Category: English

Real estate investment can happen for various reasons. You could invest in real estate because you need a house for yourself (that house of your dreams that you so badly want). You could use real estate as a means for supplementing your income either by buying at a lower price and selling at a higher price or by letting it out. Sometimes you might buy a property for the purpose of resale but might want to wait for a few years before you actually sell it. In such a case, again it would make sense to rent out the property and earn some money till you actually decide to sell it off.
Whatever the reason, letting out real estate demands real estate management and real estate management is not an easy job for everyone. In fact, a lot of people find it so much of a hassle that they prefer keeping their property vacant instead of letting it. Real estate management demands time, which you will rarely have. Real estate management is not just about finding tenants and collecting rent from them. Real estate management is also about ensuring that you do all the duties that a landlord/landlady is required to do. Real estate management is about verifying the credentials of the tenants before you actually let out your property to them. Real estate management is about ensuring that all the paper work is complete and correct i.e. the tenancy agreement etc are properly done. Real estate management also requires you to do repairs as and when required. Real estate management activities also include maintenance, painting, polishing etc of the house when the tenants move out and before the new tenants get in. So, really, real estate management is not that easy a job for someone who is in a full time job. However, there is a solution to this and that is hiring a real estate management firm to do all these activities on your behalf. Yes, this will mean that what you receive as an income by letting your property will be reduced (due to the commission/ fee charged by the real estate management firm). But that is just a small price for the convenience that a real estate management firm brings to you. However, it’s important that you choose the real estate management firm carefully. There are all kinds of real estate management firms out there (good and bad). You must check the references of the real estate management firm before you actually hire them for the job. A good real estate management firm will not only keep your property occupied at all times but will also ensure that you always receive the rent in time and without any hassle.

Real estate loan is what a lot of people use to buy their home. Real estate loans have been instrumental in bringing joy to people by making that unaffordable house affordable. Some real estate investors too make use of real estate loans for buying properties. However, real estate loan is not free money and anyone who buys real estate or plans to buy real estate using real estate loan must understand the concept of real estate loan very clearly.

Real estate loan (also known as mortgage) is the money that you borrow from someone (a financial institution i.e. a mortgage lender) for the purpose of buying a property. The real estate loan generally covers a part of your purchase price and the remaining portion has to be paid by you upfront i.e. as down payment. The amount (i.e. the percentage of total purchase price) that you have to pay as down payment is dependent on a number of factors and you can generally reduce it to even 5% by going for mortgage insurance. FHA and VA loans (i.e. mortgage insurances through FHA and VA) reduce the down payment requirement on real estate loan even further. Whatever you borrow from the mortgage lender as real estate loan needs to be paid back to the mortgage lender over a period of time (and, of course, you will also need to pay appropriate interest on that real estate loan). The tenure of your real estate loan and the prevailing market rate will determine the amount of interest you pay for your real estate loan. Generally, you are required to pay back the real estate loan in the form of monthly instalments which are composed of both interest and principal portions of your real estate loan. Also, there are various types of real estate loans e.g. fixed interest rate loans and adjustable interest rate loans. So depending on what type of real estate loan you have gone for, your monthly payments might either remain constant (fixed rate) for the full tenure of the loan or keep getting adjusted periodically (adjustable rate) on the basis of a financial index. Besides that, some other costs are also associated with real estate loans e.g. there are closing costs, inspection costs, attorney fee etc. Also, in case the property needs some repairs, there will be costs associated with that too. Again, there is stamp duty and other taxes that you need to pay. So, really, you need to understand the concept of real estate loans and the related costs clearly before you actually go for the real estate loan. And understanding these concepts is really not that tough.

Whether you are looking to buy a home for living in or whether are looking to just invest in real estate, you will need to get hold of real estate listings as the first thing. Internet and newspapers are the most common ways of getting real estate listings.
With internet gaining popularity, internet real estate listings have become one of the easiest ways of checking out the real estate listings. Though the traditional method of looking for real estate listings (through newspapers) is still one of the most used methods, it is a very time consuming one. You have to read through various listings and sort out the ones that seem more suitable to you (and possibly write down the phone numbers and contact details on a piece of paper) and then call up the owners/brokers to fix an appointment for viewing the property (which may turn out to be totally disgusting in the end). Moreover, the newspaper listings generally happen on a weekly basis. So if a deal has materialised in the meanwhile, there is no way you can check it without actually calling up the owner/broker. On the contrary, the internet real estate listings (on a good real estate listings website) are updated everyday or maybe twice a week. Moreover, new real estate listings go up on the internet everyday (i.e. they don’t wait for the newspaper to get published). So, if you have been using only the newspaper as your source of real estate listing information, you might end up getting stale information. You might lose out on a deal that was out on internet, say 2 days before. As such, making the first offer can make a big difference when it comes to real estate. Further, you don’t need to go through all the real estate listings in order to determine the listings that look suitable to you. You can specify various search criteria/ filters in order to get only those real estate listings that you really want to look into. This is a big advantage when compared with newspapers where listings are generally classified just on the basis of location of the property. Thus you can save a lot of time here by browsing only through the real estate listings that are of interest to you. Moreover, there is no need to note phone numbers etc; you can just take printouts of the listings you want. Some websites also provide tools/ facilities to track those real estate listings. You could even contact the sellers by sending a message through the website (some websites provide such email type of facility). Another important benefit from real estate listings on internet is that some of them also contain images of the property. So you can have a look at the images and see if you like the property at all.

So, real estate listings on the internet do seem to offer a lot of convenience. However, internet or newspaper is really a matter of personal choice too.

Getting a real estate license

Real estate brokering is known as a very lucrative business and a lot of people are working as real estate agents throughout the nation. Not only are they making good money, they are also contributing to the society in a way i.e. by helping the sellers in selling their property and at the same time helping the buyers in buying a property. So, can anyone start real estate brokering? Well, not really.

Real estate license is a pre-requisite for becoming a real estate agent. However, obtaining a real estate license is not difficult. In most states, the qualifications for getting a real estate license are very minimal. So you should first check the eligibility criteria for obtaining a real estate license (rather pre-license) in your state. The real estate license eligibility criterion includes things like the minimum age limit (which is mostly 19 years) and educational qualifications (which is mostly high school). Once you know that you satisfy those real estate license (pre-license) eligibility criteria, you can go ahead and enrol for a pre-license training. There a number of real estate schools that offer real estate license training. Some real estate schools offer online training for real estate license. Choose a course that is spread over a sufficient duration of time e.g. 1 year so that you are able to grasp the concepts properly (after all you want to become a successful real estate agent and not just another real estate agent). You will be taught a number of topics as part of your real estate license training. All this will help you develop a basic understanding of real estate and various aspects related to real estate (e.g. real estate law, deeds, contracts, ownership transfer, etc) Once you have undergone this real estate license training, you will be required to undergo a state exam. After you pass this exam, you will generally need to undergo another training on state approved courses. And that’s it, you can now get a real estate license which is worth that effort (as you will find in a couple of years of starting real state brokering). Most states also require you to go for continuous education after you have received your real estate license. However, this is a just a few hours every few years.

So real estate license is what you need to start your career as real estate agent. But your success after that will be dependent on how seriously, ethically and smartly you carry out your job.

Real estate is indeed one of the safest investments and a lot of people use real estate as an investment avenue. Real estate law is not the forte of real estate attorneys and real estate agents only. Every real estate investor should understand at least the basics of real estate law. In fact, a short course or a concise book on real estate law can sometimes be of great help (and is generally sufficient for understanding the basics of real estate law).

What you need to understand is the real estate law with respect to the legal procedures that you need to follow for ensuring a smooth transfer of title to the property you acquire/sell and other related procedures. You need to understand the fee structure (e.g. stamp duty, etc) that you need to take care of as per real estate law. You can also understand the classification of properties and how the basic real estate law applies to them. How the commercial and residential properties are treated differently by the real estate law. The tax laws with respect to real estate are one of the things that would be of most interest to you. So, your study on real estate law should also cover all the aspects related to taxes. How mortgages are treated in the perspective of real estate law is another thing that you should know about. Then again, the real estate law with respect to tenancy should also be well understood by people who wish to rent out their property.

However, you should not overdo that i.e. you should not start becoming hysterical about learning real estate law (lest you end up wasting a lot of time in trying to learn everything about real estate law and be left with no time to evaluate your real estate investment). Leave the intricacies of real estate law with the real estate attorneys (and to some extent real estate brokers who too are taught real estate law as part of their course for obtaining broker license).

Understanding the various legal terms referred to in real estate laws can help you in not only enhancing your understanding of real estate but also help in making your conversations with real estate attorneys/agents really fruitful. You should also note that though some of the basics remain the same, the real estate laws vary across various states. Also, real estate laws (especially the tax related real estate laws) can undergo a change over a period of time, so you need to keep a tab on such changes. Any big changes will anyhow appear prominently in news and you will get to know of them anyhow.
So knowing a little bit of real estate law can really be helpful (and is, in fact, essential).

Real estate investments are often treated as one the best ways of investing money. However, what you are looking for is not just any real estate investment, but real estate investment that can give you good returns. By real estate investment we mean investing money into property i.e. buying property at a low price and selling it at a higher price so as to make a profit out of it. So the most important part of good real estate investment is to get hold of such properties which can give you good returns.
Now, how can you get these potential profit-making deals?
Your first avenue for finding good deals is the local newspaper (the property newspaper). Just search for properties that are listed directly by the owners who want to avoid paying commission to the real estate brokers. Since the owner is saving on the commission that they would otherwise have to pay to the broker, they would probably be able to offer a lower price to you and be more open to negotiations. You could also place your own ‘wanted’ ad in the local newspapers. On the same lines, you could use internet to search for the real estate investment avenues. In fact, you would be astonished by the number of real estate investment opportunities you are able to locate on the internet. Not only that, searching for real estate investment opportunities (i.e. property for sale) is much easier on internet than anywhere else.
Another good way to hunt for real estate investment opportunities is by using the services of real estate brokers. Some people use real estate agents as their first (and maybe the only) touch point for getting real estate investment opportunities. The real estate agents act as information hub for people looking to buy property. In fact, a lot of sellers find it much more convenient to sell their properties by listing it with real estate agents.
Multiple listings service is another good way to find real estate investment opportunities. Since the multiple listing book is provided only to the real estate agents and not to the general public (unless you are very lucky), all the cream (good real estate investment opportunities) would have already been taken before you get to see the book. The key here is to look for expired listings that didn’t get converted to a deal.
Another good way to get a property, that is a good real estate investment, is to look for foreclosures by banks/ VA/ FHA or to visit public auctions. You can generally get a good deal here. Divorce settlements are another good real estate investment opportunity.
So, real estate investment is really about finding good deals. And finding good deals does take some effort

Enabling you to be a part of the party

Real estate is a big business and everyone seems to want to invest in real estate. You keep hearing a lot of stories about how people made a quick buck by investing in real estate. There are stories about people who made $50000 in a fortnight by making the right kind of investment in real estate. Every now and then, newspapers keep coming up with statistics about the appreciation in the real estate prices. There seems a mad rush for investing in real estate (and this gets even bigger when the mortgage interest rates are falling). However, not everyone has the time, money and expertise to be able to profitably invest in real estate. So what does one do? Is there any other option?

