Site Promotion – The Open Directory Project

One of the first places a website owner should start is the Open Directory Project (OPD). The ODP is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links. It is the property of Netscape and follows a pattern common to this type of project in that it is constructed and maintained by volunteer editors.

The ODP uses hierarchical ontology to organize site listings. As a result, listings on a similar subject are grouped into categories, which can then be sub-classified.

The ODP sprung out of the frustrations that many people experienced in getting their websites listed onto Yahoo! Directory. What still marks the OPD out as separate is its commitment to free listing. It has maintained its policy of free site submissions for all types of site.

Because the OPD has a slightly differing philosophy to other directories there has been a gradual divergence between the ODP from the other directories in the balance of content. Obviously, pay-for-inclusion directories favour those websites willing to pay; commercial sites tend to predominate in directories using it.

A directory staffed by volunteers, on the other hand, tends to reflect the interests of those volunteers who do the editing. The ODP lists a high proportion of information, non-profit and charitable sites.

Like most useful services that are free there tends to be an over-submission to the OPD; it gets far greater numbers of websites that wish to be listed than other comparable directories. Recent estimates put the number or unreviewed websites at between 1.5 and 3 million. As a result, submission acceptance can very between hours to years; another corollary to this is that predicting submission acceptance time is virtually impossible.

In these circumstances, the importance of editor selection becomes paramount. The application process tries to be thorough: you need to demonstrate your editing abilities, disclose any possible conflicts of interest and also flesh out how you will settle into the culture of the OPD. Initial rejection, which is common, is not final and many current editors reapplied on more than one occasion. One drawback of this is that certain categories tend to be oversubscribed for work whilst others will have very few or no editors for months.

ODP’s editing model mirrors its categorization model – i.e. it is hierarchical. Most new editors will be given a fairly limited remit of subcategories but as they prove their editing abilities they can receive more editing duties. Most editors will broaden with a major category whilst other may wish to diversify to different categories. Mentoring is encouraged between experienced editors and novices as is inter-editor communication which is organised on internal forums.

As an editor’s seniority and experience increases, they may be granted additional privileges reflecting their expertise and leadership within the editing community. The most common are ‘editall’ privileges, which allow an editor to access all categories in the directory. Obviously, an editor must be greatly trusted for this privilege to be granted. Other “promotions” include:

Meta privileges allow editors to review editor applications, set category features, and handle external and internal abuse reports.

Cateditall privileges are identical to editall, but only within a single category.

Catmod privileges are similar to meta, but only within a single category.

Catmv privileges allow editors to make changes to directory ontology by moving or renaming categories. Though not really editing content this is obviously can greatly alter the organization of the directory and its interaction with search engines.

The above information should be of importance and use to the amateur webmaster and website manager. Most commercially successful website will use paid up listings of some sort or another to ensure their site is well promoted. Sites with a low budget, if wanting a broad audience, will be using OPD predominantly over other directories and it is advisable to thoroughly research the process of OPD listing, and, if at all possible, develop a professional relationship with the Editors.

Free Christian Internet Marketing – The 5 Most Effective Online Marketing Strategies

Marketing over the Internet is different from traditional marketing. There are over 50 marketing strategies that are available online today. Many of these strategies are very effective and the best news is they are free. Free Christian Internet marketing can take your business to the next level. Many Christians do not understand Internet marketing and tend to shy away from it. You just have to understand how to target your Christian marketing to revolve around your business. Any Christian church, Christian business or organization can take advantage of these free marketing techniques.

Internet Marketing is the most cost-effective and most efficient way to promote your church, Christian business or organization. These free Christian Internet marketing strategies will bring targeted traffic to your website. There is a learning curve to these strategies but once learn you will bring your Christian business, church or organization to the next level. You may want to consult a marketing coach or search the internet on how these techniques work. You do not have to hire an outside marketing firm once you master these techniques. The best news is that these techniques are free and will give you a continuous lead source for years.

Free Online Marketing Strategies:

Article Marketing

Article marketing is simply writing a 450 to 550 word article that revolves around a key word phrase which is relevant to your Christian business website. These short articles you want to give sincere valuable information that will help your reader. You also want to write it in such a way that they will need to know more about that topic. You than post the article on one of the article directories available on the Internet. You include an anchor link to your company website. This allows them access to more information.

Video Marketing

Using the article information that you just wrote, you create a short 2 – 3 minute short video either by standing in front of the camera or create a slide show presentation with a voice over narrating your article. You then post the video on one of the video directories online. Remember to use keywords and have a link to your website in the description for your viewers to click on.

