Category Archives: Banana experiment

Understanding Toxicity: Unravelling the Roots and Recognising the Traits that could hurt your business

In our journey through life, we encounter a wide array of people, each with their unique qualities and characteristics. Among them, we sometimes cross paths with individuals who exude negativity, manipulation, and emotional turbulence – the so-called ‘toxic’ people. But what makes someone toxic, and how can we recognise the tell-tales traits that define their behaviour?

In this blog, we delve into the complex origins of toxicity, shedding light on the reasons some people become toxic, and providing valuable insights on identifying these traits.

Join us on this exploration of human behaviour, as we seek to better understand and navigate our encounters with toxic individuals.”

Toxicity in individuals often has complex origins that can be influenced by several factors. While it may not be a universal pattern, understanding the potential reasons why some people become toxic is crucial for grasping the complexity of their behaviour.

As for the age at which toxicity might start, it can vary widely. Some toxic traits may emerge in childhood or adolescence, while others might become prominent in adulthood due to life experiences and environmental factors. It is important to note that not everyone exposed to challenging circumstances becomes toxic; individual responses and resilience play a significant role.

Here, we will explore the origins of toxicity and why it may manifest in certain individuals:

1. Early Life Experiences: Toxic behaviour can sometimes trace its roots back to early childhood experiences. Individuals who grew up in environments characterised by neglect, abuse, or a lack of emotional support may develop maladaptive coping mechanisms, leading to toxic behaviours in later life.
2. Learned Behaviour: Toxicity can be learned. If a person has been exposed to toxic behaviour in their family or social circle, they may adopt similar patterns of interaction and communication. It is a case of perpetuating negative dynamics through social learning.


3. Psychological Factors: Certain personality traits or psychological conditions, such as narcissism or borderline personality disorder, can contribute to toxic behaviour. These individuals may struggle with empathy, self-regulation, and forming healthy relationships.
4. Insecurity and Low Self-Esteem: Some toxic individuals may suffer from deep-seated insecurities and low self-esteem. Their toxic behaviour could be a defence mechanism to protect themselves from perceived threats, often manifested as arrogance or manipulation.
5. Failed Coping Strategies: Toxic behaviours can be a result of failed coping strategies. Individuals who have faced adversity, trauma, or stressful situations might develop maladaptive coping mechanisms, such as manipulation or blaming others.
6. Environmental Factors: Toxicity can also be a response to a toxic environment. When someone constantly faces hostility, stress, or unhealthy dynamics, they may become toxic as a means of self-preservation or retaliation.

Recognising these potential origins of toxicity can offer insight into why some people exhibit toxic behaviour. It can also remind us that while we should approach toxic individuals with caution, understanding and empathy can be the first step toward helping them address the root causes of their behaviour and potentially change for the better.

Here are thirteen examples of toxity traits:

1. Gaslighting: They manipulate you into questioning your own reality and memory.
2. Selective Empathy: They only show empathy towards those who benefit them and disregard the suffering of others.
3. Constant Criticism: They criticise you and others relentlessly, causing self-esteem issues.
4. Manipulative Behaviour: They use manipulation tactics like lying, playing mind games, or emotional extortion.
5. Victim Mentality: They consistently portray themselves as victims in every situation, avoiding responsibility.
6. Intrusive: They invade your privacy and personal space without permission.
7. Insensitive to Feelings: They disregard your feelings and concerns, often dismissing them as unimportant.
8. Draining Energy: They bring negativity and drama into your life, leaving you emotionally drained.
9. Silent Treatment: They use the silent treatment to control or punish you.
10. Deflecting Blame: They shift blame onto others and refuse to acknowledge their mistakes.
11. Competitive Nature: They constantly compare themselves to you and try to outdo your achievements.
12. Passive-Aggressiveness: They make sarcastic or hurtful comments disguised as jokes.
13. Lack of Apology: They never admit when they are wrong and refuse to say sorry even when it is warranted.

These additional examples help further illustrate the signs of a toxic person to watch out for.
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Dealing with toxic people in these situations can be challenging, but here is how you can navigate them:

1. Gaslighting: Trust your instincts, maintain a journal to record events, and seek support from trusted friends or a therapist who can validate your feelings and experiences.
2. Selective Empathy: Recognise their limitations and do not expect empathy from them. Seek empathy and support from other sources, such as friends, family, or support groups.
3. Constant Criticism: Build self-esteem by acknowledging your strengths and seeking positive feedback from people who appreciate you. Set boundaries and limit your exposure to constant criticism.
4. Manipulative Behaviour: Stay aware of manipulation tactics and confront them calmly. Refuse to engage in manipulative conversations and maintain your boundaries.
5. Victim Mentality: Avoid enabling their behaviour by not rescuing them from consequences. Encourage personal responsibility but be prepared for resistance.
6. Intrusive: Politely but firmly set clear boundaries, communicate your need for personal space, and enforce these boundaries if they are violated.
7. Insensitive to Feelings: Express your feelings assertively and calmly. If they remain dismissive, consider limiting your emotional investment in the relationship.
8. Draining Energy: Prioritise self-care and be mindful of how much time and energy you invest in the relationship. Seek out positive and supportive connections to counterbalance the negativity.
9. Silent Treatment: Maintain open communication, express your concerns about the silent treatment, and let them know it is not an acceptable form of communication for you.
10. Deflecting Blame: Hold them accountable for their actions by calmly addressing the issue, providing evidence if necessary, and not accepting unwarranted blame.
11. Competitive Nature: Refocus on your own goals and accomplishments and avoid participating in their competitiveness. Encourage cooperation instead of competition.
12. Passive-Aggressiveness: Address passive-aggressive comments directly by asking for clarification or calmly expressing your feelings. Encourage open and honest communication.
13. Lack of Apology: Recognise that you may not receive apologies from them. Focus on your own healing and growth and consider setting boundaries to protect yourself from further harm.

Remember, in some cases, it may be necessary to distance yourself or even cut ties with a toxic person for your own well-being. Seek support from a therapist or counselor to help you navigate these challenging situations.

How a toxic person can hurt your business.

Having a toxic person as a partner or employee in your business can have several significant implications, including:

1. Negative Workplace Culture: Toxic individuals can create a toxic work environment, which can lead to decreased morale and job satisfaction among other employees. This can result in higher turnover and lower productivity.
2. Conflict and Disruption: Toxic individuals often create conflict within the workplace. They may engage in power struggles, undermine colleagues, or resist collaboration, leading to disruption and tension among the team.
3. Decreased Productivity: Toxic employees or partners can be a drain on productivity. They may engage in behaviours like procrastination, gossip, or sabotage, which can hinder progress and innovation.
4. Damage to Reputation: If the toxic person’s behaviour becomes known to clients, customers, or partners, it can damage the reputation of your business. Negative interactions with clients can result in lost business opportunities.
5. Legal and HR Issues: Toxic behaviour can sometimes lead to legal and human resources issues. This may include harassment claims, discrimination complaints, or hostile work environment lawsuits, which can be costly and time-consuming to address.
6. Reduced Creativity and Innovation: Toxicity stifles creativity and innovation. Employees may hesitate to share ideas, and the fear of criticism can hinder problem-solving and progress.
7. Stifled Growth and Expansion: The presence of a toxic person can hinder your business’s growth and expansion. It may deter potential investors, partners, or clients from engaging with your business.
8. Leadership Challenges: If the toxic individual holds a leadership position, they can negatively influence the entire team, making it difficult for you to lead effectively and implement your vision for the business.
9. Health and Well-Being Impact: Toxicity in the workplace can take a toll on the mental and physical health of employees. This, in turn, can lead to increased absenteeism and health-related issues, affecting the overall well-being of the team.
10. Diversion of Focus: Dealing with a toxic partner or employee can divert your focus and energy away from growing and improving your business. You may find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time managing conflicts and addressing issues.

