Macon

Many people fret the rising tide of interest rates. Youll hear things like, Did I miss the boat? Is it too expensive now to buy a home? How can I afford the house of my dreams? Maybe I should wait! Maybe I should just rent for a while! Maybe the rates will go down in a few weeks.

Stop! Nonsense, I say!

I bought my first home at close to 9%. Buyers from the 80s told me I was getting in at a bargain, and anyway, who cares? I dont. I refinanced long, long, long ago. 9% is just a part of history now.

So, heres 5 important points you need to keep in mind, when the ebb and flow of interest rates, ebbs up, more than it flows down

1.Theres no better time, then NOW!

2.Long Term Investing

3.Creative Financing

4.Uncreative Financing

5.Buying a Home when Rates go Down

1.Theres no better time, then NOW!:

I know it sounds clich, but its true. Theres no better time to buy, then now. Why?

a)Because if rates are going up, then the law of supply and demand insists that the rising price of homes will likely slow down.

b)Since appreciation slows down when rates go up, this is an opportunity to buy at a perceived discount

c)Remember, rates fluctuate, and nothings forever. So, its more important to get your darned foot in the door, right now. You can always refinance later, as rates ebb and flow back down. Youll still have the benefit of having gotten into the house, at a lower, discounted price, and you can then enjoy both a low rate when you refinance, alongside knowing that you got the house when prices slowed down, maximizing the gain when appreciation revs back up again.

See what I mean? Dont wait. It only gets more expensive. Theres always, no better time, then NOW!

2.Long Term Investing:

If this is your first home, then you have to think beyond the next year or so, and move your frame of reference into a longer futuristic point of view.

a)Are you going to live in the same house, for at least 5 years?

b)Most of us would answer yes, therefore, you need to be more concerned with real estate in the long term, lets say beyond 5 years, and you need to be less concerned with the short term rise and fall of rates. Youll drive yourself nuts otherwise.

c) 5 years is a pretty solid range of time, for rates to go both up, and down. In other words, history proves that for the most part, youll live through the ebb and flow of rising and falling rates, as a homeowner, and you know what? Youll survive; in fact, youll thrive, because youll enjoy a net gain in appreciation over the long term.

So rates go up and down in the short term, but in the long term, real estate always appreciates, and that means that homeowners always win.

3.Creative Financing:

This is the good stuff. When rates go up, opportunities abound. You see, many homeowners, builders, and developers, find themselves in more negotiable positions because of the laws of supply and demand. Surplus rises, and buyers slow down.

a)If financing is an issue, then you may be able to negotiate with the owner to carry the note, and completely bypass more conventional lending institutions.

b)If affordability is an issue, then perhaps youll find many more re-sales out there, perhaps fixer-uppers, ready to negotiate for a lower price (Can you say, built in equity?)

c)If discounts and incentives are your game, then perhaps youll locate some developers anxious to move inventory, with a flare for adding a rebate, or doing youre landscaping, or building that retaining wall you wanted.

The key here (and this is very important), is to find an excellent real estate agent. I cant stress enough, how important it is to have someone on your side, who understands the lay of the land. Dont go at it alone. Just go find someone knowledgeable, who you can trust, and who is ready and willing to roll up their sleeves, and go to work for you.

4.Uncreative Financing:

As of the writing of this article, rates are still very, very low. Anything below 7%, for a fixed rate, in my opinion, is totally workable.

a)Between 1979 and 1990, fixed interest rates ranged from 11% to 16% on average. This is highly unusual historically, of course, but it is an excellent benchmark, when you evaluate how good, or bad, things are right now.

b)So as youre exploring your choices, dont lose sight of the big picture. Getting your foot in the door is more valuable, then being left out in the cold.

c)One other important point. For all those homeowners that purchased in the 80s, do you think theyre terribly concerned now about the ebb and flow of rates? Do you think they kept their 11% fixed rate loan, or do you think they refinanced when it dropped down to 6% (or paid the house off by now). Id venture a guess, that virtually all of them; have a nice, hefty, bulky, attractive pot of equity sitting on their front porch step today.

5.Buying a Home when Rates Go Down:

When rates go down, of course, its obvious that getting a loan and buying a house is extremely attractive.

a)But when rates go down, there is a lack of homes on inventory.

b)Can you say, Non-negotiable, or bidding war, or oops, sorryAlready sold!

c)When rates go down, the seller is in the drivers seat, and the buyer is running around with checkbook in hand, yelling Where do I sign?

Keep that in mind. Which would you prefer? Personally, I dislike high rates, but I LOVE being in the drivers seat. I guess in the end, youve just got to work with whatever environment exists today. Any way you look at it, you cant stop and wait until the cards stack up in your favor. You just have to dive in, and get started. If you like to be creative, if you like opportunities, and if you like to be in the drivers seat then rising rates shouldnt bother you in the slightest. Renting is more of a crime to your finances, in the long run.

