Even if you invest wisely to get your perfect master bathroom, do not forget it has an average lifespan of around 20 years, beyond which loose or broken tiles, leakages in faucets and frequent choking of toilets are common faults. As the bathroom comprises multiple components in premium space coupled with water pipes and electric wiring, the remodeling project can be daunting and challenging. When you are investing in a bathroom remodeling project, you must ensure there is some value addition in terms of saving money on energy and water, apart from the aesthetics. The following tips will help you reap the benefits of latest design trends, technologies and products. Be ready for the unexpected Damage due to hidden water, either from a leaky shower or a bath tub or a running toilet is the most common problem, which leads to a spongy floor. Thus, it is extremely important that an experienced contractor does a thorough exploration to identify the problem areas before starting work on remodeling your home bathroom. You must allocate 10 percent of the budget as a buffer for last-minute surprises. Toilet should be unobtrusive It always makes sense to hide away the toilet either by placing it behind a wall or creating an enclosure within the room. You can also create the necessary barrier by placing a piece of the dresser instead of a framed wall, which would save the extra expense of remodeling the bathroom. Right choice for flooring Porcelain tiles are great for flooring as well as the walls. You must opt for large tile sizes, so as to minimize the grout lines, thereby ensuring easy cleaning and maintenance. Moreover, large tiles are economical and some of them give a look of natural stone. Right choice for bathroom inks Porcelain bathroom sinks give a look of grandeur, but they are prone to chipping, whereas enamel on steel sinks are stain-resistant as well as durable. Solid surface sinks can be integrated both with the vanity countertop as well as adjoining cove or backsplash. Enhance the visual interest by installing a granite or quartz countertop. Laminates and solid surface countertops are economical and cost effective, but they are easily prone to scratches. Bathtubs versus shower areas Decide whether you really need the bathtub. If you are not a bathtub person, then use the space for creating large shower areas with shower heads, body sprays and steam generators. Conserve water and reduce utility bills WaterSense program from Environmental Protection Agency recommended that products like shower heads, toilets and faucets are 20 percent more efficient than the other products. Low-flow shower heads generate a sustaining pulse while satisfying the flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. On the other hand, toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush. This effectively means a saving of 16,000 gallons of water and more than $200 on an annual basis for a family of four. The DIY approach on a home bathroom remodeling can be effective to reduce costs, but it is better to leave the more complicated installations to highly skilled professionals.

Before you decide to switch to a gluten free diet let us know what really gluten is and how does it affects your body. Gluten is type of protein found in grains. The main function of this form of protein is to give the grain its shape. Some of the grains that are notorious for having high amount of gluten in them are; wheat, rye and barley.

People who are sensitive to gluten offer suffer from an ailment called celiac disease. In this condition, the body treats the gluten in the grain as a foreign substance and attacks it thus harming the inner lining of the gut. This causes nutrient deficiency, anemia and other digestive related issues.

There are people who do not suffer from celiac diseases but still are sensitive to gluten found in the grain. The symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity include severe diarrhea, bloating, tiredness.

To exclude gluten from your diet, avoid having food products made from wheat, rye and barley; some of them include breads, pasta, cereals, beer etc.

This does not mean that you deny your palate the awesome flavors that are out there. You can still have sumptuous food and pamper your taste buds.

If for a dinner, you are planning to have soup, rather than going for plain old gluten-rich soup, opt for a gluten-free lentil soup, lentils are rich in proteins and no, they are not gluten-loaded. To add to the taste, add a healthy serving of parsley or other leafy vegetable such as sautéed spinach and garnish it with fresh cream.

For appetizers, you can treat yourself with chicken salad. This salad has a great flavor, and packs a lot of healthy (gluten free) ingredients. Add a healthy serving of sour fruits and vegetables to a bowl full of chopped cooked chicken. If that is too bland for you then you can pour in a protein-packed peanut dressing which will enhance its taste.

If you had a rather exhausting day and do not wish to cook anything fancy for a dinner and still wish your dinner to be gluten free, then just add tender steak with chopped mushroom and bell peppers (sautéed preferably) to your gluten free corn tortillas, there you have it, an easy weeknight or weekend dinner idea. Garnish it with a healthy serving of fresh cilantro and grated cheese to make them taste even better.

