International Adventure Travel By Car

Traveling the length of the African continent by car is an adventure the like of which can be life changing. If you have decided that you are going to attempt to drive from Cape Town to Cairo or vice versa, there will be a considerable amount of planning that needs to be undertaken. One of the most important issues relates to the choosing the right kind of insurance cover.

Not all insurers would entertain the idea of offering a premium to an individual who plans to take their car through some of the most harsh environments in the world. What's more, many of the countries that would be passed through are extremely dangerous due to internal conflicts. These risks are very real and an insurer would not be ignorant of the fact.

The policy that would be required should be more extensive than just covering financial outlay in relation to being in collision with other road users. It would be important, nigh essential, to take out a policy that offered protection against losses incurred as a result of a full range of somewhat unusual situations. Hijacking and animal attacks are two problems that most regular insurers would not provide coverage for, but which would be necessary if traveling across the African savanna.

To take a vehicle from one country to another requires documentation known as a Carnet de Passage, also referred to as a triptyque. A Carnet is a guarantee that when you take a vehicle into a new country, the issuing organization will pay import duty should you not take it out. Carnets can only be issued by national motoring organizations, such as the Automobile Association of South Africa, or the British RAC.

For a Carnet to be given, an insurance company must also give approval. If you are to enter an area designated as a war-zone, it is unlikely that you would be provided with approval and nor therefore a Carnet or insurance. Plan your trip accordingly.

Before you become too advanced in your planning, you should contact a number of companies that offer car insurance online to see whether your adventure will be possible. It would be incredibly frustrating to start collecting equipment, fitting out your vehicle, and applying for visas only to discover that no insurer is willing to give you the coverage that you need. Through the internet you are more likely to find a provider who will help you fulfill your dreams.

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Is Gap Insurance the Root of All Evil?

Car Gap insurance is a policy you buy in the hope that you will never need it. After all no-one ever plans to have their vehicle stolen or be involved in an accident, yet it happens to thousands and thousands of us day in and day out.

The whole nature of gap insurance is that it is a top up insurance used to fill in the gaps made by your own insurance company and leave you with no financial shortfall. Depending upon the level of cover that you have chosen it can simply pay the difference between your own vehicles valuation and any outstanding finance, the invoice price you paid or even the replacement cost if it has gone up.

So what happens when you make a claim and there is still a shortfall?

There can be many reasons that at there could still be a short-fall such as financial arrears and late payment charges. But in most cases it boils down to some very intricate rules of insurance. These rules are known as subjugation and contribution. These rules in brief mean that both insurance companies should act fairly and pay their fair share of any claim. Nothing more and nothing less.

For example if your car is written off and your own insurance company who let's be completely honest are a business offer you a price in settlement of your vehicle they should in theory offer you a fair price. This price is in most cases based on a guide price, or a percentage of one. In the UK this guide price is normally based on glass' guide. Your Gap insurance company will again in ninety-nine percent of cases use the same guide to value your vehicle and pay any shortfall.

In theory this means that here should never be any shortfall however as we have already discussed your motor insurance company is a business and it is in their interests to offer you a lower price in the hope that you will accept it.

Your gap insurance policies aim is to pay only from the guide price. This means that if you have already accepted an offer which is lower than the fair market value your policy will not cover it.

So who is to blame your motor insurance company or your gap insurance company?

Although this can vary the beauty of having a gap insurance policy is that you will have access to the prices and in most cases your gap insurance company will aid and do everything they can to make sure that your own insurance company pay a fair amount. Ensuring that they do not simply see that you have gap insurance as a scape goat to lowering their offer.

So is gap insurance the root of all evil well no I don't think so. Equally just because you have additional protection should not mean that they are now liable for any shortfall that your own insurance company under pay you.

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Facts About PGD for Gender Selection

PGD or Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnostics is a set of procedures performed by medical professionals on an embryo. This medical procedure is considered a breakthrough in the field of medicine and was first developed in used back in the 80's. It was originally created in order to help diagnose embryos for any defects. Today, with the help of in vitro fertilisation, also known as IVF, it could now be used to help couples select the gender of their future baby. While it is considered as unethical or immoral by some groups, it can also provide a lot of benefits. It has been tried by a lot of couples already and the probability for success is very high as compared to other types of sex selection processes and techniques. In fact, it is even very close to generating a hundred percent success rate.

So how does PGD really work in making gender selection possible? First of all, IVF or other assisted reproductive technology processes should be done in order to produce embryos. Embryos are then examined by a medical expert to see if there are any defects or abnormalities. Healthy embryos of a specific gender are then gathered in order to be implanted at the uterus of the soon-to-be mother. At this stage, PGD can help couples prevent having unhealthy children by not using embryos which are at risk. After the implantation of the embryo, natural conception process occurs. Depending on the couple's preference, other healthy embryos could be saved to be used in the future.

