Most of us realize eating the freshest, most natural forms of food are the best for us. As Elaine Magee, MPH, RD states in her article Food Synergy: Nutrients That Work Better Together , "Different components in a single food can work together to benefit our health..."
That's why it's so important to even eat the skin of many fruits and vegetables such as apples, potatoes and mangosteens. You find most of the nutrients in the skin.
Because different components in a food work together in a certain way, we need to be leery of products that say they have more of a certain component than other products because if they are adding things or taking away things then we aren't getting the benefits of how that particular food is supposed to be working in our bodies.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD also states, "We do know that eating food as close to its natural form as possible is by far our best bet for improving health and preventing disease."
Be sure that the foods you are eating or the natural products you are using are truly as close to nature as they can be.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Mangosteen Science and Research
Good day to everyone. Today my post is directed mainly to XanGo distributors and anyone wanting to learn more about the mangosteen fruit.
XanGo came out with an announcement about a new website: The Whole Fruit. This site is wonderful.
It contains a lot of information on the mangosteen fruit. I highly recommend that you take time to look around the site. You can learn a lot about the science and research behind this powerful fruit.
XanGo came out with an announcement about a new website: The Whole Fruit. This site is wonderful.
It contains a lot of information on the mangosteen fruit. I highly recommend that you take time to look around the site. You can learn a lot about the science and research behind this powerful fruit.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
God Will Not Take You Where He Will Not Protect You
"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."
You know how your friends and family send you all those emails with the cute little sayings and the cute little stories. So many of them, that you delete most of them without ever opening them.
That's what happens to me and I usually delete most of them but I was glad that I opened the one with the above saying this week.
As you may have all ready read in my previous posts, things have been a bit rough around our house lately. Reading the above statement brought me back to earth. Or should I say, put my eyes back onto the One that created the earth.
In times of trouble and heartache, whether it's in our business or personal life, we have to remember that God is not going to take us where He can't carry us. Sometimes that's really hard to remember when you are in the midst of trouble....like sitting at the hospital realizing that my husband is dying and might not be able to be saved.
We may not be where we want to be but God knows what He is doing. He is helping us grow or teaching us something. We have to remember that God is all knowing. He can see where we are headed. We can't see what's in our future so we have to trust God and listen to Him. He loves us and will always be there to help us through times of trouble.
So after the week I had last week, it was good to open one of those many email stories to be reminded that, "The Will of God will never take me where the Grace of God will not protect me." (paraphrased)
You know how your friends and family send you all those emails with the cute little sayings and the cute little stories. So many of them, that you delete most of them without ever opening them.
That's what happens to me and I usually delete most of them but I was glad that I opened the one with the above saying this week.
As you may have all ready read in my previous posts, things have been a bit rough around our house lately. Reading the above statement brought me back to earth. Or should I say, put my eyes back onto the One that created the earth.
In times of trouble and heartache, whether it's in our business or personal life, we have to remember that God is not going to take us where He can't carry us. Sometimes that's really hard to remember when you are in the midst of trouble....like sitting at the hospital realizing that my husband is dying and might not be able to be saved.
We may not be where we want to be but God knows what He is doing. He is helping us grow or teaching us something. We have to remember that God is all knowing. He can see where we are headed. We can't see what's in our future so we have to trust God and listen to Him. He loves us and will always be there to help us through times of trouble.
So after the week I had last week, it was good to open one of those many email stories to be reminded that, "The Will of God will never take me where the Grace of God will not protect me." (paraphrased)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Heart Attack for the Seemingly Healthy - Part 2
Yesterday, I started sharing about my husband's recent heart attack. After he became a vegetarian he was in fairly good health. He suffered from some gastro-intestinal issues which causes some slight pain and bloating. He tried to catch a falling 40 lb. computer monitor and tore up his elbow almost a year ago and he was still having some pains in his left arm from that. Other than that all of his blood work and blood pressure indicated that he was in good health. Well, reality hit us full in the face very early Tuesday morning.
My husband started complaining that he must have done something to his back because it was really hurting...that was Monday morning. I picked him up from work that evening and he said again that he really needed to get to the chiropractor because his back was really hurting and if he couldn't get in that night we HAD to get him there the next morning before work.