In summary, having a toxic person as a partner or employee can have far-reaching implications for your business, affecting its culture, productivity, reputation, and overall success. It is essential to address toxic behaviour promptly, either through intervention, coaching, or, if necessary, parting ways with the toxic individual to preserve the health and well-being of your business.


To prevent employing toxic individuals in your business, you can implement a thorough vetting procedure during the hiring process. Here are some key steps and strategies:

1. Clear Job Descriptions and Requirements: Start by creating detailed job descriptions and requirements that clearly outline the skills, qualifications, and personality traits you are looking for. This will help attract candidates who are a better fit for your organisation.
2. Behavioural Interviews: Conduct behavioural interviews where you ask candidates about past experiences and how they handled specific situations. This can reveal their behaviour patterns and interpersonal skills.
3. Reference Checks: Contact the candidate’s previous employers and colleagues for references. Ask questions about their behaviour, teamwork, and communication skills. Be sure to verify the accuracy of the information provided by the candidate.
4. Assessment Tools: Use personality or behavioural assessment tools to evaluate candidates’ traits and tendencies. These assessments can help identify potential red flags and compatibility with your organisation’s culture.
5. Cultural Fit Assessment: Assess whether the candidate aligns with your company’s values and culture. Ask questions related to your company’s mission and vision to gauge their alignment.
6. Multiple Interviews: Conduct multiple rounds of interviews with different team members to gain a more comprehensive view of the candidate’s behaviour and personality. Different interviewers may notice different cues.
7. Trial Periods: Consider implementing a probationary or trial period for certain roles. During this time, closely monitor the candidate’s behaviour and interactions with colleagues to assess their compatibility with your team.
8. Behavioural and Ethical Questions: Include specific behavioural and ethical questions in your interviews. For example, you can ask how they manage conflicts, criticism, and stress, or inquire about their ethical decision-making.
9. Background Checks: Perform background checks to uncover any potential legal issues or inconsistencies in the candidate’s history. This can help you identify any undisclosed problems.
10. Peer Interviews: Have potential team members or colleagues conduct interviews to assess how the candidate interacts with future coworkers.
11. Consistency Across Interviews: Ensure that the information candidates provide in various interviews remains consistent. Inconsistencies could be a red flag.
12. Trust Your Gut: Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right about a candidate, investigate further, or consider other options.
13. Training and Awareness: Train your HR and hiring teams to recognise potential signs of toxic behaviour during interviews. Awareness can be a powerful tool in preventing toxic hires.

By implementing these vetting procedures, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of hiring toxic individuals and increase the chances of bringing in candidates who are a better fit for your organisation’s culture and values.

Two widely recognised and reputable personality and behavioural assessment tools that small businesses can use to evaluate candidates are:

1. DISC Assessment: The DISC assessment evaluates candidates based on four primary personality traits: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. It provides insights into how individuals tend to communicate, make decisions, and work in a team. It is a user-friendly tool that can help you understand how well a candidate’s personality aligns with the requirements of a specific role.

2. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): MBTI is a well-established personality assessment tool that categorises individuals into one of sixteen personality types based on preferences related to extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. It can provide valuable insights into a candidate’s natural inclinations and work style.

When using these assessment tools, it is essential to have a trained facilitator or consultant interpret the results, as this can help ensure a more accurate understanding of how a candidate’s personality traits may fit within your organisation’s culture and job requirements.

Why You should Consider using Natural Ingredients for weightloss by Diane Shawe

Using natural ingredients for weight loss can have several potential benefits:

  1. Safety: Natural ingredients are often perceived as safer compared to synthetic or artificial ingredients. They are typically derived from plants, herbs, or other natural sources and may have fewer side effects or risks associated with their use. However, it’s important to remember that “natural” doesn’t always equate to “safe,” and individual sensitivities or allergies can still occur. It’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new weight loss regimen.
  2. Nutrient Density: Natural ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, tend to be rich in essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Incorporating these nutrient-dense foods into your diet can provide the necessary nutrients to support overall health and well-being while promoting weight loss.
  3. Fiber Content: Many natural ingredients are high in dietary fiber, which can help with weight loss. Fiber adds bulk to the diet, making you feel fuller for longer periods, reducing overall calorie intake, and promoting healthy digestion. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.
  4. Thermogenic Effects: Some natural ingredients, such as green tea, cayenne pepper, and ginger, may have thermogenic properties. These ingredients can increase metabolism and help the body burn more calories. However, the effects of these ingredients on weight loss may be modest, and they should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise for optimal results.
  5. Sustainable Lifestyle Approach: Using natural ingredients for weight loss often aligns with adopting a sustainable lifestyle approach. It encourages the consumption of whole foods, minimally processed ingredients, and a focus on long-term habits rather than quick fixes. A sustainable approach to weight loss promotes overall health and well-being, making it easier to maintain weight loss in the long run.

While natural ingredients can support weight loss efforts, it’s important to remember that weight loss is a complex process influenced by multiple factors. It’s always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making any significant changes to your diet or starting any new supplements or weight loss programs. They can provide personalized advice based on your specific needs and circumstances.

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How does it work

MitaThin creators claim that mitochondrial malfunction is the primary cause of weight gain. Each healthy cell has mitochondria that are the sites for energy production. Each second, the cells require energy to perform their functions. Low energy levels slow various biochemical processes and increase the risk of gaining weight.

MitaThin nutrients restore the damaged mitochondria, thus increasing energy levels naturally.

Similarly, it has ingredients that diminish appetite levels and stimulate satiety. The developer state that the plant-based nutrients allow the user to achieve a calorific deficit, thermogenesis, and ketosis within a short time. Thus, it becomes easier to metabolize the stored fat instead of relying on carbs.

If you want to #loseweight, try this natural product as your 60 seconds Morning Ritual which helps to #disolve #fat. Special offer Order now bit.ly/3NYrd5l

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Natural ingredients are understood by the body

Reveal Your Best Skin with Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask.

The Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask is a natural facial mask made with Dead Sea mud, Dead Sea minerals, and essential oils. It is designed to draw out impurities, detoxify the skin, and leave it feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed.

The mask is made with 100% natural ingredients, including Dead Sea mud, Dead Sea minerals, and essential oils. Dead Sea mud is a rich source of minerals that are beneficial for the skin. These minerals include magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium. These minerals help to draw out impurities, detoxify the skin, and leave it feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed.

