Archive for August, 2009

The Archives of Neurology, a monthly professional medical journal published by the American Medical Association, published a study done by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, suggesting that vitamins E and C, when taken together, could potentially protect the brain against aging.

The research team studied information on over 4,700 people over the age of 65. More than three hundred of the subjects showed signs of Alzheimer’s. In the study, researchers found that people taking both vitamins E and C were 78% less likely to show signs of brain deterioration than those not taking the combination. The study did not notice an advantage with those taking only one of the vitamins, or those taking a multivitamin by itself. Instead, the two micronutrients seemed to exhibit a synergistic effect.

Antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins E and C, block the effects of oxygen molecules and are known as free radical scavengers. Free radicals, which damage cells and which may also play a part in causing cancer and heart disease, are essentially “loose electrons” which have been knocked out of their orbits around the nucleus of an atom and, as a result, are left to go “careening about” as they attempt to reestablish a new orbit. The behavior of free radicals is thought to cause cellular damage and lesions linked to free radicals have been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

The researchers were unsure as to why these two vitamins needed to be taken together, yet proposed that routine consumption of both vitamins could possibly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. One theory suggests that because vitamin C is water-soluble and vitamin E is lipid-soluble, that vitamin C may recharge the antioxidant qualities of vitamin E. If so, this would enhance the ability of vitamin E to reduce free radicals and lessen the effect of oxidative stress.

More studies are needed to determine whether the subjects taking the vitamins may live healthier lifestyles in general, which could be the true cause of their lack of Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Vitamins E and C can be found naturally in many food sources. Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits and juices, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, turnip greens and many other leafy greens. Most all fruits and vegetables contain some amount of vitamin C Vitamin E can be found in nuts, green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals and vegetable oils.

The Alzheimer’s Society says that it may be challenging to find other subjects that are taking such a high amount of vitamins E and C. They do desire more tests to determine whether the current evidence for vitamins C and E can be helpful.

More trials are underway.

The author of this article is Tim Moore, writing for Vitamins Stuff, a site that offers information on Vitamins and Alternative Medicine

Many people become shy and nervous when they are about to meet new people, because it is just simple human nature to believe that other people are judging you. As a matter of fact the person that you are about to meet is probably feeling just as nervous as you and wondering if you will find them attractive just as you are wondering if they will find you attractive. This all has to do with our self confidence and how we value ourselves. People who have a high self esteem will never have these problems because they are comfortable with themselves and who they are and this is what you have to do in order to put away the shy feeling and start having a great time.

The first thing you have to do is to change those negative feelings about yourself. Stop worrying about whether he or she is going to like you before you even meet, approach this encounter with a positive attitude. Program your mind into thinking that you are just going out on a date with someone to have a good time, and if you are both meant to be together then you will know by the persons reaction towards you. So stop that unnecessary worrying and think positive, give yourself credit for if you were not a nice person then maybe you would not even be going on a date with someone.

You might want to try the power of positive thinking, where everything is possible because you believe that anything can happen. Have confidence in yourself, laugh at yourself even to ease any tension that you may have, for laughter can be very relaxing and it will put you in a happy mood. Smile a lot, that can be totally disarming to someone and soon you will find yourself in a different frame of mind where you are able to go out and face whatever is waiting for you.

You will be surprised to know the changes in you when you change the way you feel about yourself and the way others will think about you. So stop worrying, get dressed with a knock them dead look and a confidence to match. Go out and strike up a conversation with that date of yours, be brave and take the first step in starting a conversation, it doesn’t have to be serious, something light like “don’t you just love dancing” and you will be surprised to see the reaction of the other person. They will feel that you are the coolest person out there on the planet, because you are such an easy person to get along with, and all you had to do was think positive and smile.

About the Author:

Find more information and resources on dating at http://www.datingandrelationships.net/ a website offering tips, advice and other articles on topics such as finding love, free online dating services, getting a marriage license, dating for single parents and even how to “marry a millionaire” advice.

