The Jeffrey And Tracey Info Emporium

Your clients are the backbone of your business. You can’t afford to lose even one of them so you must concentrate on building solid relationships. Relationships with fellow business owners and
your employees are equally important. Building strong business
relationships creates stability for your business because you are
able to give more personalized service. Whether you realize it or
not, your company’s location affects your relationships with others.
Here’s how renting an executive office suite can help you build
great relationships with your clients, business associates, and
employees.

More Time for the Things that Matter

Renting an executive office suite is a solution many businesses
are using simply because it saves time and money. An executive
office suite is an office rental service that goes the extra mile for
you as a tenant. You’re not only renting office space, but also the
features, functions and equipment that are necessary for your
office to operate efficiently. You don’t have the worries of furnishing
your office or keeping up with building maintenance, so you can
focus on your clients.

Network with Surrounding Business Owners

With an executive office suite, you’ll be located near many other
businesses. The suites are usually located in a large business
ark with many offices. You should attempt to build relationships
with other tenants. Visit your office “neighbors” and introduce
yourself. Let them know you are willing if they ever want to
participate in a joint venture. Recommending one other to clients
is a great way to establish an ongoing relationship with your fellow
tenants. These business associates might one day become your
clients, or vice versa. In the business world, this is called
networking.

Pamper Your Clients

Use your extra time and your professional office to build very
strong relationships with your clients. If your client requests a
meeting, you can meet with confidence because of your location.
Take time each month to write out personal “thank you” cards after
a client buys. If you discover something that could really benefit
your client or save them money, give them a call. Spend time
focusing on your clients and their needs to secure their loyalty to
your company.

Guide Your Employees

Also build a solid relationship with your employees. Your
employees can make or break your business. They often provide
the service (good or bad) that your clients receive. Time spent to
build open, friendly relationships with your employees will not be a
waste. Find out their needs and do everything possible to meet
those needs. Learn from your employees how things can be
improved around the office to make work more pleasant or to
increase productivity. Employees are often a valuable source of
information rarely heard. When you don’t have to worry about
everyday office tasks and servicing your own equipment, you can
spend more time working with your employees.

Keeping your business office neat, clean and operational is
important, but without solid business relationships, you’ll have no
need of an office. An executive office suite makes it possible to
have all of these features without spreading your time and energy
too thin.

Grace Corporate Park virtual office service can help you establish a prestigious business in New
York City. We also provide permanent and temporary serviced office spaces.
See http://www.corporatepark.net for more information.

If you watch any golf on TV, you have surely seen the interview with the Saturday leader about what he plans to do the next day to win the golf tournament.

Almost without fail, these great golf stars tell you they will hit one shot at a time. They will play their own game and see what happens. They will stay in the moment.

If there is one thing the average golfer can do to improve their golf, it is understanding this concept and applying it to their game.

What does it mean to stay in the moment. Does it meant to think about nothing but exactly where you are and what you are doing on the golf course?

While some would say Ben Hogan did just that, it really isn’t necessary. What would be the fun in that anyway. Golf should be about having fun and you can do that while playing your best golf.

How many times have you shot a great front nine, only to lose it on the back and shoot your normal score? This happens because you become concerned with your score and began to focus on making a number instead of a golf swing.

The pros all seem to be able to go in an out of their “zones”. When it is time to swing the club, they are 100% focused on what they have to do. Us mere mortals are subject to having anything creep into their mind.

Everybodies mind work a little different, so you will have to find whatever it is your mind needs get into that zone. Maybe find a starting point, an action that you can do on every shot.

It could be a hat adjustment or something similar. Just let that action become the doorway to your zone. In fact, you probably already have such an action in your preshot routine.

Your mind needs to be 100% focused on the shot before you ever address the ball. Once you have selected your club, you should stand directly behind the ball until you are totally commited to the shot you are about to hit.

You should have a good idea of how the swing will feel before you make it. And that is all that should be on your mind. Nothing else. Not the bunker on the left or the score you will shoot if you par in.

Staying in the moment just means having a mind clearly focused on the shot at hand, with no outside thoughts entering the mind. This doesn’t just happen naturally.

