Charm Jewelry: It’s Not Just For Kids

Create Heirlooms and Personalized Jewelry in Traditional or Italian Styles

History of Charm Bracelets

Charm bracelets have been popular from as early as 500 B.C., when Assyrians, Babylonians and even Persians wore charms which they associated with special powers. In recent years gold charms and silver charms are becoming popular once again.

Charm jewelry was also very popular during Victorian times in England, when charm bracelets were standard attire among fashionable women seeking spiritual protection and trendy jewelry. Queen Victoria was known to wear charm bracelets containing tiny pictures of family members.

Charm fashions did not become popular in the U.S. until the 1940s, when soldiers often collected gold and silver charms from cities they visited during the war.

Today charm jewelry is most often purchased as a keepsake; many charms are theme based, while others are sentimental in nature, often purchased as a souvenir of a trip or reminder of a special occasion. Charms are even passed down from generation to generation as family heirlooms, often given to children when younger.

Owners may add their own charms to bracelets over time, including those representing favorite places, hobbies and interests.

Italian Charm Bracelets

Italian charm bracelets are slightly different from traditional silver charms or gold charms. Most charm bracelets are fashioned with the charms dangling from a chain; Italian charm bracelets however, are made with the charms soldered to flat links that can be removed from a stretch bracelet. Charms can easily be switched on and off depending on the owners personal preference. Italian charm bracelets are a unique and fun twist on the standard charm bracelet because they are dynamic, fun to wear and trendy. Popular among the young and old alike, these link style charm bracelets are usually made of high quality, hypo-allergenic stainless steel. The actual charms may be fashioned from a variety of different materials including 14 or 18k gold.

Most charm bracelets come in standard sizes, small-medium-large. For Italian charm bracelets these sizes are categorized as follows:

• Small - includes 17 charm links
• Medium - contains 18 charm links
• Large - contains 19 charm links

Traditional Charm Bracelets

Traditional charm bracelets are made of a silver or gold chain with charms dangling. There are literally hundreds of different styles and themes to choose from when purchasing traditional charm jewelry. Some of the more common themes and styles of charm bracelets available include:

• Beach lover themes
• Victorian style charms
• Vintage charm jewelry
• Memoir or locket style charms
• Silver charms
• Gold charms
• Gemstone charms

Traditional charm bracelets make superb gifts. You can literally find a charm to represent almost any interest, hobby or theme. Sports, animals, travel, landscapes… you name it! In the world of charms, almost anything is possible. Many people enjoy receiving and exchanging charms as part of a hobby or friendship building. Others pass on charm jewelry as part of family traditions. Charm jewelry fashioned with lockets is most commonly the type used for family heirlooms. Perhaps the best facet of charm gifts is that they can be modified at any point in time to reflect a person’s changing interests and style preferences. Bracelets or chains can even be upgraded over time without losing the original charms.

Pricing

Silver charms and gold charms may run anywhere from $2 all the way up to $2000 depending on the materials the charm bracelets are made from. You can purchase chains or starter charm bracelets without any dangles for the $20 or less price range in most cases. Less expensive versions crafted of sterling silver with one charm can be purchased. The more expensive charms are usually gold charms crafted of 18k gold with diamonds and other precious gems embedded in the charm.

Italian charm bracelets $10 to $100 or more depending on the quality and the charms included. Their affordability makes them very popular among younger consumers, who are interested in investing in trendy jewelry that won’t break the bank.

Price will also vary depending on the number of charms that come pre-fashioned with a particular piece of jewelry. Keep in mind that with charm bracelets, you can start with as little as 1 charm or buy into a bracelet that has several charms pre-selected. The choices are literally endless when it comes to charm jewelry.

Building a Unique Charm Bracelet

Anyone can create their own unique charm bracelet, whether Italian style or traditional. If you can’t find something that exactly fits your needs and personality, why not create your own? Crafting individualized charm jewelry is increasingly popular among jewelry fans young and old alike. You can even create your own personalized family heirloom thanks to the versatility charm jewelry has to offer.

Before you begin you’ll need to decide whether you want an Italian style or traditional bracelet; remember that the traditional style holds charms that dangle, while the Italian version has charms that are embedded in chain links.

