17368 [ Links ]
29. McCleary BV, DeVries JW, Rader JI, Cohen G, Prosky L, Mugford DC, et al. Determination of total dietary fiber (CODEX definition) by enzymatic-gravimetric method and liquid chromatography: Collaborative study. J AOAC Int. 2010;93(1):221-232. [ Links ]
30. Zhou J, Suo Z, Zhao P, Cheng N, Gao H, Zhao J, et al. Jujube honey from China: Physicochemical characteristics and mineral contents. J Food Sci. 2013;78(3):C387-C394. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.12049 [ Links ]
31. Menezes EW, De Melo AT, Lima GH, Lajolo FM. Measurement of carbohydrate components and their impact on energy value of foods. J Food Compos Anal. 2004;17:331-338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2004.03.018 [ Links ]
32. Nicholas J, Wood L, Harper C, Nelson M. The impact of the food-based and nutrient-based standards on lunchtime food and drink provision and consumption in secondary schools in England. Public Health Nutr. 2013;16(6):1052-1065. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S136898001300027X [ Links ]
33. Pearce J, Wood L, Nelson M. Lunchtime food and nutrient intakes of secondary-school pupils; a comparison of school lunches and packed lunches following the introduction of mandatory food-based standards for school lunch. Public Health Nutr. 2012;16(6):1126-1131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980012003928 [ Links ]
34. Gallagher ML. The nutrients and their metabolism. In: Escott-Stump S, Mahan LK, editors. Krause's food & nutrition therapy. 12th ed. St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. p. 39-143. [ Links ]
35. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol. EFSA J. 2010;8(3):1461. [ Links ]
36. Medeiros DM, Wildman REC. Advanced human nutrition. 2nd ed. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2012. [ Links ]
37. Byrd-Bredbenner C, Moe G, Beshgetoor D, Berning J. Wardlaw's perspectives in nutrition. 9th ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2013. [ Links ]
38. Chan EJ, Cho L. What can we expect from omega-3 fatty acids? Cleveland Clin J Med. 2009;76(4):245-251. http://dx.doi.org/10.3949/ccjm.76a.08042 [ Links ]
39. Prior PL, Galduróz JCF. (N-3) Fatty acids: Molecular role and clinical uses in psychiatric disorders. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(3):257-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/an.111.001693 [ Links ]
40. Johnson M, Östlund S, Fransson G, Kadesjö B, Gillberg C. Omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial in children and adolescents. J Atten Disord. 2009;12(5):394-401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1087054708316261 [ Links ]
41. Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein - which is best? J Sports Sci Med. 2004;3:118-130. [ Links ]
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47. Pretorius B, Schönfeldt HC. Vitamin A content of fortified maize meal and porridge as purchased and consumed in South Africa. Food Res Int. 2012;47(2):128-133. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2011.03.033 [ Links ]
48. Heudi O, Trisconi MJ, Blake CJ. Simultaneous quantification of vitamins A, D3 and E in fortified infant formulae by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A. 2004;1022(1-2):115-123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2003.09.062 [ Links ]
49. Fontannaz P Kilinc T, Heudi O. HPLC-UV determination of total vitamin C in a wide range of fortified food products. Food Chem. 2006;94(4):626-631. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.02.012 [ Links ]
50. Grindberg T, Williams K. Vitamin C quantification using reversed-phase ion-pairing HPLC. Concordia Coll J Anal Chem. 2010;1:19-23. [ Links ]
51. Tarrago-Trani MT, Phillips KM, Cotty M. Matrix-specific method validation for quantitative analysis of vitamin C in diverse foods. J Food Compos Anal. 2012;26(1-2):12-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2012.03.004 [ Links ]
52. Llorent-Martínez EJ, Fernández de Cordova ML, Ruiz-Medina A, Ortega-Barrales P Analysis of 20 trace and minor elements in soy and dairy yogurts by ICP-MS. Microchem J. 2012;102:23-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2011.11.004 [ Links ]
53. Yuan G, Sun B, Yuan J, Wang Q. Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2009;10(8):580-588. http://dx.doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B0920051 [ Links ]
54. Vallejo F, Tomas-Barberan FA, Garcia-Viguera C. Glucosinolates and vitamin C content in edible parts of broccoli florets after domestic cooking. Eur Food Res Technol. 2002;215(4):310-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00217-002-0560-8 [ Links ]
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Willem Groenewald
School of Life Sciences
Central University of Technology
Free State, Private Bag X20539
Bloemfontein 9300
South Africa
Received: 29 Jan. 2014
Revised: 04 June 2014
Accepted: 06 June 2014


