You might be one of the thousands of individuals who open a trading account with eBay and dream about making auction selling a full-time home-based business.

However, before that dream can become a reality, you need to do many important things while running an auction business.

One of these important things to do is to pick the right products to sell. The right products to sell are the ones that people on eBay want or will buy.

eBay tells you what people actually want and what people actually will buy in four areas of its website.

“In Demand”

One of these four areas on eBay’s site is the “In Demand” section. There is an “In Demand” link for each of the main categories on eBay. Listed in these areas are the previous month’s top ten products that people wanted and the top ten searches for each subcategory. To see the data in these areas follow the link below and when you reach the page, scroll down and click on the link “In Demand” under any of the categories shown.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/sellbycategory.html

“Hot Categories Report”

The next area containing information on finding what to sell on eBay is the “Hot Categories Report.” This report lists the “fastest growing” categories on eBay for the previous month. The explanation for what eBay considers “hot” can be hard to understand on your first reading.

Nevertheless, the important thing to know is that the categories listed are the ones were buyer demand for the items under those categories are growing faster than the seller supply. This report is a PDF file so you will need Adobe Reader to open it. Here is the link:

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/hotitems.pdf

“eBay Pulse”

“eBay Pulse” is another area where you can figure out what people are looking for on “The World’s Online Marketplace.” It contains a category’s daily snapshot of the ten most popular searches and the stores with the most active listings. A subsection on “eBay Pulse,” known as “Most Watched Items,” reveals the ten auctions that are getting the most attention.

Visit this page and select a category to study from the drop-down menu.

http://pulse.ebay.com

“Merchandising Calendar”

The last area with information on what to sell on eBay is the “Merchandising Calendar.” Here, eBay shows you the categories they will promote on their homepage each month. This is where eBay “tells” you what to sell. You can ignore their calendar and sell anything you choose, but wouldn’t it be easier to make sales if you took advantage of eBay’s promotional influence? Look at this page and use the calendar as a guide in planning your inventory and listings.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/calendar.html

Last Thoughts

Now that you have the links to data that tells you what people will buy on eBay, you can look forward to listing these items and making sales. The next step is finding the wholesale or drop-ship sources that carry those items that are “In Demand.” That is when you will be one-step closer to achieving your goal of making a living from eBay

In the previous articles, we have discussed debt, credit repair and establishing good credit. We talked about paying off all your old bills.

That’s great if you can afford to do that. If you can’t or just need to earn more money, perhaps this article can help. I will be discussing ways to earn money. Some of them I have used, some of them I am just aware off.

All of them are low cost to start up. All of them can be done in your spare time.

1) Ameriplan – As many people have health problems, they have to spend a good bit on prescriptions. As many don’t currently have insurance, they’ll look for a ways to reduce their cost. 

We found it with Ameriplan. We was so impressed with the plan that several members of our staff (along with other friends and editors) became a brokers. Ameriplan offers discounts on dental, prescriptions, vision and chiropractic services.

We researched it on the internet before signing up. We found several instances of people reporting that they saved hundreds of dollars on these services. The plan is $11.95 per month and $19.95 for a whole family. If you become a broker you can earn commission for enrolling people in these plans and you also get a residual for each month they keep the plan.

As most people save a lot of money with this plan, cancellations are very low.

2) SMC Specialty Merchandise Corp. This company has been around for over 50 years. You sign up with them. The cost is about $300. You can then buy from their line of over 3000 products. You can get catalogs to show to friends, family, potential customers. If something cost $25.00 in the catalog your cost will be around $8.00.

They will also drop ship under your name. You can sale with the catalogs, on the internet ( though there are many people selling these products on the net). You can also purchase a supply of products if your finances permit to take to flea markets.

Again our editors have tried this out. The items didn’t do to well on the net due to so much competition. However, approx 60% of people we showed the catalog to actually placed an order. These items also sell ok at flea markets.
3) Tiger Direct- This company sells computers and related items. Their cost is usually below what you get a CompUSA or BestBuy.

You can purchase items and resell items on eBay. You can also save money on your own purchases. If you have a resellers certificate you can get even buy wholesale and get better deals or savings on shipping.