Here is a direct link to the one I use in the salon. https://amzn.to/3pXlVO0



The mask is also fragranced with essential oils, which have a number of benefits for the skin. Essential oils can help to improve skin tone, reduce inflammation, and promote healing.

The Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask is easy to use. Simply apply a thin layer of the mask to clean, dry skin and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse the mask off with warm water and enjoy your refreshed skin!

Here are some of the benefits of using the Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask:

* Draws out impurities
* Detoxifies the skin
* Leaves the skin feeling soft, smooth, and refreshed
* Improves skin tone
* Reduces inflammation
* Promotes healing

The Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask is a safe and effective way to improve the appearance of your skin. It is made with natural ingredients and is free of harsh chemicals and artificial fragrances. The mask is also vegan and cruelty-free.

If you are looking for a natural way to improve the appearance of your skin, the Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask is a great option. It is safe, effective, and affordable.

Here is a direct link to the one I use in the salon.  https://amzn.to/3pXlVO0

Here are some safety guidelines to keep in mind when using the Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask:

* Do not use the mask if you have any open wounds or cuts on your face.
* If you experience any redness, irritation, or itching after using the mask, discontinue use.
* Keep the mask out of reach of children.

Here is a direct link to the one I use in the salon.  https://amzn.to/3pXlVO0

In conclusion, the Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask is a natural and effective way to detoxify your skin and leave it feeling refreshed. With its use of Dead Sea mud and minerals, this mask is designed to draw out impurities and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. The added essential oils give it a refreshing and calming scent, making it a wonderful addition to any self-care routine.

If you’re looking for a natural and high-quality facial mask, be sure to try out the Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask today!

Here is a direct link to the one I use in the salon. https://amzn.to/3pXlVO0

If you have any questions or concerns about using the Laguna Moon Dead Sea Mud Mask, please consult with a dermatologist.

TRY THESE TOP 10 DISRUPTIVE SME BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES FOR 2022

Every New Year I have always checked for the top business growth tips and trends.

This year I have decided to present my own because we the business community are still living in unprecedented times of uncertainty, fear, transformation, deception, confusion, and outright disruption of the old ways of doing business.

I am Diane Shawe founder of Virtual Speedy Services Ltd (which I gave birth to during the first lockdown) and author of ‘Answer 77 Questions about your business to avoid business failure’ shares her top small business growth strategies for the year ahead.

2021 has been a year of rapid transformation across all industries as the business community has dealt with shifting customer buying activities and economic challenges, as well as mitigating hot-button issues such as the pandemic and people’s changing conception of work life balance. In a year filled with change, there are some trends which are going to be firmly fixed into 2022 that you and your business should seriously build into your growth plans.

To lead your business in the right direction as we head into 2022, here are my humble 10 small business growth strategies.[

1. Prioritise your business culture

Throughout the pandemic, businesses have been dealing with “The Great Resignation” as workers are quitting their jobs at record-high rates. One of the reasons for this is that people are changing their definitions of what they consider a healthy work-life balance and what they want in a company culture.

“The pandemic has shifted the way people incorporate work into their life, whether it’s moving to another county for cheaper housing or not going into the office every day and getting the opportunity to do remote or hybrid work,” Diane states.

Diane goes on further to state that “Not all solutions are made equal, and culture is now a part of that. “A big factor for employees, in addition to salary and benefits, is culture, so have a culture strategy in place.”

2. Consider hiring more freelance workers

The number of gig workers, freelancers and contractors has grown exponentially over the last few years and they make up a large portion of workers within the current market.

“Small business owners will now be able to bring in more specialised freelance workers to carry out tasks without having to deal with the hiring and training costs that are often associated with recruiting a full-time employee,” said Diane. “With the importance of being agile in today’s economic environment … as well as the rise of remote work, … skilled outsource

Peopleperhour.com and fiverr.com are great places to start.

3. Work with micro-influencers

While small businesses may be competing against larger businesses to work with online influencers, collaborating with micro-influencers is an option to consider.

“As influencer marketing is becoming more popular than ever… micro-influencers are going to be the best option for small businesses because they don’t cost as much and they are more open to collaborating with small businesses too,” explained Diane. “With a couple of these small influencers helping [your business] reach specific audiences, growth will not be an impossible feat in 2022.”

4. Leverage the way you supply your products and services.

Distributors and businesses across the country dealt with supply chain issues with the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent economic disruptions. In 2022, businesses must be aware of scarcities within the supply chain and get ahead of manufacturing and transportation challenges by working collaboratively with their suppliers.

Checkout companies like Amazon who can provide a fulfillment service for your orders. Consider moving to a drop shipping manufacturer or warehouse so as to reduce your cash investment in slow moving stock.

5. Educate client and  partners your new paradigms

It’s important to inform your clients and partners about changes you’re making to better benefit your business across a shifting economic landscape. If the changes don’t land, it may be time to consider other options,

Many businesses are painfully aware how much the talent pool has changed. Working with potential employees, client partners to educate them on the new management styles needed, increased compensation packages and other aspects of recruitment and retention is very important.

6. Prepare for potential contracting opportunities

Almost 80 new businesses were created every hour across the UK in the first half of 2021, according to research by iwoca – one of Europe’s largest small business lenders.

Analysis of Companies House data reveals that 340,534 businesses were registered in the UK between January and June 2021, an increase of 32% from 257,243 over the same time period in 2019.

London dominates list of areas to start a business

iwoca’s Small Business HotSpots UK 2021 reveals that Camden saw the largest number of businesses registered out of all UK local authorities, with 19,755 new companies – a rate of more than four and a half new firms every hour.

The second largest number of new businesses were registered in Hackney (13,646) followed by 10,151 in Westminster. London’s local authorities make up half of the top 10, which also includes Birmingham in 5th with 7,442 new firms and Kent placing 7th with 6,504 businesses.

London saw over one third of the new registrations with 120,338, followed by the South East (37,573) and North West (33,640). The capital city also witnessed the largest increase in new business registration compared to 2019 of 59%, with the West Midlands registering a 49% rise followed by the North East (28%).

Christoph Rieche, iwoca CEO and co-founder, said: “It is fantastic to see the creation of so many businesses during the first half of this year, they are testament to the entrepreneurial spirit which characterises our vibrant economy.

“Many of these businesses will be unnecessarily constrained by cashflow. At iwoca we turn cashflow into a superpower enabling them to grow faster and worry less. We look forward to working with many of them.”-

Why is such a growth happening?

A survey I read stated that 39% of people in current jobs are going to quit within the next 12 months, which is not great for an employer, but suggests a start of a business revolution is happening.

What advice would I give to somebody looking to start a business?

There is never a good time to do it and you just must go for it.  It’s all encompassing and it’s a phenomenon. I just decided to go for it in 2000 and have never looked back. However you can be clever about it though – can you cut down your hours in your current role or could you work part-time initially? Explore your options wisely.

7. Get creative on sales and marketing opportunities

The digital marketing landscape has become increasingly challenging due to congestion and evolving regulations, said Diane Shawe of Virtual Speedy Services Ltd

“This is forcing many traditionally digital companies to explore other sales channels and marketing strategies,” she said.