Safety is often raised as an issue in FSBO (For Sale By Owner) real estate sales. Some real estate agents try to scare homeowners into listing with them by claiming that is unsafe. Some homeowners are unsure how to show their property safely.

By taking a few sensible precautions there is no reason why selling your home FSBO (also known as private sale) should be any less safe than selling through a real estate agent. In fact selling FSBO should be safer. There is nothing that a real estate agent does to vet buyers that FSBO homeowners cannot do for themselves.

What does a real estate agent do?

Real estate agents claim that they vet prospective buyers before they visit your property but what does this mean? Does the real estate agent check whether the buyer has a criminal record for violent crimes or theft? Of course they don’t. At best, the agent may get a name, address and contact number of the buyer before they visit.

Getting a contact number for buyers is easy, just ask when the buyer calls to enquire about viewing your property. Before the buyer visits call them back to confirm that they are still coming. This lets you confirm that the contact number is genuine and also reduces the likelihood of no-shows.

FSBO advert contact details

It is advisable to limit the amount of information that you make available through online FSBO advertising. Some homeowners include their full name, telephone numbers, e-mail address, street address of the property for sale and times when they are at home. Whilst including this information is not enough to forge documents such as a passport it is enough to gain unwanted attention from confidence tricksters.

A potential buyer only needs to know your first name to make polite initial contact. There is no need to include your surname and titles in your FSBO advert.

Choose an online advert that protects your email address. There are programs that trawl the web looking for published email addresses. If you post your email address in your FSBO advert you are asking to receive spam.

The better FSBO sites such as www.smartvendor.com.au have online messaging systems that allow buyers and sellers to communicate online while keeping email addresses private

When selling your own home a mobile (cell) phone is invaluable. Not only are homeowners less likely to miss a call from a potential buyer but also a potential thief cannot cold call the property to check whether anybody is home.
Open house inspections

We don’t recommend holding an open house viewing when selling your property. Open house inspections are hard to supervise and many buyers find viewing a property with lots of other buyers unproductive and frustrating.

Real estate agents use open houses as a way of getting leads about other properties that are for sale. Often the real estate agent will stand at the front of a house to make sure buyers receive details of their agency. But once inside the property buyers are allowed to roam around unsupervised.

Potential thieves can use open house inspections to check out security systems and case the properties if left to roam unsupervised. Don’t provide too much detail relating to your home’s security system to a buyer on their initial visit.

Common sense rules

When you are holding viewings of your property follow these common sense rules:

Remove all valuables from the property. Take them off site preferably in a safe deposit box. Don’t just put them in a drawer.

Make sure there are two people in the property at all times. Ask a friend or family member to accompany you. Only one of you need conduct the viewing.

Keep blinds and curtains open during viewings this allows people outside to see in to the property and will potentially deter somebody thinking of getting up to no good.

Showing your property after dark

Allowing buyers to drop in for viewings without a prior appointment is not recommend and especially not if the buyer is requesting an impromptu viewing after dark. Politely explain that you’re happy to show your home during daylight hours, when the buyer can fully appreciate your home’s wonderful features. Offer a flyer or information sheet to take away.

FSBO may not be for you

FSBO is not for everybody. In order to sell your own home you must be prepared to show potential buyers around the property. If you are uncomfortable doing this or feel that your circumstances would make you especially vulnerable it would be wise to consider using a traditional real estate agent.
About the Author

smartvendor is an Australian For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Site .www.smartvendor.com.au. – The site is committed helping property vendors in Australia save thousands on real estate commission.

“Home sweet home” that is how the phrase is concerning our homes. This is the place where we get the most comforting moments, those everlasting memories sometimes good sometimes bad. This is the place that we have watched from our childhood and this has nurtured us along through the good and the bad times. That is why it is considered the cradle of humans. A home in which we live in is a reflection of what we think and how we are and reflects a picture of us. That is why our home should give a perfect reflection of ours and it should be perfect. In accordance with our liking.