You must devote some practice time to getting into and out of your zone. You can improve this area of the mental game and shoot better scores as a result.

Darell is the author of the revolutionary putting ebook Target Putting. His website features free golf tips, a golf tip forum and free golf tip ebooks to download.

http://www.targetputting.com/golftips

My seven year old daughter’s recent haircut had me thinking, once again, about the age-old “less is more” topic. With the waist-length hair cut to an above-the-shoulders bob, suddenly my little one looked so much bigger (and more grown up, too). All that hair was visually dwarfing her simply because of the ratio of hair length to body height.

With hairstyles being quite a deviation from my field of expertise, I was intrigued by the similar effects of cutting back hair to cutting back on the items within a space. “Cutting back” in a room can mean many things:

Using smaller scale furnishings to open up the space;

De-cluttering / removing excess items that create a “busy” feel in the room;

Using fewer by pieces of furniture by selecting pieces that are multi-purpose, such as an upholstered ottoman that doubles as an occasional table.

Proportion, or scale, is one of the most important elements in good design — interior design, graphic design, and obviously hair “design” too. Something quite big just doesn’t work as well when it’s background is relatively small, unless of course the big item is meant to be the only focal point, as could be the case with a piano or pool table in a home setting.

Although I do like the look of minimalism, I have never accepted it as an achievable style for my own home, or for that of any average family. Most of us are comforted by having some personal belongings visible around us, whether they be books, photos, crafts/hobbies, displays of collectibles, or just a special something that has sentimental value. “Cutting back” too much equates with shaving your head, I suppose. Both are extreme. There is a way to find a happy medium.

In under a day, you can revamp your home in such a way that it is no longer being dwarfed by its contents. Here are some simple (and cost efficient) tips to open up your rooms to showcase the space as well as your belongings:

> Busy prints or patterns, especially on large furniture pieces (such as sofas), tend to make the pieces appear even larger. Cover it with a solid-colour or subtle tone-on-tone print, leaving small areas of the original print exposed.

> Reframe photos in matching frames, or use the frames that accommodate multiple pictures.

> Display collectibles in shadow boxes or on appropriate shelves or in display cases that can be hung on the wall.

> Determine if any of your furnishings can be used as multi-purpose pieces, and do some rearranging if needed. For instance, an old-fashioned desk can be used as a console table, while providing you with an instant place to handle mail and even bill paying.

> Look for hidden storage space. First clear out what you don’t need, and make proper use of the storage space you do have; then look for “hidden” storage areas. Storage solutions can be created underneath stairs, above the washer & dryer, wherever you have wasted space in your home… Depending on your heating system, you may have bulkheads concealing ducting; often some bulkheads are put up just to make the needed ones look balanced. Empty, or fake, bulkheads can easily be transformed into storage space. Don’t leave an inch of space un-thought of if you really are short of room to keep your family’s stuff.

> Strategically hang mirrors to reflect windows and doors. Although this doesn’t affect your layout, it creates a sense of more area. On the other hand never hang a mirror at the end of a long corridor or hall as the “long and narrow” will be emphasized, giving a bowling alley feel.

> Use contrast to define space. Make sure there is a contrast between your wall colour & doors and window frames. Have a stronger contrast between your walls and your small furnishings than between your walls and your larger pieces whenever possible.

> Emphasize open floor space with a simple rug that fits within that open space, leaving a border of visible floor exposed.

> Establish a furniture layout that has your largest (highest) pieces of non-focal-point furniture furthest from the entry to the room. For example, a tall dresser opposite a bedroom door will accentuate the size of the dresser, while a small piece of furniture in that same location will accentuate the space your room has to offer.

A trip to your local library or bookstore can provide you with even more inspiration for you home.

Karen S. Weiner is the owner and principal interior designer of Idealspace Design in Montreal, Quebec (Canada). http://www.idealspacedesign.com

You may manage to cleverly invest, acquire a wonderful home and a lavish lifestyle and still not feel as if you have found your pot-of-gold. You may still feel “wanting.” We live in one of the richest countries in the world, but the overall level of happiness here is lower than in many poorer countries. So, the question is, if money can’t buy happiness, what can?

