Are Webrings a Viable Site Promotion Tool

Maybe you have seen them at the bottom of website pages, those cute little graphic tables with arrows pointing you in different directions. Or, if you are a frequent blog reader, you may see a more streamlined code of carats and plus signs indicating a jumping point for you to try. These bits of code are known as webrings, and have been used for years as a promotion tool for websites. While webrings enjoy some degree of popularity among specific sites, whether or not they are an effective promotion tool can be debated.

The original purpose of the webring was to connect, by a special code, a group of websites with similar content. For example, sites dedicated to baseball could each have the code placed on a main page, allowing visitors to jump from site to site seamlessly via the code links. If applied correctly by each participating site, a visitor could circumnavigate the roster of themed sites, all the way around and back again, like a ring. At present, there are two major webring databases at Webring.com (which was once acquired, and later dumped, by Yahoo) and Ringsurf.com. While there exist other webring resources, these two provide the most traffic and brand recognition.

As for whether or not involvement in a webring will increase traffic to your site, there are pros and cons to joining:

Pros

  • Involvement in a webring may bring new visitors to your site, who in turn could become regular visitors or provide referrals
  • A listing on a webring directory may improve link popularity if linked from a quality ring or site
  • Research into a webring offers you information on similar websites with which your site could form a linking relationship outside the ring, thereby increasing your chances of link popularity.

Cons

  • Some webrings may require a specific HTML code, which may compromise the design and structure of your website
  • Some webrings are not well-maintained, started by a well-meaning ring owner who lost interest. When sites fold and the ring doesn’t update, there results a number of broken links that will frustrate a Web user.
  • Some webrings may hold thousands of sites, causing yours to be lost in the crowd.

Site owners looking for methods to increase visibility and traffic may wish to consider joining a webring only if it is actively managed and features code that will not compromise site design or structure. With regards to SEO, however, the time is better spent improving the site with solid, relevant content and establishing direct linking relationships with companion websites.

2 Internet Marketing Myths That You Shouldn’t Listen To

When it comes to internet marketing, a lot of beginners have trouble getting started. And more often than not, most of the people who get into internet marketing seem to quickly gravitate themselves towards a job that they don’t like. You should know that you don’t have to suffer this same fate if you have the insider knowledge of how to make internet marketing work for you.

If you don’t believe me, then change some of the things that you are doing now. Are you proactively creating new content everyday? Are you doing something productive online instead of taking a look at other people websites? Are you tracking and testing your marketing campaigns, or are you just “hoping” for good results?

The fact of the matter is that if you want to have success with internet marketing, you’re going to have to do more than just sit back, and wait for people to buy from you. If you’re a complete beginner to internet marketing and you’ve heard the wild claims that you can somehow make money “overnight”… or become $30,000 richer within the next 30 days… you should know that these claims are nothing but fabricated numbers just to entice you to buy their product or service.

Now with that being said, you certainly can have success with internet marketing. You just have to abandon almost all of the things that you may have heard regarding internet marketing, and start focusing on the things that will bring you endless sales and profits continually. It’s not an easy ride, but I assure you that if you keep a clear mind and do something productive each day in your online business… you’ll stand a good chance of success.

I want to share with you some of the common ideas that beginners have when they try to market their website or business on the internet. Everybody thinks it’s a cake walk, when in fact, it’s very tough – especially if you’re in a highly competitive niche. Here’s the first thing that you shouldn’t do when it comes to marketing your business on the internet.

1) Assuming that it’s easy

All the ads you see online about people making money is like a black hole. They suck you in with promises and the next thing you know, you’ve signed up with some “guru” that you have an intangible bond with. The only of this “guru” is to get you to buy more of their products — thereby making them richer, and you out of money.

Take this advice: Don’t believe the hype. There’s plenty of ways to make money on the internet, and your “guru” isn’t the only solution. Let’s take a look at another thing you shouldn’t believe.

2) Not using free online marketing methods

You will have people tell you that you can’t make money without money. But this is certainly not the case. There are good alternatives to advertising, and free marketing methods is the solution. If you have no money to spend on advertising, then take the time to develop content and become active on the internet marketing scene.

Free online marketing methods like article marketing, video marketing, social marketing, forum marketing, and classified ads are good ways to drive traffic to your website. And in some niches, you will get more traffic for free than you will if you were to advertise!

All in all, don’t believe these 2 myths about internet. Stay focused on your goal, and never give up.

Good luck with using these tips to earn more money in your online business today.