4) Another part time business that you can do is a food/grocery delivery service. People call you and place an order and you go pick it up and deliver and charge a fee for that service. It requires very little to start this service. You may want to check with your auto insurance about using your car for business.

You can either use your home phone or have a 2nd line put in for this business. Send letters to restaurants offering ways for them to increase their business. You send them orders and they give you a discount on those orders.

This will maximize your profit and allow you to keep your delivery charge low enough that customers will want your service. Pizza and Chinese places offer delivery.

You are offering the public an alternative to pizza or Chinese. Hotels/motels are a good place to leave flyers or start a Facebook page.

5) Do you have a skill or trade that you can teach?. Many communities have night time education programs in the local schools. Normally you don’t need a degree to teach these. You just need to be proficient in the subject.

Calcium supplements, acupuncture. Herbal remedies. Light therapy and so on. Women spend countless dollars on these “natural” remedies to beat PMS.

The question is do they really work? Do you turn into a crying, bloated, chocolate-craving “she-thing” every month?

If the answer is a resounding yes, you’re in good company. Between 20%-40% of all reproductive-age women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

And women are willing to shell out big bucks to relieve symptoms: Sales of over-the-counter PMS products such as Premsyn PMS and Midol PMS totaled more than $165 million last year, according to AC Nielsen research.

Over-the-counter drugs may offer some relief, but there’s no surefire solution for PMS, since doctors don’t know exactly what causes PMS, says Michelle Barron-Hoff, MD., am endocrinologist at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Still, as interest in alternative medicine continue to rise, women have been searching for cures on the health-food store shelves since 1998.

Health store giant GNC’s sales for PMS-related “natural products topped more than $13.5 million in sales last year.

Tread with caution- many of these treatments haven’t been subjected to rigorous research, so efficacy and side effects aren’t known warns Dr. Barron-Hoff.

So are alternative treatments a rip off? Dr. Barron-Hoff took a hard look at the claims results for four “natural” therapies that are making the rounds in women’s magazines.

The Calcium Cure 

A growing number of experts claim that certain nutritional supplements and dietary changes may reduce PMS symptoms. In fact, research has found that women who took a daily 1,200 milligram calcium supplement nearly halved PMS symptoms within three months.  The findings; PMS may be a sign that you’re not getting enough calcium, since the symptoms of calcium deficiency are similar. 

Dr. Barron-Hoff recommends consuming 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily through either calcium rich foods or through chewable supplements.

Likewise, other research suggest that eating carb-rich foods the week before your period starts may help. The reason: Levels of serotonin (the brain chemical that regulates mood and appetite) may plunge the week before your period, hitting you with an attack of the blues.

However, eating two ounces of a carb-rich food (like cereal) twice a day on an empty stomach can improve your mood within 40 minutes.

Light Treatment

Exposure to bright lights has been proven to ease seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the blues can strike in cold months and that may be connected to serotonin levels.  This has prompted some experts to explore whether light therapy could reduce PMS symptoms as well.

A University of California at San Diego study found that women who were expose to bright white light for seven days before their periods started had a lessening of symptoms.

“We think that light therapy either stablilizes women’s daily circadian rhythms or enhances serotonin production, both of which can affect mood cycles explains, Dr. Barron-Hoff.

Chaste Tree Berry Supplements

This herbal pill, found in health-food stores, is touted as a hormone stabilizer.  In a 1993 German study, 90 percent of the more than 1,500 PMS sufferers in the trials reported complete relief of symptoms after taking chaste tree berry for less than a month.

It appears to balance levels of estrogen and progesterone.  One rare occasion, chaste tree berry can cause allergic reactions, such as itchy eye or a runny nose.  Dr. Barron-Hoff, wouldn’t recommend chaste tree berry if you are taking oral contraceptives.

Keeping in mind that herbal supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, there’s no telling whether the pills you buy have the right dosage. You may need to try several brands before you find relief.

Acupuncture

Getting stuck with needles may sound like a lot of pain, but proponents claim it’s a way to beat PMS.

During an acupuncture session, needles are inserted into specific points of your body to control chi, or enhance flow. In theory, this releases natural painkillers such as endorphins, which help banish PMS symptoms.  Mainstream doctors are more skeptical says, Dr. Barron-Hoff. “Some of my patients that have used acupuncture say that it’s difficult to tell if the acupuncture or more of a placebo effect.”

