by: John
Once a month there's an electric bill coming in the mail with your name on it. For the next week, it's telling the kids to shut the lights off when you're done, And most of the time, you turn them off yourself. Right? Meanwhile downstairs there's the TV, stereo, lights, computer, and a play station going. You have to give them credit for their talent to do all this at one time. We are all guilty of it. There's no need to change your methods or lifestyle. You can live like you normally do without changing anything. No need to change to smaller watt light bulbs, or change the thermostat to reduce the furnace setting till you freeze.
I'm sure you have all heard, or have known someone with unexplained health problems. We are not here to scare you, but rather let you be aware and more knowledgeable about the environmental surroundings we are exposed to daily. It Concerns the Electromagnetic Fields, Electrical Leakage, and even Electro Radiations of daily living. From Computers, copiers, TV's, radio, cell phones, microwaves, appliances, equipment, tools, etc. Known health problems from Cancer, leukemia, headaches, tumors, cataracts, stress, nerve disorders, memory loss, weight loss, along with sleeping disorders, miscarriages, birth defects, breast cancer, and more. Our Electrical System can also reduce the electromagnetic currents, electrical leakage, in which assures you a safer living or working environment. (Be sure to review our site for more information.)
The Cutt-A-Watt Electrical Saving System Saves you up to 40% on your electric bills every month. To include important health risk you may be exposed to on a daily basis. A Lifetime of Savings and Health for your Home, Office, Apartment, Farm, Shop, Small Business, and much more ... However it doesn't stop there. Be sure to take a look at all the other excellent features and benefits.
Features / Benefits
·Save up to 40% on your Electric Bills every Month
·Increase Property Value
·Certificate of Installment
·Prolong the Life of Appliances, Fixtures, Tools, Equipment....much more
·Upgrades & Insures Safety of your existing Electrical Power System
·Reduces Power Surges
·Works 24hrs. a day (for a lifetime)
·Reduces Risk of Electrical Shock
·No Maintenance Required
·No Remodeling or Destruction of your Home
.Meets National Electric Codes/Requirements
·100% Guaranteed
·UL Listed components
·Company Installation available upon request
Reduce risk and health hazards associated with Electromagnetic Fields and safety with-in your Home, Office, Shop, Business.... etc.
Lifetime of Savings
For such a small investment
We offer to you a No Risk, No Hassle Guarantee. Simply use our system for one year, If it don't save you money, or doesn't do what we say it does. Then just simply request 100% of your money back. We stand behind our product, and our customers.
It's that easy, because we know what it can do for you.
We do retain rights of proof if requested by Cutt-A-Watt
Visit http://www.cawenterprises.com
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Sunday, 13 May 2007
Eight Simple Ways To Use Promotional Products Online
by: RICHARD C. CURRY
With the increased competition on the Internet, it can be difficult to differentiate your company from your competition. One thing Internet marketers are failing to utilize correctly is promotional products.
Promotional products are every day items that are printed with your company logo, slogan, web site address, or any other message you want to promote. The first thing that comes to most people’s minds are printed t-shirts… but there are many other items you can use to make your company stand out from the crowd.
The following are eight simple ways you can use promotional products on the Internet.
Promote Your Company's Website
This is the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think of how they should use promotional products. But some people overlook this as an option. Every item you choose to promote your business you should include your web site address on it.
Find Promotional Items That Fit Your Niche
You can always find certain items that will compliment your type of business - items that you know your customers will use often.
For Example: If you sell bicycles, it would be a good idea to include a free water bottle that has your logo on it. If you have an online drug store, you could give away pill organizers with your site’s name and web address printed on them.
Free Contests and Drawings
A great way to get more people to sign up for your newsletter is to hold monthly, weekly, or daily contest drawings. The winner of the drawing would receive a promotional product with your URL on it. Since everyone loves to win stuff, more people would be willing to give you their email address. And if you make the product something that relates to your business, the people who sign up are more likely to be targeted.
Motivate Customer to Buy More
You can use promotional products to entice your customers to buy more products than they normally would have. How? By bundling multiple products along with a promotional item. For example, instead of your customer buying one e-book, you also offer them a package deal of two e-books and a free promotional item.
The promotional product can even be something related to the products you’re bundling it with. If you’re selling weight loss information, why not use a “step counter as a bonus? If you’re selling cookbooks, offer an apron. There are hundreds of products that you can put your logo on… find one that compliments your products!
Reward Your Best Affiliates
Consider thanking your top affiliates by giving them a promotional product. This shows them that you truly appreciate the fact that they promote your products. You can send gifts to your affiliate partners when they reach a certain goal, or you can give gifts to your top affiliates during the holidays. By rewarding your affiliates, you build a stronger relationship with them. They will thank you by continuing to promote your business.
Thank Your Loyal Customers
Just like thanking your top affiliates, you should also consider thanking loyal customers. You can express gratitude to customers that repeatedly by your products, customers who buy your high-ticket items, or both! Promotional items remind your clients that the relationship you share with them is important to you.
Create a Competitive Advantage
Because of increased competition, it's getting tougher than ever to compete online. You can use promotional items as a way to show your customers that you are different than your competitors. Instead of appearing as “just another company”, you can demonstrate that you are unique. When someone receives a promotional item from you they are more likely to remember you over your competition.
Promote a New Product
If you are launching a new product, you can capture your audience attention and publicize it by using promotional items. At the very least, you should send a promotional item to your top customers when a new product comes out. You might also want to consider sending items to your top affiliates too if you have a new product they can promote for you.
My goal is to get you to think of new ways to use promotional products. I hope you will implement some of the ideas I have laid out here and also brain storm different ways to use them. If used correctly, these little trinkets can help you say ahead of your competitors!