Yes, there is another way of investing in real estate and that is through Real Estate Investment Trust. Real Estate Investment Trust is an organisation that invests in real estate as a full fledged business. By investing in a Real Estate Investment Trust, you can become part of the real estate investment party and enjoy profits (of course, the assumption here is that the Real Estate Investment Trust is good and professionally managed).

Investing in Real Estate Investment Trust is very easy too. You can just buy Real Estate Investment Trust shares which trade on all major exchanges. There are certain laws governing the Real Estate Investment Trusts that help them avoiding the tax at corporate levels e.g. it is mandated that Real Estate Investment Trust’s portfolio has 75 percent of investment in real estate. Moreover, 75% of the income of Real Estate Investment Trust must be from rents or mortgage interest. There are various types of Real Estate Investment Trusts. Some Real Estate Investment Trusts own properties themselves and hence feed on the rental income from those properties. Some others indulge in providing only mortgage loans or go for mortgage backed securities. Then there are Real Estate Investment Trusts which do both i.e. rental focussed investments and mortgage based investments.

There are a number of Real Estate Investment Trusts operating in the market and a lot of these Real Estate Investment Trusts are doing good business. By investing in Real Estate Investment Trust you are basically investing in real estate without actually buying a property yourself. This is one easy way of investing in real estate (and much safer too). You must surely evaluate this option for your real estate investments.

5 tricks to make it big with real estate investing

Real estate investing is one of the most attractive ways of making good money (that is if you do it correct). Moreover, real estate investing is also a lot of fun. A lot of people practice real estate investing as their core profession and, in fact, make a lot of money that way.

Real estate investing is really an art and, like any art, it takes time to master the art of real estate investing. The key, of course, is to buy at a lower price and sell at higher price and make a profit even after paying all the costs involved in the two (buy/sell) transactions. Generally, people are of the opinion that real estate investing makes sense only when the rates are on the rise. However, real estate investing for profits is possible just about any time (and as I just said, real estate investing is an art). Here is a list of tricks that can make real estate investing profitable for you:

1) Look for public auctions, divorce settlements and foreclosures (bank/FHA/VA): Since quick settlement is the preference here (and not price), you might get a property at a price that is much lower than the prevailing market rate. You can then make arrangements to sell it at the market rate over a short period of time. However, make sure that the property is worth the price you are paying.
2) Looking for old listings: The old listings that are still unsold may provide you with good real estate investing opportunities. Just get hold of an old newspaper and call up the sellers. They might have given up hope of selling that property at all and with a bit of negotiation you can get the property for a real low price.
3) The hidden treasure: A really old (and dirty) looking house may scare off buyers. But this might be your chance for real estate investing that can yield good profits. So, explore such properties and check if spending a bit on them can make them shine. You can get these at very low prices and make a big profit in a short time.
4) Team up with attorneys: There are a number of attorneys who handle property sales on behalf of sellers or in special circumstances (like the death of the property owner). They might sometimes be looking to dispose off the property rather quickly and hence at a low price. Be the first one to grab such real estate investing opportunities and enjoy the profits.
5) Keep tab on the newspaper announcements: Property sell offs due to deaths, divorce settlements, immediate cash requirements and other reason are frequently announced in local papers. Keep track of such real estate investing avenues.

Uncovering the real estate for sale

Real estate investments are often termed as low risk investments that can potentially yield good returns. A lot of people think that real estate is an easy business where you don’t really need to do anything. However, the truth is that real estate business does need you to put in some effort (if you really want to make profits out of it). The most important thing is to be able to uncover the real estate for sale that will yield profits. So how do you go looking for real estate for sale?
Generally, a lot of people start looking for ‘real estate for sale’ through the internet. And why not, internet is after all the hub of all information. So, you could look for real estate for sale using the search engines on the internet. You could also specify your requirements in search criteria on the real estate sites in order to get very specific results on real estate for sale. You can even view images and video of some of the properties thus reducing the need for personal visits for viewing. So, this is surely a good option for finding real estate for sale.
However, not everyone is tech-savvy and there are a lot of people who still take the approach of putting up an ad in the local newspapers. So look for real estate for sale in the local newspapers. In fact, there are some newspapers that are dedicated to just that i.e. real estate for sale. You could even go ahead and put up a ‘wanted’ ad in these newspapers. Sometimes, looking up for real estate for sale in old newspapers (like 1-2 months old) can help you get a good deal (in case the property owner has not been able to sale the property and has become a bit more ‘motivated’ to sell it).
MLS i.e. multiple listing service is often termed as one the best ways to look for real estate for sale. These are published by the real estate boards. If you can lay your hands on a MLS book as soon as it is out, you can really expect to get good deals. The key is to act fast.
Open houses are another good way of getting the best out of time. You can get to see dozens of ‘real estate for sale’ properties in a very short period of time. And you never know when you might come across a property that is real gold.
Investor groups are yet another rich source of real estate for sale information.
Of course, how can we forget the real estate brokers? Real estate brokers are one the most popular (and sometimes most effective) information resource for real estate for sale. Not only do they provide information about ‘real estate for sale’ but also assist in getting the deal finalized and closed.
Besides that, you can also get very good deals through public auctions, bank foreclosures, FHA and VA foreclosures and distress sales.

A good real estate broker

Real estate is a popular investment avenue. A lot of people go for real estate investing. Some people follow real estate as their prime job. So you have real estate brokers, real estate investors, real estate attorneys and others who thrive mainly on the real estate industry. However, there are others who don’t follow real estate investing as a profession but still want to invest in real estate (as it is an attractive avenue for investment). For such people, getting a good real estate broker can make a big difference between a good deal and not-so-good one.

So how does one choose a good real estate broker?

The first thing to look for is the reputation of the real estate broker. A real estate broker who has good reputation would have earned it over a period of time by helping buyers get the property of their choice (and as per their needs), at the same time getting a good price for the property seller. In fact, experience is the second important thing to look for in a real estate broker. Bad real estate brokers can’t exist for long (since the bad news about anyone travels much faster than the good news). So experience is a good measure because then you know that the real estate broker hasn’t done anything so bad as to throw them out of business. A good real estate broker will not act just as the salesperson for the seller (from whom the real estate broker is due to receive commission/fee when the deal materializes) but will also pay heed to the needs of the buyer. Also, a good real estate broker will normally have a lot of properties available for sale at any point of time. Good real estate brokers will generally have a small team of people working in an organized way to get the deal closed between a buyer and a seller (making both parties happy at the same time). Good real estate brokers will group the properties in a way that is easy to understand e.g. group them on the basis of location, grouping them on the basis of price, grouping them on the basis of house types etc. for the buyer. A good real estate broker will also offer advice to the seller on small repairs or things that can get help them in getting an even better price for their property. And a good real estate broker will patiently listen to the requirements of the buyers and point them to the properties that best fit their requirements (instead of just showing them the list and asking to choose one).
Checking with friends/family that have previously used the services of a good real estate broker can sometimes help you in getting a good real estate broker fairly quickly.

Real estate industry is booming and with that the business of real estate attorneys seems to be booming too. Well it doesn’t so much affect the real estate attorneys whether the real estate industry is booming or not. Since shelter is one of the prime requirements of man, there would be property buyers and property sellers in any case at all times (and real estate attorneys would always be in demand). There are many different ways in which people utilize the services of real estate attorneys. Let’s have a look at what these different ways are:

1. Property dispute: This is one scenario where real estate attorneys are obviously the most involved. Not only do they try to get these property disputes resolved (by litigation or otherwise) but also help to get rid of the property (in certain cases) by selling it off and using the amount received for settlement.
2. Tenancy disputes: A real estate attorney also helps in resolving the disputes between tenants and landlords.
3. Settlement of property on account of death: Sometimes real estate attorneys also handle the property of the deceased. Here they sell off the property for settling it among the heirs.
4. Divorce settlements: Again real estate attorneys help in the settling of the jointly owned properties and the divorce settlement in general.
5. Don’t want a broker: Some people are just not comfortable with hiring a broker to sell their property, and hence they entrust this with real estate attorneys (some real estate attorneys do take this up).
6. As advisors/consultants: A lot of attorneys also work for real estate investors. In fact, hiring a real estate attorney is a very good option for a real estate investor. A real estate attorney can really make the transactions smooth for the investor. A real estate attorney will not only get it done correctly, but also quickly. And for a real estate investor time is very important since he can spend the time saved due to hiring a real estate attorney, into looking for really good deals.
7. Information provider: Some real estate investors use real estate attorneys as a rich source of information especially for getting the information about the properties that are up on sale due to disputes or settlement procedures. Here the real estate investors try to gain advantage by getting the information earlier than others (and they do sometimes get very good deals in this way).

So whether the real estate business booms or not, real estate attorneys are always going to be in job (booming job).