A change that is made in our homes may be a big change or a small change depending upon the requirement of the owner of the house. It may be a small thing that may be bothering you or it may be the big make over required for the house.

Sometimes it happens that we want to do home improvement but it just is not possible for us to go for it because financially it is not possible at all.

The best possible solution for that will be to take home improvement loans. Better still if you can go for secured home improvement loans.

Secured home improvement loans are loans, which require the borrowers to pledge a security to their creditors. This is one of the basis of secured home improvement loans therefore is not available to tenants or people with no assets. The security can be any worthwhile asset of the borrower. It may be his car, his active current bank account or his home. When the home is rendered as a security it is also known as home equity home improvement loans.

The benefits of going for secured home improvement loans instead of unsecured home improvement loans are.

? Secured home improvement loans come a lot cheaper than the unsecured home improvement loans. The rate of interest starting from as low as 5.0%. The rates of interest in these loans are usually lower than unsecured loans by 2% – 4%.

? As a result of low interest rates the repayment is easier as well. With lower interest rates and a facility to choose a repayment period between 3- 25years the monthly installments are low and easier to pay off.
? With secured home improvement loans one can easily get a loan amount in the region of ?250000. Whereas with unsecured home improvement loans being a short term loan you can get a loan amount of around ?10000 which is good enough for minor changes.

? Secured home improvement loans are safe for both borrowers and creditors therefore they are approved faster than the other loans.

? By going for home improvement an owner can get a deal which is better than one which he may get for an unimproved house.

However the owner must be careful that the repayments must be done in the prescribed way otherwise there is a danger that the creditor may seize his rendered asset.

For people who have a history of bad credit they can also get secured home improvement loans. They just have to follow the same purpose as people with normal credit history. An added advantage of going through with home improvement loan is that the people can improve their credit score. It is an estimate of the financial credit worthiness of an individual. By improving the credit score an individual will get normal terms for his deals.

One can use secured home improvement loans for any of the following purposes adding new rooms like a bathroom or a kitchen, doing some safety repairs, roofing or plumbing, or any other home improvement purpose. The reason can be any secured home improvement loans give the flexibility to the borrowers to use them for any purpose.
About the Author

Andrew baker has done his masters in finance from CPIT.He is engaged in providing free, professional, and independent advice to the residents of the UK.He works for the Secured loan web site loans fiesta for any type of loans in UK, secured loans, secured loans UK, secured home improvement loans please visit http://www.loansfiesta.co.uk

The cost of medical treatments is on a rise everywhere in the world along with UK. If you are on a holiday trip, remember that a simple treatment can cost you hundreds and thousands of pounds. This may leave you in heavy financial burden. To get rid of all these tensions, it is imperative for you to purchase travel insurance before you step out from your homes. It should be kept in mind that not only for medical treatments but travel insurance policies in UK also covers loss of luggage or other personal belongings like passports and money, repatriation costs, cancelled or delayed flights.

There are different types of travel insurance policies in UK. They are single trip insurance which is best for a trip in a year anywhere in the world; multi-trip or annul trip which suits the people who travel for more than once in a year; adventurous travel insurance which is for the people who like to travel to adventurous places; business trip insurance policies–to cover the people who travel frequently for business purposes.

One of the first things that you need to decide before buying any travel insurance in UK is the type of coverage that you will need. If you are not a frequent traveler, then it is better for you to purchase single-trip travel insurance policy; but if you are a regular traveler, it would be more cost-effective and economical to buy annual travel insurance for you and your families.

Different types of cover that come under travel insurance in UK are:

*Medical treatments: If you fall sick or are injured during you travel, the travel insurance will pay for the costs of treatments.

*Flight cancellation: If your flight is being canceled for any reason, your travel insurance policy will cover you.

*Loss of personal belongings: Your travel insurance will cover if your luggage or your moneybag is stolen during a trip.