Since embryos that can have genetic disorders are not used, this process is considered by many as very important. The success rate of bearing a baby of a specific gender is very high so it can help a lot of couples who have several female children to finally have a male child or vice versa. On the other hand, PGD is also considered as an unethical procedure especially on the part wherein the other embryos which are not implanted could be discarded if the couple decides to do so. It is a very sensitive issue since there are a lot of groups which considers embryos as human life already so it can be equated to abortion. Gender selection in itself can also be a cause of major problems in the future. According to several studies, it can cause gender imbalance later on which can greatly affect the society.

For couples who are planning to undergo this procedure, they must understand all the advantages and disadvantages that come along if PGD is used for gender selection. Another major factor that needs to be considered is that this process usually costs a lot so it is not ideal for those who have financial concerns. Depending on several factors, the complete process could cost up to 20,000 US dollars. It involves meticulous processes which are only done by a few medical experts and it involves the use of hi-tech equipments thus the high price tag. PGD for sex selection is also not allowed in some countries because of ethical reasons and social problems that it can cause.

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Get Help From the Weight Gain Calculator to Determine Your Optimum Weight During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a very complicated time for a mother to be as there are numerous things that have to be taken care of, especially when the mother to be is in so much discomfort. At the time of the pregnancy it is not only the mother's health that should be looked after but the baby's health as well. Everything that you do has either a negative or positive way for the baby.

One of these things that are most important for the baby's health is the pregnancy weight gain. This weight usually means the weight that the mother to be has put on for the day of conception. Weight gain is very important after getting pregnant since if the weight gain is too little, the baby isn't in a healthy condition and it may lead a miscarriage. On the other hand, if the mother has gained too much weight, it can endanger the baby's health by increasing the chances of complications that can arise in the latter months.

So how can you determine whether the amount of weight that you have gained during pregnancy is the optimum weight? The Institute of Medicine has come up with a chart that determines the optimum weight as you make your way through the pregnancy period. What you need to do is take a look at this chart and then use a calculator to figure out the amount of weight which you should have gained in a specific time in your pregnancy.

There are many calculators present online that help pregnant women to calculate the amount of weight they should have gained by now. These calculators help make the lives of pregnant women easier since all they need to do is switch on their computer and add two to three details after which the weight will be presented to you within a few seconds. You are required to enter your height, the weight before the pregnancy and the week of pregnancy and hit the calculate button and you are good to go.

You should know that the health of the baby is greatly dependent on the diet of the mother to be. So what's the best thing to do is to get a diet plan in the very first week of your pregnancy and make sure that you keep a strict check on your weight and follow the diet plan very carefully as as it shows the health of your baby.

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Good Low Carb Foods

Many people don't begin a low carb diet, or don't stay with it, simply because they can't find tasty choices that are also low in carbohydrates. Actually, there are many foods that can be used for meals, in recipes or for snacks, when you're trying to maintain a diet that is low in carbs. Consuming a variety of foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates will allow you to eat a healthy diet that's tasty and also good for you.

Everyone is unique, and the same foods won't work for everyone, but there are foods that are very popular on low carb diets, and you can tailor your recipes to suit your tastes. Fish is a popular staple on low carb diets. But you don't need to restrict yourself to just the well-known types. There are many good low carbohydrate foods, and fresh fish are a healthy part of your low carb diet that you should eat at least several times a week. The best fish for your diet may include orange roughy, Alaskan halibut, trout, wild caught salmon, sea bass, cod and mackerel. Shellfish are healthy low carb choices that are full of taste, too. They include scallops, crab, shrimp, oysters, clams and lobster.

Eggs and egg whites can be included as breakfast essentials or as ingredients in other meals. Free range eggs are often preferred in low carb diets. You're not limited to chicken eggs, either. You might wish to try quail or duck eggs, to keep your diet alive and different from one day to the next.

Red meat is an important staple in low carbohydrate diets, because it allows you to get enough protein for a healthy diet. Lamb is a good choice, as is venison or deer meat. Cattle that have been grass-fed will be a positive choice, as will buffalo or bison meat, as long as the animals were not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.

Poultry can be included in many low carbohydrate recipes, to make them tasty. Consume only poultry that was never treated with antibiotics or hormones. Some of the most popular poultry choices are chicken, duck, goose and turkey. Wild bird meat is also on the list of good low carb foods that provide quality low carbohydrate recipe mainstays, so add pheasant, wild turkey and quail to your list.