Newsletter Publishing

This free marketing technique will keep your Christian readers up on what is happening currently within your church, Christian business or organization. You simple write short topical articles that is of interest to your church, business or organization along with upcoming events, news and gossip. You publish this newsletter periodically. These newsletters most be informative, have quality content that is relevant to your targeted audience. The readers must perceive value in your content.

Blogs

Blogs are a great way to have your church congregation, Christian business or organization up to date instantly. With all that is happening around the world blogs give the Christian reader the sense of belonging and gives them the satisfaction of being up to date. Blogs are live and can be view instantly by just visiting the site. Normally, readers may leave comments which are very valuable. You may want to include an opt-in form to capture their contact information if you are offering your newsletter or are looking for a larger Christian subscriber base.

Social Media

Social media over the last few years has grown at a rapid pace and now is used by Internet marketing as an avenue of advertising. There are many social media sites that are available online today. Each one requires you to join and set up a profile. You can than invite all your friends to join their network. This has become a networking hub of communication of all forms and with this communication comes advertising. Advertising on a social site is quite different from the normal mode of advertising. Social media is friends communication with friends so you must learn how to market effectively using referrals however once learned can be extremely effective. Christian tend to want to do business with other Christians so this is an excellent to stay in touch.

The Internet has now become the number one choice for communication, ministry, and Christian marketing. Many Christians are benefitting from marketing online. There is a learning curve for each marketing strategy along with the basics of Internet use. These tips will help you establish free Christian Internet marketing campaigns to promote your websites.

Home Based Business Opportunity – The Initial Decisive Period and Your Action Plan

In any home based business opportunity, if you want to survive, grow and flourish in your home business, you should build a strong foundation for your business during the start-up phase. This initial period is very crucial for the success of your home based business opportunity.How dedicated you are to your business and how you prioritize your business activities during the start-up period will have a strong bearing on the survival of your business venture. Therefore, you need to devise a concrete action plan to achieve your long-term objectives.If you want to see yourself positioned on the pedestal of success in the future, you need to prepare yourself to take some calculated risks, make informed decisions, work out novel ideas and take on your competition with an energetic approach.Given below are some priorities that should become the integral part of your action plan in the initial years of your home business opportunity.Remain calm and focused:It is very important to remain calm and focused in the initial period of your business, especially if you have suffered some previous setbacks. You should know that not all of your decisions will yield the desired results. You need to remain flexible and prepared to make changes, if necessary, to achieve your desired business goals.You need to be prepared to put in the necessary effort and time to make your business successful; however, it should not be at the cost of your mental and physical health. Recharge your energies from time to time by giving yourself periodic breaks and vacations, even if it is simply an overnight trip to some restful place that you enjoy going. This is important to sustain a positive outlook and to maintain your energy so that your business has a good chance to prosper.Be your own spokesperson:You may be required to talk to the people about your venture at social gatherings, at family get-togethers or any other events where you get the chance to meet and socialize with other people. People that you meet at these occasions could turn out to be your next potential sales opportunity.This word-of mouth form of marketing for your business opportunity can turn out to be your best marketing tool and is generally much cheaper than any other type of conventional marketing.Take stock of your business on a daily basis:Constant focus on your business goals and administering changes when necessary is what sets a successful business person apart from a staggering business person. You should regularly assess your progress and commit to fulfill your objectives that you have set for your business venture. As your business grows, set new benchmarks and make every effort to achieve them.You should evaluate, on a daily basis, your current business activities vs. newly identified activities that may become necessary to promote your business in a successful manner. This constant review will help you to identify problem areas and to devise strategies to make improvements.Be active and enthusiastic:In the initial start-up period, you will no doubt face many questions and concerns about your business attitude and skills. If necessary, you may need to seek out specialized training in these areas to fortify your ability to manage your business. You should always seek to learn new management techniques and technical skills to improve your personal posture in managing your business. Through hard work and perseverance you should be able to improve people’s perception about you and your business.Get yourself an effective website:To promote your business venture you should get a domain name and a website. This is critical to the success of your business and the cost is quite reasonable in today’s market. Once you have them set up you will need to seek out someone who can help you with your search engine optimization (SEO) of your website. This simply means getting your website noticed on Google, hopefully, on the first page. This is one excellent way for you to generate traffic for your business.These are just a few of the things that you should give serious consideration to when setting up your business plan which is by far the most important thing that you can do to help ensure your success for your home based business opportunity.