Although acupuncture’s been proven effective for other conditions, there really not that much clinical data to back up it’s use as a PMS treatment.

For some men, the classic gold band is a no-brainer. However, for the savvy or the adventurous groom, they are willing to try two-tone, textures and even grahpite.

You liked him so much, you put a ring on him – but not just any ring will do.

While the first rings known to man were made for men, were made by the Egyptians in bone and braided grass, and the Romans wore crude iron wedding bands, the modern groom demands quite a bit more. 

His options and opinions are as defined as his taste and style; his wedding band will be anything but primative. Savvy grooms want a designer in tune with the personality trends are busy creating indiviualistic styles with more mass appeal.

Here’s what men need to know to find the “perfect fit”:

Fewer couples are buying matching wedding bands. They may opt for the same metal and choose rings from the same designer, but they are no longer going with the his-and-hers set. This leaves a couple free to pick something truly striking for him.

Where to Start: Think Shape

Men’s bands come in three basic shapes: flat (both interior and exterior); half-round, (flat exterior, round interior); or comfort fit (round interior, any exterior). Next comes the width, which usually ranges from four to seven millimeters.

Men are becoming bolder when it comes to making a statement with their rings. This boldness includes the scale of the ring, they’re wider, more modern bands and they are gaining more popularity.

A textured ring, whether in a subtle matte finish or a milgrain accent (which looks like a twisted rope) sets his ring apart without being overly flashy.

For eternal elegance and a firey flare, nothing tops a diamond, even for a man.

A cool look in men’s bands today is the square diamond – a sturdy-looking masuline shape that appeals to guys and gals alike.

If he’s a modest man with an “it’s-on-the-inside-that-counts” motto, consider having the inside of his ring engraved with an inscription or date. A band engraved with the year 2011 becomes an instant heirloom that, if well cared for, will last far into the next milennium.

Some styles weather wear and tear better than others. Textured bands and those with stones trap dirt, and a sharp blow (is he a die-hard athelete) may chip a stone.

Any ring should be removed when he’s doing rough chores like painting the house or handling chlorine bleach or other harsh chemicals (these can pit the metal) or performing major surgery on a greasy Jeep engine.

Most wedding bands can be polished with a chamois cloth, or cleaned with a soft bristol toothbrush with a few drops of ammonia for shine.

More elaborate rings may call for a commercial cleaner. Or take it back to your jeweler as many offer complimentary cleanings.

Long live a man and his wedding band.

Now is not the time to  be intimidated if you’ve been chosen as the maid of honor for your friend’s, sister or cousin’s wedding.

Your greatest fear may not be planning the bridal shower itself, but the cost therein!  

There are plenty easy wedding shower ideas to get you started and make the whole process go smoothly.

The most popular wedding shower idea is the kitchen shower, and it’s really the most practical as well, even if the bride doesn’t really cook.

After all, no one can have too many kitchen utensils or appliances, and there is also a host of nice little gourmet treats that the bride would love to be gifted with.

A personal shower is always nice too, with everyone giving the bride a gift of lingerie or accessories such as inexpensive jewelry.

She might also like something like a skin treatment gift set, cosmetics, or bath powder and perfume.

When most people think of wedding showers, they do tend to think of tradition – a group of ladies getting together in someones home or at a restaurant or tea room.

Lots of decorations, some games and gifts. This is a wonderful concept, but if you’re busy it can be hard to pull off.

That’s why there’s a new trend in easy wedding shower ideas – activity based showers.

No, we don’t mean rock-climbing (unless you really want to) – we
mean a girl’s day out.

Contact a local day spa and ask if you can book an afternoon for pedicures and manicures for the whole crew.  Asking for a set menu of prices, for mani-pedi’s and one facial treatment of  the wedding attendants choosing is manageable. 

This is especially nice if you are having a small shower for close friends and it also gives you a better idea of what to expect price-wise.

You can all talk and giggle and feel spoiled, then duck out for a drink and open gifts afterward. No muss, no fuss, no clean-up or decorating for you.

And every guest leaves feeling special and very relaxed!

You can do the same with a cosmetics counter at a fine department store – call ahead and explain that you have several women who want makeovers and do a day of bonding over shopping afterwards.

