How to Design and Layout a Coffee Shop Or Espresso Bar

If you are planning to open an espresso bar/coffee shop, then developing an efficient store design and layout will be one of the most important factors in positioning your business for success.

Speed of service is critical to the profitability of a coffee business. An efficient ergonomic store design will allow you to maximize your sales by serving as many customers as possible during peak business periods. Even though your business may be open 12 to 16 hours a day, in reality, 80% of your sales will probably occur during 20% of those hours. Coffee is primarily a morning beverage, so your busy times of day (those times when you are most likely to have a line of waiting customers), may be from 6:30AM to 8:30AM, and then again around lunchtime. If you have a poor store layout, that does not provide a logical and efficient flow for customers and employees, then the speed of customer service and product preparation will be impaired.

Think of it like this; if someone pulls open the front door of your store, and they see 5 people are waiting in line to order, there's a good chance they'll come in, wait in line, and make a purchase. But, if they see that 20 people are waiting in line, there is a high probability that they may determine that the wait will be too long, and they will simply get coffee somewhere else. This is money that just escaped your cash register! And, if they come to your store multiple times, and frequently find a long line of waiting customers, they may decide you are not a viable option for coffee, and will probably never return. Poor design slows down the entire service process, resulting in a longer line of waiting customers, and lost sales. So in reality, your daily business income will be dependent upon how many customers you can serve during peak business periods, and good store design will be essential to achieving that objective!

The financial impact of a poor store design can be significant. For the sake of this example, let's say the average customer transaction for your coffee business will be $3.75. If you have a line of waiting customers each morning between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM, this means you have 90 minutes of crunch time, in which you must drive through as many customers as possible. If you can service a customer every 45 seconds, you will serve 120 customers during this 90 minutes. But, if it takes you 1 minute 15 seconds to service each customer, then you will only be able to serve 72 customers. 120 customers x $3.75 = $450.00 x 30 business days per month = $13,500. 72 customers x $3.75 = $270.00 x 30 business days per month = $8,100. This represents a difference of $5,400 in sales per month ($64,800 per year), coming from just 90-minutes of business activity each day!

So how should you go about designing your coffee bar? First, understand that putting together a good design is like assembling a puzzle. You have to fit all the pieces in the proper relationship to each other to end up with the desired picture. This may require some trial and error to get things right. I've designed hundreds of coffee bar over the past 15 years, and I can truthfully tell you from experience, it still usually takes me a couple of attempts to produce an optimal design.

The design process begins by determining your menu and other desired store features. If you plan to do in-store baking, then obviously you'll need to include in your plan an oven, exhaust hood, sheet pan rack, a large prep table, and perhaps a mixer. If you plan to have a private meeting room for large groups, then an extra 200 sq. ft. or more will need to be designed-in, in addition to the square footage you are already allocating for normal customer seating.

Your intended menu and other business features should also drive decisions about the size of location you select. How many square feet will be required to fit in all the necessary equipment, fixtures, and other features, along with your desired seating capacity?

Typically, just the space required for the front of the house service area, (cash register, brewing & espresso equipment, pastry case, blenders, etc.), back of the house (storage, prep, dishwashing and office areas), and 2-ADA restrooms, will consume about 800 sq. ft. If space for extensive food prep, baking, coffee roasting, or cooking will be required, this square footage may increase to 1,000 to 1,200, or more. What ever is left over within your space after that, will become your seating area.

So, a typical 1,000 sq. ft coffee bar, serving beverages and simple pastries only, will probably allow for the seating of 15 to 20 customers - max! Increase that square footage to 1,200 sq. ft., and seating should increase to 30, or 35. If you plan to prepare sandwiches, salads, and some other food items on site, 1,400 to 1,600 sq. ft. should provide enough space to seat 35 to 50, respectively.

Next, you will have to determine the tasks that will be performed by each employee position, so that the equipment and fixtures necessary to accomplish those tasks can be located in the appropriate places.

Normally, your cashier will operate the cash register, brew and serve drip coffee, and serve pastries and desserts. Your barista will make all your espresso-based beverages, tea, chai, hot chocolate, Italian sodas, as well as all the blender beverages. If you'll be preparing sandwiches, panini, wraps, salads, snacks and appetizers, or will be baking on-site, then a person dedicated to food prep will be necessary. And, if you anticipate high volume, and will be serving in or on ceramics, a bus-person/dishwasher may be a necessity.

After you have determined what you will be serving, the space you will be leasing, and what each employee will be responsible for, you will then be ready to begin your design process. I usually start my design work from the back door of the space and work my way forward. You'll need to design in all of the features that will be necessary to satisfy your bureaucracies and facilitate your menu, before you make plans for the customer seating area.

Your back door will most likely have to serve as an emergency fire exit, so you'll need a hallway connecting it with your dining room. Locating your 2-ADA restrooms off of this hallway would make good sense. And, because delivery of products will also probably occur through your back door, having access to your back of the house storage area would also be convenient.

In the back of the house, at minimum, you will need to include a water heater, water purification system, dry storage area, back-up refrigerator and freezer storage, ice maker, an office, 3-compartment ware washing sink, rack for washed wares, mop bucket sink, and a hand washing sink. Do any food prep, and the addition of a food prep sink and prep table will be necessary. If doing baking, gelato making, full cooking, or coffee roasting, all the equipment necessary for those functions will also need to be added.

