The OKLU Blog

Your credit report is one of the most important pieces of information there is about you. Lenders use your credit report in combination with your credit score to decide whether or not they want to give you a loan for a house, car or other large purchase. Insurance companies can even use your credit report to determine your rates and employers can use the information it contains to make hiring and promotion decisions. With so much weighing on the information it contains, it is important that your credit report shows you in the best light.

Pay your bills on time

Even if your past record of paying bills on time isn’t favorable, if you start paying your bills on time and continue to do it month after month, that faithfulness will be reflected on your credit report. If you can pay down balances and show that you are getting your debt under control that will balance out bad marks on your credit that aren’t so recent.

Cancel excess credit card accounts

Creditors don’t just look at the amount of debt you currently have when considering you for credit. They also look at the propensity for debt in your future. For example if the credit limit on all of your existing credit cards totals $100,000 then you have the potential to go $100,000 into debt, possibly making it hard for you to make your house or car payment. Trim down the amount of open accounts that are in your name. If you have tons of department store cards in your wallet, that you never use, close them and report that you closed them to all three credit bureaus. Instead of having a separate gas credit card, use one general use card for your fuel purchases. Don’t open new department store accounts just to save on your first day of shopping. The 10% you save on a $50 purchase can cost you much more in higher interest rates on a home loan down the road.

Remove inaccuracies from your credit report

While you can’t legally remove true and accurate information from your credit report, if there are inaccuracies reported, those can be fixed. For example if there is an account on your credit report that you didn’t open or a closed account being reported as open, you can have this changes. Simply acquire the documentation that proves there is a mistake on your credit report and submit it along with a request in writing to fix your report to the credit bureau that has published the in accuracy.

View our recommended credit report company online.

Also, check out our recommended companies online to help you reduce debt, or view our recommended lenders for a poor credit home financing online.

“Where did he come up with that?” Kids often amaze us with their
imaginative ideas, and we should give ourselves a pat on the
back for playing a role in this development. Innovative thinking
is essential for success in school and in life, and it’s our job
as parents to nurture our kids’ innate desire to be creative.
Inventive play fosters original thinking, an asset when children
are confronted with new situations. By providing activities that
use their creativity and imaginations, we are giving our
children an important tool to deal with life down the road.

Give them ideas. Children come up with things to do on their
own, but we also need to provide them with new ideas of
interesting activities. Think back to what you did as a kid. Did
you write a diary, create elaborate puppet shows, or sing and
dance for relatives? Share ideas from your own childhood
experiences. Offer creative writing ideas like writing an
episode for a favorite television show or writing a new ending
to a favorite story. Craft projects offer another outlet for
inspiring imaginations. Craft kits, especially those from
Curiosity Kits and ALEX, offer a wide variety of unusual and fun
projects. They’ve brought us a long way from the sock puppets of
our youth. These manufacturers offer ideas and supplies to make
such things as scrapbooks, powerballs, soaps, candy, sun
catchers, dolls, planes, dinosaurs, jewelry treasures, and lots
of decorative items. Kids can gather ideas from the
instructions, and then give the projects their own unique
touches.

Keep ideas fresh. Pick up any parenting magazine and you’ll find
lots of ideas to get those creative juices flowing in your kids.
Search the web and check out craft stores. Keep a journal or
file for magazine clippings and ideas as you find them.
Stockpile so that you’ll know how to answer the whiny “I’m
bored” call from your kids.

Give them freedom. Once you’ve given your kids some suggestions
and supplies, step back and see which they choose and where they
go with them. This unstructured play time gives kids an
opportunity to stretch their creative muscles. Watch as they
incorporate your ideas and branch out on their own.

Set an example. Chances are, if you are a creative person, your
child will be too. You display creativity in your everyday
activities like when you reason with a disgruntled child, change
lyrics to songs, and maybe even do some interpretive dancing to
entertain a toddler. Your children see your silliness and it
rubs off on them. You surely use creativity to juggle your and
your family’s schedules. It’s a great idea to point out to your
kids how you use creativity in your daily life.

