Tips to Staying Healthy During the Summer!

1. Keep up or begin an exercise program. 

Aerobic activity is important for keeping the heart strong and healthy. If you only work out in a health club, take some time to do outdoor refreshing activities -- hiking, biking, swimming, or tennis. Reconnecting with these activities will help keep your body and mind aligned. 


2. Enjoy Nature's bounty.

Fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables at their organic best. Consuming foods that are cooling and light -- fresh fruits, vegetable juices, raw vital salads, and lots of water -- will nourish your body for summertime activities. Include some protein with one or two meals. There are a number of light, nourishing proteins that don't require cooking. Most of these complement fruits and vegetables nicely-- nuts, seeds, sprouted beans, soy products, yogurt, kefir, and cottage cheese. Fish and poultry can also be eaten.  


3. Above all, give yourself the time to truly experience Nature.

This can happen, even in a city park, if you relax and let in your surroundings. When traveling, take activities for the family and your first aid kit for bites, bee stings, and injuries. Check for ticks after your hikes. Watch for overexposure, take time in the shade, and drink your water.  


Follow the link to see other great ways to keep a healthy mind and body throughout the summer: http://bit.ly/Uskfrp

Courtesy of : healthy.net and Staying Healthy Tips by Elson M. Haas MD.

‘Car of the Future’ Is Here. Now.

ASPEN, Colo., June 27, 2014 – Driving helps make lives safer, greener and more convenient at Toyota’s “Experience the Future of Mobility” exhibit, open now at the 2014 Aspen Ideas Festival. Toyota is staging the North American debut of its “Car of the Future” at the annual conference. Unveiled earlier this week at a press conference in Japan, the zero-emission hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) will be available for sale to customers in California in summer 2015.

True to the Festival’s 2014 focus on imagining the future, the Toyota FCV is an important step forward for zero-emission vehicle technology. An electric-drive, mid-size, four-door sedan, the vehicle won’t require customers to compromise on safety, price or performance. Instead, the FCV will travel approximately 300 miles on a single fill-up of hydrogen, which takes less than five minutes.

In addition, Toyota is taking steps to ensure that owners of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will be able to fill their tanks, no matter what brand is on the hood. In May, the company announced it had entered a financial relationship with FirstElement Fuels to support the long-term operation and maintenance of 19 new hydrogen refueling stations in California.

“Our society is on the cusp of a revolution in personal mobility,” said Osamu Nagata, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America. “Slowly but surely, new technologies are changing how we think about automobiles and transportation -- from intelligent, automated systems that team up with drivers to improve safety, to zero-emission vehicles that emit nothing but water vapor. These technologies will help save lives, improve the environment, create jobs and help the U.S. maintain technical leadership in a field that is an important contributor to economic growth.”

Nagata will discuss the company’s vision for the future of mobility on the Festival’s main stage on June 28 during a one-on-one interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Financial Columnist, Editor-at-Large, New York Times; Co-anchor, CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

Read more by following the link below.

Courtesy of Toyota Newsroom: http://toyota.us/1nQgByY

Spendless Summer!

DIY: Cleaning Your Headlights

1.       Clear headlights of every bit of excess grime you are able to and outline each headlight with tape.  This protects your paint job while you’re cleaning.

2.       It is likely that any product you try will require sanding of some sort—so be detailed, meticulous, and careful during this process.  After wards, the headlight should be rough and dull, yet clear of any yellowing.

3.       Polish them up!  This will rid your headlights of the small scratches caused by the sandpaper.  It will also rid them of the dull look and make them clear again.

4.       Since you’ve removed any protective layer that was on your headlights originally during the sanding process, it’s important that you apply a sealant with UV protection.  If possible, choose one with promised extended protection.

If you’re in the dark about the best UV sealant to use, check out what Popular Mechanics says on the issue.

Spring Is Here! Time For Fun!

Spring provides such wonderful weather in almost every location. It's a wonderful time for the family to head outdoors and soak up some sun, whether it's at a picnic or at an outdoor athletic event. It really is the perfect time for families to become even closer.

Here are some reasons why spring is the best for family fun!

1. Ideal temperatures -- It's not too hot, it's not too cold. The kids can run around to their heart's content without getting all sweaty and dehydrated.
2. Fun sights and sounds -- Is there anything better than heading out the door and hearing the birds chirp, watching squirrels run by, and seeing your little ones squeal with delight upon spotting them? Nope.
3. Daily trips to the park -- On any given spring day, there's really no better place to hang out with a toddler than the playground. They get to let off some steam, play with other kids, and since the weather is nice (see number one), you don't have to worry about the equipment being too hot for them to touch.
4. Learning experiences -- Now that the snow has melted, you gotta get the yard and garden back in order. Kids love to feel like they're helping out mommy, so you can turn any outdoor project into an educational experience -- even though they'll only see it as fun.
5. Fresh air is great for sleep -- For whatever reason, the kiddos sleep so much better after they've had a good dose of fresh air. Even something as simple as a walk around the neighborhood in the stroller is guaranteed to give your child (and you) a few extra z's at night.

