Archive for May, 2008

Oriental Medicine: How It Works

Monday, May 26th, 2008

By Kitty Bradshaw Interviewer: In a recent talk you gave, you said that pain and discomfort are not isolated things. Would you explain why thats true? Kitty: Sure. The 5 Element Theory says that any feelings of pain or discomfort you may have are associated with one or more of your internal organs. Something is wrong in an energetic sense regarding how your Chi is flowing in your body. For example, think of a garden hose: when the water pressure is good, and the hose is not kinked, the water flows strongly and steadily to where it needs to go. On the other hand, if theres a bend in the house, or if the water pressure is weak, the water wont be able to flow to where it needs to be. Interviewer: So, to follow your analogy, youre saying that energy or Chi nourishes the body they way water invigorates a plant? Kitty: In a simple sense, thats right. Let me give you some examples to clarify the relationship between how energy flows in your body and how you feel. Interviewer: Great. That will help a lot of people better understand how Oriental medicine works. Kitty: Its common for people today to experience deficient energy, meaning that its not getting through the hose with enough force and volume to keep the foundational organ energy operating at an optimal level. Deficiency reduces circulation, and the weakest part of your body will show symptoms first. For example, deficient Kidney energy often shows up as a weakness in the knees, deficient Liver energy can make your tendons weak, deficient energy in the Stomach can weaken the muscles, and so on. These relationships are clearly laid out in the 5 Element Theory chart. Interviewer: It is an amazing system. After many years of receiving Oriental medicine treatment myself, and observing the 5 Element Theory relationships in my own body, its like having a road map for health with clearly marked rest stops all along the way. Kitty: Yes, its important, as with many things in life, for a person to know where theyre going and how to get there; and its vital for maintaining good health. Interviewer: So getting back to your point about stagnation and pain or discomfort: What do you do for a person with those symptoms? Kitty: My task is to figure out how to get rid of the acute problem the discomfort or pain which is referred to as the branch part of the problem in Oriental medicine, and then figure out the root cause to prevent the problem from coming back. I do that by getting the energy to flow properly along the meridian leading to the weak organ so it can balance and strengthen itself. Interviewer: Can you give an example? Kitty: Take the case of a relapsing cancer: if you treat the tumor only, youre only treating the symptom the branch. A tumor is a very serious symptom, but its only an indicator of a much deeper problem the root nonetheless. If the treatment of the tumor doesnt address whats causing the stagnation to the part(s) of the body associated with it, you can cut the tumor out, or irradiate it, but theres a significant chance the same conditions that originally caused the tumor will maintain a susceptibility for its return. Interviewer: So there are relationships between the symptoms I feel and my internal organs? Kitty: Absolutely! Remember the devastating tsunami that struck South Asia in 2004?Because of our scientific understanding, we know the wave was caused by an earthquake under the ocean. There was a cause, and an awesome effect. The wave the symptom didnt just become a wave out of nowhere, and its the same with illness and discomfort in our bodies, these problems are the effect of a deeper cause. Interviewer: So the meridians, or energy channels, carry my energy or Chi all around my body; and when I feel ill, or have pain, by making sure the meridian associated with that part of my body is clear, allowing for a strong flow of energy, the internal organ associated with my problem will strengthen, and thats how healing takes place? Kitty: Generally speaking, youve described the process quite well. Lets take a look at severe knee pain, to help readers understand this foundational relationship in how Oriental medicine works. The Chi- or energy-carrying meridian to the urinary bladder and the kidney go through the back of the knee. For a variety of reasons, people today have weak knees which create conditions for tears to ligaments, wearing away of cartilage, displaced knee caps, and other extremely painful conditions. Based on the examples I gave earlier, lets consider these symptoms of the deeper problem, called deficiency. So if you have a knee-related problem you have some considerations to take into account, and choices to make on how to treat the problem. One option some people choose today is to surgically replace the knee; though when you take into account that a reason for your knee problem may be a chronic bladder infection, because the bladder channel goes through the knee, you see that you have more options for addressing severe problems than you know about. Remember the tsunami (severe pain) didnt happen on its own, it was caused by the earthquake, which in this example would be a problem in the urinary bladder or kidneys. Interviewer: So how would you use Oriental medicine to treat a situation like this? Kitty: In a nutshell, as long as you can open a channel so that the energy flows to the supporting organ, and keep it open, a problem generally clears up; and I emphasize ‘generally’ because nothing in life, is absolute. Interviewer: And how do you know when the organ is balanced and the stagnation is gone? Kitty: The problem begins to dissipate and goes away … (Kitty chuckles out loud and says …) And sometimes so does the person who had the problem. Interviewer: Why are you laughing? Kitty: Because once an acute problem or symptom has been dealt with, thats the time to develop an ongoing treatment or maintenance plan, to continue balancing your energy and strengthening your immune system so that similar or new problems are less likely to develop. Interviewer: Thats been my personal experience. When I had a problem that was acute, I needed more regular treatment, but once the problem cleared up, less frequent treatment was needed; in fact, I actually enjoy coming in every few weeks for a tune-up. Kitty: I think thats a wise choice, because often after the original problem clears up, people start to slide back into the habits and behavior that caused the problem in the first place. By coming in once a month, even if youre feeling good, youre able to build up your energy, rather than have it gradually run back down. Its like putting on a clean shirt, no matter what you do, its going to get dirty and needs to be washed. Same with our bodies. Life is full of stresses, pathogens, and the like, and you need to get cleaned up on a regular basis. Kitty Bradshaw is a licensed acupuncturist, with an advanced clinical degree in Oriental Medicine. Studying and working with Oriental Medicine since 1986, Kitty combines Traditional Oriental Medicine with Taoist healing methods to offer healing possibilities beyond the level of standard health care. Her deep understanding of Chinese medical herbs, combined with her intuitive abilities to diagnose and treat difficult problems, has helped many people regain and maintain their health. For a FREE phone consultation to find out how Oriental Medicine can work for you, go to http://www.biom.net to contact Kitty and sign-up for BIOM’s complimentary newsletter. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kitty_Bradshaw http://EzineArticles.com/?Oriental-Medicine:-How-It-Works&id=213754 impact financiall payday payday advance loans hard money lenders wash dc pay day advance virginia