Once you decide this you can decide on a starter chain bracelet. There are literally hundreds of different starter bracelets to choose from. Consider your personal preferences. Do you prefer the look of gold or silver? Perhaps you like a combination of both? You’ll also want to have an idea of what size starter bracelet you need. Often you can tell this by measuring your wrist. You can do this by taking your thumb and middle finger and wrapping around your wrist. If your two fingers just touch, you’ll probably need a medium. If they overlap, a small charm bracelet will work best for you. If your fingers do not touch, then you’ll likely need a large.

Once you have decided on a type of chain and sizing, you can begin selecting the perfect charms! Consider a theme, charms that represent personal interests, places you’d like to travel to, or hobbies.

Remember that charm bracelets are a fun and unique way of buying or making jewelry that expresses your style and personality in a unique way!

About The Author:
With more than 10 years professional experience, freelance writer Antigone Arthur has completed a number of informative articles providing valuable insight for consumers on such topics as charm bracelets, gold charms, and sterling silver charms.

Why Is It Fun To Go To The Bowling Alley?

According to new studies, people continue to remain bored out of their minds. No matter what exciting thing happens to be on the news, most people’s lives just aren’t that dynamic. Well, these particular people just need a shot in the arm. There is an entire world that most people forget about soon after they leave high school. The bowling alley is this world. While you might think of the bowling alley as something that is frequented by middle age plumbers and electricians, you might not be entirely incorrect. However, there has been a quiet, almost ‘underground’ return to bowling as a new semi-retro activity.

Here’s a few reasons why bowling has continued to remain a steadfastly popular sport over the years and why you should think about returning to the bowling alley.

1)The modern bowling alley. This isn’t your dad’s bowling alley anymore! While there are certain timeless elements to a bowling alley (for instance the pins, the shiny shirts, and semi-stylish shoes), a lot of bowling alleys have had their lanes refurbished, added all sorts of entertainment options, and you can even have a birthday party at some of them. Visit your local alley to see what they’ve got in store for you.

2)The exercise. Bowling isn’t all sitting down. Any serious bowler will tell you that bowling takes some effort to get that ball going down toward the pins. Your bowling skill might not take that many inches off your waistline, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. If you are watching a movie, there really isn’t that much interactivity with the screen. However, bowling takes some physical effort. Better to have more exercise than less.

3)The beer. Depending on the state in which you reside, your local bowling alley might have a bar that serves beer. This is clearly a benefit to anyone who likes to have some beer while bowling. We don’t condone this activity as beer can definitely lower your score by the end of the night.

Ryan Tenney is author of “Why The www.bowlingalleyinfo.com“>Bowling Alley Is Great Again.” Get your copy at www.bowlingalleyinfo.com.

Marvelous swimming pools to win at Dutch windeprijsvraag

Consumer promotions advertised as contests, however, can require an entry fee or proof of purchase. Everybody can win realy terrific BMWs every 4 hours at fantastic sweepstakes by windeprijsvraag.nl. Anyone can win terrific computers every 16 months. 3 weeks ago a European online company has started with a sweepstakes websites. Great SUVs to be won at dutch online contests. Really great tools to win at online sweepstakes. Sweepstakes are also legally different from contests in the United States. Sweepstakes promotions are prohibited from requiring a purchase to enter. 10 days ago a Europe based company started a dutch online sweepstakes. 6 months ago a Dutch webcompany took of a contest websites. Sweepstakes are frequently used by fast-food restaurants to boost business. Fantastic kitchens to be won at contest websites. It will be super or absolutely fantastic to win 6035 dollar. Its terrific or super to win 809 euro. Many state lotteries also run a second chance sweepstakes in conjunction with the retail sale of state lottery scratch cards. Realy terrific plasmas to win at online sweepstakes. Entering sweepstakes by mail is declining in popularity. This saves entrants time and effort. Many more sweepers are choosing to enter online sweepstakes. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month. Really anyone can win absolutely fantastic Porches every 20 weeks. In an effort to increase consumer demand for scratch cards and to help control the litter small problems associated with the disposal of non-winning lottery tickets. The reason why contests are treated differently is that the winners are not chosen by chance but by an element of skill. 2 days ago a Belgium dutch company begun with a dutch online sweepstakes. Sweepstakes are generally easier and quicker to enter than contests. Great Hummers to be won at dutch online contests. Although some sweepstakes ask for a proof of purchase or UPC code, the sponsors must provide an alternate method of entry if they do so. You can win marvelous wakeboards every 15 hours. That should be fantastic or really great to win 7906 dollars. There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Before home computers were popular a common method of entry was a mailed one. 2 months ago a Europe based dutch online company has started with a sweepstakes websites. That will be absolutely fantastic or really great to win 8724 euros.

