Today our guest blogger is Jamie Kirk.

Depending on the industry that your business is then, you may have to blog about certain things that the public does not necessarily find interesting as a general topic. However, by writing with lots of interesting facts and the right tone, you can turn that perception around!

There is no reason you cannot introduce the passion that you have about a subject to your audience no matter how traditionally “boring” it may be. As a matter of fact, many online marketing experts may actually consider this a necessity of an effective marketing campaign.

After all, how do you expect to grow a customer base if you cannot get anyone excited outside of your veranda building company, or similar? After all, it is the layperson that expands the business capacity of any company.

Here are some writing tips to keep your blog posts interesting for the layperson:

Consider a beginner’s blog and an advanced user’s blog

If you separate your audience by interest level, you may find it easier to write less technically for your newcomers. This separation will also keep you from boring your advanced users. Many businesses have used this technique quite effectively, although it does require a little more work by the blogger. Just have a couple of different options for your company blog – ie a “construction industry geek” page and a “newbie” page, each filled with very differently targeted blog posts.

 Use multimedia (judiciously)

Where words may fall short or not interest the layperson, a video or an appropriate picture with humor may do the trick. We live in a highly visual society, and many marketing experts think that engaging more than one sense at a time leads to higher attention and retention rates among viewers. For instance, a video requires the sense of sight and the sense of hearing. This requires the listener to be much more engaged than if he or she is simply reading a text screen.

However, you want to make sure that you organize your multimedia effectively. A “How to Series” should be in order and pictures should not take up all the white space on your website. Properly organized, multimedia can work wonders for introducing your fervor on a subject to the average layperson.

 Attach yourself to a celebrity

When we say celebrity, we are not necessarily talking a major movie star. However, if you are a local business, a local celebrity can work wonders for grabbing the  layperson’s attention. For instance, if you are interviewed on a local news show, you automatically become the expert in your area on the topic of interest. You will gain the respect of many lay people who would otherwise be completely uninterested in a certain topic.

 Expand the Topic

One of our websites, based in the UK, is about conservatories – they’re much more popular over the Pond, and are essentially a large veranda. How on Earth do you write dozens of articles about verandas? You can’t! I write about the construction industry, what I do in terms of online promotion and blogging, and the economy as it relates to homeowners – things that are broader, umbrella topics and which are much more interesting!

Written by Jamie Kirk, a blogger proud to be mixing things up for lots of challenging websites, http://www.cheapconservatories.net being just one of them.

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These days people want a quick fix when it comes to weight loss and just about every thing else as it relates to being healthy.

Some people jump on the fad diet wagons and reach their weight loss goals, but after the goal is reached, the pounds slowly creep back on.

Why? Well, my guess is that the diet worked for the short-term, but there are many other factors that are in play here.

Yes, it’s awesome to lose the weight, but how are the other parts of you doing.

How are you dealing with the everyday living and interacting with people? What’s going on, in your life?

How are handling the winding roads that may have you going in circles?

I get excited for others who lose the weight, but I get sad when I see that the person has gained all the weight they lost and then some.

Following some fad diet will only get you so far. You must be whole within yourself and make healthy lifestyle changes.

When lifestyle changes are made, you tend to keep off the weight and be healthy in many other areas of your life.

You’re probably wondering how you can be healthy in other areas of your life? Well, even though some people look great on the outside, the real story is revealed by what’s happening on the inside.

How do you truly feel about yourself? Do you think you are unattractive? Are you worried about what others will say and do if you do XYZ?

Well, my guess is that you probably are concerned about those external forces that you have no control over and as a result they affect your mental and physical health, which is what has a big effect on your overall happiness, healthiness and wholeness.

I am no expert, so I am writing from experience as well as from my studies in psychology. In this post, I share with you 4 ways you can be happy, healthy and whole without faking it.

 Happy, Healthy and Whole

1. Accept you the way you are. You may think that you are ugly or fat and think that others think that way too. But what you present to others is what they see. Believe it or not, people treat you the way you present yourself.  Keep your head held high, walk with purpose and stand fast in who and what you are. Accept and embrace everything about you.

2. Love yourself. Yes, love yourself. This may sound selfish, but if you don’t love yourself enough to take care of yourself, no one else will. If you love yourself you will take care of your mind, body and spirit. Many times people (women especially), give their love away and don’t invest in themselves. As a result they let themselves go and twenty years later they’ve packed on 50-100 pounds. Love all of you, no matter what you see in the mirror.