To mitigate these challenges, Shawe said her company is getting creative by helping other companies engage with A.I. Conversational Marketing Technologies with its engaging methods.

8. Widen your business’s online footprint

Small businesses must adapt and be “practical” when it comes to sales, as consumers continue to favor online and mobile shopping.

“Businesses need to widen their online footprint to gain a significant proportion of customers from the current market,” said Diane. “A simple way to sell products is to have a sellers account on your popular social media or estore platforms.  To sell services, … list [your company] on freelance and contract websites.” Also create a blog and YouTube website for reviewing products, testimonials, advice and tips. Become the expert in your field. Entry competitions, exhibitions, network meetings.

9. Learn video SEO strategies to rank higher on search engines

Video marketing has become an integral part of a successful marketing strategy with the rise of live videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. It’s estimated that by 2022, videos will account for 82% of all consumer traffic. That’s why video SEO should be a top priority for businesses in 2022.

“Small businesses that incorporate short-form videos into their website posts will see more organic traffic coming from search engines,” explained Gilmour. “As TikTok continues to grow, search engine algorithms will shift to articles and posts that include short-form videos. Short-form videos from TikTok and YouTube may even become the main point of ‘how to’ searches.”

10. Utilise partnership marketing to reach a broader audience

Partnership marketing is a strategic collaboration that gives you and your partner company a chance to reach a wider audience together, explained Diane Shawe, founder of Virtual Speedy Services Ltd.

“Collaboration with another company can aid in the development of better marketing initiatives that benefit both parties, If your target clients are similar, you may pool your resources to better your marketing techniques, build your brands and expand your audience reach.”

Start to use smart customer acquisition techniques such as collaborating with discount giants such as wowcher, groupon or discount voucher websites to help get your business name, brand or services directly into potential customers mobile.

“Another example, if a consumer purchases a product from you, you can provide a discount coupon that they can use to purchase discounted products from your business partner,” said Diane. “Co-branding of a product or project can also boost both companies’ marketing power.”

get help with your business startup

Virtual Speedy Services Ltd is set up to provide a suite of services for Small and Medium size businesses to help them efficiently and quickly Setup or expand their business. Our core service is A.I technology by designing conversational marketing chatbots to generate quality business leads or engage online visitors in real time.   We populate and generate impressive business plan and 5 years projections for focus, raising finance along with smart eCommerce website, streamlined social media tools and an effective google verified website. We think of ourselves as your Virtual Personal Assistance who will help streamline your business development and growth without all the drama.

Let’s have a chat https://try-chatbots.virtualspeedyservices.uk

Hair Loss and Thinning Hair Treatments and Solutions Workshop

Come and join us fo a conversation about hairloss and thinning hair and what solutions are available.

Venue: Need a Hair Makeover Hair Extensions & Hair-loss Specialist Salon

Book to register

Date; 16th November

Time: 6pm – 8pm

Fee: £3.00

A recent report on anyone having covid suggested that 70% was experiencing hairloss.

We recognise that hair loss can be very upsetting and cause a lack of confidence, affecting your overall self-esteem. We also know that finding the right solution can be confusing, sometimes disappointing and at a time when you are most vunerable.

We are able to offer expert advice and guidance to all of our Alopecia, Chemotherapy & Hair Loss condition and help you understand the various treatments and solutions available.

Register Here: http://bit.ly/2YvgfO1

https://www.fresha.com/book-now/need-a-makeover-hair-extensions-and-hair-loss-salon-l1iwpzfr/services?lid=551156&eid=1580769&oiid=sv%3A8302960&pId=515353

Here is one of the solutions you could try https://amzn.to/3HleAMh

How to Create Trackable Social Media Links For Your Business by Diane Shawe

We can all agree tht social media plays an important part in sharing your message, services or products. But how do you start tracking what you have posted and how can it help your business, product or brand. I was researching this and have the following this to share with you.

It is important to set up a social media strategy to align with your business goals, and pulled together either paid or free social monitoring services, you’ve got one more habit to get into: tracking. From one fellow community manager to another, you know how important it is to know how one tweet performed versus another, or if one blog post rocked on one social network over another. This can only happen by having the right tracking in place.

Why Use Trackable Sharing Buttons

Not all sharing buttons are created equal, which is why you should pick sharing buttons that will give you a good signal of what’s going on in your site. You may see some insight in your analytics that tell you people visited your site, and some of them were from social. But to really know how and where your community is sharing your content, your sharing buttons should tell you.

How To Create Your Own Share Links

1) Go to http://www.sharelinkgenerator.com/.

2) Choose the social network you want people to share your content on.

3) Fill in the blanks.

4) Download a social button icon.

5) Make the icons clickable using your share link.

By using the right sharing buttons to help you see which social network is most popular among your audience, you’re going to understand your community better. Who knows? There may be a strong niche community reading your content in a social network you’re not actively engaging. These are a community manager’s dream gems to find!

Why Use Trackable Follow Buttons

Do you know, off the top of your head, how many social followers your site got for you this week? If your follow buttons were trackable, you’d be able to get this number without much digging in your analytics. And wouldn’t it rock to be able to tell your teammates you know that most of your Instagram followers came from your site? (This happened to us, actually!) As a community manager, this is the type of understanding that’ll open your eyes into exactly how your audience is engaging with your content. Discover which social networks your audience is most engaged with, and how your site is helping you drive engagement off your domain with trackable follow buttons.

Why Us Trackable Chatbots

Don’t lift a finger and still deal with your enquiries 24/7

The next big thing to hit SME’s is Chatbots Using Artificial Intelegence.
The number 1 complaint about launching and running a online business or attracting responses to a posting is generating enough enquiries to make a sale or even responding to all the enquiries within 24 hours.!

Chatbots can assist you and there is “No Need To Lift a Finger Because some of the Proven System Will Do The Work And Get You More Leads!”
The data coming out now is that more and more people are moving to online communications and shows that you need to start leveraging Chatbots to streamline customer communications, problem solving and sales.
Individuals are using messaging Chatbots for many different reasons. However, the key things your customers want from any communication is quick response, help with there enquiry, ability to make appointments or make a purchase or have a problem attended to quickly.

Click here to try it out

Why Use Trackable URLs

You can automatically generate unique hashes appended to all of your site’s pages to help you generate unique links that you can then use to push to social. Address bar sharing adds a unique set of characters to the very end of your URL that will make that URL unique. (And don’t worry, this will not negatively affect your SEO.)

The reason you’ll want to do this is if you’re trying to monitor how the same content performs on different social networks, and which messaging performed best on the same topic.

There’s nothing more frustrating than spending so much time creating awesome content, and having tons of Tweets, tiktok and instagram out there to drive traffic to your pages, and then not being able to tell which phrasing or timing actually worked best.

Go beyond the pageviews and visits by making all your site’s URLs generate uniquely. You’ll then even be able to catch where a big segment of your traffic came from.

How to embed a tweet using the Twitter website

Open Twitter in a web browser, log in if necessary, and find the tweet you want to embed.

Click the three dots at the top right of the tweet.

In the dropdown menu, choose “Embed Tweet.”