Why Your Home Based Business Sucks

Do you know why your home based business sucks? Now I am not “knocking you” because you are involved in an MLM or some other type of business. But what are the reasons why so many are not doing as well in their own business?Let’s take a look at some crucial points to consider why most home based business suffer:1. Personal Development training. Most people think of this as the “rah rah” stuff and really don’t believe in it. Hey I was once a non believer myself! But if you really want something you have never had, you have to change as a person first to believe and build inspiration to achieve. This is the one thing that is lacking in most home based businesses. No one is changing as a person and therefore their business and income isn’t changing too.Personal development training is a MUST for your life and business and you may contact me for suggestions.2. Products or services. Do your products provide value to the market? Many home based businesses such as MLM’s provide, in my opinion, NON value driven products. Magical soaps and lotions? A cure all juice? Will that really benefit you and your family? Most people that get “pitched” on these types of products have the same thoughts “how is this really any different from what I use?”, or “I have to order more stuff every month?” Having products that have REAL value and are in high demand will help your business become more prosperous.3. Your Compensation plan is not meeting your financial needs. I see this many times: people getting into a home based business for the money! They don’t really care about the product. Yes, money is important, but if you are selling products just to make $20 a pop, will this really meet your financial goals? Probably not, unless you want to make $100 a week. First set your financial goals. Now most people think “realistically” which is only telling themselves to limit their dreams. Figure out what you are worth!!4. Sponsorship. Now you need to determine if your business is sponsor dependent or system dependent. Do you have to rely of your sponsor? Most people do. Here’s the problem: Most will join an MLM and want to be sponsored by someone that is doing very well in the business so they may have their hand held. The sponsor may be doing very well in the business but a lot of sponsors (the ones who are true leaders) don’t “hold hands”.This will frustrate the newly sponsored distributor and failure sets in. A business model that is system dependent instead of sponsor dependent will decrease the failure rate, guaranteed! (Remember the MLM Letter I told you to read?)5. Education. Most people don’t know how to run a home business. They get their products, think they understand the comp plan, got their sponsor’s phone number in their pocket and are on their way to making millions! With this industry constantly changing and improving, getting the latest education is a MUST in building your business to where you want it. Most will get some home business training and think that is all they need.IN CONCLUSION:Too many people aren’t thinking BIG!! The home based business industry is so much bigger with opportunity than most think. With education from the top leaders in this industry it is vital to learn from the pros to take your business to where YOU want it!I appreciate the opportunity to serve you today,Greg Schmidt
Home Business Educator

How to Create a Home Based Business Website

With today’s economy, more and more people are turning to a home based business to earn income, as finding a job has become so difficult. Starting a business just seems easier. And for many people this is true. However, you cannot be a successful business today if you do not have a website. Luckily, building a home based business website does not have to be expensive or an unpleasant chore. Follow these easy steps to create your own home based business website.1. Decide what your home based business will be. It can be anything you like, but make the decision before you start building a website. Otherwise your website has no direction.2. Consider what pages you will want in your home based business website. You will likely want a home page, an about us page, and a contact us page. You will also need pages that describe your products or services.3. Write the content for your web pages and create, find or take photos for your graphics for your site. Get all of this in order in advance. If you are selling products, make sure all of your product descriptions and information is in order as well.4. Choose a website builder. You will need a website builder especially if you have little to no knowledge of HTML code, CSS, flash or Java. You want your site to look professional, so choose your software carefully. You can choose from web based applications or software you install on your computer. There are free versions, or you can make a small investment to be certain you have all the features you want or need. Often your web hoster will offer an online web builder, or you can find other web based builders via the internet.5. Decide on how you will take payments on your home based business website. You may or may not need to take payments via the internet. If you are selling a service, you may consider adding a PayPal button. This will require that you copy and paste code from PayPal into your website editor. Alternatively, if you are selling products, you will need a shopping cart. There may be a shopping cart included in your website builder. However, if there is not, there are many shopping carts available for use with your website. Most of them are web based applications, and they run by copying and pasting code into your editor, or by directing people to an outside page to actually order products.6. Determine what other tools you want to include in your website, such as a guest book or contact forms. If these tools are not included in your software, locate them and get the code that needs to be copied into your site.7. Start building your site from the ground up. You should now have everything you need to build your home based business website easily and quickly.

