What is Victoza?

The short answer is that Victoza is a drug used to treat diabetes.  As of this writing, it is a fairly new drug and is very effective. I have been taking the drug for about a month now and so far, I have been extremely satisfied with the resuts.

I have a family history with diabetes.  My mother has it, my daughter had it from the age of 8 and for the longest, I thought that it had skipped over me. Having dealt with the disease for most of my adult life, I knew all of the signs.  When it finally hit me, I was almost positive of what had happened, but I needed to go to the doctor to have it confirmed.

My introduction to Victoza

After I had been first diagnosed with diabetes, the doctor put me on a pill and we had hoped that this would control it, but no such luck. The next move was to introduce me to Victoza.  Victoza helps to control your blood sugar levels by increasing the amount of insulin that your body produces. It can not be used for treating type 1 diabetes, but is used for type 2.  It also has other uses including weight loss. Victoza comes in a pre filled injection pen with varying needle sizes and it is generally only used once per day.

Starting with Victoza

According to my doctor, Victoza can make some people sick so you generally will start with a low dosage and work your way up. The pen comes with 3 setting, 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8. The first week, I took the 0.6 dosage, the second week, the 1.2 dose and the third week on, the 1.8 dose.  The first 2 weeks were just to get my body used to the medicine and not really meant to control my blood sugar. At first, I was watching my diet like I really should, but the Victoza worked so well for me that I let go and started eating whatever I wanted to.  Amazingly enough, so far, my blood sugar is still under control.

Side effects of Victoza 

On the other hand, one of the side effects of this drug is supposed to be that it will make you sick if you over eat, thereby making you lose weight. I guess my body is just different because so far, I have still been able to eat anything and everything while on the drug. Most people will lose weight and some people who are not diabetic will use it also just to lose weight. So far that has not happened with me.  As a matter of fact, now that my blood sugar is under control, I am feeling much better and my appetite has returned.

As with all medications there are plenty of warnings and they can scare you pretty bad.  It was not until I actually purchased my Victoza that I found out that it has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats. Basically my decision at that point, was that I will have to die from something. After considering all of my options and the benefits, I decided that it was a chance worth taking.

How to link build

One of the hardest and most important parts of having a website and getting traffic is link building. Link building is the act of getting people to point a link back to your content. That link is like getting a vote from the web that says that what you have on your site is good.

The more links you have, the more votes you have and the better your rankings on the search engine, which leads to the ultimate, that we are all trying to achieve.  The better your search engine ranking, the more likely you are to get found.

What are some good ways to link build?

The best way to build links is to build great content.  Give the people what they want  and they will truly want to share what you have with others. How do you do that though?  One way that I would not recommend doing all of the time is to create some controversy. People are always up for a good fight and if you give them enough bait, they will usually take it. The hope is that again, people will be emotional enough that they will tell their friends about what you have written.

Another good way of building links is to participate in communities. A good example would be to answer questions. If you know answers that people are looking for, then share them, They will appreciate the  assistance and over time if you continue to give good quality answers, you will eventually become known as an expert. Then people will begin to seek you out and share your answers with others.

Link build by doing research

Similar to answering questions, is doing research to questions that you do not already have the answer to.  There are tons of new technology coming out every day and there is never a shortage or lack of thirst for new knowledge and new answers. Put together a small research project and publish the results.  If it is something that you were curious about, it is guaranteed that others are curious also.

Link building on social Media

It’s probably a good thing to remember.  Go to where the people are.  Social media is all the rave these days and Face book and Twitter is where it is at. Get a good conversation going on one of the platforms and there is no telling where it can go.  I see it all of the time, have a topic that people like and care about and it goes viral in no time at all.

List Building – Does it work

If you have tried to make money online for anytime at all, you have heard the saying, ‘the money is in the list’. What exactly does that mean?  It means that in order to make money online, you need to have a list of people that you can communicate with over and over who will eventually buy from you.  It is a very rare occasion when someone meets you for the first time and buys from you online.