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Look Fantastic June Unboxing
I've been getting the Look Fantastic box for a while now...
However it's safe to say that I am not always that great putting up a post about every single one I receive. In fact the last one I did anything about was in February over on my YouTube channel. However this month I decided that I'd get on with it and do a whole post about the June box for you all.
For those of you who do not know Look Fantastic, an online makeup store, do a beauty subscription box which they will send out to you every month for £13 a month. It's also worth noting that inside the boxes you can expect to receive products that are worth over £50 collectively per box.
As you can see from above the June box packaging was absolutly gorgeous! It is always gorgeous however this month it particularly took my breath away. Pink is my favourite colour and we all can't resist a bit of galaxy print every now and again. So combine these two things and you've got me.
As always the box came with this month's Elle magazine which will, no doubt, linger on my coffee table for far too long and then make it's way to my recycling bin. To cut a long story short I used to love Elle until they filled 70% of their magazine with ads and change their art direction to look exactly like Vogue. But that's a rant for another time.
The box also contained Look Fantastic's box description booklet which comes with every box. The theme of June's box is wanderlust. So with my heart expecting fake tan and bronzer I toss aside the booklet without reading it all and dive straight into the goodies within.
This month I received six products; Bella Pierre Cosmetics shimmer highlighter; MONU Rosewood reviving mist; First Aid Beauty facial radiance pads; Balance Me balancing face moisturiser; Kerastase strengthening shampoo; and Hailey Baldwin Models Co lip lacquer.
Now, I was more than happy to receive all of these products expect for the Balance Me moisturiser which if you watched my vlog where I got a horrible reaction you'll probably know why.
The first product I had a look at was the First Aid Beauty facial radiance pads. If you know me then you know I am an absolute skincare fiend. From what I gather from this product you use each individual pad to exfoliate, tone and brighten your skin. I'm planning to add these into my skincare routine at night after I've cleansed. I'll be sure to update you with my results.
The next product in the box I picked up was the Bella Pierre Cosmetics shimmer highlighter. At first I actually thought this was an eyeshadow as it is more silver and metallic than the usual highlighters I opt for. Nonetheless I will be sure to give this a try because what girl doesn't love a bit of extra sparkle?
As I said earlier I don't really have the time of day for the Balance Me brand as my skin seems to hate it so I'll just leave it at that.
But on a more postive note I adore the colour of the Hailey Baldwin Models Co lip lacquer. I think it is super simple but chic - a nude I could wear all year round. However this summer I think I'm planning on wearing it with sunkissed skin, bronzer as contour and a shimmering highlight. I think it'll be a great everyday summer look (stay tuned!).
As for the MONU Rosewood reviving mist - I'm pretty sure I've heard it's name being thrown around in the blogging community so I was intrigued to investigate this product a little more. However I must say, that I am becoming rather bored with "reviving" mists on the whole, I don't really see the point when you can just top on with your primer all day anyway. I'll probably still give this a go a few times though - FOMO anyone? Also, on the bottle is says that the product is for all skin types so hopefully it won't set off my super sensitive skin.
The final product inside the June box was the Kerastase strengthening shampoo. As someone who was not blessed with thick strong locks I know for a fact that I will definitely be trying this out. Obviously I haven't just yet but I must say that I have smelt it and it does smell lovely!
Which was your favourite product in the Look Fantastic wanderlust box? Let me know in the comments below or tell me which beauty subscription boxes you've been loving lately.

subset: commoncrawl


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Made it to Texas without incident. Our flights arrived early, room and rental car are great, and the heat is Texas sized (96ish today). The first evening of the boot camp included two good talks by Ed Stetzer and Mark Driscoll is up to bat the first two talks tomorrow. All is well and I'm very tired. I'll try to post some tomorrow.
Acts29 Boot Camp: Day 1
in Missional


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Important changes to the Google AdWords exams and certification criteria have been announced. If you're an agency, digital marketing professional or online consultant providing Google AdWords services, this is essential for you to know. One of the main changes is that now you'll have to retake the fundamentals exam every 12 months instead of 24 months (all other exams are valid for 12 months). We've created a handy infographic to help you understand the updates.
Do you want to improve your knowledge and understanding of best practices that are required to become Google AdWords certified? AdWords certification exams are for agencies, digital marketing professional or online consultants who are part of the Google Partner Academy. Find out how to sign up for the program and get access to some fantastic online training (presented by yours truly, Loves Data).
If you run your own organisation's AdWords campaigns, we also offer comprehensive, in-person courses in both Sydney and Melbourne. Find out more.


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Failure at work is a big taboo. Why? Because most of us are trained to fear failure at school. Failure is synonymous with bad work, it's something that should be avoided at all costs. No wonder kids don't raise their hand often in a classroom: they're afraid to look stupid.
Startups live in a very different world. If you want to succeed at OpenClassrooms, you should prepare yourself for multiple failures. You should even become addicted to failures. 😮
How failure is viewed at OpenClassrooms
A startup like OpenClassrooms experiments a lot. We live in such a dynamic and uncertain environment that, to offer the best service, we need to try a lot of stuff. And when we try something new, we should accept that we'll fail.
In fact, success usually comes after a series of try/fail cycles:
In order to succeed, you are likely to have to fail first.
If you never fail, you're probably not trying something very risky. That's probably ok and even recommended in most companies, but at OpenClassrooms it's the opposite: if you never fail, it could become suspicious. 😛
You won't be blamed if you fail. In fact, you will be appreciated a lot if you can say: "I tried this, it failed. Now I think it should work like this, I'm trying...".
Yes, we fail
Let's put you at ease right away: yes, we fail at OpenClassrooms. We've failed numerous times in the past, and we will fail in the future. Here are just a few examples:
We once had a job board that we hoped to monetize. It took us some time to build it... just to discover that it was really hard to sell job space on our website. We sold around ~10-20 job offers, before shutting it down.
We tried to attract more premium users by creating bonus chapters for them at the end of courses. While a few people signed up for this reason, it was far from our objective. At the time it got us 80 Premium users over several months, instead of the 200 per month that we expected.
We had a temporary offer: "Buy 1 book, get a free month of Premium". We spent money to create promotional bookmarks and posters to display in bookstores... We only had 70 people sign up, while we sent out more than 1000 promotional codes. We still have a pile of those useless posters somewhere. 😁
We tried offering a promotional code for our users' birthdays. It earnt us 10 conversions a month, instead of the 50 we expected at the very least.
All these failures sucked, for sure, but they never put us in real danger because they were small trials. We try to accept failure quickly, to move on other things and try other stuff.
It's perfectly ok if your idea fails. Just try doing it in a way that won't put the company in danger. It should lead to a small failure: losing two weeks of work is ok, while losing six months is bad.
Here is a snapshot of that document:
What you should do
Here is a quick summary of what you should do:
Try new stuff often
Talk about your ideas to get other viewpoints
Set up an objective, and measure how it went a few weeks later (not months) to determine if it was a success or not
If you feel like you're onto something: keep trying! Refine your idea
If it's a dead end: drop your idea
Or, if you prefer charts:


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DNA tests are usually 99.99 percent accurate, which means they can be wrong 0.01 percent of the time. While those odds appear good, they are the accuracy rate under ideal scenarios where the integrity of samples is not a concern.
Human error is always a factor in the accuracy of any medical test, and DNA tests are no exception. Medical tests require humans handling the samples and humans interpreting the results. In experienced, trustworthy labs, the risk of human error is minimized, but it can never be eliminated completely. In less-experienced and less-trustworthy labs, there is a greater risk of human error.


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I have expressed support for the U.S. decision to try to undo one of the negative effects -the creation of the Islamic State- of some of its previous mistakes -most importantly the second Iraq war- by bombing Islamic State positions, and a few times also al Qaeda positions. This bombing campain has been crucial in preventing the Islamic State from taking the Kurdish city of Kobane and arguably also Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdish areas.
However, another part of the U.S. strategy against the Islamic State, arming so-called "moderate" rebels in Syria is mistaken. The so-called "moderate" rebels (who often aren't so moderate as Obama claims and are often allied with al-Qaeda) generally only fights the Islamic State because the Islamic State attacks them. They almost never launch an offensive against the Islamic State and instead views the Assad government as their main enemy.
And while I certainly don't deny that the Assad government is vile, it is nonetheless far less evil than the Islamic State (and al-Qaeda and most other non-Kurdish Syrian rebels) and it is the military force that has the greatest capability of repelling the Islamic State.
By arming and supporting allegedly "moderate" Syrian rebel groups, you will force Assad to distract more of his military forces to fighting them, strengthening the Islamic State.


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Homes for Sale in Solana Beach
Solana Beach is one of the most affluent beach communities in San Diego County. Located between Del Mar and Encinitas, it offers the utmost in laid back luxury. Despite its tranquil, small town atmosphere, homes for sale in Solana Beach are still close to major highways, allowing for easy commuting. Residents of Solana Beach CA real estate are just 25 minutes from San Diego. There is even a train station located here, which serves both the Coaster and the Amtrak.
Residents don't have to travel outside of Solana Beach, however, for entertainment options. This coastal community offers one-of-a-kind shopping, delectable dining, gorgeous beaches, and more. Solana Beach is a harmonious blend of relaxation and fun.
Discover More on the Homes for Sale in Solana Beach
Solana Beach CA real estate is mainly comprised of luxury oceanfront homes and charming beach cottages. There are even upscale properties situated on the cliffs that overlooks the beautiful beaches. Prices of the homes for sale in Solana Beach range from around $300,000 to $6,600,000. Home sizes range from 762 square feet to 4,800 square feet.
Homes for sale in Solana Beach are in close proximity to a wide array of fantastic shopping and dining options. The Cedros Avenue Design District is a popular choice. It offers more than 2 blocks of one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques, and galleries as well as home and garden stores. The wonderful Solana Beach Farmers Market is also held here every Sunday. Some of Solana Beach's delicious dining selections include Beach Grass Cafe, Pamplemousse Grille, Solana Beach Fish House, and Crush. In addition, Belly Up Tavern is a fun spot for live entertainment and drinks.
There are numerous options for outdoor recreation near the homes for sale in Solana Beach. Tide Beach, Seascape Beach, and Fletcher Cove Park are all excellent beach spots ideal for enjoying water activities like surfing, snorkeling, and swimming. Golf lovers living in Solana Beach CA real estate can head to the Lomas Santa Fe Executive Golf Course. This 18-hole course offers picturesque views and a fun yet challenging golf experience. There are also miles of hiking trails winding throughout the community.
This is a family-friendly and safe place to live, making it a great place to raise children. The highly-rated schools located in the community further add to this appeal. The Solana Beach School District serves the area. Some of its exemplary schools include Solana Highlands Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Solana Vista Elementary, and Solana Pacific Elementary.
When it comes to San Diego real estate, Solana Beach properties are definitely worth considering. If you would like more information on Solana Beach CA real estate, please do not hesitate to reach out to area expert and real estate professional Cheryl Bray.