Feel Those Feelings and Develop Emotional Intelligence

There is an old joke about a man who is walking home along the street in the early hours of a weekend and he sees another man, who is obviously very drunk, on his hands and knees, searching for something. “What are you looking for?” he asks the drunked man. “My house keys” the man replies. “Where did you drop them?” he asks. “Two streets away” he slurs. “Why aren’t you looking there then”, he asks, puzzled. “Because the light’s much better here.”

Now, during my initial training and learning, I was quite unsure about myself in many ways! Yes, even me, some may say that I have gone rather extremely the other direction now! I tried lots of the things I learned with self-hypnosis and different aspects of the standard NLP approaches to overcome this uncertainty and lack of confidence in my ability to do what I wanted to do, but none of them seemed to work for me. I still got the butterflies in my tummy and lacked a real sense of confidence, in fact I felt nervous about doing what I wanted to do (what if it all went wrong and I failed!!). I had spent some time fighting the anxious feeling, then one day I said to myself “Adam, just experience it, stop resisting it, stop fighting it; just feel it” and an amazing thing happened. I felt the nervous feeling, then it disappeared! I was shocked. All those previous months and years of fighting it, and all that I really needed to do was to feel it. I acknowledged it and stopped resisting.

Doing this is to heighten your own awareness of your own map of the world.

One of the presuppositions of NLP is ‘meet people at their map of the world’. This is a process of seeing things from their point of view or being aware of their experience and is a far depper discussion for another time. Now, I was fine at doing this with other people and my successful therapeutic consultancy is over the years has been solid proof to me of that, but before all that started, all those years ago, I suddenly realised that I had not been meeting myself at my map of the world. Whenever I felt feelings that I did not like, I would struggle, resist and fight them, and you know what they say: When you fight with yourself, someone always loses, and that someone is you. So I decided to stop fighting and resisting my feelings and instead to acknowledge them and start working with them.

WHere am I going with all this then? If there is a feeling that you find unpleasant or that seems unhelpful or that you just plain don’t like, firstly, map out the feeling. This is just a process of identifying where in your body that feeling is, really locate that feeling in your body. Now think about what size it is, how it moves; I used to have a fluttering feeling in the pit of my tummy that as I reisted it more would spread into my chest and back down again. Really be aware of the feeling physiologically, even think about what temperature it is, you can even take it a step further and think about what colour it would be if it had one etc.

While most people profess to know what they are feeling, you would be amazed at how many people have not got in the slightest bit acquainted with the physical characteristics of the emotions they are experiencing, they just let them happen passively without really getting an awareness of them. Emotions are physical (they are chemicals and all sorts of other things too), so the first step is to map out that physicality.

Next up, accept the feeling. Become OK with the fact that you are feeling it. For more on how to accept things in your life, again, dig out the article from a previous edition of “Adam Up” that was all about that, it is there in the archive on my website.

Of course, this can be a bit of a struggle for some people, who will no doubt say “But I don’t want to feel it” or “I shouldn’t be feeling it.” I know some of you are thinking that.

So here is the thing: you are feeling it, and if you want to change the feelings quickly, the most expedient way to do it is to meet yourself at your map of the world and accept that presenting feeling that you are having. If you refuse to do this, then you are just resisting it or fighting it as I was doing back then. Then any attempt to change it will involve starting from where you aren’t, and that rarely works out well (as our tipsy man looking for his keys on the wrong street can attest to.)

Then, you find the positive intent. What is your body or your unconscious trying to tell you? Sometimes feelings have a message of some sort for us. Other times, they’re just sensations that our body has some purpose for feeling. What (if anything) is this feeling doing for you or trying to tell you?