He was also complaining that the spot just below his rib cage was really hurting. He has been dealing with that pain for the last couple of years. His gall bladder had been taken out because the doctors believed it was causing his pain but a few months after his surgery the pain came back.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, my husband woke me up and said that I had to take him to the hospital. The pain was much too intense for him to handle anymore. We still didn't realize that it was a heart attack because the pains were all located in areas that he deals with almost daily, just much more intense this time. Now we are wondering if the pains he has been experiencing over the past several years have more to do with his heart than gastro-intestinal issues and work injuries.
My husband didn't have any pains directly over his heart until he was actually at the hospital. The doctor asked why we waited so long but when we described the symptoms he was having she understood why we couldn't make the determination as to how serious this was.
My husband had a stint put into the large main artery on the front of his heart. They also ballooned a smaller one that branched off of the main artery. After hearing what my husband’s normal diet is, there were very little changes made. As a matter of fact, we got tickled at the dietician when she told him to cut red beef down to two or three times a week. We don't eat red meat but once every 2 to 3 months. He was also told not to add salt to his food. We can still use it for cooking but he can't add any additional. He only adds salt to french fries and baked potatoes.
I wanted to share this information with you so that you are aware that even if you seem to be in good health you never know what is happening inside your body. There are more factors influencing your health than just diet and exercise; genetics and stress to name a couple. Make sure you are aware of the signs of a heart attack and realize that you can get pains other places that directly over your heart and shooting down your arm.
Realize that even though you eat well, exercise, go to the doctor regularly and have great blood pressure and cholesterol levels, you can still be a candidate for a heart attack.
This is not to scare anyone but just to make you aware. Remember to let your family and friends know how much you love them each and every day. God Bless You!
My husband started complaining that he must have done something to his back because it was really hurting...that was Monday morning. I picked him up from work that evening and he said again that he really needed to get to the chiropractor because his back was really hurting and if he couldn't get in that night we HAD to get him there the next morning before work.
He was also complaining that the spot just below his rib cage was really hurting. He has been dealing with that pain for the last couple of years. His gall bladder had been taken out because the doctors believed it was causing his pain but a few months after his surgery the pain came back.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, my husband woke me up and said that I had to take him to the hospital. The pain was much too intense for him to handle anymore. We still didn't realize that it was a heart attack because the pains were all located in areas that he deals with almost daily, just much more intense this time. Now we are wondering if the pains he has been experiencing over the past several years have more to do with his heart than gastro-intestinal issues and work injuries.
My husband didn't have any pains directly over his heart until he was actually at the hospital. The doctor asked why we waited so long but when we described the symptoms he was having she understood why we couldn't make the determination as to how serious this was.
My husband had a stint put into the large main artery on the front of his heart. They also ballooned a smaller one that branched off of the main artery. After hearing what my husband’s normal diet is, there were very little changes made. As a matter of fact, we got tickled at the dietician when she told him to cut red beef down to two or three times a week. We don't eat red meat but once every 2 to 3 months. He was also told not to add salt to his food. We can still use it for cooking but he can't add any additional. He only adds salt to french fries and baked potatoes.
I wanted to share this information with you so that you are aware that even if you seem to be in good health you never know what is happening inside your body. There are more factors influencing your health than just diet and exercise; genetics and stress to name a couple. Make sure you are aware of the signs of a heart attack and realize that you can get pains other places that directly over your heart and shooting down your arm.
Realize that even though you eat well, exercise, go to the doctor regularly and have great blood pressure and cholesterol levels, you can still be a candidate for a heart attack.
This is not to scare anyone but just to make you aware. Remember to let your family and friends know how much you love them each and every day. God Bless You!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Heart Attack for the Seemingly Healthy
I'm sorry that it's been several days since my last post. We have had a rough week around our house. My husband had a massive heart attack around 1:00 a.m., Tuesday morning. I would like to share with you the story of a seemingly healthy man's experience with his heart attack.
Over the course of my husband's life, he has suffered with many different medical conditions. He had a severe heart murmur from birth. He has suffered from migraines and sinus headaches. He has suffered from multiple gastro-intestinal issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diverticulitus, to name just a couple. He even had a bout with precancerous cells in his early 20's but he has never had anything that would make you think he was a candidate for a heart attack.
He has been very active and athletic all of his life. He used to ride his bike at least 5 miles a day. At least once a week during the summer, he would take a 13 mile bike trip to a friend's camp. He would water ski and then ride the return 13 mile trip back home.