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Buying Guide for Custom Clothing Labels
We can help you make any of these styles, click here to compare them.
As our name CustomClothingLabels.com states, we are clothing label manufacturers, we can make your labels on almost any size you wish. If you are unsure about which size is best for your garments, take a peek at the image below, we hope it can be useful to you.
Fonts for Clothing Labels
When you are creating your labels, you want to use fonts that will work well together and they will look good on a label (which is not usually that large), so we just handpicked a few of them to help you out:
Some other newer fonts we have found to work well for clothing labels are:
- Colors
- Folds
- Sewing Allowance
Product Labelling
Labelling your products can feel like an overwhelming task at times: On one hand you have your desire of adding a label to brand your products, which you SHOULD DO, and on the other hand you have your duty of adding size, care & content, place of origin labels to inform the buyer, some impossed by FTC regulations, which you MUST DO:
"Labels containing fiber content, country of origin, the identification of the manufacturer, importer, or other dealer, and care instructions must be present at the time the end user takes possession of the good. Labels containing care instructions must be attached permanently to the item. " Source: FTC website
So basically your product could have as many as 5 labels on it, or as little as 2, if you want to play with a combination of them, such as:
- Individual labels:(1)Logo or Brand Label, (2)Fiber Content, (3)Country of Origin, (4)Manufacturer (if different than Brand) and (5)Care Instructions.
- Combinations:
- (1)Logo or Brand + Country of Origin Label, (2)Fiber Content + Care Instructions, (3) Size Label (if needed)
- (1)Logo or Brand + Size + Country of Origin Label, (2)Fiber Content + Care Instructions
Or any combination as it fits your product.


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My "profession" is as a price analyst and continuous improvement leader in the business world. My passion is YOGA, and triathlons.
So how do these compliment each other?
In the business world everything can and should be improved. And every person and situation starts at a different level of need and complexity
The same is true for Yoga. Every person comes to yoga for different reasons and all start at a different place in their life and practice. They are creating and opportunity to improve their life. In some way as a yoga teacher I have the joy of helping them.
As #JonnyKest guides our Lifepower program that we make connections not corrections my role as a yoga teacher is really as a coach. The seven guidelines of making connections:
Set the environment
Clear and simple directions
Breath and movement
Guide students to their edge
Soften around the edge
Present Studies and Benefits
Moments of Silence
are important in teaching yoga as they are in coaching an improvement project at work
When I start practicing yoga it was to reduce injury and gain flexibility. Now I have found my work life compliments my yogic life and my yogic life compliments my work life.


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Get the latest market insights and trends from our internal research experts.
16 September 2019 Energy Evolution View article
9 September 2019 Seasons and cycles View article
September 2019 Investor strategy: Late-summer volatility View article
Learn about strategies to help protect and enhance your wealth from our Tax & Estate Planning professionals.
August 2019 Let's talk about philanthropy Are you interested in giving back to causes or charities that are meaningful to you? Is your charitable giving plan tax efficient? We've outlined some key considerations that can help you build a strong charitable giving strategy.
View article


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Saturday marked two months that I've been back in Boston already, following this summer's epic Southeast Asia trip. Or, through another measure, I've been in Boston as long as I was part of the teaching fellowship. Two months is relatively short in the big picture of life - but two months feels like such a long distance away from the lessons, experiences, and people of this summer.
When I first returned, my thoughts were consumed with how out of place I felt in this country. The cultures of Southeast Asia and the United States are completely distinct and separate, and I was surprised at how I fairly easily had assimilated into taking in everything new with open arms, trying to best understand and appreciate the life that I lived for 90 days in 10 different countries. Returning home, I felt how brash and loud our culture is, often erring on entitlement, and felt totally uncomfortable yet also amused at this understanding, a perspective gained only from the total separation.
Through the physically jarring experiences I lived upon returning to my "normal" home, I also felt a stark mental change happening within when thinking through where these experiences had left me. What was the purpose of that trip? At this point in life? What resonated with me? What will I incorporate into my actions now and into the future, and what will be left behind? I hadn't truly answered these questions - I think that's a lifelong pursuit! - but it was something that consumed my spare moments daily.
Yet on Saturday, after retelling the trip to two close friends the day prior, I realized I hadn't thought about the trip in nearly a week. The impact of that realization shocked me. While I was determined to live the change that I believe in and continue to distill and understand the work from this summer, I realized how easy it is to slip into old habits and actions - especially when returning to something (namely, my current job) that is six+ years of a similar routine. I don't have the constant stimulation of thinking from a new perspective each and every day, as I did with the fellows and constantly changing students throughout this summer. The prompt of personal development now falls on solely on my shoulders. I will happily carry this - but with the lived understanding that the dedication to growth and pursuit of new knowledge has to come squarely from within. I know I've had this internal motivation in my past, but this experience has redefined my understand (and self-expectations) of what this really means. Especially in returning to a similar environment, the same people see the same external figure and mostly expect the same output, regardless of my own mental shifts.
In comprehending this, my thoughts spiraled to what time really means, and how I value my own time. Part of this thinking comes from the Coursera MOOC course that I just finished, where University of Michigan's Prof Gautam Kaul taught finance 101 through the lens of understanding the time value of money - or how one understand the monetary decisions and implications that time yields on financial understanding. Yet the other part of this thinking comes from realizing my own understanding of how time passes. Two months have so quickly passed, and the three months away also flew by. The past two years have been intense with balancing school and work, so a bit of down-time is absolutely welcome. Yet I'm realizing one way to keep living the change I believe in is to continually question - how I am spending my time? Do I feel like I'm saying yes to everything? Or just to the things that add meaning in ways that I believe in? How do I budget my free time? How can I be more productive during my work time? How to I make time for the "must-do's" of daily life? How do I engage myself with my work, yet find a way to leave it mostly at the door step, freeing my mind for other work/thoughts that are important and inspire me?
After this two-month reflection of my own actions and reflection of time, it was a welcome coincidence to have dinner last night with some of the Teaching Fellows and the host delegation from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who are in town. It brought me back not just to the friendly smiles and life-long relationships we built with one another, but it also reminded me of the value thinking totally outside the "typical" box. I signed up on the summer trip to take myself out of my comfort zone and experience life in a new way. The trip provided this, hands down. Last night also reminded me that stepping outside of my comfort zone is right at my toes, waiting for the step to be taken. Taking the step only requires some type of inspiration (internal or external), vulnerability and willingness to learn something new, and being completely honest with one's own motivations and goals.
For my own inspiration to think through how I value time, I've found these perspectives to consider. I hope you might find them inspirational (or at least thought-provoking), too.