In some cases, the makeup company will even throw in some free gifts for the wedding party or bride.

It’s fun and inexpensive, and again you can follow up with dinner or drinks.

Even better, if you have a friend or relative that sells Mary Kay (or something similar) whose been after you to have a party – the bridal shower is a perfect opportunity.  You can serve up a pitcher of blended margaritas, place jasmine scented candles and fluffy white towels all around your home and …viola.. instant spa!  Not to mention everyone gets a new look for the wedding day and you cousin might even make a few sales.

Keeping the spa theme going, you can contact a massage college and bring in a masseuse in training at a fraction of the cost.  The ladies can dawn spa robes that you can easily buy on eBay or on closeout (since most will likely take them home after the party anyway) and begin to relax while enjoying libations of your choosing.

Martinis always work out well.  Appetizers of light sandwiches and salads will complete the affair.

But what if you need to throw a party for say…50 women? A spa treatment can easily become overwhelming in expense.  For large gatherings, stick to a theme.

The more organized you are the better.  Serve food items that guest can build themselves.  A taco bar does not have to be tacky. Shredded beef or chicken, flour or corn tortillas, black beans or re-fried pinto beans followed by three very different Salsas makes a great summer menu.

Paper lanterns hanging from trees look great lit or unlit. A monochromatic theme, like all white or all light blue with splashes of a pop of accent color will make decorating easy and fast.

Settle on two drinks… (you hear me what I say!) two drinks – one alcohol and one non-alcohol.  Pink or raspberry lemonade and a white sangria or fizzy traditional lemonade and cosmopolitans will keep the drinkers happy and the non-drinkers hydrated and your wallet smiling.

Giving too many choices just opens the host up to the “why didn’t yous” – why didn’t you buy coke instead of Pepsi…why didn’t you get coleslaw instead of salad and so on.

Simple decorations of one base color and a simplified menu, at the spa or at your home, keeps things under control and in budget.  You’ll know what to expect even if there are additional and unexpected guests.

A menu of spa treatments that don’t exceed $20 is easy to calculate when you know there will be 8-10 guests.  A few extra pounds of meat is a no brain-er when guest serve themselves.  One or two additional guest for your cousin to sell her Mary Kay products to…”duh winning”! (thanks Charlie).

When we think of weddings there are a few images that come automatically to our minds.

We may think of churches decorated with beautiful flowers or of groomsmen looking somehow uncomfortable and debonair at the same time in their rented tuxedos.  

We may think of bridesmaids adorned in dresses that they would never be caught dead in elsewhere or of adorable small children acting as ring bearers and flower girls, thrilled to be the focus of attention for those few moments that they spend walking down the aisle.

One image that invariably comes to mind is that of the bride in her white dress and veil carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

For some reason, when we think of a wedding, we always think of the wedding bouquet.

The wedding bouquet is a tradition that goes back almost as far as weddings themselves. While its obvious that the flowers are a symbol of fertility (that the traditional thinking anyway), the origins of the wedding bouquet and the tradition of throwing the bouquet (thus passing on that fertility) to another available young sister are less clear.

Suffice it to say, that the wedding bouquet is now a time-honored tradition that is observed in most weddings today.

Once just a simple and small collection of flowers, the wedding bouquet has evolved over time to the point where literally hundreds of dollars are now spent on beautifully designed and arranged ornate wedding bouquets.

Most modern brides, in fact, will often have two bouquets. One elaborate wedding bouquet is designed to be carried down the aisle during the ceremony and used in photographs while the other is typically smaller and designed to be thrown into the throng of the brides available girlfriends who will then proceed to scramble and claw at one another in an attempt to be the lucky girl who catches the bouquet and thus becomes the next woman destined to be married.

Modern florists take great pride in the wedding bouquets they design and offer. Rarely is the simple group of daises seen at todays weddings. Instead, wedding bouquets now consist of a variety of floral designs, including combinations of calla lilies, roses, and sweet pea or traditional white lilies and roses.

Even sunflowers have made their way into modern wedding bouquet arrangements.

The advent of the Internet has broadened the spectrum of available options in many industries, and flowers are no exception. The fact that floral arrangements can be designed and ordered online has spurred great competition among florists, causing each to try and outdo the others by offering greater and greater diversity in all of their arrangements, including wedding bouquets.

