How to Strengthen Your Immune System

White blood cells, also known as leukocytes, are the body's natural defense against infections, and are a major part of the function of the immune system. They eat away foreign bacteria and other organisms that invade the body, and they are therefore responsible for immunity (the ability of the body to fight infections). Some people may have weaker immune systems genetically; others may have weaker immune systems because of viral or bacterial infections.

Steps

Eating the Right Foods

1. Get enough protein. Eating a balanced diet ensures that the right nutrients reach the bone marrow, where white blood cells are produced. Start by making sure to eat plenty of protein, which is the most important component of white blood cells.^[1] You can get protein from meat, dairy, eggs and vegetables.
   
2. Choose the right fats. Avoid saturated fats, but eat plenty of unsaturated fats. Saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease, but unsaturated fats aid absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the body. ^[2] These "good fats" are found in corn, sesame, safflower, soybean, and cottonseed oils.
   
3. Eat limited amounts of carbohydrates. Consuming appropriate amounts of wheat, corn, and cereals helps to create the energy required for the body to produce white blood cells. However, consuming excessive amounts of these foods will result in lower levels of T-lymphocytes (and thus lead to lower immune responses) ^[3]
   
4. Incorporate other immunity-boosting foods into your diet. There are a number of particular foods that can help. These include:
   
   • Garlic ^[4]
   • Almonds ^[5]
   • Kale ^[6]
   • Navy beans ^[7]
   • Reishi mushrooms ^[8]
   • Blueberries and raspberries ^[9]
   • Yogurt ^[10]
   • Green,^[11] Matcha,^[12] and Tulsi^[13] teas
5. Eat antioxidants. Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that help repair damaged cells in the body.^[14] Examples of antioxidants are Beta Carotene, Vitamins C and E, Zinc, and Selenium. These nutrients can be found in certain fruits or vegetables, or can be taken with a supplement.
   
   • Beta Carotene is found in apricots, broccoli, beets, spinach, green peppers, tomatoes, corn, and carrots. ^[15]
   • Vitamin C is found in berries, broccoli, nectarines, oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cauliflower. ^[16]
   • Vitamin E is found in broccoli, carrots, nuts, papaya, spinach, and sunflower seeds. ^[17]
   • Zinc is found in oysters, red meat, beans, nuts, and seafood.

Taking Vitamins and Other Supplements

1. Be skeptical of "immune-boosting" products. There is no scientific evidence that has proven that increasing the number of immune-fighting cells is a good thing. In fact, in some cases, increasing the number of certain "good" cells in your body can increase the risk of stroke.^[18]Medically speaking, the best thing you can do for your immune system is to live a healthy daily lifestyle and get proper and timely medical treatment for illnesses and infections.
   
2. Increase your intake of Zinc. Zinc is one of the most important components of enzymes present in white blood cells, and a deficiency of this mineral can result in a weaker immune system.^[19] You can get zinc from meat, fish, and milk.
   
   • Supplements are also available, but you should consult your doctor before taking them regularly.
3. Make sure you are getting enough copper. You only need a very small amount of copper to be healthy (the total amount of copper in a healthy human body is only around 75-100 milligrams ^[20]), but it does play a very important role in metabolic and immune function, neutralizing free radicals and possibly even reducing some of their harmful effects ^[21] You can get copper from organ meats, leafy green vegetables, and cereals.
   
   • That being said, too much copper can cause it to act as a pro-oxidant in your body, and in larger quantities it may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.^[22] As such, you should exercise caution and be sure to check with your doctor before increasing your copper intake.
4. Get enough vitamin C. Vitamin C increases your white blood cell count and enhances the cells' effectiveness.^[23] It is also an antioxidant, which means that it prevents the destruction of existing white blood cells. In addition to supplements, you can get vitamin C from oranges, berries, and most citrus fruits.
   
   • For adults, tolerable upper intake levels of vitamin C are about 2,000 mg ^[24].
5. Be mindful of your vitamin A levels. Vitamin A is also an antioxidant, and helps your immune system to function more efficiently.^[25] In addition to supplements, you can get vitamin A from carrots, tomatoes, chilis, and squash.
   
6. Take vitamin E. Vitamin E, like vitamins C and A, is an antioxidant, and is also beneficial for your skin and eyesight.^[26] In addition to supplements, you can find vitamin E in olive oil, nuts, and some fruits and vegetables.
   
