Tag: BELOW

  • Entrepreneurship – Benefits Of Taking An Entrepreneurship Course

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    Are you tired of your regular job? Are you thinking of starting a business of your own? Do you want to enhance your ability to create wealth? Do you want to be your own boss? Do you want to have control over your decisions? Are you a risk taker? Do you have a high expectation of yourself? If the answer to the above questions is yes, then all you need to do is to channel your energy in the right direction.

    While passion is important for any business venture, the know-how is equally important for success. Many entrepreneurs who started out very passionate end up losing steam due to the fact that they do not have the proper entrepreneurial skills to make their business succeed. Entrepreneurship education is therefore key to a business growth and success.

    According to research, entrepreneurship education contributed to the growth of firms especially smaller emerging firms. On average, emerging companies that employed entrepreneurship graduates had greater than five times, the sale and employment growth than those that employed non-entrepreneurship graduates. This means that taking an entrepreneurship course would definitely lead to an increased sale of your product or service.

    In addition, it was observed that larger firms paid entrepreneurship graduates significantly more than they paid non-entrepreneurship graduates. In the United States, entrepreneurship graduates working for large firms earned approximately $23,500 more per year than did other business school graduates. This all goes to show the relative importance of an entrepreneurship education.

    So as an individual seeking to start a business venture, taking an entrepreneurship course would benefit you and your business in the following ways:

    • It will enhance your ability to create wealth from your own business
    • It makes you become a champion of innovation.
    • It gives you the ability to create greater opportunities for yourself with advancing technologies
    • It makes you self-sufficient and enterprising
    • It gives you community understanding skills which is good for your business
    • It enhances your business management skills
    • It gives you an orientation to change that can help your business keep up with the ever changing times
    • It gives you a better understanding of the market economy that your business must thrive in
    • The education obtained leads to your ultimate personal growth
    • Your decision making skills are improved
    • It expands your creative thinking

    As a result of these outlined benefits, many experienced leaders, economists and educators believe that fostering a robust entrepreneurial culture will maximize individual and collective economic and social success on a local and global scale.

    TAKE AN ONLINE ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSE TODAY

    It is interesting to know that you can take this amazing course online. As an entrepreneur, leaving your business to attend a traditional institution of learning might not fit well with your plans. If that is your situation, then be rest assured that you are covered. With the steady growth of online education, a lot of online institution of repute that offer this course are available to choose from. In fact one unique institution stands out – The Swiss E-learning Institute. Apart fro other amazing benefits you are bound to enjoy, this institute also offers entrepreneurship students the opportunity of earning passive incomes just by enrolling and activating this course. Find out more by visiting the link on the resource box below.

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    Source by Kelechi Nwachukwu

    Views: 0

  • Emotional Stress: What Is It And How To Deal With It

    Emotional Stress: What Is It And How To Deal With It

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    Dealing with stress is almost a given for virtually everyone at some point or other. After all, life is made of challenges that test us physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, when a person has to deal with that type of adversity all of the time, the constant strain from such pressure can really affect a person’s mental and physical well-being. This can be to the point where your health can be adversely affected for a short or even long term. This is known as emotional stress. The information below should help you to determine if you are facing this type of anxiety and how to overcome it.

    If you are having trouble with your sleeping habits, whether it’s sleeping more than usual or only sleeping for a few hours and having difficulty going back to sleep, you could be suffering from emotional stress. Often, the cause of this is due to either anxiety or depression, especially if there are no physical reasons for your sleeping issues.

    If you are having extreme changes in your weight over a short period of time, especially if you haven’t changed your eating or exercise routines, you might be suffering from emotional stress. Also, if you constantly think about food or constantly avoid eating, those signs could also be indicators that you are suffering from emotional tension. Depression can also cause a lack of appetite.

    The body will sometimes aid you and others in letting you know that you are suffering from over tension when you have physical ailments that you just cannot explain the cause of. If you’ve undergone a physical, and a physician can’t find anything physically wrong with you, it may be emotional stress that is causing your physical pain.

