Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise

Being Green At Christmas

2007-11-21T12:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a season of excess and not very good on the environment. But there are ways to enjoy the yule tide with out overdoing your "footprint".

1) Buy a live tree and then plant it in your yard when Christmas is over. Not only will you save tree, but you'll improve the environment (trees are the earth's lungs) and have a wonderful reminder of the holiday for years to come. If you do cut down a tree, take it to a tree-cycler center that can turn the tree into chips and mulch.

2) Use low energy Christmas lights to decorate your home and tree. Did you know that your Christmas lights may be costing you an additional $100 on your energy bill! That is according to Christmas Lights and Decorations. Get LED lights and light bulbs to save on your pocket book and the environment. Apparently they are safer too.

3) Don't light up 24/7. Still on the topic Christmas lights, turn your lights on only when you're home and for just a few hours a day. Turn them off when you leaven your home and when you go to bed.

4) Reuse Christmas paper, ribbons and cards. Regifting is considered a no-no, but its okay to reuse old wrapping paper, ribbons and cards. Christmas cards can be used as postcards, gift tags, or decoration.

5) Be creative. Instead of wrapping paper, use an environmentally beneficial alternative such as the comics, old posters or wallpaper scraps. Or create a package such as using a gift basket, or put kitchen items in a dish towel or oven mitt, or jewelery in a jewelery box.

6) Choose recycled items. If you are going to buy Christmas cards and paper, choose recycled ones.

7) Don't use throw away plates, napkins and spoons for your holiday parties. Or if you do, choose biodegrable products made from recycled content.

8) Keep the car tuned up and tire pressure normal to have a safe and energy effecient trip to visit family.

Hiding the vegies...why didn't I think of that???

2007-10-16T17:25:00.000-07:00

The other day, like many moms, I watched Jessica Seinfeld promote her book, Deceptively Delicious . The book offers recipes that include pureed vegies that can't be detected by kids. It seems too easy, but hallelujah it works! My kids have eaten cauliflower, butternut squash and spinach...without knowing it. My kids are 13 and 10 and given a choice, eat only from three basic food groups: pizza, chicken nuggets, macs and cheese. When I force vegies on them, I can only get them to eat a few baby carrots or yellow squash...maybe.

Since getting the book, I made chocolate granola bars with spinach (its the blueberry bars in the book, but I used chocolate), added squash to macs and cheese, and tonight included cauliflower and sweet potato in homemade chicken and rice soup. And they ate it and liked it! Better yet, I didn't have to bug them about eating their vegies.

I do include regular vegies as a side and make them eat them. But I don't have to worry about the one bite they take because I know they are getting other vegies covertly.

The planning and having ready-made puree is a hassle. I don't like planning or hassles, but I'm hopeful that I can keep this up so I can know that my kids are getting some extra nutrients they weren't getting before.

I also see another book... The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine that has the same strategy. I may get that as well. It never hurts to have more recipes!

Leaders are Readers

2007-01-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Talk to someone who is living the life you'd like to live, and odds are they are an avid reader of non-fiction business and improvement books. Reading books is important for several reasons; they offer new ideas, inspire action, and teach new ways of doing things.

How Much and When to Read:
Most success experts prescribe 15 minutes of reading every day. That's it. You can read while waiting for the bus or at the doctors office. You can read before you get out of bed or before you go to sleep.

What to Read:
That is really up to you. However, if your goal is to improve your finances and achieve abundance in your life, you should read books that cover everything from managing money, increasing motivation, improving your interpersonal skills, and books that are specific to how you will acheive those things whether its through a home business or real estate investing or something else.

How to Read:
While the act of reading is important, you should read with the intention of having it change you in some way whether its learning a new marketing technique or investment strategy. I suggest keeping a note book so you can jot down important ideas you want to remember. I also use Post-It ™ sticky tabs to mark pages I want to revisit because they have a great idea or a website I want to check out.

While I spend a fortune on books, you can easily find books at your local library that you can check out and read for free. You can often rent them on audio cassette or CD so you can listen during your commute to work.