7. Try other natural remedies. Echinacea,^[27] ginseng,^[28] aloe vera,^[29] and green tea^[30] are all said to boost your white blood cell count.^[31]
   
   • Selenium is found in tuna, beef, and Brazil nuts. ^[32]
8. Consider colostrum supplementation. If you have a weak immune system, you may need supplementation. Colostrum powder containing immunoglobulins^[33] is a convenient option since it is available over the counter (without a prescription) in the form capsules for oral consumption. For most people, a month of consumption is adequate every five years.
   
9. Talk to your doctor about immunoglobulin injections. If you have an especially weak immune system, you may need intravenous injections of immunoglobulins (polyvalent IgG antibodies) extracted from donor human blood. This is always by a doctor's advice and only if you have primary immune deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, severe inflammatory diseases, or acute infections.
   

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

1. Eat a healthy diet. Many people only think about their health when it is in danger; don't wait until you are sick or injured to care for your body. Making healthy food choices on a daily basis is one of the best ways to maintain your cardiovascular health, improve your energy levels, and keep your muscles and bones strong. A healthy diet should be high in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, and low in excess sugar, fat, and alcohol.
   
   • Citrusy fruits like oranges, tangerines, and tomatoes contain Vitamin C, which helps protect the immune system.^[34]
   • Eat chicken, turkey, salmon, tofu, and other lean meats. These foods are rich in protein without the extra fat that is found in red meats and shrimp. Other protein sources included quinoa, kidney beans, and black beans.
2. Exercise regularly. Getting enough exercise improves your cardiovascular health, and greatly reduces the likelihood of certain chronic diseases.. Exercise increases the flow of blood through different parts of the body, and it increases the body's excretion of harmful metabolites, helping your immune system function properly, and may even decrease your chances of developing heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.^[35] So run, bike, swim, walk -- whatever gets you moving!
   
   • Children and adolescents aged 6-17 should get 60 minutes of exercise per day. Most of this time should be spent doing aerobic activities, while the rest of the time should be spent doing muscle-toning activities. ^[36]
   • Adults aged 18-64 need at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of aerobic exercise each week and at least two days per week of muscle strengthening activities like lifting weights. ^[37]
   • Older adults aged 65 or older with no existing medical conditions should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate exercise like brisk walking, and two or more days of muscle strengthening exercises. ^[38]
3. Stop smoking. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, damages your immune system and increases the likelihood for stroke^[39], heart attack, and lung cancer. Nicotine binds to hemoglobin in the blood in preference to oxygen reducing its capacity to deliver oxygen to each cell of the body.^[40]In addition, smoking exposes the body to carcinogenic chemicals and tar, which results in an increase in infections by putting your immune system into overdrive.^[41]
   
4. Drink enough water. Water helps energize your muscles, improve bowel function, and balance your body's fluid levels.^[42] You should drink 8 glasses of water every day.
   
   • Avoid quenching your thirst with soda, alcohol, tea, or coffee, as these drinks actually dehydrate you.
5. Limit alcohol consumption. When it is metabolized in the body, alcohol results in the formation of harmful chemicals, which can destroy white blood cells. Alcohol also decreases the absorption of many vitamins and minerals, adversely affecting white blood cell count.^[43]
   
6. Sleep for at least six to eight hours a night. Getting adequate sleep not only improves your mood and energy levels, it prevents strokes and helps you manage your weight.^[44]Sufficient deep sleep also helps the cells replenish and regenerate and is therefore necessary if you want to maintain a healthy immune system.^[45]
   
7. Get regular medical screening tests.^[46]This will help catch illnesses early on so that you can get the most effective treatment.
   
8. Be hygienic. Hygiene goes beyond looking and smelling your best. Taking the proper precautions can help prevent the onset and spread of infections or other illnesses.
   
   • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water. This is help get rid of any dirt, germs, or bacteria you may have picked up throughout the day. You should wash your hands after using the restroom, before, after, and while cooking food, after handling animals or animal waste, and before eating.
   • Shower daily. If you don't want to wash your hair every day, then invest in a shower cap and rinse your body with soap and water. Use a loofah or body sponge to remove excess dirt and dead skin cells.
   • Brush your teeth twice a day, and floss every night. This will help prevent the gum disease Gingivitis.
9. Manage stress. Stress isn't just an emotion; it has physical repercussions, and chronic stress can negatively affect your immune system.Stress strains the body's resources, which can decrease the function of your immune system.^[47]
   
   • Overcoming stress can be done in two ways, and will ideally involve a little of both. Avoid the activities and people that cause you extreme stress, if possible. While this will help, you must also learn how to cope with the inevitable ups and downs of life in a healthy way. Spend time doing relaxing activities like meditating, dancing, or having sex.
   • If you think you have chronic stress, consider seeing a therapist or other professional to help you manage your condition.