Real estate appraisal or property valuation is the process of determining the value of the property on the basis of the highest and the best use of real property (which basically translates into determining the fair market value of the property). The person who performs this real estate appraisal exercise is called the real estate appraiser or property valuation surveyor. The value as determined by real estate appraisal is the fair market value. The real estate appraisal is done using various methods and the real estate appraisal values the property as different for difference purposes e.g. the real estate appraisal might assign 2 different values to the same property (Improved value and vacant value) and again the same/similar property might be assigned different values in a residential zone and a commercial zone. However, the value assigned as a result of real estate appraisal might not be the value that a real estate investor would consider when evaluating the property for investment. In fact, a real estate investor might completely ignore the value that comes out of real estate appraisal process.
A good real estate investor would evaluate the property on the basis of the developments going on in the region. So real estate appraisal as done by a real estate investor would come up with the value that the real estate investor can get out of the property by buying it at a low price and selling it at a much higher price (as in the present). Similarly, real estate investor could do his own real estate appraisal for the expected value of the property in, say 2 years time or in 5 years time. Again, a real estate investor might conduct his real estate appraisal based on what value he/she can create by investing some amount of money in the property i.e. a real estate investor might decide on buying a dirty/scary kind of property (which no one likes) and get some minor repairs, painting etc done in order to increase the value of the property (the value that the real estate investor would get by selling it in the market). So, here the meaning of real estate appraisal changes completely (and can be very different from the value that real estate appraiser would come out with if the real estate appraiser conducted a real estate appraisal exercise on the property).
A real estate investor will generally base his investment decision on this real estate appraisal that he does by himself (or gets done through someone). So, can we then term real estate appraisal as a really real ‘real estate appraisal’?

All about real estate agents

Real estate agents are professionals who help in connecting the buyer to the seller. A lot of real estate agents also do rentals wherein they connect tenants to landlords and even maintain the property on the behalf of the landlords. The real estate agents work by linking together the two interested parties and charging a commission for their services. For sales, they charge commission only to the seller but for rentals (i.e. agent managed rentals) the commission is charged to both parties involved in the transaction. Real estate agents generally calculate their fee as a percentage of the selling price (in case of sales) and as part of the rent (for rentals). People, who want to sell/let their property, leave the details of their property with the real estate agent (and in fact, even leave the keys of the house so that the real estate agent can arrange for viewings without them getting into any hassle). The other interested party (i.e. the buyer/tenant), gets access to this information by contacting the real estate agent. That’s how the real estate agents become a hub of information.

A lot of home seekers (including real estate investors) use the services of real estate agents not just for getting good deals but also getting them quick. Since real estate agents are probably most familiar with the market situation in their region of operation, it makes sense to approach them to get an idea of the going rate for properties in that region. Real estate agents would generally know the prices of various properties of different types and at various locations in the region.

A property seller can possibly get a few thousands more for his/her property by using the advice received from a good real estate agent. A good real estate agent will also analyse the needs of a home buyer/tenant and provide suggestions on what kind of home could be available to them within their budget. So a good real estate agent will not just throw a list of available properties to the buyer/ tenant but will actually discuss their needs and make a suggestion. This, in fact, works in the favour of real estate agent in two ways. Firstly, if the real estate agent is able to sell the house they get their commission and secondly, if they make the buyer happy too they earn a good reputation (and hence more business).

However, it is worth noting that real estate agents work on seller’s behalf. So, beware if they are trying too hard to sell a property.

Real estate investments are often termed as hot investments and if done right, they can really yield high returns and that too very quickly. Prudential is a popular name in the world of investments. Prudential financial companies are spread throughout the world and offer wide range of financial services including real estate services (which are also known as Prudential real estate services or just Prudential real estate brokerage services). Prudential real estate network is quite large.

Prudential real estate services start with a tool for finding a home. Enabled by the vast Prudential real estate network, the Prudential real estate home finding service provides you with thousands of listings from various states in the US. This is one wonderful service that also provides you with the access for the multiple listing service in the area of your choice (you need to register for that on the website of Prudential real estate services; this registration is free). Using this service, you can even save homes in your portfolio (i.e. save the details of your choice of homes in your portfolio) and later comeback and view them. You can even request an online home tour. Besides this home finding Prudential real estate service, you can use another service called “Find a neighbourhood service”. Using this Prudential real estate service, you can determine not only the average costs of houses in a particular locality (and you can choose any locality by giving its zip code or postal address) but also things like schools in that area (with full details) and also other demographic, lifestyle details of the area. Prudential real estate goes even further with providing you with a service that automatically provides you updates for homes that match your profile. These updates are provided through email and are based on the profile that you provide to Prudential real estate at the time of registering on their website. Prudential real estate also provides you with guides and tips for buying and selling homes. These guides can help you in enhancing your understanding about real estate and hence aid you in decision making. Prudential real estate services also include relocation services, real estate investments, commercial mortgages and commercial properties. You can even join the Prudential real estate network by becoming their franchisee. So Prudential provides the whole gamut of real estate services that you can utilize for your benefit.

Various Prudential real estate services and the Prudential real estate network can be easily accessed through the Prudential real estate website. The URL for the Prudential real estate website is as follows:

Yes, getting a piece of Orlando real estate is indeed a very attractive proposition. For a lot of people, buying Orlando real estate is like becoming a part of Disney or Universal Studios or just any theme park. Some others are attracted to Orlando real estate due to the moderate climatic conditions. So owning Orlando real estate speaks both of comfort and fun.
Some treat Orlando real estate as an investment for their retirement. In fact a lot of people buy Orlando real estate just so that they can settle in Orlando later in their lives. When it comes to investing in Orlando real estate, vacation homes also seem a popular thing. A number of people go for properties that are in Disney’s proximity. Renting out vacation homes is a popular thing and some people invest in Orlando real estate so that they can earn rental income till the time there decide to actually live in that property. With some tour operators offering rental guarantee, the vacation homes are gaining a lot of popularity in Orlando. Sometimes people are even able to pay their monthly mortgage payments using the monthly rental income from the vacation homes. However, if you go looking for Orlando real estate (for getting rental income), you must make sure that you buy it as close to the theme parks as possible. That is where you will get the most in terms of rental income from your Orlando real estate investment. So, even though you might have to pay a bit more for that piece of Orlando real estate, you should also consider the fact that the rental income will also increase in the same proportion. Moreover, going for a vacation home that is cheaper but much farther from Disney and other attractions, might not get rented out at all. So that cheaper piece of Orlando real estate might actually turn out more expensive for you.
However, if you are looking to live in by yourself, then the proximity to theme parks might not be your priority. Instead you should be looking for convenience, in terms of comfort and in terms of availability of necessary amenities (and if you have kids then you would also be looking for schools etc). Of course, other/general criteria for selection of real estate would be applicable to Orlando real estate too.
So, Orlando real estate investment does seem to make a lot of sense. The only important thing is to evaluate the reason for going for Orlando real estate and then make a good decision.

Is Las Vegas real estate really a wonderful real estate investment option? Well, probably yes. With the population on the rise and the economic indicators signalling growth, one would assume that Las Vegas real estate should be on the cards of any real estate investor. A lot of businesses are getting setup in Las Vegas. So all those developments combined with the fact that Las Vegas is what Las Vegas is, have made Las Vegas real estate investment a really attractive option.
The uptrend in Las Vegas real estate can also be judged by the fact that the rents in Las Vegas have moved up quite a bit in last couple of years. With new facilities being added and with more businesses getting setup, you would expect the unemployment rate to go down for Las Vegas (which actually is the case). Moreover, as there is more influx of people and businesses, Las Vegas real estate would be expected to be in demand (both for business purposes and residential purposes). The appreciation of Las Vegas real estate can also be contributed to the avenues for enjoyment that exist in Las Vegas.
A lot of people have made a lot of money by investing in Las Vegas real estate and a lot of people have started investing in Las Vegas real estate. However, as is the case with any real estate investment, you must evaluate your options carefully before you actually go for Las Vegas real estate investment.
If you are full time into real estate investment business in and around Las Vegas, then you must already be looking at various investment avenues in Las Vegas real estate not just from the perspective of new developments but also from the perceptive of existing/ evergreen Las Vegas real estate investment opportunities (i.e. in terms of distress sales, public auctions of property etc). However, if you do not live in Las Vegas or anywhere near Las Vegas, but want to invest in Las Vegas real estate, then your best bet would be to find a Las Vegas real estate broker or maybe just look for the Las Vegas real estate listings over the internet. If you are unable to find other avenues easily, you might consider investing in new Las Vegas real estate developments i.e. new constructions. However, you need to pay heed to the growth indicators before you make the move to invest in Las Vegas real estate.

Starting Georgia real estate hunt with a real estate agent

Georgia is a wonderful place to live in. No wonder you have decided on picking up Georgia real estate for living-in or investing. Your Georgia real estate hunt can quite easily start with looking for the real estate prices (i.e. average prices) so as to gauge what kind of house and location will fit your budget. This is assuming that you have already estimated how much you can afford to spend on that Georgia real estate piece that you are so much after.
With little effort you can easily find out the Georgia real estate prices. You can do this in a lot of different ways. One way is to directly give a call to a Georgia real estate agent and ask him about what kind of house you can get within your budget (if you are looking for Georgia real estate for investment purposes). In fact, a lot of people find it easier to just make a call to the real estate agent and get a grasp of the going prices for properties in any place let alone Georgia. Now, as mentioned above, if you are looking for Georgia real estate piece as an investment option, then you would start with checking out what you can get for your budget. However, if you are looking for Georgia real estate because you actually want to live in Georgia (and enjoy your life), then you would be better off starting with your most basic requirements from a house e.g. you could specify a 1 bedroom house or a condo or whatever, if that is the minimum space you would need to be able to live in comfortably with your partner or your family etc. If you cannot get that basic house in the location of your choice in Georgia, you might have to rethink and figure out other options (e.g. not going for Georgia real estate at all, or picking up a house at another location in Georgia, or waiting for some more time before you can actually own a Georgia real estate piece etc). So evaluation of affordability is important. Here, we are not saying that you should not evaluate the affordability factor if you are looking for Georgia real estate for living in and not investing. It’s just that you will need to pose the question differently to that Georgia real estate agent. In any case, you should never reveal your real budget to that Georgia real estate agent. Mention an amount that is lower than your real budget by 10-20% even if your Georgia real estate insists on what maximum you can spend. For a person who is looking at Georgia real estate as an investment avenue, the Georgia real estate agent is just a way to find out the going rate, he will have to use other real estate investing techniques to find the best deal.
So your Georgia real estate hunt can easily start with just calling up a real estate broker.