The Twitter Publish page should appear. …

When you’re done, click “Update.”

How to embed a tweet on a website using Twitter’s embed tool

Why Use Analytics

Tying all of that data together into an easy-to-read dashboard is usually the hardest part of a community manager’s job, but lucky for you, AddThis’ dashboard pulls all of this information for you in one place.

The dashboard lays out in crisp and clear graphics how all of your audience members engaged with your site, which tools they used to engage, and which content they liked the most.

Know exactly which social network is growing the most from your site, and which is being shared to the most. Know all this by just scanning your dashboard (without drowning in search queries and exported spreadsheets).

10 Health Benefits You Can Gain From Cassava (Jamaican Bammy)

What I did not know about Jamaican Bammy for instance it can help with weightloss and Migraines!

jamaican bammy 10 health benefits
What is Jamaican Bammy?

I have found myself looking back at some of the specially prepared dishes my granma and mum use to prepare to find out if there was any nutritional benefits to them or just trandition.

One of the dishes I remember was fried fish served with Bammy, I found it hard to chew but my grandad and dad seemed to enjoy it immencely.

So what is Bammy?

I found out that it is made from Cassava flour which is made from a root vegitable.

Cassava also call Manihot esculenta

Cassava or scientifically called Manihot esculenta is a type of vegetable root or tubers. Cassava is a food source that is rich in nutrients. Although there are not many devotees.

The carbohydrate content in the tuber is so high that it is third, after rice and corn. Because it has health benefits, cassava is a staple food in various developing countries.

A warning about the process

However, the wrong processing of cassava can reduce its nutritional value because vitamins, minerals, fiber, and starch tend to disappear when cooking.

Cassava in it’s raw state must be cooked properly before consumption, otherwise cassava can cause acute poisoning because of the naturally occurring cyanide content in the raw state.

If not prepared properly, tubers that are rich in carbohydrates can even cause paralysis or death.

With that said, I recommend it is better to buy the flour or flat bread instead of trying to make your own!

Nutrient content in cassava

The most effective way to maintain the health benefits of cassava and the nutritional value of cassava is to boil it.

The nutritional value of cassava for a dose of 100 grams of tuber contains 160 calories of energy, 0.3 g of fat, thiamine 0.087 mg, riboflavin 0.048 ml, niacin 0.854 mg, vitamin B6 0.088 mg, iron 0.27 mg, and zinc 0 , 34 mg

Other nutrients in cassava are as follows: 38.1g carbohydrates, 1.7g sugar, 1.8g food fiber, 1.4g protein, 60g water 27mcg folate 20.6mg vitamin C 16mg calcium 21mg magnesium 27mg phosphorus 271 potassium 14mg sodium.

10 Health Benefits Obtained

The health benefits of cassava are rich in calories, carbohydrates and iron as a good source of energy.

Incorporating cassava into a controlled healthy diet menu has turned out to have many positive effects on health. 

1. Cassava loses Your weight

Cassava which is rich in dietary fiber is the right choice if you can’t wait to lose weight.

Cassava can make you feel full for a longer period of time. Thus reducing the need to constantly snack on food so as to suppress weight gain.

2. Cassava cures migraines

The presence of vitamin B2 and riboflavin in tubers is useful for curing headaches and migraines. Eating cassava can help reduce constant migraine attacks.

The trick is to take 60 grams of roots or cassava leaves and soak them in water for 2 hours then make the juice. This will reduce the severity of your migraine.

3. Cassava improves digestive health

As mentioned above, cassava is rich in dietary fiber which is very beneficial for the body and its function.

Insoluble fiber helps in improving your digestive system by absorbing all the poisons stored in your intestine, and also by reducing inflammation in your digestive tract.

4. Cassava treats diarrhea

The antioxidant properties of the roots can help overcome flaccid stools.

If you suffer from diarrhea, boil the roots in water for one hour and consume them.

This will help to get rid of bacteria that cause stomach problems and reduce the symptoms of diarrhea as well.

5. Cassava improves vision

One of the other main benefits of cassava is that it is beneficial to your eye health.

Consumption of controlled cassava can help your body with the vitamins and minerals needed.

Filled with vitamin A content, cassava can help improve your vision, it can also prevent blindness or poor vision.

6. Cassava heals wounds

The whole cassava plant, namely the stems, leaves and roots are all useful in treating wounds.

Roots can help prevent wounds from becoming infected and speed healing.

7. Cassava cures fever

Cassava can be used to treat mild fever.

When boiled together with cassava leaves, it increases the ability to relieve fever. You can make potions from both of them and drink them to reduce your body temperature.

8. Cassava cleanses worms

Eating cassava can help relieve nematode lice in your stomach and intestines. Cassava roots help remove worms in your intestines and provide assistance.

9. Cassava increases appetite

Carbohydrates and fiber in cassava play an important role in regaining your appetite.

If you feel weak and have no appetite, maybe for emotional or physical reasons, try putting a few pieces of cassava into your menu.

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10. Cassava increases energy

Because cassava is rich in carbohydrates, edible tubers are very useful in instantly increasing your energy.

This helps improve the functioning of your brain and supplies energy.

How to cook Jamaican Bammy

Visit cooklikeajamican.com for more info

Preparation time 15m

Cooking time 15m

1 or 2 Packs of Jamaican Bammy

Jamaican Bammy is best described as a flat bread. It is traditionally eaten with Ackee and Saltfish,  Calaloo, steamed or fried fish.

There are two quick and easy ways to prepare bammy: Toasted in an oven or fried in hot oil. It’s a delicious gluten-free substitute for bread with your meal.

Instructions

1. Soaking: In a shallow dish soak 2 bammy in 1/2 cup of coconut milk or salted water. Pour half the liquid over bammy; flip bammy and pour the rest of the liquid; let stand for about 5 minutes. Note if you are using canned coconut milk dilute milk 50:50 with water

2. Toasting: Broil both sides of bammy until toasted. Cut open and spread inside with butter while still hot

3. Frying: Fry both sides of bammy in hot oil until golden brown. Cut in quarters

Great for Vegitarians

Vegetarian Recipe

• 1 packet(s) Grace Coconut Milk Powder

• 2 1/2 cup(s) water

• 2 stalk(s) escallion

• 3 clove(s) garlic

• 2 medium carrots

• 3 whole bammies

• 6 large okras

• 2 sprig(s) thyme

• 6 whole pimento berries

• 1 small green scotch bonnet pepper

• 1 packet(s) Grace Cock Soup Mix

Vegetarian Steamed Bammy Directions

• Rehydrate Grace Coconut Milk Powder with water and bring to a boil.

• Beat escallion, chop garlic, dice carrot, cut each bammy into 4 pieces and okras in halves.

• Add seasoning and carrots and steam for about 5 minutes then add bammies and okra.

• Sift in seasoning from the Grace Cock Soup Mix.

• Stir well, cover and steam for a further 10 minutes.

Where to buy online

This is what the pack looks like. There are 2 flatbreaded in each pack

Bammy (Cassava)

You can also shop on amazon.

50 Online Local Business Directories to list your Franchise or Business

Even Google Promotes itself!