Great wealth, personal success, and even fame is a lot of times a smoke screen and cover up what a person is really desiring. What they desire has substance and depth to it. Underneath it all, at their core they really desire attributes like joy, a sense of aliveness, peace of mind, happiness, connection, and fulfillment.

A Fulfilling Life is:

Special to You - What creates a fulfilling life for one person, isn’t necessarily the right combination for you. The essential ingredients are related but how it is unveiled varies with each person. Embrace who you are and revel in the significance and value you and all you represent bring to this world!

A Medley - Fulfillment isn’t just a by-product of those front page or news worthy experiences in life. The “every day” life occurrences contribute substantially to fulfillment. Here are some examples: being in the fastest checkout lane at the grocery store, finding no line at the post office, finding a “great” parking place even though the mall parking lot is packed with cars of holiday shoppers, and on and on.

All-Embracing - Fulfillment includes every area of our life. And whether we like it or not, each area of our life influences all the others, sometimes markedly and sometimes subtly. If you are not beaming from ear to ear about one or more areas of your life, just be open and receptive for your life to fine tune itself into that which is in your highest and best interest, and it will! With not a lot of planning (or concern) on your part your life will naturally evolve so your puzzle parts are in perfect alignment with each other. And the best part is; all areas will continue to adjust themselves, so your best possible life is available to you at any given time.

Ever-Evolving - What is fulfilling today, may not be fulfilling down the road. Fulfillment is not fixed; it is constantly adapting with our ever- changing life.

Can you stop the stars from coming out each night or the sun from shining brightly on a cloudless day? No, and so it is with the changes that naturally occur in our lives. When we release resistance, we have to change we are automatically carried along in the flow of life with grace and ease, allowing us to be available for all that life has to offer.

Fulfillment can never be gotten from anything we recall from the past, or something we look forward to in the future. Genuine fulfillment is experienced in the present moment, all of your senses are employed and you are filled with satisfaction and pleasure (the stuff that puts a smile on your face). And you know that; Ah hh, this is a great moment. It’s knowing that whatever is going on right now is perfect.

Once you get familiar with these moments, you cannot go back to what was (nor do you want to). An awareness is formed; you get plugged in. You start to experience more and more of these moving and powerful moments until your entire life becomes a truly fulfilling experience.

Here’s one for the road. When you treat yourself as you would someone you really love you’ll experience a level of satisfaction and fulfillment that’s otherwise unavailable. No one knows as much about you as you do. When you need a lift, rely on the world’s expert on you. If you haven’t yet appreciated yourself today, now would be a good time for it. If you have, appreciate yourself for having appreciated yourself. Ah hh, doesn’t that feel good!

Mary Kay Buttery, 2006

A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. - unknown

Mary Kay is a natural healer, passionate that people discover simplicity and fulfillment in their everyday experiences. She facilitates live events and is available for private and phone consultations. Be sure to visit her website and sign up for her, which is filled with inspirational, motivational and helpful information on creating a life you truly love.
If you want Mary Kay to speak at an event in your area or you want to contact her: call 702-239-5451 or e-mail marykay@sfgtd.com.

There has been much attention in the media of late on the transformation of families, Dr Phil’s Phenomenal Family Series and Super Nanny to name a few. I recently had the pleasure of being featured on a radio program, Coaching Corners in New York in which I spoke about creating your dream family by becoming the parent you want to be. Many parents have this hope but do not know where to begin and how to get there. Others know what to do but get side tracked; finding their present state of their family is far from what they want it to be. I hope this article will help those who are new parents create your dream family and those seeking to transform your family. I want to make parenting easier, more meaningful and encourage parents in their efforts withthe following four principles.

First,create your vision of your dream family.

Look beyond the immediate behavior or situation seeking to be changed. Rather than focus on quick solutions, consider the big picture. The big picture reflects the long term or the more important values you are trying to make an impact upon. Corporations and businesses find they are more successful with a vision and mission statement to guide the daily efforts of their leaders and teams. You are leading your family toward a vision.