Whatever may be the reason; your travel insurance will cover for the costs involved in your travel that may happen because of any uninvited or unexpected circumstances.

Before buying any travel insurance in UK, make sure you have read the policy document of the insurance that you will buy carefully. More important than this, is to do a comprehensive study of all the insurance companies and their quotes available in the marketplace of UK. With the coming up of the internet facilities, now all the companies have fed everything under the sun about travel insurance, in their websites. Your work will be to sit in front of your PC and search the quote and the policy that fits you the best.
About the Author

Henry Bell is an author who can certainly identify the kind of insurance that you will need. He is proficient in the insurance world; he is an MBA(finance) from University of Oxford. Insuranceb.co.uk endeavors to find the best possible deals for its customers. To find cheap home insurance, travel insurance in UK, home Insurance in UK, van insurance, motorcycle insurance, holiday insurance visit http://www.insuranceb.co.uk

I guess the biggest question is, are you getting the online promotion you want? Are you getting enough traffic? Are you using an article marketing strategy? If the answer to all those questions is no, then maybe you need to add articles to your web arsenal of promotion techniques.Reasons why articles need to be a part of your online business promotion:1) Articles specifically target the demographics of visitors that you need to get to your web site to spend money. How do you know? Think about this, unlike someone who clicks on your PPC ad or any other kind of ad you run, and has only a headline and maybe 2-3 lines of text to make a decision about whether to become your web site visitor, the article reader is only going to click in if they like your content, if your content is useful to them. And that is powerful if you are writing articles that directly pertain to the subject matter of your web site.2) Articles give you name recognition. Let me ask you this, are you more likely to buy from someone whose name you have seen several times, on several different web sites, or from someone you met clicking on a PPC link? Think about that. You see, your visitors are very similar to you – they are not just numbers, they are a real live person, with real live needs.3) Articles give you credibility. Once again, put yourself in the buyers shoes. If you are a buyer, and you have the opportunity to read some information by the person you are getting ready to spend $97 with, are you more likely to buy from them? Of course, especially if you get something out of the article they wrote – you will assume that the quality of their paid products will be high also! So write and post articles!Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, ?Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide?Download it free here: Secrets of Article PromotionDo you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List BuildingSean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 400 articles in print and 8 published ebooks.

The ongoing breakthrough in the mobile industry is admittedly remarkable. The most ingenious development in the mobile world is the introduction of third generation technology – offering mobile internet at broadband speed, impeccable data connectivity, multimedia applications, productivity tools and lots more. The new age Smart phones are so advanced that they can even replace computers. What else, users can expect in a mobile phone. These high end featured mobile phones are mushrooming in the mobile market and consumers are getting more options than ever before.

However, mobile manufacturers are facing more completions among their rivals. As a consequence, leading manufacturers are doing their best and introducing phones that are stylish, user-friendly and more advanced. In the same fray, Nokia has also done its best and giving a tough fight to its counterparts. The addition of the Nokia N80 in the N series portfolio is just another expedient from the company. The phone is equipped with latest features such as a 3.0 mega-pixel camera, unparalleled multimedia applications, UPnP technology and miniSD card for more memory space. The Nokia N80 also comes equipped with Symbian Operating System – that allows other compatible features and software’s to download.

UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) technology is a new feature that offers digital home network experience – enabling users to access PC’s, audio equipments and TV’s from the mobile phone. The phone acts like a remote control and users can access all these compatible equipments from the phone. The camera and music features on the other hand, provide excellent picture and sound quality. Shoot pictures and videos or listen to your favourite music tracks on the move. With 3G, users experience fast data transfer and broadband speed mobile internet. Transfer data with or without wires in no time. Connect your mobile internet, surf, send and receive emails on the go. The Nokia N80 has everything and its a good move from the company.

Caitlin Lucy is a Expert Author. She has written good quality articles on Mobile phones and Sim Free Phones

Ever wondered what happened to Frank Solich?