With that said, does this really work for the average person. I know it works for popular people and well known cooporations, but does it work for regular people? I remember this past SuperBowl when Papa John’s pizza chain had a promotion where you could get a free pizza and a drink for correctly guessing the coin toss ahead of time. The underlying reason was not to give away free pizza, but to get you on their mailing list.  It worked for me because I signed up and actually got my free pizza.  Every since then, I have been getting regular emails from Papa John’s annoumcing their specials and I have to admit that I have been tempted to purchase whereas before I was on the list, purchasing a Papa John’s pizza did not cross my mind a whole lot. For big companies, it works!

My List Building History

I used to closely follow several top MLM people, David Wood, Cedrick Harris and Larry Beacham to name a few. I must admit that I would regularly look forward to what they had to say and again was very tempted to purchase their products.  These people are very convincing, they have big followings and many people with dreams who think that they can help them to make their dreams come true. That is why people follow them, but what about the rest of us?

What about the average Joe, who does not have a well known product, does not have a marketing budget, does not have people telling him what to say to his following. First of all, most people’s email in boxes are full these days any way,so why get on a list of some unknown person. Personally, I have found it difficult to say the least just to build up a list.  Of the lists that I have joined, I have found that the messages get stale after a while and I stop looking at them. There is generally excitement about finding a new possible source to help you accomplish your dreams, but as time goes on that generally faids.

List building final answer

So back to my original quetion. Is list building all it’s cracked up to be. My answer would be that it depends on who owns the list. If you are a cooporation, yes. If you are fairly well known and have a marketing budget, yes. If you are an average Joe, not so much!

St. Patrick’s Day and Sweet Potato Queens

There are all kinds of traditions in this country, not the least of them is the St. Patrick’s day celebration.  Not that there is anyone in this country who does not know this, but it is an Irish celebration. It’s a time when leprachauns and shamrocks come out of the woodworks. You can also find things in green that you can not find the rest of the year, the biggest is beer. This year, Burger King is even offering free french fries with green ketchup.

No matter how old, a tradition is, there is always someone willing to put their own spin on it. That’s where a brilliant young lady by the name of Jill Conner Browne comes in.  Jill is the author of a series of books featuring the sweet potato queens. I can not truly say that I have ever read any of her books, but just living in the area where most of the activities happens gets my attention every year.

Sweet Potato Queen activities

Secretly, I have said to myself many times, that if there ever was a time when I would want to be a single caucasian male living in Jackson Mississippi it would be the weekend that the sweet potato queens come to town. That time is usually sometime around St. Patrick’s day, usually seperated by a week or so and the sweet potato queen colors are not just green, they are pink and green. From my point of view as an outsider looking in, it appears that this is sort of living a Vegas weekend in Jackson.  What happens at the festival stays at the festival. It is women (and men), who for one weekend can dress up and be whoever they want to be.

They come to party and have a good time. There are events scheduled through out the weekend, including a parade.  They come in droves and they come from all acros the country. Just from reading some of the book teasers, to paraphrase Jill Conner Browne says that her mom  wishes that some of the things in her book were not true, but they are.  That should give you some idea of the kind of wild things that are probably going on during the weekend that the sweet potato queens take over Jackson Mississippi.

Sweet Potato queens do it right!

This year the weekend will start on Thursday with a kick off party as participants are getting in to town. You can bet that there is a lot to get into because activities kick off again on Friday morning and there is something planned all the way up until Sunday. Some of the activities include the Mississippi mass choir, the Jackson State University marching band, AKA the Sonic Boom of the south and Clysdale horses.

Everyone can stand to be healthier these days.  I hope you find these tips helpful.

Tip #1

or a quick and healthy snack, place whole-wheat flour tortillas on a
baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake five to
seven minutes at 300 degrees or until slightly brown and crisp. Set
aside. Combine diced pineapple with fresh cilantro, lime juice, red
onion, green chilies and chopped fresh tomato. This combo makes a tasty
low-fat, nutrient-packed appetizer or snack.

Tip #2

Many people enjoy gambling, whether it’s betting on a football game or
playing poker on the Internet. Most people who gamble don’t have a
problem. There are some, however, who lose control. If you are one who
always thinks about gambling, lies about it and spends money on gambling
that is needed for other things, then you may have a problem.
Consider seeking help from your company’s Employee Assistance program or
perhaps Gamblers Anonymous at www.gamblersanonymous.org if you exhibit
these signs of problem gambling.