A Home Based Business Opportunity in Network Marketing Still Has Glitter

Searching for an alternative career in an economy that has recently idled millions of workers has many people looking in the broad area of the home based business opportunity of network marketing. Network marketing using the internet has given a new prestige to multi level marketing.Those of us who are familiar with the old, conventional model of the MLM business where you contact your local “warm” market of friends and family to get started has been updated by the newer, internet-based strategies of contacting prospects for your business using online methods.Successful MLM businesses can be launched today without reliance on your local network of acquaintances. The enhanced ability to contact prospective and interested customers and/or partners among a world-wide web audience of home business opportunity seekers has raised the possibilities for success for anyone considering getting involved in this industry.A home based business opportunity in network marketing has never experienced a better time for potential explosive growth than right now. If you have already been impacted by the massive job lay-offs and idling of the workforce, and feel the pinch of joblessness or partial employment; well, you are not alone…There is a virtual army of idled white collar workers who have been displaced in the current economic maelstrom. Job security and career certainty has become a thing of the past for many. No wonder thousands are searching the internet for a home based business opportunity. Network marketing has its place when filling the job-loss gap.Examine Your Resource Base…A word of caution however is advisable to the newly-minted, career-seeker in the home based business arena. Working any kind of legitimate business opportunity takes adequate resources and some initial capital investment – no matter what anybody tells you.You will hear from those who want to steer you into their own network marketing program that if you don’t have much money to invest you can at-least invest your time. Well that’s true up to a point. Remember, we all only have so much time and you’ll want to spend your time wisely too.Today’s savvy home based business person leverages their time by using modern technology to extend their reach and influence in the marketplace. Having sufficient tools and resources to sustain your home business launch is a requirement. Only you (in consultation with your mentor), can correctly gauge the level of commitment you can afford when starting out in a new home based business opportunity, whether it’s network marketing or any other type of home business.As with any business, you’ll need a modicum of income to support the ongoing needs for marketing and promoting your fledgling start-up. Most successful network marketers have built their home based business careers in parallel with working another job or have some other fixed way to finance their part-time career as an online network marketer.If you’re really strapped for cash, the home based business opportunity in network marketing may suffer for lack of the necessary funds to really put yourself in the proper position for impressing others to join your program and/or learn about your products.Realize too, that in many respects you are opening a virtual “store”. Most network marketing programs require a commitment of buying a batch of product monthly to remain an active distributor. It’s usually an estimated $100 monthly which isn’t much, but it does represent an additional outlay of monthly expenses to your household budget.To put things in proper perspective, most start-ups for a part-time home business opportunity are financed on a credit card. Initially, most any kind of home business will normally require you to spend more money than it will return immediately.But considering the relatively low investment cost, the risks can usually be borne by those with some existing assets, or savings already padding their financial situation. Compared with many other business opportunities, unless you have a lot to invest, network marketing (along with affiliate marketing) remains the most viable option for owning your own business.The upside of course is the main attractor; it still remains true that more millionaires are created (not only in the U.S.A. but world-wide), in the home based business opportunity of network marketing than any other enterprise.

Legitimate Green Home-Based Business Opportunities in 2010

With all the world focused on ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, there has never been a better time to get started with one of the dozens of new legitimate green home-based business opportunities. 2010 seems to be starting out as the year the World has finally decided to Go Green and the numbers of new businesses catering to this important issue is growing faster than dandelions in May.If you haven’t noticed, there is a full-on land rush for companies to make new products and offer services designed to help the environment or aid in the reduction of global warming. Businesses all around the globe are jumping into this new green market and trying to capture their piece of the green pie. And why not? This is a wildly important and emerging market that has no end in site. The timing has never been better to get into this new green market. There has clearly never been as many new opportunities for the average person to get involved with the green movement to make extra income. Or even start a full-time, Online, Green home-based business.Have you looked around lately at how many companies are “going green”? Maybe you’ve even asked yourself why? Well, the answer is simple and it should be clear. There is money to be made, and lots of it. Any time there is a new movement which gains favorable public support, there is going to be a rush for businesses to get involved and profit. And boy howdy, how businesses are finding huge profits in this green movement. The best part of it, you can too.Let’s take a minute to consider just how easy it has become for anyone to profit from the green movement. Whether you’re new to Network Marketing or a seasoned, full-time professional, direct marketer, there is no doubt you’ve seen some of new green business opportunities springing up. Simply Google something like “green home based business” or “eco friendly home business” and you’ll quickly see, there are dozens of money making opportunities available that are tied to helping our environment.Perhaps one of the easiest ways for you to find a green, home-based business opportunity that is right for you is to contact one of the many already successful green home-based business owners and start asking questions. You will want to do your due diligence and research what companies are growing and which ones best fit your needs. Realize that not all of the new “green” home businesses will be right for you. Be sure to take a good look at what the product is and if it is something you will use. Make sure to thoroughly examine all your options and seek the advice or counsel of someone who has already gone before you. Remember, the time has never been better for you to get involved with one of the many legitimate home-based business opportunities in 2010.

Management Vs. Leadership – An Assessment of Interdependence

Abstract

Leadership and management have been the focus of study and attention since the dawn of time. Over time leadership and management have been seen as separate entities, but those times have past. It is this paper’s intent to prove that good management is incumbent upon the success and quality of the leadership that drives it, and by proxy, so too will poor leadership bring poor management that will lead to poor results, and decreased levels of success.