He participated in a competitive marching band, playing the tuba. For anyone that hasn't participated in a competitive marching band, we are talking about long hours of practice; both music and marching while carrying a tuba. He also marched in Drum and Bugle Corps during the summer which makes even the hardest high school marching band practice look like a walk in the park. During his time in Drum and Bugle Corp, he would experience episodes where he would have seizures after a performance.
In his early 20's he was on a business trip to Denver. He became very ill and went to the emergency room. When he came back home he took the results of his blood work to his doctor. The doctor told him that he was in great shape for a man in his 80's on life support. That's NOT good news for a 20 year old. He was also told that he had precancerous cells in his body.
After doing some research, he decided the best way to fight his susceptibility to cancer was to become vegetarian...and he didn't mess around with it!
He took a radical approach. He started out by consuming ONLY water for a month. Then he added fruit juices for a few weeks. After the fruit juice he added fresh fruits and finally vegetables. After a couple of years he added small amounts of cheese and egg to his diet. This is the type of diet he lived on for the next 20 years.
Over the past five years he has added some chicken and occasionally fish. About once every two or three months, he might break down and have a steak.
So as you can see, his diet has been a healthy one for over 25 years. He goes to the doctor for his yearly exams and all of his blood work comes back great. He doesn't have high cholesterol. His blood pressure runs right in the middle of the normal ranges. He doesn't have any blood sugar problems. He hasn't exhibited any signs of a heart murmur since his late teens. He doesn't smoke so a heart attack was the last thing we were expecting.
We almost waited to late to get him to the hospital because all of the signs he was presenting were symptoms of other issues he was struggling with. The doctor told us that if we had waited one more hour, they wouldn't have been able to save him.
Tomorrow, I will give you more details of his symptoms and his current prognosis.
Over the course of my husband's life, he has suffered with many different medical conditions. He had a severe heart murmur from birth. He has suffered from migraines and sinus headaches. He has suffered from multiple gastro-intestinal issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diverticulitus, to name just a couple. He even had a bout with precancerous cells in his early 20's but he has never had anything that would make you think he was a candidate for a heart attack.
He has been very active and athletic all of his life. He used to ride his bike at least 5 miles a day. At least once a week during the summer, he would take a 13 mile bike trip to a friend's camp. He would water ski and then ride the return 13 mile trip back home.
He participated in a competitive marching band, playing the tuba. For anyone that hasn't participated in a competitive marching band, we are talking about long hours of practice; both music and marching while carrying a tuba. He also marched in Drum and Bugle Corps during the summer which makes even the hardest high school marching band practice look like a walk in the park. During his time in Drum and Bugle Corp, he would experience episodes where he would have seizures after a performance.
In his early 20's he was on a business trip to Denver. He became very ill and went to the emergency room. When he came back home he took the results of his blood work to his doctor. The doctor told him that he was in great shape for a man in his 80's on life support. That's NOT good news for a 20 year old. He was also told that he had precancerous cells in his body.
After doing some research, he decided the best way to fight his susceptibility to cancer was to become vegetarian...and he didn't mess around with it!
He took a radical approach. He started out by consuming ONLY water for a month. Then he added fruit juices for a few weeks. After the fruit juice he added fresh fruits and finally vegetables. After a couple of years he added small amounts of cheese and egg to his diet. This is the type of diet he lived on for the next 20 years.
Over the past five years he has added some chicken and occasionally fish. About once every two or three months, he might break down and have a steak.
So as you can see, his diet has been a healthy one for over 25 years. He goes to the doctor for his yearly exams and all of his blood work comes back great. He doesn't have high cholesterol. His blood pressure runs right in the middle of the normal ranges. He doesn't have any blood sugar problems. He hasn't exhibited any signs of a heart murmur since his late teens. He doesn't smoke so a heart attack was the last thing we were expecting.
We almost waited to late to get him to the hospital because all of the signs he was presenting were symptoms of other issues he was struggling with. The doctor told us that if we had waited one more hour, they wouldn't have been able to save him.
Tomorrow, I will give you more details of his symptoms and his current prognosis.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Approved Websites
My blog covers a wide variety of topics from information that anyone can use with their home business to specific information for those that are currently working with the same company that I am.