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Šiaulių bankas is increasing interest rates on deposits in EUR
Since 11 May this year Šiaulių bankas is increasing interest rates on Time Deposits, Accumulative Deposits and Child's Deposits in EUR.
Šiaulių bankas pays 2.3 per cent of interest rate on Time Deposit in EUR placed for the period of one year and 2 per cent of interest rate on Accumulated Deposit for the same period. Customers are paid with 2.6 per cent of annual interest rate for the Child's Deposits in EUR. Customers having placed Time Deposits in EUR for a longer period, i.e. 4-5 years will be paid 3.5 per cent of interest rate.
Interest on deposits in LTL and US dollars remains unchanged in Šiaulių bankas. Depositors having placed a Time Deposit in LTL for a period of one year are paid with 3 per cent, while for a deposit placed in US dollars - 1.6 per cent.
Placing a Time Deposit via Internet,SB linija interest rate grows from 0.1 per cent to 0.15 per cent, depending on the maturity.
You can calculate an accurate interest rate on Time Deposit yourself using Time Deposit Interest Calculator and entering the deposit amount, period and choosing a currency.


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Is Your Home Prepared for Fall?
It's hard to believe that fall is actually here with Atlanta's warm temperatures! While you are preparing yourself for all the fun fall activities, you should also make sure that your home is prepared for the cooler weather that is inevitable. We've put together a list of the some of the most important tips and recommendations to ensure that your home is ready for heating season and winter hibernation!
Exterior Maintenance
- Check your gutters. You want to make sure the gutters and downspouts are free from any accumulating debris.
- Inspect your roof. If you are afraid of heights you can always use binoculars to check for any missing, loose, or damaged shingles.
- Disconnect water hoses from faucets. Make sure to drain and bring your water hoses inside, to prevent any freezing and damage to your home.
- Inspect any surrounding trees. You want to make sure that any dead and hanging branches are trimmed and dead trees are cut down to help prevent and possible damage.
- Clean the dryer exhaust duct. Remove any lint, dust, and pieces of debris that could block the exhaust of the system. This restricts air flow and poses a fire hazard.
- Check your fire extinguisher. They should be regularly maintained for proper operation and checked for expiration.
Interior Maintenance
- Have your fireplace inspected. Having a professional inspect and repair your fireplace will help prevent any chimney fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Heat rises! Checking proper attic insulation. Without proper insulation, your heat is escaping which will increase your utility bill.
- Checking for Drafts. Around doors and windows, feel for any drafts where your indoor heating can escape.
- Have your furnace inspected. The technician can check for efficiency, carbon monoxide leaks, a dirty air filter, etc. Performing a full inspection of the system is crucial to keep your HVAC system running and peak efficiency and extending the life of your system.
- Consider having a programmable thermostat installed. Having a programmable thermostat set lower during the day, when you are not home, will cut your utility bill by up to 30%.
- Test all safety devices. Check batteries in both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Your smoke detectors have an expiration date, and should be replaced every 7-10 years.
- Test your generator. Make sure that the generator is in working order and that you have extra gasoline. This way you are prepared for any emergencies that may cause power outages.
Please do not hesitate to call Casteel to schedule any of your HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical "to do's" to make sure that you are fully prepared for the upcoming cold Atlanta season!


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#1138 – THXon October 21, 2010 at 12:00 am
The exploding chips bag is one of those things that you think only happens in movies but you are wrong because it also happens in comic strips. You have been worried about this for nothing!
The books ship from the printer today! That means time is running out to get a FREE sketch!


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COMMSched Suite
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Software for Safety™
Bourdosoft specializes in software for the public safety sector. Formed by a group of technically savvy 9-1-1 dispatchers and police officers, we have a unique understanding of the complex needs in public safety for accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency.
All too often public safety agencies must rely on pencil and paper for scheduling-related tasks given the unique nature of the business. There is very little in the way of out-of-the-box offerings for public safety agencies, and what does exist is often not particularly well suited for the task. Each link in the Bourdosoft chain is manned by someone with firsthand experience in the industry, who really understands these challenges. We are a company "by the industry, for the industry."
The varying "Sched" software suites were designed for one ultimate goal: to save your agency time. Time that is currently spent by supervisors and administrators pouring over paper schedules, overtime sign-ups and hiring, and vacation and leave requests. It's affordable price makes it a no-brainer for agencies wanting to allocate their resources in the most effective way possible. Stop paying a Police Sergeant, Fire Lieutenant, or EMS Supervisor to be stuck behind a desk with mundane office tasks, and get them back out on the street where they can make a difference!
All Bourdosoft software suites are run in the cloud as a "Software as a Service" (SaaS) saving your agency time, resources, and money. There's no need for special technical staff on hand to administer servers, software, or patching. Simply view the service in any web browser or mobile device, which is fully supported. Each user account will automatically sync with the most recent data completely independent of device, allowing the same user to login via a work computer while on duty, or from a cell-phone at home.
All of the software is run on the Bourdosoft backend in multiple secure datacenters across the United States. This allows for nearly 100% uptime of the product, and redundancy of the service. Should a significant event cause one datacenter to go offline, there is another several states away ready to pick up the slack. Data is mirrored as it comes in to make certain that should disaster strike, your important business will not be affected.
Click any of the "Sched" suites from the services tab above to learn more.
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Motel 6 in Jackson
So i had some work pressure to stay late at my coworker place. yes, i do work. :-). i have not gotten my campground situation sorted yet and it was too late to find a disperse camping spot way up in the woods at night, so I thought would get the cheapest hotel in Jackson. no surprise it was Motel 6. But was $190, yes that much. i probably could have found disperse camping spot 45 min to hour away, but needed to be back at project early tomorrow. Also i would not get to take a shower in the futuristic shower 3000.