From the great minds in management theory: Fayol, Taylor, and Weber; homage being paid to Barnard and Mayo, as well as Maslow, Mintzberg, Drucker and Porter; to the great minds in leadership development: Jung, McClelland and Burnham, this paper intends to examine them all and bring them together as is required in this economy and these times.

Much time, effort, and money has been placed into the study of both management and leadership successes. Mintzberg and Drucker have done some of the best and most informative work at bringing management and leadership together; now, with the rising costs of overhead and decreasing profit margins, now is the time to connect the dots, once and for all.

Leadership and management have been the focus of study and attention since the dawn of time. Reference biblical scripture that questions the leadership decisions of King David and the managerial prowess of Moses and his exodus to the “Promised Lands” (Cohen, 2007); Plato helped us to manage the Republic while Machiavelli helped us to formulate our idea of what a Prince should represent (Klosko, 1995); Shakespeare questioned Hamlet’s decision making (Augustine & Adelman, 1999) and trumpeted Henry IV’s managerial effectiveness (Corrigan, 1999). John Stuart Mill gave us the “shining city upon a hill”, while Hegel taught us the “elements of the philosophy of right” and Marx taught us how to manage a people in his overly popularized (and oft misunderstood) manifestos (Klosko, 1995). Thomas Payne rewrote leadership to the basic levels of Common Sense, while Thomas Jefferson acknowledged that in the management of a people, you must remember that “all men are created equal” and that they maintain certain degree of”unalienable Rights”. Countless others have come to the surface over the span of time, all promoting a new or improved way to both manage and lead their people. (And hopefully yours, too, if you’re willing to pay for it.) However, through it all, one thing has remained constant; people are not autonomous entities that will respond the same to every situation. People are evolving, thinking, emotionally and socially aware of all that is around them; they are motivated through different methods and they are driven by differing levels of success (McClelland & Burnham, 1995). Over time, leadership and management have been seen as separate entities, but no more: it is, therefore, this paper’s intent to prove that good management is incumbent upon the success and quality of the leadership that drives it, and by proxy, so too will poor leadership bring poor management that will lead to poor results, and decreased levels of success. In today’s fast paced environments, management requires leadership; you cannot have one without the other and still attain the success that you desire.

Reference any management text or publication and you will inevitably come across the obligatory references to the great minds in management theory: Fayol – the first to recognize management as a “discipline” to be studied (Brunsson, 2008), Taylor’s scientific management of industrial work and workers (Safferstone, 2006), and Weber’s bureaucracy; homage must also be paid to Barnard, Kotter, Bennis, and Mayo, as well as Maslow, Mintzberg, Drucker, and Porter (Lamond, 2005). These great minds have helped to forge the way for the management field and helped to better management teams across the world. The world of “leadership study” carries quite the similar pedigree; ironically, it also carries many of the same names. It is, however, this author’s opinion that many of the additions to the pool of knowledge on leadership were not made known until the study of psychology was made more fashionable by the likes of Freud and Jung. Management, it appears, is a tool to better the bottom line and productivity, whereas leadership is one of those studies that is to be improved through the person’s ability to be in touch with their personality, traits, motives and effects on the human elements of productivity.

There appears be some coincidence in the timing of the juxtaposition of the terms “management” and “leadership” and the correlation to the fact that most literature post 1950 seems to cross pollinate the two phrases. It is quite possible that this, the historical time for post war boom, is where production was at record highs and management of production was not as key as the management of people Possibly drawn from a social recognition that people were not to be managed, but rather, they were to be valued members of the team, and therefore, to be led – it is speculative, but it appears evident that entering the 1960′s, most literature intertwines the “leaders” and the “managers” into the same professional classification.

Carl Jung (1923) posits that people carry specific traits and that those traits cannot be altered. However, much time effort and money has been placed into the study of both management and leadership traits, tendencies, styles, and successes. Why is this? One belief is that Jung only half analyzes the person and that more than your traits influence your leadership potential (de Charon, 2003). This affords the opportunity for you to learn skills necessary to become a better leader, even if that means understanding who you are and what your tendencies are, in order to counteract them. Jung’s work with personality traits has become the hallmark to virtually every professional development and personal development course on the market. Jung stipulates that every person has any combination of sixteen different personality types. By definition, knowing these personality types helps you to better negotiate your way through the situation in order to attain the maximum output desired (Anastasi, 1998).

Running in concert to Jung’s ideas are those of Henry Mintzberg. Mintzberg stipulates that much has changed since Fayol’s assessment in 1916; gone are the days when the “picture of a manager was a reflective planner, organizer, leader, and controller” (Pavett & Lau, 1983). Mintzberg breaks the manager’s job into ten roles, divided into three areas: interpersonal, informational, and decisional (2004):

Interpersonal Roles
Informational Roles
Decisional Roles
Figurehead
Monitor
Entrepreneur
Leader
Disseminator
Disturbance handler
Liaison
Spokesperson
Resource allocator
Negotiator
(Lussier & Achua, 2007).