Marketing ESP

Sunday, May 18th, 2008

By Marcus Schaller Success in business isnt about always knowing what will work ahead of time. Its about taking action, paying attention to what does work, and being flexible enough to adapt and change. When it comes to marketing tactics like direct mail, print advertising and telemarketing, the harder you try to pick a guaranteed winner, the longer it will take you to actually get your marketing off the ground and where it belongsout into the world. Planning is critical, of course, but analysis can too easily replace action. A sales letter is never quite perfect enough, a mailing list never as long and accurate as it could be. In the search for perfection, for guaranteed results, nothing happens. You overanalyze your options, hoping to choose the one right approach. When you finally pick the sure thing, you put all your resources into that one tactic. If you get really lucky, it hits. But that approach is closer to gambling than it is to running a business. No matter how perfect you try to make your marketing tactics and materials, youll never know how good they are until they are released into the wild. The point to marketing is not a perfect ad, but your response and sales from that ad. Until you actually test each marketing tactic, you will have absolutely no idea what will work. Think of yourself as a marketing scientist. Your job is to discover a successful marketing mix by trying a lot of different approaches, tracking results, and keeping what works. You start with a hypothesis (target market, target message, offer, etc) and test it using as many variations as you reasonably can, depending on your budget and schedule. Before you fall in love with any one approach, list as many tactical options as possible. Include basics like direct mail, telemarketing, email, etc., and then continue with more cutting edge approaches. Now, run down the list. Which options are inexpensive or free? Since they are less risky, you have nothing much to lose by trying them. A few good examples would be telemarketing (cold-calling), sales letters, speaking, submitting articles to local media, etc. These are relatively easy to implement, take little or no money, and can at least start getting the word out while you work on more complex marketing tactics. Next, group the choices that may be more expensive or time consuming. Of these, which have the greatest potential for sales and can be rolled out quickly and in small tests? Your experimental marketing plan will have most or all of the tactics from group A, and as many from group B as possible, starting with the least expensive to test. The point here is to avoid blowing your entire budget on 1 or 2 tactics without having first considered all your options and tested as many methods as possible. Of course, the results from some approaches, like writing articles, will be very hard to measure in the short term. But, since these tactics take so little time and money, you can afford to automatically include them as part of a much larger long-term marketing plan. A direct mail test, on the other hand, should generate concrete measurable results almost immediately in order to justify rolling out a larger campaign. By Marcus Schaller, Managing Editor of Purple Dot Magazine (http://www.purpledotmag.com), a free online publication covering marketing, sales and public relations for small businesses and self-employed professionals. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcus_Schaller http://EzineArticles.com/?Marketing-ESP&id=131552 steal loan money fast hard money direct lender in pa guaranteed personal loans instant approval how long does it take for cash advance to appear on your credit card

