Ineffective and Unethical Web Site Promotion Methods

In this article I discuss some ineffective and/or unethical website promotion tactics. I talk about them here so that you won’t waste your time and resources pursuing them.

Spamming

If you’re like me, you’re sick and tired of receiving hundreds of spam messages in your mailbox every morning, and you would not consider buying anything they had to offer, even if it’s something you really wanted.

Needless to say, spammers are not the most decent people in the world, and it comes as no surprise that many of them are also scam artists posing as eBay or PayPal to steal your credit card information. Everday inexperienced and unsuspecting internet users continue to fall prey to unscrupulous characters from the dark corners of cyberspace.

While spamming is not a completely ineffective promotion tactic, I don’t recommend it as a way to promote your site at all. Not only is spamming highly intrusive and unethical, but it could also get you into a lot of trouble. Just imagine how many people you’d have to anger to make a sale or to get a visitor to your site. The search engines will ban your site when they find out that you have been spamming. Various laws are now being made to prosecute spammers.

Pop-up/Pop-under Traffic Schemes

Have you seen ads offering “1,000 visitors for $9.95″?

Consider this: many companies are willing to pay up to $10 or more for every visitor Google or Overture sends to their site. Why wouldn’t they spend their $10 to get 1,000 visitors from pop-up ad brokers, instead?

Perhaps they’re smart enough to realize that the 1,000 “visitors” they would get from having their sites displayed in pop-up and pop-under windows on other sites are worth less than the one legitimate visitor Google or Overture sends them.

While not necessarily unethical, pop-up advertising is no longer as effective as it used to be. Most web surfers find pop-ups annoying and intrusive, and many now use pop-up blockers to avoid them. Even those who don’t have blockers installed on their browsers have grown accustomed to instinctively close pop-ups and pop-unders without taking a glance at them.

A pop-up exchange is a program that allows members to show pop-up windows linking to one another’s site. As a member of the exchange, your site would display a pop-up linking to another member’s site every time someone visits your site. There is usually an exchange ratio involved. A 2:1 exchange ratio means that for every two pop-ups you show on your site, your pop-up would be displayed once on someone else’s site.

Pop-up exchanges aren’t especially effective for the reasons mentioned above. Furthermore, they are vulnerable to cheaters who use automated means to fraudulently inflate their credits.

Surfing Exchanges

Surfing exchanges are programs where you surf other people’s web sites to get others to surf yours.

In start-page exchanges you to set your home page to a special URL on which another member’s site will be displayed every time you start your browser. Alternatively, you may simply bookmark the URL and receive credit every time you visit it.

Click exchanges allow you to earn credits by clicking on other people’s links. There is usually a 20- or 30-second timer that counts down the required amount of time you must spend on the site. In return your link will be exposed to other members to click on.

Like pop-up exchanges, these schemes will get you traffic just for the sake of getting traffic– little of it be of any use. Most people who join these programs are more interested in accumulating credits rather than looking through your site. Many run several traffic exchange programs simultaneously (in different windows) to gain credits on multiple programs rather than exploring a site that they’re supposed to explore.

Link Farming

A link farm is a website that has little or no original content and is created for the sole purpose of exchanging links with other websites. Like free-for-all (FFA) pages, link farms have nothing but links to other websites. Link farming has flourished in response to the growing emphasis on link popularity for search placement by many search engines.

Never exchange links with a link farm. Many search engines will penalize or even ban your site for linking to link farms. Obviously, you have no control over who links to you, so you cannot be penalized when link farms link to you. But linking back to them is another story.

Free-for-all (FFA) sites allow anyone to post links on their pages. FFA’s generally don’t require you to link back to them, so listing your site on FFAs will not hurt your rankings. However, link popularity is not so much as about the sheer number of links to your site as it is about the number of quality links to your site. Search engines are smart enough to tell which links are relevant and which aren’t. Securing a handful of inbound links from qualified sites will do you more good than having your site listed on a thousand FFAs.