“Florida is where the sun shines”- you must have heard this several times. Moderate/warm climate, famous beaches and entertainment venues really make Florida real estate very attractive. So that means Florida real estate or buying a house in Florida is really good for someone who wants to escape the vagaries of weather elsewhere in America and also add to his/her enjoyment through the Miami beach and Orlando theme parks.
However, Florida real estate is also attractive for real estate investors i.e. people who would like to treat Florida real estate as an investment avenue for making profits. With the property prices rising as much as 25%, Florida real estate makes investment sense too. That is one reason why Florida real estate is so sought after. If you wanted to look for a really good deal in Florida real estate, you should start with looking for places that are still in their development phase i.e. places where the real estate prices are not so high but are expected to go up in the years to come. This is generally a good option for people who are looking to pick up Florida real estate as an investment option. This is also good for people who are looking for Florida real estate or a house in Florida to live in by themselves but don’t mind a bit of inconvenience that is generally associated with a newly developed (rather developing) area. As far as looking for Florida real estate listings is concerned, you first need to decide on what location in Florida is suitable for you. Again, this will depend on your reason behind going for Florida real estate. If you are going for Florida real estate purely for investment purposes (i.e. you don’t actually want to live in there), then you should really be looking for places where the prices are significantly low but are rising or expected to rise in near future. One indication for expected price rise is the influx of a lot of businesses in the area. Industry/business generally propels development in the area and hence causes the real estate prices to go up (and that would be true for Florida real estate too). Of course, distress sales, public auctions, bank foreclosures are like evergreen opportunities that are available in any place at any time and you should always explore them. If you are going for Florida real estate for personal use, then you would be looking at a number of different factors which would basically be related to your convenience and quality of life.
So Florida is where the sun shines and that is also making Florida real estate shine.

Real estate is often termed as the safest investment avenue. In fact, real estate investments done with proper evaluation of the property (and its true value), can lead to good profits. This is one reason why some people pursue real estate investment as their full time job. The talks of real estate are generally focussed towards residential real estate; commercial real estate seems to take a back seat. However, commercial real estate too is a good option for investing in real estate.

Commercial real estate includes a lot of different kinds of properties. Most people relate commercial real estate with only office complexes or factories/ industrial units. However, that is not all of commercial real estate. There is more to commercial real estate. Health care centers, retail structures and warehouse are all good examples of commercial real estate. Even residential properties like apartments (or any property that consists of more than four residential units) are considered commercial real estate. In fact, such commercial real estate is much in demand.

So, is commercial real estate really profitable? Well, if it were not profitable I would not have been writing about commercial real estate at all. So, commercial real estate is profitable for sure. The only thing with commercial real estate is that recognising the opportunity is a bit difficult as compared to residential real estate. But commercial real estate profits can be real big (in fact, much bigger than you would expect from residential real estate of the same proportion). You could take up commercial real estate for either reselling after appreciation or for renting out to, say, retailers. The commercial real estate development is in fact treated as the first sign for growth of residential real estate. Once you know of the possibility of significant commercial growth in the region (either due to tax breaks or whatever), you should start evaluating the potential for appreciation in the prices of commercial real estate and then go for it quickly (as soon as you find a good deal). And you must really work towards getting a good deal. If you find that commercial real estate, e.g. land, is available in big chunks which are too expensive for you to buy, you could look at forming a small investor group (with your friends) and buy it together (and split the profits later). In some cases e.g. when a retail boom is expected in a region, you might find it profitable to buy a property that you can convert into a warehouse for the purpose of renting to small businesses.

So commercial real estate presents a whole plethora of investing opportunities, you just need to grab it.

We know that Colorado is known for Rocky Mountains. But does the Colorado real estate rock as well? Though Colorado real estate doesn’t rock that much, as per the statistics (and when we compare Colorado real estate to others like Florida real estate or California real estate). However, there are people with contrarian views as well. And believe me, contrarian views do sometimes get huge profits for you, because in such circumstances you will generally face lesser competition from other real estate investors and you can probably get a Colorado real estate piece for much lesser than it actually is worth. However, we are not saying that Colorado real estate has performed badly. Though I don’t remember the exact statistics but Colorado real estate appreciation was about 5-7% only which is much lower to 25% or so for Florida real estate. Again, when we say 5-7% appreciation in Colorado real estate, we are talking about the state in general. So, it’s quite possible that there be regions in the state where the real estate appreciation is say 25% and there could be places where there has been no appreciation in real estate. The opportunity is always there, the only thing you need is the art of finding the Golden deal in this Colorado real estate market.
When assessing Colorado real estate you must take into consideration various factors e.g. you must assess the overall economic indicators and check what effect it can have on Colorado real estate (both in the near term and in the longer term). You don’t need to be a financial analyst or a real estate guru for doing this assessment, you just need to keep track of various news items and analysis reports on Colorado real estate. Also keep track of the mortgage rates and laws on tax breaks (as applicable to Colorado real estate). All these factors influence the trend of real estate anywhere (not in just Colorado). Moreover, you will need to hunt for Colorado real estate opportunities by going to public auctions, foreclosures, teaming up with attorneys for information etc. Again, remember that a not-so-good news about any real estate (be it Colorado real estate or Florida real estate), doesn’t mean that real estate investment won’t make sense at that place; in fact, it might cut down the number of competitors you have.
So, if you feel that Colorado real estate doesn’t rock; you can probably make it rock for you. There always are plenty of opportunities.

Investing in California real estate

California is one of those states where you find all kinds of properties and where the climatic conditions vary hugely from place to place. You have places with moderate temperatures and you have places which experience all four seasons in their full glory. Traffic Jams, beaches and mild earthquakes are all characteristics of California. So there are a number of things to consider before you actually go for investing in California real estate.

The first thing to consider for investing in California real estate is to select the place/area for your California real estate investment. This is more applicable to people who are looking at California real estate more as an option for leading their life (rather than an investment option). That said, even if you have chosen the region for investing in California real estate, you need to be careful with selecting the location in that region i.e. the California real estate piece that will fetch you good profit. Generally, growth of business (e.g. big companies acquiring land for establishing their offices) is an indicator of appreciation in real estate (whether California real estate or any other). That is the consideration with regards to new developments in California real estate or with respect to significant changes in the economic situation of a particular place in California. However, there are always opportunities and they are there everywhere. You just have to hunt those opportunities in order to profitably invest in California real estate. Post cards, phone call, public auctions, foreclosures etc are all possible opportunities/ways of getting a good deal for California real estate investment. You could also partner with the local attorneys in the region i.e. attorneys who handle property matters in case of death, divorce, defaults etc. These people can give you good leads on California real estate investments. In such cases, whoever gets the information first gets the advantage. You can really lay your hands on some good California real estate deals in this way.

Yes, that does take effort and if you were to think that money can be earned without putting-in even that much effort, I would tend to disagree with you. A small amount of effort can really make a difference of thousands of dollars in terms of the California real estate deal that you get. Another good idea is to inform your friends in California that you are looking to buy a piece of California real estate and, in fact, let everyone know that you are looking for a piece of California real estate. A very good California real estate deal might come to you through one of your contacts, you never know.

So with the California real estate prices rising (as always), investing in California real estate does seem like a great idea.

Arizona real estate market is really hot. The centre of a lot of action in Arizona is Phoenix metropolitan area. However, when it comes to real estate investing, every area is hot. Based on whether you are looking for Arizona real estate just as an investment avenue or whether you are looking for Arizona real estate to actually live in, your preferences would change a bit. However, one thing which you would always want is a low price. And that is something that would require some effort.
If you are looking to get a piece of Arizona real estate for yourself and your family, then you need to consider a lot of different things which will also influence your perception of the lowest (or the best price) for that Arizona real estate piece. Note that the best price for the same Arizona real estate piece might be different for different people (because their level of motivation to buy a particular Arizona real estate piece might vary). So, if you have a lot of friends living in a particular area in Arizona, then Arizona real estate in that area might become your preference and hence increase your motivation level. Similarly your buying motivation will be higher if you are planning to move into the place on account of a new job that you are taking up in that place or if you have been transferred to that place in your current job itself. If you have children, you would have to look around for Arizona real estate which has good schools around it. Again, you would like to evaluate your lifestyle and see if there is place that is in particular suited to your lifestyle.
So, there are a lot of factors that could lead to increased motivation levels. Generally, more the motivation of either side (buyer-seller), lesser is their negotiation power. So even if you are much motivated to buy a particular Arizona real estate piece, do not show it in front of the seller. Though hiding your motivation will be a bit difficult, nonetheless give it a good try. If you are looking for Arizona real estate just for investment purposes then you would probably have a lot more time on hand to evaluate various properties before you actually go ahead with one. So your buying motivation will not (and should not) be too high. Remember that if you have time on hand, you can always get better deals (and there are lot of Arizona real estate deals out there, if you were to look properly).

Low-cal diets and aerobics have been the typical “prescribed solution” to healthy weight loss. However, with numerous fad diets and a multi-billion dollar industry dedicated to weight management, shedding a few kilos should be easy. Sadly, the weight lost by dieters is almost always recouped. Consequently, many users fall into the “yo-yo trap,” a recurring cycle of weight loss and gain. There are several reasons why this occurs and why food restriction for the purpose of healthy weight loss should be circumvented. Each time the body is deprived of essential nutrients, whether from fasting or dieting, it guarantees survival by diminishing the metabolic rate in order to reimburse for fewer calories. Energy is stored so efficiently in fatty tissues that someone of normal weight can survive for weeks without eating.

Furthermore, the desire to binge after food restriction, although disheartening to dieters is another built-in survival mechanism intended to click on after a famine. Our cellular metabolism is too innocent to tell the difference between self-imposed starvation and life-threatening famine. One of the most healthy weight loss ways to treat obesity is to combine exercise with proper diet. It is not a matter of how much an individual eats, but what they eat is important. Rather than restrictive dieting, simply learning how to eat in a healthy and balanced way can have a major impact on weight control. Incorporating healthier eating habits into your lifestyle can improve your overall health and help you achieve a permanent and healthy weight loss.