The Pros and Cons of Store Cards

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

By Benedict Rohan We all love a bargain and when were faced with a store card offer at the sales counter as we make a purchase, the temptation can be difficult to resist. At face value store cards can seem appealing discounts on purchases, invitations to promotional and preview events, extra money off in the sales, and glossy member magazines and after all, theyre just another credit card, arent they? In fact, no, theyre not just another credit card. Although they may offer some tempting perks, they can be very expensive methods of borrowing that can lead to spiralling debt if the balance isnt paid at the end of the month. Theres no reason why you shouldnt open a store card account if youre sure its going to be an appropriate financial arrangement for you but you should weigh up all the pros and cons carefully before you make any decisions. Check interest rates and hidden fees: Lurking behind the fabulous special offers and discounts are various potential charges and fees that could send your debt soaring out of control. For a start, the interest rates can be more than double those of bank credit cards sometimes as much as 30% APR. And then theres the hidden charges, which can really catch you unawares. Watch out for penalties for late payments or for defaulting on payments. Some cards even charge interest from the purchase date if you dont clear the balance at the end of the month. Pay off the balance if you can: Why shouldnt you take advantage of the offers if theyre there for the taking? You could save a lot of money by opening a store card (for example, discounts of up to 20% may be offered with your first purchase), as long as you are sure that you will be able to pay the bill before interest is charged. Check what the bill period is its normally 30 to 50 days. Also find out whether theres an interest-free introductory period. Work out a budget: If you plan to spend a lot using the store card, work out a monthly budget of how much you will need to set aside to pay the bill, to determine whether you can afford it before you sign up to anything. Investigate other credit options: Store cards seem to easy to set up just completing a short form in front of a sales assistant wholl make a quick phone call to arrange it all for you but these days its really not difficult to obtain credit from a bank, and youll normally get better rates with a bank credit card than you would with a store card. Shop around before you make any decisions investigate what the banks have to offer. Dont be afraid to ask questions or say no: Sales assistants can be quite persistent theyre often on commission for the number of store card accounts that they open. Dont allow yourself to be bullied by them. Feel free to ask any questions and take as long as you want to mull over it. In fact, you dont need to sign on the spot take the forms and documentation away so that you can examine them in detail at home before making your decision. Dont go overboard: One store card might be tempting, but dont get carried away. The more store cards you have, the more difficult theyll be to manage and keep track of and thats when your debts can start to spiral out of your control. Author: Benedict RohanWebsite: www.mortgagenation.co.ukBenedict Rohan works as a freelance finance writer. Commercial Mortgage, Homeowner Loans, Remortgages Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benedict_Rohan http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Pros-and-Cons-of-Store-Cards&id=373941 biopay paycheck secure wachovia unsecured loans paycheck calculagtor same day money loans