    Another sure sign that you may be over stressed is if you are always in a bad mood, always showing a short temper toward others, and always getting overly upset over little issues or events. Both your physical and mental health could be at risk, as could the physical and mental health of those around you.

    What can you do if you’re showing the above signs? First, you have to identify and directly address the stressor or stressors that are causing your emotional angst. You should also try to look at the positives of your life and determine whether the stressor(s) you’ve identified are really worth worrying about or not. You may be making those issues larger than you really need to be.

    You also need to take time out for yourself and enjoy fun activities to help relieve your mind of the pressure you are dealing with; no one can go for long periods of time under great duress without it affecting him/her. Also, let your family, friends, and physician know what you are dealing with, so that they can all help you overcome that tension and see the positives in your life.

    Emotional stress can cause a great burden on those who are dealing with it, both in terms of their mental and physical health. They can be more irritable, they have trouble with their sleep patterns, they are less sociable than usual, and they may experience severe weight fluctuations.

    By identifying and realizing what you are suffering from, you can work towards overcoming it with the proper attitude, approach, and help from your family, friends, and physician.

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    Source by Peggy Everson

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  • Proven And Profitable Money Making Ideas

    Proven And Profitable Money Making Ideas

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    With an entrepreneurial spirit, perhaps you might be thinking about money making ideas that have been proven and are profitable on the internet that you can use to make a living with. Online business is still an evolving tool to earn money. Everyone has predicted a major tech crash as a matter of fact it’s already happening.

    According to Hostingfacts.com in 2017, “there will be more internet traffic than all prior internet years combined. Wi-Fi and mobile-connected devices will generate 68% of all internet traffic in 2017.”

    More statistics show that “worldwide retail e-commerce sales will reach $1.915 Trillion in this alone according to Emarketer.com. There are a number of ways by which people can make money online.

    Internet businesses provides relaxation and comfortability to people who run their own business while sitting in their homes or traveling the world. E- Commerce refers to the online functioning of businesses in which all of the transactions are accepted by means of the World Wide Web.

    Online sales in the United States are anticipated to reach $523 billion in the next five years. This is up 56% from $335 billion in 2015, and mobile devices are expected to be a key leader in that growth, Forrester Research Inc. says.

    The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced “that the estimate of U.S. retail e-commerce sales for the third quarter of 2016, was $101.3 billion, an increase of 4.0 percent from the second quarter of 2016. Total retail sales globally for the third quarter, was estimated at $1,212.5 billion, an increase of 0.9 percent from the second quarter of 2016.”

    With the collapse of the tech bust in full swing, should you even attempt entrepreneurship online, let alone a new business launch in 2017? My answer? Absolutely yes.

    On the internet, there are unlimited things that can be done to earn money. It is all up to the individual how much they can profit from these online opportunities. The trend is constantly evolving with innovative business ideas.

    The start of a new year means great interest in new and exciting things, as we look forward to the year in the making. The year 2017 is also likely to see some changes with a few money making ideas not being in demand and new ones harvesting up.

    Learning how to make money on the internet with an e-business is one of the most proven and profitable money making ideas dominating the economy. Facebook now has 1.55 billion active users and 2.9 billion Google searches are made every day. With this data, there is endless opportunity for the ordinary person looking to create money online.

    In this article, I’ve researched a few of the businesses that are going to be profitable for the next 5 years. While tech may be on the decline, the world continually has room for proven, profitable and innovative products as well as services.

    Proven & Profitable Money Making Ideas

    Blogging

    If you have a particular subject that interests you and you are passionate about it, then you can start a blog around such topic. Blogging is one of the fastest growing business trends on the web and the sweetest thing is that it is an information based business.

    Many people in the current world are getting money by having their own blogs and websites. Generally, on these blogs and websites, they are putting thought-provoking and valuable information that interests other people. The science is simple; the additional number of visitors the more money you can make via advertisement and other revenues.

