Creative Strategies for Wellness | Design Communications | Wineitudes

Hayseeds Creative

Enhancing Lives

Category: Business

Great Coffee

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

The most popular hot beverage in this country is coffee. Millions of us enjoy a hot cup of coffee or two to start our day (or throughout). In searching for the best way to make a great cup of coffee we turned to (where else) the National Coffee Association.

Attached are some guidelines that the association recommends. Their advice in this article ranges from cleaning your equipment properly, to the beans, to the freshness, to the grind, to the water, including the ratio of water to coffee, the temperature of the water, brewing time. Some great basics that can make us all better at brewing that perfect cup.

Great coffee the NCA points out starts with great beans. That means that the beans you choose should match your own personal taste. The roast, the origins and even the preparation are matters of your own taste, so don’t hesitate to experiment while you search for you own “magical cup”.

A couple of years ago, my company introduced coffee to its wellness line of products. It took them years of research and tasting to find just the right beans and places that they were grown. The company is driven by quality so the research was an important part of introducing coffee to their product line.

They wanted to be sure that the coffee we offered was proprietary, so they contracted to purchase the entire production of the beans and the plantations they chose. Even the plantations and their locations are kept a secret to prevent duplication of our superior brand. The company did all that. All I have to do is enjoy a cup of this most delicious brew and it is priced so competitively that I am able to enjoy it every day.

http://makegreengogreen.com/article/great-coffee?barbarahay

Blame And Responsibility

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

If you are in business, whether it is one you own or one you manage, you are going to make mistakes. Those mistakes are inevitable. They are part of your business’s and your own personal growth and ultimate success.

It is how you personally respond to those mistakes that can make a huge difference in your effectiveness as a manager or an owner. As this article from the Harvard Business Review states, playing the “blame game” never works.

Those who work with you and for you observe your behavior when a mistake is made either by you or someone for whom you are responsible. If you assume responsibility, you are not taking the blame. After all, you are the boss or manager, so you are responsible. Sometimes the blame does belong to someone else, so it has to be addressed. The way you handle it can be a learning moment for those you work with, so be constructive, not destructive.

A good manager or owner always creates a psychological environment of security so that others are not afraid to take risks because that creates the success of the mission statement. The article suggests that focusing on learning from those mistakes, even rewarding them creates a culture where no one is resistant to innovation. Blaming produces the opposite effect where everyone lives in fear and innovation is at best diluted and at worst invisible.

http://workingwhileliving.com/article/blame-and-responsibility?barbarahay

Anxiety Can Be Your Biggest Enemy

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

All of us experience anxiety to some degree and from time to time. In our business, the business of marketing, you are marketing yourself and your company’s products or services. If your anxiety occurs often and is significant enough, it can become an overwhelming obstacle. The longer it continues at that level the worse it can—and will—get.

Anxiety will not go away by itself. Like everything in life and your career, you must take positive personal steps to overcome it. Your personal and professional life will suffer immensely if you don’t do something to address it. The below article contains some exercises that can and will help you. You need to retrain your brain.

There are some interesting perspectives here that can really help.
They fall into several categories that begin with:
Don’t even talk to anyone, and then talk to people while eliminating any chance of rejection.
Be curious and ask genuine questions. The answers will follow, easily.
Quiet your mental chatter in that moment. Your self-talk is more powerful than you think.
Have fun play games and even bet your friends.
Avoid over thinking.
Fear is a gift of life. It means you’re still alive; you’re still breathing (even if it is heavy).

Like many lines of work, rejection exists within my business and therefore I am exposed to anxiety-related situations regularly. There is no question that approaching someone that I find attractive as a potential customer can trigger those feelings of anxiety. I HAVE TO overcome them. It is my livelihood. Remember, yes is a good answer, but no can be good because it is one step closer to the next yes. Do some positive things today that will help you overcome and enjoy a better life and career. Don’t let anxiety win. It is the most important battle you will fight.

https://www.nicknotas.com/blog/18-exercises-to-overcome-your-fear-of-meeting-people/

http://makegreengogreen.com/article/anxiety-can-be-your-biggest-enemy?barbarahay

Red Wine Has Many Benefits

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

That glass of red wine y at the end of your day or with your evening meal can provide more than just good taste. The article link below from Prevention explains the incredible benefits of drinking one (or even two) glasses of red wine every day.

Red wine is an important part of the “proven healthy” Mediterranean diet. Red wine contains resveratrol, which has been proven to produce many health benefits. It not only reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol, it increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

It protects your heart in other ways, too. The antioxidants in red wine can keep blood vessels flexible and reduce the risk of clotting. It is nearly as effective as an aspirin protocol without the risks of harm to your gut. Resveratrol also helps control blood sugar.

