In Isaiah the Lord says, “Concerning the work of My hands command ye Me.” (Is. 45:11). There are many times in the Bible that men took Him at His word and commanded Him.

Joshua did during his moment of greatest victory. He lifted up his spear towards the sunset and cried aloud, “O sun, stand still.” (Joshua 10:12). Elijah stopped the rain from heaven and started it again after 3-1/2 years. In case you think this is only for men of the Bible, Smith Wigglesworth commanded when he raised people from the dead, and Martin Luther applied it when by his dying colleague, Philipp Melanchthon, he knealt to pray and forbid death to take its victim.

These examples invite us in to a relationship with God that is rarely seen in our world any more. Where is our Faith? If only it were the size of a mustard seed. Seeing in Isaiah that God wants us to command Him to act, we realize that we may not have in our minds the relationship He wants to have with us.

Our prayers offered have so much hesitancy and unbelief. Uncertainty that God really wants to bless us. We have no power behind those prayers and we find no answer to them for the Bible says, “Let him ask in Faith.” The constant repetition of prayers that have been voiced for so long causes them to lose their cutting edge. Although our Faith may have grown since we began a specific prayer request, the fact that it has been a request from the days of our lack of faith renders it useless.

Oh! that we could always cry, “Yes, I believe, but help my unbelief!” However, it’s a position that God wants us to move out from. Surely He has answered our prayers at times to show Himself strong, but He wants us to move upward and onward in our Faith so that we can move mountains.

How often did Jesus put people in a position to command Him? In Matthew 20 we read that as Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho, He stopped and responded to two blind men who were calling out to Him. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. It was like He was saying, “I am yours to command.”

Remember the woman from Syrian Phoenicia? (Mark 7:24-30) Jesus gave all His resources to her when He told her to help herself to all that she needed.

We must have the passion and faith of the strength and power of Christ in us to go before our Lord and command Him. Seek His answers for your sickness - seek healing by Faith that will change YOU. The change within you is what brings the healing. We are a new creation. We don’t walk in that statement. We continue to allow the old nature to rule.

Change your mind!

“And I will do whatever ye ask in my name.” John 14:13

Command ye Me!

Donna L. Watkins lives in Central Virginia with her wonderful husband enjoying birds, wildlife, gardening, forests, nature travel and her cat, Squeek. She has one grown-up son who inspires her life in many ways. Read more of Donna’s articles at TheHerbsPlace.com and subscribe to her free mailing, A Healing Moment. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html

I have worked with numerous companies that have or had employee retention issues without any real understanding as to why they can’t seem to keep good employees. Oh, most of them track turn over. Some even measure it accurately. Some even do exit interviews but very few have a clear understanding as to the cause of high turn over rates. Added to that fact, a common attitude seems to exist that turn over in operations and logistics may just be the “nature of the beast.”

This attitude often becomes apparent when I am discussing turn over with business owners that seem to have a track record of high turn over rates in the warehouse or in their trucking. Ironically, most companies that have a high turn over rate in operations may find that they have a higher than desirable turn over in their sales and administrative force as well.
My suggestion to you, if this is beginning to sound familiar, is that there is no such thing as the “nature of the beast”. It’s time for you to take a long hard look at the culture of your company. The value you place on your employees; your competitiveness in the market place. I am not talking about lip service. It is easy to say; “Our employees are our most important asset. We strive to become the Employer of Choice.”

The Acid Test

Ask your employees if they think they are the company’s most important asset. Ask your employees if they think you are the Employer of Choice. Do it anonymously. You might just be surprised at what they reveal. Regardless of what you might believe about warehouse personnel or even truck drivers, I am here to tell you that having a high turnover rate and being an Employer of Choice is an Oxymoron.

A Strong Word of Caution

Once you elect to solicit input from your employees you not only have to listen to them, you must act on the results. That doesn’t mean you have to acquiesce to every wish but you must acknowledge the input and create a plan to address the legitimate issues of concern. Failure to do this will not only cost you credibility and integrity but it will compound your turn over problems.