    This works much like television where the more viewership means more advertisements and at a higher rate. This is one of the most well-known and informal techniques of producing income online and it doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Don’t worry about technicalities, programming, etc. You also won’t need to invest a dime to get started as there are free platforms you can utilize like Blogger and WordPress being the most trusted blogging platform since 2004.

    E-commerce Store

    Another proven and profitable idea to start an internet business is to maintain an online store. You can provide products to your customers online. Yes, you can set up an e-commerce or retail store online and you can start this online business from home without even owning a single product. You can sell virtually anything ranging from books, clothes and electronics to household item through wholesale drop shipping or by setting up an affiliate store with Amazon or eBay.

    You may even sell anything from customized cakes to used items to even new products you created on your own. With this kind of business idea, people primarily receive payment via credit card or PayPal accounts. It totally depends upon you as some people prefer to collect payment at the time of delivery of the products.

    In the online store, you can provide a wide range of products in one place and keep the customers engaged with new products or services. On the other hand if you are creating products from scratch, you have to keep up good relationships with your suppliers so your business can be successful.

    Affiliate Marketing

    To become an affiliate marketer means that you will be promoting other people’s products and services through a blog or store online. How it works is whenever there is a sale, you will get a commission. The most stimulating fact here is that you don’t even need a dime of your own money to start it and you get to partner with some of the biggest enterprises in the world. The first venture I would recommend you to start online is your own affiliate marketing business.

    Internet Marketing Services

    Servicing people to help drive visitors to their websites can be an outstanding online business with a strong profit potential. Examples of services you can provide include pay-per-Click (PPC) advertising services, blog marketing services, article marketing services, guest blogging, link building service, etc.

    Doing business on the web can be challenging because things often change quickly online. This idea allows you to help other online entrepreneurs such as yourself, keep up with the latest trends in internet marketing.

    VLogging

    This is comparable to a blog, but in video form. Basically turn your video camera on, feel free to use your tablet, and just talk! The best vloggers talk about a specific focus or niche. Vlogging about a topic that interest tweens or teens is most likely to get a big following fast.

    Some popular topics include makeup, fashion, music, gaming and how to videos. The strategy to making money with these vlogs is gaining a large following and then receiving sponsorship on the platform that you publish the videos on, such as YouTube or Vimeo. You can also make money via advertisement.

    E-Book Publishing

    The information business allows you to identify people’s problems and provide a solution in the form of an e-book. Any style writing on any topic can be used with this method. If you love writing and you possess some marketing skills, then you can venture into writing self-published eBooks.

    Educational Products

    People will always be willing to pay for education. A good example is university education. A public four-year college costs around $20,000, and a private college can make an income of $50,000 per year. In spite of the outrageously high prices, people are eager to give out the money. Why? Because a college education is worth it. Right? Well, most of the time it is.

    However, some disagree, and with recent improvements in the education platform, the traditional college model is being dismantled or unequivocally disrupted. The cause of these interruptions are startups like Udemy and Teachable, these platforms allow people to share their knowledge and profit from it.

    You don’t need a platform to sell your knowledge. You can self-publish a book, create a video coaching session, or teach others how to make money. People will gladly pay to learn a new skill, shape their lifestyle, make new money, impress friends with their knowledge, and change their life in significant ways. If you have something to offer to others, then start teaching.

    Graphic Design

    There are lots of graphic designers on the web offer free and paid services. However, if you plan to thrive in this capacity online, aiding a specific niche target audience will be the most profitable for you. Suppose you’re focused niche is in music and you have a good graphic design skill, you can launch an online graphic design business that focuses on graphic design for musicians or singing artist. You can also choose to focus on infographic designing, e-book cover design, album cover designs, etc.

    Implementing your ideas as an online business is a great way to start your business if you are low of capital. It is necessary that you have a proven and profitable online business idea to start your business. Starting and operating an online business is the new normal these days and continues to rise in popularity.

    If you have any ideas that can be transformed to fit the online business model then by all means do your research and get started the opportunities are endless!

    If I’ve failed to mention any other profitable ideas be sure to leave them in the comments below.