Everyone wants to look good and fit in their best pair of jeans. But if you are overweight, it takes a lot of effort to shed those extra pounds. Along with a good workout session, you also need to eat healthy to lose weight effectively. When we talk about eating healthy, many people get confused about what to eat and what to avoid. A good diet plan called the Atkins Diet chalked out by a cardiologist, Dr. Robert C. Atkins helps to achieve our weight loss mission quickly. Overview of Atkins diet This diet has gained popularity over the years to work wonders for people who are finding it difficult to lose weight. This is one of the first diet plans that entered the market as the weight loss diet plan. This diet has low carbohydrates meal plan that makes you lose weight fast. Limiting your intake of carbohydrates changes the metabolism of the body. This process is called ketosis where the body stops metabolizing the glucose as energy and instead, starts converting the stored fat into energy. The main purpose of this diet plan is to change your eating habits, thereby helping you lose weight while improving your health conditions. The Atkins diet plan works in three phases. Phase 1 This phase is very strict. In this step, you eliminate almost all the carbohydrates from your diet. You will just eat 20 grams of carbohydrates in a day, that too in the form of vegetables. You are allowed to eat only 10% of foundation vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, celery, green beans, cucumber, and peppers. Your diet includes good portions of protein from fish, poultry, cheese, eggs, and meat. Your intake of sugar, fruits, grains, bread, alcohol, pasta, baked goods, and nuts is restricted. This phase is followed for 2 weeks before moving to the next phase. Phase 2 In this phase, you still continue to restrict your carbohydrates intake from foundation vegetables to minimum. Nutrient-rich fruits like berries, nuts, seeds, and vegetables are slowly added to the diet. You continue to eat like this until you are 10 pounds away from your target weight. Phase 3 When you enter the 3rd phase, you gradually start to eat a little of other foods like starchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. You are allowed to add 10 grams of carbohydrates every week. But if you see that you are gaining weight when you reintroduce carbohydrates to your diet, you need to stop eating them at once. You follow this diet until you reach your goal. Once you reach your target weight, you need to maintain that weight by continuing to eat light. If you stop eating healthy and switch back to your normal eating habits, you will start putting on those pounds again in no time.

The government keeps introducing new initiatives to meet everybody’s needs. In today’s day and age, one needs the support of laptops to grow in life, professionally as well as personally. Here are some ways that you can get hold of free government laptops: Connect with foundations There are plenty of foundations that provide free laptops to citizens in need of them. They are associated with the government, and their aim is to enhance the social status of the people living in the country. Here are the top organizations that you may consider:

• The On It Foundation Standing for opportunities necessary to increase technology, The On It Foundation is one of the best options for getting free government laptops.
• PCs for People This initiative began in the year 1998, and it has given many free laptops ever since then. The three prominent criteria for getting a laptop from this initiative are — working with a social worker, belonging to a family under 200% poverty level, or having a disabled family member.
• InterConnection In an attempt to bridge the digital divide, InterConnection helps you get a free laptop by connecting you to different providers. It has been in this same industry for the past 20 years.
• The World Computer Exchange With chapters across the globe, the World Computer Exchange's mission is to provide laptops to people who need them. However, they do have some guidelines that dictate your eligibility to get these laptops.

Check programs in your state Various state authorities have initiatives to provide free government laptops to needy people. Some of the most popular foundations carrying out this work are:

• Seattle Community Network (SCN) Get free government laptops from the SCN. They have been providing computers since 1994, and the laptops they currently give are ready for internet use.
• Komputers 4 R Kids This non-profit organization is specifically for people in the Los Angeles County and the Orange County. Additionally, they also provide student education programs.
• Everyone On This particular program is available in 48 states, including the District of Columbia.

Check out the Department of Social and Health Services The Department of Social and Health Services connects you to eligible donors and entities who, in turn, will help you get free government laptops. Additionally, some online universities associated with the government also help you procure these laptops.