As parents, we always try to do the very best for our kids and
provide opportunities that will help them mature into
intelligent, capable adults. Nurturing their creative spirits
helps them along this road. With their well-developed
imaginations, maybe they’ll turn it into a yellow brick, pink
polka-dotted road with sparkles!

Bitter Melon is the English name of Momordica charantia, a climbing vine whose leaves and green fruits, although bitter, has been used to fight cancer, diabetes and many infectious diseases. It is also a powerful weapon against HIV/AIDS since some reports claim that bitter melon has substance Q. It is one of the most favorite egetables among the Chinese and the most popular herbal tea as well.

The fruits and leaves of bitter melon are a good source of minerals and vitamins, such as iron, calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin B. However, it is not known how much nutritional contents can actually be absorbed by the body’s digestive system of the plant become some of these substances exist in unabsorbable form.

Does Bitter Melon have Medicinal Properties?

Yes. Books and articles about bitter melon states that the extract from the leaves or roots shrinks hemorrhoids. The juice from the leaves is also good to prevent and lessen cough, for fever and against roundworms. Reportedly, it is also used to treat sterility in women and alleviate liver problems. Likewise, bitter melon has some antimicrobial activity and can help infected wounds.

However, none of the medicinal uses of bitter melon has been proven scientifically, although they have not been disproved, either. It’s just that it has not been studied enough.

Is it true that bitter melon tea and capsules are effective in lowering blood sugar of diabetics?

There is one case where it is proven that it can lower blood sugar levels from people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes. Results of these scientific studies that determine the effect of drinking of bitter melon extract on blood sugar level of Type 2 Diabetes have consistently shown that bitter melon lowers blood sugar level. The effect on blood sugar is due to momordicin, a substance that is also responsible for it’s bitter taste.

The effect of the bitter melon leaves lowering blood sugar level among diabetics is evident regardless of how it is prepared - boiled then eaten, in the form of tea, capsule or tablet. But diabetics should be cautioned about replacing their proprietary medicines with bitter melon teas, capsules or tablets. So far, studies were done only on a very limited number of human subjects so bitter melon and diabetes cannot be labeled conclusive.

In fact, no large clinical trial has yet been published on the preparation of Momordica charantia (bitter melon). The manufacturers of bitter melon teas, capsules and tablets themselves are not claiming healing benefits for their products. They market them only as supplements.

Are they really good substitutes fot the anti-diabetic drugs that are available in the market?

Bitter melon should be considered an addition in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. It could probably reduce the patients intake of antidiabetic drugs. It should not however, be regarded as a stand-alone medicine.

Also, diabetics who want to try bitter melon need not to spend money on the teas, tablets or capsules. They can cultivate or buy the plant from the market and prepare it themselves.

To prepare bitter melon extract, the following steps should be followed:

1. Wash and finely chop the leaves.

2. Add 6 tablespoons of the chopped leaves in 2 glasses of water.

3. Boil it for 15 min. in an uncovered pot.

4. Cool down and strain.

5. Drink 1/3 cup of it 3x a day.

Alternately, bitter melon tops can be steamed and eaten (1/2 cup 2x a day).

About The Author:
Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher and has been studying the causes of viruses since 1960s. In 1968, he invented Pyro-Energen, the first electrotherapy device that eradicates viral diseases in a non-narcotic way.
Click here to find out more: http://www.pyroenergen.com
Free newsletter: http://www.pyroenergen.com/newsletter.htm

You’ve wisely avoided sleeping pills, but you’ve tried just about everything else to get a better night’s sleep. You’ve cut caffeine and alcohol out of your diet. You’ve been going to bed at the same time every night. You’ve stopped watching television or reading right before bedtime. You’ve made your bedroom as dark and quiet as possible. But, despite all your efforts, you’re still having trouble falling or staying asleep.