Internet Marketing and Online Advertising – What’s the Difference?

So you want to use the Internet to sell something so you look into your Internet Marketing and online advertising options. What are the differences between the two and what techniques will suit your needs the best? In this article we’ll briefly explore Internet Marketing is and how it differs from online advertising. We’ll explore a few examples of each and the pros and cons of paid vs free selling methods.

Definition of Internet Marketing and Online Advertising

Internet Marketing is the method in which a business will utilize a variety of techniques to drive traffic to a website or blog to promote their business. There are many different free methods to do this, and and many different paid methods as well. Online Advertising is generally one of the paid methods utilized within an Internet Marketing campaign.

Some Free Internet Marketing Techniques

There are many free Internet Marketing techniques, some more effective than others. Free Internet Marketing takes longer to set up, is a lot more work, and typically takes longer to generate results than some paid online advertising tactics. Examples of free internet marketing strategies would be:

  • Article Marketing: This is probably the most popular free strategy because it is very effective and when set up properly, can often yield very long lasting results, generating traffic for the writer long into the future. This technique entails the marketer writing a series of 400-600 word articles, centered around a set of optimized keywords, and submitting said article to article directories. The article rides on the high Google rankings and often ends getting very high listing in the search engines for those chosen keywords. At the end of each article the writer includes a link to their website. Article marketing takes a lot of work and is time consuming. Plus for those less skilled in articulating themselves through the written word, this can be a daunting task.
  • Forum marketing, bookmarking, signature writing, and social media marketing are all popular forms of free techniques that when properly conducted, can drive a lot of traffic to one’s website. But all take time, research, and testing.

Paid Internet Marketing Techniques

Generally when we hear of Internet Marketing and online advertising, we thing of paid advertising. Here are three of the most popular paid advertising methods that Internet Marketers use:

  • Google, Yahoo and Facebook Ads. These types of ads are also referred to as Pay Per Click or PPC. That is because the advertiser pays so much every time one of their ads is clicked. Perhaps you’ve seen ads down the side of the page in the Google search results? Or you may have seen those little 4liner word ads on various websites around the web. Those are ppc ads. Facebook also offers ppc advertising but it tends to be a bit more affordable and some reports say that Facebook ppc ads are more effective because they are a bit more targeted. These type of paid ads can get expensive, but they tend to yield results much faster than free marketing and it is a lot less work. It does tend to provide more short term traffic. Facebook now has their new “Promoted Posts” advertising. The news isn’t in on this one yet but those using it seem pleased.
  • Other forms of paid advertising include banner advertising, and paid classifieds. These aren’t usually as effective because few people tend to click on banner ads and classified ads are too crowded.

It seems that the most successful online marketers utilize both free and paid forms of marketing. It is recommended that you master 2-4 forms of Internet Marketing and use these to conduct a complete in-depth campaign before moving on to the next project. This type of focus is imperative to your success online.

