Category: sub-articles

Cinnamon

Posted on | by Laura

Common Names: cinnamon, cinnamon bark, Ceylon cinnamon, cassia cinnamon

Latin Names: Cinnamomum verum (also known as Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Cinnamomum aromaticum (also known as Cinnamomum cassia)

Background
  • There are many types of cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), grown primarily in Sri Lanka, is known as “true” cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum), grown in southeastern Asia, is the most common type sold in North America.
  • Used as a spice for thousands of years, cinnamon comes from the bark of various species of cinnamon trees. The leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots of cinnamon trees have also been used in cooking and for medicinal purposes. There are differences in the chemical composition of cinnamon products produced from different species or parts of cinnamon trees.
  • Cinnamon has a long history of use in traditional medicine in various parts of the world, including China, India, and Persia (Iran).
  • Today, cinnamon is promoted as a dietary supplement for diabetes or for irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal problems, as well as other conditions. Cassia cinnamon is promoted for topical use (application to the skin) as an insect repellent.
How Much Do We Know?
  • There have been many studies of cinnamon, especially for diabetes. However, the results of the studies are difficult to interpret because it’s often unclear what type of cinnamon and what part of the plant were used.
What Have We Learned?
  • Studies done in people don’t clearly support using cinnamon for any health condition.
  • A 2019 review of 18 studies of cinnamon supplementation in people with diabetes suggested that cinnamon could reduce blood sugar but didn’t have a significant effect on hemoglobin A1C, which reflects blood sugar levels over a longer period of time. However, it’s unclear whether these findings are meaningful because 10 of the studies didn’t identify the type of cinnamon used, and 8 of the studies were judged to be of low quality for other reasons.
  • It’s uncertain whether cinnamon is helpful for weight loss or for controlling blood levels of cholesterol and related lipids. There’s not enough evidence to show whether cinnamon is helpful for irritable bowel syndrome.
  • It’s unclear whether cassia cinnamon is effective as an insect repellent.
What Do We Know About Safety?
  • Cinnamon supplements appear to be safe when consumed in the amounts commonly used in foods as a spice or flavoring agent. Use in larger amounts or for long periods of time is sometimes associated with side effects, most commonly gastrointestinal problems or allergic reactions.
  • Cassia cinnamon contains a chemical called coumarin, which can be harmful to the liver. Some cassia cinnamon products contain high levels of this substance. In most cases, consuming cassia cinnamon doesn’t provide enough coumarin to cause significant problems. However, prolonged use of cassia cinnamon could be an issue for sensitive people, such as those with liver disease.
  • Little is known about whether it’s safe to use cassia cinnamon during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Ceylon cinnamon may be unsafe for use during pregnancy if consumed in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods. Little is known about whether it’s safe to use Ceylon cinnamon during breastfeeding in amounts greater than those commonly found in foods.
  • Cinnamon should not be used in place of conventional medical care or to delay seeking care if you have health problems. This is particularly true if you have diabetes.
Keep in Mind
  • Take charge of your health—talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use. Together, you can make shared, well-informed decisions.

Disclaimer/ Disclosure

This information contained in this article is for information purposes only and. and it is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider(s). We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. According to the NCCIH the mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCIH nor do I endorse any products or methods used.

Aloe Vera

Posted on | by Laura
Aloe Vera

Common Names: aloe vera, aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, elephant’s gall