Home Based Business – Become Liked by Your Niche Market

One of the biggest assets which you can possess as a home based business owner, is the ability to be liked. This fact has been proven time and time again. For this reason, I am going to provide four methods which will enable individuals in your niche market to like you.1. Give Them a Helping HandEveryone involved in home based business focuses on making sales. This often leads to taking the focus off of the most important person, being the customer. Do you know what the most widely searched product is on the internet? It is information. When someone within your niche is looking for something, it is more often than not information. You need to be the individual who provides the information which they seek. Not only will this lead to your being viewed as an expert in your field, it is also lead to a boost in confidence and trust. Thus, when you do promote your offers, individuals within your niche will trust your recommendation.2. Brand Yourself For Your MarketSelf-branding is a major aspect of home based business success. Much of branding yourself has to do with becoming known to your niche market, and taking a consistent stance on issues related to this market. Additionally, it helps to associate a picture of yourself (ie. a face shot) with everything that you publish online. Using the same face shot will immediately enable any viewer of your content to associate this content with your name.3. Focus on Building a Responsive Email List From Day OneThis might be the most important aspect of your home based business. Essentially, your email marketing list is your customer base. These are existing customer to whom you can market again and again. One caveat however. Make sure that you only promote offers to your list which you can actually vouch for. If you recommend something to your list which end up being a waste of their money, many of them will never listen to your recommendations again.4. Be Receptive To CommunicationA home based business is for the most part intangible. Customers cannot drive by and see your sign at the front of your store, or even walk into the store. Therefore, how you conduct your business will define how your business is views by the public. When someone contacts you, it is imperative that you respond in a prompt and professional manner. We home based business owners out perform the large companies because of our ability to succinctly address the needs of our market. Therefore, you need to do so consistently, and on all counts. When someone contacts you with an issue, be sure to treat them as your number one customer whether they are a customer or not. You never know who you are dealing with, and what kind of recommendation, positive or negative they will give to your business.Follow through with this advice, and you will gain the trust and confidence of your niche market. This key to the success of your home based business is detail throughout the aforementioned four steps.

The Top Home Based Business Idea in 2010 – Here it Is!

What is the top home based business idea in 2010?There are many home based business ideas floating around all over the internet. Many of them are legitimate, but for every legitimate program you find, there are 10 dishonest people selling products that they definitely wouldn’t sell to their mother.It bothers me that so many dishonest people are trying to prey on new online marketers, but unfortunately that is just how the world works these days. It shouldn’t be like that, which is why in this article I want to share with you the top home based business idea in 2010, and show you how you can make money with it in 2010, 2011, 2012, and beyond!The top home based business for 2010 is not new, because chances are something new is just a fad that does not have any track record of success! In this article I am going to discuss a concrete and legitimate business model that I have been using since 2008 to earn a nice income online.What is this business model you ask? Well it involves selling other people’s stuff online, and getting paid a commission for each sale. Before you stop reading, I know right now what you are probably thinking: Either you don’t want to sell products because you think you may have to store physical goods in your home and office, or you don’t want to sell anything because you do not want to sell to people face to face.The business model I use is commonly referred to as affiliate marketing, and since I am going to show you how to sell items that can be digitally downloaded, you will never have to talk to a customer, personally take an order, or stock any sort of inventory whatsoever!When I first heard about affiliate marketing I thought that it was too good to be true. I mean who wouldn’t want to sell products and services, have a third-party company process all of the orders for you, and get paid 50-75% commissions on digital products!I think you are beginning to see why this is without a doubt the top home based business idea in 2010. I do want to be completely honest with you however, and tell you that in order to set things up correctly you are going to have to learn some new skills with regards to internet marketing.Working online is much like owning an offline store. In order to get people to purchase the digital products that you are offering as an affiliate marketer, you must get people to see your offers. This is the same as getting customers in your “store” to buy products and services. If you owned a restaurant you would need hungry people to come eat in order to make money, right? The same is true if you want to be successful with the top home based business idea in 2010.In order to attract online consumers to your offer, you are going to have to use a variety of marketing methods. Since affiliate marketing is 100% free to start, you can focus any money that you want to spend (you don’t have to spend a dime if you do not want to) on generating “traffic,” or customers to your website or blog where you will promote your product.You will need a blog to get started, but setting up a blog is very easy, even if you have no technical skills. When I first started marketing online all I could do was check emails, but after watching a few YouTube videos I was able to design a free blog using blogger (free blog service offered by Google) in no time!After you have set up your blog (Part 1 of the top home based business idea in 2010) you must get people to view your blog, where you will link to your affiliate product! Instead of telling you how to do it, let’s use the example method to clarify things.For instance, let’s say that I found a golf product that I want to sell. It is a digitally downloadable book (e-book), and I need to get people to my blog where I am selling this product. In order to get traffic to your blog, you could:Write articles and submit them to article directories.Create short videos and upload them to YouTube.Post classified ads on golf websites.Post a link to your blog in golf forums (don’t SPAM!).Using a combination of these methods, you can start seeing hundreds of people coming to your blog daily, and some of them will buy the product that you are selling!I know this may all seem new and overwhelming, but I truly believe that affiliate marketing is the top home based business idea in 2010, because I have been using it successfully for almost 2 years! If you want to make money online, then you are going to have to sell something. Selling digital products (software, ebooks, etc.) is the easiest way because:You do not have to store anything.Products are already created, so you do not have to create or invent anything yourself!You can receive up to 75% commissions from popular affiliate networks (I use ClickBank).You don’t have to process refunds.You get paid every 2 weeks consistently (with ClickBank).I have no problem telling people that affiliate marketing is the top home based business idea in 2010, because I truly believe that. If you want to start your own home based business, then choosing a reliable, web based business model is the way to go. Affiliate marketing will help you reach your goals, you just have to figure out exactly how to do it!Do you want to see how I do it?