Then; feel it. Just feel it. Be sure not to struggle or fight, just feel it. Remember to breathe too

You don’t have to do this for long, but it is really good to feel something. Even if it feels bad, the fact that you can feel it means that you are alive (woo-hoo!) and it also means that you are in touch with how you feel. These are both good things to be able to acknowledge and realise within yourself. Often, just accepting and realising a feeling is putting it in a vast different perspective.

The final part of this process is to then play with the feeling.

Increase the feeling’s intensity. The reduce it. If it was one colour, make it another, if it was moving in a certain direction, move it in another, if it was a certain size, enlarge it or make it smaller, basically, have a play with it and discover just how much influence you have over this feeling. I think you will be surprised when you realise just how much influcence you really do have.

One of the things you’ll begin to find as you start to experience is just how much it’s possible for you to get a handle on your feelings. You may well discover for yourself that feelings aren’t true or false. They don’t really mean anything. They are just sensations that you are experiencing in your body. If you resist them, they’ll be there for some time, but if you accept them, you can start to play with them and change them. Does this mean you’ll not have a bad feeling ever again? No. Feelings will come and feelings will go, but what it does mean is that you can start to have more and more of the sorts of feelings you want to have. I know that whatever you are wanting to do in life, you’ll be wanting to punctuate your life with more and more good feelings, am I right?

So, enjoy your day today and make sure that you are spreading some good feelings into your life.

Copyright 2005 Adam Eason. All rights Reserved.

Adam Eason is an author, consultant, trainer and motivational speaker in the fields of hypnosis, NLP, personal development and human potential. His website is filled with information, stimulating articles, resources and uniques products.

Adam’s bi-monthly free ezine is packed with modern, innovative psychological tips, techniques and strategies; all those who sign up receive an instantly downloadable, unique hypnosis session to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.

What Trainees Should Know in Respect of Online Sports Competition Gambling

Bond together everybody’s greatest leisure actvities and what you’ll expose is something that’s commonly named a web based sportsbook. What could possibly be more ingenious. If you picture a large assembly of sports buddies cheering over any favorite team, and constantly antes will be pinned down parallel to the commotion. Set to catch more of the delights, spectators will often attempt to augur who will win the approaching match. Put together, this all evolves into a matey little match titled web based sportsbook.

It might appear to be addiction prone but, rather, sportsbook wagering is essentially only fun and to team up with one’s fellow sports fans. Here, you can bet a an insignificant sum of lucre and all the same enjoy yourself. Here’s some guidelines and details to get you started sportsbook wagering.

To place any wager, you will visit a web based sportsbook, i.e. a setup that receives web based sportsbook. In the USA, we have four states where everybody can go for sportsbook wagering legitimately, but if you don’t care for legality, you can attempt it essentially anywhere assuming that you can locate a bookie and happen to be of age. The sports events you can wager on are professional and, in addition, college football plus college basketball, professional hockey, professional hockey, and, in addition, betting on both dog and horse racing. Visitors might choose to risk money on the global result of a contest or game, at which point the contestant will go under, and even if a given tossed coin in a contest or game will come down either heads or tails.

The odds makers lean on statistics to aid you decide which team you judge will win. First off, there’s the spread, or point leverage assigned to a losing contestor that is anticipated to lose by a set number points. You will find numerous genres of antes, the straight bets, where you merely guess the party you believe is the likeliest to win or lose being the most typical in sportsbook wagering.

So why don’t you simply try it out and enjoy the fun as well. Only see to it that you won’t get overpowered and deplete your entire retirement fund on a quirk… For otherwise you’re sure to be caught deploring it all life long… What are you waiting for? Learn all the top bet sports center games here!

Putting A Stop To Food Cravings

Most of us don’t eat the perfect diet and we have struggles with food, same as everyone else. Having an awareness of this and knowing a little bit about our health and food nutrition can help when it comes to making wise decisions.

Many people struggle with food “cravings.” Studies tell us that it’s fairly common for food cravings to happen quite often at around bedtime. Your guard may be down, you may have had an unusually hard day, and off you go on your not-so-merry way to find that tasty treat.

When food cravings are unconstrained, what starts out as a bedtime snack quickly turns into a full blown feeding frenzy. We head to the kitchen and every other place where food can hide, clearing a path as we go.

Most food cravings are not about satisfying a nutritional need or imbalance. They seem to be more emotionally related, or God forbid, are caused by plain old gluttony. Exactly why we over-indulge is not completely understood.