Look Into the Mirror

I know that it isn’t easy to take the blame for high turn over. I know that the majority of CEO’s, Presidents and owners do value their employees. This is true even in many of those companies that have high turn over. However, remember the old cliche; “The buck stops here.” If you aren’t responsible, who is? Trust me; it isn’t your Human Resource Manager, (If you have one). It’s your responsibility to insure that the culture and the environment that your company is built on releases the power of profit that is stored in every employee that works for you. The maximum force of that power of profit can not be released unless you actually believe that your employees are your most important asset and you demonstrate that belief in everything you do.

I once had an owner argue with me that he treated his employees like family. Yet his sales force came and went like a revolving door existed. His key management team had only one person with more than ten years of tenure and his overall (unplanned) turnover exceeded thirty five percent.
I told him that if he treated his employees like family then he could probably be arrested for being an abusive Father. I understand that everything you do as a company centers around the profitability of the company. However, if you are struggling with a high turn over rate, you must come to the understanding that your employees may not be profit but without your employees there can be no profits. Rest assured that I understand that you can’t baby sit everybody. You can’t give every employee everything they want. Well, here’s some exciting news. You don’t have to. Start by building a culture and environment that is based on the following principles:

–Trust your employees — demonstrate that trust with empowerment and delegation. Do not micro manage.

–Respect your employees — demonstrate that respect by valuing their opinions, their ideas. Learn to really listen to them.

–Give credit where credit is due — demonstrate that by recognizing not just extraordinary effort or the occasional home run but recognize individual efforts in a sincere fashion and do it publicly.

–Create opportunities to learn — demonstrate your willingness by taking a risk, assign employees tasks that may stretch their talent and then coach them (not manage) through the process.

–Recognize that you don’t have to have all the answers - demonstrate that recognition by asking for help, advice and input from your employees.

–Learn to say please, thank you, can you help, what do you think, what would you do — demonstrate this with humility, compassion and sincerity.

Yes, dealing with humans means that sometimes they do stupid human things. But, even though you may be the CEO you can do some stupid things sometimes as well. After all, you are human too; aren’t you?, Your responsibility is to have a personal and corporate commitment to recruiting, training, motivating and retaining the best employees you can possibly get.

So What is an Acceptable Turn Over Rate?

The answer to that question is that it depends. It depends on many factors including the unemployment rate, your individual market, and the type of business you are in, the external environment, individual job function and even something as simple as the neighborhood your plant is in. However, I will give you my personal general opinion as to what your unplanned (employees that leave by their own decision) turn over rate should not exceed. (Remember - this is unplanned turn over)

Outside Sales ——————————- 20%

Inside Sales ——————————— 15%

General Administration ——————- 20%

Operations ———————————- 30%

Truck Drivers —————————— 25%

Middle Management ———————–20%

Executive Management ——————–15%

I once had a candid discussion with the CEO of a smaller company ($25 million in sales) and he proceeded to give his opinion as to the competency of his entire management staff. It consisted of eleven employees. He made exceptionally negative comments about nine of those managers and the other two managers on his staff, according to him, were average at best.
I told him the solution to the problem was simple —— “We need to replace the CEO.” He decided not to hire me.

What’s the Answer?
So how do you consistently attract, recruit and retain good people? It isn’t easy but it’s not impossible. Follow these guide lines and you will have success at recruiting and your retention rates will improve. Being an employer of choice is earned and it isn’t cheap. You have to invest in your employees. So, when you feel that nagging tinge of reluctance at budget time; when you are looking at employee training, education and development, remember the following formula for high turn over replacement costs.
-Replacement cost = 1.5 times annual salary
-$50,000 x 1.5 = $75,000 x 100 employees = $7.5 million

Be on the Lookout

You must always be on the lookout for good personnel. You never know where you may find your next employee. It could be at the local convenience store, a waitress or waiter or even that individual you met at the trade show. Remember, the best employees generally already have a job unless they are in transition. I know of a CEO that carries two sets of business cards. On the back of one the following statement is printed.