Weve enjoyed providing this information to you, and we wish you the best of luck in your pursuits. Remember to always seek out good advice from those you trust, and never turn your back on your own common sense.

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Copyright 2005, by http://www.Loans-Directory.Org, This article is available in full format at: When Rates Go Up, Tom Levine provides a solid, common sense approach to solving problems and answering questions relating to consumer loan products. His website seeks to provide free online resources for the consumer, including rate-watch, tips and articles, financial communication, news, and links to products and services.

"The check's in the mail". "No, you don't look fat in that". "You don't look that old". These are familiar exaggerations, white lies or what my grandmother called Pinocchio noses.

A building contractor nose how to convince you the remodeling will be done on time. A used car dealer nose how to make an old car look good. A lawyer nose how to make his client look innocent.

When I was an innocent child and the doctor said, "This won't hurt", I was too busy looking at the lollypop to see if his nose got longer. Now I watch the doctor's nose very carefully.

I listen very carefully when charities call to ask for donations. Although the "Do Not Call List" doesn't apply to charitable organizations, I don't feel very charitable if the charities won't send their requests by mail. Pinocchio noses know that would be mail fraud. They also know they would need a nose guard in prison.

Pinocchio noses used to notify you by mail that you'd won large amounts of money. Now they notify you by e-mail. Either way there are strings attached. Either way the notifications are "Gipetto-ized".

Teasers are used on local, television news to keep us from turning the channel. "Alien sighting next" or "Cure for cellulite when we come back". After six or more commercials they come back, but the teaser is carried over to the next segment of the newscast. Do local newscasters have long noses because they tease or because they have the nose for news?

There are a lot of television ads for weight-loss products. Some are for weight-loss drinks. Others are for pills or prepared foods. Maybe the makers of these products really could lose five pounds in one week if they cut off their noses.

When you go to the movies, you sit through fifteen minutes of previews for upcoming movies. Occasionally you see one you like. However, when it's advertised in the newspaper, the flattering quotes are from the" Iowa City Gazette" and "Movie Magazine". Ebert and Roeper's noses stay out of it.

Politicians should have the longest noses of all - especially when they're campaigning - when they're promising whatever you want to hear. I've never seen a politician with a Pinocchio nose, but I've never seen both hands of politicians when they're making promises. They're crossing their fingers. It's as plain as the nose on your face.

KNIGHT PIERCE HIRST takes humorous looks at life. Take a minute to make yourself smile at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Today, one in every four or five babies and toddlers suffer from dry skin. This makes them prone to more serious skin conditions such as eczema. Since their skin is more delicate than adults' skin, it is important to know the ins and outs of skin care for them.

Causes of Baby Dry Skin

When the baby is born, she is initially covered in a slippery coat of amniotic fluid. During the first several days, her skin may still not be used to such a dry environment and develop patches of dry skin and redness. Dryness in the air, such as during winter and inside heated homes, can also strip her skin of moisture.

Doting parents may be tempted to give the baby daily baths to make sure she stays clean. What most people don't know is that daily baths are unnecessary, and may actually harm and dry the skin even more. Summer is also a time for swimming in the pool and the ocean, especially for active toddlers. The salt and chlorine have drying effects on the skin and can cause rashes.

Prevention and treatment of baby dry skin

Adding a humidifier or vaporizer in the baby's room will help control the moisture content in the air and help hydrate her dry skin. When the temperature gets too cold, it is often a better idea to give the baby more clothes to wear instead of turning the heat up; doing so will lower the humidity. During the summer, take steps to protect the baby from sunburn. Give her gloves or mittens during the winter, both to protect against dropping humidity levels and scratching.

When it comes to washing the baby, a bath every three or four days is actually enough to give her a measure of protection against dry skin. As the baby grows and begins to crawl and get dirty, a bath scheduled every other day is reasonable; just make sure to avoid bubble baths as much as possible, as soap and lather tends to dry the skin. It is often enough to simply sponge areas that look dry during the day.

While giving baby a bath, it is advisable to use warm water instead of hot, as hot water dries the skin. It is also a good idea to cut down the bath time to ten minutes or so-any longer will sap most of the moisture from her skin. Don't use soap on the baby. Instead, use a soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser. Soap, as in every other possible case, dries the skin. Within a few minutes after the bath, pat her dry and apply a moisturizer, lotion, or emollient. This will lock in the moisture her skin took in from the bath and keep her skin supple until the next bath time. Make sure the moisturizer has no dyes and heavy perfumes, as these can irritate and dry skin.

