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Tag: Foods

  • Organic Farming: Key to Healthy Living?

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    What is organic farming? How it promotes healthy living? Organic farming is a form of agriculture that relies crop production on green manure, compost, and biological pest control instead of using pesticides and herbicides. Therefore such process can help individuals have a healthy lifestyle because of the absence of chemical content.

    These organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations. In our cooperative, all our suppliers’ farms are fair-trade and organically certified by an international certifying body. Fair-trade in the sense that we follow the international fair-trade protocol especially in terms of wage compliance requirements and child labor laws. Organic also because the only allowed fertilizer in our farms is SALT. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

    With the increasing environmental awareness of the general public here and abroad the originally supply-driven organic movement transforms into a demand-driven one. For coconut farmers, premium prices attracted farmers to convert their farms into organic.

    Organic farming methods is a mixture of scientific knowledge of ecology and modern technology because practices are based on naturally occurring biological processes. It is also concerned with protecting the environment and working in harmony with existing ecosystems, including conserving water, soil and energy, and using renewable resources and natural farming cycles.

    Moreover, organic foods are not necessarily completely chemical free. They may be grown on land not previously used for organic food production and, therefore, might contain chemical residues. However, the pesticide residues in organic food are considerably lower than those found in foods produced with synthetic chemicals.

    Most people buy organically-grown food products because they are concerned about pesticides, additives, antibiotics or other chemical residues. Although pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables are monitored, many people believe organic food is healthier. Some people worry about the long-term health, economic and environmental consequences of genetically manufactured foods and choose organic foods.

    Organic foods promote healthier and more sustainable use of natural resources. Modern farming methods, including excessive use of chemicals, have led to a decline in soil fertility, and an increase in salinity and blue-green algae in waterways over many years. Organic farmers try to minimize damage to the environment by using physical weed control, and animal and green manure.

    Organic food is often more expensive than conventionally-produced food because organic farming generally operates on a smaller scale. The production is more labor intensive and yields are generally smaller. It is a known fact that when you use herbicides and pesticides, you get high production.

    Despite this problem, when we patronize organic products, we have a guarantee that our lives would be healthier, safer and longer.

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    Source by Rosemarie Sumalinog Gonzales

    Views: 0

  • How to Lose 60 Pounds in 2 Months

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    Is it possible to lose 60 pounds in 2 months? Yes, it is, and many people have done this before. You can do this as well if you do the right way.

    Is it safe to lose 60 pounds in 2 months? Well, it depends as everybody is unique. It may be safe for others, but it doesn’t mean it is safe for you.

    So what’s wrong with dropping 60 pounds in 2 months? There is nothing wrong with losing weight quickly, as long as it’s done the right way. You know that in theory, one could drop as much as 20 pounds a week following a very ambitious eating and exercise plan, devoting more than seven hours per week to rigorous exercise, and under a physician’s care.

    You would need to lose only 7-8 pounds a week to reach your goal, which is far less than 20 pounds a week. I think there’s nothing wrong losing 60 pounds in 2 months if you don’t have any health issues. Do consult your doctor first before you go for it to be sure it’s safe for you as I already mentioned, everyone is different. What is safe for others may not be safe for you.

    The very important key to lose 60 pounds in 2 months is to plan your diet and exercise very well. You need a proper plan to stick with. The plan must fit your daily lifestyle, the one that you are able to follow, not just quit after a week or less.

    The first thing you need to do is to find out why you can’t lose weight.

    1. Can you reduce high calorie foods and drinks?

    2. Do you feel stressed when you don’t have your favorite foods?

    3. Is exercise killing you?

    4. Are you too tired to exercise because you’re obese?

    5. Are you bored with following the diet program?

    6. Do you think you have tried many weight loss programs but they don’t seem to work for you?

    The list goes on and on. As you may already know that the basic rule of losing weight is to eat less but to maintain a healthy diet and exercise more. It sounds very simple to say but it isn’t in practice. You could overcome this issue by gradually changing your lifestyle. I understand that it takes time and you may not lose 60 pounds as fast as you want. That’s why you need to find out the right plan for yourself by trying out many weight loss programs and see what works best for you. Most people who successfully lost weight may have had many failures but it didn’t stop them from trying. You need to keep your motivation high in term of weight loss. Think positive and you’ve already won half the battle.

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    Source by Susan Boyce

    Views: 0

  • Can Your Migraines Disappear With Orthomolecular Medicine?

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    Quantum Brain Healing addresses the root of the migraine problem before recommending the treatment protocol. The root causes of migraine headaches include stress, poor diets, neurotransmitter imbalances, endocrine hormone imbalances, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, mineral level imbalances between calcium and magnesium, pineal gland malfunction, electromagnetic field imbalance, and emotional trauma. It is possible for a migraine to be a secondary illness where the primary disease is a brain tumor. Migraine headaches are an important symptom of a brain tumor. A brain aneurysm may feel like a migraine. Migraines may accompany ADHD, epilepsy, diabetes, Crohn’s, heart disease, irritable bowel, depression, and bipolar disease. A comprehensive look at your medical history and diagnostic testing must occur to rule out more serious problems prior to treatment.

    Migraine headaches can be caused by food and environmental allergens. Avoid nitrates, MSG, artificial sweeteners, and foods high in tyramines including red wine, cheeses, and chocolate. Stay away from carbonated beverages, soy, peanuts, pickled foods, non-organic coffee, chocolate, food dyes, food additives, or refined foods. It is very important include protein in your breakfast each day. Avoid all genetically modified foods and eat local or organic fruits and vegetables. Include fresh salmon, avocado, walnuts, almonds, and omega 3 and 6 essential acids in your diet.

    Identify allergens in your diet and avoid them with dietary changes including the G.A.R.D. Diet or the Elimination Diet. The Rotation Diet follows a different theory that allows exposure to each food once each four days. The immune system calms down when there is not frequent exposure to the allergen. Gluten may be a trigger for many people with migraines. Try to keep a food diary for at least one month to identify the foods that may be your triggers.

    Many people with migraines may experience problems with pollution and environmental triggers. These may be avoided or eliminated with hard work. Otherwise, this can be dealt with by reducing stress and improving overall diet and health. Stress may be improved by changing jobs, a divorce from an abusive one, a new job, a new hobby that you enjoy, volunteer work, and watching comedy on TV or at the movies. Stress can be reduced with Yoga, tai chi, and Qi Gong. There are several alternative therapies that can help migraines such as neurobiofeedback, hypnosis, homeopathy, and Bach Flower Remedies.

    Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) is great at improving migraines with patent herb formulas and liquid herbal extracts which can be used along with auricular laser therapy, auricular acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, and traditional body acupuncture. These therapies usually require two weeks to see improvement. The acupuncturist may recommend several months of treatments depending on how long you have experienced the migraines.

    © Dr R Stone, MD-India

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    Source by R Stone

    Views: 0

  • The Best Shingles Diet to Cure Shingles

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    Shingles, medically known as herpes zoster, is a result of the reactivation of the dormant varicella-zoster virus in individuals who have previously had chickenpox. The dormant virus stays in the dorsal root ganglia of the sensory cranial and spinal nerves. When an individual becomes immunocompromised (weakened immune system), the virus is reactivated and comes out in the form of shingles. Shingle flare-ups can become very painful. One way to alleviate shingle flare-ups and to help the immune system fight off the infection is to follow a shingles diet.

    One study about shingles diet suggests that consumption of foods that have a high proportion of lysine to arginine might help reduce the severity or extent of the disease. Arginine and lysine are amino acids; amino acids are what form the protein in the body. The two, however, have different functions. Lysine is gives the raw material needed in the production of collagen. Collagen is responsible for wound healing and plays a part in bone growth. Arginine, on the other hand, is one of the components of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is important in keeping a healthy and normal blood pressure.

    Arginine is found to encourage the growth of herpes simplex. Lysine, meanwhile, offsets the effects of arginine. Because of these, the two amino acids compete with each other for the absorption of the affected cells. And since the virus which causes herpes simplex and herpes zoster are related, it is believed that a diet consisting of high lysine: low arginine foods can help individuals suffering from shingles as well.

    A shingles diet which contains high lysine includes plenty of meat, fish, and poultry. s. Farm-raised poultry should be preferred than those found in the wild as they contain less arginine and more lysine. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt should be included in a shingles diet as they are also rich in lysine. Legumes and soybeans are also great sources lysine.

    Since arginine encourages shingle flare-ups, a shingles diet should comprise of low arginine foods. Some multi-vitamins contain arginine; these kinds of multi-vitamins must be avoided. A shingles diet should also minimize, if not avoid, foods including chocolate, white bread, brewers yeast, nuts, and oats.

    And since shingles is mainly due to poor immune system functions, a good shingles diet must help the immune system fight off the infection. Zinc and Vitamin C are a must in keeping the immune system healthy. Vitamin C is found mainly in fruits and vegetables; oranges, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, potatoes, and peppers are great sources. Zinc, on the other hand, can be found in legumes, whole grains, poultry, red meats, and oysters.

    Proper diet is always a part in the management of any disease. The best shingles diet, consisting of foods rich in lysine, zinc, and vitamin C, should be followed in order to cure shingles faster and to minimize the symptoms of the disease.

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    Source by Bob Carlton

    Views: 0

  • 5 Reasons to Be in the Restaurant Business

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    Restaurants can be found in almost everywhere that you may go and this is proof that this kind of business is really good. Every once in while, someone makes a decision to open up a restaurant for whatever reasons he/she has. There are evidently many reasons why people choose to open such business and you do not need to have the same reasons. You just have to evaluate what you want and to help you out, here are 5 reasons why you should be in the restaurant business.

    The fact that all people need to eat is one of the main reasons why you should be in the restaurant business. People can actually cook their foods on their own at home but sometimes there are people who choose to eat in a restaurant, the busy people in particular. Because they do not have enough time to cook at home, they prefer to go out and eat. In addition, during special occasions or events, there are people who choose to celebrate in a place other than their home and they want to taste different types of foods.

    Considering the fact that people need to eat, somehow you can be assured that the chance of your business to become a failure is smaller and this is another reason why you should be in a restaurant business. As long as you know what the people want and what they are looking for, you are going to be just fine. You just have to be creative and imaginative when it comes to the foods that you are going to prepare. If you want a lot of people to come to your place, then you need to come up with something new, unique and delicious. With this, you can surely keep the people coming to your place.

    If you love to cook a large variety of foods, then a restaurant business is going to be great for you. Although starting up this kind of business does not really require you to be someone who loves to cook, it’s definitely better if you do. When you are doing something that you really love, then the results/outcome would be better than doing something that you do not have that much interest in.

    Having a place where a lot of people pass by every single day is another sign that you should start-up a restaurant business together with your passion for cooking. If you have a really good place that’s accessible, many people would instantly know that your business exists and this means that you do not need to spend too much money for advertisements.

    And of course, money is the last reason why you need to be in a restaurant business. Along with all the reasons stated above, if you have enough funds to open up a restaurant, then you should go ahead with starting up your own.

    However, if you feel that you are not really interested in this kind of business, that’s the time when you can look into other options available.

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    Source by Mabel Miles

    Views: 0

  • How Long Do You Grill Pork Loin Per Pound?

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    Introduction

    Whether you are grilling outside on the grill or in the broiler oven, there’s nothing quite as tasty as a grilled pork loin. But if you are inexperienced with cooking this particular cut of pork you may have some questions: How long do you grill pork loin per pound? What grilling techniques should I know about? With what shall I flavor the pork? We will address each of these questions and provide you with insightful tips that will help you make the perfect pork loin dinner for your family.

    Cooking Time — The Short Answer

    The complete answer to the cooking time is a little more involved than simply telling you an amount of time per pound and a temperature to cook this cut of pork and expect it to be done perfectly when the time is up. However, if you were to be given a fairly accurate short answer concerning the cooking time of a pork loin, it would be this: About 22 minutes per pound at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Please understand that there is more to cooking a pork loin than simply pre-heating a grill or an oven to a certain temperature, set the timer, and expect excellent results. Please allow an explanation that will give a little more information before you run off and set the meat on the grill.

    The Complete Grilling Procedure

    The first thing to do, whether you are cooking on the outdoor grill or in the broiler oven, is to sear each side of the pork loin with high heat. Searing it will help keep in the moisture so you end up with a very tender and juicy cut of pork. Cook the pork loin on direct high heat for about two (2) or three (3) minutes on each side of the pork loin. Sear the lean side first, then the fat side. When turning any meat, do not use a fork as it will puncture the seared surfaces of the meat and allow moisture to escape easily. To preserve the moisture always use a pair of tongs to turn meat.

    — On the Grill:

    I am among many Americans who love the taste of foods cooked on the outdoor grill. And what better meat to cook on the grill than a pork loin? Most people don’t think of cooking a “pork roast” on the grill, and technically a pork loin is a pork roast. But because of its narrow thickness, it is the ideal “pork roast” to cook on the grill.

