Shona Wilkinson, Nutritionist at the Nutri Centre (Europe’s largest natural products store) advises that: “Sleep gives our bodies the chance to maintain and repair both the body and the mind”. This is important given the NEW research, which indicates that people that sleep for less than 6 hours per night are 12% more likely to die prematurely compared with those who manage to secure the ‘ideal’ amount of between 6-8 hours (1).

Wilkinson further explains that: “Lack of sleep affects our nervous systems by leaving us drowsy and unable to concentrate. It can lead to poor memory and poor physical performance. If sleep deprivation continues, hallucinations and mood swings may develop. Sleep problems are common in both mental and physical disorders including depression, strokes, cancer and head injuries. ”

In a modern society in which sleep often falls at the bottom of the priority list for those in high-pressured jobs or with families, the following sleep solutions may act as a “life saviour”!

Patch-It – £9.99 – www.patch-it.info

Plaster-style patches that use the ancient principals of reflexology to stimulate key pressure points on the feet. An independent sleep disturbance trial discovered that on average, Patch-It reduced the amount of time troubled sleepers spent awake every night by a staggering 40 per cent (2).

The participants of the randomised placebo-controlled trial, conducted by an independent Harley Street clinic, also experienced:

A 100% improvement in alertness during the day
A reduction in sleep interruptions by one third
A 20% reduction in the time taken to fall asleep

Dr Nyjon Eccles, of the Chiron Clinic, who conducted the trial says: “Wearing Patch-It continuously for one month seems to have improved the quality of sleep in three main ways – getting off to sleep, duration of sleep and feeling refreshed after sleep. ”

Nature’s Plus Dreamquest Adult’s Warm Milk Chewables – £19.50 -www.nutricentre.com

Chewable tablets containing 200 mg of Lactium®, the soothing milk peptides responsible for the calming properties of warm milk. This soothing formula also contains effective sleep-supporting herbs, including hops, chamomile and cinnamon.

Lamberts Healthcare Fibrecleanse – £12.95 – www.nutricentre.com

An advanced nutriceutical formula to support a healthy nervous system which is required to promote mental calm, relieve stress and improve the quality of sleep. Containing B vitamins which work together to support adrenal glands, plus Calcium and Magnesium which work in balance to stimulate and relax the nervous system, whilst Tryptophan helps restore calm to the mind.

Do you want free online CPR certification? Yes, you can have it. You need not pay a single centavo for your certificate, but you must take free online CPR class first. To find one that will suit your requirement, make a few phone calls or use the search tools of the internet. Look for sites that offer free online CPR certification after completion of the course. These sites are only a click away.

For online classes prior to your having a free online CPR certification, you may call and sign up with a local Red Cross chapter. The American Red Cross (ARC) is very well known for disaster response and for keeping the citizens of the community safe everyday. Some training centers approved by the American Heart Association (AHA) are also worth looking into. The AHA is presently the frontrunner in heart ailment and conduct free online classes. You may also consider calling the Fire Department and even some private companies in your area.

Although online classes are available nationwide and ready to take you in, it is advisable to check first which will give you a credible online CPR certification. Your card should have one hundred percent acceptability. In looking for a job, your certificate will give you better chances because this card will prove that you got the skill they need. Your online CPR certification will also make you confident to react in any given emergency situation, and that you can positively say that you can save a life whenever and wherever you need to.

Taking up a free online class is an easy and convenient way to get trained, so you better act quickly if you want to get your online CPR certification at the soonest possible time. Free online classes fill up more quickly compared to paid classes mainly because they are offered at no cost. The minute you learn the availability of a free online class in your area, you move fast and register and complete the course. Prove that you learned everything by passing the test, and get your first aid training in no time.

It’s hard to find a diet program that works every time it is tried. It seems like every time one turns around there is a new fad diet and many fast weight loss tips. But true weight loss cannot usually be found in a fad diet or a diet pill. In fact, it is usually found in something that has been around for ages: regular exercise and good nutrition. That plan usually has a very high success rate and includes fast weight loss tips you should be aware of.

The military of every country world wide knows that exercise and good nutrition is critical to health weight maintenance (which they must maintain). And when those two factors are combined with miscellaneous fast weight loss tips they are fit to be deployed anywhere. No military subscribes to fad diets but subscribes to exercise, good nutrition, and other fast weight loss tips such as the following:

Weight Loss Tip 1: Get active and decrease focus on dieting.