Ultimately this trend is very good for the bride-to-be because it allows for an incredible array of options when it comes time to choose all of the flowers for a wedding, including the all important wedding bouquet.

With florists offering so many designs in wedding bouquets and so many florists as close as the living room PC, any prospective bride is sure to find the perfect wedding bouquet to complete her appearance on her special day.

When a relative was married recently, it nearly started a civil war within our own family.  It was just a wedding.  My cousin wasn’t pregnant. She didn’t have children from a previous relationship.

While there is absolutely wrong with either of these scenarios, the drama began where all wedding stories typically begin…. at the guest list.

Our cousin spent more than 12 years in school as an undergrad and  in graduate school combined.  So naturally, when the time came to marry, she wanted to share the event with her extended family. 

Because she had a great job as did her fiancee, she opted to pay for her own wedding.  A modest budget of $30,000 was set.  Believe it our not, $30,000 is a typical average for a wedding of 200 guests. 

The trouble began, when  the bride started to hear horror stories of uninvited guests showing up at the reception or wedding.  Some black folks feel “entitled” to celebrate.  That is to say, we all know someone, be it a friend or relative who has opted to become a parent before becoming a spouse.  We all happily attend the baby shower and ooh and ahh over the new baby when she is born but, nothing garners more excitement in many black communities than the planning of two families coming together in matrimony.

There is the excitement your parents feel at giving away a beloved daughter and the pride of gaining a new “son”. 

Next comes the moment that every mother dreams of..shopping for the gown that her child will be married in. This is the one moment in which  mother and daughter share the same dream. 

Even for women whose mothers have passed on before this moment could occur, there are aunts, godmothers, grandmothers and sista-friends who weepingly exclaim how “your mama is looking down on you and she is so proud to see you in that dress”.

The moment is austere in the lives of many women. So when our cousins and friends and relations move towards parenthood without the benefit of “giving the family a wedding” the pressure become exponential to the relative that does offer up a sacred ceremony.

Little black girls dream too, of their wedding day whether they happen before or after the children they bring into the world come before the ceremony or after.

The trouble with us started when the RSVPs began to come in with altered numbers of guest that would attend the ceremony.  Two guest became 4.

 And on one occasion, a revered elderly aunt and uncle crossed out the number of 2 and changed it to 7!

When called, the aunt explained that there were several cousins that wanted to see and be apart of the ceremony.  For many brides this can me the difference between a sit down dinner and a buffet style luncheon! 

Moreover, another out-of-state cousin called to send nothing more than well-wishes, when she mentioned that she…and her best friend couldn’t wait to fly in to attend the wedding. 

“Friend? What friend is this?” the bride asked.  “It just my best friend from college, we do everything together” was the placid explanation.

The bride gently expressed regret and offered the following apology;  “I’m very sorry but, we are only able to accommodate 200 people and we’ve had to cut our guest list twice. Unfortunately since your friend was not on our guest list, we’re unable to accommodate her”.

To which a stern reply of ” But, she’s already bought her ticket to fly out!” And so began the battle of seat assignment and the will of the bride versus that of the “community”.

A wedding is a celebration. One that everyone has dreamt of, no matter your station in life, no matter your bank account or parentage. Everyone wants to celebrate and bring anyone and everyone they know to express their pride in your event.

So again it is, little black girls dream too of wedding days and celebrations, along with the entire black community.  Some will choose to fight to keep their budget intact and others will give in and go with the flow.

We…well we, will blog more on this and other adventures in weddings as the weeks go on.

A friend who is half black and half -Japanese contacted us about ways to incorporate her asian heritage into her wedding. 

Since the groom was African American, they both knew that wanted to include a broom to jump over and other family traditions but, how could she honor her Japanese mother and Japanese grandparents too?  Black-Asian-themed weddings are on the rise, and at first this might come as a surprise. 

After all, nothing could seem further from the Jumping the Broom vision when we get, when thinking of a traditional African American wedding.

And in fact, that’s one of the forces behind the rising popularity of the Black-Asian-themed wedding: how it turns things seemingly upside-down.

Trvia fact, in a Chinese-style wedding, white is bad (it’s the color of death) and red and black are good (they’re the colors of luck and prosperity).