My book recommendations:

Goals/Success/Motivation

Write It Down Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It by Henriette Klauser

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield (this is one of Leslie's favorite books!!)

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Your Dreams by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hanson

Attitude is Everything – Keith Harrell (Another must read!)

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway -- by Susan

No Opportunity Wasted by Phil Keoghan

Marketing/Sales

Starting from "No": 10 Strategies to Overcome Your Fear of Rejection and Succeed in Business by Azriela L. Jaffe, Pam Lontos

Get Clients Now: A 28 Day Program – C.J. Hayden

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

Guerilla PR Wired – Michael Levine

Elements of Copywriting by Robert Bly

Ultimate Guide To Google AdWords by Perry Marshall and Bryan Todd

Leadership

If You Lead, They will Follow – Patrick Higgins

The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell

Developing the Leader Within You Workbook by John C. Maxwell

Organization/Productivity

Ready for Anything - David Allen (offers 52 short tips for improving productivity and saving time)

Getting Things Done – David Allen

Organize from the Inside Out – Julie Morgenstern

Financial Advice

Start Late, Finish Rich by Davic Bach -

The Finish Rich Workbook – David Bach

All Your Worth by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi

Making the Most of Your Money – Jane Bryant Quinn

The Millionaire Maker: Act, Think, and Make Money the Way the Wealthy Do by Loral Langemeier

Tired? Headaches? Brain Fog?

2006-10-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

I think if you're a mom it goes without saying that fatigue, headaches and brain fog are a part of the lifestyle. I thought it was the kids. Turns out its probably the housework!

Environmental Medicine Specialists are getting the word out that people can be susceptible to ailments related to chemicals in the environment. You don't have to work at Dow though because there are enough chemicals in our homes to cause poisoning, allergies and even cancer! Yikes!

In the October 9, 2006 First for Women on the Go magazine is an article on multiple chemical sensitivity that reports, "Nearly 40 million women with MCS suffer from allergy-like symptoms when exposed to everyday chemicals." What chemicals you may ask? Well there is toluene which is a solvent found in cosmetics and perfume to name a few products. How about formaldehyde found in shampoos including baby shampoos. No wonder morticians don't need so much embalming fluid after we die. We ingest it throughout our lives.

Many people pooh-pooh such ideas, but think of this, in a world in which we have unprecedented technology and resources to be happier and healthier than ever, we are suffering from more cancer, new ailments like fibromyalgia (I never heard of that when I was a kid) and more. Not only that, but our children are suffering too. Children rarely had serious ailments and now they are getting cancer and asthma at unbelievable rates. Something must be contributing to these problems.

And its not like we don't know that chemicals such as tuluene, formaldehyde, phenols, dioxin (that's the stuff they sprayed in Vietnam) cause all sorts of serious problems so why be surprised that we are getting sick? They are in everything from your household cleaners, personal care products, cosmetics, furniture etc.

But you don't have to take my word for it. Here are some resources you can check on your own:

Toxic House Tour - Tour room by room to see what chemicals are lurking there.
Skin Deep - A report that discusses toxic chemicals in personal care products.
Toxic Brew - Report that talks about the link between ailments and household cleaners.

So what's the answer? Do as much as you can to get the chemicals out. Switch to eco-friendly brands of cleaning and personal care products (turns out...if its bad for the earth, its bad for you too! Go figure!). Take natural vitamin supplements especially antioxidents. Choose organic foods, and filter the water and air in your home (turns out the air inside of your home is more polluted than the air outside).

Many of these things can be found in health stores. I order mine from a store that not only offers me great prices, but also gives me credit to get free products (I get all my cosmetics free). Click here to learn more and get a free toxin report.

And you thought you had trouble getting to the gym!

2006-09-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

Women's Health magazine September 2006 issue has an article about Nargis Shearzad who has started the first women-only gym in Kabul! "In a country where it's common for fathers to barter their daughters to pay of debts," Shearzad's father helped fund her venture. And despite continued unrest in the city, she intends to expand to 4 more locations over the next 2 years!

