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Stress Busters: Pets

I'm a mother once again! After my son moved away and got married, I thought my " motherhood hat" had been retired. But now I am the proud mother of a Chihuahua/Dachshund mix puppy named Jenny. The peace and contentment she brings into my heart is unmeasurable.

According to U.S. World & News Report, some scientists believe that because animal companionship is uncomplicated, non-judgmental, accepting and attentive, animals are natural therapists. Animals help with stress relief, physiotherapy, depression and short-term memory.

I have always been a cat person myself. I respect their aloof and serene temperament. However, how can anyone resist a puppy who comes running full speed whenever she sees you? Jenny's love is constant, pure and unconditional. She does not care what my hair looks like or that I am still in my sweat pants, or that I have "morning breath." I can confide my deepest, darkest fears to Jenny and she responds by licking my chin; I can sit in quite solitude and she sits by my side; I can laugh and roll on the floor with her and she enjoys our romp.

When my mind is in emotional turmoil she calms me by laying her head on my hand. And, when I wonder why I should get out of bed, she is there to remind me she needs me to take her out to go potty. I know that petting her fur lowers my blood pressure and lightens my mood. When I fall off my diet and eat a candy bar, she doesn't look at me with judgmental eyes, she is there rooting for me the next day when I am back on my low-fat menu. When I feel the walls closing in after days of Humboldt rain I can walk Jenny and get fresh air as well as exercise.

The American Institute of Stress, says that 9 out of 10 doctor visits are related to stress. And of those adults, small business owners have been found to be under more stress due to their responsibilities for their business and employees. If you feel you are experiencing maximum stress levels, after seeing your primary care physician, you may want to consider a pet for tension relief.

However, make sure that owning and caring for a pet won't cause you more pressure. You should carefully research which breed of dog is best for you-a laid back Labrador or a high-maintenance Pomeranian? Maybe your quiet temperament is better suited to a feline for a friend. And don't forget hamsters, rabbits, birds, fish and horses. These are all capable of enhancing relaxation responses and relationship development by dong what they have been doing for centuries-offering unconditional love and friendship.

© 1998, Lani Stites, HumCat Lady Pet Sitting

Thanks for reading and make sure you check out the review on which food to feed my chihuahua by happypooch.

Q & A: Marketing My Business

Note: Although this person provided specifics about her business, we have chosen to maintain confidentiality in order to protect her idea.

Dear Katie:

I have started an email support service (that costs a small monthly fee), and I don't know how to reach the people who could really benefit from my service. I sent out notices to everyone on my personal and professional email list, informing them of my service and asking them to refer anyone whom they thought would be interested.

I have placed ads on Yahoo and some other internet classified sites and I'm in the process of getting a domain name and creating a website. I am also going to list my daily emails as an ezine at various listing sites.

What else can I do to get the word out to homebound, isolated, disabled or ill people who might want to subscribe to my service? I want to spend my time on actually creating and running the service, not on promoting it.

I'd appreciate any help you can give me.

Sincerely,

Miranda

 

***************************************

Hi Miranda,

It sounds as though you have a very interesting idea. Hopefully it can take off for you, although to be honest, most people offer email newsletters at no cost to the individuals, so remember you will be competing with those folks, too.

Most of your questions are marketing questions, and to be honest again, in order to create anything that is successful online, you're going to have to spend a substantial amount of time (or money as you pay someone else) to get your project rolling the way you'd like. Like anything else, once you hit "critical mass", it should take off and almost run itself.

The first thing you will need to do to be "legitimate" in the internet community is to have your own domain name. They're very easy to get, only cost $70 for the first 2 years (note: yes, it used to cost this much – now you can get them for as low as $7/year), and most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should be able to park it for you for no extra charge until you're ready to open your website. In fact, this is something I recommend before you "open your doors" for business. Think about it: a retail store wouldn't start selling stuff from their warehouse, and then expect folks to transfer to the store later.

So, get your domain name, set up your email from there (some hosts even let you park your domain and still get email using the domain name for a small fee prior to actually publishing the site to the web).

Then, or even in the meantime, some other things to consider include using the internet to investigate sites where the people you are interested in will be "hanging out". When you find a site that would appeal to your audience, contact the owner of the site and ask about a reciprocal link. A reciprocal link means that each of you link to the other's site. If your site is already up, you can add the other link first. Letting the owner of the other site know you have already linked to his/he r site will strengthen the attractiveness for linking to yours.

Build your network by building your relationships, and that will build referrals far more quickly. You will need to convince the other owner that you have something to offer him/her in exchange for the link (for instance, a substantial subscriber base, information that his/her visitors may be interested in, etc.).

I like that you offer a free sample. That's a good way to let people know what your product is like before they are required to pay for it. Perhaps you could also offer an incentive for people who send you referrals who "stick" (for instance a free month for anyone whose referral signs up for 3 months).

Now, to be honest for the third time, I need to ask, how much market research have you done? Are you sure there's a market for your services (have you found enough people who will want to pay for them)? Have you found other people who are doing similar things in a different market and actually making money on them? For instance, someone else who has a pay-for-email service relating to a different market segment? You have a lovely idea, but with so much free stuff on the internet, you may well find out that there's just not enough interest by folks who are willing to pay. I recommend you do a great deal of research first, and consider having your service be a free one that supports something else that provides the profit. For instance, provide a website that has all the information online (that you've listed in your offer), some free email services, and then a product or other service for a fee.