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UPDATES IN THERAPEUTICS® 2018 offers four Preparatory Review and Recertification Courses designed for pharmacy professionals
preparing for Specialty Certification Examinations administered by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS), three ACCP Academy professional
development certificate programs designed for pharmacy professionals wishing to enhance their leadership, research, and teaching skills, two
scientific poster sessions, and ACCP's NEW Patient-Centered Team-Based Practice Forum designed for pharmacy professionals wanting to learn more
about clinical pharmacy practice advancement.
ACCP's Preparatory Review and Recertification Courses are designed for pharmacy professionals who are preparing for the Specialty Certification
Examinations administered by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS), for specialists seeking recertification through continuing education, and
for those seeking a self-paced refresher of pharmacotherapeutic management of specialty specific conditions and contemporary clinical practice topics.
The ACCP Academy offers three tracks that concentrate its programming over a 2-day period to enable Academy
participants to minimize both travel expense and time away from their practice. Academy registration includes
all sessions within the ACCP Academy track of your choice, available continuing pharmacy education credit and program
handouts for the ACCP Academy track sessions you attend.
ACCP's Patient-Centered Team-Based Practice Forum offers a series of hands-on, interactive programs to assist
practitioners with developing and/or enhancing their clinical pharmacy services to deliver comprehensive medication
management. Attendees will get a first look at the learnings of the ACCP Funded CMM Effectiveness and Implementation
study, which will be deployed for use during this engaging forum.
The Call for Abstracts is open to all meeting registrants (i.e., prep course; Academy; and Patient-Centered, Team-Based Care Forum attendees).
Abstracts describing completed original research, research-in-progress, or clinical pharmacy forum programs or services are invited.
This pre-course workshop is designed for participants seeking an in-depth,
hands-on, interactive session focused on strengthening their understanding
of the core concepts related to biostatistics and clinical trial design.
This workshop is limited to 100 participants.
If you have a disability for which you will require an auxiliary aid or special service while attending the meeting,
please contact Gretchen L. Miles, CMP, at ACCP – at either firstname.lastname@example.com or
(913) 492-3311 – by January 19. Gretchen will provide contact information for resources
near the meeting site that you may use to arrange for the aid or service most appropriate for your needs and budget.
On most major credit cards, the CVV/CVN number can be found on the back of your credit card on, or near, the signature line. The image below is an
example of where a CVV/CVN is likely to appear on your credit card.
Note: For American Express credit cards, the CVV/CVN number appears on the front of the card.


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Plein Air Challenge/
I have been trying to paint at least three plein air pieces a week with the encouragement of my mentor, Kim Casebeer. I am one of several in her mentoring program. It is good to have company because it is challenging.
I wanted to share a little piece of my world, here's a short video from yesterday.
When the challenge is over, I will share the pieces I was able to paint.
I hope your day is full of something creative and inspiring!


