If you're like several of my patients you may have an overactive bladder which keeps you running to the bathroom to urinate frequently. Some people have smaller bladder capacities than others and therefore naturally have to urinate more. Other people may be eating certain foods that can irritate their bladder causing the need them to urinate. I'd like to explain to you what some of these foods are and what you can do to minimize your "going" issues.

Overactive Bladder – What Is It?

Overactive bladder is a mild to severe condition that can not only become a nuisance in always creating the to find a restroom while you're out in public, but can also have some embarrassing consequences. It is also a condition that can be accompanied by something called "urge incontinence", or UI, where you have to go so badly you just can not hold it and urine leaks into your clothes; or "stress incontinence", or SI, where you have involuntary leakage of urine through laughing or sneezing. Usually UI and SI are just variant symptoms of overactive bladder syndrome which also can include nocturia (waking up at night to urinate) and frequency, just "going" a lot all day long.

As mentioned above, overactive bladder can be caused by a few things which include:

• A congenitally small bladder that has less holding capacity than most people
• A "neurogenic bladder" – caused by damage, or pressure, pinching of the nerves of the spine that may occur in certain medical conditions like spinal injuries, epilepsy, Parkinson disease, MS, and stroke, that can result in involuntary emptying of the bladder .
• Certain medications used to treat other conditions like diuretics for high blood pressure, or medications that contain caffeine.
• Hormonal. Decreasing estrogen in menopause can cause bladder and urethra muscles to weaken and fall forward, resulting in more frequent urination and leakage. In men, an enlarged prostate can cause frequent urination as well.
• Constipation. Pressure from retained waste in the rectum can aggravate the bladder.
• Obesity. Too much abdominal fat can put pressure on the bladder as well.

However, the most common cause of overactive bladder is simple foods that we eat everyday! These are foods that have certain compounds in them that can irritate the bladder and sometimes result in a chronic inflammatory condition. The bladder attempts to wash these irritants out through triggering frequent urination. Here's a list of the top bladder trigger foods:

• Tomato products – tomato products generally have a lot of acid in them and can really irritate the bladder. In an attempt to get rid of the irritant, the bladder tries to flush itself out with frequent urination.
• Caffeine – a stimulant present in coffee and tea can really irritate the bladder and make you go more. Decaf varieties can help, but they also have very small amounts of caffeine.
• Chocolate – also contains caffeine plus other compounds like theobromines that can irritate the bladder. White chocolate has less caffeine but still has some. Try to cut down on the amount of chocolate you eat.
• Citrus fruits – also highly acidic, lemons , limes, oranges, grapefruits, can also irritate the bladder like tomatoes. To cut down Try on citrus fruits and supplement with an Ester-C type of Vitamin C to avoid Further irritation.
• Beer, wine, hard liquor – " spirits" draw more water out of your body to process it through your kidneys and make you urinate more.
• Carbonation – soft drinks, champagne, tonic water, all contain carbonation that can trigger the bladder and make you urinate frequently.
• Hot spices – like cayenne, jalapeno, especially when combined with tomato, can really keep you hopping to the bathroom. Not only does the spice itself irritate your bladder but they prompt you to drink a lot more cold fluids to wash them down.
• Sweeteners – real sugar, honey, and artificial sweeteners like Equal, Splenda and Sweet N'Low, can over-stimulate the bladder as well.
• Preservatives / Spices – MSG, salt, pepper, other kitchen spices and certain herbs like oregano and dill also have diuretic action that can keep you urinating more frequently.
• Onions, cranberry – like tomatoes, are acidic based, which can irritate the bladder. However, cranberries can also help keep the bladder free of bacteria by neutralizing it with the compounds it contains and flushing them out.

What Can You Do To Slow Your Go ?

The best recommendation I give my patients who seem to have overactive bladder symptoms from food sources is to do the following:

• Keep track of your symptoms and what foods seem to irritate them the most. Then, try to reduce the amount, or eliminate, these foods altogether to cut down on your frequency of urination.
• Keep drinking your recommended amount of daily water intake, generally eight 8 ounce glasses a day, or more if you're sweating a lot. Adequate water intake dilutes your urine so that if you do eat some of these foods, they will be less of an irritant to your bladder.

If you have symptoms of overactive bladder, visit your doctor for an evaluation to determine if there is a medical condition behind it such as those mentioned above. If you're like my patients, however, most likely foods and drinks that you take in every day are causing over active bladder symptoms. To get your "going" problems under control, try the recommendations noted above, watching what foods you eat and what your symptoms are. Continue to drink your recommended amount of water to flush out any irritants and keep the rest of you healthy as well!

If you are a small business owner of a antique business, you have probably heard the "death knoll claims", been deluged with discouragement from the "gloom and doom" crowd and look frequently out your window to see if "the funeral procession" is passing by … I am here to tell you that while antiques as well as all discretionary retail businesses are challenged … they are not dead and will not be any time soon!

Almost every day I hear the constant comment from some customers and a lot of discouraged dealers saying that the antique is industry is dead, dying or disappearing. There rationale is:

1. The existing customer is not buying.
2. The existing customer has bought all they intend to.
3. The younger customer is not interested.
4. Everyone that might be buying is buying online.