What is the Perfect Home Based Business?

A shaky economy and rising unemployment rates have caused many Americans to take a serious look at the options of earning legitimate income from home. With layoffs, hiring freezes, and work furloughs, the idea of “being your own boss” has probably never sounded so appealing as it does today.Before anybody decides to venture off onto a new path of running a home based business, there are a few things they should know. There are a lot of really good opportunities, and there are also just as many bad opportunities as well. The bad opportunities will get you nowhere, but some of the better opportunities offer the potential to achieve amazing success and allow individuals without much experience to plug into their systems and make six and seven-figure incomes from home.So, you might ask, what is the perfect home based business? I think that might depend on who you ask. But the most important question is: How much money will this make me? To others, the most important question might be: “How much time do I have to spend doing this business?” In any case, there are some programs that have the potential to bring the top earners upwards of $100,000+ per month, while setting their own hours and teaching others how to run their businesses as well. When looking for a home-based business opportunity, I would highly recommend researching to find out if this is an opportunity with an established, and successful company instead of a “here today, gone tomorrow” sort of outfit.I have recently discovered what I consider to be “The Perfect Home-Based Business Opportunity.” What would I consider the “perfect” home business? Well, I believe that a perfect home based business should have excellent training and support program available if I need it. I also expect the opportunity to earn a six-figure income. The system I am using was developed by two industry giants, one is in the health and wellness industry and does multiple-billions of dollars in international business annually, and the other is in the Online Marketing industry. BOTH of them have earned an A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau.The system I am using is an Online Marketing System that has been around for about 10 years or so, and offers an efficient way of running a business from your own home. This system also allows people with little or no experience the opportunity to earn a legitimate six-figure income. I don’t have to bother with my own advertising, all I have to do is purchase leads that flow in from my companies’ proven and successful nationwide advertising campaigns that are already established. I follow a step-by-step system to earning wealth and helping to teach other people how to duplicate what I have done. It is so simple, very rewarding, and yes, I believe it is the perfect home-based business opportunity available today.I wish you luck in your home-based business endeavors!If you would like more information about my current home-based business ventures, please feel free to contact me, I enjoy sharing my success with others!

Change Your Mindset And Sell More To Small Business Owners

Selling your products and services to the small business owner takes a different mindset. How do you approach the busy and overworked small business owner? Let’s talk about the change in your thinking that must take place in order to be successful with the small business owner.

There are so many small businesses out there. Their marketing, advertising, and copy is bland, boring and ineffective. You, as a marketer and salesperson, know that many of these businesses need your help desperately. You want to help them, you feel compelled to do so. Therefore, how can you simply and effectively sell your services to the small business owner?

The first thing you must do is get yourself in the right frame of mind. An understanding of the small business owner and the daily pressure he is under is the first big hurdle. Working with a small business owner is much different than working with corporate managers.

Corporate managers have a budget and they must spend the money, they just need to decide on what. They are given an agenda by someone higher up the chain from them. They make decisions but those decisions are based on a larger department goal. A corporate manager has to make the correct decisions and she is under pressure to do so. Yet she has the background comfort of knowing her decisions are covered under the protective umbrella of the department and the corporation as a whole.