    When grilling, there are common processes to follow regardless of which kind of grill you have.

    1. Pre-heat the grill for searing.

    2. When grilling on an outdoor grill, turn the meat often to simulate a rotisserie. A pork loin should be turned every few minutes to cook evenly and retain its moisture.

    3. In order to preserve the moisture, always use tongs instead of a fork to turn meat.

    4. Searing meat requires that it is exposed to direct high heat for two (2) or three (3) minutes on each side.

    5. Pieces of meat, such as a pork loin, that are larger than chops or steaks should be cooked on low, indirect heat at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If your grill has vents in the lid, cook the pork with the vents open.

    6. A meat thermometer should be used to ensure that the pork loin is between 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit on each end and in the middle. For pork 160 degrees Fahrenheit is medium well and 170 degrees Fahrenheit is well done. Below 160 degrees Fahrenheit you risk food poisoning or worm infection. It is best to check the temperature about 10-15 minutes prior to the completion time so you can make adjustments to the cooking time.

    Once the pork has been seared on each side, follow these instructions for various types of grills…

    • Charcoal Grill: Separate the charcoal into two (2) piles on either side of the grill to allow the pork loin to be laid between them.

    • Gas Grill – Two Elements: Lay a piece of aluminum foil across the middle between the two elements and lay the pork loin on the aluminum foil. Cook on low heat.

    • Gas Grill – Three or More Elements: Turn off the inner elements and allow only the outer two elements to cook on low heat. Lay the pork loin half way between the operating elements.

    — In the Broiler Oven:

    In the cold weather of winter you may not want to do any outdoor grilling. When using a broiler oven you should follow similar procedures as grilling on an outdoor grill. Always use tongs instead of a fork to turn meat. And a meat thermometer should be used to be sure that the pork loin is between 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit on each end and in the middle. For pork 160 degrees Fahrenheit is medium well and 170 degrees Fahrenheit is well done. Below 160 degrees Fahrenheit you risk food poisoning or worm infection. It is best to check the temperature about 10-15 minutes prior to the completion time so you can make adjustments to the cooking time.

    1. Pre-heat the broiler and broiling pan for 15 minutes. If your broiler has multiple heat setting, then set to high broil.

    2. Set the pork loin on the broiling pan fat side up to sear for three (3) minutes.

    3. Turn the pork to fat side down to sear for another three (3) minutes.

    4. Turn off the broiler and turn on the oven. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on the broiling pan, fat side down, for the remainder of the time.

    5. Make sure to check the inner temperature with the meat thermometer at both ends and in the middle about 15 minutes prior to completion of cooking time in order to avoid over cooking.

    — Rotisserie Oven:

    Interestingly enough the pork loin will come out more tender and juicy when cooked in a rotisserie than either the outdoor grill or broiler oven. A meat thermometer should still be used to be sure that the pork loin is between 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit on each end and in the middle. For pork 160 degrees Fahrenheit is medium well and 170 degrees Fahrenheit is well done. Below 160 degrees Fahrenheit you risk food poisoning or worm infection. It is best to check the temperature about 10-15 minutes prior to the completion time so you can make adjustments to the cooking time.

    Because the rotisserie cooks meat faster than either the outdoor grill or the broiler oven, you may need to reduce the cooking time to about 18 or 20 minutes per pound. It is still recommended to use a meat thermometer. However, because the rotisserie automatically sears all sides of the meat there is no need to sear the pork.

    Let It Stand

    For juicier, tenderer pork loin, when the pork loin has finished cooking let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

    Flavor/Seasoning

    A pork loin can be marinated in your favorite flavor marinade in the refrigerator overnight. You will likely find marinades at any supermarket. If you marinate in the refrigerator overnight, you’ll need to puncture the meat several times to allow the marinade to soak into the meat. Follow the instructions on the package of marinade.

    Many cooks prefer to use a dry seasoning rub. Seasoning your pork loin is as easy as liberally coating with season salt, garlic powder, and pepper, then rubbing the seasoning into the meat. You can also place the seasoned meat into a plastic bag and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

    There are also injection methods of marinating that would NOT require overnight marinating. In addition to injection marinating, there are also methods of injecting solid objects such as chopped garlic, chopped onions, or chopped pineapple.

    If you prefer sweeter pork, apple sauce or apple butter (or even pineapple puree) can be injected into the meat of the pork loin. Or a slit can be made down the middle of the pork meat and the apple sauce or apple butter (or pineapple) can be inserted and the pork tied with string every one (1) or two (2) inches according to how you will cut the pork loin when it is done cooking.

    Summery

    In this article we have discussed the answers to questions such as: How long do you grill pork loin per pound? What grilling techniques should I know about? How shall I flavor the meat? If grilled properly a pork loin with all the trimmings will make a wonderful and delicious meal that your family will absolutely love.

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    Source by Michael T. Conway

    Views: 0

  • Weight Loss – How I Went From 340 to 199 Pounds, Part 1

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    I spent two years losing over 140 pounds the old fashioned way: proper diet and exercise. No fads. No pills. No surgery. No crazy machines. I was 30 years old and 340 pounds. With a history of heart disease and obesity in my family, I decided it was time to shed the pounds.

    Almost every day I get people I haven’t seen in years coming up to me saying “Wow! You look great!” and then the next question… “What have you been doing?” That’s why I wrote this article.

    Disclaimer

    Now, of course, as a general disclaimer, I have to say that the tips I’m sharing with you here are just from my own personal experience. I’m not a professional health expert – although over the past couple of years I’ve read dozens of books, and hundreds of articles on nutrition, exercise, and weight lifting. I’m not a doctor. You should, of course, seek your own doctor’s advice before starting any kind of a weight-loss or exercise plan. I firmly believe that with the right diet and proper exercise, almost anyone should be able to lose weight and get fit safely.

    Tip 1. It’s All About Calories

    First, the bad news. Weight gain and loss is directly tied to the amount of calories you eat versus the calories you expend through exercise. What’s a calorie?

    A calorie is a unit of heat energy. Specifically, it’s the amount of heat energy required to raise 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. How this relates to your body is that when you eat food, the food molecules are broken down chemically and that energy is either used by your body to perform work (like building muscle, or constructing new cells) or is stored (as fat). If you take in more calories than you burn, you will start to get fat.