Marketing Local Goods As a Home-Based Business

Local manufacturers that want to spread their wings can benefit from the establishment of a home-based business.Georgia, for example, is a state that produces many products locally. These products include raw food stuffs like eggs, poultry, beef, pork, dairy products, pecans, and peaches. The state is also a known maker of apparel, paper products, electronic equipment, and transportation equipment.Being a historical state, it also has its share of tourist spots. So if you’re thinking of building a home-based business, Georgia is one of the finest places to start from.Just Like Mom Used to MakeBeing a “grand old lady” state, Georgia is a good place to look for those secret family recipes, especially with the abundance of locally produced raw materials. You can build a home-based business, selling Georgia pecan pie, perhaps, or peach preserves as your main product. This benefits everyone. You will be giving the local economy a boost, and at the same time, getting the best produce from the local market directly; thus, a lot cheaper.Your product will also be of very good quality and quite affordable to the nationwide market. There are a lot of commercial food products that Georgia is famous for and if you can offer a food product that you can honestly say is from a long time family recipe, the possibilities are endless.Providing the Local Community What It NeedsOn the other hand, instead of bringing products out, you may also want to bring something in from to outside to address some of the needs of the state. This is a good idea for a home-based business.Georgia, for example, needs to lessen their dependence on fossil fuels. About 75% of the state’s energy is generated by coal, and everyone knows the negative impact that this has on the environment.If you’re in the area and have access to alternative energy sources or even DIY kits for solar panels and wind turbines, you can make these the products of your home-based business. Georgia State may even have legislations and incentives towards this end, so you really should look into any state-supported enterprises and endeavors.Showing OffThe third option you can have for a home-based business in Georgia is a unique tourist offering, a tour of the local favorite eating places, perhaps, or little known historical places. Being a local in the area of Georgia, you are likely to know more about the place than some tourist guidebook writer who just happened to pass through the area a million years ago.The important thing to remember is that if you build your home based business, Georgia is your home, and you know it better than anyone else does, so make use of that advantage.

Starting Your Own Home Based Business

Whether you are thinking of leaving your current job and starting your own home based business or you lost a job due to downsizing or other personal reasons, there are a few things you should research.First of all, you want a home based business that will make you money. This is the bottom line. You do not want to start up a home based business only to fail.You need to look at what types of items can make you money. You need a home based business that has been working for people and is currently working for other people with regards to making money. You do not want to start up a product that has no use to other people. Even if you think it is a good idea, make sure you do the research to see if it is something others will buy. You want a product that is wanted and needed by many people so that you will succeed.When starting your own business you should have an office in your home. If you have a spare room, you should make it your home office. You should set it up so you are organized. Make sure you have a computer desk, computer with all of the items such as a monitor, printer, copy machine and fax machine. Many times you can find an inexpensive printer/copier/fax machine all in one. Make sure you have pens, pencils, a calendar and a file cabinet to stay organized.You will want to make sure you have a comfortable chair for your computer desk. You want your desk set up ergonomically correct for yourself.When you separate your home based business into another room, your family should know that when you are in the room you are working. Your family should know that when you are in the office that you should not be bothered unless it is extremely important.Once you get your office set up, you will want a program that will help you make money. You will love having the financial freedom once your business picks up.Make sure the program you choose is easy to learn, has training as well as ongoing support such as live webinars so your home based business succeeds.

Dad’s Own Home Base Business

Home-base business has change quite significantly from the days when it was the norm for moms, grandma and grandpa working from home taking care of the children, home baking tailoring and dress making but Home base business as drastically change its setting since the introduction of the computers and the internet.The online business market-place as open-up some new business ideas, tools and resources that is making it possible for any stay at home dad to begin onlinePromoting your own ideasIf your one of those dad who writes “short and sweet” children stories, there is a lot of opportunity to get your ideas professionally evaluated and get published. The internet home-base business ideas are changing the way the marketing of goods and service are done and the Internet is making it easier for the average dad to set up business promoting simple and effective ideas across-market. You could base your ideas on any business segment and producing your first e-book, story site or video learning program.Profit from someone else’s ideaYou can profit from just plug-in into any marketing affiliate network site and choose high gravity products that are relative to your business ideas and promote them for commissions. You will have to do some research on the topic of interest whether you are producing your own product-line or promoting affiliates. Promoting affiliate programs are some good ways to start off with your business marketing test. You can work with what best fit your area of expertise and has time progress you will be able to go into more strategic business. you can have marketer giving you free advice about the market you choose to promote and If you use those resources correctly and get buyer through your special link, you can easily earn a commission.expand your ideasThe opportunity to explore your option online is greatly set and having a home business working with ideas of your own and promoting other affiliate product can really explode your income.The freedom of not getting up early in the morning to commute to work is an incentive for starting a home-base business. You can expand your business as the training gets easier to comprehend. You can build blogs and websites and increase your product-line. This is not a technical business to operate because you can outsource some task to make your work load easier to manage. There will be hundreds of website owners ready to get you started.With some research and a business outline, any dad out there who is considering a home base business instead of working in the corporate world can start with just a few ideas and have their business online.