This is Burning more calories than you take in is far more effective than dieting usually. There are so many ways to do this too. You’ll see that people will run, run up stairs, ride a bike, do intense yard work, and chop wood. Not having enough time is no excuse. All you have to do is leave the car at home one day and walk or bike to work. You can even walk during your lunch break.

Weight Loss Tip 2: Eat right.

Don’t eat snacks full of sugar and cut down on your portions at meals. Eat a balanced diet. Also remember that the proper weight loss is not achieved by starting yourself. It is better to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Weight Loss Tip 3: Eat breakfast.

It is the most important meal of the day. This meal is for the brain and it is proven that if you eat a good breakfast, you are less likely to snack on sugary processed foods later on in the day. Plus there is less likelihood that you will stuff yourself with a huge lunch.

Weight Loss Tip 4: Keep meal patterns regular.

If you can possibly try to avoid having long spans of time in between meals it will help to keep you balanced both mentally and physically. It also helps to keep your metabolism stable.

Weight Loss Tip 5: Don’t eat before going to bed.

Think about it. You are going to eat a dinner meal and then rest for 8 or 9 hours. This is probably the surest way to gain weight as you will not be active to burn calories. Plus you will not have a comfortable sleep as your food is digesting.

There are many more fast weight loss tips but remember that the key is to burn off more calories than you take in. As you get older, your metabolism decreases so you will probably have to exercise more and intake less.

YATI Ventures is an investment firm, with nurturing knowledge and an innovation driven ventures to target the global market. We are an early stage venture firm, investing in technology based businesses in sectors such as, engineering design services, product lifecycle management, Open source Web apps, Life Sciences, Renewable Energy and other businesses that use technology in innovative ways to create high growth business opportunities. We also have a well-established track record of helping ambitious entrepreneurs create long-term value and market leadership.

YATI Ventures (YATI) supports a portfolio of few companies in North America and ASIA.

YATI Ventures is interested in working with startup companies / bright entrepreneurs in the following areas;

Engineering Services
PLM Solutions and Services
Embedded Software
Open Source Web Applications / Services
Software as a Service
Mobile Technology
Telecom/wireless technologies
Life Sciences
Renewable Energy
Industrial

Our Approach in identifying startup companies / bright entrepreneurs:

We build relationships with bright entrepreneurs, before we make any investment deals. We also cultivate a deep understanding of your business, your market, and your motive for success. We understand what it takes to grow a business – through organic development, acquisition, or both – may change over time. YATI’s investment team will do whatever it takes to:

Provide additional expertise as needed in functional areas (HR, finance, marketing, etc)
Give you crucial support through board involvement
Help you adjust your growth strategy to new opportunities
Invest in talent to surround you with people who will make a difference in your business

Everything we do – investing in infrastructure and people, building the strategy, strengthening the management team – enhances the value of the business to ensure further growth potential.

YATI team consists of individuals who have either been entrepreneurs themselves or worked with start-ups for much of their careers. So, our team has the capability to comprehend the challenges that arise in during the nurturing a company from the idea to a scalable, profitable, competitive business. We help our portfolio companies, from operational support in strategy, business development, HR, finance or any other area to the extent we can. .

Investing in Car Dealerships: How to Do It Right

The financial characteristics of the automobile dealership are attractive:

“. . . moderate growth and risk and high returns. Franchised new car dealer revenues have grown at a 7.2% annual rate since 1992, about twice the rate of GDP. Moreover, this growth has come with only moderate risk, as the dealer body didn’t lose money (on a pretax basis) for a single year in the last twenty – even during the 1989-1991 industry down-cycle. Finally, despite major changes in the auto industry’s structure, dealer returns have remained high, with pretax ROE averaging 26.1% over the last twenty years”. [MerrillLynch, April 19th, 2004 Report on “Automobile Dealers”. ]

Athletes from almost every major sport have invested in new car dealerships: Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Evander Holyfield, Arnold Palmer, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Alex Rodriguez to name a few.

The idea isn’t new. Johnny Lujack, 1947 Heisman Trophy winner and Chicago Bear Pro-Bower, started a business in 1954 that would eventually expand to 16 franchises; spread over 40 acres, with sales of over 10,000 vehicles and $150 million, per year. Lujack retired from the auto business after almost 50 years as a successful dealer.