A small business owner watches every dollar, feels he doesn’t need to spend anything unnecessarily, and is wary of all people trying to take his money. Why? His livelihood and the livelihoods of all his employees, and their families, are at stake. Each decision is magnified many times over. He does not have the resources of a larger corporation to cover him if he makes a costly mistake. This is the reason he will be brutally honest with you. He boils it down to a simple formula – ‘will this help my business?’

A small business owner must be approached only from a mindset of help and benefit. You are there to help him. You are there to benefit him. You can help increase his sales. You can get more people to notice his business. You have to truly believe you will help him or you shouldn’t be talking to him.

If you are speaking to him simply as another job for yourself or just another sale, and not approaching him as a business partner, then you shouldn’t be there. Save yourself, and more importantly the business owner, the time, stress, and money. You must also truly want to help him. He will see right through anything different.

Therefore, once you decide to approach the business owner from a perspective of a partnership, in which you can truly benefit him, then you can accomplish some real results.

Picture a typical small business owner. He is up early and at his office, store, or workshop before the rest of the world is moving. He has several issues on his plate every morning before he even starts his “regular” work. He has to meet payroll for his employees. If you have never been in a situation where you have had the responsibility of providing the livelihoods of other human beings, it is difficult to understand. He feels he can’t let these people down. The pressure to increase revenue, cut costs, and perform is tremendous.

Depending on the number of employees, this is always an underlying theme to everything he does. He must produce sales. He must have the right equipment or the right amount of inventory at the right time. He cannot waste time or resources. He especially can’t waste money. Cash flow is a huge concern.

This is why you must approach him with an attitude of true assistance. If you are there just to make a sale and move on, then I would submit you will not make that sale, nor any future sales, with the small business owner.

Conversely, if you approach him with a genuine desire to help him succeed and grow, and you have a real product or service which will do that, and can show him how it will help, then you can begin to grow a relationship.

Understand the pressure he is under, approach him with a mindset of true service and helpfulness, and you will win the loyalty of the small business owner.

Natural Supplements to Grow Taller Review – Herbal Facts and Marketer’s Claims Review

Why do many consumers take dietary supplements to grow taller? The reasons are varied-many times medically valid, sometimes not. In low or appropriate dosages, some supplements offer health benefits under some circumstances. Some people use supplements with good intention: perhaps in search of protection from or a remedy for health problems such as depression, aging skin, cancer, or arthritis. Still others seek added benefits: perhaps better athletic performance or sexual prowess. Too often, supplement use is based on scientifically unfounded marketing promises. But, some people still claim to undeniable scientific proofs.

It would be great, but boosting your nutrient intake won’t cause your cells to produce extra energy or more brain power. Only three nutrients carbohydrates, fats, and proteins supply energy or calories to grow taller. Vitamins don’t. Although B vitamins do help body cells produce energy from the three energy nutrients, they don’t produce energy themselves. Many powerful drugs and toxic chemicals are plant-based. Varieties of mushrooms can be classified as “culinary delicious” or “deadly dangerous.” In the same vein, herbal supplements should be used with caution! Any healthy natural supplements to grow taller, without proper doctor acknowledgement and governement authority approbation sounds really fishy to me.

Athletes and other physically active people need about the same amount of nutrients as others do to grow taller just more energy, or calories, for the increased demands of exercise. The extra amount of food that active people eat supplies the very small amount of extra vitamins needed to grow taller and have more energy production, too.

Although protein needs are somewhat higher for some athletes, especially for those in strength-training sports, food can easily provide the extra. On another note, physical activity, not extra amino acids (protein), builds muscle. For more on nutrition for athletes and ergogenic aids.

Dietary supplements to grow taller won’t protect you from the harmful effects of smoking or alcohol abuse. Here’s the real scoop: Smoking does increase the body’s need for vitamin C; drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages can interfere with the body’s use of most nutrients. If soil can grow crops, the food produced is nutritious. When soil lacks minerals, plants don’t grow properly and may not produce their potential yield. Growing area does affect a food’s iodine and selenium contents.

Supplements won’t give you instant grow taller results, it would take at least a 2-3 months training for instance. For vitamins and minerals to do their work, they need several hours or several days to interact and do their work in your body. For any benefits from other dietary supplements to grow taller, you likely need to take them even longer. Supplements to grow taller are easy to spot. By law, they must be labeled “dietary supplements.” About eighty thousand dietary supplements are marketed in the United States with multivitamin/mineral supplements being the biggest product category-and with an average of 500 new products launched each year. They’re sold in many forms-for example, tablets, capsules, softgels, gelcaps, liquids, powders, and bars.