Here are questions to consider in creating your vision. What are your values and greatest desires for your family? Who are your parent role models and mentors? What families do you aspire to be like? What is your definition of success and happiness for your family? What experiences from childhood do you want to bring or not to your parenting?
When considering your vision, you want to capture the essence of what you value and want to create.

Some examples of possible family visions include:

1. To teach and influence my children to be generous in spirit, have a contribution to make and become responsible citizens.

2. I want my home to be a safe haven, a place of laughter and fun in which my children want to be home and the neighborhood children feel welcome.

3. I want to create a family which values learning and curiosity and celebration of one’s uniqueness.

The above 3 combined can be one family’s vision statement. It is important to note, one’s vision and values are not to be judged. There are different versions of success and happiness.

Second, change yourself and you will have influence over the destiny of your family.
You can influence the outcome of your child’s self-esteem, behaviors, and values through your relationship, approach and modeling. Pay attention to how your communication, discipline methods, use of family time, habits and routines, and activities supports your vision. Many parents seek help with discipline issues. One of the most common errors a parent makes is in focusing on the wished for outcome. It is easy to get attached to the outcome of your efforts. The more attached to needing your child to change, the more likely to become frustrated and unwilling to stay focused on you. So instead, as you approach your child’s behavior and discipline I suggest you 1)be very clear and focused on what you want to create (rather than stop), 2)let go of needing your children to be different, 3)recognize and change your own behavior which interferes, and 4)have faith and patience with the process.

Third, one size does not fit all.

Over the course of my 18 year career working with families, many parents have sought my services to deal with problem behavior hoping to find the ‘right’ strategy to ‘cure’ the behavior of their child. There are some strategies suited for some parents and some to others. Parents sift through many books seeking to find the answer. Some books conflict with others, some walk you through each step with what to expect and how to respond. It can seem overwhelming and confusing.

Instead of searching for the ‘right’ way to raise your children, you can:
Experiment with approaches which seem in line with your philosophy
Explore new possibilities, be creative
Grow along with your children, learning from mistakes, being willing to struggle
Use your unique strengths and skills
Pay attention to your intuition

When you keep the big picture in mind, the choice of parenting strategy will become apparent to you. In other words, have a vision and your approach will follow hence making parenting easier and more meaningful.

Fourth, change necessary areas of your life to support your family vision.
You can make your family a priority without losing yourself or your marriage in the process. Staying on track with your parenting efforts can be supported by other areas of your life. Example areas to keep in check:

Health and well being.

If you are exhausted, you will get in the way of your dream becoming reality. Adequate sleep and leisure time for self are essential. In order to take care of yourself, admit you cannot do it all, acknowledge your struggles, and accept your own limitations. Even, ask for help!

Marital and co-parenting relationship.

It is very important you share a similar vision and approach to parenting. Notice what you each contribute that may be different but equally valued. Give time to yourselves as a couple. Ah, the famous last words, “Remember, when we used to…”

Financial/Professional.

Yes, you can seek financial/professional and family success together. It may be necessary to reevaluate the intent of your financial and work related goals if it is interfering with your family vision.

Create Your Dream Family TELECLASS
Begins May 11th. Two classes offered, 11:00am and 12:00pm
Go to www.baystatecoaching.com for details on class and registration. Email lisa@baystatecoaching.com

Lisa Martelli of Baystate Coaching is a Personal and Career Coach with 18 years experience as a psychotherapist. She provides ongoing one-on-one coaching via telephone and also offers teleclasses, and workshops on location.

The process for finding the right school requires gathering accurate college information. Continuous changes in the educational and career landscape often result in alterations or modifications in an institution. These changes can commonly affect admission processes, tuition, eligibility for scholarships or financial aid, program requirements and other areas. With these changes coming from year to year, it is important to have the most current information possible when researching a particular school. The majority of colleges keeps their information up to date and posted on an official website. This can help the selection and admission process go much smoother.