Starting Your Home Based Business

An increasingly popular option for people these days is starting a home-based business. The reasons for this development range through loss of a job, disenchantment with an existing job, the need to obtain additional household income, the desire to spend more time with the family through to the aim of securing an independent lifestyle. Whatever the reason, people see a home based business as enabling them to achieve their goals and at the same time enjoying the benefits of being their own boss, not having to commute, choosing their own working hours and planning their own work day.However, before commencing a home based business there are some important considerations that you need to think through.1. If I am going to keep my current job, at least as a starter, when will I find the time to build my home based business? How many hours each day can I put aside and use in my business endeavours? Can I work early in the morning or at the late evenings? Maybe at the weekends?2. Do I have a suitable room or place for my home business? Can I work uninterrupted? What about the implications for family members? Will the family members understand what is happening and be supportive. What about the need for things such as child care and supervision?3. How much energy and determination am I willing to put into learning something new, if required? If the basic direction of my home based business is something that I already know of and master, then how about the management of the home business itself? Should I delegate some or any chores, like the book-keeping?4. Do I know how to market my home based business, in order to get people to purchase my product or service? Should I use on-line or off-line marketing, or maybe both? How much money and or time do I need to put aside for marketing efforts alone? What is the most effective way for me to market my home business, within my particular budget? If I plan to do this myself, could I learn something that would make it easier and more effective?5. And, last but not least, how about the money? How do I plan to finance the start? How much money is needed? Do I have most of the equipment already or do I have to buy or rent something? Do I have a business plan?The success of your home business will largely depend on having addressed these important questions before you start.

How To Grow A Self Managing Team

Growing a Self-Managing Team requires a unique set of skills not normally possessed by conventional team leaders. So what does it take to grow a Self-Managing Team?

Self-Managing Teams require considerable expertise from their leaders.

Six areas of capability are required:

• Belief and Commitment
• Continuous Improvement
• Team Empowerment
• Commercial Awareness
• Team Motivation
• Growth and Development

I shall examine each in turn below.

Beliefs and Commitment

Those that grow self-managing teams are almost ‘evangelical’ in their beliefs of the benefits of self-managing teams and their commitment to these beliefs. Why? The reason is that they have worked with the conventional ‘hands-on’ style of management and seen that it simply does not produce the best results. They have seen the blockages that this style of management creates for the organisation amongst which are:

- Managers operating too much in the day to day detail as ‘super technicians’.

- Insecure managers who won’t let go of control over everything their teams do.

- Managers failing to grow themselves into bigger thinkers who can make a difference to the business.

- Managers failing to engage all the talents of the organisation’s people to continuously improve results.

- Managers failing to grow their people to realise their potential and thus achieve the organisation’s potential.

- Managers standing in the way of change.

Realising the risks of conventional approaches to the management of people those that grow self-managed teams have become convinced that there must be a better way.

A way in which:

- The full potential of team members is released.

- Freedom to act replaces frustration with management control.

- Teams are equipped to make decisions and solve problems at their level to be more accountable, and visible for the achievement of results (with resultant increase in their job satisfaction and personal motivation).

- Personal growth and development is an everyday reality.

- Insecure managers obsessed with transactional leadership are replaced with transformational managers committed to step change.

- Managers are forced to grow out of their jobs to take on more responsibility giving room for others to move up.

Because of the difference they see in this way of working they will never go back. The personal rewards and the rewards of seeing others grow are too great. That is why their beliefs and commitment to self-managing teams is so strong.

Those strong in this area of growing self-managing teams have taken onboard these truths for themselves and their way of operating reflects these core beliefs.

