10 Immunity Boosters

Thursday, December 18, 2008

10 Immunity Boosters

Tea/green tea

Studies show that green tea—infused with the antioxidant EGCG—reduces the risk of most types of cancer. "The phytonutrients in tea also support the growth of intestinal bacteria," says Bowerman.

"Specifically, they inhibit the growth of bad bacteria—E. coli, Clostridium, Salmonella—and leave the beneficial bacteria untouched." Why is this important? "Because up to 70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive tract," says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles. "Four cups a day will keep it functioning at its peak."

Chili peppers

"Chilis stimulate the metabolism, act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins," says Gunnar Petersen, certified strength and conditioning specialist and a celebrity trainer. Plus, they're a great way to add flavor to food without increasing fat or calorie content. Chilis are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections, as well as capsaicin, which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation). A recent study in the journal Cancer Research found that hot peppers even have anti-prostate-cancer properties. All this from half a chili pepper (or one tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.

Ginger

Contrary to popular belief, ginger—a piquant addition to so many Asian dishes—isn't a root, it's a stem, which means it contains living compounds that improve your health. Chief among them is gingerol, a cancer suppressor that studies have shown to be particularly effective against that of the colon. Chop ginger or grind it fresh and add it to soy-marinated fish or chicken as often as you can. The more you can handle, the better.

Blueberries

"This potent little fruit can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to heart disease," says Ryan Andrews, the director of research at Precision Nutrition, in Toronto, Canada. One serving (3.5 ounces) contains more antioxidants than any other fruit. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix with strawberries for a disease-fighting supersnack.

Cinnamon

Known for making desserts sweet and Indian food complex, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth (including the bad-breath variety). "Studies also suggest that it may help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes," says dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook (Human Kinetics, 1996). "What's more, it may help reduce bad cholesterol. Try half a teaspoon a day in yogurt or oatmeal."

Sweet potatoes

Often confused with yams, this tuber is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. In addition to countering the effects of secondhand smoke and preventing diabetes, sweet potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism and immune-system health, as well as protect against Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack and stroke. "One sweet potato a day is a great alternative to the traditional variety," says Clark.

Tomatoes

"I think of tomatoes as the 'fighting herpes helper' for the divorcé crowd," says Petersen. Their lycopene content can also help protect against degenerative diseases. "Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste work best," he says. Shoot for half a tomato, or 12 to 20 ounces of tomato juice, a day.

Figs

Packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants, this fruit also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade, says Petersen. Plus, the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Select figs with dark skins (they contain more nutrients) and eat them alone or add them to trail mix. Newman's Own Fig Newmans are also a quick and easy way to boost the immune system. Aim for four figs per week.

Mushrooms (reiki, shiitake, maitake)

Delicious when added to brown rice or quinoa, these mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which protects cells from abnormal growth and replication. "In short, they reduce the risk of cancer," says Bowerman, who recommends half a cup once or twice a week. "Cooking them in red wine, which contains the antioxidant resveratrol, magnifies their immunity-boosting power."

Pomegranates

The juice from the biblical fruit of many seeds can reduce your risk of most cancers, thanks to polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color. In fact, a recent study at UCLA found that pomegranate juice slows the growth of prostate cancer cells by a factor of six. "Drink a cup a day," says Bowerman.

Article Source: http://health.msn.com/

Understanding Secured Loans and Its Implications

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Understanding Secured Loans and Its Implications

Author: Gen Wright
Homeowner secured loans are dubbed as second charge loans or second charge lending. Tracing the roots, a charge was registered on land registry each time a credit is secured on the property. Mortgage lenders get the honor of possessing the first charge. Secured loans have the second charge. This explains the coinage.

Secured loans are repaid on a monthly basis. This is the general practice but one can vacillate from the payment structure. Sometimes the lender comes to a consensus with the borrower over other methods of payments. These can be over payments and lump sum payments. In few cases it gets even better. A borrower can withdraw funds from the account; this can be done on a rolling basis given that one stays within the credit limit.

Secured loan lenders serve generous offerings. This is only apparent generosity because at the end, it does not make much difference. The bounty can come in the form of payment holidays or payment interruptions. This allows a borrower the opportunity to defer payments. This implies taking a structuring break. A borrower can also opt for a payment holiday at an intermediate stage of the loan. Interest though, invariably keeps mounting and hence we get larger payment figures when we opt to pay again.