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    Source by Jamie Clay

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  • Multi Level Marketing Secrets – Concept Number 2 – The Family Story

    Multi Level Marketing Secrets – Concept Number 2 – The Family Story

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    One of the best thing in multi level marketing is the creation of the pyramid story where those who are from the bottom range being able to conquer the ones on top as their downline. This shows that this kind of business has nothing to do with status and proves that anybody can be a boss as long as they place their priorities in this business.

    Apart from the pyramid in form of status, there are still a whole lot of reasons why multi level marketing is one of the best ways in achieving financial freedom. The pyramid is just to prove status is not a barrier to start this new venture. The next thing I would like to touch on is the family tree. How does the family tree concept is involved in the business concept is pretty much simple.

    It consists of an upline that is linked to a few downlines and so on. This is just the rough concept and it will build up as it goes along. As we know family tree consists of two parents and they form the generations below them. However, it does not stop there as it is too done by their children. It is a never ending cycle. Same goes to multi level marketing.

    What more, families usually have close bonds with each other. This shows that in order to perform and make oney with this business, the uplines have to create a good relationship with their downlines in order to work this whole business out gaining more profit than loss. Personal good relationships in marketing are a good beneficial thing as teamwork too will be emphasized. After all, “Together Everyone Achieves More!”

    The family tree concept basically emphasizes more on creating good personal relationships in between the uplines and downlines as well as the cycle of multi level marketing is never ending which shows the business can last for a lifetime.

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    Source by Nizzura Sofea

    Views: 0

  • Dealing With Relationship Stress

    Dealing With Relationship Stress

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    The start to a relationship is often high-spirited when couples tend to fall head over heels for each other. The urgency to talk and meet is so intense that time seems to fly initially. However, when the euphoria settles and one gets used to the partner, real time problems start surfacing. At times, things might get so stressful that the partners start contemplating separation. At others, the stress slowly pushes them to the brink of developing mental disorders like depression and anxiety.

    Breaking the bond is the easiest thing to do, but, the actual strength of a relationship lies in dealing with the relationship stress together, as a couple and bringing back harmony. Unfortunately, not many couples have the patience to walk through the stressful times together. Yet, one must remember that it is a choice. Either one can work as a team and emerge stronger or one may decide to deal with the stress individually and let the relationship weaken. Given below are some of the ways in which relationship stress can be handled and the development of mental disorders prevented:

    • Accepting each other as is – It is important to understand that reality is far from the rom-com movies that we watch and romantic novels that we read. Expecting your partner to be perfect all the time is not realistic. All of us are flawed. Expecting too much paves the way for intense pressure and disappointments in the long run. Thus, one must accept their partner as is and focus on their strengths.

    • Communicating constructively – When faced with problems, some couples tend to go on silent mode with long periods of no communication. This is a recipe for disaster. One must muster the courage to break the silence and address the issues that have hampered the equation. Moreover, one must express their feelings gently. Shouting and not listening to the other person’s perspective is damaging and would do nothing to rebuild the relationship.

    • De-stressing together – Couples must de-stress together. This can be achieved by going on a holiday, attending concerts, going for walks, learning some hobby together, watching movies, and indulging in any activities that both the partners enjoy. Getting intimate is also indispensable to relieve stress in a relationship. Some couples avoid intimacy when they have unresolved conflicts, however, it is important to make love as that might set you talking and help resolve the unsaid issues.

    • Avoiding blame game – It is important to understand that in a relationship, both the partners are in the same team. Pushing down the other person by constant blaming them can get tiring and destructive for the health of the relationship. In addition, it is also critical to apologize sincerely once they understand that they are at fault.

    • Keeping up social networking – Sometimes, a couple gets so obsessed with each other that they forget about their social obligations. While the option of spending all your time with each other might seem interesting at first, over time, it may bring boredom into the equation. It might also build a lot of stress and socializing might offer a vent to it. Thus, one must keep in touch with their friends and relatives and meet them as often as possible.