Do you consume a varied, balanced diet to grow taller? With some exceptions, supplements usually aren’t necessary. If you’re healthy and if you’re able and willing to eat a balanced, varied diet. You probably can get the vitamins and minerals you need from smart food choices. According to national studies, most Americans have enough healthful foods available to do that, yet they may not. Under some circumstances, vitamin/mineral supplements offer benefits and are advised; like those for growing taller.

A woman with heavy menstrual bleeding? You may need an iron supplement to replace iron from blood loss. To enhance absorption, take iron supplements with water or juice on an empty stomach. If nausea or constipation are problems, take iron supplements with food. Absorption may be decreased by as much as 50 percent when taken with a meal or a snack. A woman who’s pregnant or breast-feeding? You need more of some nutrients, especially folate and iron-and perhaps calcium if you don’t consume enough calcium-rich foods. Check the label’s Supplement Facts to make sure you get enough for a healthy pregnancy. Ask about a prenatal vitamin/mineral supplement.

Someone unable or unwilling to regularly consume a healthful diet to grow taller? You likely need a dietary supplement to fill in the nutrient gaps. However, eating smarter would be better if you don’t have food-related health problems! Take a supplement with the advice of a doctor or a registered dietitian. For example, pre-menopausal women who don’t consume enough calcium to grow taller and stronger bones from food likely need a calcium supplement-unless they’re willing to improve their diet. Some babies after age six months, children, and teens may need a fluoride supplement to grow taller and perhaps iron or vitamin D.

If you are not able to meet your calcium and vitamin D recommendations with foods to grow taller, you may need calcium or vitamin D supplements to grow taller. Ask a dietitian or your doctor about the right dosage and type. And enhance their absorption by taking them with food. Only food can provide the mixture of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other substances for a health quality that can’t be duplicated with dietary supplements to grow taller alone. Fortunately for most Americans growing taller, there’s plenty of quality, quantity, and variety in the food marketplace.

Enjoy plenty of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods. They provide more for bone health calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and overall health than supplements do. And a varied, well-balanced eating plan offers other nutrients that appear to promote bone density, including magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K

Supplements to grow taller carry labeling, showing the amounts of vitamins and minerals in a single dosage. If you already eat a healthful diet, you probably don’t need any more than a low-dose supplement. Taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement, with no more than 100 percent of the Daily Values (DVs) as a safety net, is generally considered safe. Most nutrient supplements are produced in low dosages.

Supplements with water-soluble vitamins or minerals can be risky if taken in excess, over time. For example, taking extra vitamin B6 has been suggested to help relieve premenstrual tension. Yet there’s limited evidence to support large vitamin B6 doses for relief of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Many women have viewed large vitamin B6 doses as harmless, since they are water-soluble. Instead, they may cause irreversible nerve damage when taken in very large doses above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): 500 to 5,000 mg vitamin B6 per day.

That said, can you overdose on vitamins or minerals naturally as you grow taller with food? That’s highly unlikely. As we mentioned, taking very high doses of dietary supplements or taking too many, too often can be dangerous. The vitamin and mineral content of food is much more balanced fortunately. In amounts normally consumed, even if you enjoy extra helpings, you won’t consume toxic levels of nutrients. So eat a variety of foods-and enjoy! Note: Nutrient amounts to grow taller can add up if you consume a lot of highly fortified foods.

You may take dietary supplements to grow taller for potential health benefits. It’s not uncommon for people diagnosed with cancer, AIDS, or other life-threatening health problems, who are desperate for a cure, to put their hopes and healthcare dollars in alternative treatments, including dietary supplements. However, supplements may offer a false sense of security-and a serious problem if you neglect well-proven approaches to health or delay medical attention.

Drink plenty of fluids with calcium supplements to avoid constipation. The lactose and vitamin D in the milk help to enhance calcium absorption. If you don’t drink milk and want an alternative to calcium pills, consider calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage. One cup of calcium-fortified juice or soy beverage can contain about 300 milligrams of calcium, the same amount as in a cup of milk, and provides vitamin C, folate, and other nutrients. Still, you need a vitamin D source to aid absorption; some calcium-fortified juices and soy beverages are also fortified with vitamin D.

Calcium supplements help to protect against osteoporosis (brittle-bone disease) It can’t make up for your lifestyle choices or poor health habits. Regular weight-bearing physical activity is important to grow taller and obtain healthy bones. For healthy bones, avoid smoking, too.