3. Invest in yourself. I’m not talking about financial investments here, I am talking about taking time for yourself. It is very important that you take time away from the issues of life and just be and enjoy the moment. Life issues can leave your head spinning, but you must take the time to step away from that and invest in you. Still away for some me time. This helps you to relax, rejuvenate and to clear your head. Invest in you, you’re all that you have.

4. Be true to yourself. Some people try to keep up with others, when they know that isn’t who they truly are. Don’t ever be something that you are not or try to do things that you know you really can’t do. If you don’t have it like that, don’t break the bank or break yourself trying to get there. This is a stressful life to live and you may do things you never thought you would ever do. Do you and don’t ever follow the crowd. Be the leader of your own self, it is so much easier.

If you start with the list above, you will be on the road to becoming healthier in your mind (mental), body (physical), spirit (whole). Invest in yourself and see how things change when you are true to yourself and who you are.

Discussion: I only listed 4 ways, but you and I know there is more. Tell us, what you do to keep it all together. Do share!

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Are you the only one in your family who doesn’t eat meat, but you are responsible for preparing the meals for your family? Don’t fear, because you can prepare meals that everyone will enjoy. They will think your main ingredient is that ground beef, when it isn’t.

I prepared chili and I got the idea to add some ground crumbles. I only added a little to the chili, I was experimenting, not realizing that my husband who is the meat-eater in the family would try it and like it.

My husband asked me if I had ground beef in the chili.  I showed him the ground beef he thought he was eating. He enjoyed it and the experiment didn’t stop there.

I made spaghetti using the ground crumbles and again he thought I had put ground beef in the spaghetti. He should know by now that I don’t cook meat, I don’t ever buy it so he should have known, that I used a substitute. He liked the spaghetti so much that he requested that I make it again.

Below is a video of my second time making the meat-eater in my family happy. My daughter isn’t hard to please, because she likes spaghetti anyway and the picky eater even ate some of my famous vegan spaghetti.

You will notice in the video that I don’t measure anything and that’s pretty much how I do things. When I am following a recipe, I use the measurements, but for everyday cooking, I don’t do much measuring.

Ingredients used:

• coconut oil
• red onion (chopped)
• 4-5 cloves of garlic (chopped/minced)
• 1 orange bell pepper (chopped)
• 5 button mushrooms (chopped)
• Nutritional yeast
• Boca Ground Crumbles (meatless)
• Braggs Liquid Aminos
• Mrs. Dash
• Italian Seasoning
• fresh ground black pepper
• agave nectar
• pasta sauce
• pasta

Allow the pasta sauce to simmer. Prepare your pasta according to the directions.

Enjoy!

If  you have problems viewing the video, please click view here.

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Hello Everyone!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you probably saw this coming.    This is a quick update to tell you that I am changing my blog posting frequency schedule.  I am changing from posting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Why the change?

The main reason is that Tuesday and Thursday is a better fit for me.  Plus, I receive my highest traffic/visits on Tuesday and Thursday, so I thought why not post on those days.  I have a few theories about why this happens, but I’ll try Tuesday and Thursday postings and see what happens.

Guest Posts

I will continue to have guest posts on this blog, but the days they go live will be on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  If you would like to write a guest post, just send me a message through the contact form.  If I reply to you, then you know that it is fine for you to guest post on my blog and if I don’t reply, then you know the deal.  I am very selective and I don’t accept every request.

That’s all  folks and have a great week!

Discussion:  Let me know what you think?

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I am participating in the TLC Book Tour and today, I share with you my review of Courage:  Overcoming Fear and Igniting Self-Confidence (HarperOne; April 25, 2012; Hardcover and ebook), written by Debbie Ford.

You Should Read This Book:

• if you want to stop being a people pleaser
• if you want to want confidence to be true to yourself
• if you want courage to say no to people
• if you have fear of failure
• if you have negative thoughts
• if you are fearful of defeat
• if you want to overcome insecurity
• if you want to stop blaming yourself for things you cannot change
• if you want to live in the moment and move out of your past
• if you are passionate for something, but have yet to launch out into the deep
• if you need courage to do what whatever your heart desires.

