Are your clothes getting tight again and you’re a few pounds above the weight you’d like to be? This seems to happen to many people in life, and often it takes some dieting and exercise to get those extra pounds off. If you happen to be looking for a new diet to lose those extra pounds, one you may not have heard of is Raw Foods diet. While there are mixed opinions about this diet, there are many people who have truly found it to be an effective way to lose weight. Of course before you try it yourself, you may want to learn a bit more about it, so let’s take a look at those the diet works for best, pros and cons, what you can eat, and how the medical community weighs in.

Overview of the Raw Foods Diet

Basically the raw foods diet is exactly what it sounds like. It is a diet that consists of mainly raw foods. It is based on uncooked and unprocessed plant foods, including seeds, beans, vegetables, fresh fruits, seaweed, nuts, sprouts, and dried fruit. The basic principle of the diet focuses on the idea that heating up food too much, above 116 F, actually gets rid of important enzymes in foods that help with the absorption and digestion of food. Also, cooking the food is thought to get rid of the nutritional value of the food as well. So, this diet usually consists of a minimum of 75% raw or living foods.

Who This Diet Works for Best

This is a diet that is definitely a great choice for those who already lean towards the vegetarian lifestyle. The raw foods diet is a diet that takes quite a bit of time as well to stay on this diet, so it’s not necessarily a great choice for those who have a busy life. People who have anemia or women who are pregnant should not go on this diet, and it’s not a great choice for children either.

Pros and Cons to Consider

Just like any diet, you’ll find that there are both pros and cons to consider before you decide this diet is for you. So, here are a few pros and cons to consider that will help you make your decision.

- Pro #1 - More Energy - One of the main benefits of the raw foods diet is that most people who go on it find that the experience more energy than ever before. Since they are eating raw foods that are not full of preservatives or processed sugars, they don’t deal with the sluggish feelings that come along with those foods.

- Pro #2 - Weight Loss - Weight loss is another pro to consider when considering this diet. It really does work for aiding people with weight loss. If people truly stick to the diet plan, they will see a reduction in weight.

- Pro #3 - Reduced Risk of Certain Diseases - The raw foods diet is high in folate, magnesium, fiber, and phytochemcials. These nutrients are all known to help reduce the risk of a variety of different diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and even diabetes.

- Con #1 - Some Ingredients are Difficult to Find - One of the cons of the raw foods diet is that some of the ingredients that are needed for the diet are quite hard to find. The diet calls for things like Celtic sea salt, Rejuvelac, date sugar, carob powder, sprouted flour, and even young coconut milk, and all of these ingredients are very difficult to find.

- Con #2 - Takes a Lot of Time and Commitment - This diet also takes a lot of time and commitment if you are truly going to follow it the right way. Not only will you spend time looking for the foods that you need, but many of the foods that have to be made take quite a bit of your time as well. It’s definitely not the best choice for people who have extremely busy lives.

- Con #3 - Certain Nutritional Deficiencies Can Occur - There are several nutritional deficiencies that can occur as well when you go on the raw foods diet. It is possible to become deficient in iron, calcium, protein, B12, and protein, to name a few.

Do’s and Don’ts of Food

When you are on Raw Foods, the eating plan is quite strict. You are only allowed to eat foods that are organic and unprocessed when you’re on this diet. Also, most of the food eaten should not be cooked. Some of the foods that are allowed include organic foods, dried fruits, beans, nuts, legumes, seaweed, young coconut milk, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, grains, juiced vegetables and fruits, and purified water. Some people do add some quality poultry and fish to their diet as well, and of course you are allowed to cook these meats.

The Medical Community Gives Their Opinion

While there are several benefits of the Raw Foods diet, some professionals in the medical community are still a bit skeptical of this diet. Some medical professionals argue that cooking certain foods actually helps to aid with the absorption of some important nutrients as well. Doctors also find themselves concerned about the deficiencies that can occur. Studies have even shown that this diet can make things worse for people who are already at risk for osteoporosis, since calcium deficiencies can occur, and they can end up with lower bone mass.

Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before starting any dieting program.

I can not believe my husband actually did that. I am very frustrated right now. I can go on, let’s backtrack a little bit. Our son David is turning to three year or in about 2 weeks, My husband John and I were going to surprise him with an entirely new boys bedroom set. In our past discussions, we agree that we would both pick out a room design that we think David would like. But imagine my surprise today when my husband came home with an entirely new boys bedroom sheets set. Not only did he buy sheets from a discount store, but the quality of the set and bedroom sheets themselves as were all very low quality.