Real-time Entertainment Advertising and Communication Tool
REACT provides you the amazing opportunity to take advantage of the millions of dollars in technological expertise that supports the online skill games offered to your customers. The competitive environment of these skill games plus the possibility of actually winning cash prizes will captivate players and bring them back day after day. Each visit to the custom-branded Game Console puts your marketing messages in front of your customers repetitively and continuously – at no additional cost! Operating completely opposite to traditional advertising media, REACT provides ongoing marketing that includes new messages as often as you would like to provide them – all conveyed with absolutely no additional charges. Unheard of in the advertising/marketing realm before!
Please see our website for more information: www.withgratitude.net
About the Author
RICHARD C. CURRY is professional writer and consultant. He is in this industry since 1980 and he has written many small and popular articles and scripts and novels.
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
With the increased competition on the Internet, it can be difficult to differentiate your company from your competition. One thing Internet marketers are failing to utilize correctly is promotional products.
Promotional products are every day items that are printed with your company logo, slogan, web site address, or any other message you want to promote. The first thing that comes to most people’s minds are printed t-shirts… but there are many other items you can use to make your company stand out from the crowd.
The following are eight simple ways you can use promotional products on the Internet.
Promote Your Company's Website
This is the first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think of how they should use promotional products. But some people overlook this as an option. Every item you choose to promote your business you should include your web site address on it.
Find Promotional Items That Fit Your Niche
You can always find certain items that will compliment your type of business - items that you know your customers will use often.
For Example: If you sell bicycles, it would be a good idea to include a free water bottle that has your logo on it. If you have an online drug store, you could give away pill organizers with your site’s name and web address printed on them.
Free Contests and Drawings
A great way to get more people to sign up for your newsletter is to hold monthly, weekly, or daily contest drawings. The winner of the drawing would receive a promotional product with your URL on it. Since everyone loves to win stuff, more people would be willing to give you their email address. And if you make the product something that relates to your business, the people who sign up are more likely to be targeted.
Motivate Customer to Buy More
You can use promotional products to entice your customers to buy more products than they normally would have. How? By bundling multiple products along with a promotional item. For example, instead of your customer buying one e-book, you also offer them a package deal of two e-books and a free promotional item.
The promotional product can even be something related to the products you’re bundling it with. If you’re selling weight loss information, why not use a “step counter as a bonus? If you’re selling cookbooks, offer an apron. There are hundreds of products that you can put your logo on… find one that compliments your products!
Reward Your Best Affiliates
Consider thanking your top affiliates by giving them a promotional product. This shows them that you truly appreciate the fact that they promote your products. You can send gifts to your affiliate partners when they reach a certain goal, or you can give gifts to your top affiliates during the holidays. By rewarding your affiliates, you build a stronger relationship with them. They will thank you by continuing to promote your business.
Thank Your Loyal Customers
Just like thanking your top affiliates, you should also consider thanking loyal customers. You can express gratitude to customers that repeatedly by your products, customers who buy your high-ticket items, or both! Promotional items remind your clients that the relationship you share with them is important to you.
Create a Competitive Advantage
Because of increased competition, it's getting tougher than ever to compete online. You can use promotional items as a way to show your customers that you are different than your competitors. Instead of appearing as “just another company”, you can demonstrate that you are unique. When someone receives a promotional item from you they are more likely to remember you over your competition.
Promote a New Product
If you are launching a new product, you can capture your audience attention and publicize it by using promotional items. At the very least, you should send a promotional item to your top customers when a new product comes out. You might also want to consider sending items to your top affiliates too if you have a new product they can promote for you.
My goal is to get you to think of new ways to use promotional products. I hope you will implement some of the ideas I have laid out here and also brain storm different ways to use them. If used correctly, these little trinkets can help you say ahead of your competitors!
Real-time Entertainment Advertising and Communication Tool
REACT provides you the amazing opportunity to take advantage of the millions of dollars in technological expertise that supports the online skill games offered to your customers. The competitive environment of these skill games plus the possibility of actually winning cash prizes will captivate players and bring them back day after day. Each visit to the custom-branded Game Console puts your marketing messages in front of your customers repetitively and continuously – at no additional cost! Operating completely opposite to traditional advertising media, REACT provides ongoing marketing that includes new messages as often as you would like to provide them – all conveyed with absolutely no additional charges. Unheard of in the advertising/marketing realm before!
Please see our website for more information: www.withgratitude.net
About the Author
RICHARD C. CURRY is professional writer and consultant. He is in this industry since 1980 and he has written many small and popular articles and scripts and novels.
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Eight Great Ways to Fill a Workshop in a Bum Economy
by: Suzanne Falter-Barns
Yes, you can fill a workshop when spending is down and buyers are wary. If your topic is clear, your marketing materials well-done, your product solid and your title catchy, success shouldn’t be tough. The fact is that people are as hungry as ever for the inspiration and stimulus a workshop provides, even when they’re nervous about money. And even though most bum economies recover over time, you may find the following tricks helpful enough to keep using even in good times!
1. Tailor the workshop to the economy. In other words, acknowledge the problem. So if your workshop is about helping women over 50 live their dreams, change it to Living Your Dreams Over 50 … Even When the Economy is Down. Or make it about finding your dreams after being laid off, or managing fear while pursuing your dreams in a poor economy. Your fundamental message doesn’t have to change … you just dress it up in slightly different clothing.