Warnings

• Consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise or diet regime, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition.
• Use caution when using exercise equipment such as treadmills or weights.

Related wikiHows

• How to Get Your Nose to Stop Running With Allergies
• How to Build Up Your Cardiovascular System

Sources and Citations

• http://ift.tt/1GArx3Q
• http://ift.tt/YXbmqN

Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found

source How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1GArx3R

How to Lace Vans Shoes

Vans skate shoes can be laced up in a variety of ways, including the basic cross-lacing, or the clean-looking bar-style of lacing. You can learn both methods, as well as some basic tips for lacing up your Vans and taking care of them.

Steps

Lacing Basics

1. Keep your shoelaces from twisting. The straight, flat-laced look is classic Vans, so don’t let your laces get sloppy or it won't look right. If you want your vans to look crisp and new, keep the laces as straight as possible.
   
   
   • Every time you pull your laces through the eyelets, make sure to flatten them out and keep them from twisting up. Go slowly.
   • Don't over-tighten the laces, which can cause them to bunch up and look uneven, if they're actually pretty straight.
2. Take your shoes off and turn them to face you. It's a lot easier to lace up your sneakers when they're on the ground, with the toe facing you, instead of the other way around. If you want them to look right, take them off and turn them around.
   
   
3. Use thick white laces. Vans white laces are usually the best laces for Vans, but any variety of white sneaker lace would be fine. In general, skate laces are pretty puffy and white, whereas some basketball laces can be really thin and cylindrical, or other sneaker laces can be kind of lighter.
   
   
   • You can use any color, of course, but new white laces are the most commonly associated with Vans.
4. Change your laces regularly. Having a fresh set of laces always looks cool. It's a good idea to change your laces every couple of weeks, especially if you're skating regularly and breaking laces, or scuffing them up.
   
   
5. Change up the way you lace your shoes. To get the most life out of your shoes, it's a good idea to alternate between the styles you use when you lace your shoes, so that they won't wear from repeated lacings.
   
   
   • If you bar-lace your shoes, cross-lace them every now and then to keep them looking new
   • If you cross-laces your Vans, change the direction of the crosses, so that the right side isn't always over the left, or vice versa. This will help to keep the shoes from wearing unevenly.

Cross-Lacing Vans

1. Insert each end of the shoelace downward through the bottom eyelets. Push both ends of the shoelaces through the eyelets closest to the toe of the sneaker. The shoelace should now form a bar across the bottom with the laces going inwards. Pull the ends of the laces up over the bar and then downward toward the toe.
   
   
2. Cross the right lace over to the left side. Insert it down through the second eyelet going up the shoe. The right lace should now be crossing the tongue of the shoe with left lace emerging from between the bar and the cross-lace. Pull the crossed lace to the left (away from the shoe) to get it out of the way.
   
   
   • It's usually easiest to do this with the shoes off and the sneaker facing you. Whether you go by your right or the shoe’s right doesn’t matter. Just stay consistent and the end result will be the same.
3. Cross the left lace over to the right side. Insert it downward through the second eyelet up on that side, just as you did on the other side. You should now have a bar and two cross-laces in your lacing. Pull the newly-crossed lace to the right (away from the shoe) to get it out of the way.
   
   
4. Continue lacing in this pattern. Start by crossing the lace on the right-hand side over to the left side and downward through the eyelet, making sure that the other lace now emerges from between two crossings. Pull the newly-crossed lace to the left to get it out of the way, then cross the left lace over to the right side. Repeat until the shoe is completely laced.
   
   
   • Lacing the shoes this way ensures that cross-laces going in one direction always dominate the cross-laces going in the other. When the time comes to lace your other shoe, be sure to reverse the process so that your laces mirror each other.

Bar-Lacing Vans

1. Count the number of eyelet pairs on your shoe. Vans with an even number of eyelets can be cross-laced. if your shoes have an odd number, the basic principle will still apply but you will have to adjust your technique somewhat.
   
   
2. Insert each end of the shoelace downward through one of the bottom two eyelets. The shoelace should now form a bar across the bottom with the laces going inwards. Keep the left lace on the left side and the right lace on the right side.
   
   
3. Feed the right lace underneath the shoe so that it pops out of the second eyelet on the right side. Hiding the inner lacing is what gives this technique its unique look.
   
   
   • Whether you go by your right or the shoe’s right doesn’t matter. Make sure you stay consistent and the end result will be the same.
4. Feed the left lace underneath the shoe. It should pop up out of the third eyelet on the left side. You should now have an empty eyelet on the left side between the original bar and the emerging lace.
   
   
5. Cross the right lace over to the left side and insert it downward through the second eyelet. You should now have two bars in your lacing and both laces should be on the left side.
   