Both natural alternative and conventional medicine agree that we should consume whole foods with less fat and animal protein, with the minimal amount of processed, adulterated, fried, or sweetened preservatives, and eat more complex carbohydrates, especially whole grains rich in fiber, and at least five servings daily of fruits and vegetables. Lowering dietary fat and increasing physical activity are the two key factors to realize healthy weight loss. Eating well-balanced meals at regular intervals during the day (usually four to five hours apart) stabilizes blood sugar and helps you manage your appetite.

Whole dietary fiber foods can have a major impact on weight gain as evident by the almost complete lack of obesity in cultures that consume a diet in fiber. Fiber has been shown to not only reduce serum cholesterol, but to also pull dietary fat from the body into the feces. Other benefits of roughage include increasing chewing time, thus slowing down the eating process and inducing satiety, preventing constipation and stabilizing blood glucose levels. Whole grains (wheat, oats, rice, rye, barley, millet) have the highest level of fiber, followed by legumes, nuts and seeds, root vegetables (potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots), fruits, and leafy, green vegetables.

To attain healthy weight loss alcohol should be shunned or minimized, since it has been found to act like a fat in the body and promote weight gain. Cigarettes, which are smoked by many people to control their weight, also appear to shove extra flab to the abdomen. Medical and scientific data also point to the advantages of moving towards a vegetable-based diet. A diet low in animal protein, along with exercise and stress-reduction measures, can actually reverse cardiovascular disease.

Summary:

Healthy weight loss yields a positive psychological gain, increases overall body fitness, tones the muscles and rouses self-confidence. Positive mental health is an essential part of the concept of total health. Healthy weight loss improves psychological health, which eventually, helps in sustaining the correct weight. It offers a general dietary and lifestyle pattern that favors weight maintenance even without strict calorie counting.

Cold laser therapy, or low level laser therapy, is a treatment in which a cold laser is used to treat acute and chronic pain. It is also called a “soft laser.” If you suffer from back pain, joint pain, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, neuropathy, neck pain, or other related health conditions, cold laser therapy might be a viable solution for you.

How it Works

Cold laser therapy works by increasing the levels of serotonin to help your body heal itself. The therapy is noninvasive and non-thermal. The cold laser was derived from phototherapy, a light healing method developed more than 30 years ago. In phototherapy, a special type of light penetrates the surface of the skin as well as underlying tissues to stimulate natural healing in the body. The low level laser light used in cold laser therapy is actually the compressed light of a wavelength from the red part of the light spectrum, or the cold part.

During the cold laser process, the body’s cells are exposed to photon energy, which in turn increases the cells’ metabolism, helps to develop muscle tissue and collagen, improves blood circulation, stimulates tissue repair and the healing of wounds, and stimulates the nervous and immune systems.

Cold lasers are also used in acupuncture to stimulate the acupoints of the body without using needles.

Types of Cold Laser Treatments

There are several types of cold laser treatments such as the Q1000 Laser, 660 Probe, 808 Probe, Q1000 Propack, and the Q10 Laser. The Q1000 Laser features nine different wavelengths meant to help cells for nerves, muscles, bone, ligaments, skin and tendons. Also with the Q1000 Laser, light is sent through quartz crystal, which gives the laser organic characteristics.

The 660 Probe is a gentle cold laser that penetrates deep into the body and provides more concentrated healing. It is often used for dental healing, facial or skin treatment, acupuncture, anti-aging, physical therapy, and more.

The 808 Probe uses an infrared laser to reach cells in the innermost parts of the body. It helps with bones and teeth as well as ligaments, tendons, and joints. The Q10 Laser is less expensive than the Q1000 and helps with injuries, pain, and facial rejuvenation. It’s also great for traveling. The Q1000 Propack combines all soft lasers into one package.

Using Healing Lasers

You can use healing lasers at home. Some lasers require training while others are fairly simple to use. The simpler models are designed so you can hold the laser near your body in the area where treatment is needed without discomfort. The laser does the work for you. The lasers also have different modes to help with certain needs. If you are considering cold laser treatments, consult with your doctor first.

With cold laser therapy, you can aid your body in healing using a natural, effective method. Keep this guide handy while seeking the cold laser products that are right for you.

Life expectancy for Americans has risen dramatically in the last century. Now we can expect to live 77 years, which is 30 years longer than formerly. By taking care of our bodies we could easily live a long, healthy life.

People are Living Longer

There are more people in the United States over 100 years old than ever before, approximately 50,000. There are three times as many centenarians as there were 20 years ago. Since all of these people are not related, they do not have the same genes. Some have thought that was a big factor in longevity, but it only plays a small part. Other factors that play a big part in our life are environment, jobs, exercise, family relationships, social contacts and emotional health. Of course, living longer does not always mean a healthy, happy life.

Make Some Positive Life Changes

There are no pills to make us live longer, or guaranteed treatments. For many people, the way their body ages is up to them. There are practical steps you can take to make yourself feel better as well as live longer. People who age gracefully are not just lucky – they work at staying healthy! You must have the motivation to take these steps and be consistent.

Many times people wait until they are past middle age and in a health crisis before taking steps to insure a healthier life. For some, this is too late. Others can benefit from a drastic change and give themselves a chance to enjoy the golden years. Alternative medicines are also available to help combat many common illnesses.

Practical Steps for Everyone

Doctors have told us for years to exercise. As a whole we do not get enough exercise because of higher technology and improvements in all aspects of work. For better health, it is recommended to have 30 minutes of exercise a day. This helps with many health issues such as keeping weight down and strengthening the heart and other areas of the body. If you don’t like to exercise alone, get a friend to walk or go to the gym with you.

Eating the right foods, high fiber, low fat with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables has been a big factor in civilizations where people have a longer life span. Don’t smoke, or stop smoking if you do to prevent diseases caused by tobacco. Drink plenty of water and less soft drinks or alcohol.

Mental and emotional health contributes to general health too. People with large extended families or many social contacts don’t have much time to feel alone or hopeless. Others volunteer their time or service somewhere to feel useful and productive. Someone who is always looking for new things to learn will be active and more likely to stay involved in life. People with a sense of fulfillment and purpose are generally healthier and happier.

Be Healthy Now

Watch for signs of health problems. If you are having a problem, go to the doctor and have it checked. If you let something go you will have less chance of a cure. Have regular checkups so issues can be dealt with early. Start changing your habits now – don’t wait. If you are overweight, change your diet. If you do not get any exercise, make yourself start exercising.

If you have a health issue, see a doctor and get treatment. If you are lonely find a way to meet or help people. If you have bad habits, start changing them today. Someday you might be able to join the other centenarians as they enjoy a long, healthy, fulfilled life!

We all know the adage “dog is man’s best friend” seem to run for ages now. But we have reasons enough to consider our dogs as vital parts of our daily existence.

They seem to have this special character to display love and loyalty, not to mention a unique fun that we can only witness from them. That’s why, as much as possible, we will do everything we can to give them the best treatment and best health care, just like we do for our family members. Come to think of it- we even provide them their own insurance!

In this article, we will tackle some important dog health guidelines. Though considerably generalized for all breeds, information here are helpful still in maintaining our best friend’s optimum health.

Dental Care. Swollen, inflamed gums and secondary infections often cause the existence of other major dog health problems. It must be observed that a young dog’s teeth are brushed once in a week. Older dogs must have a regular session of thrice a week.

There are especially designed toothbrushes for dogs that provide cleaning of the rear teeth. It is not a good practice to use human toothpaste for them, instead make use of enzyme toothpaste that will prevent tartar build-up. There are also dental cleaning pads that will complement for tooth brushing, if not regularly done. Such pads would cleanse your dog’s teeth by means of enzymes incorporated on their surface, which are effective in removing stuck-up dirt.

Ear Care. We often overlook the ears of our dog, however this practice might lead to wax and dirt build-up that can cause infection and inflammation. Regular ear care will help remove ear debris and drying the ear canal. Thus, prevention of some major conditions that might as well cause us to give especial attention to those parts.

Ear care also entails the extermination of ear mites that typically reside in the inner ear of our dogs.

Nutritional Supplements. Dog foods are often lacking in nutrients essential for the optimum development and growth of our pets. Thus, it is very vital to supplement them with vitamins and nutrients to prevent deficiencies that might cause serious dog health complications. This is especially true for older dogs who no longer has the appetite to eat heartily.

Those dogs that work hard during the entire day also need supplements. And also for those that have recently undergone surgery and sickness.

Irritated and Sored Skin. Not only humans get skin irritations and allergies. Some dogs have extra sensitive skins that make them susceptible for bacterial and fungus attack which in turn may lead to wounds, scabs and skin diseases.

Hot Spots. These are characterized by skin areas, which are moist and inflamed. These are typically due to irritation from fleabites, substance irritation or allergies. These spots are usually extremely itchy which cause dogs to scratch and lick on them. Thus, the aggravation of the condition that can lead to serious wounds.

The most vital step in healing hot spots is to reduce the frequency of scratching. Afterwhich, spraying of skin relief products may prove beneficial n stopping the pain and itchiness.

If your dog display symptoms of conditions as listed here, it is wise to consult a vet immediately. He may provide you with some guidelines, which will aid greatly in preserving your pet’s health. It is also likely that he will prescribe you with some medications that will ease the symptoms that your dog exhibits.

I am a firm believer that the mental health of a person is just as important as their physical health. I guess I believe this so strongly because I have seen the affects of someone not caring about the state of their mental health. By mental health I am not referring to the serious mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or any of the other very serious issues people often face.

By mental health I’m simply referring to the state of our minds and the ways that our thinking affects our lives. I’m talking about caring for our minds in the same ways that we care for our physical bodies. One of the biggest ways to promote mental health is to take rest. Just like our physical bodies need sleep in order to be restored with energy, so our minds need time to just relax and reflect upon life and regain perspective. You can rest your mind in a variety of ways, it is simply important that you take the time to rest. For one person, guarding their mental health may mean setting aside time each day to meditate or reflect upon the good things in life. For another, mental health might be best maintained by reading a good book, writing in a journal, or listening to soothing music. And still another person may need to get outside and exercise in order to refresh their health mentally.