My husband John came home with a Olive Kids boys bedding sheet set. He knew I am not fond of pirates. I think they promote violence, the thief three, and general bad hygiene. I much prefer he decorate his room with an animal, jungle, or boys car bedding theme. I grew up in a family with strong values, and I would like to promote similar values to my son.

One thing my husband John did to correctly he came home with some very cute kid’s room decor. From kids area rugs to kids room signs he got all covered. The last thing I need to do now is to return the pirates bedding. But hopefully I can find the Safari bedding that I like. But if not, I can settle on boys sports bedding, we would even settle on boys fire truck bedding. I think promoting local hero such as firemen and construction workers is the way to go.

Carpet ranks 3rd in consumer purchases behind homes and automobiles. As with houses and vehicles, there are many options from which to choose when you buy carpet.

Probably the two most important factors to consider when purchasing carpet are appearance and performance. More people than not become quite confused when shopping for carpet. This is because they are told so many different things about which is the best carpet to buy. Truth is, there is no black and white answer to that question.

The very first thing one should determine when shopping for carpet is the style of carpet they like best, or the appearance. It might be a patterned or non-patterned berber, textured or smooth plush, long and shaggy or short and stubby frieze, or maybe a printed or solid commercial cut pile. If you are carpeting a basement or game room with lots of foot traffic, you may consider a commercial loop or a short tight cut pile commercial. For bedrooms and other areas, you may prefer a softer and longer pile carpet. The most important thing is that it appeals to you. After all, you are the one that’s walking on it and looking at it every day. If you are planning on selling the home in the near future, you might want to choose a neutral color that would likely coordinate with a buyer’s decor. If not, make the decision to go with colors you like.

As far as fiber type, nylon is a very resilient fiber and will give superior wear. Polyester and olefin fibers, being petroleum based and made from recycled plastics, are naturally more stain resistant. So depending on where your priorities lie, this is where performance comes in to play. One of the biggest misconceptions in carpet is that the heavier the face weight, the more durable the carpet. Actually, the more important proponent is the twist level of the yarn. For example, a 60 oz. Carpet with three or four revolutions in the yarn may not perform as well as a 40 oz. Carpet with six or seven turns. Think of yarn in terms of a rope, in that one that has a slack twist or frayed will not be as strong as a tightly twisted rope. That same situation applies to yarn strength. Density is also an important player in the longevity of a carpet. Generally speaking, short and tight out performs long and loose, but don’t forget the twist rule.

Carpet has long been recognized as a great insulator, the obvious choice for warmth, and the single most appealing addition to your home. Choosing the right carpet is not a science. Simply focus on appearance and performance, follow the guidelines and your carpet shopping experience should be a pleasant and positive one.

Finally, carpet prices can vary widely from one source to another. Obviously you will want the best price for your carpet purchase. Owen Carpet can provide discount carpet at the most competitive prices available anywhere. Visit our website at www.OwenCarpet.com or stop by our shop and compare our selection and variety today.

Starting your own carpet cleaning business can be a great business opportunity if you are diligent and organized. The start up costs of such an endeavor is not overwhelming and you may find potential clients in just about every facet of your life. You may find that friends and family will love knowing someone who owns his own carpet cleaning business.

I am one of those individuals who love the fact that I have a relative who runs his own carpet cleaning business. Certain household tasks make some people very uneasy. Moving furniture, washing carpets and putting items back in place is not on my top ten lists of favorite things to do.

I make sure to get in contact with my cousin when it comes time for spring cleaning. His carpet cleaning business has become so busy over the years that I try to set up an appointment well in advance. It is funny because he was so worried about starting is very own company. The idea of being self employed is very scary for many of us, although the business opportunity is right there under our nose.

He began a few years ago with a simple purchase of some cleaning supplies and a very good machine. I remember how much he worried about making the initial purchase. He was concerned that he was wasting his money but after thinking about how much he could make with a handful of clients he had to give his carpet cleaning business a shot.

After purchasing the equipment he invested some time in making attractive business cards. These came in very handy. I was the very first customer for his carpet cleaning business and I didn’t mind giving him feedback. I loved that I didn’t have to worry about moving heavy furniture. I loved that I could do laundry and wash dishes while he worked and I really loved the results.

Since he did such a great job with his first venture on his carpet cleaning business I decided that I would pass his cards along. I left some at the bank, at my child’s school and at just about every other function I attended. The next thing I know I’m getting a call from my cousin. He had too many clients.

Now people are on a waiting list for his services. He has also bought a few more machines and he has hired on a small staff. The carpet cleaning business has grown so much in just a little time. It seemed like a risk, but being self employed can be great.