Ironically, in today’s interpretation of a leader, one would be hard pressed to find a leader whom is unable to do all of the above, and then some. Mintzberg, in later publications, however, goes much further in his assessment of managers and their roles in the organization. In a collaborative effort with Jonathon Gosling, the two determine the five mindsets of a manager (2003). They break the five mindsets into:

1. Managing self: the reflective mindset; where the effective manager is able to reflect upon the history (current and aged) to create a better future moving forward.

2. Managing the organization: the analytical mindset; here referencing a tennis match, where the manager must be cognizant of the crowd and their reaction, but also focusing on the ball itself.

3. Managing context: the worldly mindset; thinking globally and looking for the unorthodox solution.

4. Managing relationships: the collaborative mindset; where the manager is able to engage the employees and moves beyond empowerment [which "implies that people who know the work best somehow receive the blessing of their managers to do it (Kibort, 2004)] into commitment.

5. Managing change: the action mindset; “imagine your organization as a chariot pulled by wild horses. These horses represent the emotions, aspirations, and motives of all the people in the organization. Holding a steady course requires just as much skill in steering around to a new direction” (Gosling & Mintzberg, 2003, p. 54-63).

Gosling and Mintzberg conclude with one very interesting point. They stipulate that, unlike Pavett & Lau (1983) that good managers are able to look beyond the desire to fix problems with simple reorganizations. In fact, they argue that hierarchy plays a very small role in the actual completion of tasks on the unit level and can only lead to more bureaucracy. Which leads one to ask the question: who is to complete those unit level tasks and solve those problems associated with people?

There is no definitive definition of what leadership is, as it appears to change form and focus for each individual study. For the purposes of this paper, however, the definition set forth by Lussier & Achua (2007) seems to fit best: “Leadership is the influencing process of leaders and followers to achieve organizational objectives through change” (p.6). How do we compare leadership and management? The common misconception is that it is something that should be compared “straight up”, or “even Steven”. Obviously, there are natural leaders and persons in positions of social authority throughout every facility, and yes, it is incumbent upon the managers and leaders to empower those people to support the overall mission. Admittedly, some of these people may never become managers, but their role in the facility is of the utmost importance.

However, as managers are an industry specific entity, it is ridiculous to try and compare leadership to management outside of the constraint of the management role. Recognizing and accepting the constraint of the comparison, it must be acknowledged that in industry, you cannot have good leadership without good management; and in obvious juxtaposition, poor leadership leads to poor success rates for the management. It seems apparent that our management staffs should concentrate on growing employees into leaders, to eventually become managers; but if the managers themselves are not leaders yet, then much difficulties will soon befall upon that company. As Peter Drucker will tell you, it is imperative to build a strong management team, centered around strong leadership. In thinner times, gone are the days of two people for every position. Here are the days when a successful company is able to package good managerial skills into every leader, and good leadership skills into every manager. Failure to do so will result in failure to succeed.

Natural Supplements to Grow Taller Review – Herbal Facts and Marketer’s Claims Review

Why do many consumers take dietary supplements to grow taller? The reasons are varied-many times medically valid, sometimes not. In low or appropriate dosages, some supplements offer health benefits under some circumstances. Some people use supplements with good intention: perhaps in search of protection from or a remedy for health problems such as depression, aging skin, cancer, or arthritis. Still others seek added benefits: perhaps better athletic performance or sexual prowess. Too often, supplement use is based on scientifically unfounded marketing promises. But, some people still claim to undeniable scientific proofs.

It would be great, but boosting your nutrient intake won’t cause your cells to produce extra energy or more brain power. Only three nutrients carbohydrates, fats, and proteins supply energy or calories to grow taller. Vitamins don’t. Although B vitamins do help body cells produce energy from the three energy nutrients, they don’t produce energy themselves. Many powerful drugs and toxic chemicals are plant-based. Varieties of mushrooms can be classified as “culinary delicious” or “deadly dangerous.” In the same vein, herbal supplements should be used with caution! Any healthy natural supplements to grow taller, without proper doctor acknowledgement and governement authority approbation sounds really fishy to me.

Athletes and other physically active people need about the same amount of nutrients as others do to grow taller just more energy, or calories, for the increased demands of exercise. The extra amount of food that active people eat supplies the very small amount of extra vitamins needed to grow taller and have more energy production, too.

Although protein needs are somewhat higher for some athletes, especially for those in strength-training sports, food can easily provide the extra. On another note, physical activity, not extra amino acids (protein), builds muscle. For more on nutrition for athletes and ergogenic aids.