    Now, in the world of calories, it takes 3500 calories to equal one pound of body weight. So, if you take in an extra 3500 calories in your diet this week without exercising, congratulations… you’ve just gained one pound (probably all body fat). The good news is that you can lose one pound of fat by either removing 3500 calories from your diet, or adding 3500 calories of exercise to your weekly schedule, or a combination of the two.

    What’s 3500 calories? It’s actually not much if you’re eating the wrong kinds of food. You can consume 3500 calories in one meal if you eat two Double Whoppers (1010 calories each), a King Size order of french fries (590), a King Size onion rings (600), and a chocolate shake (440). Don’t laugh… this is what I used to eat for dinner if my family went to Burger King… or something similarly outrageous.

    So the bottom line here is that if you want to lose weight, you have to create a calorie deficit. That means you have to burn off more calories than you eat. You had to eat more calories than you burned to get fat… now you have to reduce the calories to get lean. It’s that simple. In order to know how many calories you’re taking in and burning off, you need to write them down.

    Tip 2. Eat Frequently Throughout the Day

    Think of your body as a furnace. You want your furnace to burn fuel as efficiently as possible. In order for that to happen, you need to let it burn hot and steady throughout the day.

    You need to stoke your fire often to keep it burning. Keep your metabolism running all day long by eating every 3 to 4 hours. My personal tip: I eat on hours evenly divisible by 3. That means breakfast at 9am (if I’m up that early), lunch at noon, a snack at 3pm, dinner at 6pm, a snack at 9pm, and if I’m still up another snack at midnight.

    Now, I personally work late (I usually get most of my “real work” done between the hours of 10pm and 2am) but if you need to eat at different hours, that’s fine… Just take the total number of calories you’re going to eat throughout the day and divvy them up into 3-hour intervals. Keep that fire stoked! If you can’t take a break at work to eat every 3 hours, bring a protein bar with you.

    If you skip breakfast, then you’re extremely hungry by the time lunch comes around. Skip lunch, and you’re more likely to gorge yourself at dinner. Why? Your body is saying, “Hey! I need food badly!” If you feed yourself often, throughout the day, your body doesn’t go into shock, and you won’t get those wild cravings and hunger pangs when it’s time to eat.

    Tip 3. Start a Food & Exercise Journal

    Don’t just dismiss this section. I did! The first couple of times I read about doing this in fitness and weight-loss books, I said to myself, “I don’t have the time to do this.” But you know what – it really works!

    I cannot stress how important it is to write everything down that you eat. All you need is a little notebook. Make four columns: what you ate, how much of it you ate, how many calories were in it, and what time of the day you ate it. It’s that simple. Also write down any exercise or other activities that are more strenuous than just sitting around.

    Taking the time to recognize what you’re eating is the first step to losing weight. A lot of people truly don’t realize how much crap they’re eating. When I first started doing this – and writing down everything I was eating – it really opened my eyes to the volumes of junk food I was eating before. I was a slave to cookies, chocolate, chicken wings, and pizza. When I first took the time to look up the fact that a chicken wing has 150 calories in it (yes, one wing), I was astounded. I used to eat 20 wings and 2 or 3 slices of pizza for dinner.

    Now you can get yourself one of those little calorie counter booklets from your favorite book store. Sometimes you’ll even see them in the grocery store. They’re invaluable. Once you get to know the foods you eat on a regular basis, keeping track of what you eat is really quite simple. You will gain a better appreciation for what you’re putting in your body.

    So please, please, please, take my advice and journal everything you eat. You do NOT have to do this for the rest of your life… just until you hit your goal weight. By that time, you’ll be able to keep a good mental track of what you’re eating, and you’ll be more aware of what you should eat, and how much exercise you should be getting every week.

    Also, you do not have to obsess over every little calorie! Counting your calories can be as detailed as you like. If you want to track every last celery stick, by all means do so. However, you can just round your calories off to the nearest 10, or 20. Don’t worry whether or not something contains 24 or 26 calories. In the end, it doesn’t make that much of a difference… but whether something has 100 or 200 calories does.

    The important thing… and I cannot stress this enough… is write everything down!

    Tip 4. Eat The Right Amount of Calories

    We’re not going to starve ourselves! In fact, proper weight loss is best accomplished by eating more frequently than you’re probably used to! Let me say that again: you’re going to eat more food than you are right now. You’re going to eat better food, more often, but at a lower calorie intake. If you’re like I used to be, you’re probably skipping breakfast. This means that when lunchtime comes around, you’re starving, so you probably overeat the wrong kinds of food (like pizza, wings, Chinese, etc.) for lunch – and I’ll bet it’s fast food or takeout. Then, you don’t eat anything again for six to eight hours, and pack in a monster dinner.

    Now here’s what happens: your body isn’t getting any food first thing in the morning, so your metabolism isn’t getting started. Your “calorie-burning fire” doesn’t get started in the morning, so you’re not really burning as many calories as you should be. Also, your body is saying, “uh, oh – I’m not getting any food. I better hold on to whatever body fat I can because we’re starving!” This is bad. If you don’t eat enough food, often enough, your body will basically go into starvation mode and hang on to whatever body fat it can.

    The key to unlocking your stored fat is to feed yourself enough good food so that your body doesn’t need to store any additional fat, while at the same time getting plenty of exercise and strength training to burn whatever fat you currently have and build muscle.

    There are a bunch of factors that go into calculating metabolic rates and all that jazz, but you can use this chart as a basic measurement of how many calories you should be eating as part of your weight-loss diet. Notice it’s based on your current weight and your gender. Women need fewer calories then do men. Also, if you’re a smaller person, you need less energy than a larger person. Use this chart to determine how many calories you should be eating on a daily basis.

    WOMEN

    Under 130: 1000 Calories

    130-150: 1200 Calories

    151-200: 1400 Calories

    201-250: 1600 Calories

    251-300: 1800 Calories

    301-350: 2000 Calories

    351-400: 2200 Calories

    MEN

    Under 130: 1200 Calories

    130-150: 1400 Calories

    151-200: 1600 Calories

    201-250: 1800 Calories

    251-300: 2000 Calories

    301-350: 2200 Calories

    351-400: 2400 Calories

    Now here’s something that’s vitally important… you want to make sure you get enough calories every day, otherwise your body will go into “starvation” mode. You want to make sure that you eat your meals at least four times a day to keep your metabolism running. If you don’t eat, your body will go into starvation mode. It will realize that it’s not getting enough food, and will hold on to body fat. It’s important to get enough calories spaced throughout the day to keep your fire stoked. Don’t think that by starving yourself you’re going to lose weight. It will be the wrong kind of weight. Remember, your body will eat it’s own muscle tissue first before burning fat if it doesn’t have enough protein.