Listed below are some thoughts and ideas about food cravings:

- If the food isn’t available, you can’t eat it! Empty the cookie jar and keep it that way! Keep healthy food choices on-hand.

- Recognize the feelings and emotions that lead-up to a food craving. Do you have food cravings when you’re bored, lonely, or stressed? If you can identify a trigger, you can deal with the emotion that’s making you desire a certain food.

- Don’t beat yourself-up. There is always tomorrow. Call a friend, make good use of your support network and share your feelings with someone.

- Get enough sleep. When you’re tired, you’re more likely to crave things.

- Never give-up. When you “slip”, do whatever is necessary to re-gain control. Try to practice restraint most of the time,
Think moderation and not abstinence at all times!

- Understand that self-control and discipline by themselves, won’t cut it! If you depend totally on yourself for control, you will fail. Forming caring and supportive relationships is required. If you do not currently have a support network, start building one TODAY.

- Exercise. It increases feel-good endorphins that cut down on your cravings. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

- Use moderation. Instead of stuffing yourself with every kind of food hoping that your craving will go away, eat 100 to 200 calories of your “craved” food.

- Substitute with low-fat foods and complex carbs. If you’re hungry for chocolate, eat non-fat chocolate yogurt. Try fig bars or raisins for a sweet craving.

- Never skip a meal. Eat every three to five hours. Try six smaller meals or regular meals with nutritious snacks.

- Understand that hunger cravings are oftentimes stress related; walk in the park, spiritual connections, a cozy fireplace, baths…all these stimulate regions of the brain that stimulate pleasure. Relaxation techniques may also work. Bottom line, substitute pleasurable experiences for comfort foods.

- Beware of certain medications. They can stimulate appetite. Drugs used for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder can be appetite stimulants. Other drugs, both prescription and over the counter, may influence appetite as well. If you are on a medication, and troubled by food cravings, discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist. You may be able to find an alternative that doesn’t send your cravings out of control.

- Distract Yourself. Get busy. Do anything other than cave-in to your desire for food.

- Look inside your refrigerator and kitchen cabinets and do some “house cleaning.” Throw-out that unhealthy stuff and start shopping more wisely. Careful planning will go a long way for improving your chances of success.

Eat wisely, be happy, and live long!

Visit www.foddnutrition.com with host, Sintilia Miecevole to find information all about nutrition including supplements, guidelines, food guide pyramid, child care nutrition, food safety, and topics from A to Z. Be sure to visit www.foddnutrition.com for further information on nutrition.

Boosting Your Business With A Merchant Account

The great majority of business conducted online is processed with a credit card. Also, credit card sales tend to be four times larger than a sale completed any other way. Knowing that most people decide to use a credit card and spend more when doing so, it only makes sense to be able to accept credit card payments.

The first step to being able to accept credit card payments is getting a merchant account. A merchant account is a special type of bank account that is able to receive payments from credit card purchases. Along with your account you will also need a hardware or software solution to actually process the payments, but this doesn’t have to be supplied by the company providing your merchant account.

For online credit card processing there is one extra step, you also need a payment gateway. A payment gateway is a company that provides real time authorization of online transactions. When looking at gateways make sure that they are compatible with your site’s software and your financial institution. You may wish to research your gateway and financial institution options before signing up for any services.

When researching your merchant account providers you may be surprised at the number of options available to you. While there are a lot of options, selecting the best provider for you is easy to do by knowing a little about what each company offers and how much they charge for their services.

The first step should always be to seek a mentor. Do you know someone who currently is conducting a similar business? If so ask them who provides their merchant account and what their thoughts are on that provider as well as others that they may have tried. After asking around search the Internet for people’s opinions on merchant accounts. While opinions are not a good reason to base a decision, their accounting of the service they received and the ease of company to work with are valuable information to know.

After determining which companies will be the easiest to work with you can begin to narrow down your options by examining the services offered and history. A good merchant account provider should have extensive experience working with growing businesses. This experience will allow your merchant account provider to be able to set up your account faster, will ensure that they can expand their services as your company grows and requires more options and most importantly, has the experience required to actively combat fraud and charge backs.