About Courage

Courage is a book that focuses on transforming fear, unworthiness, insecurity and powerlessness into courage, confidence and emotional freedom.  Debbie Ford reveals a transformational process to gain confidence, harness power and live in full self-expression.

There are two parts of this book:

A New Paradigm

Moving From Your Head to Your Heart

Total number of pages:  240

My Thoughts About Courage

I was interested in reading this book because, Debbie Ford, has cancer and she is fighting with courage forging ahead without fear.  Debbie shares how she had to slow down and take care of herself.  This is also when she realized that she was a people pleaser.  I enjoyed what Debbie shared about herself and how she learned from her life experiences.

It was very difficult for me to stay interested in this book because I don’t typically read self-help books, but when I got to Part II, I didn’t put it down until I finished reading the whole book.

As I hung on Debbie’s written words, I had flashbacks to when I was a child and the life experiences I had.  Debbie tells the reader in her book not to dwell on the negativity and to not live in the past, but to take everything that we go through as a learning experience.  She also says that these life experiences make us who we are and it helps us as we navigate the lives we are living.  These life experiences are lessons that make us stronger.

True courage comes not just from feeling confident and strong, but from being the honest, authentic expression of yourself. – p.55

This book helped me to have courage to say no to people when I know I should say no.  Courage also opened my eyes to the fact that I am negative about certain things and I blame myself for those things, that I didn’t and don’t have control over.  I just have to let it go.

There were so many times in this book where I found myself relating to the personal stories of those who have worked with Debbie.  I always enjoy reading about other people’s life experiences and how they dealt their problems.

I am glad I read this book, because I have issues that I must work through and not live in what could have or should have been, or why me, but I must live in the now.

Freedom reigns when you don’t have to put on airs or hide your true thoughts, feelings, and beliefs.  Freedom reigns when you can speak your gifts out loud and stand up for your greatness and your greatest truth.  Freedom reigns when you embrace the courageous warrior that lives inside you. – p. 56

Conclusion

If you blame yourself for things you had no control over,  fearful in launching out or following your passion, you have to read Courage.  Courage will ignite a fire in you, so much so, that you won’t have any choice, but to step out of your fear and grab hold to courage.

I leave you with a favorite quote in the book:

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “Who you are speaks so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying.”  To feel like a confident and courageous warrior, you must look the part.  You must take care of yourself as a precious, priceless messenger.  You must reflect the value and esteem in which you hold yourself.  It is time to take back your power-not for the approval of others, but for how you will feel inside. – p.191

About the Author

Debbie Ford is a nationally bestselling author of The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, The Secret of the Shadow, Spiritual Divorce, The Right Questions, The Best Years of Your Life, Why Good People Do Bad Things, and The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse, and a coauthor of the The Shadow Effect.  Ford conducts workshops and trainings around the world supporting lifelong personal, emotion, and spiritual education and transformation.  She lives in San Diego, California.  More at www.debbieford.com.

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This is a guest post written by Uttoran Sen.

Eat, but don’t put on that weight.

This is an amazing concept, where you can eat plenty of foods and yet it will add nothing to your daily calories intake. The secret is – “zero calorie foods”.

Just a quick reality check, while we say zero calorie foods, some of these below mentioned foods in our list here are not exactly a complete zero, rather just low in calories or perhaps their digestion takes away more calories than released. Either way, they sure keep your stomach full and yet contribute nothing to your weight.

1.  Water – Yes, you might have guessed. But then why not mention something as pure as clean drinking water and after all, this is the real zero calorie food. There are many other benefits of drinking water, so if you haven’t already added this to your list, you better make sure to drink enough water every day. Also, try replacing your soft-drink consumption with water, among many other benefits; it will help to keep your weight in check.

2.  Zucchini – A nutritious food, high in fiber, vitamin c, potassium and much more, yet the calorie content is too low. So, even if you eat a lot of zucchini you still won’t add much in terms of calorie and weight. Imagine eating potatoes of the same quantity, which would have been a real setback to your weight loss targets, however replacing it with zucchini whose 95% is water content, will surely help you in losing weight.

3.  Celery – Another excellent vegetable that is rich in Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Potassium, Fiber, vitamin C, among many other things. Celery too is very low in calorie, so the amount of calories that are required to digest celery is equal to, or more than, the calories that are released by it after digestion. This is the concept of negative calorie food. More calories used and less calories gained and the stomach too remains full and metabolism at its best.