Thing of the real obstacles these women must overcome to workout - ridicule by Taliban supporters, lack of support by traditional husbands and family members, and injury from fighting. And we thought getting of the couch and to the gym was hard!

BTW... you can help support Shearzad's efforts. If you have a stack of old work-out DVD's you don't use, you can send them to Shearzad through:

Toni Maloney, Chairperson
Business Council for Peace
5 East 22nd Street, STE 9J
New York, NY 10010

Will You Outlive your Children?

2006-09-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Children born in the year 2000 or later are not expected to outlive their parents according Dr. David Katz of the Yale Preventive Medicine Research Center in New Haven, Connecticut. The reason? Poor diet.

That is really scary, but makes sense. Many foods contain additives and preservatives that weren't around when I was a kid. They may be bad for me, but having only eaten them for 20 years is different for my children who, by the time they are my age will have been eating them for a life a time.

But if your children are like mine, it is difficult to change their diet. They are picky eaters and like fast food and other "junk".

Here are some things we have done to improve our children's health and diet:

1) Make sure they have a fruit or vegetable with every meal as these are the best ways to prevent disease and illness.
2) Limit sugar.
3) Check lables and avoid 'high fructose corn syrup'.
4) Choose breads, cereals and pasta made with whole grain.
5) Don't buy any foods with trans fats. (Fortunately, this is getting easier.)
6) Eat meals together.
7) Have them participate in at least one active activity such as soccer, karate, etc.
8) Discuss healthy eating choices.
9) Give them a multi-vitamin.
10) Pack lunch instead of buying at school.

Avoid Deception in Home Based Business Opportunities

2006-09-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Avoid Deception in Home Based Business Opportunities

6 Criteria for Choosing a Home Business

2006-07-25T09:10:00.000-07:00

If you want to make money from home, check out this article on how to choose a company.

6 Criteria for Choosing a Home Business

Lay Off Protection

2006-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I suppose this is good news:

"So far in 2006, U.S. employers have announced 369,282 job cuts, which is 14 percent lower than the 427,278 cuts in the first five months of 2005." (From Reuters)

But 369,282 people is still a lot of people who were working and then weren't. This is why having a little income on the side is so important. Today, there is no "job security". The reasons for pursuing a career are no longer valid.

When I grew up, I was told to get a good education so I could get a good job that would give me a good retirement. It worked for my grandparents. Luckily it has worked for my parents who are baby-boomers and who's pensions could be in jeopardy.

But for me and my children, looking for a career as an employee doesn't offer the perks that it once did. Let's face it, most jobs aren't that great. Even if you like your work, there are aspects that make it no fun. For me it was having to show up every Monday through Friday 8 am to 4 pm and asking for permission to take time off. Then there were the "rules" to work by that often didn't make sense. And then, there are the people who are difficult to work with. In the past, we put up with all that for a steady check and promise of a nice pension.

Today, many companies are downscaling their retirement programs or getting rid of them altogether. And, as shown in the Reuters article, many are downsizing. We aren't talking about tiny mom-and-pop businesses. These are big companies like IBM, Ford Motor Company, Sun Microsystems, Blockbuster, Whirlpool, etc. So now, not only do we have difficult work situations, we don't have the security or retirement either.

Another, big problem is that people are having trouble living on what they earn. Some indicate this is because we live beyond our means. But for many families, the means doesn't pay for the necessities. So when a crisis such as illness or layoff hits, the family is left destitute. In fact, one source suggests that 70% of American's are 1 paycheck away from disaster. YIKES.

This is why financial gurus like David Back (Finish Rich Books) suggest developing a side income as away to generate extra cash that can be used to create savings and financial security. There are lots of ways to do this. You can do it in your spare time and with little to no additional expense. And if you stick to it, you can not only create security for you and your family, you can quit you job....like I did:)

Today, I get up when I want, work when I want, and don't have to deal with co-workers and bosses. Since I'm not likely to fire myself, my "job" is secure. I'm also not likely to discontinue my retirement plan, so that is pretty secure too. The only hard part about working at home is staying the course. You can't work on autopilot like you can in a job. But, the rewards...greater pay for more effort...security...freedom (time and money)... make it worth it!