Today's post is going to be specifically for XanGo distributors or those that are looking into becoming a XanGo distributor. Don't panic if you aren't a XanGo distributor. Not all my posts will be pertaining to XanGo. There will be more general Multi Level Marketing entries and more spiritual ones too, so check in often.
Anyway, today I want to discuss the different website options. XanGo is pretty strict about the qualifications for a website so unless you know a lot about setting up a website and really want to go through the approval process with XanGo; it's much easier to get one of the sites that XanGo has all ready approved. Here are the sites that I am aware of. If anyone knows of one I missed, please feel free to contact me and I will be glad to add it to my list.
GoMangosteen Website - This is my favorite site so it's the one I chose for us to use. I like the fact that it gives you many options in how you want to set it up. There are different videos, audios and text that you can put where you would like. I like this option because it reaches many different styles of learners. I would rather read the information than watch videos or listen to audios but I know there are people that would rather watch the videos than listen to audio or read. I love the back office. There is a lot of valuable information there; including the amount of hits you have had on your site. You can get your own GoMangosteen site here: GoMangosteen Website it costs $19.95 per month, which is reduced to $12.95 when you refer two people to them who sign up. If you refer 5 people, the site becomes free to you.
MyMangosteen Website - I really can't tell you a lot about this website. It seemed very similar to the GoMangosteen site. I just liked the colors and look of the GoMangosteen site better. I could not find the cost for this site.
Create My Success - I absolutely love the back office to this site. There are a ton of resources in there. I'm not as fond of the content for prospective customers/distributors. The GoMangosteen site offers a lot more content. I keep this website anyway because I like the resources it offers me. I just don't send my prospects there. The site costs $1.00 the first month and $19.97 after that. It's definitely worth the $1.00 to check this site out. You can get this website at Create My Success
XPowerPro - this site is useful if you like to use streamlining instead of building wide. I like this site but I believe I am going to use a variation of streamlining.
These are the sites that I'm aware of. Again, if anyone knows of one I didn't list, please let me know and I will add it. I hope this helps as you try to promote your business.
Today's post is going to be specifically for XanGo distributors or those that are looking into becoming a XanGo distributor. Don't panic if you aren't a XanGo distributor. Not all my posts will be pertaining to XanGo. There will be more general Multi Level Marketing entries and more spiritual ones too, so check in often.
Anyway, today I want to discuss the different website options. XanGo is pretty strict about the qualifications for a website so unless you know a lot about setting up a website and really want to go through the approval process with XanGo; it's much easier to get one of the sites that XanGo has all ready approved. Here are the sites that I am aware of. If anyone knows of one I missed, please feel free to contact me and I will be glad to add it to my list.
GoMangosteen Website - This is my favorite site so it's the one I chose for us to use. I like the fact that it gives you many options in how you want to set it up. There are different videos, audios and text that you can put where you would like. I like this option because it reaches many different styles of learners. I would rather read the information than watch videos or listen to audios but I know there are people that would rather watch the videos than listen to audio or read. I love the back office. There is a lot of valuable information there; including the amount of hits you have had on your site. You can get your own GoMangosteen site here: GoMangosteen Website it costs $19.95 per month, which is reduced to $12.95 when you refer two people to them who sign up. If you refer 5 people, the site becomes free to you.
MyMangosteen Website - I really can't tell you a lot about this website. It seemed very similar to the GoMangosteen site. I just liked the colors and look of the GoMangosteen site better. I could not find the cost for this site.
Create My Success - I absolutely love the back office to this site. There are a ton of resources in there. I'm not as fond of the content for prospective customers/distributors. The GoMangosteen site offers a lot more content. I keep this website anyway because I like the resources it offers me. I just don't send my prospects there. The site costs $1.00 the first month and $19.97 after that. It's definitely worth the $1.00 to check this site out. You can get this website at Create My Success
XPowerPro - this site is useful if you like to use streamlining instead of building wide. I like this site but I believe I am going to use a variation of streamlining.
These are the sites that I'm aware of. Again, if anyone knows of one I didn't list, please let me know and I will add it. I hope this helps as you try to promote your business.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Father's Day
Since I decided to make my blog about my business and my relationship with God, I thought I would veer from the business theme today and focus more on Christian principles.
I just just felt that with today being Father's Day, I had to stop and honor Godly Fathers; particularly, the ones in my life.