Learn yourself. Know the things that stress you out and know how to relax and refresh yourself as well. The state of your mind is much too important to be ignored, so do whatever it takes to keep your mind at rest and at peace. I guarentee that ignoring problems will only numb your mind for a little while at best. As the stresses of life have increased in the past few years, I have learned that one of the main things I need in order to guard my mental health is time alone. No matter what my schedule looks like each day, I always block out at least twenty minutes just to be alone. During that time I do a variety of things that help renew my perspective and keep me on track. Somedays I go for a brisk walk and other days I sit in a coffeeshop with a latte and a newspaper. The important thing is not so much what I do, but simply that I take time to be alone and recharge my mental health.

Take time starting today to guard the state of your mental health. Take time to enjoy the small things in life and to remember all there is to be grateful for.

Recent reports from the World Health Organization have demonstrated that obesity is becoming a serious problem in many parts of the globe. Indeed, the WHO noted that as far as worldwide health issues are concerned, obesity is on the verge of becoming a more widespread problem around the globe than is under-nourishment. The WHO further suggests that the trend towards obesity in an ever growing number of nations the world over is expected to continue upward during the next decade.

Along with the increase in the number of people who are over-eating or not eating healthy foods, there has been an uptick in the number of men and women who have taken a keener interest in “watching what they eat,” in developing a more healthy diet. One step that a significant number of people from around the world have taken in regard to ensuring a more healthy diet is growing their own fruits and vegetables.

If you are a person interested in developing a healthy eating regimen, you will want to take a close look at the benefits of growing your own fruits and vegetables. In point of fact, there are many significant health benefits to be derived from growing and using your own fruits and vegetables.

At the outset, it is important to note that the process of planting and cultivating your own fruits and vegetables can have significant health benefits in and of itself. Too few people get enough proper exercise on a regular basis. The act and process of tending to a garden actually is good exercise. Additionally, gardening has been proven to be a significant stress reliever for a person, resulting in lower blood pressure and other demonstratable health benefits.

Researchers have long noted that the average person (in most countries around the world) does not consume enough fresh fruits and vegetables. By planting and producing your own fruits and vegetables, you have a ready source of wholesome food that can be consumed on a more regular basis.

Many gardeners have taken to using organic practices in the cultivation of their gardens. By utilizing organic gardening practices and techniques, you will be able to grow and consume fruits and vegetables that are free of chemical residue that can be found in many produce items for sale at a typical grocery market in the brick and mortar world.

In the end, you can put yourself on the road to a more healthy life by incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet on a more regular basis. By growing your own fruits and vegetables, you will be able to better integrate healthy eating into your overall lifestyle — both now and into the future.

Ask the average American to define herbs and he or she will tell you that herbs are green leaves that have some medicinal properties. Some may even add that herbs like Thyme and Sage are used for cooking. This is how most people define herbs; which is quite good knowledge considering that most folks are ambivalent about the actual use of herbs in their own lives.

A herb (the word rhymes with ‘curb’) is a plant that is grown for medicinal or culinary value.

Typically, the green leafy part of the herb is used, occasionally roots also are put to use. A culinary herb is non-woody and soft. Used for their aromatic flavor and texture, culinary herbs include bay leaf, basil, chervil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme.

The world of medicinal herbs is even more diverse and surprising. Even the most innocuous looking leaf blade may possess a treasure trove of medicinal properties. A medicinal herb is generally a shrub or other woody plant used for therapeutic purposes. Herbalism or Phytotherapy is the practice of folk or traditional medicine that aims to cure “dis-eases” in the body using plants and the active constituents found within them.

This resurgence of interest in herbs was brought about by various systems of holistic healing. Now, more than ever before, people are beginning to realize that good health does not refer to an absence of disease. Rather, it is a balance of physical, mental, emotional and social wellness. Herbal health care is becoming increasingly popular because herbs provide natural stimulants that activate the body’s own defense mechanisms.

When orthodox medicine took over the reins of mainstream health care, herbs and their medicinal values got relegated to the background. One reason could be the problem of availability. Another more important reason is that unlike a pill or a tonic, herbs usually take more time to bring about an effect.

Due to our sedentary lifestyle, processed foods and industrial advances, we have managed to discover a large number of chronic illnesses that were virtually unknown in the past. Medicines used to treat these diseases have side effects. In time, these medicines also become ineffective as the human body develops a resistance to the medicine. After battling it out for many years, practitioners of conventional medicine are finally willing to admit that herbal extracts are an effective source of healing.

Herbal medicines provide a healing system that is in tune with nature. The medicines are characterized by simplicity, depth and effectiveness. They are cost effective too. Absence of side effects also greatly enhances their allure.

Some interesting uses of herbs are:

– Chamomile tea sipped slowly throughout the day helps decrease acidity and soothes the digestive system

– Alfalfa is a highly nutritious herb as it is a natural source of vitamins and minerals.

– Valerian root can be used to treat insomnia.

– Two fresh garlic cloves taken at night increases ones resistance to flu and colds.

– Feverfew is a herb that if taken consistently, effectively reduces the frequency of migraines.

Herbs, like any drug, bring about a physiological change in the body. If taken continuously for prolonged periods, they may affect the body’s natural ability to heal. The aim of herbs is to bring the body back into ‘balance’ so that there is no longer any need for medicine. Herbal medicines may not be the best, pure or only form of medicine. Indeed, it should be used as a complementary medicine that helps doctors achieve the most important goal of all – that of total cure in the easiest, most effective and shortest route.

Do you desire a perfect lawn? Are you frustrated that your neighbor always seems to have a greener, fuller lawn than yours? If so read on, this article will help you achieve a beautiful, healthy lawn in no time. Below are tips on how to go about realizing your dream.

Fertilizing

You have to fertilize. Fertilizing your yard will do several things 1) it will make it greener, 2) will make it grow and 3) will cause new seed to germinate. Many people are confused about how often to fertilize, a good rule is to apply fertilizer at least four times a year. Every 60 days, first during the spring 30 days before the growing season then late summer, late fall and then during the winter months. Lastly, don’t apply to much fertilizer this will cause excess growth and lead to fungus growth which will weaken your grass.

Weed Control

You have to control the weeds. Controlling weeds in a new or existing lawn is essential to the health and overall aspect of the lawn. A beautiful level lawn gets most of it’s good looks from the fact that it is smooth where weeds are not prominent and standing above the turf. You have probably mowed your lawn just to have dandelions popping up over the grass a day later making it look like you need to mow again. A weedless lawn holds it’s good looks for several days if the grass is at a uniform growing height.

Proper Mowing

Remember to properly mow. Mowing is the most confusing part of lawn care, and the most often incorrectly done part of lawn care. Far too many people will set their mowers too low or “scalp” the lawn. This leads to thin and dying out grass, shallow root systems, and in the long run, NO GRASS.

Thatching

You have to thatch. Thatching by using a rack will remove dead grass that will smother and prevent new growth. It may seem at first you are doing more harm than not but if you don’t break the thatch barrier new grass will not grow.

Watering

Your grass needs watering. Water should be done everyday during the hot months and rule of thumb is that it is better to water deeply one in a while then to water shallow daily. Also remember that you must water right after you lay down fertilizer.

Conclusion:

Follow these simple actions and you will have a lawn the whole neighborhood will envy. Good luck.

It seems that one of the hot topics in the news for the past several years is the changing of corporate America. There have been many changes in the economy and with the changes have come cut backs as well as corporate down sizing. Many people are finding themselves in unemployment situations as well as huge changes in life style. For the people in upper level jobs they can fall back on savings, stock investments and their education, however for the laborer this is a time of crisis.

Many people would be able to make ends meet on a lower end salary, except for the cost of health insurance. There are also many people that would be willing to take an early retirement; however they need to continue to work to take advantage of group health insurance. The high cost of medical care adds to the crisis that many people find themselves in financially. Group health insurance is a benefit that people no longer take for granted when looking for employment. There are many talented people that would like to work for small business owners; however they cannot afford the premiums for health care coverage. For small business owners the cost of providing employees with group health insurance is putting them out of business.

There are many countries’s that have socialized medicine. The national coverage does take away some choices from the patient, however having everyone insured does take away the passed on cost of the uninsured or underinsured which adds to the costs in our country. The large insurance companies are dictating the type and amount of coverage the average person has, so this does not seem that different than a nationalized system. Many Americans are becoming more and more angry with the insurance companies making huge profits every year as they watch their pay checks dwindle from the premiums that they have to pay for group health insurance or individual coverage. This also affects seniors that need to have a supplemental policy to cover the costs that medicare does not cover. This crisis of lack of medical coverage in the most powerful nation in the world is ridicules. Our nation needs to address the high cost of group health insurance in the very near future. Having people go with out medical attention and having to utilize emergency room medical services only add to the cost of the medical care in our country. People should not have to go without medical services because they cannot afford them.

Group aarp health insurance plans are commonly the lowest cost way to go, have additional benefits, and are generally alot simpler to understand. Nevertheless, as a large number of seniors have retired or have started their own business, they no longer have the option of a good low cost group medical coverage plan. Various elderly folks have to turn to individual personal health insurance plans to meet their needs as they get older. These insurance plans are plans that have to be funded fully by the individual.

As people over 50 grow older and enter the market of purchasing personal coverage, they may run into problems trying to find a company that will sell them a policy, all the more if there are any health problems or health conditions. The insurance company may prerequire elderly to get a medical exam before they will even deduce selling them a plan, and then, this plan will frequently be at a much higher cost than a group insurance plan. Of course the benefits might not be as good also. There may quite be a lot to heed as browsing for personal medical coverage.

A.a.r.p. seniors should make sure they shop around and compare plans and policies. Seniors should calculate how much coverage you will need, and how much money you can spend on monthly premiums. Aarp can help you decide on the top personal health coverage coverage for the price that you want or are able to pay.

A.a.r.p. personal medical coverage specialists will give you answer a few questions as you are in the market for a good plan and reasonably priced insurance company. Make sure you know what your monthy premium will be, what the doctor visits will cost, what the deductible will be, and how much money will be paid out by the insurance company for the bill. How much of Medicare will be supplemented and with the medicare drug plan be enough? You should find out if the plan covers prescriptions, check ups, and preventive care. Will the plan cover doctor visits, surgery, long term care, home medical care, and health equipment and supplies? Eye doctors? Dental work?

