Migraines
Most of you know how I feel about dairy. I’m not a big fan
of it because of added hormones and antibiotics, I think
purchasing organic is important to reduce exposure…
and nevertheless you will still find me grabbing a slice of pizza
or enjoying an ice cream cone on occasion.
It’s important to keep things in perspective, and make sure
you continue to enjoy life. 
Reducing Dairy
If a client chooses, I will guide them down the road to
reducing dairy products, especially if weight loss is a goal
because cheese contains a lot of calories for a very small
portion.
One of my recent clients was up to the challenge.
Our goal was weight loss and better health. One of her
concerns was that she had terrible migraines for much of
her life. While we were working on lowering her cholesterol,
reducing pain in her joints, and losing weight…something
else happened.
Something Was Suspicious
She stopped having migraines. Hmmm… I thought that
was so cool since these used to put her out of commission,
lying in a dark room for an entire day.
Then one day we had a session, and she had experienced
another one. What triggered it? We went through her diet,
and she had not had any dairy products for a long time. She
then remembered that the day before her migraine she had
sprinkled cheese on her salad. We got suspicious.
Cheese Was The Culprit
So, she eliminated cheese again, and the headaches didn’t
come back. I did some research and discovered there is an
allergen called Tyramine that is found in foods like cheese
and red wine. The national headache foundation even did a
write up on it.
http://www.headaches.org/consumer/topicsheets/tyramine.html
Ya never know what will happen when you start taking care
of yourself! Yay! I would say this case was a definite success.
If you’d like to come in for a consultation, call me for information
and an appointment. Phone sessions are available also 917-689-6530
Melissa King
Holistic Nutrition Counselor
http://www.wellnessandenergy.com
Wired
This is the grandfather of networking, the bread and butter combo, the standard. Setting up a wired network is not very difficult, can be done inexpensively, and doesn’t require much prior networking experience.
What you’ll need
For internet sharing, you will need a Cable/DSL router. This splits your internet connections to multiple devices. If you simply need to connect multiple computers for file sharing, chat services, or games within the home, you can use an Ethernet switch. Then, of course, you’ll need Cat5 wiring.
How to do it
There are very few processes less difficult than setting it up physically. Simply plug your computers’ NICs (Network Interface Cards) into the router or switch. If you have a cable router, plug the router into your DSL/Cable source. You will need some basic Cat5, Cat5e, or Cat6 cabling. Now, when it comes to software, network creation can sometimes be a beastly task but that depends fully on your operating system and I just simply refuse to go there.
Cons
Everything’s got its drawbacks and wired networking is definitely a thing. Cat5 cables can be somewhat attractive, but they’re still cables that you’ll either need to run through your walls (which is a lengthy, messy, and potentially dangerous process) or they’ll be trip hazards. This is the principle reason that the next options exist, in my opinion.
Wireless
Wireless networking is becoming more and more commonplaces in homes that need to link together multiple PCs or share an internet connection, but that don’t want to run cable all over their home. 802.11g technology with transfers up to 54Mbps are becoming very affordable, too, making it a very practical option for many.
What you’ll need
For internet sharing and networking, you will need a wireless router. Then, for each computer you want to network with, you will need a wireless access point which can be in the form of a PCI card (for your desktop PC), a PCMCIA card (for a laptop), or even a USB dongle (for desktop or laptop).
How to do it
This is another remarkably simple process. See the steps above for a wired network, just remove the cables. Plug your incoming internet connection into the router, plug the WiFi (receiving) cards or dongles into the connected devices.
Cons
This isn’t as fast as wired speeds (Cat5 is 200Mbps, Cat5e is 400 Mbps, and Cat6 is 1000 Mbps vs. Wireless’ 54 Mbps). There are also distance limitations based on interference from other 2.4 GHz band-using sources (such as cordless phones) as well as walls and other obstacles. It is still a viable option for most homes, though.
PowerLine HomePlug system
The HomePlug alliance began to give people an option for wiring their homes without needing expensive equipment or spending a lot of time wiring. It uses your existing power cabling to carry a network signal, meaning you basically already have networking installed in any room with a power outlet. Very, very cool stuff. Hands down.
What you’ll need
You will still need a router for your internet connection. Beyond that, you simply need a PowerLine wall unit for each room + 1 for the router. You will need short runs of Ethernet cabling (Cat5) for each room.