Tip #3

According to a recent report on sleep patterns, if we miss a few hours
of sleep during the week, we must make them up in a relatively short
time period. Otherwise, we pay the price in terms of sleep-related
ailments, such as a weakened immune system, more colds and flu,
grogginess, inability to concentrate, and irritability. In addition, a
growing body of research suggests that sleep may have an impact on
hunger and appetite control. Lack of sleep, therefore, has been linked
to an increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Tip #4

You might wonder, is this waxy stuff on my apple safe? Yes, according to
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Any wax coatings used on fruits
and vegetables must meet FDA food additive regulations for safety.
Conventionally grown produce is usually waxed to retain moisture, help
extend their shelf life and protect the surface during storage or
shipping. Waxes also help inhibit mold growth and enhance appearance.
Organically grown produce is not wax-coated.

Tip #5

Are you CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certified? If not, consider
contacting your local chapter of the American Heart Association or the
American Red Cross. These groups offer convenient ways for everyone to
learn CPR, from a 22-minute CPR Anytime kit for family and friends, to a
classroom-based CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) course.
They offer training courses in many metro areas. You may save the life
of a family member, friend or neighbor!

Fitness and health tips

A joke for the day

You know life gets hard a lot of the time and every now and then, it’s refreshing to have a good laugh. It was a good day when this joke came across my desk,  It was one of those days and i really needed it. T’s not very often that I actually laugh out loud, but this time I did.

The funniest things to me most of the time are the ones that are true.  I can really see this one happening. I think that is why we are so amazed by children because  they are so innocent and most of the time, do not even realize just how funny they are. With that said, I really hope you get a smile out of this little joke.

Here is the link

At this point, everything is purely speculation, but with the recent death of Whitney Houston, there is reason to believe that yet another star has died because of an addiction to legal drugs. These days, it is not the drugs that are bought in a dark alley from the local thug that is killing people, it is those that are being purchased from the corner drugstore.

With that said, let’s take a look at what addiction really is. 

Addiction is a craving for something.  It can be a drug, it can be food or a number of other things depending on what you believe.  It actually causes a change that can be measured in the brain. There are 3 parts to the addiction, the first is the anticipation.  Most people, even if they are not an addict have an anticipation that activates the area of the brian that is responsible for anticipating crazving something. The second part is the reward of actually having the subject that makes you feel good. Dopamine, a feel good hormone is flooding the brain and you are in sort of a state of euphoria.

After that point, is where the difference comes in.  For the addict, their brain starts to tone back down much quicker and they do not enjoy that state of euphoria as long as a normal brain. Because an addicts brain is not neccessarily satisfied, they go back for more.

Who is more likely to become an addict?

There are a few factors that play roles in who becomes an addict.  The first is genetics. I both of your parents are addicts, then it is a very good likelihood that you will also become an addict. Another is psychological. If a person has other issues such as depression, then addiction is also a likely scenario. The third is the social component.  If you are around addicts,and have the subject of your addiction readily available to you, then that also increases the likelihood that you will become an addict.

Just like a lot of things, there are tons of ways to treat addiction. Some people treat it as a brain disease. There are medicines being developed that help an addict experience the state of euphoria longer. Since part of an addicts problem is usually his or her environment, a lot of emphaisis is usually placed on changing the environment and having a support group.

My reason for writing ths article is not to be judgmental.  Regardless of how she died, Whitney Houston was a great talent and will be missed.  R.I.P, we will always love you.

How to be More Productive by Not Letting Anything Get to You

Little stuff used to slow me down all the time. I see people get robbed of precious hours, weeks, even years of their life by letting stuff get to them. You are working hard and then you stub your toe or someone lets you down and then your day is ruined. This blog will help you be more productive by not getting hung up on the little stuff.