    Tip 5. Send Yourself to Boot Camp

    Now, if you want to jump start your body on its way to fast weight loss, here’s what you’re going to do. Ignore the charts above, and drop yourself right down to a 1000-calorie-per-day diet immediately. In addition, make sure you get at least 15 minutes of walking (or some other easy, basic, extra exercise) in every day as well.

    You will do this for exactly two weeks… no more… no less. Then, you will go back to eating the normal amount of calories as indicated on the chart above.

    It’s not going to be easy. You won’t be able to eat any junk food for these first two weeks. You can, however, eat plenty of good foods – chicken, salads, whole grain breads, etc. It won’t be easy, but once you get through it, you’ll be able to add lots of calories back in to your diet, and feel more normal again… in fact, after eating only 1000 calories for two weeks, you’ll probably have a hard time bringing yourself back up to 2000 calories (or whatever you should be at).

    Here’s why this works: dropping your calorie intake down to 1000 calories will shock your body into new eating habits. You will cleanse your body of toxins (like those monster grease burgers you’ve been eating) and get some good, healthy food in you. You will notice weight loss after the first couple of days, but you’ll be keeping your energy up by eating good foods at regular intervals. You can stop any cravings you’re having with water, or add some extra veggies in there – you can eat just about as much green vegetables as you want.

    Tip 6. Don’t Think “Fat Free” Means “Calorie Free”

    Everywhere you look, it seems that “low fat” foods abound. While there are certain low-fat or no-fat foods that we are going to eat, you don’t want to restrict yourself to a totally no-fat diet. There are certain fats that are good fats, and other that are bad fats. We’re going to want to eat good fats because they are necessary for proper health. Bad fats, however, will make you fat.

    There are tons of fad “no-fat” diets out there that have promoted the whole “low-fat” mentality. What’s happened? People are still continuing to get fat eating “fat-free” foods. They eat fat-free cookies, fat-free chips, and fat-free dairy products, yet they keep getting fatter. Why? Many fat-free foods have nearly as many calories as their full-fat versions.

    Now, you start eating “fat free” potato chips thinking to yourself that you can splurge… hey, why not? They’re “fat free.” Well, you still load on the calories with fat-free potato chips. It’s the calories that make you fat. In fact, when food manufacturers remove fat from their products, often times they replace the fat with sugar to improve the taste. Guess what… by adding sugar, they’re bringing the calorie count almost back up to where the full-fat product was.

    We need fat. Fat forms lining of the cell membranes in almost every cell of our bodies. Your brain is composed primarily of fat. If you don’t eat enough of the right kinds of fat, your brain will not get the proper nutrition to function. Eating too little fat can also reduce your testosterone levels (equally important for women as for men).

    Tip 7. Know Your Fats

    Saturated Fats are bad for you. They are found mostly in beef, milk, cheese, deli meats, butter, and some tropical oils. Saturated fats increase your risk of coronary artery disease, diabetes, and obesity. Avoid or minimize saturated fat intake. Try to eat low-fat meats like chicken and turkey without the skin, and reduced-fat dairy products. If you’re eating red mean, get the lowest-fat, leanest meat you can.

    Trans Fats are saturated fats that are extremely bad for you. You should completely eliminate all foods with trans fats in them from your diet. These types of unnatural fats are created during food manufacturing processes such as the hydrogenation of vegetable oil. They are usually found in pastries, buns, chips, doughnuts, shortening, and other such foods. If the label says “trans fat” put that product back on the shelf. If the ingredients of any product say “partially hydrogenated” anywhere on it – put it back. One example: margarine! It’s evil. It’s loaded with trans-fatty acids. Avoid it at all costs. Also avoid vegetable shortening, commercial pasties, deep-fried food, and most prepared snacks, mixes, and convenience foods.

    Studies have shown that saturated and trans fats are actually addictive and make you want to eat more. They have also been linked to all kinds of health problems from cancer and heart disease to diabetes.

    Unsaturated Fats, on the other hand, are generally good for you. These types of fats are usually found in nuts, seeds, fish, and grains. Mono-unsaturated fats, such as the types found in olive and canola oil, will actually protect your cardiovascular system from disease. These are the types of fats we’re going to load into our diet.

    – Good fats: almonds, avocado, cashews, flax oil, olive oil, olives, peanut butter, peanuts, fresh fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna)

    – Bad fats: butter, coconut, corn oil, cream cheese, half-and-half, lard, mayonnaise, shortening, sour cream

    Keep in mind that you need fats in your diet, but even the good fats listed above have a good amount of calories in them – so take it easy! A tablespoon of olive oil, for example, as 100 calories. Almonds (which I love to snack on) have 6 calories a piece. Nuts are a great, healthy-fat snack – but just make sure to take a small handful not the whole bag!

    Tip 8. Add Omega 3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet

    Omega fats are unsaturated fats that are not only good for you, but they’re essential for your health. Your body cannot create these fats, so you must get them totally from your diet. Omega fats are helpful for many reasons, plus they are necessary for normal cell growth and development.

    First, Omega fats are an excellent appetite suppressant. Part of the reason why people binge on “fat-free” foods is because fat is what makes your stomach “feel full.” If you aren’t eating any fat in your meal, your stomach never tells your brain that you’re full. Add a little good fat to your meal, and you’ll feel full with less food.

    Eating Omega fats helps your body to unlock stored fat so that you can use it for energy. Omega fat balances your body’s ratio of insulin to glucagon. When you eat sugary foods, your body releases insulin to remove the excess sugar from your system. If you do this too often, the insulin will block the hormone glucagon – which is another hormone that functions to help your body burn fat. Too much sugar = too much insulin = not enough glucagon = little fat burning. Plus, you are at risk for diabetes. Omega fats help to balance this ratio.

    Omega fats help to boost your body’s metabolic rate. This also helps you to burn more calories. Omega fats are the building blocks of your cells. Your cell membranes consist of Omega fats. Since they cannot be created by the body, you must get them from your diet.

    A specific fat, Omega 3 Fatty Acid, is obtained from flax seeds or flax seed oil. This will be the primary fat that we’ll add to our meals. You can use it on salads and in breads, add it to soups and yogurt. Don’t cook with it, however, as the heat will change it’s chemical properties. You will also find good doses of Omega 3 in most seafood, green leavy vegetables, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel), walnuts, olive, and canola oil.

