You probably have seen or heard about probiotics in recent advertising or news stories. Probiotics can improve digestion, aid in weight management, increase energy, help with clear thinking, give you healthier skin and strengthen your immune system.
It’s important to add good bacteria to your diet with probiotics, because the bad bacteria in your gut that can cause negative reactions to your health. T It is even more important if you are, or have recently been, on an antibiotic regime. Antibiotics don’t discriminate; they kill ALL bacteria, not just the bad ones, as the post from The Gut Health Project points out.
The importance of a balance of gut flora cannot be overstated. Among other things, it can help relieve joint pain, help prevent anxiety and depression, increase your energy and obviously improve bowel function. All of these contribute to your overall well-being. As The Gut Health Project shows, it doesn’t stop there.
There are thousands of case studies that support these conclusions. In fact, many physicians believe that there is no more important supplement that you can take than an efficient probiotic. There are six telltale signs that you need an effective probiotic. You will see, it is NOT ONLY for digestive issues.
You must choose your probiotic carefully. Choose one that is pure and effective, assuring widespread benefits. So take care of your gut and you will take care of your health, too.
Do you want to create additional income? You’re probably well aware that there are others like yourself who are seeking the same thing. There are so many options available, but basically only four different kinds of business models, each having its own set of pros and cons.
Conventional employers offer commissions or wages and small private businesses typically are all based on exchanging your time for ‘transactional’ revenue. Neither of those allows much of a chance for you to ‘leverage’ or ‘scale’ your business.
Franchise ownership typically requires substantial cash investments and expertise that most people do not have.
That leaves a host of business opportunities that are very popular offering independent status as a ‘representative’ or ‘agent’ under the broad category of ‘marketing’ and requiring some degree of team building and leadership.
There are many questionable and unrealistic opportunities being pitched these days. One of your first priorities should be to work with a team that has carefully investigated many of the various business models that are out there. You should have a clear ‘roadmap’ to find and work with a successful business that brings proven value to the marketplace, fits one of your areas of interest and has developed a proven program for on-the-job training so you can earn income while you learn the strategies for succeeding at your business.
You’ll need to learn how to increase the number of people who say yes to becoming a life-long customer and/or decide to work with you as a business partner. That means you also need to find the ingredients necessary to have a sustainable product line that will generate passive income for a life-long business. Then there’s the most important question: What role does value play in a product line with a business attached to it and how do you spot it?
When it’s appropriate to talk with a business person about the search that many people are doing right now to find a reliable business opportunity, they will appreciate having this list of Success Factors. The logical question to ask next, after a thoughtful review of these 12 points, is my question at the end.
1. Company track record. How long has the company been in business? What are the company’s annual sales statistics each year since they began their business? Does the company print average income statistics for business builders? It should and you should ask for them. Proof of long term sales, success and growth is critical in choosing any business.
2. Financially sound. Does the company have outstanding debt? Joining a company that is debt free is highly recommend to lessen any risk.
3. Strong management team. What are the backgrounds and credentials of the management team? Look to join a company run with integrity and strong leadership.
4.Unique consumable products. Are the company’s products products that people actually need, use, run out of and repurchase month after month? Do the products have any trademarks or patents allowing for exclusive rights (meaning no other company can copy them)? If the products are not consumable, meaning something that a person would only buy once, then that is a business that will not be viable long term. If the products are consumable but not necessarily a genuine need, that will reduce your chance for long term success. Products that are truly needed and consumed monthly make for a solid business model.
5. Wide market appeal. Are the products something everyone needs and uses? If the products are specific for a certain gender, age group or body size for example, you reduce your market potential. It’s not something for everyone. If you choose a narrow niche product, you must ask yourself if you are comfortable excluding customers that are not attracted to that niche.
6. Competitive prices. Are the products comparable in price or less expensive than the competition? If they are too expensive, this is not a business that will produce ongoing great results. What will you do when you find competitors with equally high quality products that are reputably offered for a lot less cost? You may be loyal out of sheer stubbornness but your customers will run to the competitors.