First of all, I want to honor my Heavenly Father. I have to go back to the verse that currently means so much to me:
"11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ( Jeremiah 29:11, New International Version)
I am so glad that God loves me and is there for me, even when I turn my back on Him. I am glad that He has plans and a future laid out for me. It is simply up to me to obey and follow Him so that I can reap the blessings of what He has in store from me.
God blessed me with a great earthly father. My father is one of those quiet, soft-spoken men. My sister and I knew whenever he raised his voice that we had REALLY pushed things to far.
He taught us of God's love from an early age and was a wonderful example of what a loving male should be. I know some people have a hard time understanding that God loves them like a father because of the examples that their father's set for them....about the last thing they want from God would be to loved the way their father's "loved" them.
My father was always there for me. He was there to play with and talk with. He took us on wonderful family vacations...even when I was grown and had a family of my own. He turned down promotions at work because the promotion would mean traveling and time away from the family. I am thankful and blessed that he is still a part of my life and my children's lives. Thank you so much, Dad, for all the love and everything you do for us.
I have to honor my husband too. He is the step-father to my daughters and has done a wonderful job. The youngest one (who is now 16) has benefited from him the most as she is the one that has lived with us.
I heard someone on a Christian radio station last night and they were talking about how important father's are in their daughter's lives. These young girls get their self-worth and image from the way their father's treat them. If father's let their daughter's know of their beauty and honor then as they become young women, they won't have to go from young man to young man looking for what they so longed for as young girls.
I had to come home and tell my husband how thankful I was that he has shown so much love to my daughter and has made sure that she understands her worth in his eyes. For several years now, she goes to him when she has a question about a clothing purchase or something she is thinking about wearing. She understands that if he says she shouldn't wear it, that's because he knows how young men think and he is trying to protect her.
I thank God for the love He has shown me each day. I thank Him for being such a wonderful loving Father and that I was blessed with such a wonderful earthly father and such a wonderful man to be the step-father to my children.
I just just felt that with today being Father's Day, I had to stop and honor Godly Fathers; particularly, the ones in my life.
First of all, I want to honor my Heavenly Father. I have to go back to the verse that currently means so much to me:
"11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ( Jeremiah 29:11, New International Version)
I am so glad that God loves me and is there for me, even when I turn my back on Him. I am glad that He has plans and a future laid out for me. It is simply up to me to obey and follow Him so that I can reap the blessings of what He has in store from me.
God blessed me with a great earthly father. My father is one of those quiet, soft-spoken men. My sister and I knew whenever he raised his voice that we had REALLY pushed things to far.
He taught us of God's love from an early age and was a wonderful example of what a loving male should be. I know some people have a hard time understanding that God loves them like a father because of the examples that their father's set for them....about the last thing they want from God would be to loved the way their father's "loved" them.
My father was always there for me. He was there to play with and talk with. He took us on wonderful family vacations...even when I was grown and had a family of my own. He turned down promotions at work because the promotion would mean traveling and time away from the family. I am thankful and blessed that he is still a part of my life and my children's lives. Thank you so much, Dad, for all the love and everything you do for us.
I have to honor my husband too. He is the step-father to my daughters and has done a wonderful job. The youngest one (who is now 16) has benefited from him the most as she is the one that has lived with us.
I heard someone on a Christian radio station last night and they were talking about how important father's are in their daughter's lives. These young girls get their self-worth and image from the way their father's treat them. If father's let their daughter's know of their beauty and honor then as they become young women, they won't have to go from young man to young man looking for what they so longed for as young girls.
I had to come home and tell my husband how thankful I was that he has shown so much love to my daughter and has made sure that she understands her worth in his eyes. For several years now, she goes to him when she has a question about a clothing purchase or something she is thinking about wearing. She understands that if he says she shouldn't wear it, that's because he knows how young men think and he is trying to protect her.
I thank God for the love He has shown me each day. I thank Him for being such a wonderful loving Father and that I was blessed with such a wonderful earthly father and such a wonderful man to be the step-father to my children.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Why Multi Level Marketing? - Part 2
Yesterday, I shared the difficulties I had in running a "brick and mortar" business and how I sort of "fell" into Multi Level Marketing (MLM).
Just as a review from yesterday, we actually got started with this company just because we liked the product and wanted to be able to purchase it at a discounted price. We did check out the company to make sure that it was a good company with a good compensation plan but we really weren't planning on doing much with the business.