    • Investing on self – It is vital to be present for each other in a relationship, however, one must not forget themselves. One must, therefore, ensure that they invest some time and resources on taking care of the self also. Eating right, getting adequate sleep, indulging in some sort of physical activity, getting a massage, etc., can help build self-esteem and invigorate the spirits of an individual.

    Seeking professional help for stress

    Sometimes, despite best intentions and efforts, it gets very difficult to reach a stage of equilibrium in a relationship. In such cases, the continuous stress may lead to the development of mental disorders like depression and anxiety.

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    Source by Susan Navarez

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  • Customer Satisfaction Management

    Customer Satisfaction Management

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    General understanding of consumer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is the result of differences between consumer expectations and performance perceived by consumers. From the various definitions of consumer satisfaction that have been researched and defined by marketing experts, it can be concluded that customer satisfaction is a behavior response consumer in the form of after-purchase evaluation of an item or service that they feel (product performance) compared to consumer expectations.Consumer satisfaction is very dependent on the perceptions and expectations of consumers themselves. Factors that influence consumers’ perceptions and expectations when making purchases of goods or services are needs and desires felt by consumers when making purchases of goods or services, past experiences when consuming these goods or services and experiences of friends who have consume these goods or services and advertising.In a competitive environment, an indicator that can show customer satisfaction is whether the consumer will buy back and use the product in the future.

    Customer needs are fulfilled is one of the factors forming Customer Satisfaction (Customer Satisfaction), in addition to other factors related to Customer Service. And this customer satisfaction is what we need to ensure the continuity of our business. Aspects that can affect customer satisfaction effectively [13], namely:

    1. Warranty costs. Several companies deal with the warranty costs of their products / services through a percentage of sales. The company’s failure to give satisfaction to customers is usually because the company does not provide guarantees for the products they sell to customers.

    2. Handling of complaints from customers. Statistically this is important to note, but it is often too late for companies to realize it. If complaints / claims from customers are not immediately resolved, customer defections cannot be prevented.

    3. Market Share. It is a matter that must be measured and related to company performance. If the market share is measured, then the quantity is measured, not the quality of the company’s service.

    4. Costs of poor quality. This can be of satisfactory value if costs for customer defect can be estimated.

    5. Industry reports. There are many types and industry reports, as stated by J.D Power in Bhote, which is the report that is the fairest, most accurate, and most eagerly made by the company.Guiltinan [14] argues that one of the benefits of customer satisfaction is that it can increase customer loyalty, as shown in the figure below

    Customer satisfaction is an emotional response to the evaluation of the consumption experience of a product or service. Kotler defines customer satisfaction as the level of one’s feelings after comparing the performance (or results) that he feels compared to his expectations (Kotler, Philip, and Garry Armstrong, 2005). Basically, customer satisfaction includes the difference between expectations and performance or the results obtained.

    According to Kotler [1], satisfaction is feeling happy or disappointed someone who appears after comparing between perceptions or impressions of the performance or results of a product and expectations. So, satisfaction is a function of perception or impression of performance and hope. If the performance is below expectations, the customer is not satisfied. If the performance meets expectations, the customer will be satisfied. If the performance exceeds expectations, the customer will be very satisfied or happy. The key to generating customer loyalty is to provide high customer value.The relationship between customer satisfaction and loyal customers is disproportionate [2], for example, customer satisfaction is ranked on a 1-5 scale, namely:

    1. Customer satisfaction at a very low level (level 1), most likely customers will move away from the company and speak ill of it.

    2. Customer satisfaction at level 2 to level 4, customers feel somewhat satisfied, but it is still possible to move when a better offer appears.

    3. Customer satisfaction at level 5, customers are very likely to buy back and even disseminate good news about the company.

    High satisfaction or satisfaction creates an emotional bond with the brand or company and is not only fixated on reasonable choices.While satisfaction according to Kotler and Armstrong (2001: 9): Consumer satisfaction is the extent to which the assumption of product performance meets the expectations of buyers. If the product’s performance is lower than the customer’s expectations, the buyer is satisfied or very happy. According to Zeithaml and Bitner (2000: 75) the definition of satisfaction is: Consumer response or response regarding fulfillment of needs. Satisfaction is an assessment of the features or features of a product or service, or the product itself, which provides the level of consumer pleasure related to meeting consumer consumption needs. Consumer satisfaction can be created through quality, service and value.