Dietary supplements to grow taller won’t protect you from the harmful effects of smoking or alcohol abuse. Here’s the real scoop: Smoking does increase the body’s need for vitamin C; drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages can interfere with the body’s use of most nutrients. If soil can grow crops, the food produced is nutritious. When soil lacks minerals, plants don’t grow properly and may not produce their potential yield. Growing area does affect a food’s iodine and selenium contents.

Supplements won’t give you instant grow taller results, it would take at least a 2-3 months training for instance. For vitamins and minerals to do their work, they need several hours or several days to interact and do their work in your body. For any benefits from other dietary supplements to grow taller, you likely need to take them even longer. Supplements to grow taller are easy to spot. By law, they must be labeled “dietary supplements.” About eighty thousand dietary supplements are marketed in the United States with multivitamin/mineral supplements being the biggest product category-and with an average of 500 new products launched each year. They’re sold in many forms-for example, tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, powders, and bars.

Do you consume a varied, balanced diet to grow taller? With some exceptions, supplements usually aren’t necessary. If you’re healthy and if you’re able and willing to eat a balanced, varied diet. You probably can get the vitamins and minerals you need from smart food choices. According to national studies, most Americans have enough healthful foods available to do that, yet they may not. Under some circumstances, vitamin/mineral supplements offer benefits and are advised; like those for growing taller.

A woman with heavy menstrual bleeding? You may need an iron supplement to replace iron from blood loss. To enhance absorption, take iron supplements with water or juice on an empty stomach. If nausea or constipation are problems, take iron supplements with food. Absorption may be decreased by as much as 50 percent when taken with a meal or a snack. A woman who’s pregnant or breast-feeding? You need more of some nutrients, especially folate and iron-and perhaps calcium if you don’t consume enough calcium-rich foods. Check the label’s Supplement Facts to make sure you get enough for a healthy pregnancy. Ask about a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement.

Someone unable or unwilling to regularly consume a healthful diet to grow taller? You likely need a dietary supplement to fill in the nutrient gaps. However, eating smarter would be better if you don’t have food-related health problems! Take a supplement with the advice of a doctor or a registered dietitian. For example, pre-menopausal women who don’t consume enough calcium to grow taller and stronger bones from food likely need a calcium supplement-unless they’re willing to improve their diet. Some babies after age six months, children, and teens may need a fluoride supplement to grow taller and perhaps iron or vitamin D.

If you are not able to meet your calcium and vitamin D recommendations with foods to grow taller, you may need calcium or vitamin D supplements to grow taller. Ask a dietitian or your doctor about the right dosage and type. And enhance their absorption by taking them with food. Only food can provide the mixture of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other substances for a health quality that can’t be duplicated with dietary supplements to grow taller alone. Fortunately for most Americans growing taller, there’s plenty of quality, quantity, and variety in the food marketplace.

Enjoy plenty of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods. They provide more for bone health calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and overall health than supplements do. And a varied, well-balanced eating plan offers other nutrients that appear to promote bone density, including magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K

Supplements to grow taller carry labeling, showing the amounts of vitamins and minerals in a single dosage. If you already eat a healthful diet, you probably don’t need any more than a low-dose supplement. Taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement, with no more than 100 percent of the Daily Values (DVs) as a safety net, is generally considered safe. Most nutrient supplements are produced in low dosages.

Supplements with water-soluble vitamins or minerals can be risky if taken in excess, over time. For example, taking extra vitamin B6 has been suggested to help relieve premenstrual tension. Yet there’s limited evidence to support large vitamin B6 doses for relief of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Many women have viewed large vitamin B6 doses as harmless, since they are water-soluble. Instead, they may cause irreversible nerve damage when taken in very large doses above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): 500 to 5,000 mg vitamin B6 per day.

That said, can you overdose on vitamins or minerals naturally as you grow taller with food? That’s highly unlikely. As we mentioned, taking very high doses of dietary supplements or taking too many, too often can be dangerous. The vitamin and mineral content of food is much more balanced fortunately. In amounts normally consumed, even if you enjoy extra helpings, you won’t consume toxic levels of nutrients. So eat a variety of foods-and enjoy! Note: Nutrient amounts to grow taller can add up if you consume a lot of highly fortified foods.

You may take dietary supplements to grow taller for potential health benefits. It’s not uncommon for people diagnosed with cancer, AIDS, or other life-threatening health problems, who are desperate for a cure, to put their hopes and healthcare dollars in alternative treatments, including dietary supplements. However, supplements may offer a false sense of security-and a serious problem if you neglect well-proven approaches to health or delay medical attention.

