Engagement Ring Buying Guide

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Most rings tend to be extremely special pieces of jewelry. They tend to hold a wealth of symbolisation and are typically associated with feelings of love and adoration. Nonetheless, before you purchase one it is important to know about their construction and the different elements that make up a ring. After all, it is always recommended to have thorough knowledge regarding a product before you commit to purchasing it. 

Most precious rings tend to be laced with stunning diamonds. When it comes to diamonds the main thing you need to know about is the four C’s. These are used in the GIA certification grading system which is used by all top jewellers around the world. It is always important to buy a ring with GIA certification, especially when purchasing from eBay. This is an important step to remove counterfeits from eBay. It measures a diamond based on cut, clarity, colour, and carat weight. This is how you will be able to determine whether a diamond is of quality or not. Carat weight and colour are pretty self-explanatory. When it comes to the latter, the more colourless the diamond is the more desirable it tends to be. With regards to carat weight, the more the diamond weighs the better it is generally considered to be. Cut relates to the way in which the diamond has been cut in terms of proportion – not shape. If a diamond has been cut too shallow or deep the light is going to spill out and you aren’t going to get a beautiful sparkle. And finally, clarity relates to the level of blemishes witnessed on the diamond. No diamond is perfect but you don’t want imperfections to be evident to the naked eye. 

It is quite clear to see why GIA certification is needed when purchasing a wedding ring or any other type of special ring. You should also consider the setting of the ring. A prong setting is typically the most popular. This is when the metal looks like a claw that is holding the stone in place. You can also get a shared prong setting as well. Channel settings are becoming more and more popular in the modern day. This is when the diamond or gemstone is secured between vertical metal walls. There is then the bar channel setting which is a more secure version. Pave settings are used when creating an elegant appearance whilst on the other hand bezel settings can be effective when making the stone appear bigger than it actually is. 

The last element that makes up a ring is of course the metal. You can choose between all of the following; yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, platinum, palladium, tungsten carbide, sterling silver or stainless steel. Most individuals tend to go for yellow gold or platinum. Nevertheless, white gold works as a brilliant alternative to platinum for those who are seeking something cheaper. 

In order to get the perfect combination between a diamond, a metal and a setting you are happy with you should actually consider going down the custom made route. This is how you will ensure you end up with a ring you are one hundred per cent happy with. Furthermore, you will be the only person in the world to have it.

4 Brilliant Ways to Boost Your Immune System

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A healthy immune system can prevent you from getting sick and minimize the symptoms of any bugs you do contract. When your immune system is compromised, however, you’ll be more prone to infections and viruses. 

If you want to stay healthy and avoid succumbing to illnesses, take a look at how you can boost your immune system…

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1. Get enough exercise

It is fair to say that a healthy immune system needs a body that is working optimally. By incorporating a decent amount of exercise into your routine, you can help to keep your muscles, cells, and organs working properly. This enhances their function and helps to ensure your body is in peak condition. When your physical form is working well, your immune system can flourish. 

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2. Reduce stress

Stress puts our bodies under a considerable amount of strain and this is evident in our immune system. Ever noticed how a stressful period is immediately followed by a virus or infection? That’s because your immune system is affected by the increased stress you’re dealing with.

As well as minimizing your stress levels as much as possible, explore different ways to manage stress. By finding healthier options to cope with stress, you can minimize the impact it has on your immune system. Although not all stress will be avoidable, effective coping strategies will stop it from having a negative effect on your immunity. 

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3. Minimize exposure to pollutants

Smoke and exhaust fumes are two examples of harmful pollutants but the air we breath is filled with potentially harmful contaminants. Many people ask are air purifiers worth it? If you could see the pollutants you are exposed to on a daily basis, you’d never ask this question again!

By using an air purifier, you can remove contaminants from the air and prevent them from entering your body. In doing so, you’re reducing the pressure on your immune system. As a result, your immune system will be able to operate more efficiently, and you’ll be less at risk of contracting illnesses.  

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4. Eat healthily

If you thought the old saying, ’an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ was an old wives’ tale, you’re only half right. While an apple may not prevent you from ever succumbing to a cold again, a healthy diet certainly has an impact on your immune system. 

When you eat a good range of foods, such as fruits and vegetables, you’re consuming antioxidants which can help to prevent cells in your body being damaged. By protecting your body from harm, you’re allowing it to function more effectively, which is reflected by your immune system. 

Enhancing Your Immune System

It isn’t always possible to avoid illness entirely. By boosting your immune system, however, you can reduce the number of health issues you encounter. Furthermore, you’ll find that your body can fight infections and viruses more easily. This will reduce the amount of time it takes your body to deal with a virus or infection and ensure you bounce back far more quickly.

Why Parenting Mistakes Can Be a Good Thing

One of the biggest fears that parents today have is making a mistake. No parent wants to feel like they’ve failed their child and we certainly don’t want to realize that we’ve not been paying enough attention to our children. We want to get feedback from our kids (and others) that we’re being a good parent, that we’re doing our best and that we’re succeeding at our responsibilities.

However, it’s not always that simple.

We all make mistakes in life and that counts for our children too. Even if you feel like you’re personally not making any big mistakes, there’s a good chance that you might be doing something that your child doesn’t look or has a problem with. In cases like this, tougher parenting might seem like a good idea, but it can get to a point where you’re suffocating your child.

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Parenting mistakes prevent running from the truth

Many proud and overconfident parents run from the truth all the time. They’ll tell themselves that it’s not their parenting at fault, but their child or other factors. Things like this can happen from time to time. For example, your child might have been exposed to alcohol much earlier than you think, or they could be a lot more rebellious than you think behind your back.