“You act like the type of person that would fit in at our company. The type of person we are always looking for. If you would be interested in pursuing an opportunity at our company; call 111 111 1111 and ask for Joe Job in Human Resources. Tell him you have my card and he will schedule you for an interview.”

It’s not Just an HR Thing

Recruitment and retention is not just a Human Resource responsibility. It is the responsibility of every manager that works at your company. Make sure all your managers are aware of that responsibility and hold them accountable for it. Create some form of recruitment incentive for all employees. Pay them half when their recommended candidate is hired and half after six months.

Establish a buddy system for new employees. Once the employee has been on the job two weeks have them select a buddy mentor to teach them the ropes. This isn’t skills training, it’s culture training. Reward the buddy with a monthly bonus for the next two months. The most critical time frame for new employees that are making a decision whether to stay at your company or begin looking again is the first sixty days. Can you imagine how they will be welcomed by other employees when there is an opportunity to get a two month bonus for coaching the new employee?

We Can’t Afford to Pay at or Above Mid Market Wages

This is an over used excuse. It isn’t always about the money. Of course employees want to be paid well, who doesn’t? That is natural and normal. However, many many surveys have been conducted that rank pay 3rd, 4th or 5th as the most important reasons to work for a company. Recognition, praise for work well done, a sense of belonging are all more important to most people. That doesn’t mean you can be the cheapest in the market but it may mean you don’t have to be the highest either. Drink your own Kool Aid when it comes to selling your value propositions. Isn’t that what you tell your sales people when they face price objections. Well, your company has value propositions too. Figure out what the value propositions are for working at your company. If you can’t figure them out then you have a problem. Seek outside help to create the kind of culture and environment that will support becoming an employer of choice.

http://www.ceostrategist.com - Sign up to receive “The Howl” a free monthly newsletter that addresses real world industry issues. - Straight talk about today’s issues. Rick Johnson, expert speaker, wholesale distribution’s “Leadership Strategist”, founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com. Don’t forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business. E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for your special Howl discount order form. Get the CEO Strategist Interview Guide and Conducting an Effective Sales Training Session Guide just for signing up for “The Howl”. Don’t forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business.

Are you trying to find the perfect gift to make someone feel special? Have you given thought to giving a handmade gift? Why would a gift that has been handcrafted be so endearing to the receiver?

Think how you would you feel with a beautiful piece of art that is rare or even one of a kind? Picture a splendid handmade leather belt with a custom handcrafted jeweled buckle. What a conversation piece to have a rare glass or wood art handicraft from another part of the world. Can you see how the uniqueness alone makes a handmade gift a great choice for the ones you care about?

Express Your Feelings With A Unique Handmade Gift

Custom handmade gifts can often be made to your liking. Artists may sell a handmade gift that is one of a kind, at the very least exceptionally rare. Often the handmade gift will come with a certificate of authenticity which tells the artist’s history and information about the materials used in the crafting of the work of art.

A handmade gift reveals that you put some thought into your gift selection; for this reason alone the gift will be more appreciated. Isn’t that what gift giving is all about, finding just the right gift for that individual. When choosing a gift aren’t you wanting to convey a deep emotion?

It many just be that you are saying ‘thank you’ for a kind act. Or perhaps you are giving the love of your life a gift that conveys how much you care. And what of making Mom know she’s the best Mom in the world. Whatever the reason, a handmade gift can express the emotion so capably.

There are beautiful handcrafted gifts in such abundance that it is impossible not to find that perfect unique gift for your family and friends.

Custom Handmade Jewelry

Talented artists design and assemble a wide variety of jewelry and accessories, such as necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, brooches, and belt buckles in a marvelous array of sizes, shapes, colors and textures. Imagine the complements one might receive donning an unusual piece of custom handmade jewelry.