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME?

“This is the time you have been waiting for”, reports Greg Gilmore in the June 2005 issue of Dealer Magazine. Dealer Executive reported that last year (2004) ranked as the 4th best for new unit sales by franchised new-vehicle dealers. Total dealership dollars exceeded $714 billion, up more than 2% from 2003.

The fact is that anytime is the right time. In 1991, in the depths of an automotive depression, John Elway asked me, prior to signing his purchase contract, if “this” (1991) was the right time to buy. I told him that it is how you buy it and how you sell it that count. That year he made a $20 million investment. At the time he had a single Mazda store on Arapahoe Road, in Englewood. I sold the Mazda franchise for him and Nissan gave him its franchise to put in the old Mazda building. Shortly thereafter, I put together another transaction that had John buy the Mazda store on 104th Avenue, in Thornton. John then terminated Suzuki and put the Mazda store with his Oldsmobile and Hyundai franchises. After that he bought one more dealership (a Ford franchise) and then, in 1995, sold the entire package to Republic Industries for $86 million.

A lot of people were afraid to buy a dealership in 1991 and thought that John took a big gamble. But, he didn’t “gamble”. He structured his purchases and sales correctly, and then capitalized on his investment.

For example, although GM and Ford lost money (as they did in 1991), individual dealers made millions, according to NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) and Automotive News statistics, the average dealers’ pretax margin varies between one and two percent of their total sales. Why? The dealers capture a broader business base than the manufacturer. While the manufacturer makes its money on new car sales, the dealers have the additional balance of the parts departments, service departments, used car departments, finance departments, insurance departments and, in some instances, body shops. Consequently, while the manufacturer is dependent upon each year’s new car sales, a dealer’s success is based more on the total number of vehicles in operation.

DOES THE DEALERSHIP’S HISTORY MATTER?

A little, but don’t be intimidated by it. After Jimmy Vasser won the CART racing championship for Target, I put together a transaction for Jimmy to buy a dueled Chevrolet-Toyota franchise, in Napa, that lost money for the previous 10 consecutive years. I put Jimmy together with a dealership manager and Jimmy’s dad, who had some previous used car experience, signed-on as used car manager.

Subsequently, after going to dealer school and passing through the chairs, Jimmy’s dad took over as General Manager; the store thrived; and Jimmy not only bought the dealership land and facility, but bought the Ford store in the next town, and is currently building a new Toyota store so that his Chevrolet and Toyota franchises can have separate facilities.

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL?

Good advice. Good advice is both important and hard to find. In the words of Trace Armstrong, past president of the NFL Players Association: “There’s just so much bad advice out there being given to these guys. It’s really kind of scary. ” [Reported by Eric Fisher, March 27, 2000. ]

As with the Entertainment and Sports Industries, there is so much money in the car business, that everybody wants to get a piece of it. Consequently, everybody thinks he or she is an expert in analyzing and structuring deals, when in fact they just want to be a broker that gets a commission from the deal. Sidebar: New car dealership revenues reached almost One Trillion Dollars in 2004. The dealerships and dealer related industries account of over 15% of the Gross National Product of the United States.

HOW TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL TEAM?

An investor needs a team. Generally, it’s the same team they have, supplemented by an expert in the car business. Don’t get lulled into a false sense of security that loyalty is synonymous with the “factory” or “bankers”.

For example, Ford made one of its black dealers (a superstar athlete) the point man, brokering meetings with senior executives and acting as a conduit between the company and Jesse Jackson. He mediated disputes between Ford and its dealers, and he promoted the company in public appearances. He even had a close relationship with some Ford family members.

“He had some friends in high places, ” said John Clissold, a retired Ford Credit executive. “[The head of Ford Credit] was a very strong supporter. ” But, when trouble came, it didn’t matter. Business was business. ” . . . one factory executive familiar with the situation summed up the prevailing feeling at corporate headquarters: ‘[the superstar] was headed for a cliff and we weren’t going over with him. ’” [Story by Bill Vlasic and Mark Truby / The Detroit News Sunday, May 26, 2002. ]

The fact is that the factory and bank employees have a duty to do what is best for the factory or bank, not what is best for your client. It’s the law. They have a legal obligation to their shareholders – no matter how nice or how close your client is to them.