You should include vegetables and fruits in any diet, too, so that you reap the rewards of their many vitamins and nutrients. Vegetables that are not starchy are the best for your diet, including collard greens and spinach. Good tasting vegetables to use for recipes and healthy snacks or salads include Romaine lettuce, cauliflower, asparagus, cucumbers, mushrooms, turnip greens and celery. You can also add cabbage, zucchini, cilantro and mustard greens. Vegetable leaves and stems can help you to prepare healthy salads that are low in carbohydrates.

Fresh fruits are good choices, as parts of recipes or as snacks. Include fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and deduct any carb count from your allowance for each day. These do contain sugar and carbs, so they should be enjoyed sparingly.

Oils add omega fatty acids to your diet, so use them as desired in your recipes. Some of the best choices are extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed and canola oils. By using all these different good low carb foods, you can add good taste to your low carb, heart healthy diet.

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Diet Soda Dangers: Is It True Diet Soda Can Be Dangerous?

Sugar-Free Soda Dangers Were Unknown 50 Years Ago

I grew up drinking soft drinks. They were easy to transport and our major source of liquids on hot, summery Northern California days. My grandparents allowed my mother to drink a soda right before bed and now my mom suffers from obesity and severe tooth damage. We weren't allowed to drink soft drinks before bed (thank goodness!), but I don't remember much restriction. As a teenager, I never had any problems with my weight, but I have had a lot of dental work.

As I aged weight definitely became more of an issue and sodas are an everyday part of life, so I thought.

There is a lot of research on overweight and obese people consuming soda. Research has also shown that drinking soda with artificial sweeteners can affect how you perceive calories and within a day you may ingest more calories than if you drank regular soda. Sadly, my mom drinks diet soda daily and she is in this category.

Two Studies Showing Diet Soda Dangers

A study presented to the American Diabetes Association shows that drinking sugar-free soda is associated with a wider waist in humans. A second study shows that an artificial sweetener in diet soda actually raises blood sugar in mice prone to diabetes.

In the first study, the height, weight, waist measurement and diet soda consumption was measured for elderly people in San Antonio. After 9 1/2 years, the diet soda drinkers had a waist measurement 70% greater than the regular soda drinkers. And people who drank the most diet soda, at least 2 cans a day, had waist measurements 500% greater than those who didn't drink any diet soda.

The mice didn't fare any better in the second study. After 3 months of adding aspartame to the diabetes-prone mice, they had higher glucose-blood readings than the mice not fed aspartame.

Aspartame, a Component of Diet Soda Dangers

Aspartame was discovered in 1965 by a scientist trying to make a new ulcer drug, and approved in 1981 for use as a sweetener. Aspartame is 160 - 200 times sweeter than sugar. Dr. Robert Walton surveyed the studies of aspartame. He states that of the 166 relevant studies, 74 had aspartame related funding and 92 were independently funded. One hundred percent of the research performed by the company who makes aspartame confirmed aspartame's safety, whereas 92% of the independently funded research found problems with consuming aspartame. H.J. Roberts, MD, reports that by 1998, aspartame products were the cause of 80% of complaints to the FDA about food additives. Some of these symptoms include headache, dizziness, cramps, seizures, memory loss, and fatigue. While the FDA has assured us that the research does not show any adverse health complications from aspartame, there are studies to the contrary.

Another Component In Diet Soda Dangers

Another problem is the possibility of leaching calcium from the bones due to the carbonation in sodas. A rise in calcium deficiencies and bone fractures has been linked to soft drink consumption in girls and leaves them at risk for broken bones and osteoporosis later in life. Phosphoric acid can link to calcium and magnesium, reports Arizona Advanced Medicine, depleting these vital minerals.

It's a three step process: *

1. The carbonation irritates the stomach. 2. The stomach "fixes" the irritation with calcium (an antacid) 3. The blood pulls calcium from the bone to replenish calcium levels.

Diet Soda Dangers, Really Are Bad For You

If you can't stop drinking diet soda altogether, try small changes. Quit drinking diet sodas for 3 days, then a week.

Drink lots of water. Take your weight and divide by 2. The result is the amount of water you should be drinking every day. If you are 180 pounds, you would drink 90 ounces of water daily. If you are not used to drinking plain water, you could add a squeeze of fresh lemon for flavor.

Realize that sodas are addictive. Check the ingredient list in jams, salad dressings, yogurt, breath mints for aspartame or other artificial sweeteners. Minimize the portion size or completely omit those foods. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables instead. After a month of eliminating sodas and artificial sweeteners you should be feeling better and find it easy to resist their attraction. Definitely, Diet Sodas are dangerous and harmful to your health.

* Mind Connection - Dr. Mercola

Diet Soda Dangers: Is It True Diet Soda Can Be Dangerous?   Diet Soda Dangers: Is It True Diet Soda Can Be Dangerous?   Short Overview of the Most Popular Fruits for Smoothies