If you are working a job, even if you feel that job is secure, you owe it to yourself to learn about how a home income can help create more financial security in your life. I recommend David Bach's book, Start Late, Finish Rich to help.

Also, here is a free guide to earning an income from home. It offers info on everything from telecommuting to starting a home business.

Leslie

Children's National Medical Center...Thank you!

2006-05-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

We had to take our son to the hospital this weekend. I feel fortunate we were able to go to the Children's National Medical Center. You can read about the experience here:
Children's National Medical Center...Thank you!

World's only fat burning bar!

2006-05-18T06:21:00.000-07:00

As I get older, I'm noticing that the work out that used to keep me fit and trim at 26 doesn't seem to work as well at nearly 40. I run about 3 days a week, do an aerobic class 1 or 2 days a week, and a core conditioning class 1 day a week and yet, I still had 10-15 extra pounds. I do watch what I eat, sticking to whole grains and watching out for sugar.

Fortunately I found something to help... a fat burning bar! Yep, that's right, a bar that helps burn fat while working out.

This bar is used by marathon swimmer Tammy Van Wisse who was the "first person to swim the treacherous Bass Strait. She also established record times and wins for swimming Loch Ness, New Zealand’s Cook Strait, the English Channel, Olympic Games Centenary Marathon swim in Greece and Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York.

In 2001, Tammy completed her greatest challenge to date by swimming the entire length of the Murray River from the alps to the ocean – a feat no one else in the world has achieved. Starting from Corryong in Victoria’s high country, it took Tammy 106 days to reach the Murray Mouth in South Australia, a distance of 2438 kilometres." And she did it using the Access Bar.

You can learn more about Tammy and the patented Access Bar at Tammy's website.

I can tell you that its helped not just with fat burning but in preventing fatigue while working out as well as soreness the next day. It's a yummy treat or reward for working out. It comes in several great flavors including Double Fudge, Mocha Praline, Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate and the new Chocolate Caramel Kruncher!

To get your own fat burning bars, you can contact me for details.

Here's to your health!
Leslie

Confessions of a Work-At-Home Mom: Wanted: Mom - $134,121 per year!

2006-05-12T05:09:00.000-07:00

How much is a mom's job worth? Check it out here:

Confessions of a Work-At-Home Mom: Wanted: Mom - $134,121 per year!

Making Fitness Fun

2006-05-12T04:56:00.000-07:00

Fitness doesn't have to hurt or be a drudgery. The best way to get fit and stick with a fitness routine is to make it fun. Here are some fun ways to get in shape plus spend time with the family.

1) Play. Join the kids in a game of soccer or basketball. Or play tag.
2) Join a rec league. Many areas now have adult recreation leagues for soccer and softball.
3) Get a dog. Get one big enough that it needs to be walked everyday, twice a day.
4) Go for a hike. Why not bring food (healthy food of course) and add a picnic to the trip.
5) Get inline skates.
6) During the summer, get in the pool with the kids. Treadwater if you don't like to swim laps.
7) Take a dance class.
8) Take karate or other martial arts class.

What did you enjoy doing as a kid? Jumping rope? Skating? Before computers and television, kids played outside. They didn't need to be exercised because they automatically got it just from playing. So can you! Exercise can be fun!

Leslie

"Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals"

2006-05-12T04:45:00.000-07:00

There's a reason I buy non-toxic household and personal care products. I was just reminded of why when I read the back of an all-purpose cleaning label and it said "PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS: HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS"

I have to wonder, who wants to clean their home with something that is a hazard to them? This particular label (Clorox Clean-up) also says, "Use only in well-ventilated areas. Before use, open windows and turn on fan. If vapors bother you, leave room while product is working." First of all, what if its 100 degrees or 10 degrees? I don't want to open my windows in extreme weather. And, if I have to leave the room, how can I clean?