Promoting a local business opportunity isn’t easy these days.

Whether it’s because of oversaturation or complicated search engine algorithms, it’s all too easy to feel like no one will find your business in the local or national search results.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to improve your local SEO. All you have to do is list your business in online business directories such as Yellow Pages, Manta, and more. This is called building citations, and it’s a critical piece of a local marketing strategy.

What is a business directory?

A business directory is an online list of businesses within a particular niche, location, or category. One way local businesses can get found by online searchers is through inclusion in business directories.

Why you need to get listed in multiple relevant  business directory?

Today, Google is inserting itself between consumer and local business websites much more often. For proof, you need to look no further than Google My Business, Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), featured snippets, and most importantly, local packs.

By building citations, you can make sure that you appear in these local packs when people look for businesses like yours in their area. Business directories may seem like a thing of the past, but they’re a great way to grow your presence online.

You can improve visibility by listing your local business’ NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) on directories, online business listing sites, and citation sites. Aside from improving your local SEO, these can also improve your rankings on search engines because the listings usually link back to your site.

Make sure your company listing has the following information once you add it to a directory:

• Consistent NAP. If you add or update your business on multiple business listing sites, make sure you’re providing the same company information across each directory.

• A link to your website. Backlinks — also known as inbound links — are crucial to your company website’s Domain Rating. Consider adding a tracking link at the end of this URL as well, so you can see how much traffic your website specifically gets from the business directories that are linking to it.

• A company description. Make sure you have a detailed description of your business that reflects your organization’s mission, culture, and values.

• Multimedia. Give company searchers a visual taste of your business with a picture or video of your office, your employees, or your daily business operations.

There are plenty of location-specific and industry-specific business listing sites where you can submit your data. To start promoting your local business, however, you should start with the big sites and work your way toward the more niche directories.

First, let’s go over the top free business directories.

Make it Happen

Free Business Listings

• Facebook

• Apple Maps

• Google My Business

• LinkedIn Company Directory

• Bing

• Yelp

• MapQuest

• HubSpot

• Super Pages

• YellowBook.com

• Thumbtack

Online Directories for Local Businesses

• Facebook Pages (Domain Rating = 100)

• Instagram for Business (Domain Rating = 99)

• Google My Business (Domain Rating = 98)

• LinkedIn Company Directory (Domain Rating = 98)

• Apple Maps (Domain Rating = 97)

• Yelp (Domain Rating = 94)

• Bing (Domain Rating = 93)

• HubSpot’s Solutions Directory (Domain Rating = 93)

• Better Business Bureau (Domain Rating = 93)

• MapQuest (Domain Rating = 92)

• Foursquare (Domain Rating = 91)

• Yahoo! Local (Domain Rating = 91)

• Thumbtack (Domain Rating = 90)

• Yellow Pages (Domain Rating = 90)

• Angi, FKA Angie’s List ( Domain Rating = 91)

• Nextdoor (Domain Rating = 87)

• Manta (Domain Rating = 87)

• Merchant Circle (Domain Rating = 85)

• YellowBook.com (Domain Rating = 82)

• Dun & Bradstreet Business Directory (Domain Rating = 80)

• Local.com (Domain Rating = 79)

• Hotfrog (Domain Rating = 79)

• ChamberofCommerce.com (Domain Rating = 79)

• 2FindLocal (Domain Rating = 46)

• EZlocal (Domain Rating = 78)

• Brownbook.net (Domain Rating = 77)

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Go Get some Cardamom herbs, its science backed – Here’s Why!


Since the spread of Covid 19 around the world I like many others have been looking for natural herbs to help stay healthy. Of course there are lots of herbal remedies being touted on YouTube and some herbal distributors injecting hashtags relating to a virus to help push there product up the search engine.

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I usually buy my spices from the local Delhi Shop mainly because of the wide range and competitive prices.
A few weeks ago I noticed that one of the boxes was empty, this is rare I thought, not just one box but five!
The label read CARDAMOM. Is there a secret  we don’t know about? Well I didn’t have time to do a search but I took a photo of the label to remind me to go investigate later.


To my amazement later on that day I found this some info on the 10 Health Benefits of Cardamom, Backed by Science!
So what is Cardamom? It is a spice with an intense, slightly sweet flavor that some people compare to mint.
It originated in India but is available worldwide today and used in both sweet and savory recipes.
The seeds, oils and extracts of cardamom are thought to have impressive medicinal properties and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries (1, 2).


Here are 10 health benefits of cardamom, backed by science.


1. Antioxidant and Diuretic Properties May Lower Blood Pressure
Cardamom may be helpful for people with high blood pressure.
In one study, researchers gave three grams of cardamom powder a day to 20 adults who were newly diagnosed with high blood pressure. After 12 weeks, blood pressure levels had significantly decreased to the normal range (3Trusted Source).


The promising results of this study may be related to the high levels of antioxidants in cardamom. In fact, the participants’ antioxidant status had increased by 90% by the end of the study. Antioxidants have been linked to lower blood pressure (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
Researchers also suspect that the spice may lower blood pressure due to its diuretic effect, meaning it can promote urination to remove water that builds up in your body, for example around your heart.


Cardamom extract has been shown to increase urination and decrease blood pressure in rats (5Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Cardamom may help lower blood pressure, most likely due to its antioxidant and diuretic properties.


2. May Contain Cancer-Fighting Compounds
The compounds in cardamom may help fight cancer cells.
Studies in mice have shown that cardamom powder can increase the activity of certain enzymes that help fight cancer (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).


The spice may also enhance the ability of natural killer cells to attack tumors (8Trusted Source).


In one study, researchers exposed two groups of mice to a compound that causes skin cancer and fed one group 500 mg of ground cardamom per kg (227 mg per pound) of weight per day (7 Trusted Source).


After 12 weeks, only 29% of the group who ate the cardamom developed cancer, compared to over 90% of the control group (7Trusted Source).


Research on human cancer cells and cardamom indicate similar results. One study showed that a certain compound in the spice stopped oral cancer cells in test tubes from multiplying (9Trusted Source).


Even though the results are promising, these studies have only been conducted on mice or in test tubes. Human research is needed before stronger claims can be made.

SUMMARY

Certain compounds in cardamom may fight cancer and stop the growth of tumors in mice and test tubes. Human research is needed to validate if these results apply to humans as well.

Click to see receipe


3. May Protect from Chronic Diseases Thanks to Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Cardamom is rich in compounds that may fight inflammation.
Inflammation occurs when your body is exposed to foreign substances. Acute inflammation is necessary and beneficial, but long-term inflammation can lead to chronic diseases (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12).


Antioxidants, found in abundance in cardamom, protect cells from damage and stop inflammation from occurring (13Trusted Source).
One study found that cardamom extract in doses of 50–100 mg per kg (23–46 mg per pound) of body weight was effective in inhibiting at least four different inflammatory compounds in rats (14Trusted Source).
Another study in rats showed that eating cardamom powder decreased liver inflammation induced by eating a diet high in carbs and fat (15Trusted Source).


Though there are not as many studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of cardamom in humans, research shows that supplements may increase antioxidant status by up to 90% (3Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

The antioxidant compounds in cardamom may help protect cells from damage and slow down and prevent inflammation in your body.