Drink plenty of fluids with calcium supplements to avoid constipation. The lactose and vitamin D in the milk help to enhance calcium absorption. If you don’t drink milk and want an alternative to calcium pills, consider calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage. One cup of calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage can contain about 300 milligrams of calcium, the same amount as in a cup of milk, and provides vitamin C, folate, and other nutrients. Still, you need a vitamin D source to aid absorption; some calcium-fortified juices and soy beverages are also fortified with vitamin D.

Calcium supplements help to protect against osteoporosis (brittle-bone disease) It can’t make up for your lifestyle choices or poor health habits. Regular weight-bearing physical activity is important to grow taller and obtain healthy bones. For healthy bones, avoid smoking, too.

Vitamin nasal sprays or patches are effective to grow taller? No research evidence says so, even though they’re promoted for faster, more efficient absorption. In fact, they may not be absorbed at all. Here’s the reality check: Fat-soluble vitamins need fat from food to aid absorption. Vitamin C in your intestine aids iron absorption-a problem if vitamin C comes from a spray. Vitamin B12 binds with intrinsic factor made in the stomach during digestion. That cannot happen with a spray or a patch! So that means all the place that try to claim that you could grow taller with that are just scam.

Indeed, herbals and other botanicals have known medicinal qualities helping us grow taller; 30 percent of today’s drugs come from plants. Yet, herbals and other botanical supplements also are sold as dietary supplements rather than regulated as drugs. Like many plant-derived pharmaceuticals, these supplements can offer both positive health benefits and harmful side effects.

On the up side, enough scientific evidence has been collected on a handful of botanical supplements to support their limited use. For example, under a doctor’s guidance, gingko biloba may be used to help treat the symptoms of age-related memory loss and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease); green tea extract may help reduce cancer risk. A growing body of research evidence is being gathered about their safety and effectiveness, as well as their limitations and dangers.

On the down side, like other supplements to grow taller, herbal and other botanical supplements are regulated differently from pharmaceuticals, which are meant to cure or prevent disease. You aren’t as protected from misleading claims as you might think. When you think about the quality and effectiveness of these grow taller methods; you can see that the marketer’s are absolutely in control of the quality…

According to current law and regulations, herbal and botanical remedies to grow taller and other dietary supplements to grow taller can enter the marketplace without FDA approval. The burden is on the FDA to remove a dangerous dietary supplements to grow taller from the marketplace. Currently dosages of herbal remedies aren’t standardized, so dosages vary among products. Some are even copies of the actual real-product that is made by legitimate herbal company; they put the same product name change what is inside and put the same label. Be very careful, you can look up grow taller 4 smarts free scam alerts to be ahead of scammers.

Although packaging claims can’t say that a supplement to grow taller cures or prevents disease, it may carry claims for its purported health role. Many claims have only limited scientific evidence. Are herbal supplements or botanicals are safe during pregnancy and nursing? There’s not enough scientific evidence yet to recommend safe levels for herbal supplements for pregnant or nursing moms. However, some are known to be harmful to a baby.

How to Detect Drug Abusing Teenagers

The effects of substance abuse in teens are not only individual; they can also be seen on the society. They may face problems at school or college and may involve in criminal activities. It is therefore very important to detect drug abusing teenagers. Drug testing should be conducted on a regular basis at schools and homes to identify and save them from harmful drugs of abuse.

Signs of drug abuse
Identifying certain signs helps you to detect if the kid is addicted to the drugs. Some of the common physical and emotional signs are:

• Change in sleep patterns
• Poor motor coordination
• Poor hygiene and illness including nausea and excessive sweating
• Irregular heartbeat
• Impaired thinking
• Mood swings
• Hyperactivity or overtired
• Depression

Drug abusing teens lose their interest in family activities, often abuse verbally and physically at home or school, and disrespect the family or school. In addition, abrupt decrease in grades, memory and attention loss, and lack of interest and concentration on studies are some of the signs at school. The moment you observe any of the above mentioned signs, you need to immediately check if the kid is abusing drugs. Drug testing is one of the safest and easiest ways to detect the drug abuse among teens.

Types of drug tests
There are different types of methods to detect the teens who are using drugs. Some of the common ones are urine, saliva, hair, and blood tests.

Urine drug test
Of all the types, urine testing is used most commonly as it is inexpensive method used to detect a drug user. You can use urine test kits at home or school to check if the child is addicted to illegal drugs. Quick and accurate results are obtained by these test kits.

Saliva drug test
It is more advantageous as it is relatively non-intrusive. Saliva from the mouth is taken through a swab and is checked for the presence of drugs. Most recent drug abuse can be detected by saliva tests. Conducting saliva test is very easy and also provides accurate and immediate results.

Hair drug test
This method is also non-intrusive. A hair sample of 1.5 inches in length is enough for conducting the test. Drug or its metabolites deposited at the hair shaft are detected by hair tests. You can get very reliable and accurate results by this method.