The material used in the making of handcrafted jewelry can include amber, amethyst, aquamarine, coral, garnet, turquoise, mother of pearl, and other semiprecious stones. Unlike mass produced jewelry which are generally crafted in gold, silver, and platinum, custom handmade jewelry can also include bronze, copper, pewter and other metals. Handcrafted jewelry may even be crafted with wood, leather and even plastics.

Hand Tooled Full Grain Leather Gifts

A handmade gift out of leather is always a good choice. The handtooled leather belt is a dying tradition and a handtooled belt is truly a rare gift. With a handtooled leather gift meticulous attention is given to detail and every design is a little different. Other handmade leather items include watchbands, wristbands, hair accessories, wallets, money clips and purses available in a wide variety of styles, designs, and widths and many of these items can be personalized with a name or initials.

Custom Handmade Handwoven Baskets

Handmade baskets are generally woven with the finest quality natural rattan reed. Baskets will compliment a home and office decor. Unlike ordinary off-the-shelf baskets, handmade baskets can often be designed exclusively by you, allowing you to choose the style, dimensions, reed and stain colors. Baskets make a great gift because they are functional in the home as well as a decor.

Choose From A Variety Of Handmade Gifts

Handmade gifts have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. Besides the handmade gifts discussed one can choose from handicrafts such as wood art, bottle art, paintings, dried flowers, bead work, pottery, and the list continues.

Pieces from other cultures make a great choice for gifts that are appreciated. You could give a handmade gift from a different country on every occasion to that special someone and help them start an artistic collection of diverse cultures.

Where to Purchase Handmade Gifts

It used to require a great deal of time and effort to find a shop with a diverse selection of unique handmade gifts. With the popularity of the Internet one can now obtain a limitless variety of custom handmade items from around the globe.

Hand crafted gifts range from inexpensive to very costly generally depending on the materials used, the originality and intricacies of the item and the location where the piece was created. The advantage of purchasing these items online is that you minimize the cost of overhead and get more value for your dollar.

In conclusion, handicrafts make wonderful gifts because of their uniqueness, beauty and cultural individuality. The best place for variety and value is to purchase these items online. If you are looking for the perfect gift that conveys your affection try giving a unique handmade gift. It is bound to bring appreciation from the receiver.

Doran’s site at http://women-sense.com for tips on home, garden, craft, cooking, weight loss, fitness, self-improvement and much more.

I’d like to present a different kind of Christmas. If you’re not shoppers, like us, it’s a time to have more fun times with your family and friends. If you are shoppers and are tired of the rat race you run during the month of December and have been “wishing it could be different” for years, read on.

If you’re a shopper and love to shop and love the cozy (oppressive?) crowds of the holiday shoppers and have endless money to spend for gift-giving, then this issue isn’t for you.

Our Christmas has been very different from the usual consumerism of the month since we made an agreement with most of our friends and family that we wouldn’t be exchanging gifts for Christmas. We suggested that we’d like to give to those who really need it (and avoid all those gifts you never know what to do with after you’ve opened them). We agreed to exchange gifts, but the money would actually be given to an organization instead. Saves the run-around, saves the wrapping, gas, stress, and the not-possible task of discovering the “perfect gift.”

It has changed the whole outlook of the month of December. It’s a refreshing time of the year to think about the birth of Jesus and all that He has done for us. And as He came to give, it’s a wonderful way to celebrate to give to those who have so little. It also allows us all the time we used to wish we had to do the holiday activites and musical presentations.

We don’t get sick from the stress of the season taking a toll on our immune systems, and we don’t have to pay offbills for months into the new year. Some people have told me they don’t get their debt paid off from one Christmas until it’s time to begin shopping for the next. When you add the cost of interest to those Christmas gifts, you’re giving a whole lot more than you had every planned on giving.

We have had the most exciting “thank you’s” over the years of giving gifts/donations to organizations who support the poor. If folks are online, I send an email with the link to the site so they know more about where their gift money was given. If they’re not, I make sure that the organization will send out a “thank you” with some information about what the money will do or provide. It’s a wonderful feeling to really make a difference in lives rather than just to add ’stuff’ to somebody else’s home.