Financial statements and an accountant are not enough. Your client needs a member of your team that is a student of the industry. A profitable automotive statement can be certified and comply with every principle of accounting, yet still convey a false impression of success. There are so many nuisances in defining and structuring automotive transactions, that your client needs an expert in the field who can determine both what automotive deal is best for the athlete and what is the best way to get it.

So while your team may consist of accountant, attorneys, agents and managers that are excellent at their jobs, unless a student of the industry is added (someone who does nothing but structure buys and sells everyday), a key ingredient to success will be missing.

Think of it in terms of any sport or business. If a person wants to create a championship team in a particular sport, is it created with people who play the game 50% of the time, 75% of the time, or someone who plays it everyday?

Remember: The nicest thing they ever said about Richard Nixon was: “He looks like a used car salesman. ”

John Pico is the Managing Partner of Advising Automobile Dealers LLC. Mr. Pico served as a court appointed “Consultant to Debtor” in bankruptcy cases, a “Court Appointed Mediator” in automotive disputes, the “Court Appointed Arbitrator / Appraiser” in partnership disputes, a “Court Approved Consultant to Receiver” in a check-kiting case, as a “Superior Court Mediator” in dealership/lender litigation and has been recognized as an expert witness on both State and Federal levels.

He has consulted on upside-down positions of over $50 Million, out of trust position of over $4 Million and a bank overdraft of $30 Million. Since 1972, Mr. Pico has completed over 1,000 automobile dealership transactions, whose combined values exceed One Billion Dollars.

There is a powerful investment technique that makes it possible to generate returns of up to 100% or more in a month not a year. This technique is little known but quite simple in terms of execution. The one catch is that it is a “hands on” approach and rightly so. A return of 100% a month is nothing short of amazing, so let’s take a look at how it works.

The first thing to realize is that anything can be an investment. Virtually anything you can buy and sell for a profit can be seen as an investment if that was the purpose of the transaction. A transaction can be completed in under a week, but look at it this way. If you were able to compound your capital by just 20% per week, you would result in making a 100% return each month or double that money.

If you started this technique with just $100 dollars, you would have well over $1 million dollars in 14 months if you could maintain that level of compounding at each month. That is quite a remarkable result. The main thing to remember is that it is not the dollar increase that counts, but the percentage increase and the stringent use of compounding. You could literally start with some unwanted item that you could clean up and improve in some way at the $100 dollar level and sell it for $120 then move on to the next item. Some of the richest people on the planet make their wealth in this way but on a grander scale and you can apply this same technique. By maintaining control over the collateral your investment represents, you can clearly control the increases.

If you need money now, like I mean in the next hour, try what I did. I am making more money now than in my old business and you can too, read about Martin Thomas in the link below. When I joined I was skeptical for just ten seconds before I realized what this was. I was smiling from ear to ear and you will too.

Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk! To discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click the link below to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars at the easy corporate money program.

Excessive sweating is quite a common problem these days, not helped by all the man-made fibres that we wear. No doubt a lot of sufferers would like to know how to reduce, and sometimes stop underarm sweat. You have to watch what you wear, particularly in the summer, always carry tissue with you to mop up the excess and ruin your clothes as well. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to ease your discomfort.

Hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating simply means that the sufferer produces more perspiration than the body needs to regulate temperature. It is estimated that over eight million Americans currently suffer from hyperhidrosis. There is no known reason why this happens to some people and not others, but if you have over active sweat glands, that’s not much help.

Some of the things you can try to control excessive sweating is to watch your weight, as being overweight leads to higher body temperatures that will trigger the sweat glands. Watch what you eat, as some foods are well known to increase body temperatures. Examples include really spicy foods such as curries and chilli. Caffeine and smoking are other guilty culprits that you could keep a check on.

Of course you should wash regularly, and when choosing an anti-perspirant deodorant, look for one that contains aluminium zirconium. What this does is to help block the pores in the skin and thereby reduce sweating. Be careful though, as some people may be allergic to this and develop an uncomfortable rash. Excess hair on the body will also trap moisture and when it is really hot, this will quickly lead to an unpleasant smell. If you are up for it and your sweating is restricted to a specific area, Botox can stop sweating for around 6 months by blocking the nerve signals that trigger sweating.