It makes me wonder how many people really read the labels of items they use in their homes. Because, if they did, would they really want to clean their homes with something labeled as a "hazard"?

Leslie
Why not get better, safer, less expensive items you use everyday AND get paid?

One red paperclip can get you a house

2006-04-21T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here's one way to get what you want in life. This guy started with one red paperclip and is trading up until he gets a house. So far he's gotten a free year in Arizona. If you want a free year in Arizona and have something to trade, check this out.

What is your impact?

2006-04-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is coming April 22, 2006. I just took the quiz to find out my impact on the Earth's resources. I use almost half as much as the typical American (14 acres vs 24) but, if everyone lived like me, we'd need 3 Earths!!! Yikes.

What's your impact?

Here is some other great Earth Day resources:

Earth Day in a Box - Go here for Religous Earth Day in a Box
Earth Day for Educators
Learn more at the Earth Day Website

Are You Cleaning With Pesticides?

2006-04-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

Most parents are concerned about keeping their homesgerm and virus free. The most common way to do thisis with a disinfectant. But did you know that most disinfectants are considered pesticides? While they do provide temporary effectiveness against germs, they are very hazardous especially in aerosol form because the vapors can be inhaled and seep into your skin. You may not think this is bad but consider this; medicines today can be given through a patch or nasal spray because those areas of our body are porous; the medicine seeps through the skin straight to the blood stream. In fact, patches and nasal sprays are the fastest, most effective way to take medicine. Think about that when you are scrubbing the tub and get your cleaners on you or when you inhale the fumes. Because if its on your skin or you breath it in, its now in your body!

What kinds of chemicals in disinfectants are we talking about?

=> Ammonia fumes can irritate eyes and lungs. It can cause burns or rashes on skin. If mixed with products containingchlorine, it can produce deadly chloramine gas.

=> Detergents are toxic and poisonous to ingest, causing nauseaand in extreme cases - coma.

=> Cresol is corrosive to tissue leading to damage to the liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas and spleen

=> Lye is a caustic product that burns skin and can cause blindness.

=> Phenol is a neurotoxin meaning it can cause central nervous system depression. It can severely affect circulatory system as well. It is corrosive to skin. Finally, it's a suspected carcinogen (causing cancer).

=> Pine Oil irritates eyes and mucous membranes.

No wonder many environmental health organizations suchas the EPA and the Consumer Products Safety Commission attribute household products to the rise of a variety of ailments such as asthma, allergies and even cancer. Its important to note that these ailments are not attributed to the improper use or accidental poisoning. They are thought the be result of just using the product without gloves or masks, and the lack of ventilation in homes (homes are more energy efficient now which is good for lower power bills but bad for trapping the outgassing of household products thus causing indoor air pollution).

What's even more concerning is that manufacturer's are not required to list every single ingredient in their products that are used in homes. The results can be tragic because without proper labeling, the Poison Control Centers cannot help provide intervention when accidental poisoning occurs. The best way to kill germs in a manner that is safe for you and your family is to opt for non-toxic cleaners that don't have phenol, lye and other dangerous chemicals that are known to cause cancer, neurological problems or other irritations.

To get better, safer product you use everyday, check out Get Paid to Shop From Home.

There’s No Reason You Can’t Work At Home: Don't let these 5 Excuses Hold You Back

2006-04-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

I greatly admire people who succeeded at working at home before the Internet. These people truly desired the flexibility and freedom of working at home because they were willing to do hard things like talk to people to get business. They didn’t get discouraged that they were limited to working only in their area unless they were willing to place ads in distant newspapers and snail mail their products. Somehow they found the money to advertise their business and invest in expensive call in center services because free promotion and voicemail wasn’t an option.

But today, the Internet has changed all that. Working at home doesn’t require selling face-to-face. People can work anywhere in the world using drop shipping or electronic transfer. Promotion and business tools can cost nearly nothing! So I’m always surprised when people tell me that they can’t work at home. Why not? It’s so easy now.