And, now, you’re so worried and worked up about not being able to sleep well that you just can’t relax.

Maybe it’s time to try soaking in a sauna before you head to bed.

The home sauna is highly regarded around the world for its amazing ability to soothe and relax the human body inside and out. The comforting heat of a home sauna works to induce healthy perspiration; relieve sore, tired muscles; assist respiratory function; benefit blood pressure; cleanse skin, and stimulate endorphins. By elevating your body temperature in a sauna just before bedtime, you compel it to normalize itself afterwards, and it is this temperature change following the sauna bath that helps to improve the quality of your sleep.

Of course, other relaxing effects of the heat bath contribute to a better night’s sleep as well. Regular sauna bathers routinely report that spending time in a hot sauna helps them empty their minds of the worries, frustrations and anxieties that may have been plaguing them prior to bathing. And by helping to relieve any existing physical pain such as headaches, joint stiffness or muscle strain, a sauna bath can effectively disarm many of the aggravations that might have served as impediments to truly restful sleep.

Home saunas are available in many sizes and styles. Whether you purchase a prefab sauna room, a do-it-yourself sauna kit, a traditional Finnish sauna, or a far infrared sauna cabin, the sauna you buy should make a positive impact on the quality of your sleep as well as your physical and mental well-being.

Pertti Olavi Jalasjaa is the Finnish-born author of “The Art of Sauna Building,” an acclaimed reference book on sauna construction. He is also the general manager of Great Saunas, which has been manufacturing and selling high-quality saunas and sauna kits to sauna enthusiasts around the world since 1974. Visit Great Saunas online at http://www.greatsaunas.com.

Have you seen the new commercial and re-branding from Bill Ford and the Ford Motor Company? As you know Ford is in big trouble. So they seem to be changing their positioning and re-Branding. Here’s the brilliant re-positioning they came up with (and it pretty much includes everything):

1. American Auto Industry is facing new challenges and fierce competition: Ya think Bill? Maybe the writing has been on the wall for the last 15 years? Maybe Bill Ford was on a golf course somewhere counting his millions. You’re too late Mr. Ford! Telling us that you’re behind is like leaving the barn door open…we know it.

2. Ford is making new investments in R & D: Wow, Ford, you’re blazing a new trail…By the time you catch up to BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, Honda they’ll be out with their futuristic space age models that fly which will again put you 20 years behind. Face it Ford, we don’t buy your cars because of R & D. We use to buy your cars because they were American made and RELIABLE. Now they’re made everywhere and they are not RELIABLE (hmmm, am I hinting at the correct positioning Bill?). Since you can’t have the luxury, sports car markets why don’t you make your cars more RELIABLE.

3. Hybrids: Here’s what I think of Hybrids: It’s like when you go to a vending machine and look at the choices. You can pay an extra quarter and get some trendy healthy tastes bad power bar or you can reach in and grab old comfortable Snickers. Since we’ve branded a national vending company we already know the answer. Here it is; People say they want to eat healthy and they scream for it but when it comes time to buy they buy unhealthy. Same will apply to Hybrids (see Diesel cars).

4. Working with Volvo to find new safety innovations: Man oh man, why is it that company’s think they have to be everything to everyone. People who buy a Volvo buy it for the safety and for nothing else. What a great brand identity and brand image Volvo has. Kudos to Volvo for doing it right. But Ford, are people buying Ford’s for the safety aspect? I think not. Why is it anyone buys a Ford? That’s your secret weapon. Draw your line in the sand and then build your new Branding!

5. Retake the US roadways and as always innovation is leading the way: This coming from the worst innovative carmaker in the world. Here’s what Americans want from Ford. A good, RELIABLE car made in good old USA. Stop trying to be everything to everyone and your re-Branding will pay big dividends (wink, wink).

I wish Bill Ford would call me. I’ll set him straight lickedy split.