After all the features have been designed into the back of the house, you will then be ready to start your design work on the front of the house service and beverage preparation area. This area will probably include a pastry case, cash register(s), drip coffee brewer and grinder(s), espresso machine and grinders, a dipper well, possibly a granita machine, blenders, ice holding bin, blender rinse sink, hand washing sink, under counter refrigeration (under espresso machine and blenders), and a microwave oven.

If serving food beyond simple pastries and desserts, you may need to add a panini toaster grill, a refrigerated sandwich/salad preparation table, soup cooker/warmer, a bread toaster, etc. If you plan to serve pre made, ready to serve sandwiches, wraps, and salads, along with a selection of bottled beverages, an open-front, reach-in merchandising refrigerator should be considered. Serving ice cream or gelato? If the answer is yes, then an ice cream or gelato dipping cabinet will be necessary along with an additional dipper well.

Finally, when all the working areas of the bar have been designed, the customer seating area can be laid out. This will, of course, include your cafe tables and chairs, couches and comfortable upholstered chairs, coffee tables, and perhaps a window or stand-up bar with bar stools. Impulse-buy and retail merchandise shelves should be established, and a condiment bar should be located close to where customers will pick-up their beverages.

A quick word about couches, large upholstered chairs, and coffee tables. Living room type furniture takes up a lot of space. If you plan to be opening evenings, and will perhaps serve beer and wine, and having comfortable seating will be important for creating a relaxing ambiance, then by all means do it. But if you have limited seating space, and are not trying to encourage people to relax and stay for long periods of time, then stick with cafe tables and chairs. The more people you can seat, the greater your income potential!

Features from the front door to the condiment bar should be arranged in a logical, sequential order. As your customers enter the front door, their travel path should take them past your impulse-buy merchandise display, and the pastry case, before they arrive at the point of order (where your cashier, cash register, and menu-board will be located). Exposing customers to your impulse items and pastries, before they order, will greatly increase their sales. Then, after the order and payment has been taken, they should proceed down-line away from the cash register to pick-up their beverage, and finally, the condiment bar should be located beyond that point. Be sure to separate your point of order from the point of product pick-up by at least six feet, otherwise customers waiting for their beverage may begin to intrude into the space of those ordering.

Don't make the mistakes that many inexperienced designers commonly make. They arrange these features in a haphazard way, so that customers have to change direction, and cut back through the line of awaiting customers to proceed to their next destination in the service sequence. Or, wanting to make their espresso machine a focal point to those entering the store, they place it before the cashier along the customer's path of travel. Customers inevitably end up trying to order from the barista before they are informed that they need to proceed to the cashier first. If this happens dozens of times each day, confusion and slowed beverage production will be the result.

On the employee's side of the counter, work and product flow are even more important. Any unnecessary steps or wasted movements that result from a less than optimal design will slow down employee production. All products should flow seamlesly in one direction towards the ultimate point of pick-up. For example, if preparing a particular item is a 3-step process, then placement of equipment should allow for the 3 steps to occur in order, in one linear direction, with the final step occurring closest to the point where customers will be served.

Equipment should be grouped together so that it is in the immediate proximity of the employee(s) who will be using it. Beyond the actual equipment, empty spaces must be left on the counter top to store ingredients and small wares (tools) used in product preparation. Counter top space will also be needed where menu items will actually be assembled. Think of the grouping of equipment for different job functions as stations. Try to keep different stations compact and in close working proximity to each other, but make sure that there is enough space between each so that employee working-paths don't cross, which could contribute to employee collisions.

Creating defined work stations will allow you to put multiple employees behind the counter when needed. When it is busy, you may need to have 2 cashiers, another person just bagging pastries and brewing coffee, 2 baristas behind the espresso machine, a maybe even a dedicated person working the blenders. If you're preparing sandwiches and salads to order, then another person may need to be added to handle that task. Keeping your stations in close proximity to each other will allow one employee to easily access all equipment during very slow periods of business, thus saving you valuable labor dollars.

When you arrange equipment in relationship to each other, keep in mind that most people are right handed. Stepping to the right of the espresso machine to access the espresso grinder will feel more comfortable than having to move to the left. Likewise, place your ice storage bin to the right of your blenders, so when you scoop ice, you can hold the cup or blender pitcher in your left hand, and scoop with your right.

As you create your store layout, the equipment you select should fit your space and the needs of your anticipated business volume. A busy location will most likely require a dual or twin, air pot, drip coffee brewer (one that can brew 2 pots at the same time), as opposed to a single brewer. If you anticipate selling a lot of blended and ice drinks, then an under counter ice maker, one that can only produce 100 pounds of ice or less per day, will not be sufficient. You should instead locate a high-capacity ice maker (one that can make 400 or 500 lbs. per day) in the back of the house, and transport ice to an ice holding bin up front. Plan to bring in frozen desserts and ice cream? Then a 1 door reach-in freezer in the back of he house will probably be inadequate for you storage needs, so you'll need to consider a 2 or 3 door. I always recommend a 3-group espresso machine for any location that may generate 150 drinks per day or more. And, I can tell you from experience, you can never have too much dry or refrigerated storage space!