Those weaker in this area are either unwilling to be persuaded or worse still are holding onto a paradigm of the role of management that will eventually end in heartache for them and their people.

Continuous Improvement

At the very heart of the thinking behind Self-Managing Teams is the concept of continuous improvement. This includes:

• Business Process Improvement

• Product/Service Improvement

• Customer Satisfaction Improvement

• Financial Improvement

• People Improvement

Those that grow self-managing teams see the connection between all five and seek to facilitate the efforts of their teams towards achievement of all five, simultaneously. They are therefore skilled holistic thinkers who understand the needs of the overall business and are able to align their team’s contribution to these needs.

They not only see the big, high level picture themselves they are able to communicate this to their team in a way which elevates their importance, and reinforces the message that what it does really can make a difference. They impart this big picture thinking to their teams so that their teams can clearly see the consequences of their actions on a day to day basis and the impact on the business as a whole.

Those that grow self-managing teams are likely to be familiar with Quality Management Practices, Lean Manufacturing Techniques, the use of Six Sigma, the key elements of Business Re-engineering and Program/Project Management.

They understand that, far from constricting people, well documented, properly followed processes release their people to work on the business to make both incremental and step changes.

Those strong in this area of growing self-managing teams have taken onboard the need for their teams to have the tools and techniques to deliver business process improvement.

Those weaker in this area will not have broken out of their narrow, silo approach to operating in their given area of specialist expertise. They will not be skilled in the area of continuous improvement, lacking both the knowledge and skills of continuous improvement themselves, and making it impossible for them to pass on these skills to their teams.

For these managers continuous improvement and process re-engineering will possibly be a huge knowledge gap to fill as well as a personal motivation issue to overcome.

Team Empowerment

Team empowerment is the real essence of self-managing teams. The whole concept of self-managing teams is that of allowing a group of people to decide on their objectives and plan how best to deliver a required result and even to exceed that required result. This requires a high degree of trust from the manager growing a self-managing team who really must embrace the key elements of people empowerment:

- Fully engaging team members in the challenges before it.

- Enabling team members to perform at the highest levels by removing blockages to their efforts.

- Encouraging team members, particularly in the face of setbacks.

- Enlarging team members’ capabilities and confidence with rigorous training/coaching

- Exciting and motivating team members in the empowerment process, particularly by recognising and celebrating successes.

- Facilitating the team’s activities and adding objective insights and suggestions.

The challenge for the aspiring leader of a self-managing team is to train and trust; to let go; to allow people to learn for themselves, to force people into self-sufficiency, and to facilitate their learning.

The parallel is that of a parent allowing his/her child to grow up knowing that the child will make mistakes, be bruised by events, and will take some hard knocks but in the end, with parental support and belief will succeed.

It is essential that in self-managing teams members are allowed to work largely independently of their manager but interdependently as a group. This subtle mix requires the manager of a self-managing team to constantly push the boundaries of the team’s empowerment, continuously taking the team out of its comfort zones and tirelessly working to ensure that the team is not dependent on him/her for their ongoing success.

Those that grow self-managing teams are committed to this facilitation/coaching/mentoring role resisting all the time, the temptation to get unnecessarily involved.

Those that have strengths in this element of growing self-managing teams will be comfortable with a high degree of empowerment and delegation and will easily adopt this facilitating/coaching role.

Those that are weaker in this area will feel that they need to be in control, micro-manage and not take the risks of empowerment. They may well struggle in this area of self-managing team leadership.

Commercial Awareness

In a sense those that grow self-managing teams are consultants to their teams. Great consultants not only have a defined area of expertise they also possess a wider knowledge of businesses, how they work, how they fail and/or succeed and most importantly how they make money. It is this commercial awareness and understanding that is so important when growing a self-managing team. Their team will need to know:

• How to calculate the costs of the processes they use, both direct and indirect costs.