In situations like this, running from the problem will only make it worse and the denial will only hurt your relationship with your child. Instead, you need to focus on accepting the truth that your parenting might have caused the issue. Once you’ve accepted it, you can then look for a service such as a young adult addiction treatment program that will help you recover from your mistakes and also get the help that your child needs to recover.

If you were to ignore the problems your child has, then it can lead to neglect and a false sense of security that will come back to hurt your family in the future.

Parenting mistakes are humbling

If any good comes from a parenting mistake, it’s probably the fact that it’s humbling. If you’re a really proud parent that feels like they’re on top of the world, then making a parenting mistake or two will help you realize that you’ve got a long way to go.

No parent faces zero mistakes during their child’s formative years, and any parent that claims to have done no wrong is clearly delusional. Every parent makes a mistake at some point that helps them understand that their child should be capable of making decisions on their own. We’ll run into situations where our children give us a figurative slap on the face when we realize that we’ve been doing something wrong this whole time.

Good parenting involves learning from your mistakes, and for that to happen you need to encounter a humbling situation. So if you feel down or less important as a parent because of something with your children–cheer up. It’s a humbling experience that teaches you that there are better (or different) ways to do things.

Looking To Change Your Career Right Now?

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Just about everyone finds themselves in a position from time to time where they feel like they really need to make a change in their career. Maybe their current career is leaving them frustrated and unfulfilled, maybe their boss is making their life business, or maybe they simply want to be able to make more time to the other important things in their lives. Whatever the reason might be, if you're looking to change careers, one of the biggest barriers can be that of time. It often feels like changing careers is something that takes a lot of time to do. However, that's not always the case, with that in mind, here are some career options that may well be able to switch to right now.

Web development

If you're the type of person with the right combination of technical know-how and creative flair then a career in web development might well be perfect for you. Every business needs a website, that's undeniable, and most businesses simply don't have the time, skills, or resources to take that on themselves. Not only that but web development is something that you can often do from home which makes it a fantastic option if you're looking for a career that allows you to the kind of flexibility that you need to build around your family and personal responsibilities. 

Driving

If you're sick and tired of the classic 9-5, spending all day stuck in an office, then a career as a driver might well be perfect for you. There are plenty of options available from taxi driving to logistics. Many truck driving companies even offer things like CDL driver training so that you can really hit the ground running without a huge amount of prior experience. It's the kind of career that offers flexibility, plenty of benefits, and allows you to avoid staying in one place for long enough for you to get bored.

Freelance writing

If you're pretty good at stringing a sentence or two together then why not think about a career as a freelance writer. As with web development, businesses need things like copy and blog posts to entice their customers. If you're able to offer that kind of service then you can not only work from home and to a schedule that works for you but you also have the chance to do something that offers you a level of creative expression and fulfilment that you simply don't get with a lot of other potential careers. If you're looking to stretch those creative muscles, this might well be the career path for you.

Of course, just because these kinds of careers don't require piles of qualifications or years of schooling doesn't mean that they're going to be easy or that finding the right one isn't going to be a challenge. The truth is that all jobs have their own set of challenges that you will have to face and if you're not willing to put the work in, you're never going to be able to get the most out of them.

4 Tips for the Perfect Proposal

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Getting married is a big deal. Often, planning the perfect proposal for your beloved – one that they will find it impossible to say no to – can be an even bigger deal due to the pressures and fear of getting it just right. However, proposals don’t have to be stressful, and they should be fun and magical, in whatever way works for you and your partner.

Here are four tips to make sure your proposal is perfect, no matter how you choose to do it. 

1.    Have an Item to Give

There is a lot more popularity these days with the idea of choosing the perfect ring together. If you’ve decided that you would rather your partner have a hand in choosing the dream engagement ring, there is nothing wrong with that – but you should make sure you have something to offer when you propose. 

It doesn’t have to be something miraculous or expensive – it could be a small stand-in ring or a trinket of another kind, such as another piece of jewelry. It’s just nice to have something to cement the occasion until you can go official ring shopping together. 

2.    Do Your Ring Research

If you have decided to propose with a ring which you have chosen, you should take your time to see the options out there. Be sure to ask for professional advice from jewelers if you are completely unsure, know your maximum budget beforehand, and do your research into what kind of jewelry your partner likes. Don’t be afraid to have a nosy around their current jewelry collection but be sure to understand that an engagement ring should be different from any other piece they may already have. 

Consider their tastes: a person who prefers simplistic jewelry, or hardly wears any at all, may not like a large and flashy engagement ring. 

If your partner would be keen on something entirely different and unique, why not try gold nugget rings with Nuggets By Grant?

3.    Audience or No Audience?

A lot of people would love the idea of being proposed to in front of a crowd, whether it’s a group of strangers, family, or friends. For some people, however, this may be their worst nightmare. Consider how your partner prefers to share romantic and intimate moments with you – would they be more comfortable and happier with a completely private proposal? You don’t want the only memory they have of the proposal to be a sickening embarrassment at having all that attention on them.

Not only that, but sometimes it’s better to celebrate privately and keep the moment between the two of you before you have to reveal everything to family and friends and share the excitement. 

4.    Show Your Love with Sentiment, Not Expense

Spending a fortune on a location, champagne, rose petals, gifts, etc. of course sounds very romantic – and may well be the case for a lot of people – but when it comes to the perfect proposal, it’s more about expressing your own, personal sentiment of love. It doesn’t matter where you do it or how much you spend if what you say and how you ask is heartfelt and romantic.