   
6. Cross the lace emerging from the third eyelet to the right side. Insert it downwards through the third eyelet. You should now have three bars in your lacing and each lace should be on a different side of the shoe.
   
   
7. Continue repeating this pattern. Feed the left lace underneath the shoe so that it pops up out of the fifth eyelet on the left side. Then, feed the right lace underneath the shoe so that it pops up out of the sixth eyelet on the right side. Cross each lace over to the corresponding eyelet on the other side to form new bars.
   
   
   • If your shoes have more than six eyelet pairs, repeat as necessary, continuing to reverse sides after every two bars are completed.

Video

Tips

• "Authentic" and "Era" Vans are cross-laced from the outside in because of the way they’re cut; with the flaps of the shoe so close together, an inside-out lacing would cause the first criss-cross of the laces to be hidden.

Related wikiHows

• How to Decorate Shoes
• How to Choose Comfortable Walking Shoes
• How to Soften Uncomfortable High Heels
• How to Personalize Birkenstocks

• How to Lace DC Shoes

source How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1Wm7FmF

How to Get Rid of Spiders in the House

Most spiders prefer living outdoors, but all too often, you may run across a few spiders that have found their way indoors in search of food or shelter. Getting rid of these pests is most easily accomplished by keeping them out, but after they get inside, there are a variety of proven and unproven remedies you can use to scare them off or kill them. Here are a few common pest control methods to use against spiders the next time they infest your house.

Steps

Keep Spiders Out Of Your Home

1. Seal up your home. Patch up cracks and holes leading from the outside in to prevent spiders from finding their way indoors.^[1]
   
   • Use caulk to fill in large gaps of space in closed doors and windows. Also apply caulk around wires, cables, faucets, and electrical components, since all of these must run to the outside.
   • Replace or fix torn window screens. Spiders can easily find their way in through even the smallest holes.
   • Cover your vents and chimney with fine mesh insect screens.
2. Keep your outdoor lights off. While outdoor lights will not attract spiders, they will attract other pests that can serve as appetizing food sources for spiders.
   
   • On a similar note, block indoor lights from shining through your windows by using opaque blinds or shades.
   • Consider switching to yellow sodium vapor lights. These are less appealing to insects and less likely to draw in a food source for your spiders.^[2]
3. Remove vegetation away from the perimeter of your house. If you have a serious spider problem, consider transplanting shrubs, trees, ivy, and other plants from the perimeter of your house to the opposite side of the yard.
   
   • Vegetation attracts spiders because it serves as an ample hiding spot. When spiders need to seek out warmth or new food sources, they crawl from the vegetation toward your home, getting in through cracks.
   • You should also remove mulch, stones, leaves, or other debris near your home.
4. Keep a tidy house. Clean homes give spiders fewer places to hide out in, making them less likely to stay even if they do slip inside.
   
   • Do not leave leftover food lying around. Food crumbs will attract other pests like ants, which, in turn, will attract spiders.
   • Regularly sweep and vacuum your floors. Wipe down your counters and tables, and avoid letting your dirty dishes sit out for more than a few hours.
   • Pick up as much clutter as possible. Old newspapers and piles of dirty clothes make the ideal hiding place for spider species that thrive in darkness.
   • Use plastic storage containers. Airtight plastic containers are difficult for spiders to crawl into, but cardboard boxes are fairly easy.

Verified Pest Control Methods

1. Vacuum spiders and spider webs. One of the simplest methods for getting rid of spiders is vacuuming up egg sacs and webs as you run across them.
   
   • This method works best when trying to get rid of a few spiders. It may not be very efficient if you have a large spider population living in your home, however.
   • You can also use a broom to sweep away webs.
   • Rather than killing spiders, you should transport them outside if possible. Spiders are a species that is very beneficial to humans, and they're rather noble once you understand them.
   • Web-building spiders that spend most of their time along the ceiling are not likely to fall victim to the glue trap, but these are very effective against ground-dwelling spiders like jumping spiders and house spiders.
   • Keep the trap flat to prevent it from curling up into itself.
   • Discard the trap as soon as you collect a few spiders on it.
   • Note that this is ineffective against spider eggs and webs, so you will likely need to use this method in conjunction with other techniques.
2. Apply a residual insecticide.^[3] Spray any corners or cracks with a commercial pesticide containing some form of pyrethroid.
   