Make sure that any equipment you select will be acceptable with your local bureaucracy before your purchase and take delivery of it. All equipment will typically need to be NSF & UL approved, or have a similar, acceptable, foreign certification equivalent. Your bureaucracy will most likely want to see manufacturer specification sheets on all equipment to verify this fact, before they'll approve your plans.

ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) compliance will also come into play when you are designing your coffee bar. In some areas of the country, this will only apply to those areas of your store that will be used by customers. However, other bureaucracies may require your entire store to be ADA compliant. Following are some of the basic requirements of compliance with the code:

• All hallways and isle ways must be 5 feet wide (minimum).

• All countertop working heights must be 34 inches high (instead of normal 36 inch height).

• 18 inches of free wall space must be provided on the strike-side of all doors (the side with the door knob).

• All hand-washing sinks must be ADA friendly.

• All bathrooms must be ADA compliant (5 foot space for wheelchair turnaround, handrails at toilet, acceptable clearance around toilet and hand washing sink, etc.).

• No steps allowed, ramps are OK with the proper slope.

• If your space has multiple levels, then no feature may exist on a level where handicapped access has not been provided, if that same feature does not exist on a level where it will be accessible.

You can find the complete regulations for ADA compliance at the following website:

http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm

Beyond the basic Equipment Floor Plan, showing new partitions, cabinets, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings, you'll need to produce some additional drawings to guide your contractors and satisfy the bureaucracies.

Electrical Plan

An electrical plan will be necessary to show the location of all outlets needed to operate equipment. Information such as voltage, amperage, phase, hertz, special instructions (like, "requires a dedicated circuit"), and the horizontal and vertical location of each outlet, should all be specified.

A small, basic coffee shop might get away with a 200 amp service, but typically 400 amps will be required if your equipment package will include items like an electric water heater, high-temperature dishwasher, or cooking equipment (ovens, panini grill, etc.).

In addition to the electrical work required for your coffee business-specific equipment, you may need to adjust existing electrical for additional or reconfigured lighting, HVAC, general-purpose convenience outlets, and exterior signs. Also, have your electrician run any needed speaker wires, TV/internet cables, and cash register remote receipt printer cables at the same time they are installing electrical wires. Finally, make sure your electrician makes provisions for lighted exit signs, and a battery-powered emergency evacuation lighting system, if needed.

Plumbing Plan

A plan showing all plumbing features will be necessary. At minimum, this should show stub-in locations for all needed water sources (hot & cold), drains, your water heater, water purifications system, grease interceptor (if required), bathroom fixtures, etc.

While a typical P-trap drain should be acceptable for most fixtures and equipment, some will require an air-gap drain. An air gap drain does not go through the "S"-shaped twists of the P-trap. Instead, the drain line comes straight down from the piece of equipment or fixture, and terminates 2 inches above the rim of a porcelain floor sink drain. This porcelain drain basin is usually installed directly into the floor. The air gap between the drain line from your equipment or fixture, and the bottom of the basin, prevents any bacteria in the sewer pipe from migrating into the equipment or fixture. I drain the following pieces of equipment to a floor sink drain when creating a plumbing plan:

• espresso machine

• dipper wells

• ice maker

• ice holding bin

• food prep sink

• soft drink dispensing equipment

To save on the life of your water filtration system, only your espresso machine and coffee brewer should be supplied by with treated water. Coffee is 98% to 99% water, so good water quality is essential. Your ice maker should only require a simple particle filter on the incoming line (unless your water quality is terrible). There is no need to filter water that will be used for hand and dish washing, cleaning mops, flushing toilets, and washing floors!

Be aware that many bureaucracies are now requiring a grease interceptor on the drain line from your 3-compartment ware washing sinks and automatic dishwasher. A grease interceptor is basically a box containing baffles that traps the grease before it can enter the public sewer system.

Also understand that a typical retail space will not come equipped with a water heater with enough capacity to handle your needs. Unless your space was previously some type of a food service operation, you will probably need to replace it with a larger one.

If cutting trenches in the floor will be necessary to install porcelain floor sinks, a grease interceptor, and run drain lines, then establishing a few general purpose floor drains at this same time behind the counter, and in the back of the house, will prove useful. Floor drains will allow you to squeegee liquids away when spills occur, and when washing floors.

Finally, if you added some new walls during your remodel, you may need to have the fire sprinkler system for your space adjusted or reconfigured.

Cabinet Elevations

Drawing cabinet elevations, (the view you would have if you were standing in front of your cabinets), will be necessary for your cabinet maker to understand all the features they will need to incorporate into your cabinet designs.

These elevations are not meant to be shop fabrication drawings for your cabinetmaker, but merely serve a reference, showing needed features and desired configuration. Where do you want drawers, and under counter storage space; and, where do you want cabinet doors on that under counter storage? Where should open space be left for the placement of under counter refrigeration and trashcans? Will cup dispensers be installed in the cabinet face under the counter top? These elevations will provide your cabinetmaker with a clear understanding of all these features.