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It has long been the couch potatoes dream to be able to pop a pill and get back on the couch without exercising and still lose weight.  Well modern day science says that they have tested such a pill in the laboratories and that there will be such a thing as a New Exercise Pill.

Just as mankind through history wondered what was on the moon, and never thought that it would be possible to go there, well soon you will be able to Lose Weight with the Exercise Pill.  No matter which of the weight loss programs you chose, you should investigate this method.

Diet Pills work on various parts of the central nervous system, the digestive tract, block fat, and diminish appetites.  There are countless numbers of types of diet pills on the market.  This pill for weight loss with no exercise is different.

There are two compounds being analyzed and studied at this time; AICAR and GW-1516.  Both have proven to be successful in either losing weight without doing any exercise, or to extend ones exercise powers to an extreme degree through the multiple interactions of muscle vibrations.  Read: report on AICAR.

Apparently the genetic modifiers in these compounds trick your body’s muscles into believing that they have just had an excellent workout exercise while you are still in a relaxed state.  Weight loss programs will have a new regimen once these pills hit the market.

Even Dr. OZ on the Oprah Winfrey Show has discussed the exercise pill in detail.  Oprah says she will be one of the first ones to have this new pill.

We believe this is science working at its best to increase your health and longevity as well as helping obese people to lose weight.  There are certain cases where this sort of pill will be very beneficial, such as in certain diseases like Diabetes and in cases where people have a physical problem and are unable to exercise.

We do not recommend trying to lose weight with untested or unsafe methods and believe that at this time there is no exception to the old tried and true diet and exercise programs.  You may keep up with the this news at www.newexercisepill.com.   Diet Pills might help but you should use them under medical supervision.

It is that time again. It is time to decorate my little girl’s bedroom. She’s grown out of her current style and needs to the decorations of the bigger girl. My little girl is transitioning from a toddler to a full-blown vibrant girl. And she needs her room decor to reflect that. So my first job as a mother is to decide on an exact theme of the room. In this way I can settle on a kid’s room decor design, girls bedding and main theme. I have done some research and talking to some of my friends who are also mothers with girls of the same age, I have decided on the butterfly theme.

She has always been interested in insects, bugs and definitely butterflies. So I figure some girls bedding with butterflies would fit very nicely. Also, she is always wanted a kids room signs as well. So I browse online and found some very nice butterfly ones. These rooms signs are all able to be personalized, so I can put her name right on it next to the colorful insects. Next, I was looking at some valances and curtains. These are the window dressings which add some flavor and flair to her bedroom. If I cannot find the butterflies design, I can simply use window dressings with similar color themes.

The last thing I need is to cover the floor. I think kids area rugs with a red, pink and purple butterflies would look really nice. Purple and pink on her favorite color. I hope that she will be happy with her new film.

Would you like to get a six pack get-a-sixpack.net? If you want to get rid of the big belly to expose the muscle you should start some ab exercises. Most of us imagine the possibility of getting a proper set of six pack abs. We want to be fit enough to show our ripped abs while hanging at the swimming pool. So what is it that we do wrongly while pursuing the great mid section? Most of us do not realise what is involved in obtaining that six pack. We will go over some steps to get you closer to the ripped abs.

After deciding on a satisfactory ab exercise regimen to follow, many folk believe that all they require is the exercise. That is not totally correct. Just doing the ab exercises does not mean you will have ripped abs. You still need to address the issue of fat covering your now ripped abs. Yes. You may have ripped abs under the levels of belly fat. Therefore, body fat still remains to be addressed.

There is one more misconception dealing with the way ab exercises are conducted. Sure, we all know that we need to really perform the abdominal workouts. The question is how much and in what manner. In order to attain more substantial and more chiseled abs, hundreds of ab work out repetitions are not essential. Sets above thirty reps are appropriate for attaining ab muscle endurance. However to achieve larger abdominal muscles, short sets of under twenty reps, with resistance, are much more effective. Finally, to lose love handles, do some cardio.

As the weather gets colder, your schedule gets busier and your muscles get tighter, you might find yourself looking for an Indianapolis massage therapist.  So, which therapist should you turn to when you need a well deserved massage.  How do you find the best?

What Do You Want?
First, you’ll need to decide what type of massage service you are interested in. There are many massage therapists in Indianapolis and each has their own skill set.  Do you want a traditional Swedish Massage or an intensive “Pfrimmer”?  Are you pregnant and seeking a Prenatal Massage?  

When you call your prospective therapists, be sure to ask and confirm that the massage therapist you choose has at least a year or two of experience in the massage therapy you are interested in.