You might also be able to offer your service (at a fee) to existing online companies for whom it could become an acillary/free product from them. An example might be a pharmaceutical company, or one that specializes in medical equipment for the home. You wouldn't make as much money per subscriber, but you would be generating an income. One of the secrets to success on the internet is giving stuff away, so I'm wondering about the viability of your idea. Before you get too far down the path , putting your heart and soul into something you think is a good idea, I'd highly recommend you do a lot of research.

If you find you have a viable product, there are several internet marketing programs that can help you promote your business. Unfortunately, you will have to do marketing in some way. Any business that wants to stay in business has to put time, effort and at least a bit of money into marketing.

Good Luck, and let me know how it goes.

Katie Darden

©2000-2010 Katie Darden, Career Life Institute

Reclaiming Our Health

Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the Source of True Healing

Book Summary

You may remember John Robbins from his previous book, Diet for a New America. If not, give yourself a real treat and read both books plus if you have some time try and read the venus factor diet reviews. John Robbins is a scion of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire who gave it all up to follow his own beliefs. He is the founder and guiding force of Earthsave.

 

Reclaiming Our Health was a real eye opener for me. I have realized for some time that MDs are good at dealing with emergency and trauma, but not so good at handling a lot of chronic conditions. This book explores the reasons for this phenomenon.


The author starts with issues of women's health, focusing on midwifery and its appalling persecution by the AMA and other medical groups, as well as the patriarchal attitudes women encounter in the areas of menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, hysterectomies, menopause and other aspects of their physical and emotional well-being.


Moving right along, John Robbins deals with the medical monopoly jealously guarded by the AMA, and explores the alternatives offered by other types of health practitioners. He offers some appalling stories, as well as some inspiring ones, regarding the treatment of cancer.

 

In summing up, he shows the possibilities of partnership between MDs and the tao of badass other types of practitioners. He encourages us to take responsibility for our well-being and to help create a world in which people get the kind of care they need from a variety of sources.

© 1997 Mary Stanleigh

This book is available through Amazon.com. To find out more, click below:

Reclaiming our Health: Exploding the Medical Myth and Embracing the Sources of true Health
John Robbins and Marianne Williamson

 

Tips for Staying Healthy

Staying healthy is an essential factor for having a successful business. According to Dr. Gena Pennington, physician for the Women's Health Services through the Humboldt County Health Department, "Health is more than just physical; one must consider Body, Mind and Spirit, in staying healthy," As we put together our personalized health plan, Dr. Pennington suggests we think about the following areas including hair removal Toronto.

Your Body

  1. Consciously love your body and make a commitment to take care of it. Get your annual physical exams—PAP smear testing, pelvic and breast exams for women and prostate testing for men. Have bone density testing done if you are premenopausal and beyond, unless you need it earlier because there are serious risk factors.

  2. Don't obsess about your weight—if you are a little underweight or overweight, and you feel fine and your blood pressure is good, you probably are fine. Take good care of your teeth—brushing, flossing, and getting regular checkups.

  3. Exercise on a frequent, regular basis. Besides improving your circulation and mental heath, it can extend your life and improve your quality of life. Consider swimming, Tai Chi, Yoga, and/or Chi Gung as additional ways to increase body movement, to improve body tone, flexibility and strength, and to enhance your overall health.

  4. Look at the food you are ingesting. Increase your input of green leafy vegetables, whole grains, pure water, herbal or grean tea, tofu, beans, and limit your intake of protein, coffee, soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks. Remembering to chew your food completely for absorption, and/or take enzymes, if needed, can help tremendously.

  5. Take vitamins and mineral supplements regularly, especially as you get older. Be sure you are getting all the calcium your body needs (400-1000 mg per day) and taking the best-absorbed calcium supplements.

Your Mind

Maintaining a positive attitude can make all the difference in how good you feel. Look at what you can do before taking an "anti-depressant." A good book to review is Beyond Prozac by Dr. Michael Norden. If you are depressed or overly anxious, consider getting some help. In addition to seeing a therapist, look into support groups and community organizations offering help—the Catholic Charity, Attitudinal Healing groups, Women's Resource Centers, Empowerment Retreats through WEI and many others.

Know that our minds need stimulation to remain healthy. Do something new and different for yourself. Take a class or read a new book that stretches your mind. Consciously do something different to stay young and flexible—go some place new, meet new friends, take up a new hobby or sport, etc. When your mind is thrilled, your body feels good and your spirits soars; this causes some great chemicals to circulate in your bloodstream and stimulate your immune system.

Take time to be with friends and loved ones, and fully enjoy happy, joyful moments.

Your Spirit

What are you doing for your soul? How are you feeding your spirit? Whether it is organized religion or your own personal spiritual practice, take time to be in touch with your spiritual self. Create time to get together with good friends, develop a personalized meditation discipline, allow yourself time to garden and "dig in the dirt," as well as spending quality time in beautiful natural settings.

"Backpacking can be as spiritual as going to church," for Dr. Pennington, Just acknowledging we have a spiritual practices into our lives can help us stay healthy and whole.

If you don't feel good, Dr Pennington suggests you "go on a health hunt." First consult with your physician or health care practitioner, and then consider alternative healing approaches as well as traditional medicine. Do some research on your own on this homeopathic hcg through the library, seek out some recommended health books, check out natural food places, and consult with alternative health practitioners specializing in acupuncture, massage, herbalist, homeopathy, etc.

© 1997 Career Life Institute