When washing the baby's clothes, wash them in a batch separate from the clothes of other members of the family. Do not use laundry soap and fabric softeners on her clothes, as the detergents can irritate her dry skin and cause allergies. Tea-tree oil and baking soda has been advised in the past as a substitute for laundry detergents. During the day, make sure the child isn't dressed too tightly, and try to avoid any wool or nylon in her wardrobe. Wool, as well as other synthetic materials, has rough edges which easily causes irritation, especially on the baby's delicate skin. Disposable and cloth diapers are both fine and acceptable for babies. There is only one rule to remember about diapers: if it's wet, change it. Many parents leave disposable diapers on their babies for too long, until the core bursts and exposes the baby's skin to more than just wetness.

Toddlers love to play in the water, and trips to the beach or the pool are often in order during the summer. To protect against dry skin caused by salt and chlorine, rinse the child completely in tap water after swimming, then apply a good moisturizer. As a general rule for children, the thicker the moisturizer, the better.

Consult your doctor

Regularly check your child's skin for any dry skin and redness. While eczema is often treatable with regular applications of moisturizers, it is often best to see the child's doctor if the redness does not disappear or if the child is always uncomfortable. Red, dry skin may also be an indication of icthyosis, a genetic medical condition. As dry skin gets worse, it may break, swell, or get infected.

It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor if your child's dry skin problems worry you. Schedule a visit if her dry skin does not respond to home treatments.

www.dryskinsite.com brings you all the latest information you need to combat your dry skin problems. There's nothing to buy, just really helpful information. Be sure to check out pages like Baby Dry Skin

Food Therapy should be followed under the supervision from your doctor. Check your sugar level frequently so that sugar levels do not go beyond the recommended level

Foods to avoid

It is always advisable to avoid some foods if you are diabetic such as refined sugar, sweets, syrups, glucose, jam, molasses, fruit sugar, ice-cream, cakes, pastries, sweet biscuits, chocolates, soft drinks, condensed milk, cream and fried foods. Fats like butter, ghee and hydrogenated vegetable oil should also be avoided. White sugar and white flour should be reduced drastically. Avoid all processed foods, junk food, pastries, cookies, canned and preserved foods. They contain harmful preservatives and lot of salt. Avoid soft drinks since these have a lot of sugar. Try to avoid fried foods from your diet. Smoking results in the using up of oxygen in the body. It will result in less of oxygen needed by the body to metabolize glucose. So smoking should be avoided.

Foods to be limited

Salt consumption should be reduced to a minimum. You will get enough salt form the vegetables and fruits you eat. Reduce animal foods especially red meats. Reduce poultry and egg. Reduce caffeine and alcohol. Do not drink tea and coffee more than 2 cups a day. Try to replace it with green tea or herbal teas like Parsley tea, Blueberry leaf, Tea made of tender walnut tree leaves, Water in which kidney bean pods have been cooked is good diabetes.

Do not consume alcohol in empty stomach. Alcohol on an empty stomach can cause low blood glucose or hypoglycemia.Foods that should be consumed in moderation are honey and other natural sugars like palm sugar, dates which can be used instead of white sugar. Remember these should be consumed in very little quantity only.Pasta, coconut, other nuts, unsweetened juices, eggs should be limited. You can replace it with whole grain, unpolished rice and Soya products. Try to eat whole grain bread instead of white flour. Fats like olive oil and peanut oil are more advisable that hydrogenated fats. Low fat food like skimmed milk and low fat home made cottage cheese can be taken in moderation. You can also substitute it with yoghurt. Sea food and fish also can be taken in moderation.

Foods to be taken

Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. An alkaline diet with natural food is recommended. Wholegrain, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and dairy products form a good diet for the diabetic. Raw vegetables can be taken in high quantities. It has been found that cooked foods raise blood glucose higher than raw, unpeeled foods. Cooking destroys many of the enzymes and some vitamins and minerals.

Eat at least five fruits every day. Fruits like grape fruit, pomegranate juice, Indian blackberry, banana, granny smith apples, fig, cranberries, black berry, kiwi fruits, and citrus fruits are highly recommended. It can be taken as a snack. Cucumber, Lettuce, onion, garlic string beans cucumber radish, tomato, carrot, leaves; spinach turnip, cabbage and Jerusalem artichoke are good for diabetes. Colorful vegetables are good for the functioning of pancreas. Drink Fruit juices without sugar. Brewers yeast and sprouted alfalfa and mung beans are good for the body. Unripe banana also can be cooked and eaten.

The most important of all is eating high fiber diet which lowers need for insulin. It releases energy into the body slowly. It has also been found that diabetes decreases and may even disappear in people eating a high fiber or whole food diet. High fiber diet has more chromium and chromium is very good for people with diabetes. Eat lot of potassium rich foods like raw peanuts, tomato, bananas, melons, dried peas, potatoes, apple cider vinegar, skimmed milk powder, wheat but do not take potassium supplements.