4. May Help with Digestive Problems, Including Ulcers
Cardamom has been used for thousands of years to help with digestion.


It’s often mixed with other medicinal spices to relieve discomfort, nausea and vomiting (1).
The most researched property of cardamom, as it pertains to relieving stomach issues, is its possible ability to heal ulcers.


In one study, rats were fed extracts of cardamom, turmeric and sembung leaf in hot water before being exposed to high doses of aspirin to induce stomach ulcers. These rats developed fewer ulcers compared to rats that only received aspirin (16Trusted Source).
A similar study in rats found that cardamom extract alone could completely prevent or reduce the size of gastric ulcers by at least 50%.


In fact, at doses of 12.5 mg per kg (5.7 mg per pound) of body weight, cardamom extract was more effective than a common anti-ulcer medication (17Trusted Source).
Test-tube research also suggests that cardamom may protect against Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria linked to the development of most stomach ulcer issues (18Trusted Source).
More research is needed to know if the spice would have the same effect against ulcers in humans.

SUMMARY
Cardamom may protect against digestive issues and has been shown to reduce the number and size of stomach ulcers in rats.


5. May Treat Bad Breath and Prevent Cavities
The use of cardamom to treat bad breath and improve oral health is an ancient remedy.
In some cultures, it’s common to freshen your breath by eating entire cardamom pods after a meal (1).
Even the chewing gum manufacturer Wrigley uses the spice in one of its products.


The reason why cardamom can lead to minty fresh breath may have to do with its ability to fight common mouth bacteria (19Trusted Source).
One study found that cardamom extracts were effective in fighting five bacteria that can cause dental cavities. In some test-tube cases, the extracts prevented the growth of the bacteria by up to 0.82 inches (2.08 cm) (20).
Additional research shows that cardamom extract can reduce the number of bacteria in saliva samples by 54% (21).
However, all of these studies have been conducted in test tubes, making it unclear how the results may apply to humans.


SUMMARY
Cardamom is often used to treat bad breath and is a component of some chewing gums. This is because cardamom might be able to kill common mouth bacteria and prevent cavities.


6. May Have Antibacterial Effects and Treat Infections
Cardamom also has antibacterial effects outside of the mouth and may treat infections.
Research shows that cardamom extracts and essential oils have compounds that fight several common strains of bacteria (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).


One test-tube study examined the impact of these extracts on drug-resistant strains of Candida, a yeastthat can cause fungal infections. The extracts were able to inhibit the growth of some strains by 0.39–0.59 inches (0.99–1.49 cm) (26Trusted Source).


Additional test-tube research found that essential oils and extracts of cardamom were just as, and sometimes more effective than standard drugs against E. coli and Staphylococcus, bacteria that can cause food poisoning (23Trusted Source).
Test-tube studies have also shown that cardamom essential oils fight the bacteria Salmonella that leads to food poisoning and Campylobacter that contributes to stomach inflammation (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).


Existing studies on the antibacterial effects of cardamom have only looked at isolated strains of bacteria in labs. Therefore, the evidence is currently not strong enough to make claims that the spice would have the same effect in humans.


SUMMARY
The essential oils and extracts of cardamom may be effective against a variety of bacterial strains that contribute to fungal infections, food poisoning and stomach issues. However, research has only been conducted in test tubes and not in humans.


7. May Improve Breathing and Oxygen Use
Compounds in cardamom may help increase airflow to your lungs and improve breathing.
When used in aromatherapy, cardamom can provide an invigorating odor that enhances your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise (27).


One study asked a group of participants to inhale cardamom essential oil for one minute before walking on a treadmill for 15-minute intervals. This group had a significantly higher oxygen uptake compared to the control group (27).
Another way that cardamom may improve breathing and oxygen use is by relaxing your airway. This may be particularly helpful for treating asthma.
A study in rats and rabbits found that injections of cardamom extract could relax the throat air passage. If the extract has a similar effect in people with asthma, it may prevent their inflamed airways from restricting and improve their breathing (28).


SUMMARY
Cardamom may improve breathing by stimulating better oxygen uptake and relaxing air passage to the lungs in humans and animals.
. May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
When taken in powder form, cardamom may lower blood sugar.


One study found that feeding rats a high-fat, high-carb (HFHC) diet caused their blood sugar levels to remain elevated longer than if they were fed a normal diet (15Trusted Source).


When rats on the HFHC diet were given cardamom powder, their blood sugar did not stay elevated for longer than the blood sugar of rats on a normal diet (15Trusted Source).


However, the powder may not have the same effect in humans with type 2 diabetes.
In a study in over 200 adults with this condition, participants were divided into groups that took only black tea or black tea with three grams of either cinnamon, cardamom or ginger every day for eight weeks (29Trusted Source).


The results showed that cinnamon, but not cardamom or ginger, improved blood sugar control (29Trusted Source).
In order to better understand the effect of cardamom on blood sugar in humans, more studies are needed.

SUMMARY
A study on rats suggests that cardamom may help decrease high blood sugar levels, but more high-quality human studies are needed.

Now is agreat time to take a look at the quality of your food


9. Other Potential Health Benefits of Cardamom
In addition to the aforementioned health benefits, cardamom may be good for your health in other ways as well.
Studies in rats have found that the high antioxidant levels in the spice may prevent both liver enlargement, anxiety and even aid weight loss:


Liver protection: Cardamom extract may decrease elevated liver enzymes, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They may also prevent liver enlargement and liver weight, which reduces the risk of fatty liver disease (30, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).


Anxiety: One rat study suggests that cardamom extract may prevent anxious behaviors. This may be because low blood levels of antioxidants have been linked to the development of anxiety and other mood disorders (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source, 36Trusted Source).

Weight loss: A study in 80 overweight and obese prediabetic women found a link between cardamom and slightly reduced waist circumference. However, rat studies on weight loss and the spice have not found significant results (15Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source)
The number of studies on the link between cardamom and these potential benefits is limited and mostly done on animals.


Furthermore, the reasons why the spice may help improve liver health, anxiety and weight are unclear.

SUMMARY:
A limited number of studies suggests that cardamom supplements may decrease waist circumference and prevent anxious behaviors and fatty liver. The reasons behind these effects are unclear but may have to do with the spice’s high antioxidant content.


10. Safe for Most People and Widely Available
Cardamom is generally safe for most people.
The most common way to use cardamom is in cooking or baking. It’s very versatile and often added to Indian curries and stews, as well as gingerbread cookies, bread and other baked goods.


The use of cardamom supplements, extracts and essential oils is likely to become more common in light of the promising results of research on its medicinal uses.
However, there is currently no recommended dose for the spice since most studies have been on animals. The use of supplements should be monitored by a health professional.
Furthermore, cardamom supplements may not be suitable for children and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.


Most supplements recommend 500 mg of cardamom powder or extract once or twice a day.
The FDA does not regulate supplements, so be sure to choose brands that have been tested by a third party if you’re encouraged to try cardamom supplements by a healthcare provider.
If you’re interested in trying cardamom, remember that adding the spice to your foods may be the safest way.