What's your favorite part about spring? Let us know in the comments section below!

How to Clean Your Car the Right Way

1. Wash the wheels and tires first. If you splash wheel cleaners or dirt onto your vehicle, you can simply wash it off as you wash your vehicle. Use a cleaner that is safe for all wheels, like Wolfgang Tire & Wheel Cleaner. It is water-based and has no corrosive chemicals, which is safer for coated wheels and rubber. Agitate with a wheel brush to clean wheels without scratching. Wash each wheel and tire one at a time and rinse thoroughly before moving on to the next one. NOW EMPTY AND RINSE ALL CLEANING MATERIALS including your Pinnacle Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Sponge and your wash bucket.

2. Now you’re ready to wash. Let’s start with clean water and a freshly rinsed container and our Micro-chenille Wash Mitt. It’s important to use a car wash that is rich in lubricants. The purpose of the car wash is to remove contaminants and lubricate them so they do not scratch the paint as they slide off the vehicle. Dish detergents are not ideal because they remove protective coatings. P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo, DP Auto Wash and Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo are all fantastic choices. They do not remove wax and provide ample lubrication of gritty particles.

3. How do you prevent swirl marks? Use two buckets. Fill one bucket with soapy water and fill the other with clean water. Each time you’re ready to reload your sponge with soapy water, dip it in the clean water first, to rinse out the grit and contamination you’ve just removed from your vehicle. Then dip it in the soapy water and continue washing.

An even better option is the Grit Guard. This plastic grid sits in the bottom of a 5-gallon wash bucket and stabilizes the water. Contamination and particles settle to the bottom of the bucket and the clean wash water remains at the top.


4. Always rinse your vehicle thoroughly before you begin washing in order to remove loose debris. Then begin washing at the top of the vehicle. Wash down the vehicle as opposed to front to back. Remember that the lower panels are dirtiest. You want to clean the windows and the upper panels before cleaning the lower half of the vehicle so that you don’t transfer grit to the top half of the vehicle. Rinse and reload your Sponge often to prevent cross-contamination. Rinse your vehicle frequently as you work, especially in hot weather.

For stubborn spots, like bugs or tar, use the Pinnacle Safe Scrub Bug & Tar Sponge to gently remove sticky contaminants without scratching. To soften the sponge, soak it in warm water for 3 minutes. Always use it with soapy water to lubricate the sponge. If you choose to use a spot cleaner, spray it on before washing and reapplywax to the treated area after you’ve dried the vehicle.

5. When rinsing, you don’t have to blast your car clean with the water hose. Free-flowing water (no nozzle) will allow the water to sheet off of your vehicle for a more thorough rinsing.

To see how to dry with the proper technique, follow the link below! 

Courtesy of Autogeek.net

Link: http://bit.ly/1joMsIJ

Ten Teens Across the Country Chosen for Creative Videos that Promote Safe Driving

America to Decide Winning Video through Online Voting; Winning Video to be Produced as TV-Ready PSA

April 17, 2014

Silver Spring, MD (April 17, 2014) – Toyota and Discovery Education announced today the top ten finalists in the annual Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge, the nation’s premier teen safe driving program. Beginning today and continuing for the next two weeks, these top ten inspirational videos will appear online for public voting not only to determine the grand prize winner, but also to send a national reminder about the importance of safe teen driving.

Now in its third year, the Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge, a key component of an ongoing partnership between Toyota and Discovery Education, invites teens across the country to create short videos to inspire their friends to drive more safely and avoid distractions.

Over 1,000 videos were submitted as part of the challenge, with ten entries chosen as finalists. Each video, some humorous in tone or others more poignant in nature, addresses unsafe driving habits and how distracted driving can change lives forever.

For the next two weeks, the general public can visit www.TeenDrive365.com to view the top ten videos and decide the winner by voting for their favorite. The teen who garners the most votes will win a $15,000 cash prize and be given the opportunity to work with a Discovery film crew to re-create their video as a professional, TV-ready PSA, which will be eligible to air on Discovery’s family of networks. Second place will receive a $10,000 cash prize and a behind-the-scenes trip for two to a Velocity Network show. Third place will be awarded a $7,500 cash prize.

“For over a decade, Toyota has offered programs and resources that are designed to keep teens safe on the road,” said Latondra Newton, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. “The Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge embodies our philosophy that great, impactful ideas come from anyone, anywhere. We’re thrilled with the creative submissions we received from teens across the country and congratulate our teen finalists.”