What do you think world? Let us know.

Scott White is President of Brand Identity Guru a leading Corporate Branding and Branding Research firm in Boston, MA.

Brand Identity Guru specializes in creating corporate and product brands that increase sales, market share, customer loyalty, and brand valuation.

Over the course of his 15-year branding career, Scott White has worked in a wide variety of industries: high-tech, manufacturing, computer hardware and software, telecommunications, banking, restaurants, fashion, healthcare, Internet, retail, and service businesses, as well as numerous non-profit organizations.

Brand Identity Guru clients include: Sun Life Financial, Coca Cola, HP, Sun, Nordstrom, American Federal Mortgage, Franklin Sports and many others, including numerous emerging growth companies.

This Article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks.

Jin Shin Acutouch has been practiced for more than thousand years. In a person’s body there is flow of energy and it is known as “Prana in India’” and “Chi” in China. Acutouch revitalizes the body by making the flow of blood correct and removing the blockages.

Jin Shin Acutouch technique is almost the same as acupuncture but fingers are used to make the energy flow in a perfect rhythm and removing the blockages. There are 26 points in our body in the front and back portion. When these points are touched (no pressure) lightly the body gets revitalized. If you put high pressure then the particular place could bruise or you could get rashes, so it is advised to touch it gently. The touch makes the free flow of “Chi”. Acutouch has been widely popular in Japan and China. It is slowly making a name in the western world. Acutouch helps in treating various illness and pain. It also helps in relaxing the body and mind.

It helps in treating nearly 140 ailments like high blood pressure, stroke, paralysis etc. Acutouch can be tried on any body and it as such has no known side effects. Acutouch uses nature’s power to heal and control pain. It is one of the safest and natural ways to treat pain in the body.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com/Answers/qn485.html

Green Tea has long been valued in China for its contribution to
good health. Popularity of Green tea in the United States
continues to grow, showing that green tea is a natural source of
antioxidants. These antioxidants help protect the body from
accelerated aging and increased risk of diseases. Decades of
research show that green tea inhibits the development of
undesirable cell colonies, thus making it the healthiest tea
available.

Green tea has higher contribution to health than other teas,
because of the way it is dried. Green Tea is organically grown
and the traditional drying technique used with Green Tea
prevents the tea from the negative effects of fermentation.
Green tea products come in potency levels. Some supplements
contain low potencies of the active polyphenols, while others go
as far as using un-standardized green tea leaf powder.

It has been proven that green tea is bursting with health
benefits. It acts as a powerful antioxidant, which has been
known to help prevent cancer, recover from the harmful
cholesterol, and protect against damage caused by free radicals.

Medical Benefits:

Green tea has many medical benefits, and is known for prevention
of the following diseases: Cancer, Rheumatoid Arthritis, High
Cholesterol, Cardiovascular Disease, Infection, and Impaired
Immune Function.

Other Benefits:

Promotes weight loss- the leaves of green tea plants help raise
metabolism in the body. By increasing the amount of calories
burned in a 24-hour period, green tea promotes weight loss.

Prevent bad breath- an element found in green tea decreases the
growth of odor-causing bacteria. It is said that drinking a cup
or two of green tea may help maintain fresh breath.

Reduce smoking risks- cigarette smokers who drink up to six cups
of green tea daily reduces their susceptibility to risks caused
by the toxins emitted in cigarette smoke.

Beauty remedy- green tea may be used to freshen up the face and
sooth tired or strained eyes. It can be applied to spots and
blemishes to lessen their visibility. Antiseptic properties-
Green tea is also known to treat minor cuts and rashes, and is
an effective treatment for sunburn.

Green teas inhibit the expression of antigens made by the body,
substances that can trigger an immune response.

National Cancer Institute reports that Green Tea has Cancer
preventing abilities and Cancer fighting components add new life
to the market. People who have relied on expensive anti-oxidant
products are finding that Green Tea is very economical and all
natural. Tea is one of the top selling consumable drinks, only
toped by water.