SUMMARY
Using cardamom in cooking is safe for most people. Cardamom supplements and extracts have not been thoroughly researched and should only be taken under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

The Bottom Line
Cardamom is an ancient remedy that may have many medicinal properties.
It may lower blood pressure, improve breathing and aid weight loss.


What’s more, animal and test-tube studies show that cardamom may help fight tumors, improve anxiety, fight bacteria and protect your liver, though the evidence in these cases is less strong.
However, little or no human research exists for a number of the health claims associated with the spice. More studies are needed to show if or how the results of preliminary research apply to humans.


Nevertheless, adding cardamom to your cooking may be a safe and effective way to improve your health.
Cardamom extracts and supplements may also provide benefits but should be taken with caution and under the supervision of a doctor.


Source https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cardamom-benefits

Eating healing Oily foods

Which is more Productive – Discipline or Motivation?

When it’s time to get something done there two ways to kick yourself into gear.

The first, and most popular, way is by motivating yourself. The second, which isn’t as widely used, is through self-discipline.

But, how different are they? And, which is better, discipline or motivation?

Discipline vs. Motivation

“One of the first things to realise is that self-discipline is different from self-motivation. You might be able to do the things you’re supposed to, but that’s not the same thing as being motivated to a higher purpose, or having the self-motivation to keep going when your willpower is depleted.

“Willpower has been recognised as a limited resource — something that you can ‘use up.’ If you repeatedly resist temptation or force yourself into something, eventually you wear down and it becomes harder and harder.”

If you really want to keep going, you need that self-motivation that helps sustain you when the decision fatigue sets in and your willpower runs low.

In real life, when fear, fatigue, and doubt set in, no speech can provide the motivation you need to keep going. The only thing you and your team can rely on is discipline and faith.

Discipline is cherished in the army for instance. They cultivate it in everything they do, from how they fight to how they dress, cut there hair, and clean there rooms.

Discipline also provides a template for what businesses should identify and develop in their employees. More than any other quality, discipline is what drives a person to succeed when faced with adversity. And that’s what the real world is: adversity.”

Discipline, is what “drives you to do the work you don’t enjoy, but is required. Discipline conquers fear. Discipline keeps you going when your curiosity, motivation, and excitement evaporate.”

While motivation is a good quality to possess, it’s not as important as discipline.

The Anatomy of Discipline

1. It takes consistent self-discipline to master the art of setting goals, time management, leadership, parenting and relationships. If we don’t make consistent self-discipline part of our daily lives, the results we seek will be sporadic and elusive.

2. It takes a consistent effort to truly manage our valuable time. Without it, we’ll be consistently frustrated. Our time will be eaten up by others whose demands are stronger than our own,

3. It takes discipline to conquer the nagging voices in our minds:

  • the fear of failure,
  • the fear of success,
  • the fear of poverty,
  • the fear of a broken heart.

4. It takes discipline to keep trying when that nagging voice within us brings up the possibility of failure.

5. It takes discipline to admit our errors and recognise our limitations.

6. It takes discipline to seperate the voice of the human ego that speaks to all of us.

That voice tells us to magnify our value or accomplishments beyond our actual results.

It leads us to exaggerate, to not be totally honest.

7. It takes discipline to be totally honest, both with ourselves and with others.

8. It takes discipline to change a habit and to plan.

Being disciplined is one of the best ways to remain productive, this is because it increases self-confidence, patience, and teaches you how to overcome failure.

Most importantly, self-discipline ensures that you’re not driven by impulse.

You Still Need Both

However, when Gro Jordalen from the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences studied the correlation between motivation and self-discipline in athletes, she determined that these elite athletes rely on both.

Jordalen studied national level athletes between 16 and 20 years old and determined that in the short term, they need to be very disciplined to stay motivated. For the long term, being motivated makes it easier to remain disciplined.

“These are new and exciting findings. We used to regard self-discipline as a tool to become more motivated. Now, we see that strong self-discipline influences how motivated the athletes are,” Jordalen says.

Jordalen also found that the athletes were more prone to burn out if they were driven by extrinsic motivation.

“Showing restraint and being disciplined can be more draining if motivation is fueled by extrinsic factors. This would increase the risk of ending up feeling exhausted and being burned out. If the athletes are driven by intrinsic motivation, it is easier to resist things that would negatively affect their daily schedule. This way, the athletes keep their training in check,” says Jordalen.

In my experience, motivation is what’s needed to get up-and-running. But, discipline is needed to stay on the right course.

In short, you need both factors to be successful.

Tips of Developing Self-Discipline

Personally, learning how to become self-motivated wasn’t as challenging as developing self-discipline. I’m not exactly sure why. But, it’s definitely been more challenging for me.

Of course, with a little extra effort, I’ve been able to successfully develop self-discipline. This, when used in conjunction with motivation, has made me even more successful. And, you too can harness the power of discipline by doing the following.

Take baby steps.

This was perfectly explained in an article over at Wisdomination.

“Your brain resists abrupt changes. If you motivate yourself to a titanic “Starting tomorrow, I’m a new person” effort, you’ll only burn out and revert. Big and sudden just doesn’t work, slow and steady does it. It’s the yo-yo effect of discipline. You want to surf the edge of your comfort zone, which is the only sustainable attitude.

When you progress in baby steps, you will find yourself a new person a year hence, not knowing precisely when or how it happened.

The trick here is to make a small change and let your brain accept it as the new baseline.This will make the next step easier, because the baseline moved. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Because you’re surfing, which means the wave is moving forward beneath you. Cool stuff.

What I’m gonna say now may sound banal, but it really isn’t: Big things are composed of small things. Small changes that you stick to and follow every day add up to surprisingly massive results.”

For example, if you spend five minutes every day organising your office, you’ll quickly notice how more productive you’ll be because it’s clean and organised.

If you start taking the stairs instead of the elevator, those small calories burned will add-up to lost pounds – and a boost of energy as well.

Start prioritising.

Since you only have so many hours in a day, along with a limited amount of energy, you need to start prioritising. This means completing your most important tasks before moving on to something else.

Learn from past mistakes.

Do you know what separates those with strong self-discipline from those who don’t? Those with internal discipline have learned from their past mistakes. This not only ensures that they won’t repeat the same mistakes, it also improves your discipline.

For example, if you went through a bankruptcy with your previous business, you may be better suited to handle it again. I’m not saying you will, I’m merely pointing out that you survived it the first and now you know what to do to overcome this challenge based on your past experience.

Take frequent breaks.

It definitely takes discipline to create and stick to a routine. For instance, I have a strict morning routine where I wake-up around 5 a.m. This allows me to plan my day, exercise, and catch-up on things like my emails, the news, or book I’ve been reading.

At the same time, self-discipline is also means that that you schedule frequent breaks throughout the day. You need this time to recharge and refocus so that you can focus on the rest of your day.

Practice good habits.

Those who are disciplined have good, daily habits.

They’ll skip that burger for a salad. They’ll leave a party early so that they can get a good night’s sleep. They’ll make the time to fit-in a workout.

Developing good habits is no easy task. But, it keeps you mentally, emotionally, and physically in shape.