It really wasn't until this past December (after being with the company for 2 1/2 yrs), that I finally said, "We are going to do something with this business!"
So what made me change my mind about getting into another business?
1) We love the product! We are going to use it anyway so why not share it and make some money?
2) There is no need for a "brick and mortar" building. The company ships the product directly to our customers so we don't need to stock it in our home or garage.
3) Since there is no building, there are no additional costs for utilities.
4) Again, since there is no building, I don't need special equipment.
5) Because this product can be used by anyone, my market has now opened up from just the neighborhood around a building to world-wide. Through the internet, I can distribute in the United States as well as in foreign countries.
6) If it takes me a while to build the business (as most all businesses do), I won't go broke.
These are some of the reasons to choose a MLM. One or two of these things might only pertain to the company I am with but most of these pertain to any MLM.
I would say that the first thing you have to do is find a company with a product or products that you are passionate about. Things that you want to use and would be great to share with your family, friends and others.
Just remember it takes work to build a business (unlike what all the ads say). It's not going to happen overnight. Research, learn, ask questions...you will be happy you chose a MLM.
Just as a review from yesterday, we actually got started with this company just because we liked the product and wanted to be able to purchase it at a discounted price. We did check out the company to make sure that it was a good company with a good compensation plan but we really weren't planning on doing much with the business.
It really wasn't until this past December (after being with the company for 2 1/2 yrs), that I finally said, "We are going to do something with this business!"
So what made me change my mind about getting into another business?
1) We love the product! We are going to use it anyway so why not share it and make some money?
2) There is no need for a "brick and mortar" building. The company ships the product directly to our customers so we don't need to stock it in our home or garage.
3) Since there is no building, there are no additional costs for utilities.
4) Again, since there is no building, I don't need special equipment.
5) Because this product can be used by anyone, my market has now opened up from just the neighborhood around a building to world-wide. Through the internet, I can distribute in the United States as well as in foreign countries.
6) If it takes me a while to build the business (as most all businesses do), I won't go broke.
These are some of the reasons to choose a MLM. One or two of these things might only pertain to the company I am with but most of these pertain to any MLM.
I would say that the first thing you have to do is find a company with a product or products that you are passionate about. Things that you want to use and would be great to share with your family, friends and others.
Just remember it takes work to build a business (unlike what all the ads say). It's not going to happen overnight. Research, learn, ask questions...you will be happy you chose a MLM.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Why Multi Level Marketing?
Why Multi Level Marketing (MLM)? Well, it's a good fit for me. As I mentioned in my previous post, I tried to open my own business. It was a small Christian Preschool. My husband and I both really felt that the Lord was leading us to do this and many doors were open so we could do it.
The downfalls to opening a "brick and mortar" business:
1) I had to have "brick and mortar"...a place to house my preschool. Our home wasn't an option. I found a place that cost $1000.00 a month.
2) I had to have equipment...tables, chairs, books, toys, craft supplies, etc.
3) I had to pay utilities...phone, electric, etc.
4) I HAD to have children...if I didn't have enough children I couldn't pay the bills.
5) I had to advertise...of course I could only advertise to a limited area. Only people that lived
near the location of the preschool would be interested.
Well, I found everything that I needed except for enough children to cover the bills. I ran the preschool at a deficit for 3 years. It got so bad and money was so tight that I couldn't advertise but if I didn't advertise how would people hear about us and come. I finally had to close the doors.
Shortly after closing the doors to the preschool, I went to work for a friend. He introduced me to a product that was distributed through a MLM. Understand, I was NOT interested in getting into another business! And I was VERY skeptical about the product.
My husband and I used it and saw improvements to our health but I still couldn't believe it. I did a lot of research on my own. I wanted to see what I could find out from sources other than the company that distributed this product. I found enough information to ease some of my skepticism but I still DID NOT want to start another business but we did sign up as distributors so we could get the product cheaper.
So what were some of the reasons we ended up signing up with this MLM?
1) We loved the product and wanted to get it cheaper.
2) We didn't HAVE to go to meetings.
3) We didn't HAVE to do a certain amount of business or reach a certain level to continue to
get the product at a discounted rate.
So after three years why have we continued in Multi Level Marketing?...well, I guess you will have to check in tomorrow, if you want the answer to that one.