Drive Time
Next, decide how far you are willing to drive for “the best”.  If possible, don’t limit your search to your zip code or your side of town.  Interview massage therapists in a 10-15 mile radius to increase your chances of finding the best one.

Is price your main concern?  If so, then it is even more important to expand the scope of your search.  Check surrounding towns and cities that are within a distance you’d be willing to drive.  Often times, massage therapists in towns surrounding big cities have better rates and offer specials for regular massage clients willing to drive a few minutes extra.  

Your Pampering Quotient
Now, your preference for how pampered you want your massage experience to be will now determine if you call Day Spas or dedicated massage therapy studios.  Just so you know, typically a day spa has less experienced therapists because they pay by the hour and few experienced massage therapist are willing to accept hourly pay.  However, that does not mean you won’t find an excellent therapist in a Day Spa.  In fact, some of the higher-end Day Spas offer the best of both worlds, top notch therapists in a beautifully pampered setting.  But, of course, all this comes at a price.

If you want an experienced professional at a reasonable rate, your best bet is to call a massage studio or an individual massage therapist.  Most massage studios in and around Indianapolis are listed in the yellow pages or pop up when you do a Google search for “Indianapolis massage therapy”.  

Finding an top-notch individual therapist can be a bit more difficult, especially if they work remotely or by appointment only.  Often times, this is where the “best of the best” reside –but they usually have a large client base and are booked for weeks.  These therapists have paid their dues and don’t need to spend much on marketing to stay busy.

Credentials to Look For
Massage therapy is soon to be sanctioned in Indiana so anyone offering massage services will have to be officially licensed, but this is not the case yet.  So, look for massage therapist with the following credentials.

Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) – means they have received formal training from an accredited school, not just a weekend crash course

ABMP or  AMTA Registration – these are professional trade organization that serious therapist pay to belong to  

Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapist (PDMT)  – a specific type of “advanced” massage therapy requiring specialized training and certification

Make Your Calls
So now that you have the preliminaries out of the way, it is time to call a few massage therapists.  Your objective is to not only get your questions answered, like “what do you specialize in?” and “do you have any specials?” but also determine if the therapist meets your personality preferences.

Every massage therapist has a different approach.  Therapeutic massage can be a very personal & powerful experience, both positive and, unfortunately, negative.  It is my belief that a truly skilled massage therapist can bring your body’s energy back into balance and leave you feeling centered and much stronger than you were before you arrived. An unskilled therapist does the opposite.  Often times, a massage therapist’s level of positive (or negative) energy is apparent on the initial call with a new client, you just have to be looking for it.

Although the steps above may take you an extra 30 minutes or so, they will help you avoid wasting time & money on a bad massage.  So, take the time and be sure to find the very best massage therapist Indianapolis has to offer.  

Twitter, the social networking and micro-blogging service that allows its users to send and read other users’ updates (otherwise known as tweets), which are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length, has no-doubt become quite a phenomenon. It is widely rumored that Twitter turned down an acquisition offer from Facebook for $500 Million. A recent TechCrunch report stated that Twitter’s valuation has reached in excess of $250 Million. There are reports that state that the reach of Twitter has exceeded that of Digg in a very short span of time.  With an excess of 5 Million users and over 50 Million monthly visits, everyone’s tweeting!

Needless to say, what’s made Twitter a revolution is its ease of use.  From signup to search, from following others to getting followed by others, to tweet or to retweet, to use the web or the phone, Twitter is just plain simple.  Add to this the power of Twitter APIs, there are hundreds of tools, utilities and apps that continue to spring from nowhere.  Today, there is a twitter tool just about to do anything you want on twitter.

Some use twitter for chit-chat.  Ranging from “I just got up, and am off to a shower” to “Please get out and vote for me”, much is being said in 140 characters or less.  Folks are asking questions and people in hundreds respond.  Advertisers market their products, Affilaites promote products, News sources announce breaking news and Bloggers post their blogs as tweets - whether for personal or for business, Twitter is seen everywhere and used by everyone.

It has never been easier to build a network of followers.  Never before has it been so easy to build a network of a 1,000 followers who follow what you have to say and are ready to receive a message from you.  And best of all, it costs nothing to do it!  Just think about what you would have to do to get a following of a 1,000 people - whether it is cold calling, or mail advertisement, or opt-in email marketing or a paid squeeze page lead capture - it takes a lot of time, money and effort.

The benefits being obvious, everyone is looking to build a wide follower base.  There is a widely prevalent phenomenon on Twitter that is increasing in popularity - “Follow Me and I will Follow You Back“.  This simply means that if you follow me on twitter, I will follow you right back.  There are two schools of thought on this.