Include soluble fiber in your meals like barley, oatmeal, almond meal, dried beans, kidney beans, cooked black beans, peas, cereals, chickpeas, Bengal gram which has low glycemic index, , Black gram, lentils and corn or garbanzo beans to helps considerably in reducing blood sugar levels. Soy products like tofu, tempeh, soymilk, soya powder, soy bean sprouts, nuggets etc are also very good in containing neurological complications in diabetes. You can make bread out of any of the whole grains. Get a lot of soluble fiber into your diet. When you eat lots of bread, cereal and starchy vegetables you will get enough of starches which is very helpful for diabetes. Insoluble fibers, found in bran (oat bran, wheat bran), whole grain breads, whole grains and nuts, act as intestinal scrubbers by cleaning out the lower gastrointestinal tract. Fiber cleans your intestinal tract by moving out the food so that it wouldnt stay there and putrefy. Butter milk and yoghurt diet are very beneficial.

Helpful herbs and vegetables

1. Bitter Gourd (Karela): Bitter gourd Momordica-charantia or bitter melon juice contains plant insulin and should be taken 2 ounce 2 times daily on an empty stomach. It is found to be very effective for diabetes. Or It can be cooked as any vegetable and eaten. Or The bitter melon powder can be made by drying. Take bitter gourd powder I teaspoon daily in empty stomach.
2. Taking half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may help prevent the onset of diabetes. Even soaking a cinnamon sticks in your tea, could also benefit non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.
3. 30 gram fenugreek seeds can be soaked in a glass of water at night and after 12 hours take it and grind it into a paste with the soaked water and drink it on a empty stomach. Or 2 teaspoon if powdered seeds can be taken with water or milk. Or You can add fenugreek into anything you cook.
4. Eating upto 3 grapefruits a day has also been helpful.
5. 1 tablespoon of amla (Emblica officinalis) after removing the seeds extract the juice and mix with a cup of bitter gourd juice and take daily for 2months in a empty stomach.
6. Gymnema Sylvestre a traditional ayurvedic herb the leaf of which is to be taken up to 4 grams per day.
7. Indian blackberry seeds or Jamun seed powder (scientific name of Jamun is Eugenia jambolana or Syzygium cumini L and) is very good for diabetes. Take 1/4th teaspoon with 1 teasoon honey for 50 days.
8. Eating freshly crushed raw garlic 3-4 grams a day lowers blood sugar. You can wash it down with a glass of water.
9. Neem seeds daily 2 times a pinch. Taking a gram of neem leaf daily helps in diabetes.
10. Bael (Aegle marmelos) : The leave of the bael tree when chewed are very useful in diabetes. Pulp of this fruit could be dried and taken in doses of 5 to 10 gms a day.
11. A pinch of pure turmeric powders mixed in amla juice (Indian goose berry) and eat daily in empty stomach.
12. Use of turmeric and gooseberry in equal quantities in powder form taken with warm water is very useful in this behalf. These activate the pancreatic cells and more insulin is produced.
13. Wild jeerakam cumin seeds black colored 60 gm in 1 liter and boil a reduce it ti 1/4th liter and take half divide it into two equal parts and drink one part in the morning and one in the evening 2 times daily.
14. Grind (Bacopa monnieri )Bhrahmi and add a teaspoon of it to milk and drink.

Vitamins that help

Supplements in natural forms are more conducive to the body. Magnesium supplementation has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. Vitamin C: 500 mg is recommended. Vitamin E: This vitamin is very valuable for diabetes. A daily dose of 200 i.u. of Vitamin E is recommended for a fortnight at a time. Chromium: Whole grains, seeds, mushrooms, corn oil and brewers yeast are relatively good sources of biologically valuable chromium. Vitamin A:. Take A dose of 15,000i.u. on alternate days. Vitamin B: Avoid large dosage of vitamin B because this vitamin interferes with the absorption of insulin by cells.

Things to do

Controlling your Weight is the best way to treat diabetes. Exercise improves the body's response to insulin. An exercise program should be started only with the advice of a doctor to avoid unnecessary complications. Walking, light games, jogging and swimming are also good.

Yoga can help a lot. To relieve stress do meditation once a day for 10 to 40 minutes. Yogic asanas like Siddhasana, Vajrasana, Talasana, Yastikasana,, like Yogamudra, Hastapadasana, Paschimottanasana, Chakrasana, Ustrasana, Bhujangasana, Sarvangasana and Viparitakarani, as halasana, shalabhasana, dhanurasana, Pratipaksabhavana and shavasana will also be beneficial.

Anita Cherrys is a health enthusiast who offers informative tips on certified organic products. For more information on health visit http://www.healthinfoforyou.com/an/natural-cure-for-diabetes.htm
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