2. Use unconventional marketing methods. Advertising and flyers may not be the most effective way to enroll a workshop in lean times. For one thing, affordable ads are not usually big enough to effectively describe a workshop, unless it’s very targeted and easy to ‘get’, i.e. quitting smoking, or stress-reduction. If you’re teaching motivational or inspirational work, consider using an affiliate program, viral email marketing, distributing articles through targeted ezines, working your personal network, or making yourself available as a guest on local TV or radio talk shows. Best of all is a combination of all of the above.
3. Make your niche one with a pipeline. Be careful not to pick a tiny niche market that is hard to access. Instead, a good rule of thumb is to look for a niche market with marketing channels already in place. For instance, one successful workshop leader I know targets retirees on the RV-Camping circuit. Many US campgrounds offer classes and other stimulating perks to visitors, and since RV’ers often stay for several nights or even weeks, this makes a workshop a likely hit. She simply has to talk to management, and they put her workshop in place for her. Participants magically show! Hospitals with neighborhood ‘wellness’ programs, bookstores with evening events, and community center Teen programs are also good venues.
4. Pitch a co-operative venture with another business. One fun way to reach your niche is to approach another business’s clientele. For instance, if you’re offering stress-reduction workshops, arrange a tie in with the local health club or weight loss group. Look for businesses that attract people who would logically be drawn to your product as well. Then approach that business and offer something great. You can sell them your workshop at a reduced rate (a special offer just for their members, which they can use as a perk.) Or you could hold a workshop on their premises at your usual fee, and pay them a percentage of the gate. Or you could simply offer to exchange advertising plugs for each other’s business’s. (This works well if you communicate with your clients via an email newsletter or direct mail.)
5. Offer a FREE mini-workshop. In tough times, people need more convincing to buy. So offer a free sample of your workshop (a forty minute talk, say) at a local venue such as a public library or church coffee hour. Give participants time to ask questions, and have lots of handouts available about your bigger, more elaborate (paid) workshop to be held a few weeks later. And be sure to make the occasional reference to it in your free talk. Finally, make your free talk compelling and packed with good stuff. It can be a very general overview or ‘taste’ of your more fleshed out paid workshop. (You don’t have to give away all your goodies, of course, but don’t be afraid to share a few key pieces.) Wary buyers cannot resist excellence.
6. Lower the price. Not always the most fun option, but one that works – especially if you have a themed sale, such as Wipe Out the Winter Blahs Special or a Kick Off the New Year With a Bang. If possible, try to position your price reduction as a limited time gift for your clients … one that ties in with a particular need or time of year. This lets them know you are, in fact, thinking of them and their best interests.
7. Offer bonuses. We all love something free, so come up with some highly desirable bonuses that are just irresistible. These can be free reports that get downloaded automatically, or sent with registration info. Or it could be a tangible product, such as a book, a mug,
8. Enroll a friend for a discount. Or if you don’t want to offer a discount, encourage clients to bring a friend who can act as an on-going supporter with the work of the workshop. (And, of course, they can provide the same to their friend.) Such support is actually one of the best ways to get your material to ‘stick’, so your client’s get more on-going value from the workshop, so this plan is a real win-win. Consider tailoring the workshop to pairs such as mothers and daughters, work buddies (great for stress reduction!), married couples, fathers and sons, or best friends. If you pitch it to couples, you could market it to resorts as part of a Second Honeymoon or Mom-Daughter Getaway package weekend.
If you’re interested in leading your own workshops, but don’t know quite where to start, check out my How Much Joy Can You Stand? Facilitator’s Home Study Course. You’ll learn how to create, book, fill and lead your own workshop. Details and a FREE sample are at http://www.howmuchjoy.com angfacil.html
About the Author
Suzanne’s free ezine, The Joy Letter, brings you a crisp, fresh burst of inspiration for your dream every week or two. Sign up at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/joyletter.html
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Yes, you can fill a workshop when spending is down and buyers are wary. If your topic is clear, your marketing materials well-done, your product solid and your title catchy, success shouldn’t be tough. The fact is that people are as hungry as ever for the inspiration and stimulus a workshop provides, even when they’re nervous about money. And even though most bum economies recover over time, you may find the following tricks helpful enough to keep using even in good times!
1. Tailor the workshop to the economy. In other words, acknowledge the problem. So if your workshop is about helping women over 50 live their dreams, change it to Living Your Dreams Over 50 … Even When the Economy is Down. Or make it about finding your dreams after being laid off, or managing fear while pursuing your dreams in a poor economy. Your fundamental message doesn’t have to change … you just dress it up in slightly different clothing.
2. Use unconventional marketing methods. Advertising and flyers may not be the most effective way to enroll a workshop in lean times. For one thing, affordable ads are not usually big enough to effectively describe a workshop, unless it’s very targeted and easy to ‘get’, i.e. quitting smoking, or stress-reduction. If you’re teaching motivational or inspirational work, consider using an affiliate program, viral email marketing, distributing articles through targeted ezines, working your personal network, or making yourself available as a guest on local TV or radio talk shows. Best of all is a combination of all of the above.
3. Make your niche one with a pipeline. Be careful not to pick a tiny niche market that is hard to access. Instead, a good rule of thumb is to look for a niche market with marketing channels already in place. For instance, one successful workshop leader I know targets retirees on the RV-Camping circuit. Many US campgrounds offer classes and other stimulating perks to visitors, and since RV’ers often stay for several nights or even weeks, this makes a workshop a likely hit. She simply has to talk to management, and they put her workshop in place for her. Participants magically show! Hospitals with neighborhood ‘wellness’ programs, bookstores with evening events, and community center Teen programs are also good venues.