Latin Names: Aloe vera, Aloe barbadensis

Background
  • Aloe vera’s use can be traced back 6,000 years to early Egypt, where the plant was depicted on stone carvings. Known as the “plant of immortality,” aloe was presented as a funeral gift to pharaohs.
  • Historically, aloe vera has been used for a variety of purposes, including treatment of wounds, hair loss, and hemorrhoids; it has also been used as a laxative.
  • Two substances from aloe vera, the clear gel and the yellow latex, are used in health products today. Aloe gel is primarily used topically (applied to the skin) as a remedy for skin conditions such as burns, frostbite, psoriasis, and cold sores, but it may also be taken orally (by mouth) for conditions including osteoarthritis, bowel diseases, and fever. Aloe latex is taken orally, usually for constipation.
How Much Do We Know?
  • There’s not enough evidence to show whether aloe vera is helpful for most of the purposes for which people use it.
What Have We Learned?
  • Aloe latex contains strong laxative compounds. Products made with aloe were at one time regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives. In 2002, the FDA required that all OTC aloe laxative products be removed from the U.S. market or reformulated because the companies that manufactured them did not provide the safety data necessary for continued approval.
  • There’s some evidence that the topical use of aloe products might be helpful for symptoms of certain conditions such as psoriasis and certain rashes.
  • There’s not enough high-quality scientific evidence to show whether topical use of aloe helps to heal wounds.
  • There’s not enough scientific evidence to support aloe vera for any of its other uses.
What Do We Know About Safety?
  • Use of topical aloe vera is likely to be safe.
  • A 2-year National Toxicology Program study on oral consumption of nondecolorized whole leaf extract of aloe vera found clear evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female rats, based on tumors of the large intestine. Another study in rats showed that decolorized whole leaf aloe vera did not cause harmful effects. This suggests that a component called aloin, most of which is removed by the decolorization process, may be responsible for the tumors seen in rats fed nondecolorized whole leaf aloe vera. More information, including what products are actually in the marketplace and how individuals use different types of aloe vera products, is needed to determine the potential risks to humans.
  • Abdominal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with oral use of aloe latex. Also, because aloe latex is a laxative, it may reduce the absorption and therefore the effectiveness of some drugs that are taken orally.
  • People with diabetes who use glucose-lowering medication should be cautious if also taking aloe orally because aloe may lower blood glucose levels.
  • There have been a few reported cases of acute hepatitis in people who took aloe vera orally. However, the evidence is not definitive.
Keep in Mind
  • Tell all your health care providers about any complementary or integrative health approaches you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

Disclaimer/ Disclosure

This information contained in this article is for information purposes only and. and it is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider(s). We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. According to the NCCIH the mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCIH nor do I endorse any products or methods used..

Planning Your WordPress Site

Posted on | by Laura | Leave a Comment on Planning Your WordPress Site

Content

Planning is the most important part of setting up a blog, website or online store. Content is the hardest, most time-consuming part of any Website or blog development project. Planning your blog content in advance helps you ensure each piece of content you publish will help you reach your marketing goals. Start by preparing a  few starter blog articles.

You should prepare an about me page and any other information pertaining to your blog or business website you would like to make known. Site policies and privacy notices should also be apart of your plan. In addition, you should also do  the following:

  • Gather up all the photos, clip art, brochures, logo images, and written articles.
  • Decide on the colors you want to use for your site.
  • Make a detailed outline of the additional information you need to obtain.
  • List the URL address of any websites you would like to link to in your articles.
  • Jot down the Url address to any Youtube videos you would like to include in your post.
  • Decide what categories you will use to organize your site if it applies.
  • Layout a sample of your site navigation menu.

The Navigation Menu:

The site’s navigation system is like a road map to all the different areas and information contained within your site and provides a clear, simple path to all the web pages from anywhere on the website.

What is a Domain Name ?

Posted on | by Wild About Internet

A Domain is a user-friendly string of characters that can be used to access a site on the internet. The domain name is the web address of your online business, for example, http://yourbusinessname.com, it is the way visitors enter your website, http://Google.com is a domain name. A domain name is a requirement of every website owner.

Choosing A Domain:

Normally your domain name is the name of your business or an associated name. Choose your domain name carefully because it is not that easy to change. An easily remembered or associated name can attract visitors to your web site. Most common names are already taken. If you are not using a business name select a catchy domain name.

-Domain names should be short and easy-to-remember so they can be typed without errors.

-Longer names increase the chance that a user may not have it written down and find it difficult to recall into memory.

-Domain names made from initials are usually not a good idea unless the brand is familiar to everyone and is very common (e.g. IBM).