The downfalls to opening a "brick and mortar" business:
1) I had to have "brick and mortar"...a place to house my preschool. Our home wasn't an option. I found a place that cost $1000.00 a month.
2) I had to have equipment...tables, chairs, books, toys, craft supplies, etc.
3) I had to pay utilities...phone, electric, etc.
4) I HAD to have children...if I didn't have enough children I couldn't pay the bills.
5) I had to advertise...of course I could only advertise to a limited area. Only people that lived
near the location of the preschool would be interested.
Well, I found everything that I needed except for enough children to cover the bills. I ran the preschool at a deficit for 3 years. It got so bad and money was so tight that I couldn't advertise but if I didn't advertise how would people hear about us and come. I finally had to close the doors.
Shortly after closing the doors to the preschool, I went to work for a friend. He introduced me to a product that was distributed through a MLM. Understand, I was NOT interested in getting into another business! And I was VERY skeptical about the product.
My husband and I used it and saw improvements to our health but I still couldn't believe it. I did a lot of research on my own. I wanted to see what I could find out from sources other than the company that distributed this product. I found enough information to ease some of my skepticism but I still DID NOT want to start another business but we did sign up as distributors so we could get the product cheaper.
So what were some of the reasons we ended up signing up with this MLM?
1) We loved the product and wanted to get it cheaper.
2) We didn't HAVE to go to meetings.
3) We didn't HAVE to do a certain amount of business or reach a certain level to continue to
get the product at a discounted rate.
So after three years why have we continued in Multi Level Marketing?...well, I guess you will have to check in tomorrow, if you want the answer to that one.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Free Marketing Isn't Free
We have had some hard times; a business closing, a husband that had to have emergency surgery and out of work for a month. That put us into a very tight financial situation. Finding money to pay bills has been difficult, let alone trying to find money to advertise our business. There are a lot of ways to advertise for "free" but even "free" costs you something.
I love this quote I found in "Make Money Online-Can You Do It" on the Social Networking Blog.
"What you lack in money you must make up in time. What you lack in time you can make up with money. You have to invest something and most people have more time than money."
Free has cost me time. It takes time to research and submit ads to free ad sites. It takes time to post in forums and in blogs. Is it worth it? Well, the verdict is still out on that one. I haven't been doing any of this long enough to see great results but I have seen increased traffic to my website. That's a start.
I love this quote I found in "Make Money Online-Can You Do It" on the Social Networking Blog.
"What you lack in money you must make up in time. What you lack in time you can make up with money. You have to invest something and most people have more time than money."
Free has cost me time. It takes time to research and submit ads to free ad sites. It takes time to post in forums and in blogs. Is it worth it? Well, the verdict is still out on that one. I haven't been doing any of this long enough to see great results but I have seen increased traffic to my website. That's a start.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
God's Plans to Prosper and Not to Harm
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11
I have recently heard this verse, repeatedly, at a set of weekend retreats, called Lamplighters, that I served on. It has really touched my heart.
Now, do I believe that this verse is saying that God is going to give me a ton of money? No!
Prospering does not only refer to money. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary it also means, "to become strong and flourishing". We can become strong and flourish in our health, in our friendships, in our outlook on life and most of all in our relationship with God and Jesus Christ.
The most important part of this verse, to me, is that He does not have plans to harm us but to give us hope and a future. There are many times that we don't believe that. There are times in our lives when things aren't going well in our relationships or our businesses and we wonder what God is doing to us and why He is allowing these things to happen.
I found a great commentary on this verse and the surrounding ones at Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible.
To put it into my own words...We cannot know God's mind. We may think we need this certain "thing" or a certain amount of money but God can see the future. He can see what having this "thing" might do to us. Or maybe He agrees that this would be a good "thing" for us but it's not the right time. We have to be patient and trust His plans for our lives.
We just have to remember that God has plans for us, "plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 paraphrased)
Thursday, June 7, 2007
MLM, Mangosteen & Christianity
MLM, Mangosteen & Christianity.....sounds like an odd mix, doesn't it. These are things that are utmost on my mind most days so I thought I would share about them and how I see them working together.
Oh, my family is on my heart and mind too but I embarrass them enough on a regular basis so I thought I would spare them from being broadcast all over the internet and just keep their embarrassment on a person to person basis.