The first school of thought is that it is not appropriate to follow everyone that follows you.  The second school of thought obviously thinks not.  The idea of not following everyone that follow you has some logic to it.  You could think of some parallels to this - “Buy my product, I will buy your product back” or “Subscribe to my newsletter, I will subscribe to your newsletter back”.  One could also argue that if you follow 1,000’s of people, you really can’t do justice, as multiple tweets from each one (assuming each one is active) would just be information overload and you simply can’t follow any tweet, giving it justice.  Both of these arguments could be argued as having some merit.  But, also not.

Think for a moment why people use Twitter.  True, one of the primary objectives is for you say what you are doing now and for others to tune in (or “follow”), but Twitter can be used for reasons well beyond that.  Twitter is a wonderful networking tool, where you can build relationships with others and communicate not just now, but for months and years to come.  You can sure tweet for the moment, but you can just as well message the other person in private.  And if it is true that Twitter is a social networking tool, and if others have something of value to offer to you in return, there is nothing unusual about you tuning into their message as well.  After all, you only stand to benefit!

The school of thought that says “Follow Me and I will Follow You Back” does has merit.  Just because two parties follow each other, there is no commitment or obligation.  Either party can ignore tweets, or can search through tweets by name, by RSS feeds or utilizing one of the infinite tools available, if the ongoing tweets are missed.  Either party can message each other, and either party can choose to review or ignore such messages.  And if one does not wants to be bothered, that could be done as well.  Worst case, one could unfollow and/or block others as well. Just as anything else in life, if you use the tool effectively, you will only stand to benefit.

Twitter is real.  Twitter works.  Twitter is the tool of the century - probably bigger and better than any other Social Networking or Web 2.0 tool.  Embrace it!

And if “Follow” bothers you, because you simply can’t follow 1,000’s of people (which I agree with and in that context, Twitter allowing one to follow 2,000 people may not make sense either, unless most are not active, in which case they should not be on Twitter in the first place!), then follow others on Twitter (and be followed) so you can use it to “Send and Receive Messages“.   Again, there is no better tool, whether online or offline, that allows you to be able to send and receive messages to such a wide audience that has mutually agreed to receive and send messages to each other.

If you agree with this thought process, maybe we should rephrase the theme to “Receive Me and I will Receive You Back“.    And, maybe we are not just talking Twitter, but rather an enhanced Twitter, one that is naturally Two-way, maybe we are talking Twowitter

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Contact lenses are delicately crafted, very thin optical discs about the diameter of a shirt button.  These thin, curved plastic disks are designed to cover the cornea, the clear front covering of the eye. Contact lenses are used to correct the same conditions that glasses correct, nearsightedness, Myopia, farsightedness, Hyperopic, distorted vision, Astigmatism, need for bifocals.

They are absolutely safe for correcting vision disorders or for changing the colour of your eyes unless the following symptoms occur: Pain in the eye, Redness of the eye for more than two days, a blurry vision, and irritation in the eye. These symptoms suggest an immediate consultation with the doctor to avoid any serious complications. 

Contact lenses are seemingly undetectable once in the eye leaving the contact lens wearer with a more natural appearance. They are generally categorized as “hard” lenses or “soft” lenses and are available for daily wear (you remove them before sleeping) or extended wear (you leave them in overnight). Flexible and extended wear contact lenses are soft lenses that can be worn for over 24 hours. This means that extended wear contact lenses are ideal for sports people, computer users and those prone to dry eyes.

Contact lenses are a very popular alternative for corrective vision, and they can really help your eyes if you take care of them. Contact lenses are suitable for about 94% of people, offering an excellent addition to your spectacles. They are certainly useful for anyone that has an active lifestyle.  Contact lenses aren’t usually available without prescription so you will need to be checked out by your doctor first, who will tell you the health of your eyes and the contact lenses that you need.

These Contact lenses are the modern-day solution to vision correction. They are used by approximately 125 million people worldwide instead of conventional eyewear to improve vision or to change the appearance of the eye. An optician will help you decide whether contact lenses are right for you. They are typically inserted into the eye by placing them on the index finger with the concave side upward and raising them to touch the cornea.

Here are the top reasons that have been reported as to why contact lenses are the superior alternative to eyeglasses: Contact Lenses are more natural looking than eyeglasses, they are more comfortable than eyeglasses, Contact lenses are better for the active person as they’re unaffected by weather and body heat. Cheap contact lenses and coloured contact lenses are available with big discounts online for all ages, from teenagers to seniors. 

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