-A domain name should be associated with a product, service, or company image making it easy to recall.

-Companies should register alternate names for and re-direct information to one web site so the user has a feel for a ubiquitous web site, which can lead to brand identity.

The Domain Suffix.

After your domain name, you have the domain suffix example: .com, which depends on what global top-level domain you purchased and the purpose of your domain. The most common global top-level domains are:

.COM – used for commercial and personal sites

.ORG – recommended for not-for-profit organizations

.NET – recommended for companies involved in Internet infrastructure

.EDU – recommended for educational institutions

.MIL – used by military agencies

.GOV – used by government organizations

Once you decide on a domain name it is time to register your domain name.

Domain Name Registration:

You are required to register your domain name annually, for a small fee. ICANN: is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. A Registrar: is a company recognized by ICANN that can register a domain on behalf of a customer. Most hosting companies offer you the ability to register your domain name on your behalf annually. Besides hosting companies there are independent domain registrars.

Hosting Services

Posted on | by Laura

An Internet hosting service is a service that runs Internet servers, allowing organizations and individuals to serve content to the Internet. A hosting company provides the space you need on the Internet to publish or your website or install content management software such as WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, etc. There are different types of web hosting packages you can purchase,.

4 Popular Types Of Web Hosting

…

  1. Shared Web Hosting

A shared web hosting service is a web hosting service where many websites reside on one web server connected to the Internet. This is generally the most economical option for hosting, as the overall cost of server maintenance is spread over many customers. The advantage of shared web hosting is that it is usually offered at affordable rates. 

The disadvantage is the security issues, a shared hosting service also affects your website’s performance as it has to compete with other websites over the same limited amount of server resources. If one of the other websites experiences some extreme traffic, it could slow down your app or website too! There is a workaround for each of the issues mentioned, that being said many small businesses will start out with a shared hosting plan.

2. Virtual private server (VPS) hosting. 

A virtual private server is a virtual machine sold as a service by an Internet hosting service. The virtual dedicated server also has a similar meaning. A virtual private server (VPS) is your website running on its own server. VPS hosting creates a virtual environment that imitates a dedicated server (where you get a server, and all its resources, to yourself but it can be costly when compared to shared hosting. Depending on your budget some other options are:

3. Dedicated Hosting

A dedicated hosting service, dedicated server, or managed hosting service is a type of Internet hosting in which the client leases an entire server not shared with anyone else.

4. Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting makes applications and websites accessible using cloud resources. Unlike traditional hosting, solutions are not deployed on a single server. Instead, a network of connected virtual and physical cloud servers hosts the application or website, ensuring greater flexibility and scalability.

5. Managed Web Hosting 

Managed web hosting is when a hosting service provider leases you a dedicated server but manages the server themselves. The provider controls your server, conducts software and hardware maintenance, provides security, monitors activity, and takes care of backup services.

Choosing a Hosting Company:

Setting up a web site online is the easy part, choosing a hosting company that has your back, is the most important thing when setting up online, because if your hosting company is not on board with your success, then you are like a boat without a paddle, eventually, you will sink. If your hosting company can not help you then ask yourself who can?

Choosing the wrong hosting company can cost you time and money. The hosting company you choose should be able to offer you not only the tools needed to run your businesses successfully online but the 24/7 support needed to set up their hosting plan and using their applications. A good hosting company should be able to offer advice when you run into problems with their applications!

Things To Consider:

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What is their up time?

If their server is down more then it’s up, then that will mean loss of potential income for you because your customers can not reach you.

Do they offer cPanel ?  

Many web hosting companies offer cPanel to customers as part of their hosting package. cPanel is an online Linux-based graphical interface (GUI) used as a control panel to simplify website and server management. cPanel allows you to publish websites, manage domains, organize web files, create email accounts, and more quickly and easily.

Install popular free open-source software applications available on the Internet such as WordPress and many others, with one-click installation and without any knowledge of coding or Internet software installation.Be sure to inquire as to whether they have quick installation of the free open-source software applications you are interested in using. If not cPanel do they offer any automation of Popular free Open-Source Tools and Applications?