You remember that guy: he was the coach at the University of Nebraska for six seasons. He was the loyal lieutenant who took over the Cornhuskers from Tom Osborne, proof positive that it’s never a good thing to be the guy who takes over from The Guy. After compiling a 64-19 record as Nebraska’s head man, Solich was callously and controversially fired in favor of Beau Bridges. (Okay, no, it wasn’t Beau Bridges; it was Bridges-look-alike Bill Callahan.)

Solich took a year off, then in 2005 took over the moribund football program at Ohio University (which is, if you’ll allow the digression, quite a long way in prestige, if not geography, from THE Ohio State University). Jim Grobe turned Ohio into a good-not-great MAC team after taking over an 0-11 program in 1995, but Grobe jumped to Wake Forest after the 2000 season (and let’s face it, he didn’t exactly have the greatest record at Ohio: 33-33-1). Between Grobe and Solich came four years of Brian Knorr, who undid just about everything Grobe did, to the tune of 11-35. Solich took over last year, and went 4-7.

Things have gone better in 2006. Ohio is 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the always-exciting MAC, currently tied with Kent St. in the MAC East (and they own the tiebreaker, having upended the Golden Flashes on the road last week). It’s not a great team by MAC standards, but it’s won a conference-high four straight, including an upset win at the University of Illinois just three weeks ago. What’s gone best for the Bobcats has been their defense: they’re currently 15th in the nation in terms of passing yards allowed per game, and have picked off seven passes compared to allowing eight TDs. Ohio has traveled to Rutgers, Missouri and Illinois (as well as a silly game against I-AA Tennessee-Martin); if you just count the team’s five conference games, they’ve allowed just over 15 points and 278 total yards per game. In the typically-high-flying MAC, that’s pretty darn good. The Bobcats have eight returning starters on offense, and seem to be gelling there as well, especially on the ground: during this four-game win streak, Ohio is averaging 26.5 points scored and 210 yards rushing per game. At the same time, they’ve got the 108th-best passing offense in Division 1 football; this truly is a mini-Nebraska circa Three Yards And A Cloud Of Dust.

On the road against Eastern Michigan this week, I think that’ll work. The Eagles are 106th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (a whopping 181), and also give up 4.9 yards per carry. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a blinking red light. Eastern Michigan allowed 178 rushing yards to Western Michigan last weekend, 175 to Toledo before that, 159 to Bowling Green before that, 179 to Louisiana-Lafayette before that, 176 to Central Michigan…oh, heck, you get the point. This huge rush-defense number is no outlier: the Eagles are challenged on the defensive side of the ball. Plus, on offense, Jeff Genyk’s team has scored a MAC-worst 16 points per conference game. Three different quarterbacks have started for Genyk — Andy Schmitt, Tyler Jones and Dontayo Gage — but the team’s sacks and interceptions outweigh their touchdown passes. Overall, Eastern Michigan is 1-7, and 1-4 in MAC games.

Ohio has probably been better at home than on the road, though their only conference loss did come in Athens. Eastern Michigan has only hosted two games so far this year, and will play three of their next four in Ypsilanti. This line opened at Ohio by 4.5, but zoomed quickly to 6.5. But the trends look good for the Bobcats, too. They’re 4-0 against the spread during this modest winning streak, and 4-1 ATS in their conference games this year. Eastern Michigan, for their part, is 1-4 ATS versus winning teams, and 2-5 ATS as a home underdog. Most of all, I like the Solich running game, paced by Kalvin McRae and his 11 touchdowns, to dominate the clock and the scoreboard against the rush-defense-challenged Eastern Michigan. The march to the MAC title game continues this weekend, and I’ll take Ohio (-6.5) at Eastern Michigan.

Last Week: Ohio State didn’t even bother making it interesting against Minnesota, shutting out the hapless Gophers, 44-0. Taking the Buckeyes and giving the 27 points was the right thing to do, and thus I’m exceedingly glad I recommended that you do it. That cover puts us at 6-3 against the spread so far this year.