4.  Broccoli – Perhaps the healthiest vegetable on this list, broccoli is rich in Vitamin C, k, a, manganese, fiber, potassium, you name it and broccoli has it all. Whether you eat broccoli as a raw salad or have it cooked, make it part of your regular meal or just eat it as a snack, whatever you do it won’t add any calories to your body. Broccoli, like the other foods on this list is a low-calorie food, which is packed with vitamins and cancer-fighting anti-oxidant value but does not contribute to your weight, rather helps in your weight loss goals.

5.  Watercress – Seaweed anyone? There are many health benefits of watercress; it is rich in iron, calcium, vitamins A and C among many others. It has iodine that helps your thyroid gland. Now coming back to the weight loss point, losing weight is not just about calories, the overall body functions matter a lot. Something like watercress that has positive effect on your kidneys and liver helps your body to maintain an overall good working condition and thus it keeps weight in check. Also, the same principle of low-calorie applies to watercress as well, since not enough calories are released after digesting it, it becomes a negative calorie food.

Grapefruit – The grapefruit diet is quite popular, rich in Vitamin C, A, fiber, potassium etc. but when it comes to calories, it is way low. But that is not all, grapefruit has an effect on the insulin due to the anti-oxidant property it has, and thus it influences your liver to cut down on the long-term fat storage production.

Kale– Another high quality vegetable that has Vitamin K, A, C, manganese, beta-carotene among many other nutrients, but again, when it comes to calories, it is too low.There are many negative calories or zero calories food, and a lot of them come from the highly nutritious vegetables. You can think of these as a weight loss tool; however the benefits are much more.

The suggested approach is not to just replace your regular diet with these foods but to supplement it. Try adding a new vegetable everyday to your regular diet.

Look for long-term results and make sure to do some exercise and lifestyle improvements, as diet is just one side of the weight loss coin.

About the Guest Author – Uttoran Sen is a Freelance writer and a self-proclaimed expert on finance; he provides financial advice so that you can get the best credit card.

Image: Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Have you ever wondered why chocolate or cheese seem to call your name almost every day? There is a reason why people enjoy chocolate and cheese.

If you find that you can’t get enough of the sugar, chocolate, cheese and meat, you should check out Breaking the Food Seduction by Dr. Neal Barnard.

After reading this book you will understand why it is hard to break your addiction to these foods.

If you want to break the seduction or your habit of eating the above foods here is a little motivation to help reinforce breaking your unhealthy eating habits:

1. Your family and friends will have a healthier you.

2. You’ll slim down.

3. You’ll cut your chances of cancer risk.

4. You’ll reverse heart disease.

5. You might even prevent back pain.

6. You’ll stay young sexually.

7. You can prevent diabetes, or even reverse it.

8. You can reduce your blood pressure.

9. You can say good-by to constipation.

10. You might cut your risk of appendicitis.

11. Bye-bye hemorrhoids.

12. You’ll be safer from food-borne illnesses.

13. You’ll keep stronger bones.

14. You’ll reduce menstrual symptoms.

15. You’ll have more energy.

16. You’ll be healthier in your old age.

17. You’ll be more likely to make it to old age.

18. You’ll find new and interesting tastes.

19. You’ll save money.

20. You’ll save serious money (medical).

21. You’ll help fight world hunger.

22. You’ll be a real environmentalist.

23. You’ll be kind to animals.

24. You’ll be kind to farm workers.

If you are trying to give up the sugar, chocolate, cheese and meat, the above list should motivate you to get the ball rolling.

Breaking the Food Seduction written by Dr. Neal Barnard is a helpful book that will get you started on the path of becoming a healthier you.

Source of Information: Breaking the Food Seduction:  The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings – And 7 Steps to End Them Naturally

Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Carolyn's Green Smoothie

Have you ever wondered about what you should put in your smoothies? Learn what’s in the ingredients you add to your green smoothies.

Today, Carolyn Akens shares with us her top smoothie ingredients and why they are good for you.

When making a green smoothie you can add bananas, apples, pineapple, ginger, flaxseeds or flaxseed oil, hemp protein powder, various greens (spinach, kale, cabbage, etc.)