Blood drug test
You can also use a blood sample of the teen to detect illegal drug usage. It is however expensive and you need to approach laboratory as you cannot conduct it at your home.

Detection periods
The detection period depends on the method of test conducted. These detection periods vary from the type, dosage, and frequency of drug used.

Urine drug test can detect drug or its metabolites for 30 days in frequent users and for 2-3 days in occasional users. The test detects Cocaine for 4-5 days, Heroin for 2-4 days, Methamphetamine for 3-5 days, PCP for 3-7 days, and Codeine for 2-4 days.

A saliva test is mostly used to detect recent drug usage. However, it can also detect drugs consumed 3 days back. Of all the methods, hair drug test has a longer detection period. It detects illegal drug consumption for about 90 days.

What if results are positive?
Once the kid is tested positive by drug test kit, talk to him/her about the result. You can get a confirmatory result through laboratory tests. Communicate with him regularly regarding the effects of drug abuse. Ask him to leave companions or friends who are habituated to drugs. If necessary, send him/her to substance abuse treatment program.

Importance of intervention
Detection and intervention of drug abuse at primitive stages can prevent further damage. Drug intervention is an attempt made by family members or school authorities to help the teen get out of drug abuse or addiction. The main objective of intervention is to make the teen understand the physical and mental destruction caused by drug abuse. If you are not able to speak to the kid on this, you can take help of your friends or relatives. You can also consult specialists who counsel drug abusers and help them get back to their normal life.

Parents and school authorities should always keep an eye on the behavior and activities of the teens. Necessary measures have to be taken in order to prevent them from taking drugs.

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

Teen drug abuse became a serious health problem in United States. It is hurting the healthcare system, burdening the economy, and causing millions of deaths every year. Of the many causes that promote drug abuse among teens, lack of parental supervision is a major one. Teens should be guarded properly by their parents as they are still immature.

Since, early intervention leads to effective prevention of this unhealthy habit, parents should identify drug abusing habits in teens and take preventive measures. Parents can take help of home drug testing kits which are effective and easy to use.

In this article, we will discuss about teens and their vulnerability to drug abuse; how to identify teen drug abuse and how important are drug testing programs at home to prevent teen drug abuse.

Teens – vulnerable to drugs abuse: Many scientific studies have already proved that teenagers are more prone to risk taking and are vulnerable to drug abuse when compared to adults. This typical behavior of teens during adolescence is because of the major changes in parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, planning, organization, and emotions. Since teen brains are not yet fully developed, they cannot take proper decisions and fall victims to unhealthy habits like drug and alcohol abuse.

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse: The primary step towards prevention of drug abuse in teens is to identify their unhealthy habits. Prominent changes, both in their behavior and in physical appearance can be noticed even at the early stages of abuse. Following are the warning signs:

Physical and emotional changes:
• Red eyes
• Finding difficulty to speak
• Sudden fall or rise in weight
• Lack of hygiene and showing less interest in personal grooming
• Aggression and arrogance
• Depression and irritation

Social and behavioral changes:
• Dissociation from old friends and acquiring new social group
• Sudden anger or depression
• Poor attendance and academics at school
• Spending time lonely
• Abnormal odor in breath or clothing
• Pipes, needles and other suspicious substances in their room

Importance of home drug test kits: The moment you see the signs that indicate drug abuse in your teen, it is the time to confirm drug abusing habits using reliable methods. They are useful devices for the parents to confirm these unhealthy habits in teens. They are simple, easy to use, provide instant and accurate results, cost-effective and above all ensure privacy. Some multi-panel drug testing kits can detect multiple drugs of abuse at a shot.

Best drug test methods to implement: When it comes to home drug testing, urine and saliva tests are considered to be the best methods. There are two other methods – blood and hair tests also, but they need special devices and expert supervision, hence are not recommended for home testing.

Urine test can detect the drugs in your teen’s system up to three days after use. If you believe that your teen has taken drugs during the last few days, then this method is effective in offering accurate results. However, it is necessary to check that your teen is not providing fake urine sample which can lead to false results.

Saliva drug testing is an ideal drug test if you suspect that your teen abused drugs on that particular day. These kits can detect drug use up to 48 hours.

Need for random drug testing: If you are conducting drug tests on your teens at regular intervals, following a regular pattern, your teen may notice the pattern and either try to manipulate the sample before the test or stop abusing drugs few days before the test. Hence, practicing random drug tests is always an ideal way to identify the drug use which effectively helps in detecting the drug abuse among your teens. Random testing makes teens say ‘NO’ to drugs as they know that you can conduct drug testing any time at home.

Home drug testing kits can be considered as effective solutions in controlling and preventing drug abuse in your teens. So, make sure that you have some of them at home to test your teen to help him stay away from drugs.