Of course nothing is free, and your merchant account is no exception. The amount that you must pay will vary from company to company but the basics of your bill should be the same. If the company you are considering is charging more you may wish to seek another merchant account provider.

The biggest single cost is the set up costs. Your set up costs include your application fees, equipment costs and deposits. These fees tend to average about $275 but vary depending upon the options you have selected. For example, your start up costs will be much higher if you have decided to purchase your credit card processing equipment instead of leasing it. This may be an economically viable solution after adding up the amount of the deposit that will be required if you lease the equipment and the leasing fees for a year.

Another thing to keep in mind is the amount that your merchant account provider will be charging for each completed transaction. On average you will be charged 2.5% of the sale and there may be a few more annual fees. Be sure to very closely examine that amount you will be paying and what additional fees you may have to pay as each company will be different and the difference may save you a lot of money each year.

Starting and having a business grow is a very exciting time for any business owner. As you expand into new markets, such as online sales, you will find a plethora of new options and opportunities. After deciding to expand be sure to carefully consider your options in order to make your next step as smooth and cost effective as possible.

The Outstanding Advanced Hair Studio

Hair loss, baldness, hair thinning is something that concerns lots of men old and young. There are abounding choices possible to you yourself nowdays, to help you yourself fix the problem. Advanced Hair Studio is currently one of these places. The company have helped around 300000 clients round the world & now have seventy studios in twelve many different countries. Check out Hair replacement today.

There are tonnes of different varieties of hair loss treatment options achievable to customers all of which involve very different types of methods All of these are attainable to all customers after a consultation with a doctor. The procedures are Strand by Strand this is very particularly maintenance & builds the hair up slowly & progressively so not to make it so obvious, this acts as a hair replacement method as apposed to a hair regrowth method. Advanced Hair Laser Therapy is another option that you yourself could go for; this method is tremendous & very specialised. AHS has productively conducted clinical trials on a combination of the newest laser beam technology, an FDA approved re growth pharmaceutical, and a proven scalp and follicle treatment programme for hair loss. With this programme, you yourself will see a massive change within three months. The last technique that they offer is a home treatment, so this is something that the client can actually do themselves in the comfort of there & the results are super. The home treatment programme combines the naturally occurring herb Sereonoa Repens range of products, with a handheld laser device & antioxidant treatment which helps to thicken, strengthen & repair your hair and scalp as well as promoting hair growth and reducing hair loss. Each

Generating Leads And Making Sales: Advice For Trade Show Exhibitors

Trade shows are one of the best ways to market your products or services and advertise your business to interested buyers. Even for successful companies, trade shows can increase sales and public exposure dramatically. Trade show booths allow businesses to directly connect with the people that purchase their products or services.

Though the reasons for exhibiting at a trade show are obvious, simply setting up a trade show booth is not enough if you really want to make the most of your expense and time. Generating leads and making sales are your priorities and your trade show booth - both the physical space and the display - can help you do this. When you are displaying a trade show booth, you want to project just the right image for your company; one that makes potential clients want to learn more after their first glance. Although people’s eyes should be drawn to your trade show booth, it shouldn’t be because it is simply flashier or louder than the others. Flashy or loud may be good for sales if your business is video games or music, but if your business is selling gourmet foods to restaurants you probably don’t want to advertise your booth with a flashing neon light or loud ear-splitting rap music. Your trade show booth should reflect your company’s brand and market, while still offering just that little extra effect that makes it stand out. This may sound difficult, but it really isn’t. It just takes a little pre-trade show planning.

For the sake of keeping it simple, let’s say that your business is selling candles wholesale to retail outlets. You want your trade show booth to let people know immediately what your business is all about and understand immediately why your business is unique and worth looking into. Remember, depending on the trade show there may be other businesses that sell the same thing you do, so just simply stating your business name and what you do will not be enough. You don’t want to be obnoxious, though, so having a hundred lit candles placed all over your booth would be too much. Don’t overwhelm potential clients - it will turn people away. A better idea would be to display your best candles around the booth, unlit, and then have professional brochures placed next to each type of candle that you are advertising. Offer coupons for large discounts or money-back guarantees on a first bulk-purchase - this shows that you have complete confidence in your product. And consider a giveaway like a tealight or other small candle so attendees can take your product with them. This encourages them to use your product and to contact you if they are interested.