The point as to how much one can borrow largely depends upon one?s credit rating and calculations pertaining to payment-power. A person can end up borrowing higher than what he initially imagines owing to the lack of conventional income multiples. With a stable credit rating, borrowing a sum that is 125% of the value of a property is not unheard of. Poor credit rating can still let one amass 90% of the property value. The largesse includes existing mortgage plus the secured loan and must be underwritten. Secured loan can be made available anywhere between 5000 pounds and 250000 pounds.

Though the loans are lucratively placed and highly luring, they also ask of reasonable credit history and rating. So in the event of one?s frequently changing address or lacking credit history, the loans become difficult to be procured. Further, self-employed people find it comparatively harder to avail such loans.

Lenders are also known to indulge in mercy-calling. They thus help people with poor circumstances attain the benefit of secured loans. This is on a high interest rate though.

Processing and approval are generally done expeditiously and bend towards being consumer-friendly. Datasheets reject or approve of loans immediately. This is because the credit report of each citizen is available at a small click of the mouse. Furthermore, the processing bit is completed through subtle verifications. People failing in such verifications can still avail off the loans given that they can attest to their mode of repayment. Such people can face severe financial problems in the event of default.

Debt and Debt Management For Parents

Debt and Debt Management For Parents

Author: Melanie Taylor
Three quarters of parents have debts in the form of loans, credit card debts and overdrafts, according to 'Families and the credit crunch 2008', a report released in November by the Family and Parenting Institute, based on a YouGov survey of more than 5,000 parents.

The average debt, apparently, is £8,400, but parents don't just owe money to companies - according to the survey, a full 25% have borrowed money from (or been given money by) their own parents in the last year.

The survey also reported some other worrying findings. For example: that 1 in 4 parents found their household income wasn't enough to pay the monthly bills; that 1 in 10 are worried about the household's main breadwinner being made redundant in the next 6 months; and that 3.6% of parents with mortgages thought it was very likely or fairly likely that their home would be repossessed within the next year.

Against a backdrop of record personal debt, parents are particularly worried about paying the heating bills (47%), paying the rent or mortgage (36%) and paying the food bills (31%).

Mary MacLeod, Chief Executive of the Family and Parenting Institute: "Families up and down the country are finding it hard to balance their budgets. Many also have a heavy burden of debt. Parents say they feel under stress as they struggle to clothe and feed the children and find money for school trips yet need to cut back to manage within their income. This can put a big strain on relationships. Even more of a strain is the pervasive fear that they will be out of work or even lose their home."

"With today's high cost of living, record levels of debt and worries about the nation's economic health," said a spokesperson for Debt Advisers Direct, "it's no surprise we're hearing such gloomy answers to surveys like this.

"There may, however, be debt solutions which could help some parents reduce their monthly expenditure. A debt consolidation loan, debt management plan or IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement), for example, could help them bring their expenditure back in line with their income."

Even though debt consolidation, debt management and IVAs all address unsecured debts (unsecured loans, overdrafts, credit cards, etc.), they can nonetheless help people keep up with payments to their secured debts (mortgage, secured loans, etc.).

With debt consolidation, for example, people basically pay off their existing unsecured debts by taking out a single new loan large enough to pay them all off in one go. This allows them to arrange to repay the new loan at a rate they can afford, freeing up the money they need for their secured debts and other essential expenses.

With IVAs and professional debt management plans, the borrower asks debt experts to negotiate with their creditors, asking them to accept lower, affordable payments.IVAs and professional debt management plans are very different debt solutions, but they do have similarities: if the creditors accept the terms, the individual will agree to pay as much as they can (i.e. their entire disposable income) every month, and the creditors agree to accept that, even though it's less than the monthly payments they originally agreed on.

"Debt management plans, debt consolidation loans and IVAs are very different, and suit people in different circumstances - so if someone's facing debt problems, the first thing they should do is seek professional debt advice from an organisation that really understands the pros and cons of each."