    Have fish for dinner at least twice a week – and I don’t mean your beer-battered, fried haddock that the local pub serves on Fridays. Pick a fish like salmon, tuna, or mackerel. Bake or grill them – don’t fry them. They have very high concentrations of Omega 3 fatty acids in them. Add flax oil to your salads instead of fatty dressings. Snack on walnuts or almonds instead of cookies and chocolate. You will feel full sooner, and you’ll be adding essential fatty acids to your diet to help burn calories!

    Tip 9. Get Plenty of Protein

    Proteins are the building blocks for your body. You need to eat lots of protein for your body to build, repair, and maintain your muscle and other lean tissues. If you don’t eat enough protein, your body will break down muscle tissue, which is bad, to maintain itself. As a result, your metabolism will slow, and you won’t burn body fat. Unlike fat or glucose, there’s nowhere in our bodies to store protein (aside from building muscle tissue) so you have to get a lot from your diet.

    How much protein should you eat? Most people should eat about 0.4 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Therefore, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should be eating between 80 and 160 grams of protein per day. This isn’t hard to do. Eat two eggs for breakfast, and an 8-ounce serving of chicken for dinner, and you’re at 60 grams of protein right there.

    What kinds of protein should you eat? I like fish, chicken (white meat), turkey (white meat), soy products, beans, legumes, and eggs (whites only – yokes have a lot of fat). Soy products are a great source of protein… once you get used to the taste. I have totally switched from regular milk to soy milk. It has all the calcium, much less of the saturated fat, and none of the cholesterol of normal milk (even skim milk!)

    Eat fish twice a week, chicken twice a week, turkey once a week, a vegetarian meal once a week, and then on that seventh day, go ahead and splurge with the pork or beef… just take it easy. Just make sure you choose lean sirloin cuts. Trim off any fat. Beef has a lot of saturated fat in it (it’s marbled throughout the meat so you can’t just cut it off). Beef is the worst meat for you – as compared to the other popular meats.

    – Good protein: beans (any kind), eggs (preferably whites – yolks have a lot of fat), chicken (white meat, no skin), turkey (white meat, no skin), salmon (preferably not farmed), tuna (packed in water, not oil), mahi mahi, any shellfish, any soy products.

    – Bad protein: bacon, ham, hot dogs, beef, pork, lamb, veal.

    In part 2 of this article, you’ll read about nine more tips to lose weight.

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    Source by Richard Rost

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  • Treating Facial Tics and Tourette’s Syndrome With Alternative Medicine

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    Tics may be due to nutritional deficiencies, genetic conditions, Tourette syndrome, immune system malfunction, allergies, or stress. Stress and anxiety can increase the frequency of facial tics. Emotional trauma can cause tics which can disappear when the emotional disorder is treated. Tics due to emotional trauma or stress can improve or disappear with hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), energetic therapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) yoga, Tai Chi, music therapy, homeopathy, Interactive Metronome, cognitive behavioral therapy, HEMI Sync, acupuncture, massage, and scalp acupuncture. Secondary mood disorders can worsen the severity of tics.

    Treating and healing facial tics or Tourette’s syndrome with ordinary amino acids is the basis for Orthomolecular Medicine. Large doses of naturally found proteins called amino acids can repair the imbalance in the brain and repair its malfunction. These amino acids are affordable and are used in therapeutic doses much larger than those levels normally found in food. The concept of orthomolecular medicine is based upon the use of very large doses of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, or botanical extracts for the cellular repair and enhancement of normal brain activities and motor activities.

    Lithium mineral salt may help this patient if there is Tourette’s syndrome, but it would not help for most other types of facial tics. Botanicals that may treat tics and reduce tics and spasms include kava, skullcap, valerian, St John’s Wort, peppermint, black cohosh, dragon bone, prunella, rose hips, Go Teng, Tian Men Dong, Bai Shao, Yin Chen Hao. Orthomolecular medicine uses includes magnesium, zinc, calcium, B Vitamins, and chromium along with the botanicals to support recovery.

    Orthomolecular medicine uses large therapeutic doses of carnitine, tryptophan, taurine, GABA, and 5-HTP. Theanine, GABA, and 5-HTP can work well for tics caused by stress. These amino acids must be used long- term for Tourette’s syndrome and you may want to consider IV therapy in the worst cases for at least nine months.

    This patient may have severe allergies and benefit from the elimination of genetically modified foods. The diet should be altered to exclude unsaturated fats, caffeine, nicotine, artificial sweeteners, food additives, food dyes, alcohol, and high fat meats. Try to eat free range chicken, organic meat, organic or locally produced eggs, and limit red meat to twice per week. You should always eat breakfast relatively high in protein. This may include whey protein, almond milk, or soy protein. Walnuts, yogurt, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pecans are great snack foods ideas. Remember that corn is frequently a genetically modified food. Popcorn can be a good snack food if you are certain that it is not genetically modified. Organic or locally grown vegetables and fruits are the best health options. Avoid foods that are often contaminated with pesticides or heavy metals. Plant fruit trees in your yard for more fresh fruit.

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    Source by R Stone

    Views: 0

  • Holistic Healing for Digestive Disorders

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    The digestive system is very crucial. It assists the body to absorb required nutrients and eliminate waste products. Any problems affecting it can lead to a lot of discomforts. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases estimates that the number of Americans affected by digestive disorders to be 60 to 70 million. Luckily, there are natural, holistic healing remedies that can eliminate these diseases. Digestive disorders include the following.

    Heartburn (acid reflux) is a symptom of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It occurs when contents from the stomach move back into the esophagus causing irritation.

    Gas is simply the air inside your digestive tract. It enters the gut when you swallow it and when undigested foods in your large intestine are broken down by bacteria to release it. Its symptoms include passing gas, burping, stomach pain and bloating.

    • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the contents of your stomach return into the esophagus leading to heartburn. GERD is caused by unexpected relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter.
    • Diarrhea is characterized by loose, watery stools. It leads to malabsorption and dehydration. Diarrhea can be caused by food allergies and intolerances, infections, problems in the digestive tract and medicine side effects.
    • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term used to describe two disorders that lead to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. They are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. They both cause abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, stomach cramps, weight loss, and fatigue.
    • Constipation is characterized by fewer than normal bowel movements (less than three a week) or dry, hard and difficult bowel movements that are painful to pass. Other symptoms of constipation may include bloating and stomach pain.
    • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition that occurs in the large intestine (colon). It leads to bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, gas, and constipation. It is still not clear what causes IBS.