Resveratrol also can keep your memory sharp as you age. It inhibits the formation of beta-amyloid protein that causes plaque in the brain and has been connected with the onset of Alzheimer’s. If you hate getting sick, even things as minor as a cold can be guarded against by the antioxidants in red wine. The article also shares other benefits

The company I have partnered with has formulated several products that contain the good and science proven extracts of grapes so I am sure that I get enough resveratrol even if I don’t drink that glass of red wine. But who would pass that “life’s pleasure”? Cheers.

www.prevention.com/health/healthy-living/health-benefits-of-red-wine

http://makegreengogreen.com/article/red-wine-has-many-benefits?barbarahay

Sweet Potatoes

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

400% of your daily vitamin A requirements are provided by one medium sweet potato. The article below from MedicalNewsToday tells us the health benefits don’t stop there. Along with that generous dose of Vitamin A, sweet potatoes contain loads of fiber and potassium.

The additional benefits of this magical “spud” include decreasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and overall mortality. Read on and you will be informed of how each of these risks as well as blood pressure, cancer, digestion, fertility, immunity, inflammation and even vision are affected by the nutritionally packed sweet potato.

Find ways in your daily diet to include this recognized “super food” and your health can and will be, improved. As you read on you will find additional ways that make it easy to adapt your daily food intake to include more sweet potatoes, more often.

Several of the supplemental products I use include sweet potato extracts, which helped me make these dietary transitions. They’re easy to use and very tasty and affordable. So the next time you reach for that white ”baker”, think a little bit sweeter and pop in a sweet and get some big advantages.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281438.php

http://makegreengogreen.com/article/sweet-potatoes?barbarahay

CAPSAICIN. IT’S MORE THAN JUST A WEIGHT LOSS TOOL

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

Capsaicin is a molecular compound found in spicy peppers. It contains no calories or additional nutrients. It is used by many as a weight-loss supplement, sometimes in the form of cayenne pepper. It is extremely effective at “cranking” up your metabolism. While capsaicin can be quite effective in the weight-loss regime, there are other reasons to make it part of your diet.

Capsaicin, various studies show, has many more additional benefits. It may be helpful in delaying the spread of prostate cancer, according to a study at the UCLA School of Medicine. It can also be helpful and effective against H. pylori induced gastritis, which is a precursor of gastric cancer.

It may also be useful in fighting breast cancer, the second most fatal cancer in women. It has the ability to induce apoptosis in specific breast cancer cells. Another study in South Korea found that capsaicin might also kill breast cancer stem cells, which can avoid the recurrence of new, additional cancer cells. There is also evidence that capsaicin has an impact on primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma associated with HIV. In general, research abounds regarding the cancer preventing dimensions of capsaicin.

Capsaicin can be used to diminish the suffering of cluster headaches. It is a proven pain reliever, especially in cream form for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and certain other joint pain. It is also can be used to relieve the dry itchy skin of psoriasis. It has been very useful in reducing the reactions of blood sugar and insulin

And, yes, it is very effective in speeding the metabolism associated with lower body weight. It also suppresses appetite and increases overall physical endurance and athletic performance, a necessary component of successful weight-loss.

This article by Dr. Axe in the bulletin: Food is Medicine. Will give you a lot more detail.

Some of the things I was looking for and found in a supplement containing capsaicin was that it also contains green tea complex and green coffee bean extract. So pepper up your diet and get all of the benefits of capsaicin.

 

 

http://saferhousehold.com/article/capsaicin-its-more-than-just-a-weight-loss-tool-705?barbarahay

PROPER HYDRATION IS MORE THAN QUENCHING THIRST

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

We all know that when we are thirsty, we reach for a beverage. Eight glasses of water a day, they say. Most of us do not thirst for eight glasses a day but there are good reasons, beyond thirst, to consume that much or even more.

Since your brain is composed of 80% water by weight, being dehydrated will prevent you from thinking clearly. If you find yourself with “fuzzy” thinking or without an accurate short-term memory, dehydration may be the cause. Even a two percent shortfall, can evoke these effects.

Similarly, dehydration can cause mood swings because water is required to transport nutrients and hormones to your system. At the same time, water (or hydration) transports waste. When it doesn’t, the function falls to amino acids (tryptophan and tyrosine) two mood elevators that, when they are used up, can cause depression.