For more information, visit http://www.greenteainfocenter.com
and http://www.teainfocenter.com

Not everyone that is overweight should have gastric bypass surgery to help them lose weight. In many cases, this is simply not the right choice because of the health risks and the condition that some individuals are in. For those that this is the right choice for, though, there are many more things to think about besides the fact that you should lose weight with gastric bypass help.

In order for you to make the right decision for you, there are several steps that you should go through. Taking the time to go through them honestly with yourself will help you to get a better grasp on what lies ahead for you.

The first thing that you should understand and do is to find out if you are a candidate for gastric bypass at all. To do this, you will need to talk to your health care provider. They will talk to you about several things.

 Most will want you to try to lose weight for six months time naturally, telling you that you need to lose a certain percentage prior to being able to have consideration for the surgery in order to lower your risks.

 In most cases, health care providers will require that you be a certain percentage over your ideal body weight. Even if you are slightly below, they are likely to reject you for gastric bypass because the risks are not outweighed by the need.

 They will also inform you of the coverage of your insurance. Some insurance companies only cover this surgery if it is life threatening not to have it.

Once you have found out if you qualify for gastric bypass from your doctor, you need to still make some significant decisions. Choosing the right ones here will provide you with the best decision for your own well being.

The first step is emotional. You need to seek out counseling. In most cases, your health care provider will require this anyway. The task is to determine why you are overweight. For some, it is hereditary or otherwise out of their control. But, for the most, it is the fact that they are emotional eaters or stress eaters. Solving these emotional traumas can help to improve your chances of success in gastric bypass.

Then, you need to take a hard look at your physical consideration. While you may be thinking that this is the best way for you to improve your health, there are many risks that can go along with it. Your body is taxed from the surgery and the increase shock to a body that is already working hard is high. You will also need to cope with the fact that sometimes it doesn’t work as well as you would hope either. You will need to talk to your doctor at length about the ability that your body has to get through the surgery and to recover effectively.

But, this is not all. You still need to do some serious soul searching. Although you may think that this is going to be a great thing for you, the fact is that it will be heart wrenching, painful and emotionally devastating. You will find yourself asking questions such as these:

 Why didn’t people like me when I was overweight?

 Why wasn’t I good enough then?

 I’m the same person, but now they think I’m beautiful. Before I wasn’t.

These are very difficult and traumatic things to think about, but many patients of gastric bypass will need to seek additional counseling after their surgery to help them through it. Beforehand, though, you need to figure out if you can actually handle the pain and worry that is likely to follow the surgery. It is no small task to deal with.

Gastric bypass allows for individuals to receive some amazing benefits. Losing the weight that the body has carried around for so long will help individuals to feel better and to do more. Their heart and other organs can get back to working at a normal level as opposed to the higher levels that have been happening. This can prolong their expectancy. And, you can live better, do more and feel good with yourself.

Prior preparation for your gastric bypass will leave you open and raw emotionally. It will take time to work through the questions and concerns that you will have. And, it will be difficult to realize the why’s of this situation. Yet, when you do work through these things and find that gastric bypass is the right choice for you, you will greatly benefit from it. The key is to work through everything and to know what to expect. Gastric bypass will then be successful both physically and emotionally.

For more information about gastric bypass surgery visit http://www.gastric-bypass-information.com/. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice, link and URL remain intact.

Potty training fears, often called toilet terrors, are common among toddlers and small children. Look at things from your child’s perspective. He is giving up the security of a diaper for a big, cold thing with a giant hole that might swallow him. Up until this point, your child has been able to go in his diaper. He didn’t have to control himself until a potty was available. He could go anytime and anywhere, knowing that someone would always be there to change his diaper. The idea of having to go to a specific location means he will have to stop what he’s doing to use the potty. To top it all off, he looses the warmth of his diaper and must now go potty naked where other people might be watching!