• Bananas – phosphorus, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, C, E, B6, niacin
• Apples – vitamins C, B, B6, beta-carotene, fiber, potassium, phosphorus, calcium
• Ginger – calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, protein, selenium, sodium, vitamins C, E, B6
• Flaxseeds – high in lignans, omega 3s, fights cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, constipation, inflammation, heart disease
• Spinach – fiber, aids in digestion, prevents constipation, helps maintain low blood sugar, flavonoids that fight prostate cancer, anti-inflammatory, age-related macular degeneration (#1 cause of blindess in people over age 55)
• Pineapple – bromelain which is an enzyme that helps the body digest protein, calcium, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, rich in manganese, strengthens bones, keeps your skin beautiful, lessens the risk of hypertension
• Hemp Protein Powder – good source of iron, calcium, vitamins B, E, fiber, fights cancer, arthritis, omega 3, 6, and 9, chlorophyll, fiber

Green Smoothie Recipe

1 frozen banana
1 apple (or pear, orange, peach, mango, pineapple, etc.)
1 knob fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed or flax seed oil
2 cups dinosaur kale (or spinach, romaine lettuce, celery, cabbage, Italian parsley, etc.)
1 Tablespoon hemp protein powder
20 ounces water

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Carolyn Akens, holistic health coach, personal chef, and raw food educator, is known for her ability to coach women and families on reclaiming their health by eating whole foods. Carolyn also trains and coaches Raw Chefs and Raw Instructors and teaches raw classes and workshops. Visit www.CarolynAkens.com for your FR*EE gifts…How to Become a Skinny Mother or Grandmother, Raw Recipes, and Healing Foods!

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The most popular question that a vegan gets asked is, “Where do you get your protein?” But there is another popular question that falls in second and that is, “How will you get your calcium if you do not drink milk?” There are many ways to get calcium without drinking milk. Today you will learn about Calcium, the macromineral.

 What is a Macromineral?

A macromineral or a bulk mineral includes calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and phosphorous. The body needs macrominerals in larger amounts and we can get most of these minerals from what we eat.

 The Importance of Calcium

Now that you know that calcium is a macromineral, here is what calcium does for the body:

Calcium,

• is beneficial in the formation of strong bones and teeth
• helps maintain a regular heartbeat
• maintains nerve impulses
• is needed for muscle growth
• helps prevent muscle cramp
• is essential in blood clotting
• helps prevent cancer of the colon
• helps lower blood blood pressure
• prevents bone loss, especially osteoporosis
• provides energy and is in the structures of RNA and DNA
• improves the activation of several enzymes

Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency

•  Muscle cramps
• Nervousness
• Heart palpitations
• Brittle nails
• Eczema
• Hypertension
• Aching Joints
• Increased cholesterol levels
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Tooth decay
• Insomnia
• Rickets
• Numbness in the arm and leg

Sources of Calcium

• Green leafy vegetables
• Almonds
• Asparagus
• Blackstrap molasses
• Brewer’s Yeast
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carob
• Collard greens
• Dandelion greens
• Filberts
• Dulse
• Kale
• Kelp
• Mustard greens
• Oats
• Parsley
• Seeds
• Tofu
• Turnip greens
• Prunes
• Hijiki *

*Hijiki is a sea vegetable that has the highest source of calcium known to man.

Source of Information: Vitamins and Minerals from A to Z by Jewel Pookrum

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Everyone wants to have good health. But to have good health you must do some things regularly to make sure your health is on point. You cannot take your health for granted and you have to take care of yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself now, you’ll pay later.

I stopped by Vitamin Shoppe, to buy a few things. The man who checked me out put a newsletter and magazine in my bag. I love reading, especially about health topics. Today I want to share with you some information that I know you will find helpful.

Information from The Herbal Pharmacist: A guide to Optimal Wellness Newsletter published by David J. Foreman, RPh., N.D. and below is Dr. Foreman’s list of 4 Pillars of Great Health:

 Supplementation

How you incorporate vitamins, supplements and other “natural” remedies into your daily health regimen. Supplementation can also refer to themes when your body requires certain remedies for specific health concerns.

 Diet

The foods and beverages you choose to fortify your body each day. Diet also incorporates individual eating habits.

 Exercise

What you do to physically challenge your body beyond your required daily activities

Mental Health

How you feel about yourself, your relationships, your work and surroundings. Mental Health includes, spirituality, self-esteem, stress management, and self-fulfillment.

Discussion: What are you doing for great health? Do share!

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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