7. High customer reorder rate. Does the company share its reorder rate? This means one thing. How many customers that purchased from the company last month, reorder again the following month? If the re-order rate is low, the business will not be viable as new customers simply replace your old customers producing no real growth or a secure, residual income. Know that it will be difficult to find this information from most companies directly. Don’t make a decision until you know this important piece of the business model you are considering joining.
8. Low initial investment. If the cost to join or start your business is too high it makes for more risk and difficulty in attracting customers and business partners. If a start up fee is high and a ‘customer acquisition bonus’ is also high, beware of what might be a “Ponzi scheme.” Many so-called ‘ground-floor opportunities’ have attracted many hopeful participants, only to tragically end in the loss of much time and money for the vast majority of eager business partners.
9. Low monthly requirement. If there is a high monthly requirement, customers and business builders may end up storing an inventory of products they do not need. If there is a low monthly product purchase requirement, then customers are getting what they need for personal use each month. From a business standpoint, you know customers are purchasing each month. That creates the freedom of true residual income.
10. Rewards for leadership development. Does the company reward you for helping others in your business succeed? If there is any way the company could remove business building partners from your business because of their success, be very careful about joining. There should never be potential for you to lose great partners. Also, be sure that you receive a reward for the business created by all of the customers that you personally bring to the company. There are many companies that cleverly take away productive customers and business partners from hard working people just like you.
11. Risk-free – Is everything 100% guaranteed? If not, could you seriously advise someone to join you? Be sure the guarantee is long enough to adequately test-drive the product. Check to see how the company handles returns and refunds. You will be so much more satisfied with your company when you can confidently tell your prospective customers that you know from personal experience about their excellent customer service and refund policy.
12. Anyone can be successful.Is the business plan set up for anyone to be successful at any time? If it’s a company that says Ground floor opportunity, or Get in Now, be wary. If only the people who join at the beginning can be successful, then eventually people will get hurt.
The only real question after considering this list is this: “which one of these factors would you take off the list if you were going to seriously consider working with the company?” If anyone seeing this list knows someone they care about is considering working with a company as an independent representative, they might be wise to consider: “how does that company measure up?” If we are honest with ourselves, nothing can match the conviction of ‘certainty’ that is backed up by verifiable data and experience. All the above points are relevant particularly to the one who has a long term commitment in mind. That’s why we should be just as eager to ‘prove all things’ in this part of life as we should be in any other.
If you are serious about researching further on this topic in preparation for making a decision about where to invest your valuable time, be sure to contact me at barbara@hayseedscreative.com or visit for more information.
Celery is by far one of the most nutritious vegetables available. It is a great source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, C, and K. It is also rich in phytonutrients, which act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents, boosting the immune system and overall health.
Fresh celery benefits nutrition thanks to all the tremendous vitamins and minerals it contains. One cup of chopped raw celery (about 101 grams) contains approximately:
16.2 calories
3.5 grams carbohydrates
0.7 gram protein
0.2 gram fat
1.6 grams fiber
29.6 micrograms vitamin K (37 percent DV)
453 international units (9 percent DV)
36.5 micrograms folate (9 percent DV)
263 milligrams potassium (8 percent DV)
3.1 milligrams vitamin C (5 percent DV)
0.1 milligram manganese (5 percent DV)
0.1 milligram vitamin B6 (4 percent DV)
40.4 milligrams calcium (4 percent DV)
0.1 milligram riboflavin (3 percent DV)
11.1 milligrams magnesium (3 percent DV)
All with some sugars, celery also contains some vitamin E, niacin, pantothenic acid, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.
According to Healthy Food House, researchers have confirmed the numerous health benefits of celery:
Celery can help prevents chronic inflammation
It helps regulate the pH balance of the body
it assist in weight loss since it is low in calories but high in fiber
Celery helps digestion and treats stomach issues and constipation
It can help treat urinary tract infections as it has potent diuretic properties
It soothes the nervous system and may help you fall asleep
Celery has been found to regulate cholesterol and blood pressure, since it contains phthalide
It is low in acids and relieves heartburn and acid reflux
Celery is abundant in vitamin A, so it improves vision, treats dry eyes, and protects the cornea
It can clean your teeth like a natural dental floss since it is breaking into fibrous strands while chewing
You can appreciate the countless benefits of celery in many ways. It goes great in soups, stir-fries, stews, and salads. It can also be dipped in peanut butter, hummus, or other sauces.