3 Ways In Which Forex Online Trading Can Make Money For You

3 Ways In Which Forex Online Trading Can Make Money For You

Author: Steven Jacobs
There are obviously way for than just 3 ways for Forex online trading and how it can make money

for you but for obvious reasons of space I cannot possibly fit it all into one article. I will say this for the market - something that has a turnover of over $3 trillion dollars, even in these uncertain times really puts across the notion that the currency market will always be there as a force to turn pain into profit. It just depends on which side you are on the market and how smart your investments
are. Which brings us to the first rule of investing in Forex. Always be able to read and predict the market because it moves in patterns that may surprise you. How the market responds to crisis or upturns really follows a general set rule. Markets will be affected, some will be strengthened initially and some will crash.

This is inevitable and from where the point of origin is , you can usually find the root of the problem and trace your decisions from there. This rationale has been driving the market for years and years - which causes it to be one of the most sensitive markets around. You have to understand that even the potential of something happening in the world, be it political or economic can drive market psychology to excitable levels. The entire market is filled with investment conglomerates and individual brokerages who are effectively bipolar and instantly schizophrenic - and the very fact that this attitude remains consistent throughout is what drives it toward a predictable pattern. Smart investors step outside the box and look at the market as a whole. Its always best to have a bird's eye view of the factors outside the market before making any final trading decisions.

They also hold the world in the hands and see how its shadow falls on the market. That way, they an make informed decisions about trading and make money. For those of you who wants to try out online trading with Forex, a word from the wise says simply that you must always look to joining a brokerage company that can offer you training, assistance every step of the way 9for the first few investments at least) and of course a Forex systems programme that is informative, easy to use and can give you real life computations and price feeds as well as gentle advices on where you should be placing your investment dollars.

The Forex market is highly dynamic and it requires quite a bit of diligence to effectively turn your investments into quick profit. This is not a play it as you go system where you can leave to chance. Chance wont be filling your bank account and chance will sure not be there when you have lost a large sum. Be attentive to the market and never fall prey to the gambling endemic that has afflicted many Forex investors over the years. Practice self-restraint and the Forex online trading market will be your most pleasant bedfellow. Good luck!

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Unsecured and Secured Loans – the Differences

Unsecured and Secured Loans – the Differences

Author: Jenny Austin
Do you know the differences between unsecured and secured loans? If you are looking around for a loan you will be faced with these terms frequently. Do you know which type of loan will suit you in your current situation?

It can be difficult for the average consumer to make their way through the process of obtaining a loan when faced with all of this terminology, often we simply let whomever is the professional involved guide us. Really we should make it our business to understand the differences between these types of loan and ensure we choose one which suits our requirements; after all we will be paying for it. These two main types of loan can be broken down into simple to understand points.

An Unsecured loan is one which does not require any security what so ever, not even your home. It is not difficult to obtain an Unsecured Loan but the Lender will require that you have a low debt to income ratio and a good credit rating. With a Unsecured Loan the Lender will believe that you will be able to repay the Loan amount as agreed, you will have to prove financial stability. You can expect the interest you pay to be higher than you would be charged on a Secured Loan, this is because this type of Loan is classed as a higher risk by the Lender. Unsecured Loans can take many forms such as Student Loans, Personal Loans and even some Home Improvement Loans.

A Secured Loan involves the Lender requiring you to secure the Loan with something, such as the consumer’s car or home. This means that you are providing collateral to the Lender, which in turn means should you not pay the Lender, has rights to whatever object you have used as security. For many consumers a Secured Loan is the preferred rate as they normally offer a lower rate of interest compared to Unsecured Loans, also many consumers do not have the credit or funds to get an Unsecured Loan.

Which Loan is suitable for you is very much dependent on your circumstances and what you require the Loan for. If you only need to borrow a small amount of money, perhaps you want to completely revamp your garden then an Unsecured Loan is probably the most suitable. Secured Loans have many forms such as mortgages, homeowner secured loans, equity release loans and bridging finance. Other Secured Loans include car and boat loans as well as home improvement loans.

Using a Secured Loan is the best option to buy your home this does not mean you need to put up collateral to purchase your home as your home is the collateral. Should you not make your payments then you could lose your home. The same principal applies if you are purchasing a new or used car, the car is the collateral for the lender and should you not make your payments the car will be turned over to the Lender.

Secured and Unsecured Loans have many uses usually life changing purchases such as homes and cars come under Secured Loans and everything else falls under Unsecured Loans. Obviously you can only obtain an Unsecured Loan if you have a good enough credit score it is best to browse and find at least three comparisons for cost so you can be sure that whatever loan you opt for you are getting the best available deal.