    Nutritional Response testing is the perfect holistic healing remedy to deal with digestive disorders. This form of treatment is pegged on the concept that the body knows and is able to correct its problems. The technique first analyzes the body to identify the root cause of the disorders after which nutritional support and lifestyle changes are recommended to help the body heal itself. Unlike traditional forms of treatment, it does not attempt to mask the symptoms. Instead, it tackles the underlying cause of the problem.

    Holistic Healing

    The first instinct when we experience pain and physical discomfort is to visit a medical professional to address the disease. This is not wrong, and it’s sometimes the best way to deal with the situation. However, physical pain is usually a manifestation of an underlying greater imbalance. Holistic healing appreciates this fact. Instead of dealing with the physical aspect only, it addresses the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects, too. It is not a quick fix. It is a journey to a more balanced lifestyle.

    The body contains different types of chemicals including neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones. Chemical imbalances can lead to many disorders in the body. Some diets can inhibit or stimulate hormone production and neurotransmitters thus leading to chemical imbalances. What appears to work for one individual might not work for another. That is why Nutritional Response Testing is perfect for identifying chemical imbalances. It can be customized to fit each individual’s needs.

    Are you struggling with any disorders? Are you looking for a safe, less invasive and effective treatment to deal with your condition? Nutritional Response testing is one of the best holistic healing remedies. You don’t have to suffer any longer.

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    Source by Dr. Louis Granirer

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  • Social Entrepreneurship – Now is the Time

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    Social entrepreneurship is a major area of interest in many social and civic organizations and has a significant impact on many areas of society. During the past decade economic resources have become more difficult to acquire and society has continued to exhibit economic and cultural decline. Concurrently, communities are in need of initiatives that will enhance their financial viability and programs that will enhance the overall viability of the population.

    Social entrepreneurship initiatives are ventures that can serve as a method of increasing the social value of a community, organization or cause while enhancing the financial viability of a not-for-profit organization. With this being stated, social entrepreneurship has been defined in different ways by many different theorists. Gary McPherson, Executive Administrator of the Canada Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, states that social entrepreneurship involves various individuals working toward meeting social and economic goals simultaneously; while Bill Drayton, CEO of Ashoka, defines social entrepreneurship as a term coined to describe “individuals who combine the pragmatic and results oriented methods of a business entrepreneur with the goals of social reform.”

    A more basic definition of social entrepreneurship states that it is “the process of using entrepreneurial and business skills to create innovative approaches to social problems.” Therefore, it is a methodology that is presently being used to resolve community and societal concerns globally. Social entrepreneurship as an area of specialized entrepreneurship is not defined by the same titling in every culture. For example, in Latin America countries social entrepreneurship initiatives are referred to as “Micro Enterprise.” In India the same program would be identified as a “Social Mission.” Though termed differently in various regions, social entrepreneurship initiatives are being implemented to solve specific societal and community concerns by focusing on the needs and resource availability within specific geographic regions.

    Social Entrepreneurship in Education Throughout the United States, many top tertiary level academic institutions are enhancing their business programs by including a curriculum that caters to the study of social entrepreneurship. In 2003, the Center for Responsible Business was launched on the University of California Berkley Campus. This subsidiary of the Haas School of Business was implemented with the intent of training students to be more principled and socially responsible members of society through attending “the preeminent educational institution in area of Corporate Social Responsibility.” Stanford University also has established a Center for Social Innovation as a part of its graduate school of business. This center was founded with the mission to “build and strengthen the capacity of individuals and organizations to develop innovative solutions to social problems for a more just, sustainable and healthy world.”

    In 1993, Harvard Business School started its social enterprise program with its mission of “generating and sharing knowledge to help individuals and organizations to create social value in the not-for-profit, private and public sectors,” and the University of Miami has refocused its business school curriculum to include coursework in the areas of ethical-decision making, social entrepreneurship and community engagement with the primary focus being to expose students to various areas of civic engagement while concurrently teaching them leadership and team building skills.

    Tertiary level institutions, including Duke, which has established a Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship as part of its Fuqua School of Business, and Columbia University where the research initiative on social entrepreneurship is embedded in its school of business, have also made strides to enhance the study and education of those seeking to venture into areas of social entrepreneurship and social venture implementation. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International (AACSB – International) has identified over twenty-four tertiary level institutions that have included social entrepreneurship as a part of their business college and or business curriculums.

    With social entrepreneurship being perceived by many as a new way of stimulating social change, Idee Winfield believes that the implementation of community-focused service learning projects is the first step in exposing youth to the various attributes associated with social entrepreneurship. Through community involvement, youth will begin to visualize and experience the various social issues within their community and envision ways to solve these problems. Winfield states that social entrepreneurship should be promoted in primary and secondary education, and coursework should be adjusted to allow students to “see how abstract socially focused concepts can have real world applicability.” Jeffrey Soderborg, a member of the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Clearinghouse on Entrepreneurship Education, is also an ardent proponent of social venture education who believes that social entrepreneurship would be more readily accepted if youth were exposed to information expounding the laurels of these initiatives during their primary and secondary academic years.

    As youth expand their horizons through the establishment of entrepreneurial efforts, knowledge and exposure to information about the process involved in the establishment of entrepreneurial business effectively plays a major role in the rate at which business entities are established. A study focusing on entrepreneurial interests among black youth ages 14 to 19 identified that 75% of the youth surveyed had interest in becoming entrepreneur. The study also found that these minority youth believed that more information about entrepreneurship should be presented through their schools. They also believed that entrepreneurs have a responsibility to reinvest in their community.

    Corporate Social Responsibility

    Personal values often serve as the justification for entrepreneurs to focus organizational efforts on socially focused ventures. The organizational decision to forgo pursuing financial gain with the intent of using the corporations’ profit resources to enhance a community is often referred to corporate social entrepreneurship. Corporate Social Entrepreneur (CSE) is a term used to describe corporate initiatives whose primary focus is to enhance a social concern and whose secondary focus is financial gain. The corporate social entrepreneur differs from the financial profit seeking entrepreneur in the area of decisions made that affect the community and environment in which their organization functions. Research identified that in corporate social entrepreneurship business acumen serves as a factor in the success or failure of social venture initiative implementation. Research identifies that success factors associated with the implementation of social responsibility initiatives were linked to whether the entrepreneur exhibits behavior that is moral, amoral or immoral.