Vitamin nasal sprays or patches are effective to grow taller? No research evidence says so, even though they’re promoted for faster, more efficient absorption. In fact, they may not be absorbed at all. Here’s the reality check: Fat-soluble vitamins need fat from food to aid absorption. Vitamin C in your intestine aids iron absorption-a problem if vitamin C comes from a spray. Vitamin B12 binds with intrinsic factor made in the stomach during digestion. That cannot happen with a spray or a patch! So that means all the place that try to claim that you could grow taller with that are just scam.

Indeed, herbals and other botanicals have known medicinal qualities helping us grow taller; 30 percent of today’s drugs come from plants. Yet, herbals and other botanical supplements also are sold as dietary supplements rather than regulated as drugs. Like many plant-derived pharmaceuticals, these supplements can offer both positive health benefits and harmful side effects.

On the up side, enough scientific evidence has been collected on a handful of botanical supplements to support their limited use. For example, under a doctor’s guidance, gingko biloba may be used to help treat the symptoms of age-related memory loss and dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease); green tea extract may help reduce cancer risk. A growing body of research evidence is being gathered about their safety and effectiveness, as well as their limitations and dangers.

On the down side, like other supplements to grow taller, herbal and other botanical supplements are regulated differently from pharmaceuticals, which are meant to cure or prevent disease. You aren’t as protected from misleading claims as you might think. When you think about the quality and effectiveness of these grow taller methods; you can see that the marketer’s are absolutely in control of the quality…

According to current law and regulations, herbal and botanical remedies to grow taller and other dietary supplements to grow taller can enter the marketplace without FDA approval. The burden is on the FDA to remove a dangerous dietary supplements to grow taller from the marketplace. Currently dosages of herbal remedies aren’t standardized, so dosages vary among products. Some are even copies of the actual real-product that is made by legitimate herbal company; they put the same product name change what is inside and put the same label. Be very careful, you can look up grow taller 4 smarts free scam alerts to be ahead of scammers.

Although packaging claims can’t say that a supplement to grow taller cures or prevents disease, it may carry claims for its purported health role. Many claims have only limited scientific evidence. Are herbal supplements or botanicals are safe during pregnancy and nursing? There’s not enough scientific evidence yet to recommend safe levels for herbal supplements for pregnant or nursing moms. However, some are known to be harmful to a baby.

How to Detect Drug Abusing Teenagers

The effects of substance abuse in teens are not only individual; they can also be seen on the society. They may face problems at school or college and may involve in criminal activities. It is therefore very important to detect drug abusing teenagers. Drug testing should be conducted on a regular basis at schools and homes to identify and save them from harmful drugs of abuse.

Signs of drug abuse
Identifying certain signs helps you to detect if the kid is addicted to the drugs. Some of the common physical and emotional signs are:

• Change in sleep patterns
• Poor motor coordination
• Poor hygiene and illness including nausea and excessive sweating
• Irregular heartbeat
• Impaired thinking
• Mood swings
• Hyperactivity or overtired
• Depression

Drug abusing teens lose their interest in family activities, often abuse verbally and physically at home or school, and disrespect the family or school. In addition, abrupt decrease in grades, memory and attention loss, and lack of interest and concentration on studies are some of the signs at school. The moment you observe any of the above mentioned signs, you need to immediately check if the kid is abusing drugs. Drug testing is one of the safest and easiest ways to detect the drug abuse among teens.

Types of drug tests
There are different types of methods to detect the teens who are using drugs. Some of the common ones are urine, saliva, hair, and blood tests.

Urine drug test
Of all the types, urine testing is used most commonly as it is inexpensive method used to detect a drug user. You can use urine test kits at home or school to check if the child is addicted to illegal drugs. Quick and accurate results are obtained by these test kits.

Saliva drug test
It is more advantageous as it is relatively non-intrusive. Saliva from the mouth is taken through a swab and is checked for the presence of drugs. Most recent drug abuse can be detected by saliva tests. Conducting saliva test is very easy and also provides accurate and immediate results.

Hair drug test
This method is also non-intrusive. A hair sample of 1.5 inches in length is enough for conducting the test. Drug or its metabolites deposited at the hair shaft are detected by hair tests. You can get very reliable and accurate results by this method.

Blood drug test
You can also use a blood sample of the teen to detect illegal drug usage. It is however expensive and you need to approach laboratory as you cannot conduct it at your home.

Detection periods
The detection period depends on the method of test conducted. These detection periods vary from the type, dosage, and frequency of drug used.