Is 24/7 hosting support Available?
  • If so what type of support they offer free of charge?
  • Can you reach customer service by phone if you have questions?
  • Do they offer live support working with their, tools, applications, and resources?
  • Are there any printed or video tutorials offered?

How To Find Affiliate Marketing Programs

Posted on | by Laura

A simple search of the Internet for Affiliate Marketing programs will produce hundreds of thousands of results! To start, enter “Affiliate Marketing Programs” in the search engine of your choice. Not all affiliate programs are legit,  do your research before joining an affiliate marketing program.

To see if anyone has had a problem with the affiliate program you are interested in search online for reviews.or complaints about said company.

Do as much research on the company of your choice as you can and ask questions of concern. Another way to start out is to join an  Affiliate Network.

Affiliate Networks:

There are many companies that pay Affiliate Networks to manage their accounts including big-name companies. Some of the best affiliate programs can be found by signing up with an affiliate network. Affiliate networks house major companies such as Walmart, AT &T staples, best buy and hundreds of others too numerous to name, you get the idea. The affiliate network does all the work and keeps you updated on how much money you make through reports generated on their site.

To get started you sign up with an affiliate network as a publisher and provide them with all your information including the websites you will be posting affiliate’s banners and links to. Normally you are able to place links on multiple websites that you own. Before choosing an affiliate program it is a good rule of thumb to look over their merchant’s program agreement. Pay special attention to the commission percentage. Look out for how many days after a visitor from your site makes a purchase before you will be entitled to credit for it?

To sign up with an Affiliate Network you will be required to provide your taxpayer information and the method of payment you prefer. Once you are signed up and approved, you have the option of applying for the companies you are interested in becoming a partner affiliate with. You may have to wait a day or two or longer to find out if you are approved for the affiliate program you selected.

To be on the safe side affiliate beginners should select only affiliate programs that are apart of an affiliate network. The following is a list of well known Top Affiliate Programs not necessarily in the order I have them in.

Top Affiliate Networks

1. Rakuten Advertising

Rakuten Advertising, formally know as Linkshare, is reportedly the largest affiliate network, with over 10 million affiliate partnerships, Rakuten offers over 2,500 affiliate programs. As a publisher, you can partner with thousands of leading and emerging brands across a variety of industries

2. Commission Junction

CJ is said to be the largest affiliate marketing network in North America (though it operates globally) in addition to its regular pay-per-action affiliate program, the company also offers a convenient Pay  Per Call program to help affiliates “ensure they get paid commission for the leads they generate, thus further monetizing existing ad placements and having the opportunity to expand their promotional…online and offline campaigns.”

3. ShareASale

Chicago-based ShareASale has over 2,500 merchant programs and features brands such as HootSuite and PS Print. ShareASale has received excellent ratings, with the company’s reputation/security, ethics, customer service, and ease of commission payment receiving glowing reviews.

4. Amazon Associates

Placing fourth in the 2012 Blue Book of Top 20 Affiliate Networks, for a reporting system that “far surpasses other big networks,” this is one of the largest and most diverse affiliate programs available.

As most people know, Amazon.com offers such a wide array of products that there’s bound to be something to fit your niche. In fact, they offer over a million products from which you can choose to monetize your website or blog. Amazon Associates is a pay-per-sale affiliate program.

5. ClixGalore

ClixGalore is an Australian PPA (pay-per-action) affiliate network that also has offices in the US, UK, and Japan. The company offers various types of programs, including PPM (pay-per-impression), PPL (pay per lead), PPS (pay-per-sale), and PPC (pay-per-click). Many programs pay in US dollars.

Some well-known brands that use ClixGalore for their affiliate offerings are Bluehost, Time-Life, Trend Micro, Citibank, and Fox Sports Shop. While not as widely known as some of the other affiliate networks, ClixGalore is a solid network that offers thousands of potential merchant programs. The network also offers a two-tier network. By referring other affiliates to the network, current affiliates can receive a portion of their earnings.