   • Carefully follow the instructions marked on the label to prevent the accidental poisoning of yourself, a family member, or a pet.
   • Remember that only 2 species of thousands in North America can harm you in any significant way (The Black Widow and Brown Recluse). The others can bite, but will not do so unless threatened, and their bites are neither poisonous nor very painful.
   • Spiders are about the best "pest" one could hope for in their house, as they kill tons of other pests that can cause harm to humans or spread disease. If you have a lot of them though, that's a serious indicator of a major pest control breach, as the spiders wouldn't be entering if there wasn't a lot of food to be had.
   • Pyrethroids are chemicals made, in large part, from pyrethrum plants. These plants are in the chrysanthemum family. Most household insecticides contain pyrethroids, and a few common pyrethroids include bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, and tetramethrin.
   • Total release foggers are not generally effective against spiders.
   • Understand the limit of residual insecticides. These poisons only work if spiders drag themselves through the chemical after it is sprayed. If a spider manages to avoid the spray, the insecticide will have no effect on it.
3. Call a professional exterminator. If you have a large spider infestation and measures you take yourself are unable to control the problem, a professional might be able to apply a stronger chemical pesticide.
   
   • Be aware that some professional pesticides are so strong that you will need to vacate the premises for several days while the effect dies down.
   • In general, the repellents or transporting a spider are better options for everyone than squishing the little bugger. If you can handle it, picking up a spider and moving it to your porch with a paper towel or jar will save you from meeting a few bugs.

Folk Remedies

1. Deter spiders with horse chestnuts.^[4] Place a few horse chestnuts in each corner of the house and in any area of the house where you frequently run across spiders.
   
   • Chestnuts, walnuts, and the fruit of the Osage orange tree are thought to have the same effect.
   • Little is known about why this treatment repels spiders, and there is no scientific evidence or explanation backing the solution.
   • Some speculate that horse chestnuts have some form of noxious chemical that repels spiders based on scent. To this end, consider poking holes in the chestnut or splitting it in half to release the odor.
2. Spray your house down with peppermint oil. Fill a standard spray bottle with water and mix in 15 to 20 drops of peppermint oil. Spray down all the cracks and corners of your house.^[5]
   
   • The idea is that spiders cannot tolerate the smell of peppermint oil and will run away in the opposite direction when they detect it. As a result, it is most effective when applied to possible entrances to the home.
   • For a more potent effect, you can dab undiluted peppermint oil onto a cotton ball and stuff the cotton ball into cracks or other possible hiding places.
   • Try eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil if you have a thing against peppermint. They reportedly have the same effect as peppermint oil and can be used in the same way.
3. Spread diatomaceous earth around.^[6] Scatter a fine layer of this powder around cracks, corners, windows, and basements. Spread it anywhere and everywhere you expect a spider to be.
   
   • This powder is made from naturally-formed fossils of a water creature known as the diatom. It is safe for both people and pets.
   • When a spider crosses over the diatomaceous earth, its exterior gets cut up, causing bodily fluids to leak out. The spider eventually dries out and dies as a result.
   • You can also protect your home and prevent spiders from crawling in by spreading diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your house.
4. Attack spiders with vinegar. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Apply it to any area in which spiders gather and spray it directly on any spider you see.
   
   • Vinegar contains acetic acid, which is thought to burn and kill spiders upon contact.
   • You can also place small dishes of vinegar in dark corners to ward away spiders. The odor alone may be enough to repel them.

Video

Tips

• If you don't want to use vinegar, lemon can also help with a spider problem.
• If you love animals, consider getting a cat. Cats are hunters by nature, and many domestic felines turn their instincts on small vermin, insects, and spiders that find their way indoors. Note that this is not a wise move if you are dealing with highly poisonous spiders, though.
• Eucalyptus branches from a craft store, the really aromatic ones placed under furniture really help repel spiders & other pests.

Things You'll Need

• Caulk
• Insect screens
• Sodium vapor lights
• Vacuum cleaner
• Glue traps
• Residual insecticide
• Horse chestnuts
• Peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, or tea tree oil
• Spray bottle
• Water
• Vinegar
• Diatomaceous Earth

Sources and Citations

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source How to of the Day http://ift.tt/PFk0HF

How to Buy a Website

Websites, like real estate, can be a profitable investment opportunity, and in the mind of some are still an undervalued one in comparison to their offline counterparts.^[1] The internet provides virtually limitless investment opportunities with relatively low buy-ins and the possibility of quick profits, but making money buying websites requires solid research, an honest assessment of site profitability, and just plain hard work. Ben Franklin never saw a website, but he was on to something when he said “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”^[2]

Steps

Finding the Right Website

1. Figure out your buying strategy. Compare it to buying houses -- do you want to buy a dump for a pittance, spruce it up quickly, and unload it for a smaller but more immediate profit? Or, do you want to buy a nice house with good “bones” but flaws that you can transform into a great house to keep or sell at a larger but longer-term profit? It’s your money, so consider your strategy carefully before you start buying.
   