While your kitchen base cabinets at home are typically 24 inches deep, for commercial applications they should be 30 inches deep, and 33 inches if an under counter refrigerator is to be inserted. Also, when specifying the size of an open bay to accommodate under counter refrigeration, be sure to allow a couple of inches more than the physical dimensions of the equipment, so that it can be easily inserted and removed for daily cleaning.

Dimensions Plan

You will need to create a floor plan showing all the critical dimensions for new partitions, doors, cabinets, and fixtures. This will, of course, help make sure that everything ends up where it is suppose to be, and will be the right size.

A final thought about design; unless the space you will be designing is a clean vanilla shell (meaning, nothing currently exists in the space, except perhaps one ADA restroom), you will have to make sure that all the features that you are considering keeping, will be acceptable with your local bureaucracy. Many older buildings were not designed to present codes. If the business type remains the same (your space was occupied by a food service establishment before you), then some times any non compliant features will be grandfathered-in, meaning you don't have to bring them up to current requirements. But don't count on this! You need to check with your bureaucracies to make sure. More and more I see bureaucracies requiring new business owners to remodel, so that all features are compliant with codes. This means you may have to rip-out bathrooms and hallways, add fire sprinkler systems, and provide ramps where there are steps. Better you know all these things before you begin your store design!

I always tell my consulting clients, that if I produce a perfect design and layout for them, they will never notice... because everything will be exactly where you would expect it to be. Unfortunately, if you create a less than optimal design for your coffee bar, you probably won't realize it until you start working in it. Changing design mistakes or inadequacies after the fact, can be extremely expensive. Not correcting those mistakes may even cost you more in lost potential sales. For this reason, I strongly suggest using an experienced coffee business space designer to create your layout for you, or at very least, to review the design you have created. Doing so will payoff with dividends.

Ed Arvidson is President of E&C Consulting Inc., a company specializing in Specialty Coffee Industry consulting. He frequently creates coffee bar designs for those starting a coffee business. Examples and information related to his design services can be found at: http://www.CoffeeBizConsultant.com/service5.php

Ed is also the creator and instructor of the Los Angeles Coffee Business School, and offers 4-day classes on how to open and operate a successful, profitable coffee business. Information about his school can be found at: http://www.LACoffeeSchool.com/

Best Anaerobic Exercises For Fitness

Oxygen is of course vital to life, but when it comes to exercise, anaerobic exercise can be extremely beneficial. Reliant as it is on the energy sources stored within muscles anaerobic exercise can lead to the development of stronger muscles, and an increased ability to withstand the build up of lactic acid within the body.

There are many exercises that make use of anaerobic exercises.

Interval Training - Interval training can be a part of many areas of sports training, and swimming biking and cycling all make use of interval training. An interval is normally a period of training where the pace is increased greatly for a short period of time. After this intense period of activity there is then a long slow recovery period of about three times the length as the period of activity was. Then another interval is completed and recovery once again follows.

Bike Sprints - As a form of training you will often see cyclists riding slowly before suddenly getting out of their saddles and putting in a sprint for a few seconds, before resuming a more leisurely pace. This is again to build up muscles, but as a side point professional cyclists will often take part in track events and also road races that require this training in a live race.

Running Sprints - Short distance runners will make use of interval training and it is hardly surprising when you consider that 100 meter runners will probably not breathe during their race. In normal training a sprinter will sprint for a distance before turning around and walking back to their starting blocks before sprinting again. The walk back is normally sufficient for their recovery period. Recreational runners can also make use of the same technique though as it is a great way to build up resistance to lactic acid build up and the associated issues of cramp.

Rope Jumping - ­Now not a common form of exercise rope jumping is still used by boxers to help with their overall fitness and muscle development. You will probably seen boxers who jump the rope faster than the eye can follow for short periods of time. During this period of time the boxer does not take in oxygen and is a form of exercise that many others can make use of.

Remember though that anaerobic training should only be used by those who already have a decent level of fitness to start with. Anaerobic training is intense and requires building up to otherwise injuries or other difficulties could result.

Finding the perfect Workout Routines [http://www.workoutroutines.biz/p90x-extreme-home-workout.html] takes time and effort. These best workout routines is a great place to start if a person is interested in flat abs. The P90X [http://www.workoutroutines.biz] is another great workout that will help develop flat abs.

Negotiating Difficult Life Transitions

Life is a process of beginnings and endings. In both life and nature, there are times when things move slowly and don't seem to change very much. Then, suddenly, things change quickly. Moving from August to September, the weather changes gradually at first, and then it seems that suddenly summer is over. It is the same in our lives; transitions are as natural as the changing seasons.

Life transitions are challenging because they force us to let go of the familiar and face the future with a feeling of vulnerability. Most life transitions begin with a string of losses:

• The loss of a role

• The loss of a person

• The loss of a place

• The loss of your sense of where you fit in the world

Any significant loss makes most people feel fearful and anxious. Since your future may now be filled with questions, it is normal to feel afraid. We live in a culture that has taught us to be very uncomfortable with uncertainty, so we are anxious when our lives are disrupted. On the positive side, these transitions give us a chance to learn about our strengths and to explore what we really want out of life. This time of reflection can result in a sense of renewal, stability, and a new equilibrium.