We  might wonder whether brides that plan Asian-themed weddings are Asian (or marrying someone who is or is mixed). The answer is, sometimes. Surprisingly often, they aren’t, and the choice is purely aesthetic.

Today’s trends break down into two main types of Black-Asian-themed weddings: the Japanese or “Zen” style, which values simplicity and nature, and the more riotous Chinese style, which bristles with bright colors and shiny fabrics can fit exceedingly well into African American culture.

A high school friend of our brothers’ married a beautiful India woman, and can I tell you the ceremony and food were phenomenal!

Although some choice may surprise some of your older and more traditional guests, the mixed bride  or groom may find his or her personal values deeply expressed in the Black-Asian-themed wedding.

After all, the usual wedding is a certain kind of pageant: the couple pretends to be royalty for a day, and lavishly entertain a large party – seemingly without a care, though they rack up huge debt to do so.

Brides drawn to the Zen-style ceremony often want to avoid the “royalty pageant” and simplify the ceremony (ironically, this can result in greater elegance for the price tag).

This type of bride might read “voluntary simplicity” books, care about the environment, enjoy an uncluttered house or apartment with a handful of Japanese accents (Shoji lanterns and screens, for example) and find
herself attracted to natural materials, which don’t have to asian per se.

She may feel freed by a simpler wedding gown, and carry an unfussy bouquet of calla lilies. Her centerpieces might be lanterns surrounded by black and white stones. For favors, she might give out fortune cookies placed in take-out boxes and topped off with chopsticks.

Other brides find aspects of tradition stifling, so they mix up their ceremony with Chinese-style zest.

The bride might dress her bridesmaids in glowing red (or slinky black!) Cheongsams, dresses with high collars and slit sides.

She’ll hand them brooms instead of nosegays, and pass out chopsticks for their hair. Her own gown might be trimmed in a  gorgeous brocade in red, orange or gold.

Perhaps she’ll wrap up the ceremony with a butterfly release and hand out lucky bamboo stalks as wedding favors.

This bride doesn’t mind charting her own course in social affairs, and she honors the asian members of her family, parents and children.

In either case, the Black-Asian-themed wedding is a great way to tie your ceremony and cultures to your personal values.

Perhaps the thought of such a wedding crossed your mind, but you thought you had to be a tradional ceremony with African American ancestral traditions.  The fact is, Asian traditions and trends have been shaping Americans deeply since the 1960s.

Maybe it’s time to ask yourself this: which type of Black-Asian-themed bride are you?

Making sure that your skin and hair shimmer and shine on your wedding day or any other day, will take months of taking care of  you.  You can’t plan a wedding for months and forget about the main participant, you.  Eating right is a lifestyle change. So for the best you that you can be, we’ve included a few tips on a few items to avoid and to include in the wonderful you wedding make over.  

Let’s start with everybodys’ favorite – Carbs.  All Refined Carbohydrates can be hazardous to your overall health. The average American eats over 300 pounds of sugars each year.

Most of this is because of all the sugar that is added to the everyday foods most people eat.

Sugars are refined carbohydrates include anything that ends in ose. Sucrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and sugar all count as sugar.

An easy way to remember this is anything that rhymes with gross.

We are  not talking about sugar naturally found in fruits and other such sources.

If nature put it there, it is usually fine. And again, how it affects you will depend more on you individually than the type of fruit itself.

Yes, sugar is natural, but it is not fresh. And when you add it to another food, the other food is not pure either.

Refined carbohydrates also come in the form of grains and flours. Most pasta, bread, flour, and other grain-based products are refined, almost to the point of sugar, and to the point where the refined carbohydrates respond in the body the same way sugar does.

There are two big reasons why refined carbs and sugar are so bad, as well as hundreds of smaller reasons.

The two big reasons are these:

1.Refined carbs and sugar have no vitamins, minerals, or anything else that is needed to operate and run a healthy body.
2.Refined carbs and sugar cause blood sugar levels to be artificially raised and lead to all the problems that come with high blood sugar levels.

First, the refining process takes away all the vitamins and minerals that are naturally found in whatever plant is being refined.

There is nothing left but pure carbohydrates.

Why are vitamins and minerals so important for you anyway? Let me give you a little example of why vitamins and minerals are so important.