Joint lubrication is also a function of proper hydration. Stiffness and even “faux” hydration can be caused by the lack of proper hydration. This explains why people with vigorous exercise regimes pay careful attention to adequate hydration levels.

Asthma and allergies are also linked to dehydration. The body produces additional histamines that seek water in the body. Histamines also regulate the muscles in your bronchial tubes. Most important, increased water intake correlates with overall better health.

Several drinks like coffee and alcohol actually have diuretic effects, even though they are liquids and can increase dehydration levels. Sports drinks can help with dehydration because they not only contain water but electrolytes. I choose to hydrate with a drink mix that provides 4 electrolytes (calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) and not just the two provided in traditional sports beverages. So drink up. It’s good for you…in a lot of ways.

 

 

http://saferhousehold.com/article/proper-hydration-is-more-than-quenching-thirst-1?barbarahay

THE HISTORY (AND THE MIRACLE) OF TEA TREE OIL

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

Natural tea tree essential oil has been a legend for over 70 years. It is a natural essential oil, which has a plethora of applications in a natural environment. It has been used as a traditional medicine for many years.

The incredible numbers of applications of tea tree oil are truly amazing. In the days gone by even pirates would port in Australia to take advantage of the melaleuca alternifolia plant, either as a tea or a poultice, that would cure everything from digestive problems to foot fungus.

In 2010, there were reports released that tea tree oil (TTO) may play a prominent role in treating skin cancers, both basel cell and melanoma. It is important to note that the “freshness” and quality of the distillation of the oil itself has much to do with its efficacy, but all indications point toward the incredible results for everything from cold sores to minor skin abrasions.

My own experiences with tea tree oil never cease to amaze me. As I age, skin abrasions come from “nowhere”. Applying tea tree oil for several days, not only heals the abrasion, but also eliminates the perpetual bruising that occurs and endures.

The company with whom I am associated was a pioneer in the pure distillation of tea tree essential oil and now provides dozens of the purist and most diverse essential oils available. Most importantly, they are the most affordable and effective you will be able to find anywhere. Tea tree oil should be an essential in your medicine cabinet.

HAIR AND YOUR HEALTH

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

It is our “crowning glory”. It is often the first attribute we use to describe someone. It is, of course, our hair. Most of us spend our most time grooming our hair than our teeth and our skin. We used to think that hair was just dead protein, but now we understand that a whole host of internal conditions affect the health of our hair.

Dry, limp hair can be an indicator of hyperthyroidism. Scaly patches on the scalp can be psoriasis an autoimmune disease. Hair loss can be caused by both mental and physical external stressors. It is natural to lose 100 to 150 hairs in a day, more could be a pre-diabetic indicator.

Dry, brittle and patchy hair-loss could be Cushing’s syndrome, a disorder of the adrenal gland which over produces the hormone cortisol. Losing hair in small circular patches can be caused by alopecia areata, which can also affect the eyebrows and eyelashes.

Flaky scalp (commonly called dandruff) is not a natural condition. It deserves to be taken seriously. It is a chronic inflammatory condition called seborrheic dermatitis. Even gray hair is not just an aging function. It can be an indicator of excessive stress (ever notice how President’s seem to age while in office?).

The attached article from Caring.com will give you a lot more detail from indicators to treatments when your hair sends you a message from your body or your environment. In the meantime, find a natural and affordable hair regime and have a great “hair day”.

http://saferhousehold.com/article/hair-and-your-health-2?barbarahay

Working From Home

hayseedscreative's avatar by Leave a comment

There are challenges that you will have to face when working from home. Once you have faced them and overcome them, you will be ready to be productive whether you are still affiliated as an extended office employee or in a business of your own.

The Forbes article below will give you some tips that can improve your chances of succeeding in the very rewarding process of working from home. It tells us the importance of setting office hours and having dedicated space for your office activities.

Don’t allow the “flexibility” and domestic distractions to pollute your dedication to the tasks you have at hand. You don’t have co-workers to help provide the discipline (and support) that exists in the traditional setting. The article continues with some advantages of working from home and recognizing whether your personality and skill sets make it likely that you can succeed.

My chosen business provides me with a great deal of benefits as an at-home business. The flexibility, financial benefits and, yes, the health benefits of a more sterile environment allow me to control the things that a more rigid structure will not. I have more time for my family, no commute and no dress code (although I do dress for “the office” each morning). It takes time to get used to the freedom and the emptiness of a home office but I find the independence gratifying and it soon becomes more financially productive.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/08/16/how-to-succeed-at-working-from-home/#66cec2ec281d