A life transition can be positive or negative, planned or unexpected. Some transitions happen without warning, and they may be quite dramatic, as in cases of accidents, death, divorce, job loss, or serious illness. Other life transitions come from positive experiences such as getting married, going away to college, starting a new job, moving to a new city, or giving birth to a child. Even though events like these are usually planned and anticipated, they can be just as life-altering as the unexpected events. Whether positive or negative, life transitions cause us to leave behind the familiar and force us to adjust to new ways of living, at least temporarily. They can leave us feeling completely unprepared and we may be thrown into a personal crisis, feeling shocked, angry, sad, and withdrawn.

Examples of Life Transitions

Life transitions can include any of the following:

• Accidents

• Buying a house

• Changing jobs

• Divorce

• Getting married

• Having a baby

• Leaving for college

• Relocation

• Retirement

• Selling a house

• Serious illness

• Significant loss (of a person, job, pet, or anything important)

• Starting a career

Stages of Life Transitions

Successfully moving through a life transition usually means experiencing the following stages:

1. Experience a range of negative feelings (anger, anxiety, confusion, numbness, self-doubt).

2. Feel a loss of self-esteem.

3. Begin to accept the change.

4. Acknowledge that you need to let go of the past and accept the future.

5. Begin to feel hopeful about the future.

6. Feel increased self-esteem.

7. Develop an optimistic view of the future.

The process of moving through a transition does not always proceed in order, in these nice, predictable stages. People usually move through the process in different ways, often cycling back and forth among the stages.

Coping Skills

Life transitions are often difficult, but they have a positive side, too. They provide us with an opportunity to assess the direction our lives are taking. They are a chance to grow and learn. Here are some ideas that may help make the process rewarding.

Accept that change is a normal part of life. People who have this attitude seem to have the easiest time getting through life transitions. Seeing changes as negative or as experiences that must be avoided makes them more difficult to navigate and less personally productive.

Identify your values and life goals. If a person knows who they are and what they want from life, they may see the change as just another life challenge. These people are willing to take responsibility for their actions and do not blame others for the changes that come along without warning.

Learn to identify and express your feelings. While it's normal to try to push away feelings of fear and anxiety, you will move through them more quickly if you acknowledge them. Make them real by writing them down and talking about them with trusted friends and family members. These feelings will have less power over you if you face them and express them.

Focus on the payoffs. Think about what you have learned from other life transitions. Recall the stages you went through, and identify what you gained and learned from each experience. Such transitions can provide a productive time to do some important self-exploration. They can be a chance to overcome fears and to learn to deal with uncertainty. These can be the gifts of the transition process: to learn more about yourself and what makes you happy and fulfilled.

Don't be in a rush. When your life is disrupted, it takes time to adjust to the new reality. Expect to feel uncomfortable during a transition as you let go of old ways of doing things. Try to avoid starting new activities too soon, before you have had a chance to reflect and think about what is really best for you.

Expect to feel uncomfortable. A time of transition is confusing and disorienting. It is normal to feel insecure and anxious. These feelings are part of the process, and they will pass.

Stay sober. Using alcohol or drugs during this confusing time is not a good idea. It can only make the process more difficult.

Take good care of yourself. Transitions are very stressful, even if they are supposed to be happy times. You may not feel well enough to participate in your normal activities. Find something fun to do for yourself each day. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat well.

Build your support system. Seek the support of friends and family members, especially those who accept you without judging you and encourage you to express your true feelings. A time of transition is also an excellent time to seek the support of a mental health professional. He or she can guide you through the transition process in a safe and supportive environment.

Acknowledge what you are leaving behind. This is the first step to accepting the new. Think about how you respond to endings in your life: Do you generally avoid them, like the person who ducks out early on her last day on the job because she can't bear to say good-bye? Or do you drag them out because you have such a hard time letting go? Perhaps you make light of endings, refusing to let yourself feel sad. Before you can welcome the new, you must acknowledge and let go of the old.

Keep some things consistent. When you are experiencing a significant life change, it helps to keep as much of your daily routine consistent as you can.

Accept that you may never completely understand what has happened to you. You are likely to spend a lot of time feeling confused and afraid. This makes most of us very uncomfortable. The discomfort and confusion will pass, and clarity will return.

Take one step at a time. It's understandable to feel like your life has become unmanageable. To regain a sense of power, find one small thing you can control right now. Then break it down into small, specific, concrete steps. Write them down and post them on your computer monitor or mirror. Cross off each step as you accomplish it.

Times of life transitions offer you the chance to explore what your ideal life would look like. When things are in disarray, you can reflect on the hopes and dreams you once had but perhaps forgot about. Take this time to write about them in a journal or talk about them with a trusted friend or therapist. Now is a good time to take advantage of the fork in the road.

Garrett Coan, MSW, LCSW is Founder and Director of the Center for Creative Counseling, a team of expert and licensed therapists and coaches providing phone and internet counseling services to clients throughout the United States and worldwide. To arrange a no-obligation, complimentary consultation, call 1-877-958-4769 or visit them on the Web at http://www.creativecounselors.com

Finding the Right ATV Trailer For Towing Behind of Your ATV

With so many choices of tow behind ATV trailers on the market, making a decision on which one to buy can be a tough decision. This article will break down the different types of ATV trailers to help you decide the right one for your needs.