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Woodcrest Heartland Collection: BK1350 R
Twin Bookcase Captain's Bed w/ Storage: $494.00
Also available in Chocolate
Woodcrest has been producing smart space saving youth bedroom designs for almost three decades. All products are crafted with a warm three stage burnish pine finish, crating a natural rustic look.
Woodcrest Manufacturing is centrally located in Peru, Indiana, USA. With almost three decades of experience to help insure customer satisfaction, Woodcrest has been producing many smart and space saving youth bedroom designs. All products are crafted with a warm three stage burnish pine finish, crating a natural rustic look.
Visit the Woodcrest website.
Related Products
- Merlot finish adds rich color that pairs well with most bedroom décor.
- Bold design and intricate details add eye appeal and sophistication.
- Timeless style will remain on-trend for years to come.
- Comes in Twin and Full/Queen sizes.
- Available as a headboard only.
- Triple Dresser - 8 Drawers
- Landscape Mirror
- Media Chest - 4 Drawers
- Chest - 5 Drawers
- Night Stand - 2 Drawers
- Slegh Bed
- Sleigh Storage Bed
- Mansion Bed
- Mansion Storage Bed
- Classic and transitional styling sustains a timeless elegance at home in any room.
- Calming simplicity is created by the gentle scrollwork in the headboard and footboard.
- Metal grills are finished in textured Matte Black, adding soft detail to this piece.
- Walnut-finished posts are sturdy, stable, and stylish.
- Comes in Twin, Full, Queen, and King sizes.
- Available as a complete bed with headboard/footboard (with or without frame) or as a headboard only.
- 8 Drawer Dresser
- Choice of Shadowbox or Arched Mirror
- 5 Drawer Chest
- 3 Drawer Night Stand
- Beds avaliable in Queen or King
- Sleigh Bed avaliable with storage
- Poster Bed avaliable with storage
- Avaliable in Coffee, Saddle Gray, Weathered White
- 2-Drawer Night Stand
- 4-Drawer Media Chest
- 5-Drawer Chest
- 7-Drawer Dresser
- 9-Drawer Chesser
- Landscape Mirror
- Low Profile Bed
- Sleigh Bed
- Sleigh Storage Bed
|Finishes: Distressed Pine, Distressed White, Distressed Black, Distressed Dark Gray and Weathered Gray
|Style and Design: This group bestows elegance with the splendor of a unique finish and the nature of salvaged wood. Willow has five different finishes to choose from as well as two different styled beds. An upholstered bed presents a more feminine look while the thick tops and parting rails allow you to hone in on it's substantial elements.
|Construction and Finish: Hand applied distressing on rough hewn and planed pine solids to achieve a natural, vintage look: made to look like paint is chipped and natural pine color shows through. Tops and ends are solid planked panels, oversized thick tops and parting rails. Tongue and groove construction with pine solids produce durable cases. Inset drawers constructed of solid pine drawer interiors with metal positive stop guides. Gunmetal finish on nostalgic cup pulls. Mitered framed upholstered bed features a linen-look trimmed in nailhead or choose a wide plank slat headboard. Extra wide mirror frame.
|Special Features: Available in queen and king size. Upholstered bed or slat bed. Fabric content for upholstered bed is 100% Polyester for easy clean-ability and also has a knit backing. Media chest provides component storage as well as room for additional clothing.
- Slatted platform base requires a mattress only, for effortless style.
- Contemporary design is ultra-minimalist and uncluttered.
- Black and Mahogany finish options both provide gorgeous neutrals.
- Comes in Twin, Full, Queen, King, and Cal King sizes.
- Available as a complete bed only.
- Versatile design and style means this daybed works in any room.
- Impressive wooden craftsmanship can be seen through the back, arms, and ball finials.
- Roll-out trundle drawer can serve as extra sleep or storage space.
- Includes a complete support surface, so no link spring is needed.
- Comes in Twin size only.
- Available as a daybed only.
- Available in Honey Maple or White Finish
- Matte Black finishing on the back and side panels creates rich depth.
- Walnut-finished wood posts are sturdy, secure, and stylish.
- Unique design is perfectly at home in any home.
- Space under base can store an option trundle bed pop-up frame (sold separately).
- Comes in Twin size only.
- Available as a daybed only.
- Link spring not included.
- Clean, vertical lines throughout the back and side panels creates a simplistic design that goes with everything.
- Espresso finish complements a multitude of room color palettes.
- Space under base can store an option trundle bed pop-up frame (sold separately).
- Comes in Twin size only.
- Available as a daybed only.
- Link spring not included.
- Medium Walnut finish looks great and complements most bedroom décor.
- Unique design adds interest to your bedroom.
- Thick end posts provide stability and durability you can depend on.
- Comes in Twin and Full/Queen sizes.
- Available as a headboard only.
- Functional simplicity
- Better-quality construction
- Natural solid hardwoods
- Ultra-smooth finish
- Feminine design is perfect for any girl's bedroom.
- Elegant curves and floral accents make this piece anything but boring.
- Cotton Candy Pink finish adds fun and beauty effortlessly.
- Comes in Twin and Full sizes.
- Available as a complete bed with headboard/footboard (with or without frame) or as a headboard only.
|Finish: Driftwood
|Style and Design: Maverick timbers are hewned and crafted to look like rustic nature at its finest. No fussy designs, only natural grains and texture. Oversized cases and elements ring true to value. Artistic distress with a beautiful aged finish are sure to impress.
|Construction and Finish: Hand applied multi-step finish on beautiful pine solids. Large scaled posts and rails are softened to look like massive timbers. Hardware consists of a nostalgic hand pull with fake screw heads. French front and dado construction produced of solid wood. Metal drawer guides with positive stop movement.
|Special Features: Available in queen and king size. Footboard comes with four slats with center supportsSee Progressive Furniture's website for more details.


text: Trekkers Students Complete 11th Grade College/Career Expeditions dated May 31, 2017 by Shari Closter In April, Trekkers Team North Face and Team Patagonia completed their 11th grade College/Career Exploration expeditions. A total of 21 students and six leaders explored college and career path opportunities during their expeditions throughout New England. The students embarked on their respectiv… Read More