Remember that it is your expertise and professional demeanor that people will remember the most, despite all of your display magic. Though the day may prove to be long, remember to sound fresh and excited when talking to each prospective client. Every interaction is a chance to make sales and generate leads. Practice your sales techniques in front of a mirror if you think that will help. Ask friends and colleagues what they think of your sales pitches, and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Most of all, with each potential client, project confidence. If you can show that you really believe and are excited about your product, your enthusiasm will be contagious.

A trade show is a good venue to generate sales leads and establish new business contacts. Making a sales presentation is easy - you know your product and can speak to its features and benefits. You likely have several different presentations depending on the audience, length of time you have to speak and the product you are showcasing. Use these presentations while you are meeting with prospective clients at your trade show booth and you will feel confident that you are providing them with the pertinent information they need about your company and products. Think of a trade show as a place where you can make many sales presentations all day long to a targeted audience of people attending the trade show. This is the best way to exude confidence and make sales.

Mat Kelly is the president of ExhibitDEAL, the Original Exhibit Wholesaler specializing in trade show booths. They provide 20, 10 and 8-foot pop-up displays as well as custom trade show displays - on the web at http://www.exhibitdeal.com/

The Skinny on the Metabolic Syndrome: Cutting the Fat

The overweight and obesity epidemic has fueled a dramatic rise in the prevalence of something doctors call the “Metabolic Syndrome”–the combination of abdominal obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and a particularly malignant form of high LDL (”bad”) cholesterol. Recently published statistics suggest that almost one half of adult Americans are overweight and one in four are obese.

This new syndrome is a lethal risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. The eleven year study by Kuopio found that middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome were about three times more likely to die of coronary artery disease than unaffected individuals, and twice the risk of stroke. This combination of risk factors is also vitally important for women, and several investigations have evaluated their effects on women’s health. The Framingham Heart Study found that diabetic women weighted more and hid higher blood pressure than non-diabetic women. In addition, their LDL (so-called “good” cholesterol) levels were lower than those of non-diabetic women. A Finnish study of newly diagnosed diabetic women determined likewise that they were more obese and had lower good cholesterol levels than non-diabetic women. Sixty percent of them were also taking medication for high blood pressure.

The common denominator for this syndrome is abdominal obesity. The Framingham Study found that as weight rises and falls, so too do blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Obesity leads to diabetes, and low good cholesterol. Dr. William Castelli, director of the study, ahs described this characteristic pattern of obesity: “When you put the ’spare tire on at the waist, you produce a different kind of LDL, much more atherogenic (causing atherosclerosis). You raise your blood pressure and increase your lipids (fats).” It is estimated that obese individuals develop diabetes at more than twice the rate of others.

Why are such seemingly different problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol grouped together? Because they are very much interrelated and there are similar or identical methods to prevent and/or control them.

What to do?

The best approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight has four basic components. None of them involves being on a diet:

1. Understand and modify your relationship with food. This will enable you to be in control, rather than being under the control of compulsive or rigid and unrealistic goals. According to author Dr. Janet Greeson, who has managed not to regain the 150 pounds she lost more than 18 years ago, “Diets are not really treating the person, and so if you focus on food as the problem, you are not successful. The problem is the feelings a person associates with food.”

2. Enjoy what you eat by becoming a conscious eater. This will help you select healthy and satisfying food, including some of your favorites, rather than limit you to rigid calorie-cutting and self-deprivation. Experiment. Become a student of your own behavior.

3. Exercise regularly. Physical activity is a powerful weapon in weight control for several reasons. It burns calories, it contributes to positive feelings and thus reduces the stresses and emotions that cause overeating, and it restores a consciousness of the body, which overweight people tend to lose. Exercise allows you to reclaim yourself physically and thereby strengthens you motivation to achieve and maintain healthy weight.

4. Create a support system. This can come from family, friends and/or a support group. Joining a structured weight loss program like Weight Watchers can be invaluable. Such a program provides you with a caring environment and people who both understand and share your struggle with overeating. They help you to become more honest about your eating habits and when you feel you may be slipping, they are there to help.

Remember: We are more than what we eat, but what we eat can help us to become less and therefore more of what we want to be.