Increase your speed of forgiveness…

One of my all-time favorite quotes is from Michael Beckwith – “Forgiveness is giving up on the fact that past could have been any different.” Mmm, isn’t that just a yummy concept? And, so true. Most of the times we are upset at our unmet expectations of others or our environment. Let me give you some examples to test your ability to let little crap go.

1. You are at the mall on Christmas eve, needless to say, it is packed. It’s a total zoo. You meant to get presents weeks ago but now your procrastination has come back to bite you. After driving through three entire lots and not finding one spot, you finally locate one! You put on your turn signal, commence the turn and VROOOOM! From out of nowhere a little red porsche zips in your spot while the driver is talking on their cellphone.

2. You are making calls to people you know about your home business. You talk to one of your closest friends from high school and they tell you that they can’t believe you are trying to rip off your friends and that you have sunk that low.

3. You are excited about your new network marketing business. You talk to your brother, who, is also your financial planner. He is someone you respect, look up to and really hope he decides to do the business. You have also brought him a lot of business so you sorta figure he owes you. You don’t hear from him and then 2 days later you find out that he did join your company, but, with someone else, in another state, that he doesn’t even know.

Angry yet? So What…

People will let things such as the above 3 scenarios ruin their day. Most people let little things take them out of their momentum. At every moment of every day, you are either going toward your goals or away from them. Nothing in nature stands still. Now, you can capture and utilize anger to “show someone” but most people do not use this very effectively.

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned. - Buddha

At no time can you change what happened in the past, either long ago or immediately. If you stay focused, embrace the fact that little crap is going to happen, but keep your eyes on the prize, you will attain your desires. Meditation will help you get to a calmer mind. I meditate every single day and very little bothers me anymore. I cannot do anything if a family member or friend says something rude to me, I do not have the desire to prove myself right.

Choose to Be Happy or Be Right

Work to loosen your grip on your need to be right and your addiction to outcomes. People are never always going to react to your business or even you the way you want them to, SO WHAT. I used to care when people would write me nasty emails or give me nasty comments, now I know that they are going through their own struggle and they chose to pick me to lash out to, it’s really nothing personal and, even if it was, you can’t do anything about it anyway. When you learn to let the little stuff go, you will produce more and, it sure beats arguing with idiots

Action steps borrowed from Brian Tracy, one of the world’s best…

Action Steps to Get More Sales from Your Home based Business

1. See yourself as the president of your own personal sales corporation, being completely responsible for all sales and results. This is the attitude of the highest paid salespeople. Most network marketers are confused and overwhelmed and don’t take this type of responsibility. Make it happen like it all rests on you and your results will skyrocket.

2. Set clear income goals for each month and write them down.

3. Decide how many sales YOU need to make to hit your income goals.

4. Determine how many prospects you will have to talk to each day to make the amount of sales required to hit those income goals above. Very few marketers do this but if they did, they would realize they have NOT been talking to enough people. If it takes you an average of 10 people to get one sales, calculate that in. If you do not know how many people it takes to get one sales, well, figure it out by talking to people and tracking your results.

5. Dedicate yourself to self improvement every day.  Make sure you have a set schedule each day to personally improve yourself in the ways you need to hit those goals.

6. Spend the majority of your time, either by phone or face to face, with people that may be open to buying your product or joining your MLM company. Your time management will dictate the velocity of your success. Spend more time prospecting than studying and you will build a network marketing empire.

If You Do Not Have Written Goals.. get them in writing TODAY!

I want to share with you how I made the easiest $100 that I have ever made in my life and how you can do the same thing. There are so many opportunities, jobs and you name it that you never know which one to choose. This one got my $100 in one day with nothing out of pocket.  That’s pretty hard to beat.

This is how it works:

You sign up for a free TRIAL offer,  that cost you nothing, but I get $20.00. What that does for you is that it makes you eligible to do the same thing that I just did. Do you know 5 people who would sign up for a free offer if it made $20.00 for you and cost them nothing?

It’s just that simple and I’m sure that Mother, Father, sister, brother, children would be more than happy to help you out. You just need to make sure that they know to keep the free trial going until a few days before it ends and if they don’t want to keep it, they cancel it at that time.

Get started now by clicking on the banner below and please feel free to give us a call with any questions.