Many people use the terms trailer, wagon and cart interchangeably, but these 3 terms describe 3 different units.

A trailer has a non-steerable front end and may describe a unit with one to several axles. These units are designed to trail behind of the tow vehicle. The advantage of the trailer is the tongue is fixed in position which makes backing much easier. The trailer depends on the tow vehicles brake system in most cases and the rigid front end keeps the unit straight during braking.

A cart has a single axle and is designed to be towed or pushed like a wheelbarrow when needed. The cart depends on the tow vehicles brake system in most cases and the rigid front end keeps the unit straight during braking.

A wagon has a steerable front end which makes allows the wagon to track directly behind of the tow vehicle. However, the steerable front end makes backing a wagon very difficult. Without a braking system of it's own, a wagon can veer to the side when going downhill on steep grades.

Many people believe ATV trailers are nothing more than a lawn trailer with larger tires on it. There are some trailers on the market this description does fit and those folks who have purchased these types of trailers recognize that mistake quickly. A quality ATV trailer or cart should have several items that make it much different than a lawn trailer.

Lawn trailers and wagons are designed for slow speeds and fairly level terrain. Designed for use behind of a lawn tractor, they are not built to take the punishment behind of an ATV. Most lawn trailers have sintered or sleeve bearing that allow a film of grease to contact the axle, minimizing wear. Sleeve bearing can only handle speeds up to 9-10 mph for short periods of use. One the grease is depleted, the axle begins to wear through the sleeve very quickly. Lawn trailers normally have a solid axle rigidly mounted to the cargo box or frame. This rigid mount does not flex with the load and can result in axle failure on rough terrain.

A quality ATV trailer should have roller bearing which will allow higher speed use for an extended period of use. The axle should be mounted so the frame can flex with the axle mount to prevent axle failure in rough terrain. On some trailers, this flex is designed within the larger ATV tires at low pressure to absorb the shock.

Common use materials in the cargo beds of ATV trailers are wood, steel, and poly. Wood has the advantage of being easily replaced if lost or damaged. Steel can be painted or powder-coated and the lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel. Example, a 14 gauge steel trailer is thicker and heavier than a 16 gauge steel trailer. The poly cargo beds have come along way in the past few years. They are not as prone to cracking and breaking in cold weather as they used to be. Poly has the advantage of never rusting like steel or rotting like wood. Aluminum is used by some manufacturers, however be aware of white-corrosion issues with bare aluminum exposed to the weather and the issue of dissimilar metal corrosion. This condition exists when steel bolts are in contact with aluminum.

ATV have quickly become the workhorse vehicle for many people and have replaced the utility tractor for some of the lighter chores around the farm or ranch. Matching the trailer, wagon or cart to the size of the ATV is very important. Examine the load capacity and tongue weight specifications of your ATV before purchasing a trailer. Pick a trailer, cart or wagon design around the tasks you have in mind. Can the trailer be converted to a flat bed easily? What is the hitch height needed so the trailer sets level? How long of a trailer tongue do I need to clear a cargo rack on the ATV when making tight turns? Will you be traveling in narrow trails or areas with a lot or stumps or debris? These are all considerations you should make before purchasing.

We welcome questions about your ATV trailer, wagon and cart needs, so drop by CountryATV and feel free to contact us with your needs.

Doctor - I Have Symptoms of Pain and Swelling in My Hands and Feet - What Could It Be?

While there are multiple causes of swelling and pain in the hands and feet, arthritis is probably the most common cause.

The term "arthritis" is derived from the Greek and means "joint inflammation". It refers to more than 100 different diseases that can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints. Joints are where the ends of long bones connect and interact. The end of each bone inside a joint has a thin layer of cartilage and is held in place by ligaments, tendons, and muscles. A joint is lined with synovial tissue (synovium) that helps to nourish the joint. It is the synovium that often becomes inflamed in arthritis.

Arthritis may also affect other supporting structures around joints such as the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Some serious forms of arthritis can affect internal organs.

The common symptoms of arthritis are due to inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, pain):

o Swelling in one or more joints

o Stiffness in the joints in the morning or with prolonged inactivity

o Joint pain or tenderness

o Restricted mobility in the joints

o Warmth or redness

Diagnosing arthritis can be difficult because some symptoms are often common to many different diseases. A rheumatologist will first do a complete physical exam, looking for clues. The eyes, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, and other parts of the body will be examined along with the joints. Lab tests and imaging procedures such as x-ray, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may also be ordered.

The most common forms of arthritis are:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is also referred to as degenerative joint disease. This is the most common type of arthritis. When it affects the hands, it can cause painful swelling in the last row (Heberden's nodes) and middle row (Bouchards nodes) of finger joints. In the feet it will affect the toe joints as well as the mid-foot. This disease affects cartilage, the tissue that cushions and protects the ends of bones in a joint. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage starts to wear away prematurely. The swelling of the fingers and toes may lead to bony deformity.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease; the body's immune system (defense mechanism against infection) attacks normal tissues. This autoimmune reaction causes inflammation of the synovium. RA symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, rapid loss of joint function, and crippling. When severe, rheumatoid arthritis can also affect internal organs. This is the type of arthritis that most commonly causes severe inflammation in the hands and feet.