Most of us have more than enough in our homes and need no more to care for and maintain. We don’t have to try to find a way to make the gift functional when in reality it’s nothing we would’ve ever thought to buy.

Consider the fact that giving a contribution as a gift also gives you a tax break. You could possibly turn your Christmas dollars into a lower tax bracket on all that you earn. If you asked around, I bet you’d find that many people would love to do this. Give it a try! I could hear the relief in voices when I began suggesting it to family and friends. You’ll find that most people would like to drop out of the typical commercial Christmas ordeal.

Make a list of those you exchange gifts with and contact them to see if you could both agree to really make a difference in our world. If they have organizations they love, ask for the names. If not, ask for a few “categories” that they would like to donate to, such as: children (Compassion International), the poor (Mercy Works), youth (Youth With a Mission), emergency care (Red Cross), shelters (Salvation Army), animal welfare (Humane Society of the United States), wildlife (National Wildlife Federation), preserving the natural world (The Nature Conservancy), or caring for creation while serving the poor (Target Earth). There are tons of options! What would they contribute to if they had a million dollars to give away. Then instead of shopping for things, shop online for places to give in their categories.

Here’s some wonderful Scriptures about giving to the poor. You will reap much more than you give.

Psalms 41:1
Blessed [is] he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

Proverbs 28:27
He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

Proverbs 31:20
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

If there is some one in the family that really needs a gift, consider joining with other family members to purchase something that will really meet a need but would cost too much for one person to buy. Too many times people have enough gloves, ties, clothes and cologne, but a real need is an appliance or a new mattress. Maybe that could be the focus of foregoing presents to each other in a family. Make somebody that needs something the target of your giving within the family. It will be the best gift for everyone’s heart and will bring out the true meaning of Christmas for all!

Donna L. Watkins lives in Central Virginia with her wonderful husband enjoying birds, wildlife, gardening, forests, nature travel and her cat, Squeek. She has one grown-up son who inspires her life in many ways. Read more of Donna’s articles at TheHerbsPlace.com and subscribe to her free mailing, A Healing Moment. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html

Debt-free living is such a key area of our lives that needs to be changed in America. The focus needs to be taken off of THINGS and put on PEOPLE … the time we spend shopping for stuff to fill our closets and cabinets could be and should be, spent on building relationships and helping others.

We need a Global Focus to understand that we don’t have to have a Pity Party for ourselves to give up the stuff. You don’t have to look very far to realize how blessed we are. There are people dying on streets that don’t have any food to eat. There are people eating out of trash cans daily and sleeping on concrete. It’s time for us to be grateful for what we have and to share with others who do not have. God told us to do so.

Here’s a few of our tips for debt-free living. You have to find and make your own. Borrow some books from the library on debt-free living and on simplicity. You don’t have to buy them … just borrow them. People generally read a book only once and then stick it on the shelf as another possession. Use the library system or check with friends and begin to trade books.

We have been living debt-free now for many years…and it’s brought tremendous blessings of peace and contentment to our lives. To get out of debt, we had to change bad habits of impulse buying. I believe that’s how most people get in debt and stay there forever.

We made a commitment to God and ourselves that we would do three things:

#1) Anytime we intended to purchase something, we would grab our note pad (instead of our credit card) and write down what we wanted to purchase and the price. We would have to discuss it with each other. If we still thought we wanted to buy it, we would wait 24 hours to make the final decision to purchase … that eliminated 90% of our purchases.

#2) When something was a necessity and over $20, we would get three prices on it to be sure we got the best deal for our money. Use the telephone and internet to research! Don’t waste gas money shopping. Sometimes the shipping is less than the gas to buy something. According to the AAA, the average cost is 56 cents a mile for the year 2004 in America and that’s rising.