How To Support Friends and Loved Ones Through an Abusive Relationship

Friday, May 9th, 2008

By Annie Kaszina This is a question that comes up a lot. Its hugely frustrating, as well as difficult and painful to watch someone you care about struggle in the quicksand of an abusive relationship. Its frustrating because we can see all the things that they cant. Wed love to help them which probably means getting them to adopt the solution that we know is right. But they dont see it, and theyre not going to do it. Its difficult because you start to feel like youre caught up in Groundhog Day. They reach the point of leaving, they may well even leave and then the whole thing goes around again, and again. Maybe the same partner, maybe a different one. But you hear the same story again and again. In the end your emotional investment wears you out. You end up feeling resentful towards them for what theyre putting you through. Its painful because watching someone turn into a shadow of their former self is tragic. All the more so when there are children who are also suffering. Witnessing the pain of someone you care about and not being able to make it go away, really taxes us. So how do we support them? First we need to be clear about the distinction between helping and supporting them. We cannot help them, i.e. move them on even so much as a millimetre. What we can do is be there for them. That doesnt mean making ourselves available to listen 100% of the time. What it does mean is simply acknowledging and respecting their right to make choices, or else stick with the situation. However disastrous it may appear from the outside, they are making the best choices they can at the time. They already feel pretty bad about themselves; your continued respect may make more of a difference than you could imagine. Second, we mustnt give up on them. There is a very human temptation, at some point, to say Whatever, and walk away. Abusers create a void around their victim that leaves the victim even more dependent. Its very easy to end up becoming irritated with the victim. When you do, youre actually colluding with the abuser. If an abused loved one cant hold on to the thought of life beyond their relationship, then that is something important we can do for them. This simply means believing and trusting that they will come out the other side of this. Even if neither of you can predict the timescale. Third, we can hold onto the knowledge of who they truly are. Over time, living with a self-appointed King of the Jungle reduces them to feeling little better than a cockroach. We can hold and remind them of- their gifts, their qualities, their uniqueness, their lovableness, until they are able to do it for themselves. Our vision may be the resource that starts them on their journey to recovery. It doesnt even have to be a major holding operation on our part. Remember, abuse leaves its victims starving because it systematically closes down any channel of nourishment. Often, by opening up a channel we offer them more sustenance than we could possibly imagine. To a friend of mine who has suffered hugely at the hands of a homicidally brutal partner and lost sight of herself, I sent a list of the blessings that she did not see. The list is incredibly empowering for her and she treasures it. It reads like this: 1) You are blessed with good and loving friends. 2) You inspire great love in those around you. 3) You have two wonderful children - maybe not easy, but definitely wonderful. 4) You have enormous strength. 5) You have a vast reservoir of talents. 6) You are an extraordinarily loving and supportive person. 7) You have a talent for creating beauty. 8) You have an extraordinarily attractive personality 9) You have formidable energy 10) All this and there is still, I’d guess, about another 85% of capacity that you are currently not able to access efficiently. My friend is unique and gifted. So are all our friends and loved ones. Another persons list may be different, but it will be no less extraordinary. We are all uniquely gifted and wonderful. Yet we may need to have our eyes opened to this fact. Repeatedly. We support others best when we offer them a valid, empowering vision of themselves. We support ourselves when we do the self-same thing for ourselves. (C) Annie Kaszina 2004 Annie Kaszina Specialist Women’s Empowerment Coach and NLP Practitioner. Author of the ebook “The Woman You Want To Be” http://www.joyfulcoaching.com e-mail me at annie@joyfulcoaching.com Annie is passionate about helping women to attract the relationships they truly want. You can subscribe to Annie’s free ezine at http://www.joyfulcoaching.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annie_Kaszina http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Support-Friends-and-Loved-Ones-Through-an-Abusive-Relationship&id=7125 cash loan maryland adverse bad credit loan hard money lenders for business loan pay day one

Introduction to the Online Master’s in Nursing

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

By Amanda Jones If you are interesting in taking your nursing career to the next level, this introduction to the online master’s in nursing can help you begin the process of looking for the best online program for you. One of the primary benefits of completing your degree online is that you do not need to interrupt your current career path in order to obtain a graduate degree. Another advantage to obtaining a master’s degree in nursing online is that there are many choices available. Choosing a Program One of the first things to consider in the introduction to the online master’s in nursing option is the type of program you’re interested in. No matter what your career goals, you can probably find an online master’s program to support those goals. Alternatively, if you aren’t yet sure what type of program you want to pursue, you may be pleasantly surprised at your options. Conduct Research One thing you will quickly discover, and that is important to note in this introduction to the online master’s in nursing, is that many of the schools who provide online degree programs offer graduate degrees. What this means is that those seeking graduate degrees in nursing online have more options. This, then, requires that you carefully research all your options and choose the best program for you. There are many quality schools offering graduate degrees in nursing online. Accreditation As with traditional schools, accreditation is an important element in determining your top choice. The school you choose should be accredited by one of the two primary professional nursing associations. These are The National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission and The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Clinical Work When choosing a program, consider the clinical requirements for the degree. Even though you can attend an online institution located far away, you’ll need to do your clinical work “live,” as this cannot be done online. Before beginning a program, determine if you will be able to complete the clinical portion and how much support the school provides in setting up this portion of the degree requirements. To learn more about the online master’s in nursing, Amanda Jones recommends Nursing Degree Guide. Please see http://www.nursingdegreeguide.org/articles/online_nursing/how_to_get_your_online_masters_in_nursing.php for more information. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Jones http://EzineArticles.com/?Introduction-to-the-Online-Masters-in-Nursing&id=234905 credit repair agency bad-credit dallas refinance car loan bad credit really need money for school but have bad credit and federal loans already bad credit low income loans