Rheumatoid arthritis tends to be symmetric- one side of the bodt being affected just like the other.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease characterized by generalized aches and pains. The pain is accompanied by stiffness that is worst in the morning but tends to last all day long. Patients may have localized tender points occurring in the muscles and tendons, particularly in the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. These tender points are called trigger points. Fatigue and sleep disturbances may also occur. There is subjective swelling along with pain in the hands and feet.

Gout and pseudogout are inflammatory forms of arthritis due to deposits of crystals in joints and other body tissues. Uric acid is the culprit in gout and calcium pyrophosphate is the villain in pseudogout. Both diseases cause painful attacks of arthritis affecting the hands and feet.

Infectious arthritis is a type of arthritis caused by either bacteria or viruses. A relatively common form of infectious arthritis is Lyme disease. Infectious forms of arthritis can cause swelling and pain in the hands and feet. A diagnosis is often difficult to establish. Antibiotics will often be used to treat bacterial infectious arthritis.

Reactive arthritis is an autoimmune arthritis that develops after a person has an infection in the urinary tract or intestine. This problem is often referred to as Reiter's disease. People who have this disease often have eye inflammation (iritis), rashes, and mouth sores. Inflammatory arthritis involving the hands and feet leading to a toe or finger that looks like a sausage (dactylitis) is common.

Psoriatic arthritis. Some people who have psoriasis also have arthritis. This disease often affects the hands and feet. It is usually asymmetric. It also causes deformity of the fingernails and toenails (onycholysis) that is often misdiagnosed as a fungal problem. Sometimes the spine- neck and low back-can be affected. As with Reiter's disease, dactylitis often occurs.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is another autoimmune disease. Lupus can affect many organ systems including the joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, heart, and brain. This is a cause of swelling and pain involving the hands and feet.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type of arthritis affecting children. It leads to pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in the joints. A patient can also have rashes and fevers with this disease. Hands, wrists, ankles, and feet are often affected.

Polymyalgia rheumatica. Symptoms include pain, aching, and morning stiffness in the shoulders, hips, thighs, and neck. It is sometimes the first sign of giant cell arteritis, an inflammatory disease of the arteries characterized by headaches, scalp tenderness, weakness, weight loss, and fever. The hands and feet may be affected although less often than other joints. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (sed rate), a blood test that measures inflammation, is often greatly elevated.

Bursitis is inflammation of the bursae- the small, fluid-filled sacs that help cushion joints. The inflammation may accompany arthritis in the joint or injury or infection of the bursae. Bursitis produces pain and tenderness and may limit the movement of joints.

Tendinitis is inflammation of tendons (the fibrous cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones) caused by overuse, injury, or arthritis. Tendinitis produces pain and tenderness and may restrict movement of joints.

Not all conditions that cause symptoms of pain and swelling in the hands and feet are due to arthritis. Here are some non-arthritis causes...

Polycythemia vera (PV) is a disorder that is due to excessive production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Some patients with PV will not have any symptoms at all, but many will experience easy bruising or bleeding with minimal trauma. Also, the blood may become thick, causing it to clot in tiny blood vessels. If clotting does occur in the small blood vessels of the fingers and toes, a patient may experience numbness or burning. Swelling and pain in the hands and feet may also occur.

Some medical conditions cause edema...swelling of the hands, ankles, feet, face, abdomen, or other areas of the body. Swelling is most often seen in the hands, in the feet, or around the eyes. The swelling often causes pain.

Edema is due to excessive fluid accumulation. It can be caused by abnormal kidney function, chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, varicose veins, phlebitis, protein or thiamine deficiency, sodium retention, or cancer.

Other reasons for edema are pregnancy, standing for prolonged periods of time, premenstrual syndrome, oral contraceptives, an injury (sprain), hypothyroidism (low thyroid), anemia, adrenal disease, deficiencies of potassium and B vitamins, or allergic reactions.

The cause of the edema needs to be determined. Diagnoses such as congestive heart disease, kidney disease, or liver disease should be ruled out.

Insect stings can lead to swelling and pain in the hands and feet. The same type of reaction may occur with medications, such as penicillin or sulfa. This is referred to as serum sickness.

Acromegaly is a disease where a tumor in the pituitary gland causes an overproduction of growth hormone. This leads to swelling and pain in the hands and feet.

Frostbite is another cause of swelling and pain in the hands and feet.

Blood clots in the veins are another cause of swelling and pain in the limbs. This rarely affects the upper extremities (arms). If it does, diseases associated with clotting abnormalities should be suspected.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (causalgia) is an unusual disorder that leads to swelling and pain in an affected limb. Generally it occurs in an arm or a leg, rarely both at the same time. The preceding event is usually some type of trauma.

