Problem: Article: Gas is commonly produced by the digestion of food, and some foods are worse than others. Beans, onions, cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables, and whole grains are all notorious for producing gas. Avoid these foods or eat them with digestive aids if you are having issues with chronic bloating. Other foods that cause gas include fibrous fruits like apples, peaches, raisins, and apricots, vegetables like garlic, cucumbers, brussel sprouts, and legumes. Foods that don't tend to produce gas include meat, fish, eggs, poultry, and carbohydrates like rice. Eat probiotic yogurt. Yogurts with active bacterial cultures can ease digestion and reduce the amount of gas you produce. Taking a digestive enzyme like Beano can work similar results. Eat smaller bites or portion sizes, and avoid sucking on hard candies, drinking through straws, or chewing gum. These activities all lead you swallow air and will increase bloating. Water and other non-carbonated drinks can help to reduce gas and bloating, flushing out the system.Many people find that warm water particularly relieves their symptoms. Drink slowly to avoid swallowing more air. Also, make sure that your choice of beverage is non-carbonated. Otherwise, you may end up more bloated. There are many home remedies that purport to relieve gas and bloating, called "carminatives." These herbs work by soothing the lining of the digestive system, regulating and coordinating its functions in other words, helping you to expel gas. Try some of these carminatives to see whether they work for you. For instance, teas made from peppermint, anise, and ginger all carminatives are thought to relieve bloating. Foods that contain carminative herbs and spices allspice, clove, juniper, bergamot, sage, thyme, basil, cinnamon, and nutmeg may also relieve symptoms. You can purchase carminatives at natural health stores or many grocery stores. Occasional gas and bloating is natural. However, if you find that your symptoms are persistent, there may be an underlying issue like stress, food intolerances, gastrointestinal disorders, or poorly fitting dentures. Take note of any correlation between your diet and gas. For example, lactose intolerance, the inability to digest milk products, can cause flatulence, bloating, and abdominal cramps. Talk to a doctor if you are frequently uncomfortable and cannot determine the cause.
Summary: Watch your diet. Drink plenty of water. Take herbal remedies. Look for other causes.

Problem: Article: Since 2005, a number of companies have emerged that allow borrowers to connect directly with individual loan providers. The potential advantage is that a borrower typically gets a better rate and is more likely to get a loan, even with bad credit, whereas the creditor gets a better return on their money than a bank. Some of the sites that provided this peer to peer loan service include Prosper, Lending Club, and Peerform. Another option is to use loan shopping websites like MoneyLend, LendingTree, and eLoan. These websites allow you to enter the amount you hope to borrow, your reason for borrowing it, and your overall credit status, and based on this information will tell you whether a loan will be available to you and will quote you an approximate interest rate ranging from 5.9% to 36% or more depending on your circumstances. The following is an overview of the generalized process of applying for a loan through one of these sites. Actual steps may vary depending on the type of loan sought and the lending site. Once you've determined that you want to borrow using peer to peer borrowing, you'll need to create an account, providing your personal information for the purposes of credit screening. Once your account is set up, you can make your actual loan request, specifying what the loan is for and how much you need. This is your opportunity to make yourself appealing to potential lenders. Any information you can can include that will make you seem like a safer investment, like a history of repaying other loans or innovative business plans you plan to use the money for, should be included here. At this point, you have to wait for a creditor who thinks you are a good investment to make you an offer. You might get one offer for the full amount, or you may have to combine several smaller loans. As in the case of a loan from a financial institution, you should still expect the terms and conditions of any offer you receive from a peer-to-peer loan site to be less favorable than it would be if your credit was good. For example, many of these companies present information like "rates starting at 5.5%" or other promises. The reality is that many of the annual rates given in their loan terms average between 12% and 16%, with riskier loans asking up to 36%. Specifically, a common rate for one of these services might be 15% interest plus a 1% origination fee. So, if you borrowed $10,000 under these terms and paid it back over two years with $500 monthly payments, you'd end up paying $1,715.56 in fees and interest. This represents almost one-fifth of the original loan amount. Once you have attracted a creditor or creditors, you'll make an agreement with them and receive your funds. Typically the website will monitor the status of the loan as you pay it back, and will handle the billing as well. Keep in mind that some sites may charge a "sourcing" or "origination" fee. Be sure to check the terms of service before securing a loan.
Summary: Visit a peer to peer loan site. Create an account. Request a loan. Wait for an offer. Make an agreement.

Problem: Article: For a sturdier drum, you can use a garden pot or planter pot. This activity requires a bit more skill. It might be fun to use with slightly older children. To begin, gather the necessary supplies. You will need a garden pot or planer made with a terra-cotta covering. It should have a seven inch diameter. You should be able to find this at a local gardening or craft shop. You will need a plastic lid big enough to fit over the pot. You can use a disposable food storage lid. You will also need another lid that goes with a sturdy plastic container. The pot should be able to sit comfortably on this container. You can buy a plastic container at a local craft shop. However, you can also use a deli container or a takeout container for soup. You will also need dry beans, twine or string, medium weight twine, a glue gun, craft glue, and brown acrylic paint. To start, loop the twine around the planter in a zig-zag pattern. To do this, use the glue gun to add a dab of glue to the top and bottom of the string on the points forming the zig-zag. Press down on the string for a few seconds after applying glue to make sure it stays in place. If you're working with a child, help him during this process. It can be helpful to show him zig-zag patterns online to get a sense of what he should be creating. A child should not operate a glue gun without supervision. If your child is very young, it's best to operate the glue gun yourself. Once the zig-zag pattern is created, you can add the top of the drum. To do this, you'll need your plastic lid. Apply a thin line of glue running along the rim of the storage container lid. You can have your child do this as well, with your supervision. Press the lid onto the top of the planter. Hold for a few seconds. The plastic container will form the bottom of your drum. This should be painted brown to match the pot. You can have your child paint the container or you can do so yourself if your child is too young. Allow the container to dry completely before continuing. How long the drying process takes depends on how much paint you used and the specific brand. Once the paint is dry, you can create the base of your drum. To start, apply glue to the bottom of the planter. Use a generous amount. Press the bottom of the plastic container against the bottom of the planter. Hold until secure. From here, fill the container at the bottom with dry beans. this will weigh down the drum, allowing it to be more stable when played. Seal the container with the lid when you're finished.
Summary:
Gather your supplies. Make a zig-zag pattern around your terra cotta pot using twine. Add the top of the drum. Paint the plastic container. Create the base of the drum.