First, the mangosteen...many of you may not yet have heard about this amazing fruit. It is not related to the mango. It has just recently been introduced to the United States, yet as early as 600 AD, scribes in southeast Asia recorded the use of the mangosteen as a general remedy and healing agent.
The mangosteen is a super fruit. There are stacks of research and studies that have been done over the last several decades on the health-promoting benefits of the mangosteen. The scientific/botanical name for the mangosteen is garcinia mangostana.
The mangosteen was first introduced in the United States by a MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company named XanGo. XanGo distributes a fruit juice made with the whole fruit of the mangosteen along with a mixture of a few other fruits to add to the taste.
I suppose I should give a definition of what XanGo calls the whole fruit. The whole fruit, in XanGo juice, consists of the inner, great tasting pulp, as well as the nutrient packed outer rind (or pericarp). Some companies that say they use the whole fruit are talking about the edible pulp part only. In their defense, if I were to say I ate a whole orange, I would be talking about the inner fruit, not the skin too. It is important to know what companies are talking about when they use the term whole fruit because it could make all the difference in how nutrient packed the juice is.
So, I've now talked about the mangosteen, what it is and how it relates to MLM but how does Christianity relate to all of this? Well, Christ taught that we are to love one another, serve one another and help each other out. This has been heavy on my mind ever since I got into my MLM company. I can see so many ways that I can help people either with the product we distribute or with the business or with both. I am sure that almost everyone that is working with an MLM feels this way about their product and company whether they relate it to Christianity or not. But my relationship with God and Jesus really drives me in wanting to help others out.
I hear other Multi-level marketers, saying, "You have to find the right people that will do the business. You have to look for driven, marketing style people. You shouldn't waste your time on trying to pull people along and coddle them".
But what if taking the extra time with them and doing extra things to help them become successful worked out for them? What if, by placing people under them to help them out or giving them people helps motivate them to become great marketers? I mean, it is going to help me out if I help them out so why should I write them off.
Maybe, I will never make alot of money in the MLM business because I care too much about each individual and I'm drawn to the people that are struggling and need help. But I will be able to feel good about myself because I cared and tried to help everyone I can.
Oh, my family is on my heart and mind too but I embarrass them enough on a regular basis so I thought I would spare them from being broadcast all over the internet and just keep their embarrassment on a person to person basis.
First, the mangosteen...many of you may not yet have heard about this amazing fruit. It is not related to the mango. It has just recently been introduced to the United States, yet as early as 600 AD, scribes in southeast Asia recorded the use of the mangosteen as a general remedy and healing agent.
The mangosteen is a super fruit. There are stacks of research and studies that have been done over the last several decades on the health-promoting benefits of the mangosteen. The scientific/botanical name for the mangosteen is garcinia mangostana.
The mangosteen was first introduced in the United States by a MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company named XanGo. XanGo distributes a fruit juice made with the whole fruit of the mangosteen along with a mixture of a few other fruits to add to the taste.
I suppose I should give a definition of what XanGo calls the whole fruit. The whole fruit, in XanGo juice, consists of the inner, great tasting pulp, as well as the nutrient packed outer rind (or pericarp). Some companies that say they use the whole fruit are talking about the edible pulp part only. In their defense, if I were to say I ate a whole orange, I would be talking about the inner fruit, not the skin too. It is important to know what companies are talking about when they use the term whole fruit because it could make all the difference in how nutrient packed the juice is.
So, I've now talked about the mangosteen, what it is and how it relates to MLM but how does Christianity relate to all of this? Well, Christ taught that we are to love one another, serve one another and help each other out. This has been heavy on my mind ever since I got into my MLM company. I can see so many ways that I can help people either with the product we distribute or with the business or with both. I am sure that almost everyone that is working with an MLM feels this way about their product and company whether they relate it to Christianity or not. But my relationship with God and Jesus really drives me in wanting to help others out.
I hear other Multi-level marketers, saying, "You have to find the right people that will do the business. You have to look for driven, marketing style people. You shouldn't waste your time on trying to pull people along and coddle them".
But what if taking the extra time with them and doing extra things to help them become successful worked out for them? What if, by placing people under them to help them out or giving them people helps motivate them to become great marketers? I mean, it is going to help me out if I help them out so why should I write them off.
Maybe, I will never make alot of money in the MLM business because I care too much about each individual and I'm drawn to the people that are struggling and need help. But I will be able to feel good about myself because I cared and tried to help everyone I can.
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