Accurate college information is especially necessary when it comes to programs and program requirements. One will need to be sure that the subjects offered would be what a prospective student needs. As some colleges only offer as a high as a bachelor’s degree in some fields of study, others may offer a master’s degree and even higher. An individual will need to choose accordingly with his or her ultimate goals. It is also a good idea to look at a school’s policy toward the transfer of credits. This way, students will know what to expect should a change occur in their educational journey.

The holidays are fast upon us and as work at home moms we know how it feels to have just one more thing to think about! Meant to be a time of excitement, joy, memories and fun, often the holidays drive the home based business mom over the edge and into the land of stress and craziness.

But you, Direct Sales Mom, have what many of those stressed out moms need this time of the year. You have the gift of GIFTS! Without having to battle the lines at Kohl’s or the mall, moms can email or call you and have their holiday shopping done without even leaving the house! By adding a little sparkle of “extra mile” to your already excellent customer service skills, you can help busy moms everywhere bring back the joy and fun this holiday season.

So, let’s talk about what you can do in your direct sales business to help these over the edge moms starting today!

** Give them a simple organization gift - Send out a blank wish list sheet to your customer mailing list. Offer it as a gift to new subscribers to your newsletter list too. This can be as simple as a chart with columns and rows for “Name” and “Gift” for them to keep track as they shop. It’s a nice gesture and could be just what an overwhelmed mom needs to help her get organized with this part of the season. You can create one yourself in word or excel, or search the web for some fancier templates. Just make sure it has your resource box on there, “Compliments of…” so they know who to call!

** Offer gift-wrapping and “delivered to their door” service for moms who purchase gifts from you. Yes, it might cost you a little more, but think of the help you’re giving to another mom and the potential for future business you’re generating by the sacrifice.

** Group your products into gift packages. Get creative here ladies. Take a good look throughout your catalog and create lovely packages of complimentary products at various price points. Do the thinking for your customers to take away one more layer of stress. Go beyond just suggesting and up selling and create packages with package pricing so all they have to do is call or email you and say, “I want 3 of that $15 package you mentioned on your email”. Offer the gift-wrapping above and include that in your package pricing to make it even easier for them.

** Provide gift certificate services so your customers can give your catalog and the certificate as a gift. Not only does this help your customer with her stress level, but it gives you the opportunity to win over a new customer as well.

** Most of all brainstorm about what would help YOU feel more relaxed about your holiday shopping this holiday season and then see how you can help other moms in the same way.

Make the most of your holiday selling season by reaching out and helping others. You’ll be glad you did!

Annette Yen lives a full and happy life as a homechooling work at home mom. With over 20 years of direct sales experience she loves sharing her passion for direct sales with other moms. You can find out more about maximizing your direct sales business when you visit her blog at www.sailingtosuccess.com.

Tabriz are one of the most popular Persian rugs. Tabriz is the dominant city of Northwest Iran and is the second largest city in Iran. It has been the center of the carpet trade for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

Tabriz rugs have many unique designs, but the typical pattern is filled with dense floral motifs, large palmettes or vases. Typical colors are dark red and a powerful blue. Newer carpets can also be soft green and brown.

Tabriz carpets come in all different sizes. The majority will range in size from 4X6 feet to 8X10 feet. You can also find rugs up to 10X18 feet.

Tabriz also has several “sub-styles”. These include the Mahi, Naqsheh, and Tabatabaie. The Mahi is commonly referred to as “The Decorators Carpet”, because the colors available can match any room. The Naqsheh is generally considered the most spectacular of Tabriz rugs due to its coloring scheme. The Tabatabaie has touches of orange, lemon green and beige.

The material used for the pile of Tabriz rugs are wool, silk, or a combination of the two. A beautiful blend of fine Kurk wool and silk is the most common in fine Tabriz rugs, with wool only used in those of medium quality. In the very finest Tabriz rugs, the foundation is pure silk instead of cotton, and some even have 18 or 24 karat gold threads woven into the foundation.

The master-weavers of Tabriz often weave their signature into a part of the carpet’s border. These signatures can, of course, be found on extremely fine rugs made in other cities, but a signature on the ‘ceremonial’ border of a Naqsheh is the ultimate in formality and sophistication, the true mark of Tabriz rugs.