If you found this information helpful or just have a love for celery, please remember to SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook!
Celery is by far one of the most nutritious vegetables available. It is a great source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, C, and K. It is also rich in phytonutrients, which act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents, boosting the immune system and overall health.
Fresh celery benefits nutrition thanks to all the tremendous vitamins and minerals it contains. One cup of chopped raw celery (about 101 grams) contains approximately:
16.2 calories
3.5 grams carbohydrates
0.7 gram protein
0.2 gram fat
1.6 grams fiber
29.6 micrograms vitamin K (37 percent DV)
453 international units (9 percent DV)
36.5 micrograms folate (9 percent DV)
263 milligrams potassium (8 percent DV)
3.1 milligrams vitamin C (5 percent DV)
0.1 milligram manganese (5 percent DV)
0.1 milligram vitamin B6 (4 percent DV)
40.4 milligrams calcium (4 percent DV)
0.1 milligram riboflavin (3 percent DV)
11.1 milligrams magnesium (3 percent DV)
All with some sugars, celery also contains some vitamin E, niacin, pantothenic acid, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.
According to Healthy Food House, researchers have confirmed the numerous health benefits of celery:
Celery can help prevents chronic inflammation
It helps regulate the pH balance of the body
it assist in weight loss since it is low in calories but high in fiber
Celery helps digestion and treats stomach issues and constipation
It can help treat urinary tract infections as it has potent diuretic properties
It soothes the nervous system and may help you fall asleep
Celery has been found to regulate cholesterol and blood pressure, since it contains phthalide
It is low in acids and relieves heartburn and acid reflux
Celery is abundant in vitamin A, so it improves vision, treats dry eyes, and protects the cornea
It can clean your teeth like a natural dental floss since it is breaking into fibrous strands while chewing
You can appreciate the countless benefits of celery in many ways. It goes great in soups, stir-fries, stews, and salads. It can also be dipped in peanut butter, hummus, or other sauces.
If you found this information helpful or just have a love for celery, please remember to SHARE this article with your family and friends on Facebook!
Use in massage or bath. geranium and fennel both balance hormones and, along with grapefruit, have historically been used to facilitate weight loss. Cypress and juniper stimulate circulation and juniper is also a diuretic. Combine: 10 drops of Cypress essential oil 10 drops of Geranium essential oil 10 drops of Grapefruit essential oil 5 drops of Juniper essential oil 5 drops of Fennel essential oil into 4 ounces of carrier oil. OR just make a stock blend (use an essential oil bottle or a purchased dropper bottle) and add to your bath
for smaller amounts or Cellulite Oil blend, put 1-3 drops of each oil per teaspoon of carrier oil. or just 3-8 drops into the bath.
Scientists say they’ve found a molecular kill switch that when activated destroys cancer cells. According to new research, microRNA can be used to send cancerous cells a self-destruct message which they cannot ignore. By incorporating this mechanism into a new treatment, it could be possible to rid the body of cancer without having to go through the pain of chemotherapy.
Cells are always created and destroyed in the human body. About 300 million cells die every minute in our bodies and are replaced with new ones. This is to protect the body against potentially malfunctioned aging cells or diseased cells. The problem is that cancer cells can survive because they have the ability to ignore the immune system’s self-destruct instructions. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s no way to relay this message to cancer cells.
Previously, researchers at Northwestern University described a mechanism by which every cell in the body can be programmed for destruction. Now, the same research team has reported that they’ve managed to crack the ‘code’ required to initiate this sequence.
Writing in the journalNature Communications, the authors reported that the instructions of cell death are available as information in ribonucleic acid (RNA) and in microRNAs. Specifically, they used small-interfering (si)RNAs to trigger toxicity in cancer cells, a process normally activated by chemotherapy. Before they arrived at the winning formula consisting of six nucleotides (6mers) present in small RNAs, the researchers tested 4,096 different combinations of nucleotide bases.