As you can see there’s much to be decided on before actually getting an Aarp personal insurance plan. With a little browsing and comparison shopping with A.a.r.p. you find the best rate for your personal medical insurance.

I have to admit, grocery shopping isn’t exactly one of my favorite things to do. In case you can’t “hear” the sarcasm in my voice, let me tell you that I’d rather be doing just about anything other than grocery shopping. I tried delegating it to my husband, but we usually end up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and potato chips when I do that.

Since I can’t avoid grocery shopping, I found a few things that make it a more pleasant and most importantly a faster process. I’d like to share my grocery shopping tips with you.

1) Make a shopping list and stick to it.
Making a list and sticking to it will keep you from buying too much junk. Not only will it encourage you and your family to stick to the new healthy eating lifestyle, it will also save you some money on your grocery bill.

Please apply common sense to this though. If you remember that you forgot to put your baby’s diapers on the list, by all means get them. On the other hand, if you feel tempted to get the new chocolate pie because there is a two for one sale, skip it. You get the idea.

2) Eat a snack before you go grocery shopping.
Never go grocery shopping while you are hungry. You’ll be much more tempted to buy junk food and already prepared meals. You’ll also end up buying much more than you really need. Either go shopping right after a meal, or eat a small snack before you go. Even eating a piece of fruit and drinking a glass of water will keep you from feeling hungry while you are in the store.

3) Avoid the aisles with the chips, snacks and candy.
Don’t tempt yourself by going down the “junk food” aisles. You’re only human and the candy and snack manufacturers put a lot of money into making their products as tempting and appealing as possible. The easiest way to avoid having those items land in your cart is to skip the aisles entirely.

4) Buy fresh meat and produce whenever possible.
Buy your meat and produce fresh whenever possible. You’ll get the most nutritional bang for your buck that way. If there is something you either can’t find fresh, or it just doesn’t look good, go with a frozen version. The only exception to this is tomatoes, especially if you are going to cook them anyway. Tomatoes loose their nutritional value quickly after they are picked. If you are making tomato sauce or are using them in a stew or soup, just stick with canned tomatoes. They are canned immediately after they are picked and contain more nutrients than a batch that has been sitting in a truck for days.

5) Write your grocery list with your supermarket in mind.
You will make your shopping trip much easier and faster if you keep the layout of your market in mind when you write your shopping list. Think about the departments and isles you go through first and put those items on your list. Mentally make your way through the rest of the store adding your items to your list as you go. You’ll avoid backtracking for an item further down on your list once you are in the store.

6) Clean veggies and herbs.
Unpack and clean your vegetables and herbs as soon as you get back from the store. Loosely wrap them in some paper towels and stick them in a Ziploc bag. They’ll be ready to use when your recipes call for them.

7) To freeze or not to freeze?
Portion your meat out depending on how much each recipe calls for. Keep what you will be using over the next two days in the fridge and freeze the rest. With hamburger meat, you may want to freeze any portions you are not using the day you bought them.

You’ll see that by implementing even just a few of these tips, your shopping experience will be more pleasant and most importantly more efficient. You’ll spend less time in the supermarket and more time enjoying your family.

As you may already know, the food industry will never serve to amaze you. If there is a product out there that someone might want, the food industry is sure to capitalize upon it in as many ways as possible. So, it should come as no wonder that when they found out about all of the great benefits of green tea, they did the same. One of the new foods that they are capitalizing on here are green tea mints.

The Benefits of Green Tea and Green Tea Mints

First of all, in order to understand why so many people would enjoy snacking on some green tea mints you are going to need to understand the health value that is found within green tea. There are a lot of antioxidants in green tea. These antioxidants have proven to be helpful for various medical conditions.

These are said to be helpful with such diseases and disorders as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease, infections and impaired immune function. For this reason, a lot of people are trying to get as much green tea as possible and thus why green tea mints are so popular.

Introducing Green Tea Mints

Green tea mints come in the shape of a mint so that they can accomplish their mission in a very stylish sort of way. These mints are both sugar-free and Fair Trade Certified, which means they actually are a healthy candy for you to snack on.

They also come in tiny tins that are very stylish in and of themselves. The green tea mints tins are so small that they are actually quite convenient to carry with you wherever you go so that you can have a great treat at any time anywhere. Once you eat all of the green tea mints that are in the stylish little tin, you can use it for holding numerous small objects.

While these green tea mints are made out of pure green tea, there are still a couple of different, distinctly unique flavors that you can choose from. These flavors include lemongrass, which is a bit tangy. Then there is pear, which has a pleasing, fruity taste. So, as you can see, each flavor is distinctly unique and very enjoyable. After all, can anyone think of a better way in which to ensure that you get all of your green tea intake for the day?

For many centuries people of China used green tea for treating various diseases. However with the advancement of time, today people of west use green tea, realizing its several benefits. Green Tea has long been esteemed in China for its involvement to good health. Fame of Green tea in the United States persists to develop, viewing that green tea is an innate foundation of antioxidants. These antioxidants aid defend the body from accelerating aging and augmented danger of ailments. Years of research reveal that green tea restrains the expansion of objectionable cell colonies, thus building it the healthiest tea obtainable.

Let us take a look at the benefits of green tea:

Green tea has many health benefits, and it can be used for avoidance of the diseases: Cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis, High Cholesterol, Cardiovascular Disease, cataracts, Infection, and Impaired Immune Function.

Green tea helps in weight loss course. The green tea leaves augments metabolism in the body there fore consumption green tea helps you burn more calories.

Green tea has the capability to fight bacteria and this can be counted as one of the chief benefits of green tea. This boosts your immune system thereby increasing the resistance power. It also helps kill bacteria that cause plaque and succeeding tooth decay. Green tea can help in fight food poisoning.

In addition, green tea can help lessening blood sugar level and cholesterol level in your blood.

Also green tea helps in getting rid of bad breath. Some element is present in green tea that stunts the growth of bad odor causing bacteria. Therefore a cup or two of green regularly can help in maintaining fresh breath.

If you are a chain smoker and also you consume around six cups of green tea a day then the propensity of risk caused due to the toxins emitted by cigarette smoke is reduced to a great extent.

Green Tea also contributes to maintain your beauty. With the help of green tea you can freshen up your face and apply around your tired eyes to get soothing feeling. If you have freckles or blemishes on your face you can apply the green tea to get rid of the spots. The green tea also has benefits for antiseptic purposes. It can be used to treat minor cuts, rashes and also can be treated to cure sunburn.

Green Tea is organically grown and the customary drying method used with Green Tea prevents the tea from the harmful effects of fermentation.

Products of green tea are available in different strength levels. Some supplements are comprised of low strengths of the active polyphones, whereas others go as far as using un-standardized green tea leaf powder.

It has been confirmed that green tea is stuffed with health benefits. It acts as a influential antioxidant, which has been identified to assist prevent cancer, pull through from the harmful cholesterol, and guard against harm caused by free radicals.

It has been reported by National Cancer Institute that Green Tea has Cancer avoiding aptitudes and components for fighting against insert fresh life to the market. People who have depended on costly anti-oxidant products are finding that Green Tea is very cost-effective and organic. Tea is one of the foremost selling fresh drinks, only after water.

However you manage to incorporate green tea in your diet, as well as it on a standard basis will help you receive utmost results. Put in green tea to a vigorous, balanced diet and exercise schedule for general fitness.

There are many things that you should know about the health benefits of green tea concentrate. There are simply too many things to know about of green tea concentrate and you should be sure that you have all of the facts before you make up your mind as to whether or not you want to use green tea in your diet.

What Does It Do For You?

You have probably noticed that green tea is getting a lot of air time these days. Green tea, and therefore of green tea concentrate is something that can provide you with more health benefits than you are probably aware of. First of all, drinking green tea concentrate can help you to improve your memory, and it can also do things like boost your immune system and your metabolism.

Both of these things can help you get healthier in general, and they can also help you lose weight and be more active. All in all, drinking green tea concentrate is a great way to get healthier, no matter what else you do in your life for your health.

Why Concentrate?

Many people like to drink green tea on a regular basis because of all of the health benefits. While this is great, the fact remains that sometimes there are companies that put things in the tea that you simply don’t want there. Some people choose to bypass the uncertainty of what is in their tea by having green tea concentrate and using it to make their own drinks that they know contain nothing but the green tea.

There are other reasons to use green tea concentrate instead of green tea. For instance, for some people, the ingredients in the tea itself don’t agree with their bodies. With the green tea concentrate they can use other ingredients to make the green tea easier for them to digest.

They can also use the green tea concentrate in other forms, and this way they can still get the health benefits of the green tea, but in a way that is better overall for their bodies. Using of green tea concentrate is a great way to make sure that this happens.

Remember that of green tea concentrate is not for everyone. If you are considering making green tea part of your regular diet, you should consult your doctor to make sure that it is going to work perfectly with you. If the doctor thinks it will work, you can decide whether you want to drink the tea, or to use the of green tea concentrate.

The Asian community has used different teas and herbal remedies since before the Great wall of China (over 3000 years ago) and green tea has stood out as one of its hallmark and most helpful constituents. Green tea has been used to treat everything from heart attacks, stroke to infections like sepsis (blood infection) and numerous other conditions and maladies.

Many studies have been undertaken to research and extract the helpful and beneficial compounds in Green tea that exhibit these medicinal qualities. Recent scientific studies listed in Chemical & Engineering News (produced by the American Chemical Society) show numerous benefits from the different compounds contained in green tea leaves (polyphenols like EGCG, a powerful antioxidant that inhibits the rapid growth of cancer cells without harming healthy cells).

Studies done at Harvard and Cornell Universities on these polyphenols have shown a marked decline in carcinogen activity (up to 60% blocking reduction in oxidation capabilities) and even a biocide or antiseptic quality (hence the current research on green tea polyphenols and tooth and gum disease). Green tea has shown and evidenced antibacterial properties and more research in this area is needed.