When dressing, go for natural loose fitting cotton clothes as this will give the greatest air flow around the skin. If you only suffer from underarm sweat, try using disposable sweat pads that simply stick to the clothes to absorb any excess sweat. These are readily available online. You can also choose to wear a plain t-shirt under your clothes.

Don’t forget to always check with your doctor that there is no known medical condition causing the excessive sweating.

The Sarah Summer yeast infection cure is an extensively researched program for curing yeast infections. The cures presented are effective for curing yeast overgrowth in men, women, babies, and during pregnancy. You may have come across Sarah Summer’s cure in searching for information about curing a yeast infection.

As a matter of fact, thousands of people have found complete relief from the pain of their infections through the Sarah Summer yeast cure. Sarah Summer is a medical researcher and was a yeast infection sufferer herself. No longer willing to be plagued with her recurring yeast overgrowth, she set to work to research and find true cures for her infection.

Not only did she research different cures, but she also thoroughly researched the causes of yeast infections and the development of them in our bodies. Because she started out with such a thorough knowledge of the causes and progression of the yeast, she was able to then identify the specific natural cures and combinations of cures that will effectively cure a yeast infection.

Sarah Summer lists the various symptoms of yeast infections and explains the importance of determining if it is a yeast overgrowth you are battling. Once you have determined that it is, Sarah starts out with an immediate QuickStart guide. This is important because if you are suffering from a yeast infection you need relief immediately and Sarah provides the information that you need to get instant relief. You can then proceed to read her extensive book and determine other cures that you will want to use to get rid of your ailment for good.

The Sarah Summer yeast infection cure leaves no stone unturned. You are presented with treatements, detailed and easy instructions on how to use the cures, information on the foods to eat and the foods to avoid, details on clothing to wear, and vital information on phytonutrients.

Sarah Summer claims that you can cure your infection within 12 hours. This claim seems a bit over rated until you actually read her book. You realize that she has extensively researched and supported her claims in all her treatments with her references and footnotes. She also further validates her claim of curing your infection within 12 hours by offering a moneyback guarantee. You have eight weeks to try the Sarah Summer yeast infection cure and determine if it is right for you. Chances are your yeast infection will be gone long before eight weeks.

Common remedies like Threelac and Monistat only treat the symptoms of a yeast infection. Because it is only the symptoms that are being treated you will have to go back again and again. Sarah gives an in depth explaination of the common drugs used to treat yeast infections and their dangerous side effects. If you are discouraged from suffering from yeast infections, the Sarah Summer yeast cure is exactly what you’re looking for.

If you suffer from yeast infections, it is time to put an end to them. There is no better person to trust than someone who has also suffered from yeast infections and has thoroughly researched and experienced the freedom of defeating it once and for all. I highly recommend the Sarah Summer yeast infection cure because I too have experienced the efficacy of the Sarah Summer yeast infection cure.

Offshore investment accounts refer to the investment strategies that capitalize on investment opportunities located outside the country of residence of the investment client. The offshore investment accounts offer many financial and legal benefits to the client. Offshore investment accounts come with a multitude of advantages. Most people find that the many benefits of offshore investment accounts help them overcome their preconceptions about the topic.

Some of those advantages include less controlling legal regulations, little or no taxation (tax havens), greater discretion, easy access to investment funds, protection against local financial or politically instability and privacy to name a few.

Offshore destinations are open and investor friendly and they also equally benefit by the offshore investment accounts. This is because; offshore accounts indirectly develop the economy of the country where the funds are invested.

There is a myth surrounding the offshore investment accounts that offshore investment accounts are only of millionaires and billionaires due to huge amount of funds required for investments. Though you require certain amount of money to open an offshore investment account but you may be surprised to know that it is not an extremely large sum. Along with a millionaire an average middle class person can also have an offshore investment account and can do the investments.

The offshore market gives equal opportunities to all the investors. There are many offshore financial companies that are economically sound, experienced and officially permitted offering large number of bond, and equity assets to the investors.

The most popular offshore investment destinations are neutral and friendly and can definitely benefit from investment dollars of foreign investors. Some of popular tax havens are Antigua, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Delaware, Dominica, Gibraltar, Ghana, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Jersey, Labuan, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat, Nauru, Nevis, Panama, Seychelles, St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos Island.

If you are interested to know more about Offshore Investment Accounts, please search our site for more in-depth information and resources.