    The amoral entrepreneur would pursue initiatives only if they were deemed acceptable by the organization as a whole. The immoral entrepreneur implements initiatives based on what can be potentially gained for self as well as for the stakeholders, while the moral entrepreneur would pursue social responsibility initiatives based on what was in the best interest of the organization. Individuals identified as corporate social entrepreneurs are individuals who are more active in community activities and are actively involved in social responsibility efforts. Corporate social entrepreneurs also are more likely to implement social responsibility initiatives based on an organization’s long term objectives.

    While many corporations are looking for ways to increase their social responsibility efforts, in some regions corporate responsibility efforts are not progressing. A policy paper, “Corporate Social Responsibility in Latin America and the Caribbean,” documented that corporate social responsibility activity in this region has “stalled.” The reason for stagnation in this region is “minimal government involvement” and the lack of “private sector involvement.” It was also identified that initiatives to implement programs focusing on social responsibility are often initiated outside of the market, and then subsequently not embraced by stakeholders who reside within this geographic region.

    Corporations are continually looking for ways to increase corporate advantage through their social responsibility efforts. While proponents of corporate social responsibility believe that corporations are obligated morally to engage in efforts to enhance social, community and environmental concerns, many stakeholders believe that social involvement should only be initiated if the efforts are going to strengthen the organization’s image, brand, moral or stock value. With this in mind, corporations have separated social issues into specific categories.

    These categories are social concerns that are general, social concerns that are value chain based and concerns that focus on social dimensions of competitive contrast. Generic social issues are identified as social concerns that do not directly affect the company’s operation and do not have an effect on a company’s competitive advantage. Corporations are least likely to get involved or invest in projects that focus in these areas because they will not receive a high value of return on their involvement. Value Chain Social Impact issues can significantly affect a company’s operation and can have an impact on the way a company conducts business. Corporations are more likely to be involved in value chain concerns, but only after conducting due diligence studies to ensure that a return on investment will be achieved over time.

    Social issues that affect a company’s financial profitability or serve to enhance or increase a company’s competitive edge are likely to be areas that a company will invest in because of the direct impact that these initiatives will have on the company’s overall viability and stability. An example of a social dimension projects is General Electric’s investment in under-performing high schools throughout the country. General Electric believes that through investing financial and professional resources in under-performing high schools in areas where they have substantial financial investment, they are investing in enhancing a community, as well as directly increasing their future employment prospects.

    Whole Foods Market is an organization that has taken control of its social value position through purchasing products from local farmers. Also, Whole Foods maintains strict controls over all of the products produced and sold in all of its locations. They even have extended their social and ecological efforts through offsetting the use of in-store electricity with the installation of wind conversion generators, converting their trucks to operate on bio-fuel and trucking spoiled produce to regionally located compost sites. Though the investments in these technologies may be costly at the onset, the long term financial, civic and market exposure benefits far exceed any initial costs incurred.

    In the area of corporate philanthropy many corporations are at a loss. They continue to be involved in the conflict between philanthropic giving and investor requests for increased profits. For this reason many corporations engage in context-giving programs. Context-giving programs are programs that are defined as allotting resources to specific projects that will enhance the community while simultaneously enhancing the corporation.

    Examples of context-giving initiatives include the Cisco System Networking Academy, which trains computer network administrators and provides job opportunities to those who complete the program; the DreamWorks SKG film production program that trains low-income individuals in occupations that are needed in the film and entertainment industry; and American Express Travel and Tourism Academy which trains high school youth for careers in the hospitality and tourism industry. Corporations that invest in corporate-giving social venture programs are concurrently gaining positive return on their social investment, improving the economic climate of the communities where they are located and gaining positive exposure for their organizations.

    At times social ventures do not have the intended impact on the community. A study focusing on the impact of community focused business ventures found that businesses started with the intent of enhancing a community often lose focus by becoming focused on profitability and competition. Competition and self-focused motivators were identified to be factors that played an additional role in the impact and economic role that entrepreneurial ventures have in community settings.

    While many foundations, trusts and philanthropic organizations, accumulate and distribute resources with the intent of providing services to enhance specific community or social causes, many of these organizations are looking for ways to gain public exposure for their efforts. Organizations also attempt to leverage their gifting efforts through seeking not-for-profit organizations that are willing match the funding received. The success of funded programs is evaluated through performance outcomes and indicators, and through promoting the organization’s work through success stories provided by program clients. These methods are viable ways for funding agencies to acquire value and exposure through their philanthropic efforts and simultaneously continue their efforts to enhance the communities in which they invest.

    With the social philanthropic efforts of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates gaining a high degree of attention, and many leaders engaging in activities to promote social advocacy, corporations are seeking ways to also gain exposure with social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship from the corporate perspective can be defined as corporate social initiatives used by a corporate entity as vehicle to show support for social causes. In recent years, many Fortune 500 companies have implemented social ventures with the intent of enhancing their corporate image through providing funding for various social causes.

    McDonald’s is one such company that has funded social causes for many years. McDonald’s primary social venture is the Ronald McDonald House Charities. The Ronald McDonald House provides lodging for the families of adolescents, ranging in age from birth to 18, who are receiving critical care for illness in communities that are away from their community of residence. The Ronald McDonald House allows families to reside in these temporary living facilities throughout the child’s period of treatment at no charge.

    The Federal Express Corporation also funds programs focused on the implementation of socially responsible programs. FedEx is a supporter of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and has been acknowledged by Reader’s Digest as one of “Americas Best Charity Minded Corporation.” Federal Express has also been recognized for providing funding for numerous community and civic organizations, including March of Dimes, Heart to Heart organization, an organization that focuses on delivering food and health resources globally, the United Way and the National Civil Rights Museum. These are just a few of the charitable initiatives that allow Federal Express to present itself as a socially conscious organization.

    Virgin Mobile has partnered with Youth Noise, a not-for-profit organization that brings youth together for networking and brainstorming opportunities, and Stand Up for Kids, the largest all volunteer not-for-profit organizations in the United States, to implement an initiative to expand its corporate social responsibility activities. The project involves recording artists donating ring tones to Virgin Mobile and through partnership agreements, 5% of the proceeds received through ring tone sales are donated to various “Virgin Mobile Charity Partners.” This initiative, established in June 2006, is being positioned to raise over $250,000 annually.

    For social ventures to gain global acceptance, corporations need to become involved in ventures that allow employees and consumers to see the social, community and external benefit of these ventures. This process is identified in countries south of the United States, where the concept of social responsibility is one that has been embraced by many but implemented by few. Many government organizations expect non-government, or private organizations to take responsibility for ensuring the stability and longevity of the resources throughout this region while the private sector is looking toward government agencies for intervention.

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    Source by Paul Van Putten

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