Green tea polyphenols inhibit and retard cancer growth in every study and form of cancer from liver cancer to uterine and breast cancer. It is important to note, that although no cancer in these studies was completely cured, duration of survival and quality of life were increased in every circumstance. EGCG, due to its abilities to retard cancer with no known side effects is currently being researched to see if higher concentrations and / or more powerful synthetic derivatives could be used as a replacement for the current highly toxic chemotherapy.

Study after study shows a vast reduction in onset and risk of various cancers and disease. Other green tea findings included a study of smokers at the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson showing that four cups of decaffeinated green tea every day for four months provided some protection against potentially carcinogenic damage to DNA, as measured by the amount of an enzyme in the urine. Many studies have linked green tea to lower risk for breast, pancreatic, colon, esophageal, and lung cancers. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol. The polyphenols inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, which actually helps lower the amount of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Basically, to sum this up, green tea has been proven to reduce the risk of cancer and retard the growth of cancer cells in every case and for this reason alone should be incorporated into every diet. Just 4 cups of green tea per day has been found to slow and retard breast cancer in women (Japanese scientists at the Saitama Cancer Research Institute). 4 cups of green tea daily gives the optimal amount of polyphenols for the best results.

The Chinese have known about Green tea as a powerful medication for at least 4000 years. According to legend, tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor called Shen Nung. Some tea leaves accidentally fell into boiling water, and he tried it and found it invigorating. Green tea became part of the Chinese diet and many important health benefits were attributed to it. Now recent medical studies in both asia and the west are providing a scientific basis for the claim that drinking green tea has very significant health benefits.

Green tea, like black tea is made from the leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. The difference between the three main types of tea is the way that they are produced. Green tea is unfermented tea meaning that the leaves used for green tea are steamed soon after been plucked in order to prevent the oxidation of the leaves. In this way the leaves remain green and the active substances within the leaves retain their qualities. Black teas on the other hand are made from fermented leaves and as a result have less nutritional and enzyme content as the green tea. Thus green and black teas have different chemical properties.

Modern science has in recent times been able to demonstrate that green tea is beneficial to one’s health and this is mainly due to the fact that tea contains high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols or flavonoids. The antioxidant activity of tea has been compared to that of fruit and vegetables in a number of studies. One study concluded that consuming three cups of tea a day produced a similar amount of antioxidants as eating six apples. Antioxidants help your body fight against free radicals which cause damage to cells and tisuues in your body.

While all tea is healthy to drink, it is green tea that contains the highest level of flavonoids. Recent medical studies suggest green tea to be beneficial in many areas including the following:

-Digestive and respiratory health.

-Lowers cholesterol levels

-Boosts your immune system

-Reduces high blood pressure

-Arthritis – anti-inflammatory effect.

-Oral hygiene – due to antibacterial properties.

-Skin conditions such as acne

-Lowers blood sugar

Weight loss is another area that is attracting huge attention. Recently published research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that an extract from green tea may speed up fat oxidation. A study was conducted of ten healthy men over a period of 6 weeks. It was discovered that those men who were given green tea extract burned more calories per day than those who were not given the extract. Much more research needs to be conducted in this area but the signs are certainly very encouraging.

Anyone for tea

In the hot days of summer it is easy to reach for a soda to help you cool off. However sodas do not really quench your thirst and there are some other healthier more refreshing alternatives. One of the most refreshing ways to cool off on a hot summer day is drinking a tall glass of iced tea and what better than making it green tea?

People From the Orient have long known the benefits of drinking green tea. In fact so important is this drink in these countries that there is special tea drinking rituals associated with this beverage. Japan is especially famous for this.

Green tea: Is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis tree. The best green tea is grown in Japan and is harvested in the spring months. Now Australia is trying to cultivate it so that green tea can be available in other months and supply the increasing need for this beverage. Recent research is revealing that this tea is particularly beneficial for your health. It is higher in antitoxins than the traditional black tea drunk in the West. Green tea has also been found to have vitamin C and fluoride.

Green tea has more of these properties than the traditional black teas because of the way it is processed It goes through little or no processing (fermenting or oxidizing) this brings out the antioxidants and vitamins but will reduce the stimulant quality (caffeine) of this tea.

The best way to make green tea hot or cold is to make it with loose leaves. These are easily available in many grocery stores and most health food stores. When making iced tea it is good to steep the tea for about 20-30 minutes. You can just pour the hot water on it and let it cool slowly. Fast cooling will not allow the full taste to come out; so slow cooling at room temperature is best.

You can also make some good tea pops. Just fill an ice cube tray with green tea (cooled) and put toothpicks in each square and enjoy when fully frozen. You can also make regular cubes of green tea to add to beverages.

If you want to spice up your tea you can add citrus peel as it steeps. Anise and chicory are also added for a change in taste. Citrus peels are especially refreshing with iced green tea. You can also add ginger as a real thirst quencher for those hot days.

However you chose to drink your green tea it is a nice refreshing change from soda and good for your health. It will not only quench your thirst but rejuvenate you too. As our world grows smaller we are becoming more aware of different types of foods and beverages. As more research is being done on this increasingly popular drink we will see even more benefits to our health. It is recommended to drink at least 3 cups or more per day to enjoy the health giving properties of green tea.

Cancer remains a number-one killer in countries around the world. Therefore, it should come as little surprise that medical researchers are exploring new avenues in an effort to find ways to attack cancer.

The investigation into alternative cancer therapies often begins by examining the cultures of specific nations in an effort to determine whether diet or other customs could help unlock the secret to curing this dreaded disease. Since green tea has been a staple of the Japanese diet for centuries, it’s not surprising that new attention is being paid to the tea’s therapeutic benefits.

In recent years, doctors and scientific researchers have been focusing new attention on the idea of drinking green tea in an effort to keep cancer at bay. It’s been thought that the beverage possesses certain natural properties which make it a likely cancer preventative.

Studying Green Tea In-Depth

In order to look at this issue in more depth, researchers Kazue Imai, Kenji Suga, and Kei Nakachi of the Saitama Cancer Center Research Institute in Saitama, Japan, decided to examine the effects of green tea drinking among the Japanese. In an article entitled “Cancer-Preventive Effects of Drinking Green Tea Among a Japanese Population” in Preventative Medicine magazine, the research team explored the therapeutic benefits of green tea at length.

When the researchers began their investigation, there had been a number of studies indicating that the main ingredient of green tea, epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, was anti-carcinogenic. However, there was little evidence to suggest that EGCG could prevent cancer in human beings. While some human studies had been conducted, the results were far from conclusive.

The Japanese research team strongly believed that it was absolutely critical to conduct an in-depth study in an Asian nation, given the popularity of tea consumption in the Orient. Ultimately, the Japanese scientists found that those Japanese subjects who drank green tea were less likely to develop cancer. This was particularly true among women who consumed more than ten cups of green tea each day.

A Natural Cancer Prevention Tool

The rate of cancer was low among both men and women who consumed large amounts of green tea. In addition, a study of 384 cancer patients indicated that increased consumption of green tea was linked with a delay in the onset of cancer. Again, this phenomenon was most prevalent among women who consumed more than ten cups of green tea each day. The average delay for the onset of cancer was four years—four years of enhanced quality of life for the subjects involved.

To a Western mind, drinking ten cups of green tea daily can seem mind-boggling—especially if one has difficulty consuming eight glasses of water each day. It should be noted that, on average, the subjects were probably consuming 150 ml of green tea per cup. That would amount to about 300 to 400 milligrams of EGCG—a healthy amount, by any standard.

More Powerful Than Once Thought

It has become clear that green tea is far more powerful in fighting cancer than researchers once thought. For instance, scientists recently discovered that green tea’s unique chemical makeup enables it to combat one of the key cancer-causing molecules linked to tobacco use. The ground-breaking evidence appeared in a journal published by the American Chemical Society.

In the study, researchers examined the effects of two components of green tea, EGCG and epigallocatechin, also known as EGC. These substances are close to the consistency of cancer-preventing substances in red wine, grapes, broccoli, and cabbage. The research team discovered that EGCG and EGC can inhibit a molecule that often “turns on” genes that can be harmful to the body, leading to the development of cancer.

However, it’s unclear whether the results in the science lab could be replicated in a person’s home, since the effectiveness of drinking green tea depends on how the beverage is used by the human body. In addition, there appear to be differences between varieties of green tea, so additional study is necessary to prove the beverage’s effectiveness in inhibiting potentially harmful molecular processes.

The Need for More Research

Based upon the evidence presented in the study conducted by Imai, Suga, and Nakachi, there can be little doubt that their research indicates that consuming green tea can lead to the prevention of cancer. However, additional research is definitely needed in order to determine which organs of the body could best benefit from green tea.

In other words, will drinking green tea fight stomach cancer? Breast cancer? Colon cancer? At this point, the answers to these questions remain unclear. Yet, it should be noted that laboratory tests show that green tea’s EGCG can zero in on organs in an effort to prevent cancer.

The initial research into cancer prevention using green tea is incredibly encouraging. To begin with, green tea is an ordinary part of many people’s diets, so drinking the beverage does not necessarily mean a radical lifestyle change. If people are already accustomed to consuming green tea, it stands to reason that they wouldn’t mind consuming more of it, if it would mean preventing the occurrence of cancer.

A Virtually Problem-Free Solution

Some approaches to preventing cancer may seem initially appealing, but can become decidedly less so because of the side effects involved. However, there are no toxic effects linked to green tea consumption, meaning that this cancer-fighting remedy is especially promising.

In addition, green tea appears to be a powerful cancer prevention tool. If the beverage’s therapeutic effects were limited, there wouldn’t be a great deal of interest in using it as a cancer preventative. However, the strong link between green tea consumption and cancer prevention indicated by the Japanese study means that there is good reason for people to consider adding green tea to their diets.

Effects Beyond the Orient

Some might conclude that green tea drinking only prevents cancer among Asian populations, but researchers in the field believe that would be a mistake. It’s entirely possible that, if Westerners also made green tea a significant part of their daily diet, they would also see the preventative effects.

With so many supermarkets and convenience stores in the West now stocking green tea, it may be just a matter of time before Westerners will also experience the beverage’s medicinal benefits.