   • If you want to flip websites, you obviously need to buy “low” to have any chance of quickly making a profit. But it isn’t just about seeking out the biggest bargain. That dirt-cheap fixer-upper house may become a condemned money pit before you can flip it if you don’t do your homework first.
   • If you’re looking elsewhere than wikiHow for online advice on flipping websites, keep an eye out, because many advice sites are just sales pitches for an e-book or how-to seminar. Maybe that is something that interests you, but don’t get roped in unwillingly.
   • That said, some of these sales-pitch sites do make good points. For instance, one sensibly compares website buying to billionaire Warren Buffett’s investment strategy -- buy established, good companies (websites) that are undervalued and that you can make better.^[3] It’s not always the cheapest or fastest route, but often offers the best return.
2. Figure out how you will improve a website you buy. Be realistic about the time and money you can spend to make a site better, your level of familiarity with website design and operation, and your knowledge of the product/service/information offered by a site.
   
   • Are you buying with the intent of making money by generating more ad revenue? This is one of the most popular strategies, but make sure you understand Search Engine Optimization (SEO). There is a science (as well as an art) to directing traffic (and thus ad revenue) to a website.
   • Consider buying a site with traffic targeted toward a product or service that you already produce or sell. Use it to complement what you already know and do. You may also have opportunities for streamlining or merging operations as well -- saving money is a way of making money too!^[4]
   • Think about buying a site in an underutilized niche. Seek out sites with the potential to have a popular keyword niche for search engines, or sites with built-in communities of members/fans whose support is not being effectively monetized. Such sites offer customer/brand loyalty but have often been haphazardly assembled over time.^[5] If you have the skills to build a functional website that will more efficiently draw in traffic and revenue, this may be for you.
3. Consider how much you want to pay. Websites are a buyer’s market with millions of alternatives always available, so be clear on what you are willing and able to invest and do not overpay.^[6]
   
   • Know the timeline you desire for your ROI (Return on Investment) -- that is, how long it will take you to earn back your purchase price. Basically, if you want your ROI within 1 year, don’t pay more than 12 times the monthly net profit of the site (12x).
   • Some advise that a 12x purchase (12 times monthly net profit) is a good deal, 18x is average, and 24x is risky when buying websites.^[7]
4. Search for prospective sites to buy. Your main options are, in real estate buying terms, leafing through the “for sale” listings or utilizing a realtor.
   
   • Do a keyword search for a business/product/service/field of interest and look deep into the results. Skim over the first couple pages of results, as these are likely to be stable, profitable, not-for-sale or too-expensive sites. Examine sites on later results pages and look for prospects that you think you could make more profitable. No, you don’t know if the site is for sale yet, so you are basically a “cold call” buyer in this method.
   • Search on a website marketplace. The most well-know is probably flippa.com, but there are many options. Such marketplaces list sites for sale by category, price, etc., and often provide analytics and support in the buying/selling process. As with any investment opportunity, take your time and try to sniff out a good deal.

Making the Deal

1. Do your homework on a prospective purchase. Once you’ve targeted one or more good-looking prospects, start digging deeper to determine the website’s true viability as an investment.
   
   • Contact the seller. Ask for the information you need to know to make an informed opinion, such as site traffic, profit per visitor, monthly profits, purchase/payment methods, trial period possibilities, the possibility for short-term site support post-purchase, etc.
   • Do your own research as well. Trust but verify, as they say. Consider conducting a WHOIS search -- which provides ownership information for a domain name -- on one of many available search platforms. Ask the prospective seller to install Google Analytics on the site and let you access the data personally, so you can make your own assessment of the site’s traffic, etc.^[8]
2. Strongly consider utilizing escrow if you make an offer. An escrow service provides a secure platform for online transactions. Essentially, you will be paying a small percentage fee to have a middleman conduct the transaction between buyer and seller.^[9]
   
   • Your funds are held in escrow until you inspect the website you intend to purchase to ensure that everything is in place and makes the money it claims. If the seller provides the option of escrow, go for it. If not, you may want to insist upon it, especially if you have any doubts about the trustworthiness of the seller.
   • There are alternatives for escrow services for website transactions, but escrow.com is the most well-known.
3. Take the website for a test drive. This is one major advantage of using an escrow service. They will hold your purchase funds in their own account, which you can release only after you are fully satisfied.
   