4. Pitch a co-operative venture with another business. One fun way to reach your niche is to approach another business’s clientele. For instance, if you’re offering stress-reduction workshops, arrange a tie in with the local health club or weight loss group. Look for businesses that attract people who would logically be drawn to your product as well. Then approach that business and offer something great. You can sell them your workshop at a reduced rate (a special offer just for their members, which they can use as a perk.) Or you could hold a workshop on their premises at your usual fee, and pay them a percentage of the gate. Or you could simply offer to exchange advertising plugs for each other’s business’s. (This works well if you communicate with your clients via an email newsletter or direct mail.)
5. Offer a FREE mini-workshop. In tough times, people need more convincing to buy. So offer a free sample of your workshop (a forty minute talk, say) at a local venue such as a public library or church coffee hour. Give participants time to ask questions, and have lots of handouts available about your bigger, more elaborate (paid) workshop to be held a few weeks later. And be sure to make the occasional reference to it in your free talk. Finally, make your free talk compelling and packed with good stuff. It can be a very general overview or ‘taste’ of your more fleshed out paid workshop. (You don’t have to give away all your goodies, of course, but don’t be afraid to share a few key pieces.) Wary buyers cannot resist excellence.
6. Lower the price. Not always the most fun option, but one that works – especially if you have a themed sale, such as Wipe Out the Winter Blahs Special or a Kick Off the New Year With a Bang. If possible, try to position your price reduction as a limited time gift for your clients … one that ties in with a particular need or time of year. This lets them know you are, in fact, thinking of them and their best interests.
7. Offer bonuses. We all love something free, so come up with some highly desirable bonuses that are just irresistible. These can be free reports that get downloaded automatically, or sent with registration info. Or it could be a tangible product, such as a book, a mug,
8. Enroll a friend for a discount. Or if you don’t want to offer a discount, encourage clients to bring a friend who can act as an on-going supporter with the work of the workshop. (And, of course, they can provide the same to their friend.) Such support is actually one of the best ways to get your material to ‘stick’, so your client’s get more on-going value from the workshop, so this plan is a real win-win. Consider tailoring the workshop to pairs such as mothers and daughters, work buddies (great for stress reduction!), married couples, fathers and sons, or best friends. If you pitch it to couples, you could market it to resorts as part of a Second Honeymoon or Mom-Daughter Getaway package weekend.
If you’re interested in leading your own workshops, but don’t know quite where to start, check out my How Much Joy Can You Stand? Facilitator’s Home Study Course. You’ll learn how to create, book, fill and lead your own workshop. Details and a FREE sample are at http://www.howmuchjoy.com angfacil.html
About the Author
Suzanne’s free ezine, The Joy Letter, brings you a crisp, fresh burst of inspiration for your dream every week or two. Sign up at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/joyletter.html
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
21 Secrets of Fit People
by: Lana Holt
1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water *is* the drink of choice, but if you don’t enjoy it (I admit it… I don’t), drink Propel, Diet Ice, Reebok Water, Vitamin Water or some other form of healthy fluid intake.
2. Think twice before deciding what to eat and why, making sure that it is healthy and will provide you good nutrition.
3. Measure intake based on activity, not how you "feel.” Need should mandate intake, not mood.
4. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excessive calories, even if they are fat-free and high protein will turn to excess weight!
5. If your diet is unbalanced, try a daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health. 6. Limit caffeine and exposure to even second hand smoke.
6. Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.
7. Keep a daily log of what you’re actually eating… this includes grabbing a handful of chips here, the crust of your kids sandwich, and all your snacking.
8. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you’re working out, if you’re consuming too many calories, you’ll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.
9. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) “unhealthy” treat, but never an “unhealthy” week or “unhealthy” vacation.
10. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.
11. See fitness and health as a privilege, not something to take for granted.
12. Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friend to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who desire to feel better and have more energy.
13. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising or using things that keep you motivated and inspired like new shoes or great music.
14. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.
15. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.
16. Invest in the right tools, good shoes, a health club membership, a portable MP3 player, fitness equipment, a personal trainer, etc.
17. Don’t compare your body to others. Instead, work to be your personal best.
18. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, and not a number on a scale.
19. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6-7 days a week.
20. Create an exercise schedule the day before, instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to “find” the time. If our last two Presidents of the United States can find the time to work-out 5 days a week, you can find the time too!
21. Get adequate amounts of sleep. Remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fitness professional working for Powder Blue Productions. Powder Blue Productions is a fitness minded company. We train instructors to teach Turbo Kick™ and PiYo™, 2 programs that put the fun back into exercise. In addition, we offer an in home fitness program called Turbo Jam™.
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
1. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water *is* the drink of choice, but if you don’t enjoy it (I admit it… I don’t), drink Propel, Diet Ice, Reebok Water, Vitamin Water or some other form of healthy fluid intake.
2. Think twice before deciding what to eat and why, making sure that it is healthy and will provide you good nutrition.
3. Measure intake based on activity, not how you "feel.” Need should mandate intake, not mood.
4. Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excessive calories, even if they are fat-free and high protein will turn to excess weight!
5. If your diet is unbalanced, try a daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health. 6. Limit caffeine and exposure to even second hand smoke.
6. Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.
7. Keep a daily log of what you’re actually eating… this includes grabbing a handful of chips here, the crust of your kids sandwich, and all your snacking.
8. Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you’re working out, if you’re consuming too many calories, you’ll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.
9. Enjoy an occasional (once a week) “unhealthy” treat, but never an “unhealthy” week or “unhealthy” vacation.
10. Limit alcohol intake to special occasions.
11. See fitness and health as a privilege, not something to take for granted.
12. Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friend to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who desire to feel better and have more energy.
13. Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising or using things that keep you motivated and inspired like new shoes or great music.
14. Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.
15. Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.
16. Invest in the right tools, good shoes, a health club membership, a portable MP3 player, fitness equipment, a personal trainer, etc.
17. Don’t compare your body to others. Instead, work to be your personal best.
18. Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, and not a number on a scale.
19. Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6-7 days a week.
20. Create an exercise schedule the day before, instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to “find” the time. If our last two Presidents of the United States can find the time to work-out 5 days a week, you can find the time too!
21. Get adequate amounts of sleep. Remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fitness professional working for Powder Blue Productions. Powder Blue Productions is a fitness minded company. We train instructors to teach Turbo Kick™ and PiYo™, 2 programs that put the fun back into exercise. In addition, we offer an in home fitness program called Turbo Jam™.
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
How To Tell Sadness From Depression
by: Mr. Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish this
article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long
as the resource box is included. A courtesy copy of your
publication would be appreciated.
***********************************************************
Title: HOW TO TELL SADNESS FROM DEPRESSION
Author: Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
E-mail: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.com
Copyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com
Word Count: 740
Category: Mental Health
HOW TO TELL SADNESS FROM DEPRESSION
You have and will experience sadness. It might be the loss
of a job, pet or a loved one. Yes, even a loved one. The
trouble is, particularly here in the United States, we have
a quick-fix for everything... why not sadness too?
Our quick-fix for sadness is that it's simply not allowed.
Healthy purging of sad feelings is great for you physically
and wonderful for your mental health. When you stuff the
expression of healthy sadness it may lead to health
problems, interpersonal issues and depression.
So, the first lesson is FEEL your sadness over whatever
issue is at hand. It doesn't make you weak or less a man
or woman to do so. Yes, I have to say "woman" today too,
because women have also begun to place the same negative
meaning on expressing feelings of sadness; so they hold
back too.
There are Five Basic Stages you will go through with a
significant change or loss in your life. They are:
1) Shock/Denial
2) Anger
3) Asking "What if..." questions
or making "If only" statements.
4) Sadness
5) Acceptance
Please keep in mind several points about the five
statements made above. First, each one is NORMAL! You may
cycle through the steps several times and may not do so in
the order listed above.
The only time these steps become a problem is when you
become stuck at a particular step. Here's an example.
I met a woman about a year ago. She'd been married over 25
years. She and her husband were planning on traveling
after he retired. He died within a year of retirement from
cancer. She came to see me three years after his death.
She had become stuck at step 3 above. She questioned, over
and over again, whether she had done everything she could
for him and all their family during those last days before
his death. After about a year of ruminating minute-by-
minute, she became quite seriously depressed. Then later,
she was referred to me by her physician.
We worked through her questions from step 3. She then went
through a normal period of being angry over the loss of her
husband and how that had changed her life and retirement
plans. She felt appropriately sad about the loss of her
best friend.
She's not terribly happy about working, but she's been
working full-time now for about six months. She is hoping
to begin dating. She's insecure about it. "It's been so
long since I've dated!" She quips. But, she is on her way
to a new life and her level of acceptance is growing each
day.
Other times depression may set in from a traumatic event,
or a series of negative life events that overlap and
overwhelm your usual ability to cope. If this is you, you
are often bewildered as to why you can't simply shake out
of it as you normally would. Or if it was a trauma event,
you will often find that simple security issues (e.g.,
walking out into a dark parking lot at night after
shopping) will trigger panic and later deep depression.
Sudden trauma threatens your sense of general safety in the
world at large.
If you are wondering if you have Major Depression here are
some guidelines to help you to the correct answer. For the
best possible solution please seek professional evaluation.
I offer professional consultation for individuals through
email, making this step easy and convenient.
MAJOR DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS:
1) Depressed mood nearly every day.
2) Diminished interest in regular activities.
3) Significant weight loss or weight gain.
4) Sleeping difficulties.
5) A feeling of being "slowed down."
6) Fatigue and energy loss nearly every day.
7) Feeling worthless or excessive and inappropriate guilt.
8) Difficulty in staying on task or making decisions.
9) Frequent thoughts of death, including but not limited to
suicidal thoughts.
Having a few of these symptoms does not necessarily qualify
your for the diagnosis of Major Depression. You need to
have at least five symptoms consistently over a two-week
period of time or longer.
If you decide you have Major Depression please confirm this
with a depression screen which you may find on my website
at http://www.overcoming-depression.com/depression-symptom.
html Additionally, please consult your family doctor and a
trained professional who specializes in depressive
disorders. A family doctor can assist in ruling out a
possible medical condition and a therapist knows how to
assist you in digging yourself out of that deep depression
rut.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Dave Turo-Shields is an author, university faculty member,
success coach and veteran psychotherapist whose passion is
guiding others to their own success in life. For weekly
doses of the webs HOTTEST success tips, sign up for Dave's
powerful “Feeling Great!” ezine at www.Overcoming-
Depression.com
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Turo-Shields is an author, university faculty member, success coach and veteran psychotherapist whose passion is guiding others to their own success in life. For weekly doses of the web’s HOTTEST success tips, sign up for Dave’s powerful “Feeling Great!” ezine at www.Overcoming-Depression.com
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Publishing Guidelines: You have permission to publish this
article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long
as the resource box is included. A courtesy copy of your
publication would be appreciated.
***********************************************************
Title: HOW TO TELL SADNESS FROM DEPRESSION
Author: Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
E-mail: mailto:editor@overcoming-depression.com
Copyright: by Dave Turo-Shields, ACSW, LCSW
Web Address: http://www.Overcoming-Depression.com
Word Count: 740
Category: Mental Health
HOW TO TELL SADNESS FROM DEPRESSION
You have and will experience sadness. It might be the loss
of a job, pet or a loved one. Yes, even a loved one. The
trouble is, particularly here in the United States, we have
a quick-fix for everything... why not sadness too?