About The Author

Jeff Brokob is a freelance writer providing tips and advice for consumers buying Persian rugs of all types including Tabriz Rugs, Oriental carpets, antique, and contemporary rugs. His numerous articles offer money saving tips and valuable insight on typically confusing topics.

It is important that the public not only understand the right ways to lose weight, but also equally understand the wrong ways!

There have been many FAST weight loss systems that have come and gone over years - The Cambridge Diet and Slim Fast are two that spring to mind. “LighterLife” is the latest meal replacement diet to tempt the public. This rapid weight loss programme is intended for those people who need to lose 3 stone or more. Why 3 stone or more you may ask? Well, one simple reason is that the programme FORCES the body to break down its own tissue at such a rate (they advertise a stone a month), that anyone without enough fat and tissue on the body, really wouldn’t last long on the programme at all, and of course Lighter Life wouldn’t earn as much money from them!

LighterLife is a very low calorie diet. Now, there are low calorie diets and there are LOW calorie diets - this is one of those LOW varieties if you get my drift! It provides at best 450 calories per day - I know because I have seen the nutritional breakdown of the sachets and food bars that are used in place of 3 standard meals per day.

Aside from the issues and pitfalls (both socially and psychologically) of living on 3 sachets of synthetic nutrient powder everyday, let me explain further what this does physically and chemically inside the body.

Fast, or rapid and extreme weight loss via hypocaloric (very low calorie) feeding happens because the body rapidly loses water (due to loss of glycogen and protein, both of which contain water), as the body quickly begins to break down muscle, and then fat. It is thought that around 25% of the weight lost on a very low-calorie diet (or low-carb diet) is actually lean muscle tissue.

“So what” you may thinking?

Well, the downside is that it damages metabolism. Long-term, the metabolic rate is driven DOWN to an all-time low, as the body thinks that it is being starved, which it is! FEWER calories are burned on a daily basis, as the body tries to conserve as much energy for “survival”. When calorie intake is increased (which it has to be at some point), although this lifts the metabolism again, it doesn’t increase it to the same levels as before. The body fails to burn the same amount of energy (calories) as it once did, and weight gain (in the form of fat) is faster than it was before. In order to avoid this happening at its very worst, calorie intake must be increased very gradually, and at the same time, physical activity (including resistance exercise to build back lean tissue) must be increased, and maintained. There are still many people desperate to lose weight that will not except that exercise and healthy “intelligent” eating is the key to long-term successful weight loss and weight maintenance.

Paradoxically, exercising while ON a very low calorie diet is NOT healthy - in fact it is dangerous! This is because the body is already in an acidic state (due to the use of ketone bodies as fuel - see below), and exercising without enough carbohydrate as a fuel increases levels of acidic by-products even more. This increases the risk of metabolic acidosis - which can lead to coma and death!
SO…. Those on the LighterLife programme should be advised NOT to exercise all the time they are on this starvation diet. Their bodies are too busy breaking down their own tissue to cope with much else!

We need at least 1000 kcals/day just to maintain our normal metabolic rate and most physiological functions - ideally 1500 kcals to ensure we are meeting all our basic nutrient requirements. Existing on such few calories and forcing the body into starvation mode, means the body must begin to break down it’s own tissue for fuel, and to provide the body with the necessary amino acids (i.e. protein) for many bodily functions. By the way, the heart is a muscle, so there is a danger of losing heart muscle too on such a low calorie regimen - which is not something anyone would knowingly want to do… especially if there is a risk of any form of heart disease in the family.

Being so low in energy (calories) is one reason that LighterLife (LL) works. But another reason for the speed of weight loss has to do with the fact that is very low in calories from carbohydrate (CHO). Remember carbs are our main source of energy. Restricting intake of carbohydrates forces the body to make and use “ketone bodies” as an energy source. Ketones are formed in the liver, mainly from fat, and transported to tissues, as well as the brain.