Here are the most common reasons people tell me they can’t work at home, and my responses to these excuses.

1) “Everything online is a scam.” This is just not true. If everything you find is a scam, the problem is either you don’t understand what working at home is or you’re looking in the wrong place. There are thousands of legitimate work-at-home jobs and programs that can be found on the Internet. But none are going to pay you read email, type ads, lick envelopes or surf the net. Working at home is WORK. The easiest way to get scammed is to look for a fast, easy way to make a buck. Jobs require skills and experience, a professional resume, and often an interview whether it is a site based or home based job. Home businesses opportunities must have a quality product or service, a refund policy, and in my opinion, credible third party endorsements like awards or honors. To avoid scams, read books and articles about working at home so you understand what legitimate work-at-home options look like and can therefore focus your search in the right area.

2) “You may be able to work at home Leslie, but I just can’t.” “Won’t” is a more accurate word than “can’t” in this situation. Most elderly ladies can’t lift a car until their grandson is trapped underneath one. When truly motivated, people can accomplish just about anything. The truth is every one is capable of far more than they give themselves credit for or are willing to even try. Succeeding at working at home is hard. It takes a great deal of work that often has no payoff for weeks even months. But the millions of regular people who have found success working at home are proof that it can be done if the desire and effort are big enough. If you REALLY want to work at home, you can. You just have to be willing to try and keep at it until you succeed.

3) “I don’t have any money.” This excuse usually comes to me in an email, which tells me one of two things; the person who wrote has enough money for Internet service or he at least has access to Internet service through a friend or library. To make money at home, that’s all you need IF you are willing to work hard. You can sign up for free affiliate programs that provide you with a website. You can build a website for free. You can market for free using message boards, articles, press releases, blogs and more. And work-at-home jobs are free otherwise they aren’t jobs. The truth is, most people waste more money than they’d ever need to work at home. Pizza, vending machine food, magazines and books, manicures, expensive coffee, movies, junk food…all are “extras” that cost money. Give up just a couple of these and you have plenty of money.

4) “I don’t have any time.” Do you really expect to get more time? I have a friend who started a business while working outside the home part time. I met with her by phone weekly and we emailed or IMed daily. Then, she quit her job so she could have more time to work on her business. Guess what? I haven’t heard from her in nearly a month. The truth is, the busiest people are the most productive people. They recognize their time constraints and prioritize their time accordingly. Just like the money question above, odds are more time is wasted than people know. How much television do you watch? How much leisure reading do you do? How many hours do you sleep? What do you do on your lunch hour? People have built successful online businesses or found work-at-home jobs with snippets of time used efficiently during the day. That’s what’s so great about the Internet; you aren’t limited to business hours. It offers the ultimate in flexibility. The truth is, you won’t ever have more time. But, you can always make time if you really want to achieve something.

5) “I tried it but it didn’t work.” I’ve tried a lot of things that didn’t work. But if I’m to be really honest with myself, it was my fault that it didn’t work. If it was a scam, then I should have researched better. But most often, I have tried legitimate programs and simply failed to do what it took, over a long enough period of time to make it work. You can’t just run one ad or send one resume and expect to be successful working at home. You have to work consistently over a period of time. That will give you momentum. Then you need to keep doing it so the momentum doesn’t stop. When looking to telecommute, you need to keep looking, keep applying and keep honing your skills. If you are starting a home business, you need to develop a marketing plan and stick with it. You will absolutely have times of frustration, disappointment, and failure. You can’t quit just because things get hard or you have a disappointment. If our children quit as easily as we do as adults, they’d never learn to walk. Take it from a child, when you fall down, get back up and try again.

With the Internet, working at home is so incredibly simple. That’s not to say that it’s easy or that it doesn’t require work. There is no sign-up-get-rich program. Working at home takes a plan of action and consistent effort. It takes a leap of faith and a commitment. It takes a willingness to endure the hardships and disappointments. But if you are willing to do what it takes, you can work at home. If I can do it, anybody can do it.