Our quick-fix for sadness is that it's simply not allowed.
Healthy purging of sad feelings is great for you physically
and wonderful for your mental health. When you stuff the
expression of healthy sadness it may lead to health
problems, interpersonal issues and depression.
So, the first lesson is FEEL your sadness over whatever
issue is at hand. It doesn't make you weak or less a man
or woman to do so. Yes, I have to say "woman" today too,
because women have also begun to place the same negative
meaning on expressing feelings of sadness; so they hold
back too.
There are Five Basic Stages you will go through with a
significant change or loss in your life. They are:
1) Shock/Denial
2) Anger
3) Asking "What if..." questions
or making "If only" statements.
4) Sadness
5) Acceptance
Please keep in mind several points about the five
statements made above. First, each one is NORMAL! You may
cycle through the steps several times and may not do so in
the order listed above.
The only time these steps become a problem is when you
become stuck at a particular step. Here's an example.
I met a woman about a year ago. She'd been married over 25
years. She and her husband were planning on traveling
after he retired. He died within a year of retirement from
cancer. She came to see me three years after his death.
She had become stuck at step 3 above. She questioned, over
and over again, whether she had done everything she could
for him and all their family during those last days before
his death. After about a year of ruminating minute-by-
minute, she became quite seriously depressed. Then later,
she was referred to me by her physician.
We worked through her questions from step 3. She then went
through a normal period of being angry over the loss of her
husband and how that had changed her life and retirement
plans. She felt appropriately sad about the loss of her
best friend.
She's not terribly happy about working, but she's been
working full-time now for about six months. She is hoping
to begin dating. She's insecure about it. "It's been so
long since I've dated!" She quips. But, she is on her way
to a new life and her level of acceptance is growing each
day.
Other times depression may set in from a traumatic event,
or a series of negative life events that overlap and
overwhelm your usual ability to cope. If this is you, you
are often bewildered as to why you can't simply shake out
of it as you normally would. Or if it was a trauma event,
you will often find that simple security issues (e.g.,
walking out into a dark parking lot at night after
shopping) will trigger panic and later deep depression.
Sudden trauma threatens your sense of general safety in the
world at large.
If you are wondering if you have Major Depression here are
some guidelines to help you to the correct answer. For the
best possible solution please seek professional evaluation.
I offer professional consultation for individuals through
email, making this step easy and convenient.
MAJOR DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS:
1) Depressed mood nearly every day.
2) Diminished interest in regular activities.
3) Significant weight loss or weight gain.
4) Sleeping difficulties.
5) A feeling of being "slowed down."
6) Fatigue and energy loss nearly every day.
7) Feeling worthless or excessive and inappropriate guilt.
8) Difficulty in staying on task or making decisions.
9) Frequent thoughts of death, including but not limited to
suicidal thoughts.
Having a few of these symptoms does not necessarily qualify
your for the diagnosis of Major Depression. You need to
have at least five symptoms consistently over a two-week
period of time or longer.
If you decide you have Major Depression please confirm this
with a depression screen which you may find on my website
at http://www.overcoming-depression.com/depression-symptom.
html Additionally, please consult your family doctor and a
trained professional who specializes in depressive
disorders. A family doctor can assist in ruling out a
possible medical condition and a therapist knows how to
assist you in digging yourself out of that deep depression
rut.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Dave Turo-Shields is an author, university faculty member,
success coach and veteran psychotherapist whose passion is
guiding others to their own success in life. For weekly
doses of the webs HOTTEST success tips, sign up for Dave's
powerful “Feeling Great!” ezine at www.Overcoming-
Depression.com
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Turo-Shields is an author, university faculty member, success coach and veteran psychotherapist whose passion is guiding others to their own success in life. For weekly doses of the web’s HOTTEST success tips, sign up for Dave’s powerful “Feeling Great!” ezine at www.Overcoming-Depression.com
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Just Say No to Carb Phobia
by: Dave Soucy
Anyone who has been in a grocery store recently knows that food companies are tripping over themselves in the rush to introduce “low carb” versions of everything from bread to candy to soda to cereal. Do not think for a minute that these companies are motivated by the health interests of consumers. The reality is that they are mainly concerned with the wallets of consumers and will market anything that they think a gullible public will buy. Low carb junk food is still junk food.
I know some of you reading this may already be raising your defenses because you have lost weight by cutting your carb consumption. Let me first congratulate you on your weight loss, and secondly say that this is not an anti-Atkins or anti-South Beach piece. This article is simply meant to educate readers on the reality of carbohydrates, “good” carb choices vs. “bad” carb choices, what they do, why your body needs them, and how to make better nutrition choices than food company marketing efforts want you to.
The first thing to understand is that carbohydrates provide the body with its main source of fuel, glucose (blood sugar), which is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Any muscle contraction, whether during exercise, getting out of bed, or blinking an eye, is fueled primarily by glycogen. So, for those of you engaging in resistance training, this should immediately point out the fact that you need carbs for fuel in order to maximize your efforts in your resistance program. The next fact to understand is that your brain (which burns more calories than any organ in the body) and nervous system can only use glucose for energy. This is why, especially in the early or induction phases of carb restricted diets, dieters often feel sluggish and less alert than normal. By cutting out carbs, you are cutting off your brain’s main source of fuel.