    Customer expectations are believed to have a large role in evaluating product quality (goods and services) and customer satisfaction. Customer expectations basically have a close relationship between determining quality and customer satisfaction. Customer expectation always exists because of four things (Kertajaya, 2004):

    1. Individual Need or individual needs

    If your customer already has high demands, then his expectations are definitely high too.

    1. Word of Mouth

    Customers can have certain expectations because of other people’s stories. Other people’s stories are often seen as references.

    1. Past experience or past experience

    People who already have good experience in the past will be able to receive services at least the same as they used to be. If not, he will be disappointed.

    1. External communication or external communication

    It is an attempt by the company to promise something to customers in order to attract customers.

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    Source by Yufi Priyo

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  • Animal Self-Medication: Do Wild Animals Heal Themselves?

    Animal Self-Medication: Do Wild Animals Heal Themselves?

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    What do wild animals do when they get sick? Unlike domestic pets, animals in the wild have no access to the range of treatments provided by owners or vets. Do wild animals know how to heal themselves?

    Growing scientific evidence indicates that animals do indeed have knowledge of natural medicines. In fact, they have access to the world's largest pharmacy: nature itself. Zoologists and botanists are only just beginning to understand how wild animals use plant medicines to prevent and cure illness.

    There's a name for it

    The emerging science of Zoopharmacognosy studies how animals use leaves, roots, seeds and minerals to treat a variety of ailments. Indigenous cultures have had knowledge of animal self-medication for centuries; many folk remedies have come from noticing which plants animals eat when they are sick. But it is only in the last 30 years that zoopharmacognosy has been scientifically studied. Biologists witnessing animals eating foods not part of their usual diet, realized the animals were self-medicating with natural remedies.

    When a pregnant African elephant was observed for over a year, a discovery was made. The elephant kept regular dietary habits throughout her long pregnancy but the routine changed abruptly towards the end of her term. Heavily pregnant, the elephant set off in search of a shrub that grew 17 miles from her usual food source. The elephant chewed and ate the leaves and bark of the bush, then gave birth a few days later. The elephant, it seemed, had sought out this plant specifically to induce her labor. The same plant (a member of the borage family) also happens to be brewed by Kenyan women to make a labor-inducing tea.

    Chimps take their medicine

    Not only do many animals know which plant they require, they also know exactly which part of the plant they should use, and how they should ingest it. Chimpanzees in Tanzania have been observed using plants in different ways. The Aspilia shrub produces bristly leaves, which the chimps carefully fold up then roll around their mouths before swallowing whole. The prickly leaves 'scour' parasitical worms from the chimps intestinal lining.

    The same chimps also peel the stems and eat the pith of the Vernonia plant (also known as Bitter leaf). In bio-chemical research, Vernonia was found to have anti-parasitic and anti-microbial properties. Both Vernonia and Aspilia have long been used in Tanzanian folk medicine for stomach upsets and fevers.

    It is only the sick chimpanzees that eat the plants. The chimps often grimace as they chew the Vernonia pith, indicating that they are not doing this for fun; healthy animals would find the bitter taste unpalatable.

    Nature's pharmacy for all

    Wild animals won't seek out a remedy unless they need it. Scientists studying baboons at the Awash Falls in Ethiopia noted that although the tree Balanites aegyptiaca (Desert date) grew all around the falls, only the baboons living below the falls ate the tree's fruit. These baboons were exposed to a parasitic worm found in water-snails. Balanites fruit is known to repel the snails. Baboons living above the falls were not in contact with the water-snails and therefore had no need of the medicinal fruit.

    Many animals eat minerals like clay or charcoal for their curative properties. Colobus monkeys on the island of Zanzibar have been observed stealing and eating charcoal from human bonfires. The charcoal counteracts toxic phenols produced by the mango and almond leaves which make up their diet.