6. PeerFly.com

PeerFly is a PPA network with its own proprietary software system. The network made the 2012 Blue Book of Top 20 Affiliate Networks, which stated regarding them, “They are courteous, helpful, and point you in the right direction.” PeerFly accepts publishers from all over the world and offers thousands of merchant programs.

7. ClickBank

A well-known affiliate network, ClickBank features digital products, such as e-books, software, and membership sites. The program reportedly offers up to 75% commissions on its tens of thousands of products. Commissions are paid weekly, and direct deposit is available to its affiliates.

Over the years, this network has remained popular, though some have questioned a few of its practices.

8. MaxBounty

MaxBounty came in sixth in the 2012 Blue Book of Top 20 CPA Networks, though it didn’t make a showing in the Blue Book’s top 20 affiliate networks. In business since 2004, the network was founded on the philosophy of paying its affiliates more.

Popular highly in demand e-book products

Posted on | by Wild About Internet

Ebooks or electronic/digital books are easily the most common and in-demand type of information products available today. This is probably because it is the easiest and cheapest of information product you can sell and buy. There are so many ebooks available on the market today, covering every imaginable topic and catering to different audiences.

If you have a flair for writing or you feel you can be able to share expert advice and information on a specific field, you can consider creating your own ebook and sell it in the market. You will want to come up with one that will best appeal to your target audience.

Information marketing is one of the most rewarding businesses available today, with very little or no money required to get started. Below are the most popular and highly in-demand products in the market today!

How To Information:

This type of ebook offers important assistance on learning a new skill, enhance existing knowledge or provide an innovative approach to doing certain things. If you plan on creating a how-to ebook, you should first take time to study your target audience and find out what are the most significant concerns/issues/problems and create content that will be able to provide a solution to that problem. In order to do that, you will need to conduct extensive study on your market and determine how you can effectively position your information product to be regarded as the ultimate solution to the problem.

Making Money Info

Another type of ebook is one that is geared towards offering information on how to make money. Most people, if not all are always interested in new ways of generating new income streams. If you have discovered how to make it big and rake in a serious amount of money doing something, then you might want to write about it and share your expertise.

Money-Saving Info

Aside from making money, people are generally interested in how to save money. Well, it actually makes total sense, right? No matter how much money you make, you will eventually exhaust your resources, sooner or later. With so many people facing debt problems, debt issues, every penny counts – which means, an ebook on saving one, whether it is on learning how to get better gas mileage or maximizing grocery coupons, can prove to be highly interesting.

Health And Fitness

With the growing prevalence of fatal and life-altering diseases, a lot of people have grown more concerned about their health and general well-being. This type of ebook covers various topics such as weight loss, natural remedies, and muscle gain. Through the years, there will always be a great market for these information products.

Self-Help

These types of ebooks focus on providing relationship advice, such as dealing with a divorce or getting back with an ex. There has been a growing demand for books that tackle gaining self-confidence, dealing with stress, and becoming a better person as well as training and skills improvement

Travel and Lifestyle Guides

There will always be a constant demand for books that provide information on a certain area, city or country. If you are confident you will be able to provide valuable information on a certain place, why not create an ebook to provide information and insider knowledge about the place focusing on specific topics, tourists and visitors are most likely interested to know.

Whether people are genuinely interested in acquiring a new skill or trying to save money by doing things on their own, more and more people seek online resources on enhancing knowledge and improving a certain skill.

Places to Sell e-books Online

Posted on | by Wild About Internet

You can sell your e-books through Online e-book retailers or through your own website. Some popular e-book sellers are:

iTunes:
Apply to the iTunes book’s account program. The service only accepts the epub format (and multi-touch).  ISBN is recommended but not required for any book you are offering on the iBooks Store. An ISBN uniquely identifies the book and its current edition and helps you to ensure that you are marketing the right book. The ISBN is also required for reporting your book’s sales to industry reporting agencies and charting organizations.