Christopher Harris is a featured writer for the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com.

Football Fans Get Alternatives To CableSubmitted By: Daniel Millions [See Author's Biography]

You could ask any football fan what they’re doing on game day, and you’ll get the same answer: enjoying the only sport worth paying a cable bill for. But recent technology has made cable obsolete along with the bills! But does this new technology stack up to the reliability of cable?

Prerequisites to Throwing the Cable Bill Away:

If you’re eager in throwing the cable bill away, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met. First, the technology works over the internet- so a decent computer and internet connection needs to be present. (If all else fails simply go to a computer cafe or library it is free football coverage after all!)

If the game is indeed going to be watched on a computer, the internet connection should be considered high-speed. This isn’t mandatory, but it allows for a much smoother and higher quality capture of the game. In some cases, 56K users have to wait extended periods of time to watch the game without interruption.

Live Sports- and More:

It’s great to be able to watch the football game on the internet, but the technology that empowers us to watch live sports coverage also doubles over as an all-in-one entertainment source.

Football fans will appreciate these extras when waiting in between games. Other content such as movies, news, and entertaining channels are available in addition to sports. But the avid football fan might not even get the chance to explore these other channels of media- as a software recorder will allow any football buff to watch any game at any time!

If it looks like this new online technology is starting to replace cable, we can’t say it’s not true. Cable companies will have to compete with the new online technology if they wish to stay running- or at least lower cable bills. Either way, the expanding online technology is starting to cover all types of media- not just football coverage.

Further Shortcomings of Cable:

The number one pitfall to cable is that it requires viewers to be present at the time of the game. With today’s hectic lifestyle becoming more and more common, this is just asking too much from society.

Another large advantage this online football streaming technology offers is to cater to needs regardless of time. If a favorite football team is playing an important match and you have somewhere to be- just record it from the internet. It’ll be there for you when you get the time, meaning you can still socialize with friends and family about the game.

There is an argument that claims watching football online isn’t as social as watching it on the television. This is true; you can’t huddle too many friends around a computer screen and still relax with snacks or refreshments.

However, there is always the option to plug a laptop or computer into a port on the television with the right equipment. This will give the impression that the game is actually on the TV- allowing the social event to continue without the price associated with cable.

Final Thoughts on Watching Football:

If you haven’t already tried out the new online football streaming technology, it’s time you did so. The advent of new technology is starting to push older outdated technologies into the past. With all the benefits of this new technology so apparent, it does indeed look like football streaming technology is staying for good.
About the Author:

Watch live Footy and Live UEFA Cup right now!

Article Tags: cable, football, technology

Failure to take your medications, what doctors refer to as “compliance failure,” remain a problem in the treatment of many medical conditions.

Studies that evaluate how frequently patients miss their medications are unsettling. For certain life-threatening conditions, such as insulin-dependent diabetes or seizure disorders, compliance is very high. But for conditions in which it is unlikely that the patient will feel different on any given day, such as having high cholesterol or glaucoma, compliance is much worse.

So it should come as no surprise that compliance with macular degeneration supplements might also be a problem.

VisiVite.Com discovered that over 25% of their customers were under-treating their macular degeneration.

How did they discover this?

Their Sight For Life subscription service automatically sends patients 3 bottles of VisiVite and 1 bottle of Co-Defense Multivitamins with free shipping every three months. Ideally, customers should be nearly finished with their vitamins just as the next shipment is arriving.

But many customers contacted them, reporting that they were not finished with their current vitamin supply. When a customer states that he or she has half a bottle remaining, the math is easy. That person is missing 1 out of every 6 doses.

But some customers said that they had almost 2 bottles of VisiVite remaining by the time they received their next shipment. When this occurred, they discovered a disturbing truth.

MANY MACULAR DEGENERATION VITAMIN USERS ARE INCORRECTLY TAKING FEWER TABLETS/CAPSULES PER DAY RATHER THAN THE RECOMMENDED DOSAGE!