Common potty training concerns and solutions:

Fear of Making a Mistake - Your child is just beginning to control his bodily functions. He won’t be perfect at it, and might worry that he will be punished for accidents. Throughout the potty training process, assure your child that you are there for him and he can come to you if he’s afraid or worried about something. When accidents happen, don’t make a big deal out of them. Simply clean up and tell him that you know he is trying. Potty training is often a good time to build a trust between you and your child that will last throughout your lives.

Fear of Automatically Flushing Public Toilets - More and more public restrooms switch to automatically flushing toilets. Children who are at the later stages of potty training (transitioned from the potty chair to the toilet) are often fearful of the public toilet flushing while they are seated. These fears can be alleviated with a simple, inexpensive device called the Flush Stopper.

Fear of Falling In - The fear of falling in the toilet is common when your child has mastered the small potty-chair and transitions to the toilet. You can help alleviate this fear by purchasing a potty seat that either fits on the toilet or attaches to the toilet such as the Flip-N-Flush or PRIMO’s Ducka. The potty seats will decrease the size of the toilet hole and help your child feel more secure. The Flip-N-Flush is especially useful because it flips down for your child’s use and flips up so that other family members can easily access the regular toilet seat.

Your child’s fears need to be addressed as real and serious fears. If your child knows that you understand and are trying to help, he will feel more relaxed and comfortable while potty training.

About The Author
Danna Henderson started ZIP Baby in order to provide parents with comprehensive potty training information as well as a large selection of potty training products. For more information about potty training, or to browse the potty training store, visit the Potty Training Forum Message Board.

The prom is perhaps the most important event for teenagers
during their high school careers. Only when put next to
graduation does the prom take a backseat as one of the most
memorable times during a teenager’s life. That is why it is so
important to find the perfect prom hair style to complete your
look on this special night. And with so much thought and
planning put into finding the perfect dress and gathering all of
the right accessories, why not also take a little time before
hand to choose and practice your prom hair style?

While the prom hair style does not necessarily have to be formal
and intricate, there are some prom hair styles that require a
bit of practice before the big night. Even it you are having
your hair done by a professional, he or she will appreciate
talking with you and helping you choose your prom hair style in
advance of the dance. Doing so will eliminate any
miscommunications and ensure that you are happy with your hair
on the night of the prom.

But before you begin practicing your prom hair style or talking
to your stylist about it, you need to first find a few different
prom hair styles that you would love to wear to your prom. One
of the best places to find the perfect prom hair style is right
here online. There are literally hundreds of prom hair style
photo galleries that can be accessed with a simple keyword
search using your favorite search engine (go to my website at
http://www.great-hairstyles.com/hair-article-resources.html for
details of the best online photo galleries). And once you find
the right styles, you can print the photos and take them
directly to your stylist or to whoever is fashioning your prom
hair style.

When looking through the prom hair style galleries, keep in mind
the style and cut of your dress. Choose styles that will
compliment both your personality and your dress while at the
same time choose ones that will also work with your length and
texture of hair. For example: If your hair is fine and limp,
avoid choosing prom hair styles that are full bodied or
intricate. Doing so would likely result in a messy heap of
undignified prom hair before the end of the evening. Instead,
choose a simple but classic prom hair style such as a French
twist, which is easy to achieve and maintain on fine hair.

Once you have found a few different prom hair styles that would
be perfect for your big night, you need to practice creating the
style on your own tresses to ensure that you achieve the perfect
prom hair style on the night of the dance. Having a practice run
or two also helps you to eliminate styles that are too hard to
create or prom hair styles that you do not really like once you
see them on yourself.

It is a great deal easier to decide that you don’t like a
particular prom hair style a week before the special night than
it is an hour before you’re supposed to walk out the door. As
you can imagine, taking a little time to plan can greatly reduce
your anxiety level on the day of the prom and help you to avoid
prom hair style disasters.