Learn More

Amazon Kindle

Amazon accepts epub format, independently publish with Kindle Direct Publishing to reach millions of readers. Get to market fast. Publishing takes less than 5 minutes and your book appears on Kindle stores worldwide within 24-48 hours. Make more money. Earn up to 70% royalty on sales to customers in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, India, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and more. Enroll in KDP Select and earn more money through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library.Keep control. Keep control of your rights and set your own list prices. Make changes to your books at any time.

Learn More

Google Books 

Promote your books on Google—for free. Apply to the partner program. Submit the epub and pdf version (up to 250MB file size). No ISBN required, google will assign one after upload.

Learn More..

Nook (Barnes and Noble)

Publish your book on the popular NOOK eReader and your book will share virtual shelf space with the latest New York Times’ bestsellers, Pulitzer Prize winners, and time-honored classics.

Learn More

Sell From Your Website

You can always sell your PDF ebook from your own website. There are many different free e-commerce programs you can use to set up your own online store.

Which will mean you will no longer be splitting the profits with ebook vendors. Another positive of selling from your own site though is that you can set up your own affiliate program. This means that you can offer a commission to Internet users who are will to help you sell your book.

While this still means you will be splitting the profit once again, it also means that you’ll have the opportunity to recruit hundreds of people interest in helping you to sell your book on commission. Which in turn, can result in you selling countless copies that you wouldn’t have otherwise sold.

The downside about selling the books on your own is you’re vulnerable to pirating. And it means you may not have access to the large audience that you would have through the large ebook vendors.

How to Ensure You Aren’t Breaking the Law While Affiliate Marketing

Posted on | by Wild About Internet

When people read what you have written about a particular product and then click on those links and buy something from the retailer, and as an Affiliate, you earn a commission from the retailer. It is the same as if you are endorsing the product and therefore you must disclose that information according to the FTC.

Disclosure:

Affiliate link disclosures are a requirement of the FTC whenever a link is used on your website that results in a commission, you must disclose this information to site visitors. You are required to disclose your relationship to the retailer clearly and conspicuously on your site, the readers can decide how much weight to give your endorsement.

In some instances – like when the affiliate link is embedded in your product review – a single disclosure may be adequate. When the review has a clear and conspicuous disclosure of your relationship and the reader can see both the review containing that disclosure and the link at the same time, readers have the information they need.

Affiliate Marketing Disclosure

You could say something like, “I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.” But if the product review containing the disclosure and the link are separated, readers may not make the connection.

Where Do I Have Place the Disclosure?

As for where to place a disclosure, the guiding principle is that it has to be clear and conspicuous. The closer it is to your recommendation, the better. Putting disclosures in obscure places – for example, buried on an ABOUT US or GENERAL INFO page, behind a poorly labeled hyperlink or in a “terms of service” agreement – isn’t good enough. Neither is placing it below your review or below the link to the online retailer so readers would have to keep scrolling after they finish reading. Consumers should be able to notice the disclosure easily. They shouldn’t have to hunt for it.

Is “affiliate link” by itself an adequate disclosure? What about a “buy now” button?

Consumers might not understand that the “affiliate link” means that the person placing the link is getting paid for purchases through the link. Similarly, a “buy now” button would not be adequate.

What if I’m including links to product marketers or to retailers as a convenience to my readers, but I’m not getting paid for them?

Then there isn’t anything to disclose.

Does this guidance about affiliate links apply to links in my product reviews on someone else’s website, to my user comments, and to my tweets?

Yes, the same guidance applies anytime you endorse a product and get paid through affiliate links.

It’s clear that what’s on my website is a paid advertisement, not my own endorsement or review of the product. Do I still have to disclose that I get a commission if people click through my website to buy the product?

If it’s clear that what’s on your site is a paid advertisement, you don’t have to make additional disclosures. Just remember that what’s clear to you may not be clear to everyone visiting your site, and the FTC evaluates ads from the perspective of reasonable consumers.