Dr. Wei (pronounced “way”) is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to:Types of Arthritis

Health Benefits of Propolis

Propolis is a natural antibiotic that is fast gaining in popularity in the application of home remedies! It's one of those bee products that really cause me to wow at the wonder of nature and marvel at the ability of the highly organised insect - honey bee. Now, let me tell you what exactly propolis is.

Some trees and conifers produce sticky resins as part of their immune system to defend themselves against disease. Honey bees collect these substances that ooze from the buds of these plants. After chewing them and mixing them with their saliva and other substances, propolis is formed. This nutrient-rich substance is of vital importance for the survival of the honey bees in the beehive. It is created to sterilize the hive and protect it against diseases and infection. Not only does it help to inhibit the spread of bacteria, virus, and fungi that would otherwise pose a significant threat in the closely-knit quarters, it also and help fight against climatic changes, such as wind and cold. It is also used as a "putty" to seal cracks and openings in the hive and to strengthen and repair honeycombs, and for this reason is also known as 'bee glue'. Another fact that amazes me is that honey bees also use this sticky substance to embalm or "mummify" the carcasses of larger insects that invade the hive. Such intruders are immediately stung to death but because the defending bees can't transport such heavy corpse away from the hive, they embalm them rather than allowing them to decay. The ancient Eygptians observed this and used propolis as one of the embalming agents for their exquisite mummies!

Propolis contains approximately 50-70% resins, 30% wax, 10% etheric oils and 5% pollen. It is especially rich in amino acids, important for immune system function. It has a high vitamin content (Vitamin A (carotene), Vitamin B1, B2, B3, biotin) and is extremely rich in bioflavonoids (Vitamin P) which are believed to have numerous immune building properties and health benefits. Bioflavonoids are the natural pigments in fruits and vegetables and are found in abundance in oranges. This bee glue contains almost 500 times more bioflavonoids than is found in oranges! It also contains an array of albumin, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Like Royal Jelly and Bee Pollen, it contains a number of unidentified compounds which work together synergistically to create a balanced, nutritive substance.

Propolis can be purchased completely raw and unprocessed, but it in its natural state is a sticky substance and is very difficult to handle. Some beekeepers will package the raw propolis and freeze it in small portions. It can then be added to a coffee grinder in its frozen state and ground for easy consumption. Most producers utilize a process where the active ingredients are 'leached' into water or alcohol, then either packaged in liquid form or dried and capsulated.

Because of its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, this precious substance has been used as a healing agent for many centuries. It has the ability to provide protection against infectious invaders, promote healing and regeneration of tissue, and provides a superior source of energy and stamina. It has been used as ointments for healing cuts and wounds and shown to have outstanding value for a wide variety of illnesses. It is also used as a natural alternative to penicillin and other antibiotics. It is said to be particularly safe and effective and inhibits the resistance-building effect that is a negative factor with prescription antibiotics. In the former Eastern Bloc countries, antibiotics have never been widely available, but beekeeping is widely practised. To help prevent many diseases, hospitals and clinics recommended washing, gargling or irrigating the sinuses with propolis rinses, as well as taking propolis internally. This bee product is certainly a good weapon against bacteria when used topically. It can clearly prevent infections, and can also help heal infections that have already begun.

Do you know that now even toothpastes contain natural ingredients related to honey bees. Propolis has become a healthy alternative to synthetic brands of toothpastes as it is especially useful in mouth and gum disorders. Our mouth is one of the most sensitive spots of our body. This is the place where the synesthesia of senses starts and the food we visualize develops its full smell and taste. The mouth is the starting point of the food digestion. A healthy mouth cavity is certainly one of the elements contributing to the appetite and good mood in general. If the mouth develops sore spots, thrush or gum disease, it causes the whole system to disrupt, resulting in pain and tormenting feeling. Published clinical research demonstrates that propolis fights bacteria, prevents tooth decay, enhances oral hygiene, heals bleeding gums, and prevents gums receding. Manufacturers of propolis toothpastes and mouth sprays claim that their products leave teeth clean, gums feeling healthy, taste great without artificial ingredients, and produce no negative side effects. The salesperson at a honey shop which I often frequent explained that propolis toothpaste are very suitable for young children's use as even if it's accidentally swallowed, it's extremely safe. Such products are easily applied, and have increasingly become part of the everyday dental hygiene of people who are especially interested in natural remedies. My latest discovery while shopping for honey products : propolis extract now even comes in the form of sprays and candies. The spray claims that it is effective against flu, cuts, burns, gum and mouth infections, throat discomforsts and intestinal discomfort, while the candy is sold as a good therapeutic substitute to the traditional throat lozenges and an aid to curing flu, colds, throat discomfort, cough and bad breath.

Note of Caution: Propolis is generally non-toxic, though allergic reactions such as skin rashes, swelling, redness, eczema or fever have been reported. As the effects of propolis during pregnancy and breast-feeding have not been sufficiently evaluated, women should not use it during these times unless directed to do so by a physician.

Source: www.benefits-of-honey.com/propolis.html

R. Tan is the owner of the website benefits-of-honey.com which is a rich honey resource community specially built for all the honey lovers and fans in this world. She has packed this website with a wide range of quality contents on honey based on her knowledge and experience with honey, so as to promote its invaluable benefits which she believes could bring many positive spin-offs in everyone's daily life.