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To tell you the truth, I had a few apprehensions on buying Nikon's newest FX format DSLR. You see, I'm used to the build of Nikon's D200 and D300 cameras and when the D600 came out, I was so excited. And then I read the first reviews.
Reviewers said that it was the smallest and lightest FX camera in Nikon's lineup and the size of the body was more on par with the D7000, Nikon's DX format enthusiast camera. I'm used to a medium to heavy weighted camera. What I was reading was that D600 is not a heavy camera. For me the weight of the camera is critical in steadying myself in low light situations. Light cameras tend to be easily shaken. If I pair it wth my 80-200 mm f/2.8 lens, its gonna be nose heavy. Not to mention also that it used SD cards and all my cards were CompactFlash cards.
But I needed to buy a new camera. My old D200 was getting pretty beat up.
My supplier told me that he does not have the D600 in stock yet but would gladly take a 20% downpayment. He even tempted me into buying a brand new Nikon D700, the predecessor to Nikon's D800. I've held the D800 and I liked its build and weight. But would I really buy a four year-old technology just for the build? So on the first opportunity that I had, I bought the Nikon D600.
Opening The Box
…was like Christmas in September! There wasn't a lot in the box. The battery, charger, USB cable, strap, manual and CD (which I have not opened up yet) were in their usual position. And then there's the body.
I was really concerned about the weight. So held it out which by the way is happening in a camera store in Hidalgo, Quiapo that I had to do so that I can test it and make sure that it is functioning before I pay completely. So everything looking fine, I paid and slid the box into my backpack and nondescriptly walked away, it was still Quiapo and a Friday.
So on the way home, we (my wife was with me when I picked up the camera) stopped by a mall to get something to eat. I was excited to shoot with the camera and I had a SD card with me which I was not able to test while at the store. So I shot the food we ate, at high ISO, which is supposed to be one of the highlights of the camera. Check out the shot below and click it for a larger image.
The shot was at ISO 1600 and I tell you, its like ISO 400 in the Nikon D300 I handled. I shot in medium size but at fine compression. Medium is like 13+ megapixels. It was also auto Focus Point Selection and Auto White Balance.
It was dark when we got home and my wife was not feeling well so I had to postpone my giddiness with the camera and had to take care of more important things.
The next day, even with the events of the following night (for that you would have to check out this post) I was able to shoot the parenting seminar in our church. It was a fairly standard photo coverage but I really noticed that the exposures coming from the camera are dead on. I posted over 60 photos in our church's Facebook fan page here and the only post-processing I did was to open the file, resized to 800 pixels wide, sharpen and the save into a new file. Normally, I would have to do a few tonal and color correction to the image but for this coverage I did not have to. Ok, I will admit that there are a few that needs brightening up but the they may be just a couple but the majority did not need it. The Nikon D600 will surely improve my workflow.
So How About the Handling?
I thought it was great. Yes, its a bit lighter than the D200 and the D300 I usually carry but it is really not so much. So I get more confident with the camera and discovering its features. The body feels nice and solid not unlike the Nikon D70 that I thought this would feel. The grip was a teeny bit short for my liking but I can tolerate that since I plan to buy a battery grip that will extend the grip of the D600.
Now my main concern is how the controls are laid out. The controls are really more like the Nikon D70 and probably the Nikon D7000. Changing ISOs, image quality and white balance would now be different from what I am used to. Is that something bad? I really don't think so. But then again, I'd be using the D600 along side the D200/300. I would be switching from camera to camera and from control to control. I hope I don't mess up.
Nikon also changed the way how you control AF. Changing from single focus point to 9, 21, or 39 points to 3D and auto can now be accomplished by pressing a button in the AF/M toggle switch at the side of the camera. I don't think its an intuitive way of controlling it. I think this is the first Nikon DSLR that did that.
Did it Perform Well?
Yes it did! Using the D600 with a fast and sharp Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 lens, it only took me a few minutes of shooting to get familiarized with the controls. I shot at Continuous High Speed mode so I can check out the claimed 5.5 frames per second (FPS) shooting speed. I really don't shoot five straight frames and was not able to do it in the first time I used it but what really do is shoot to frames everytime I take posed shots and the shutter sound to me in the range of 5FPS. 😎
As I mentioned above, image quality was great and exposure was dead on. I will have to get back to you on the video quality since I haven't tested as one should. Overall, I don't regret buying this camera. Its going to be a great investment and one that will be with me for a long time.


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Engaging a passionate digital community is no small feat—but it's only one piece in a complex marketing puzzle. This month, AMA TV is featuring Sift a print-only King Arthur Flour publication conceived by HZ that seeks to strengthen the flour company's community bonds with its loyal baker-customers. The result is 112 lush pages, printed on sturdy stock with photography and layout designed for a stunning aesthetic. Sift is visually gorgeous, but its success owes in large part as well to the useful resources and content between the covers—articles, tips, and recipes for artisanal and aspiring bakers alike, so that they may perfect their craft.
Take a deeper dive into Sift with the American Marketing Association's AMA TV piece.


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Long Island General Dentistry
My family has been patients at Sachem Dental for years.
The office is extremely clean and the staff was very friendly.
I can honestly say this practice is by far the best I've been to.
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Location Lake RonkonkomaSeldenNesconsetHolbrook - Broadway AveHolbrook - Patchogue AvePatchogue
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Exhibition Stand
Working alongside Grapevine PR, St. Hakea was proud to design and style a bespoke set for Vitasoy at the Melbourne International Coffee Expo 2016. To launch Vitasoy's new Café for Barista range, and position Vitasoy as the 'plant milk specialists,' we employed strong use of raw materials and fresh plant life in the design. Coffee related props featured in colourways from the new milk range to appeal to the on-trend coffee crowd. World Latte Art Champion, Caleb Cha, drew consumers into the zone with his beautiful work and gave tips on how to best work with soy and almond milk. To gain consumer insight and increase product trial, we designed iPad surveys for trade and consumers with participants taking home their choice of Vitasoy plant milk.
Please click an image to see the full photograph & scroll through the album
© 2016 St. Hakea. All images remain property of Vitasoy, Grapevine PR, St. Hakea and Aleksandar Jason Photography and may not be used in any form without prior written consent.


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Himjoyti School
While I was in India, I worked with two NGO's. The first was an all girls school called Himjoyti. The school housed girls from grades 5-12 who tested very high. It was home to them for the majority of the year. Their classmates like sisters. The expectations that they placed on themselves to excel were high. I was so impressed with how polite and dedicated they were. Here are some of the images I created for them...
I have had many people ask for more images from India...this spring has been very busy for me so blogging has taken a bit of a backseat to other priorities. I promise to keep sharing as long as I feel I have stuff to share :)
~ Dana