There are two types of power supplies: Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC). Both have their share of pros and cons in how they are made and how they can be utilized. The prime advantage of AC power is that it is relatively easy to transport over a distance. That said, it doesn’t do much good for an independent power plant as the electricity doesn’t move very far to reach where it’s used. In their case, DC power has the upper hand. This article highlights the advantages of DC power supplies over AC for independent power plants. Storing electricity The prime benefit of DC power is that it is relatively easier to store than AC power, especially on a smaller scale. Hybrid independent power plants store electricity for later use. Storing electricity increases its density, so you can take as much power as needed for operating high-powered equipment. Storing electricity also enables you to turn off the generator, which can aid fuel conservation. Consequently, electricity will be used only when renewable sources of energy are unable to provide it. You can use rechargeable storage batteries for storing electrical energy for small-scale applications. This stored electricity can be conveniently and efficiently retrieved from the storage battery bank as and when required. Storage batteries need DC electricity, so you must generate DC power to enjoy the benefits of storing it. Providing AC mains electricity A majority of the equipment we use is designed to run on mains-style electricity or AC power, so we have to provide it. Over here, a major benefit of DC power supplies is that independent power plants can produce mains-style electricity twice as efficiently by using a diesel DC generator and then transforming the DC power to mains-style AC power. Directly generating mains-style AC power using a petrol AC synchronous generator proves to be less efficient. Variable engine speed An AC synchronous generator has to rotate at one specific speed to regulate the mains-style electricity that it generates. So, it falls short if more power is needed, but the engine cannot be sped up. Similarly, the engine cannot be slowed down if less power is required. On the other hand, mains-style electricity’s properties are defined by the DC to AC transformation process, so the DC generator’s rotating speed is immaterial. Additionally, the driving engine of a DC generator can turn at a range of speeds, so it slows down or uses its maximum potential to provide the required amount of power. This also helps save fuel and lower noise.

Mighty. Modernistic. Dramatic. Opulent. We are of course referring to the league of swanky SUVs that will be or are already spotted on American streets. Denounced as the doom of best-selling auto manufacturers once upon a time, ultra-luxury SUVs are nowhere to stay. And in fact boosting sales. In spite of fluctuating gas prices, demand is only expected to surge even further because the market seems to be devouring SUVs and crossovers. Wouldn't it be incredible for the uber rich to drive something exotic that will welcome more people and paraphernalia, to do everything and be everywhere? This new breed of these fancy SUVs weds the truck-like utility that enables rugged off-road adventures and extra space that Americans prefer, with the car-like conveniences they look for.

• Serene, compact, enhanced, distinct, agile, slinky, secure, roomy, appealing, chiseled, and most importantly, gratifying - the extravagant SUVs are this and much more. Scroll down to see which ones feature on our list.
• The most awarded top of the class Grand Cherokee, its formidable strength on and off roads that is sheer heart pounding
• The world's fastest SUV, the pinnacle of luxury tailored to your own unique tastes, the sumptuous Bentley Bentayga
• The athletic, adventurous and arguably the most advanced SUVs on the road from Mercedes-Benz, with an eye for specific detailing
• Avant-garde Jaguar Land Rover, a true design icon, handsomely conceived and tastefully appointed
• The undeniable presence of the sophisticatedly rugged Infiniti QX80
• The incomparably ambitious Cadillac Escalade that ferries you in grandeur; fashioned with the utmost attention to detail, the Maserati Levante, a true legend, a jewel of Italian design; the apex of modern Scandinavian luxury, the Volvo XC90 that is synonymous with dynamic craftsmanship; featuring the excellent quality that is synonymous with Porsche, the Macan, refinement that will take your breath away and the BMW X5 with superb power, infinite space, and stunning design, are but just a handful of choices of opulence on wheels for the minuscule beau monde of American society.

No baby steps these; radical diversions certainly, by top-notch businesses, but these deliberate departures have been in the making for many years now after meticulous homework, and they are impressive indeed. The love that is emerging for SUVs in the affluent US markets is propelling iconic automakers to stay abreast of customer desires and to bring to life your fantasy. The question is: Which one is on your mind?