    Some species of South American parrot and macaw are known to eat soil with a high kaolin content. The parrots' diet contains toxins because of the fruit seeds they eat. (Even the humble apple seed contains cyanide.) The kaolin clay absorbs the toxins and carries them out of the birds' digestive systems, leaving the parrots unharmed by the poisons. Kaolin has been used for centuries in many cultures as a remedy for human gastrointestinal upset.

    Survival of the medicated

    So, how do animals know how to heal themselves? Some scientists believe that evolution has given animals the innate ability to choose the correct herbal medicines. In terms of natural selection, animals who could find medicinal substances in the wild were more likely to survive. Other observations have shown that, especially among primates, medicinal skills appear to be taught and learned. Adult females are often seen batting their infant's hand from a particular leaf or stem as if to say "No, not that one."

    Wild animals don't rely on industrially produced synthetic drugs to cure their illnesses; the medicines they require are available in their natural environment. While animals in the wild instinctively know how to heal themselves, humans have all but forgotten this knowledge because of our lost connection with nature. Since wild animals have begun to be observed actively taking care of their own wellbeing, it raises questions of how we approach healthcare with natural remedies, not just for ourselves but for our companion and farm animals too.

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    Source by Gary Le Mon

    Views: 0

  • Don’t Ignore These Telltale Signs of Drug Abuse in Teens

    Don’t Ignore These Telltale Signs of Drug Abuse in Teens

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    Drug abuse has for a long been a problem among teenagers with peer pressure as the key factor driving it. Despite being well documented, parents and caregivers tend to ignore the apparent symptoms of drug abuse in the growing children. The early instances of drug abuse evoke far greater health consequences in this age group than in any other group.

    One of the reasons behind the increase in the severity of repercussions of drug abuse is that during adolescence both body and mind are still in the process of development. Apart from the fact that drugs can alter brain chemistry and structure, illicit drug use among teenagers can increase vulnerability to motor crashes and instigate risky sexual behavior. Additionally, drug abuse increases suicidal tendencies, assaults, symptoms of mental health conditions and dropout rate at schools.

    Illicit drug use also entails legal and social consequences, such as increase in incidents of violence, criminal activities and neglect, as well as a higher likelihood of abusing drugs in later life. In addition, pregnant teenage girls who continue engaging in drugs are at risk of harming the fetus and themselves in many ways.

    Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence

    Nurturing and caring for a teenager is no easy task. The bumpy journey of growth that includes a number of transitional phases, ranging from hitting puberty to adolescence, yearning for dependence to realizing independence, “I love you” to “I hate you,” to confronting life without a safety net to making sense of it all, can mislead parents, guardians and caregivers, especially when their children are on drugs.

    Even in the absence of any evidence, it is important that parents who feel that something is wrong with their children trust their hunch and take significant remedial actions, such as talking to their children or seeking professional help.

    One of the most practical tools to address the problem of drug abuse among teenagers is communication. Usually, drug-using teenagers develop traits that assist them in concealing their growing addiction-related practices.

    They also spend their time incommunicado. When a teenager displays odd behavioral patterns, such as not being themselves after a social event, being vague about the details of the movie watched, getting home beyond curfew, avoiding interaction or getting close to their parents, it is best to investigate to safeguard their health and life.

    Some of the below-mentioned warning signs specified by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) can assist parents in keeping a check on their adolescent children:

    • A change in peer group
    • Carelessness with grooming
    • Poor academic performance
    • Increased absenteeism
    • Loss of interest in favorite activities
    • Changes in eating or sleeping habits
    • Deteriorating relationships with family members and friends

    Although the 2016 Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of drug use among American teenagers suggests decline in the past year use of illicit drugs, except marijuana, alcohol and drug use amidst teenagers is a major public concern. In addition, there is substantial evidence that drug use in early years increases the likelihood of a teenager developing substance use disorder and the symptoms of mental health conditions in their adulthood. However, early intervention is known to reduce and treat these conditions more successfully compared to those who let the abuse linger or get treated late.