If you want to build a brick house, what do you need? Well, you need bricks and mortar, and wood, and windows and doors.

You need some basic stuff to build that house. What if you dont have bricks, or mortar or windows or doors?

How well do you think the house will function after you are done trying to build it? Not very well.

Vitamins, minerals and nutrients are like the bricks, mortar, windows, doors, wood, etc. of the house.

They are the parts that your body uses to build you. If you dont give your body those key building blocks, things in your body are not going to work very well.

If you try to substitute cheap, not so good imitations, if you tried to build a brick house with a bunch of rocks, the house would not be as good.

If you tried to use old, warped windows, the house would not function very well. If you used wood that had holes in it and was not complete, your house would not be very functional.

For your body to continue to function at its  very best and do everything it used to, your body needs to continually be replacing the broken down worn out parts with new parts.  Weddings can be stressful enough in the planning stages. Most brides tend to neglect basic eating habits in the days leading up to a wedding.  And if the new parts, if the vitamins and minerals you give it are not whole, or not enough, your body is going to break down.

If you give your body less wood than it needs, so you cannot finish the roof, you might be able to keep the wind out, but when it rains, you get wet.

The second reason refined carbohydrates are not good for you is that refined carbs drastically alter your blood sugar levels.  With diabetes at record levels in the African American communities, changing a few habits now can me a lifetime of better health later.

What is the big deal with this? The easiest to show you is what happens to you after you eat. You get really tired and lethargic. You have trouble staying awake and you want to go to sleep.

Guess what? The rest of your body is doing the same thing. Your cells are going into a sugar coma. Your mind, which controls everything, is also going to sleep on the job.

Your brain is not doing everything it needs to do to keep you functioning properly. And if your brain is not doing its job properly, anything could be going wrong with your body, and often is.

Refined carbs/sugars also are one of the main contributing factors to heart disease and high cholesterol levels, and diabetes.

Making a few changes daily while in the earlier planning stages of your wedding, will leave you with more radiant skin and much healthier hair.

A big part of any wedding large or small are the flowers. We all know one disadvantage of flowers is that they don’t last very long.

Sometimes in the hot August afternoon a sunny southern day, can try your patience.

While flowers are here they bring happiness and warmth to any wedding and reception. If your flowers are dieing awfully fast, then your florist may be using poor flower care routines.

There are many little things that you can do to lengthen the life span of your flower arrangements and flower bouquets.

Many florists and flower shops provide good information on how to care for your specific flower type. Read on for a few extra tidbits of information on expanding the time that you can enjoy your flowers.

A main cause of deterioration in flowers vases is bacteria. Be sure your bowl or vase is clean and your water is pure, just check with your florist.

Many vendors reuse vases and holders for other events. If any of the leaves lower down the stem are submerged under water, ask your florist to cut them off to prevent the spread of bacteria.  Also, floral food provided by your florist should kill harmful bugs and dirt.

If you are trying to save a few dollars and are planning to create your own arrangement or ask a family member or close friend to help, to prolong the beauty and life of your flowers, choose a reputable flower outlet.

More experienced florists are likely to understand how different types of flowers need different water, fertilizer, etc. When you order flowers, they usually arrive in well wrapped protection.

The flower bud will usually be closed or half opened. This ensures that you can view the full time span of your flower. Your plant food for your arrangement or bouquet will encourage the bud to open.

Using lukewarm water in your vase will prompt flowers to open faster. Because of lower oxygen levels, it helps the stem to intake water.

Never place your flowers in bright or overheated areas in your home or reception area. This breeds bacteria and causes an excess water loss.

Use a vase that is in proportion to the size and amount of flowers that you have ordered, although a good florist will explain this to perspective couples, when you are selecting your arrangement.  Changing the arrangement to accommodate or recreate a certain look to fit your budget  could create even more water loss that you are not aware of.

When ordering flowers online, remember these tips and your flowers will last longer than ever before so you can enjoy the warmth and beauty of your special day for many days thereafter.

Moreover, if your flowers are in especially great shape, rather then giving them away after the reception, consider donating them to the cancer ward of a local hospital. 

The joy that you feel that day can be spread to others that are struggling with life and death, who can realize a small bit of additional love and karma from a simple gesture that will me so much to others.