I would like to give you "tough and committed" antique dealers who have store fronts some counter intuitive insight and contrarian opinion about the "state of things in the antique industry".

For years the antique industry (like many other industries in America) became over populated with part time, marginally committed participants who saw there opportunity to turn a "passion for garage sales" into "off or on the books" profits with little day to day efforts through the proliferation of antique malls everywhere! These dealers would "plop down" a security deposit, load up the SUV, get a few tables and cloths together and open up a Antique Mall Space. The large size of this group proliferated a huge amount of antique malls popping up on many main streets and malls throughout the United States.

The fallacy of this concept was the space was expensive, add on percentages pretty high, and marginally committed staff not having the same "vested interest" as a owner of a mall space would have. The dealers in the malls were not "retailing veterans" and in many cases found out at the end of the month that instead of the "slush funds" that they thought they had created, a bill for the short fall between space rent and sales was waiting for them on the first of the month instead of the hoped for check. A new "harsh reality" sunk in to the mall space tenants and they soon said this is not a good idea and "bailed" in record numbers. The "bailing process" of mall space tenants created huge empty gaps in antique malls and led to a new reality for the antique mall owner "they are upside down on their rent due to the vacancies". This has led to record Antique Malls closing their doors and hanging the "for rent" signs on the front of the buildings.

What is the post mortem of this process? "Bigger opportunities" for the surviving retail outlets for the sale of antiques by getting a bigger slice of a (economically caused) smaller pie. This is a moment to not lament the advent of online antique sales but take advantage of it. The internet gives a dealer a chance to reach millions of new customers and "start slicing up" their share of the smaller pie. The reduction in shopping malls makes your "brick and mortar" shop more appealing to the customer who enjoys a new adventure in a antique store (as long as he or she is welcomed with enthusiasm) and well priced and unique items to be tempted by.

Willl the antique industry and store survive and return back to life? I think so. The antique customer is first and foremost a "collector" not unlike a museum. They collect things that interest them, have intrinsic value to them and that they think will in time appreciate in value. The number and longevity of museums throughout the world is testimony that there is still interest in viewing and owning things of historical significance on the part of many individuals. A private collection of a "item of passion" for a collector is their private museum to be enjoyed by themselves and shared with friends … and perhaps ultimately sold for profit!

The traits that will determine the "winners and losers" in this antique industry "shakeout" are:

1. Perserverence coupled with tight expense control.
2. Exciting and unique merchandise flowed regularly to ensure newness to your repeat customers.
3. Good value. The days of "obscene profit" are over. $ 10 profit to $ 1 investment may happen occasionally but a more modest $ 3 to $ 1 sales price to cost ratio probably will give better value and motivate the thinning "customer count" to purchase.
4. A good attitude. The last thing anyone needs (or wants to hear) when they visit a store or business for some quality shopping time is "gloom and doom". Motivation and enthusiasm are contagious … so is wining and growsing. If you want more positive customers … be a more positive shop owner!
5. Look for new ways to reach new customers. Pack up the car or truck and hit the high, low, or medium end flea market, antique show or swap meet with a load of business cards and great merchandise. Give the people who stop by a "preview" of your taste and selection and invite them to stop by for a visit of the larger assortment in your shop. Give them a discount coupon, if you want to fuel urgency, to be used on their next visit.
6. Finally keep you store fresh. If new merchandise flow is not possible with current cash flow challenges … Rearrange your stocks so that the same items are presented in new locations, with new adjacencies and with new ways to visualize their use. You will find a old item becomes a new sale by simply moving it to a new location.

In summary when the going gets tough … The committed antique shop owner should look at the situation as a opportunity to grow market share … Not toss in the towel!

The world is littered with businesses that would have been successful with a little more perseverance and patience! Quitting is easy … Winning is commitment!

The etiquette of serving food is a set of rules which are adopted by restaurants, caterers and even at private dinner parties. Use these rules as a guide, they are not official rules and can differ between cultures and countries.

While some of these techniques may sound petty and a bit over the top, most have a sound explanation. Making service appear smooth and faultless allows the customer to relax and not be interrupted by service staff. It dates back to when servants were required to serve their masters without being noticed.

The order of who to serve first starts with the guest of honour and anyone else of importance. Followed by the eldest woman all the way to the youngest male. The host is to be served last. This is for all service to the table including taking food and drink orders and serving them (if serving all at once is not possible).

Food and drinks are usually served from the left and cleared from the right but this varies in different regions of the world.

Plates are only cleared when everyone on the table has finished. To make sure everyone has finished, ask the table if they have finished followed by 'Was everything OK?' Although, this is fine, try ask a open question so you receive feedback rather than a yes or no.

Never rush your guests, allow for a break between courses especially before desserts. Obviously drinks are served before any food orders are taken. The bill is only given to the table once it has been asked for.

If the table has wine or champagne, remember to periodically top up their glasses. However there is a fine line between being intrusive and neglecting your customer. Avoid letting your customer pour their own drinks unless they have expressed this.

Remember to be human; you want your guests to be relaxed and comfortable. Build rapport with your guests, but do not become friends with them. Avoid making remarks about your guests, such as do not comment on a clean plate as that could imply your guest is greedy or fat.