The molecules used in the study put stress on several genes in cancerous cells, initiating the self-destruct sequence for four tested human and mouse cell lines. Because the molecules simultaneously destroy multiple genes that the cells need to survive, the cancer is unable to develop resistance.
In 2018, an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the United States and 609,640 people succumbed to the disease. The most common cancers are breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma of the skin, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.
To treat cancer, doctors usually turn to chemotherapy with one or more cytotoxic antineoplastic drugs. The problem with chemotherapy is that it leads to horrible side effects because it also damages healthy cells.
By incorporating the molecular messengers identified by the new study into a new therapy, researchers hope to rid patients of cancers without having to deal with chemo’s debilitating side effects. It may take many years before this happens, but the promising results suggest that one-day cancer could be treated safely.
A supplement company paid a third-party website to write misleading reviews about a weight-loss drug
The US Federal Trade Commission has successfully brought the first ever case against using fraudulent, paid Amazon reviews to falsely advertise an online product, the agency announced Tuesday evening. The company in question, named Cure Encapsulations, Inc. and owned by Naftula Jacobowitz, paid a third-party website to write five-star Amazon reviews for a weight-loss supplement called garcinia cambogia. The plant, native to Indonesia, is widely mischaracterized as contributing to weight loss, but is in fact known to cause acute liver failure.
Cure Encapsulations paid a website called amazonverifiedreviews.com to keep the product’s Amazon rating above 4.3 out of 5 stars, with reviews stating that the supplement worked as a “powerful appetite suppressant” and “literally blocks fat from forming.” The FTC found those claims to be false and unsubstantiated.
“People rely on reviews when they’re shopping online,” Andrew Smith, the FTC’s director of consumer protection, said in a statement. “When a company buys fake reviews to inflate its Amazon ratings, it hurts both shoppers and companies that play by the rules.” The FTC first filed its complaint on February 19th, and reached a settlement in just under a WEEK.
As part of the settlement, Cure Encapsulations has agreed to never again make a “weight-loss, appetite-suppression, fat-blocking, or disease-treatment claims for any dietary supplement, food, or drug” unless the company has “competent and reliable scientific evidence in the form of human clinical testing” to support its claims. The settlement also prohibits the company from misrepresenting endorsements, including whether a review or testimonial is from a real customer who purchased the product.
Cure Encapsulations must now inform Amazon that it paid for reviews, itself a violation of Amazon’s rules around promotional content, and must also notify all customers who purchased the weight-loss supplement. To keep the company in line, the FTC is imposing a $12.8 million fine, with only $50,000 due today and the remainder used as a way to enforce the judgement and in the event Cure Encapsulations misrepresents how much money it has on hand.
Amazon, in a statement given to The Verge, said its pleased the FTC is taking action. “We welcome the FTC’s work in this area. Amazon invests significant resources to protect the integrity of reviews in our store because we know customers value the insights and experiences shared by fellow shoppers,” a company spokesperson said. “Even one inauthentic review is one too many. We have clear participation guidelines for both reviewers and selling partners and we suspend, ban, and take legal action on those who violate our policies.”
Fake Amazon reviews have been known as a problem for years, but regulators have shown little interest in cracking down on the practice until this recent suit. That’s pushed Amazon to go after the review sellers themselves, including filing individual lawsuits against sellers on freelance job sites like Fiverr. Yet the FTC’s latest action sets a firm precedent that the agency is willing to go after companies that abuse online markets and platforms like this. It’s not clear whether the agency has the resources to curb the behavior behind some of the biggest bad actors on sites like Amazon, but the settlement sends a message that companies like this can’t rely on the trusted veneer of these marketplaces to excuse false advertising.
The FTC has shown a growing interest in abusive practices in the tech industry in recent months, far beyond the low-level scams of fake Amazon reviewers. Earlier today, the FTC announced it would be forming a task force with 17 staff attorneys to monitor and take action against anti-competitive behavior in US technology markets. The task force appears focused on the increasingly centralized power of a few Silicon Valley giants like Google and Facebook.
Hayseeds Creative 