How to do it
Connect your router to a PowerLine unit via Cat5. Then connect each computer or laptop from its Ethernet card to another PowerLine unit to any plug in the same home or office.
Cons
If speed is an issue, PowerLine’s not the way to go. The max speed is 14Mbps and tests show that that decreases with distance from the source. However, it still works for most common internet needs. Speed would only be a real issue if you needed to transfer large files between computers on a regular basis or stream video from one computer to another.
Lewis is a technogeek with Sewell Direct. More information, including ratings and the full article with helpful links can be found here.
Every business needs to have an idea of where it’s headed and it’s purpose. For that reason, you need a Business Plan.
It doesn’t have to be a long, detailed business plan, unless you’re planning to seek funding from a financial institution. Your business plan can be as short or as long as you like and in whatever format you prefer that will capture the essence of your business and what you plan to achieve.
Businesses that actually write down their plan with specific goals, objectives, strategies and tasks are more likely to achieve their goal and be successful.
“If you fail to plan you plan to fail”
You need to know the why, what, when, where, who and how for your business. While this might seem daunting when you’re just starting out your document is dynamic and will grow and evolve and your business grows.
Don’t write it, stick it on a shelf and never refer to it again. It will help you to plan and schedule to create a successful business.
Review it monthly. How are you doing in working towards your goals, what changes from month to month, year to year?
Use the following basic elements to build a business plan in one day.
1. Your Vision, Purpose, Mission.
Vision - an overall statement of what is possible for your business.
Purpose - What is the purpose of your business and why does it exist?
Mission - How do you plan to achieve your vision and purpose?
2. Your objectives.
Include biographical data about yourself, your business objectives and how you will succeed. Your goals for the business and different ways you will create income.
3. Your Customers.
Who is your target market?
Where are they?
How many of them are there?
How many do you need for your business?
What do you know about them?
How do they perceive your services?
What is the growth rate of this market?
4. Your Barriers.
Are there any current legal, ethical issues?
How will the current economic climate affect you?
5. Your Competition.
Who are your competitors?
How does your business compare to your competitors?
On what basis are you competing?
How do you differ from your competitors?
How will your customers see the difference?
6. Your Prospective Clients.
How will you market yourself?
How will you deliver your service?
How will you differentiate yourself in the market?
Do you have a brand?
What makes you unique?
7. Your success.
Why will you be successful in your business? What skills, experience and attitude do you have to enable you to succeed?
8. Tools and Technology.
What tools and technology will you use to make your business successful?
Newsletter
Web site
Service delivery
Telephone services
9. Financial projection.
How will the financial flow of your business take place. What revenue do you need in order to cover your expenses and achieve a profitable margin.
Capital - how much do you have to invest to start your business.
Survival income - how long can you survive without income?
Start-up cost - what do you need? (if needed).
What are your monthly business expenses?
What other income do you have?
10. Long-term view.
What will your business look like in three-five years time? How will you respond to changes in the market, trends etc?
What other products or services might impact you?
How will your financial forecast change - improve or reduce?
How is your business structured to allow you to adapt and change?
Summary
Extract the key information from each section and create an Executive Summary at the beginning of the document.
Gather any information you need to create one page maximum on each of the essential elements. Note down your ideas and gather any additional information you need to complete each section. Is there anything missing?
The One Page Business Plan!
OK - so that’s too much? For a one page strategic plan take a large sheet of paper and divide it into three columns as follows:
WHERE AM I? (A) / How I’m going to get there. / WHERE I WANT TO BE! (B)
Now fill in the gaps! Where is your business at the moment? Where do you want it to be in 2-3 years time? Now break that down into where you want to be in one year, six months, one month, one week. Plan your actions month by month and take steps each week to get you from A to B.
Copyright 2006: Clare Evans
Clare works with individuals and small business owners to help them plan and organise their time more effectively. Learn how to prioritise, plan and delegate, organise your perfect life, organise it effectively and enjoy the process. Spend your time doing what matters and stop worrying about the things that don’t.
Get free tips on marketing your business, email: ce_mktgtips@aweber.com.
Sign-up for her free monthly newsletter at http://www.clareevans.co.uk and receive free tips on managing your time.