   • Inspect the website before completing the purchase, even if you are not using an escrow service and need to negotiate your own terms. Ask the seller to verify its earnings. If you get a trial run offered by the seller, that's great. Get your hands on the account. Know it's working!
4. Complete the purchase. Now that the site is yours, don’t waste any time determining how to make it more profitable. But don’t cast aside the seller quite yet, if possible.
   
   • Ask the seller if he/she can provide support for a few months, even if you have to pay a small amount it's usually worth it. You can take over earnings more comfortably in this way. Some sellers do provide virtual assistance for a small monthly fee. In short, let the seller handle as much of the transition as you can. Focus your energies on making your new website a money-maker.

Warnings

• Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Make sure you can manage the website, since it involves SEO skills. You will need to do SEO or hire someone to do it for you. The cost of maintaining the website should be much lower than its monthly profit.
• Website selling is usually not as profitable as website buying. So try to minimize the initial cost. The lower you buy in, the sooner you cover the cost and start earning.
• Be wary of sellers who don't provide you the option of escrow. You need to make sure results are delivered. Once you see the results, go full steam ahead without wasting any time and start making money.

Sources and Citations

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source How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1N5r5vu

How to Understand Camera Exposure

To be able to do any of the things that you wanted to do when you bought your digital camera, you need to understand exposure. While you are able to take some decent pictures right out of the box, once you have an understanding of exposure, you will find the pictures that you produce surpass the questionable title of 'snapshots' and become photographs and memories.

Steps

1. Understand what "exposure of the image" is and how will it affect your photographs. Exposure is an umbrella term that refers to two aspects of photography – it is referring to how to control the lightness and the darkness of the image.
   
   • The exposure is controlled by the camera's light meter. The light meter determines what the proper exposure is; it all sets the f-stop and shutter speed. The f-stop is a fraction; the f represents the focal length. The f-stop is determined by dividing the focal length by the aperture. f/2.8 would be 1/2.8 versus f/16 which would be 1/16. If you look at it like slices of a pie, you would get a lot more pie with 1/2.8 than you would with 1/16.
   • This can be very unnerving, but f-stops and shutter speeds on every picture to get the light right or the lightness and darkness and exposure.
   • A good way to understand it is to "think of a bucket of water with a hole in the bottom. If you have a large hole in the bottom of the bucket (large aperture), water will drain out quickly (fast shutter speed). Conversely, for the same amount of water, if you have a small hole in the bottom of the bucket (small aperture), the water will drain out slowly (slow shutter speed)."
   • Exposure or lightness and darkness in the picture is a combination of the f-stop, which is the size of the hole in the lens, and the shutter speed, which is the length of time that the shutter is open. So, if you leave the shutter open longer, you're getting more light to the film or more light to the digital sensor, and the picture gets brighter, or lighter. If you shorten the exposure (give less light to the film or to the digital sensor), the exposure gets darker. Longer shutter speed: more exposure, more light; shorter shutter speed: less exposure, less light.
2. Learn about the "f-stop". "F-stop" (also called "f-number") means fraction and the f-number is the fraction of the actual opening in the lens compared to the focal length of the lens. The aperture is the opening light passes through.
   
3. Try this example. Suppose that you have a lens with a focal length of 50mm and the f-number is f/1.8. The f-number is determined by focal length/aperture. So 50/x=1.8 or x~=28. The actual diameter where the light comes through the lens is 28mm across. If that lens had an f-stop of 1, for example, the aperture would be 50mm, because 50/1=50. That's what the f-stop actually means.
   
4. Study your digital camera's "manual exposure" mode. In the manual mode you can set both the f-stop and shutter speed. If you really want to control the light, the exposure, and how the picture works, you need to learn to know how to use the manual exposure mode; it's not just for the propeller heads and the guys who still shoot film! Manual mode is still viable today even with digital because it's really how you control the look and feel of your picture.
   
5. Understand why you would want to change the exposure. The aperture is really important to control the picture; it lets in the light, and the light is the most important thing for your picture. Without light, you won't have a picture.
   