Urine drug test can detect drug or its metabolites for 30 days in frequent users and for 2-3 days in occasional users. The test detects Cocaine for 4-5 days, Heroin for 2-4 days, Methamphetamine for 3-5 days, PCP for 3-7 days, and Codeine for 2-4 days.

A saliva test is mostly used to detect recent drug usage. However, it can also detect drugs consumed 3 days back. Of all the methods, hair drug test has a longer detection period. It detects illegal drug consumption for about 90 days.

What if results are positive?
Once the kid is tested positive by drug test kit, talk to him/her about the result. You can get a confirmatory result through laboratory tests. Communicate with him regularly regarding the effects of drug abuse. Ask him to leave companions or friends who are habituated to drugs. If necessary, send him/her to substance abuse treatment program.

Importance of intervention
Detection and intervention of drug abuse at primitive stages can prevent further damage. Drug intervention is an attempt made by family members or school authorities to help the teen get out of drug abuse or addiction. The main objective of intervention is to make the teen understand the physical and mental destruction caused by drug abuse. If you are not able to speak to the kid on this, you can take help of your friends or relatives. You can also consult specialists who counsel drug abusers and help them get back to their normal life.

Parents and school authorities should always keep an eye on the behavior and activities of the teens. Necessary measures have to be taken in order to prevent them from taking drugs.

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

Teen drug abuse became a serious health problem in United States. It is hurting the healthcare system, burdening the economy, and causing millions of deaths every year. Of the many causes that promote drug abuse among teens, lack of parental supervision is a major one. Teens should be guarded properly by their parents as they are still immature.

Since, early intervention leads to effective prevention of this unhealthy habit, parents should identify drug abusing habits in teens and take preventive measures. Parents can take help of home drug testing kits which are effective and easy to use.

In this article, we will discuss about teens and their vulnerability to drug abuse; how to identify teen drug abuse and how important are drug testing programs at home to prevent teen drug abuse.

Teens – vulnerable to drugs abuse: Many scientific studies have already proved that teenagers are more prone to risk taking and are vulnerable to drug abuse when compared to adults. This typical behavior of teens during adolescence is because of the major changes in parts of the brain that are responsible for functions such as self-control, judgment, planning, organization, and emotions. Since teen brains are not yet fully developed, they cannot take proper decisions and fall victims to unhealthy habits like drug and alcohol abuse.

Signs and symptoms of drug abuse: The primary step towards prevention of drug abuse in teens is to identify their unhealthy habits. Prominent changes, both in their behavior and in physical appearance can be noticed even at the early stages of abuse. Following are the warning signs:

Physical and emotional changes:
• Red eyes
• Finding difficulty to speak
• Sudden fall or rise in weight
• Lack of hygiene and showing less interest in personal grooming
• Aggression and arrogance
• Depression and irritation

Social and behavioral changes:
• Dissociation from old friends and acquiring new social group
• Sudden anger or depression
• Poor attendance and academics at school
• Spending time lonely
• Abnormal odor in breath or clothing
• Pipes, needles and other suspicious substances in their room

Importance of home drug test kits: The moment you see the signs that indicate drug abuse in your teen, it is the time to confirm drug abusing habits using reliable methods. They are useful devices for the parents to confirm these unhealthy habits in teens. They are simple, easy to use, provide instant and accurate results, cost-effective and above all ensure privacy. Some multi-panel drug testing kits can detect multiple drugs of abuse at a shot.

Best drug test methods to implement: When it comes to home drug testing, urine and saliva tests are considered to be the best methods. There are two other methods – blood and hair tests also, but they need special devices and expert supervision, hence are not recommended for home testing.

Urine test can detect the drugs in your teen’s system up to three days after use. If you believe that your teen has taken drugs during the last few days, then this method is effective in offering accurate results. However, it is necessary to check that your teen is not providing fake urine sample which can lead to false results.

Saliva drug testing is an ideal drug test if you suspect that your teen abused drugs on that particular day. These kits can detect drug use up to 48 hours.

Need for random drug testing: If you are conducting drug tests on your teens at regular intervals, following a regular pattern, your teen may notice the pattern and either try to manipulate the sample before the test or stop abusing drugs few days before the test. Hence, practicing random drug tests is always an ideal way to identify the drug use which effectively helps in detecting the drug abuse among your teens. Random testing makes teens say ‘NO’ to drugs as they know that you can conduct drug testing any time at home.

Home drug testing kits can be considered as effective solutions in controlling and preventing drug abuse in your teens. So, make sure that you have some of them at home to test your teen to help him stay away from drugs.