Some of you are probably thinking, “That’s exactly what I want, because now my body will need to burn fat for energy!” Yes and no. Yes, your body will burn some fat for energy; however it will also generate glucose by breaking down protein stores in the muscles, organs and other tissues. This will severely compromise tissue growth, repair, and maintenance, and as discussed in previous articles, slow down your metabolism. Certainly, that is not the result you are looking for.
As I said, this is not an anti-(insert your favorite low-carb guru here) piece. But, the truth is, carbohydrates are a nutrient, and a nutrient is defined as a “substance that an organism must obtain from its surroundings for growth and the sustainment of life”. So, does it make sense to follow a program that calls for the wholesale abandonment of vital nutrient? Of course not. What is needed is an understanding of the difference between supportive, quality carbohydrates that provide essential nutrients and fuel, and overly processed and refined carbohydrates that provide empty calories and support fat storage.
What do I mean by overly processed and refined carbs? Think about white bread, donuts, muffins, pastries, white rice, candy, sugary breakfast cereals, white pasta, potato chips, crackers, soda. Foods like these digest very quickly and give your body a rapid spike in blood sugar, which, when fat loss is the goal, is something we want to avoid. After your body takes the blood sugar it needs to replenish muscle glycogen, whatever is left over from that spike will get stored as fat.
What makes supportive, quality carbs different? They digest more slowly, producing a more gradual rise in blood sugar and providing a more even source of fuel. Look for breads and cereals made from whole grains, pasta made from whole wheat flour, brown rice instead of white rice, sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, fruits in moderation and vegetables in abundance. Whole grain carbs will keep you feeling satisfied longer, and not looking to devour a bag of chips within an hour of eating your plain bagel.
So, the lesson is to not get taken over by carb phobia and fill your shopping cart up with all of the new low carb products. Just like in the early 80’s when the food manufacturers were frantically trying to come up with low fat versions of every product under the sun, they are doing the same now in order to sell more products, not because they are concerned with your health. Back then, consumers were tanking up on SnackWell cookies. They are low fat, so they must be okay right? Well, since the low fat boom of the 80’s, the obesity rate in this country has skyrocketed. That is not because the true culprit is now carbs. No, the reason is because junk food, whether low fat, low carb, or low whatever, is still junk food.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Soucy, Fitness Consultant and Certified Personal Trainer, is the owner of Perfect Fit, LLC.
Dave can be reached at (603) 641-8297, via email at news@perfectfitonline.com, or through www.perfectfitonline.com
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Anyone who has been in a grocery store recently knows that food companies are tripping over themselves in the rush to introduce “low carb” versions of everything from bread to candy to soda to cereal. Do not think for a minute that these companies are motivated by the health interests of consumers. The reality is that they are mainly concerned with the wallets of consumers and will market anything that they think a gullible public will buy. Low carb junk food is still junk food.
I know some of you reading this may already be raising your defenses because you have lost weight by cutting your carb consumption. Let me first congratulate you on your weight loss, and secondly say that this is not an anti-Atkins or anti-South Beach piece. This article is simply meant to educate readers on the reality of carbohydrates, “good” carb choices vs. “bad” carb choices, what they do, why your body needs them, and how to make better nutrition choices than food company marketing efforts want you to.
The first thing to understand is that carbohydrates provide the body with its main source of fuel, glucose (blood sugar), which is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Any muscle contraction, whether during exercise, getting out of bed, or blinking an eye, is fueled primarily by glycogen. So, for those of you engaging in resistance training, this should immediately point out the fact that you need carbs for fuel in order to maximize your efforts in your resistance program. The next fact to understand is that your brain (which burns more calories than any organ in the body) and nervous system can only use glucose for energy. This is why, especially in the early or induction phases of carb restricted diets, dieters often feel sluggish and less alert than normal. By cutting out carbs, you are cutting off your brain’s main source of fuel.
Some of you are probably thinking, “That’s exactly what I want, because now my body will need to burn fat for energy!” Yes and no. Yes, your body will burn some fat for energy; however it will also generate glucose by breaking down protein stores in the muscles, organs and other tissues. This will severely compromise tissue growth, repair, and maintenance, and as discussed in previous articles, slow down your metabolism. Certainly, that is not the result you are looking for.
As I said, this is not an anti-(insert your favorite low-carb guru here) piece. But, the truth is, carbohydrates are a nutrient, and a nutrient is defined as a “substance that an organism must obtain from its surroundings for growth and the sustainment of life”. So, does it make sense to follow a program that calls for the wholesale abandonment of vital nutrient? Of course not. What is needed is an understanding of the difference between supportive, quality carbohydrates that provide essential nutrients and fuel, and overly processed and refined carbohydrates that provide empty calories and support fat storage.
What do I mean by overly processed and refined carbs? Think about white bread, donuts, muffins, pastries, white rice, candy, sugary breakfast cereals, white pasta, potato chips, crackers, soda. Foods like these digest very quickly and give your body a rapid spike in blood sugar, which, when fat loss is the goal, is something we want to avoid. After your body takes the blood sugar it needs to replenish muscle glycogen, whatever is left over from that spike will get stored as fat.
What makes supportive, quality carbs different? They digest more slowly, producing a more gradual rise in blood sugar and providing a more even source of fuel. Look for breads and cereals made from whole grains, pasta made from whole wheat flour, brown rice instead of white rice, sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, fruits in moderation and vegetables in abundance. Whole grain carbs will keep you feeling satisfied longer, and not looking to devour a bag of chips within an hour of eating your plain bagel.