In other words, they are getting only half of the daily dose!

Listed below are the proper daily dosages for popular macular degeneration vitamins:

* ICaps AREDS: 2 tablets twice daily
* Ocuvite Preservision: 2 tablets twice daily
* Preservision Gelcaps: 1 capsule twice daily
* Paul Harvey Premier Ocular Nutrition: 2 capsules twice daily
* VisiVite Original, Smokers, E-Free and i-Defense Formulas: 1 capsule twice daily

Although you might think that there would be SOME benefit to taking fewer capsules per day, the scientific research says otherwise.

Many studies prior the National Eye Institute’s Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) which was published in 2001, looked at nutritional supplementation in preventing the progression of macular degeneration. Prior to AREDS, no study was able to show benefit. What made AREDS unique was that the DOSAGES of antioxidants and zinc were significantly higher than had been previously used. AREDS therefore showed that there is a CRITICAL MINIMUM AMOUNT of nutrients required to positively impact eye disease. There is NO DATA to support the fact that taking half the recommended regimen of macular degeneration vitamins is effective.

So, to obtain benefit from macular degeneration vitamin supplements, you must take the proper number of capsules as recommended on the package!

?2006, Vitamin Science Inc, www.visivite.com
Vitamin Science, manufacturers of VisiVite nutritional supplements for eye health, such as VisiVite i-Defense Gold Formula (http://www.visivite.com/premier-eye-vitamin.html) has garnered frequent accolades in their development of vitamin supplements for macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome and in their public education regarding issues affecting senior eye health.

About the Author
2006, Vitamin Science Inc, www.visivite.com
Vitamin Science, manufacturers of VisiVite nutritional supplements for eye health, such as VisiVite i-Defense Gold Formula (http://www.visivite.com/premier-eye-vitamin.html) has garnered frequent accolades in their development of vitamin supplements for macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome and in their public education regarding issues affecting senior eye health.

Back again with more great home improvement tips. Ways to improve the usability and appearance of your home, as well as the market value of your real estate property.

In part one of Home Improvement Tips to Increase the Market Value of your Home we discussed kitchen remodeling ideas, various aspects of bathroom remodeling, and the ins and outs of wall paneling. We also hit upon other types of remodeling that increase the market value of a home, including the use of water features and tiled floor.

In part 2 we will discuss creative ways to increase storage space in various areas of the house, wallpapering techniques to help insure success, and handy tips that make home improvement projects proceed a little easier.

Creative Ways to Increase Storage

Whether you lack storage area in your kitchen, bedroom, or entry way there are creative ways to increase storage space quickly, easily, and affordably.

Halls for instance, although often overlooked, usually have long walls with ample space for storage. A single open shelf installed a foot or so from the ceiling will not impede movement even in narrow halls. It provides storage space for items such as umbrellas, hats, scarves, gloves, and folded sweaters and outer jackets.

Wide halls are perfect for floor to ceiling shelves. Be sure and leave at least 36-inches of floor space for traffic flow.

Hide-Away Storage

Recycle old dresser drawers to make under-the-bed storage bins in a bedroom that lacks adequate storage space. Fasten small casters to the bottom of the drawers so they slide easily in and out from under the bed. These quick and easy storage bins are perfect for seasonal clothing, extra linens and blankets.

Increase Kitchen Shelf Space

A slide-in shelf made of ?? plywood provides double the storage space under the sink. Allow room for the trap when determining shelf height; cut two side supports to that height. Cut the shelf ?? shorter than the inside width of the cabinet. Sand shelf and side supports; apply one or two coats of polyurethane, allowing drying time between each coat. Attach the shelf to the side supports using 6d finishing nails; slide shelf into place under the sink.

Add storage boxes made from ?? veneer-grade plywood to the area between the ceiling and tops of kitchen cabinets. Butt the boxes together; cover joints with strips of molding. Cover exposed plywood edges with iron-on veneer tape.