    Pull the plug on drugs

    The earliest warning signs of drug abuse among teenagers are changes in their behavior and mannerism. Usually, addressing a teenager’s drug abuse habits can be an unpleasant ordeal, which is at times riddled with extreme opposition from the patient.

    Therefore, it is important that parents communicate with their adolescent children about the life-threatening consequences of drug abuse. They should also discuss about the ways that can assist in overcoming the challenge of drug abuse. They can guide their children in the right direction through their love and care.

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    Source by Courtney Whetstone

    Views: 0

  • My Husband Says He’s Going To Leave Me, And Yet He’s Still In Our Home – Why?

    My Husband Says He’s Going To Leave Me, And Yet He’s Still In Our Home – Why?

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    Often, when a husband announces that he is going to leave, a wife expects him to promptly pack his bags and begin the separation. It’s not that this is what the wife wants to happen. But when someone makes an announcement that is this serious, well, the assumption is that no one would want to drag their feet on this, as once the decision has been made, it’s probably easier to just go ahead and move out.

    However, this isn’t what always happens. Some husbands make this announcement and then they don’t really move out right away. Some are still telling their wives that they are leaving even as they continue to park themselves on the couch and make use of the refrigerator. A wife might say: “I truly don’t get it. Three weeks ago, my husband came home and announced that he is going to leave me. He said that our marriage hasn’t been good for a while now and that he thinks that we should take a break and live apart to see what happens. This isn’t what I want. In my heart, I feel like if he leaves, he might never come back and we might end up divorced. He actually told me that he wanted to leave on a Friday night. I expected him to move out that weekend. Why wait? If you’re going to take the initiative to tell your wife that you are going to leave her, I would think that you would want to leave as soon as possible. That isn’t the case, though. It’s three weeks later and he’s still in our house. He’s still complaining. He’s still saying he’s going to leave and yet he is still here. I’m afraid to ask him why he’s still here because I am afraid that he would take that to mean that I wanted him out. My mom says that he is essentially free loading or that he’s too lazy to find a new place, but that doesn’t make sense, as my husband earns more than I do. Why do men say that they want to leave their wives and then stay at home?”

    I can only speculate, because there are a variety of reasons. I will list some of them below so that you can see if any of them might ring true.

    He May Not Want To Actually Leave And Was Just Trying To Get A Reaction: Sometimes, a husband truly is frustrated with the marriage or the situation, but he doesn’t know how to create change. He may have tried to make a change without success or he’s afraid that you will be resistant or defensive. So he puts the “leaving” out there in the hopes that you will try to stop him or that you will then be open to negotiating change.

    He May Be Trying To Move Out At The Right Time Or In The Right Way: Some husbands do take their time in actually moving out. Many aren’t all that excited about moving from their familiar and comfortable home into a smaller apartment. Others will try to leave their wife in a good place before they physically move out. What I mean by that is that some will complete repairs and necessary maintenance before they leave so that their wife doesn’t have to worry about this.

    He May Be Having Second Thoughts: This is the final suggestion that I will make. We all say things or make decisions out of frustration, only to have second thoughts later. Actually moving out of your home and pursuing a marital separation is a huge step. And it would be completely normal for him to reconsider and then to hesitate to admit this. It’s possible that he’s hoping that this will just blow over or that you will ask him not to leave.

    Deciding Where To Go From Here: Since you can’t know which of the above is true (unless he tells you,) then you have to ask yourself what really matters the most. If you want to save your marriage, then I think you have focus on the fact that at least he’s still there – whatever the reason. It’s so much easier to save your marriage when your husband is physically present. When he moves out, it can be difficult to reconnect and to not have repeated misunderstandings since communication is limited and not always face-to-face. Yes, I know that it is frustrating that he’s sending mixed signals and that this is confusing. But I think that it is better to focus on the fact that he is there rather than questioning him and then potentially forcing him out. If you can use this time to improve things so that he doesn’t follow through and leave, then that’s probably the best option.

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    Source by Leslie Cane

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