So, the lesson is to not get taken over by carb phobia and fill your shopping cart up with all of the new low carb products. Just like in the early 80’s when the food manufacturers were frantically trying to come up with low fat versions of every product under the sun, they are doing the same now in order to sell more products, not because they are concerned with your health. Back then, consumers were tanking up on SnackWell cookies. They are low fat, so they must be okay right? Well, since the low fat boom of the 80’s, the obesity rate in this country has skyrocketed. That is not because the true culprit is now carbs. No, the reason is because junk food, whether low fat, low carb, or low whatever, is still junk food.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dave Soucy, Fitness Consultant and Certified Personal Trainer, is the owner of Perfect Fit, LLC.
Dave can be reached at (603) 641-8297, via email at news@perfectfitonline.com, or through www.perfectfitonline.com
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
Beating the Freshman 15
by: Michael Paetzold
It's a fairly accepted 'fact' among college age women that they will gain weight their first year away from home. It's so well accepted, in fact, that nearly anyone will know immediately what you mean when you refer to the 'Freshman 15'. The research doesn't quite bear it out, though. One study conducted 15 years ago found that incoming freshman did gain weight at higher rates than their peers who did not attend college, but the average weight gain for the stressful freshman year was 7 pounds, less than half the mythical 15 pounds they'd been told to expect.
Even more encouraging is that a more recent study of college weight gain monitored the weight and body fat of freshman women. More than half the students put on weight, but for most it was less than five pounds. One third of the students lost weight. Interestingly, those students who most worried about gaining weight believed that they had gained weight even when the scales showed that they hadn't.
If you're concerned about gaining weight in that first year away from home, here are some concrete suggestions that can help you avoid the dreaded Freshman 15.
Adopt a Healthy Attitude Toward Food.
Researchers place part of the blame for the Freshman 15 on the tendency to turn to food for comfort. In an unfamiliar setting, with new stresses and new worries, students may turn to the familiar foods that make them feel good to help them get through. Train yourself to eat when hungry - and deal with stress through other means.
De-stress.
The corollary to the statement above is that the less you allow changes and worries to affect you, the less stress you'll have to deal with. One of the best ways to stress-proof your body is by eating a healthy diet. Regular exercise and making sure you get enough sleep play a big part, too. When you're body is well-nourished and well-rested, you'll find it much easier to deal with stress without resorting to major snacking.
Watch out for the parties.
Away from parental supervision for the first time, many college age students give in to the urge to party. Try to keep in mind that beer, even light beer, has 100 calories per every 12 ounces that you drink. You're also a whole lot more likely to snack on high fat junk food like chips when you're drinking. As for other drugs - there are all sorts of reasons not to smoke. Add the fact that it's fattening to the list.
Exercise.
Take advantage of the gym facilities and any student privileges you might have by getting regular workouts. Swimming, tennis, aerobics - any sport that you play, any activity that you do will both burn calories, and help reduce the stress of your first year at school.
Socialize.
Find a group of friends and be a part of it. The more you feel like you belong, the less you'll be missing home, and the less you'll be snacking to make up for it.
The Freshman 15 isn't inevitable. Just remember to eat healthy, exercise, sleep well and have fun. The weight loss will take care of itself.
Online Weight Loss Tips (http://onlineweightlosstips.com) - Your source for diet and exercise tips.
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
It's a fairly accepted 'fact' among college age women that they will gain weight their first year away from home. It's so well accepted, in fact, that nearly anyone will know immediately what you mean when you refer to the 'Freshman 15'. The research doesn't quite bear it out, though. One study conducted 15 years ago found that incoming freshman did gain weight at higher rates than their peers who did not attend college, but the average weight gain for the stressful freshman year was 7 pounds, less than half the mythical 15 pounds they'd been told to expect.
Even more encouraging is that a more recent study of college weight gain monitored the weight and body fat of freshman women. More than half the students put on weight, but for most it was less than five pounds. One third of the students lost weight. Interestingly, those students who most worried about gaining weight believed that they had gained weight even when the scales showed that they hadn't.
If you're concerned about gaining weight in that first year away from home, here are some concrete suggestions that can help you avoid the dreaded Freshman 15.
Adopt a Healthy Attitude Toward Food.
Researchers place part of the blame for the Freshman 15 on the tendency to turn to food for comfort. In an unfamiliar setting, with new stresses and new worries, students may turn to the familiar foods that make them feel good to help them get through. Train yourself to eat when hungry - and deal with stress through other means.
De-stress.
The corollary to the statement above is that the less you allow changes and worries to affect you, the less stress you'll have to deal with. One of the best ways to stress-proof your body is by eating a healthy diet. Regular exercise and making sure you get enough sleep play a big part, too. When you're body is well-nourished and well-rested, you'll find it much easier to deal with stress without resorting to major snacking.
Watch out for the parties.
Away from parental supervision for the first time, many college age students give in to the urge to party. Try to keep in mind that beer, even light beer, has 100 calories per every 12 ounces that you drink. You're also a whole lot more likely to snack on high fat junk food like chips when you're drinking. As for other drugs - there are all sorts of reasons not to smoke. Add the fact that it's fattening to the list.
Exercise.
Take advantage of the gym facilities and any student privileges you might have by getting regular workouts. Swimming, tennis, aerobics - any sport that you play, any activity that you do will both burn calories, and help reduce the stress of your first year at school.
Socialize.
Find a group of friends and be a part of it. The more you feel like you belong, the less you'll be missing home, and the less you'll be snacking to make up for it.
The Freshman 15 isn't inevitable. Just remember to eat healthy, exercise, sleep well and have fun. The weight loss will take care of itself.
Online Weight Loss Tips (http://onlineweightlosstips.com) - Your source for diet and exercise tips.
© 2007 - All Rights Reserved
For more information visit http://www.profitliner.com
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