   • Set the aperture to control both the light and the amount that is in focus, in other words, the depth of field.
   • Set a wide opening, like f/2 or 2.8, to blur the background and have your subject razor sharp. Also, you'll probably want to use the largest aperture when shooting in low-light, in order to prevent blur.
   • Shoot a medium aperture, 5.6 or 8 so the subject is sharp and background is slightly out of focus but still recognizable.
   • Shoot at smaller apertures, like f/11 and possibly smaller, for a landscape picture when you want the flowers in the foreground, the river, and the mountains all in focus. Depending on your format, tiny apertures like f/16 and smaller will cause you to lose sharpness due to diffraction effects.
   • For many photographers, the aperture is far more important to achieving great pictures than the shutter speed, because it controls the depth of field of the picture, whereas it's more difficult to tell if a picture was shot at 1/250 or 1/1000 of a second.
6. Understand why you would want to change the ISO. You change the ISO on your digital camera to control the camera's sensitivity to light. In bright light, we set the camera to be less sensitive, to give us a picture with less noise since the shutter speed is fast enough at 100 ISO. In low light where there's less ambient light, you need more sensitivity in the camera. Therefore, raise the ISO from 100 to possibly 1600 or even 6400 if you have to, to get enough light in so that the picture isn't blurry. Now, what's the payback? As you raise the ISO, you get more noise (the film equivalent being grain) in the picture and less color, so be sure to set the ISO as low as possible without having the ISO too low that you end up with blurry pictures.
   
7. Determine what ISO is required for your shot. The ISO on your digital camera is just like it is on film. You used to buy the film by the kind of light you were using. Today, you set the ISO on your camera depending on the light.
   
   • How do you set it? On some cameras there's a button right on the top of the camera that says ISO. You press the button, turn the dial, and change it.
   • Some cameras you have to go into the menu and find the ISO setting. Click on the ISO setting and turn the dial and change it. That's how you set the ISO on your digital camera.
8. Stop action by changing the shutter speed on your camera. Change the shutter speed on your camera to affect the action-stopping ability. If you're shooting a picture with your camera hand-held, you will need a shutter speed that as fast as or faster than the reciprocal of your focal length. In other words, if you were shooting on a 100mm lens, a shutter speed of 1/100 of a second would be optimal. Camera blur can be eliminated at these speeds.
   
9. If you are shooting moving subjects, change your shutter speed to a shutter speed that ranges from 1/500 to 1/1000 to stop the moving subjects.
   
10. If shooting pictures in low light, where you need more light to come in through the shutter, set the shutter speed to a thirtieth or a fifteenth of a second. When you do this, the action is going to blur, so use thirty or fifteen when there's low light or when you want the action to blur.
    
    • Medium shutter speed: 125 or 250 for most pictures.
    • Fast shutter speed: 500 or 1000 for action.
    • Thirtieth or a fifteenth of a second to blur action or under low light.
11. Learn how to change the shutter speed on your digital camera. You might have the option of a dial, a button on your camera, or you may have to do it in-camera.
    
12. Always err on the side of underexposure. Of course, it goes without saying that you want fantastic exposure, but if you can't get it quite right, err on the side of underexposure (let your scene be a little dark). When a picture is over-exposed, all of the information is lost and cannot be recovered. With underexposed pictures, you have a greater chance of recovering the picture through post-processing. You can set your camera to underexpose by using EV compensation (exposure value compensation).
    
13. Learn your camera's "program mode". The exposure modes on your camera allows you to control how you adjust the picture. The basic mode is the “P” mode (program mode) and it allows you to manipulate both the shutter speed or aperture settings, and it will adjust the other value accordingly so that the picture is exposed perfectly according to the light meter. The advantage of program mode is that you don't need to know anything. It's just a little bit above the green auto or “idiot proof” mode.
    
14. Get familiar with the "aperture priority" mode. On your digital camera you have the choice of “A-mode” or aperture priority. In the aperture priority mode (it's a way to determine the exposure); you the photographer picks the aperture or f-stop. The camera will choose the shutter speed for you. Aperture priority could be considered the more useful of the modes. So, you select the f-stop, whether it's f/2.8 to blur the background, f/8 for moderate depth of field, or f/16 to have everything in focus.
    
15. Investigate your camera's "shutter priority" mode. Have at least some familiarity with the shutter speed of your camera. The advantage of shutter speed is you set the number that's most convenient or most comfortable to use. Then the camera will pick the other number, the f-stop. On your camera, shutter priority can either be S or TV mode depending on your camera.
    
    • In shutter priority mode, pick the shutter speed and the camera sets the f-stop.
    • When in shutter priority, the camera will take the picture at the selected shutter speed regardless of whether or not the picture will be exposed correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera

Related wikiHows

• How to Adjust Exposure in Photoshop
• How to Use Bounce Flash to Improve Your Photography
• How to Create an Inexpensive Photography Lightbox
• How to Take Better Photographs
• How to Take Digital Pictures of Pets
• How to Avoid Noise in Your Digital Photography
• How to Import Kodak CD Pictures Into Aperture
• How to Switch Your Nikon D3100 to Using Back Button Focus

Sources and Citations

• Original source of information, VideoJug, http://ift.tt/1GuO5D1. Shared with permission.

source How to of the Day http://ift.tt/1j39VSv