These type storage bins are perfect for storing pots and pans, and large serving dishes. Use the shelf over the kitchen sink area to display attractive plants, baskets, or knick-knacks.

Create Extra Storage and Seating

Another great home improvement tip suitable for nearly any room in the house is to create extra storage and seating space along a window wall. Line the wall beneath a large window with sturdy low cabinets for added storage. Install a ?? high-grade plywood platform over the cabinets for added seating.

Sand and paint, stain, or polyurethane the platform to match the cabinets. Finally, top the platform off with cushions.

Helpful Wallpapering Tips

Wallpaper can be a very cost-effective, dramatic way to alter the appearance of a room. And with the variety of types, textures, and styles now available, the right choice in wallpaper can be used to create just the right mood in a particular room: inviting and warm, sophisticated and formal, soothing and relaxing. Wallpaper can also be used to custom match walls to the room’s furnishings for an elegant designer touch.

Not everyone, however, has the skill or the patience to properly apply wallpaper to the walls so that the finished project is eye-appealing instead of an eyesore. You may feel more comfortable hiring a professional interior house designer or wallpaper hanging professional.

If you decide to do the job yourself, the following tips will help get you started and smooth out some of the rough spots associated with wallpapering.

Preparing the Walls

If walls have an existing wall covering, you must decide whether or not you should remove it before hanging new wallpaper. If the old covering is un-textured, just one layer thick, and still adhered to the wall tightly, you generally can leave it in place. Vinyl, foil, and plastic film wallpapers, however, generally do not cover well.

If old wallpaper remains on the wall, glue down any loose areas. Wash the surface with detergent and a very mild solution of household bleach and water. When completely dry, apply a primer made for use under wallpaper.

If the wall covering has to be removed, use a steamer or chemical wallpaper remover. Applying the remover with a pressurized garden sprayer speeds up the process. Position the tip of the sprayer several feet away from the wall; spray liberally. Allow the remover to soak in before removing the old wall covering. Be sure and wear goggles and gloves during this process.

To reduce mess, use old sheets and bedspreads as drop cloths to catch the strips of old wall covering as it is removed. Discard the strips before they dry to the drop cloth.

After walls are completely stripped, wash them with clean hot water and household bleach; – cup bleach to 2 gallons of water is fine. Allow walls to dry thoroughly before wallpapering; usually 2 or 3 hours, or several days if it is humid.

Patterned Wallpaper; Tricky Business

Hanging patterned wallpaper can be tricky business. Follow the helpful tips below to help insure success.

If the new wall covering has a large pattern, center the first strip on a main wall or at the focal point of the room, such as a fireplace or window, then work away from one side. Stop when you get to an inconspicuous place for the mismatch strip. Go back to the center strip and work your way around the other side until you come to the mismatch spot.

Many patterned wallpapers are ?mirror images.? The pattern at the top is the same as the pattern on the bottom. Some patterned wallpapers, however, are not. And even diamond and striped patterns – although they may look the same – can have shading that is different at each end. When that is the case, mark the pasted side of the top of each piece with an ?X? as you cut it from the roll to ensure you don’t hang any pieces upside down.

Notes:

Even if you tackle some home improvement projects yourself, you may want to hire a remodeling contractor for some of the projects detailed in this article.

It only takes a minute to post your home remodeling project online at HandyCanadian.com, and it doesn’t cost a cent. Qualified contractors in your area will bid competitively on your project, offering you better service at a better price.

Uncertain as to how to select the right contractor for the right job? HandyCanadian.com has informative articles that can help navigate you through the hiring process. New articles are posted regularly, so don’t forget to check back soon for other helpful home renovation and home improvement tips.

Related Articles: Home Improvement Tips Part 1, Home Improvement Tips Part 3

Max Sheppard is Co-Owner of HandyCanadian.com. HandyCanadian.com
is your one-stop renovation and home improvement resource website: where homeowners locate
professional home renovation contractors. HandyCanadian.com also offers free
Home Improvement and Garden tips.