Blood levels of 2 main ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate) rise, along with the by-products acetone and acetol. You can smell acetone on the breathe of people on very low CHO diets, and it is not very pleasant! These by-products go on to make a substance called glycotoxin methylglyoxal, which consequently also rises in the body. It is THIS substance that can cause blood vessel and tissue damage - something that has been shown in scientific studies. So those people on very low carb diets for a long time (and using ketones as energy) may well be at a far greater risk of vascular damage. This is something everyone should understand when they are considering these extreme forms of weight loss.

Now, not even the Atkins is quite as low in CHO as LL! Three LL sachets provide a mere 24g CHO a day. We need AT LEAST 140-150g carbohydrate to maintain our lean tissue and stop the body breaking down it’s own tissue for energy. However, we need a lot more than this if we exercise or are active regularly. If you try and maintain an exercise programme, while eating a low carbohydrate diet, you’ll find you won’t get very far in terms of increased fitness and increased lean tissue. In fact you’ll lose tissue as the body breaks down muscle to a) use as a potential fuel, and b) to repair the exercise-induced muscle damage. You’ll only be able to sustain a certain intensity, as above a certain threshold the body can only “go up a gear” by making quick-fire energy from glycogen (carbohydrate) stores and of course if nothing is there - you simply feel “flat”, weak and unable to sustain the workload.

I’d like to move onto another important issue, which is never discussed with regard to these weight loss programmes.

The issue of calcium is something that I am concerned about. LL says it provides 900mg of calcium in 3 meal replacement sachets or bars. The first problem is the FORM of calcium used. Calcium carbonate is one of the cheaper forms of calcium, and many reputable supplement companies don’t now use a lot of calcium carbonate - at least if they do it is usually combined with a chelated form such as citrate to improve absorption. There are much more absorbable and better forms of calcium now available. We absorb about 40% calcium carbonate. Those with compromised gastrointestinal function, and especially low levels of hydrochloric acid may not even absorb that much.

The second problem or “flip-side” of the coin is that you can NEVER rely on supplementation alone to meet your daily nutrient requirements, and assume that the body will utilise these just as well as it would from food. Ironically 900mg calcium may be TOO much for the body to effectively utilise in this form, with little else to help its utilisation.

LighterLife provides NO FOOD - but seems to think that’s OK because the sachets give you all the nutrients you need!?

NOT TRUE…

There is next to no fibre (see below) in a daily intake of LL food powder, and of course no phytonutrients and the array of antioxidants that we find in fresh food - all of which have their own wonderful properties and health benefits - many of which by the way are important for a healthy metabolism!

Calcium plays a vital role in dental health. Not only is it the main mineral constituent of teeth, it also plays a role in saliva, where it has been implicated in remineralising tooth structure after acid attack form plaque bacteria. Whether or not a lack of calcium over 6-12 months significantly effects gum and tooth health is not conclusive, but Dental Practitioner, Dr Rob Endicott had some other interesting things to say about LighterLife…

“I am not a fan of LighterLife and am interested in your comments about the problem of the calcium delivery methods in the product. The problem I have with LighterLife is the lack of chewing, allowing plaque and tarter to build up more readily, having a very direct effect on gum and tooth health, and we have seen this in practice”.
Mmmmm… now there’s a thought!

By the way there is the small issue of fibre! There is less than half the necessary requirement for fibre in a “days nutrition” from Lighter Life. Basically bowel function shuts down after a while - the brain doesn’t get any signalling that the bowels are full! Toxins can’t move out through the system so I imagine they are re-absorbed back into the bloodstream, and there is a lot more work for the kidneys to do to excrete waste from the blood. Of course the bowels don’t get a good daily clean either, which is one of the major roles of fibre in the diet!

I shall leave you all with this final comment…

“IT IS FAR SAFER, AND IN THE LONG RUN, MORE EFFECTIVE TO LOSE WEIGHT AT A SLOWER RATE WITH ENOUGH CALORIES, FIBRE, NUTRIENTS, AND CARBOHYDRATE TO PRESERVE HEALTH, AND MUSCLE TISSUE. GLUCOSE IS OUR PRIMARY FUEL, FOR THE MUSCLES AND BRAIN, NOT KETONES. THE ACIDIC STATE OF KETOSIS IS NOT HEALTHY TO PRESERVE BONE HEALTH”.

Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr
Registered Nutritionist
Simply Nutrition

Lucy-Ann Prideaux is a registered Nutrition based in East Sussex, England.
She helps many individuals with weight problems, digestive complaints, food intolerances, and dietary-related health problems.

Visit http://www.simply-nutrition.co.uk

As America’s “baby boomer” generation enters the second half of their lives, we face some heartbreaking choices as to how best to care for our aging parents. Many families are already struggling to cope with these issues, as they are caring for their elderly parents while raising their own children who are still living at home. Stretched to the limit of their physical and personal resources, these families must face the realization that it is time to hire an in-home health care provider. If you are at a loss as to where to begin, below are some tips that will help you to evaluate your needs, as well as those of your loved ones, and to make decisions that will give everyone peace of mind.

First, decide whether you want to hire a caregiver from a state agency or private agency. Usually, a state agency is funded by the state in which it operates, and is considered to be a state subcontractor. A private agency is just as it sounds. It is independently owned and operated, and its clients are called private pay clients. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A caregiver from a government agency is subject to hiring practices that are standardized. Accountability and administrative procedures are taken care of at the agency. Private pay companies are often staffed by a small group of hourly workers. They have their own accountability standards, as with any sole proprietorship. The option you choose may depend upon your financial situation. Private pay service is usually much more expensive.

Get it in writing: Assess the needs of both the family caregiver and the person for whom care will be provided. Use a worksheet to create a “contract for services,” so that it is clear exactly what is expected of the care provider.

Generally, caregivers provide four categories of services (think of the acronym H.E.L.P.): Health Care Services, Emotional Care, Living Independently, and Personal Care Services. Health care services can include managing medical appointments, medications, and physical therapy. Emotional care consists of meaningful social activities, hobbies, a creative outlet or simply companionship. Living independently can require that the caregiver run errands, fulfill transportation needs, go shopping, cook, clean and performs other household chores. Personal care services can include bathing, dressing, and using the toilet.

Both you and your parent should actively participate in the hiring process. Your loved one may have strong preferences about the type of person he or she wants to hire. Make sure that these preferences are clearly expressed in writing. For example, your parent may prefer one gender over the other, cultural similarities, a non-smoker, and so on. You may also want to make note of what type of cooking, shopping and housekeeping routines you prefer.

Get all the info: Most agencies and private pay companies run background checks on their care workers; however, get all the information that is available about the person who will have full access to your loved ones and their home. Be as thorough as you would be for child care.

Check in on occasion. By checking in on your loved ones, you are letting the care providers know they are being supervised. While you may adore the young lady or gentleman who is caring for your elderly mother, you may not know who or what is being brought into the house during your absence.

Recognize the signs of abuse: Isolation from family and friends is one of the first signs of abuse. If you are not allowed unfettered access to your family member, or you believe excuses are being made for your parent’s absence or lack of availability via phone or in person, be sure to look closely at the situation.

Call for backup: Know what options are available for last-minute services should a care provider become unavailable. Have backup options ready. Even caregivers need to call in sick on occasion.

Reevaluate regularly: As health requirements and personal preferences change, so must the services provided. Establish a pre-set date for periodic review of the personal services contract. This allows for maximum flexibility and will give you the breathing room you need to modify or amend the contract, if changes are warranted.

Finally, be sure to express your gratitude. You are hiring a care provider because you either cannot or will not take up this immense task. The person taking care of your parent’s needs is giving the greatest gift they could give. Theirs is a noble profession, one that requires compassion and infinite patience. Be certain that you acknowledge their efforts and show your appreciation for a job well done.

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

Laura Gillson is a speaker, author and educator specializing in disability awareness, advocacy, accessibility and assistive technology. For corporate, community or caregiver training, visit Eloquent Insights at http://www.eloquentinsights.com If you need help with in-home care, you’ll find it at In-Home Insights at http://www.inhomeinsights.com Finally, you’ll discover a site for sore eyes at Accessible Insights at http://www.accessibleinsights.com The author’s email address is lgillson@eloquentinsights.com.