• How to identify activities in the processes they use which add/do not add value.

• How to calculate the value add they provide.

• How to eliminate costs attributed to non added-value activities.

• How to work with internal teams from whom they receive work and to whom they deliver work to improve cross functional team working for margin improvement.

• How to use best practices associated with their type of work and industry norms.

• How to improve their financial success as measured internally by their organisation.

It is the job of the aspiring leader of self-managing teams to educate their teams in all of the above so that they can understand the commercial implications of their day to day operations. They must therefore possess the knowledge and skills to do this.

Those strong in this element of growing self-managing teams possess this knowledge and can pass it on.

Those who are weaker do not and need to fill this knowledge gap if they are to be effective leaders of self-managing teams.

Team Motivation

Aspiring leaders of self-managing teams really understand how to motivate team members. They possess a high level of soft skills which enables them to:

• Gauge the degree of stretch to give their team.

• Build some easy “wins” into new initiatives to boost morale.

• Play team members to their strengths.

• Provide frequent positive and reassuring feedback.

• Confront the brutal facts when problems arise.

• Use training and coaching to lift the team’s performance.

• Help the team learn from their achievements and setbacks.

• Influence on behalf of the team to effect needed changes outside of their immediate control.

• Compare the team’s results to best practitioners to incentivise higher performance.

• Celebrate successes and build recreation time into the team’s activities.

They encourage calculated risk taking, creative and innovative thinking and experimentation within the team. They allow freedom to make mistakes and to learn from them. They keep reminding their team of the necessity to push the boundaries of what is possible to achieve. They promote the idea of being catalysts for change which the whole business can learn from. They increase the team’s visibility within the overall organisation.

Those with strengths in this area of skill recognise the importance of team motivation and the key ingredients to it. They naturally and intuitively know how to build high performing teams.

Those who are weaker need to really focus on the above list of skills to acquire and develop them.

Growth and Development

Those that grow self-managing teams are fanatical about personal growth and development, their own, and that of their team members.

They understand that if they and their team members are not growing their knowledge, insights and skills they are not just standing still but going backwards. They recognise the need for people to both broaden their understanding of the wider external environment, their industry sector development, and how effective organisations succeed, they also see the need to deepen their own and others’ understanding of their own specialist area of expertise. They work on both, for themselves and their team members.

To support and encourage personal growth and development amongst their team members they:

• Accurately assess people’s performance.

• Understand their people’s satisfaction needs.

• Identify people’s unique talents and strengths.

• Hold regular personal development discussions with their team members.

• Use a variety of techniques and resources to grow and develop people’s talents.

They force themselves to grow by growing themselves out of their own jobs, equipping others to “step into their shoes”.

They see themselves as transformational leaders, challenging the status quo, and embracing thought leadership as a way to get people’s attention and to build personal credibility.

They love what they do and investing in their future is no hardship for them. They are generous with their time in helping others to achieve their aspirations. Their energy and enthusiasm is magnetic.

Those strong on this element of leading self-managing teams will naturally focus on their own and their team members’ personal growth and development. They free up their time to attend to this and create space for others to do the same.

Those weaker on this element possibly rely too much on the talents they and others already have and perhaps see growth and development initiatives as an “add-on” activity, nice to do but difficult to achieve. These people need to seriously revisit their mindset and attitude to increase their motivation to invest in this vitally important part of their role as a leader of a self-managing team

To assess your level of skill in growing a self managing team use our growing self managing team questionnaire.

About Jeremy Francis

Jeremy Francis has worked in human resource development for over 30 years.

From a background in Training and Development within leading British and American banks in 1982 he became a self-employed Human Resource Development Consultant working with blue chip corporates. He founded Rhema Group in 1985 with the aim of providing customised human resource development solutions globally through the use of consultancy, instructor led training, coaching, psychometric assessments and learning and development resources.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Detect Drug Abusing Teenagers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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