#3) We set up a grocery budget that was reasonable, but not excessive, and we lived off of it. No exceptions! That budget included “eating out,” which, by the way, we just decided to give up. There’s very little nutrition in eating out, so we figured we’d be gaining in health and wealth. We “ate out” by serving meals in different place … like on a tablecloth in a bedroom, or eating at the coffee table in the living room, or picnicking outside the back door.

Get creative and make getting out of debt a fun project, not a drudgery!

We had a variable income and it appeared to be an impossible task to set up a budget (although there are ways to do it), so we decided to set up boundaries instead. Those mile-high boundaries allowed us to have plenty of money each month to pay off the debts we had. After many years of doing this, it just became a “new habit” and we now consider it a lifestyle. It has simplified what I have to dust and clean and maintain … because anything you own costs you to maintain it … and what you own, owns you in some form or fashion.

This method takes a lot of self-control. Not everybody is ready for that, so a budget would be a necessary thing to make it work for you.

It’s amazing how much time we have since we rarely go shopping. We purchase our food supplies in bulk and shop for produce twice a month. Staying out of grocery stores on a regular basis makes a huge difference in health and wealth also.

When you’ve earned the contentment that comes with the discipline of getting out of debt, and you’ve changed your mindset to wanting time and peace, instead of wanting things, life becomes a whole new adventure!

We were warned in the Bible about the pressures of debt in Proverbs 22:7, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Carrying a load of debt around is definitely a form of slavery/bondage.

Have fun! Live simply! Life is not in who owns the most stuff!

Donna L. Watkins lives in Central Virginia with her wonderful husband enjoying birds, wildlife, gardening, forests, nature travel and her cat, Squeek. She has one grown-up son who inspires her life in many ways. Read more of Donna’s articles at TheHerbsPlace.com and subscribe to her free mailing, A Healing Moment. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html

About six months ago I finally stopped choking down cancer sticks once and for all, after being a smoker for more than fifteen years. I learned a few things in the process of quitting that I know can help other people quit as well. And the best part is that I’m going to give you what I learned for nothing! I am in no way affiliated with any e- book, “program”, or newsletter to help you stop smoking. I’m just a guy who quit and would love to help other people do the same thing that I did.

I had tried both patches and gum in the past to quit, and they never worked. They would seem to work for a while, and then the next thing I knew, I was smoking again. During those experiences I realized something…….I was going to have to change the way I thought about quitting smoking. Simply changing the way nicotine got into my body obviously wasn’t going to change anything. So that’s exactly what I did. I changed the way I thought about both smoking and quitting smoking.

I began telling myself how easy it was going to be to stop smoking. Everyone always tells you how horrible quitting smoking is. I simply started telling myself that it wasn’t going to be that bad. When I was smoking, I would hold the cigarette up and say to it, “I’ve got this. This is going to be no problem.” I also stopped listening to all of the people around me that said how hard it would be. I would just extract myself from any of their conversations about smoking or quitting smoking.

Then, one day I opened my pack of cigarettes to take one out and there was only one left. I looked at the cigarette, and said to myself, “Okay, this is it. I’m done.” I went outside, smoked that cigarette, and haven’t touched one since. If you change the way you think about smoking (even while the act continues), eventually you won’t want to smoke any more. For me the process of changing my thinking about smoking took about six months.

Someone once said, “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” That’s exactly what happened with me and smoking. I changed the way I looked at smoking, and the act of smoking changed. It’s truly as simple as that. Were there times that I felt like smoking, after I had quit? Of course. The difference was that I didn’t smoke anymore, so I didn’t. I also stopped hanging around people who smoked, which helped as well. And it got easier and easier everyday. Then the next thing I knew, I smelled a cigarette while walking in a parking lot and couldn’t believe how gross it smelled. Yep, it was over for good. I was a non-smoker once again, just like God intended. Just remember that quitting smoking, like most things in life, is more about how you think about it than anything else.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!

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It used to be that bariatric surgery or stomach stapling was a rare and extreme response to dangerous cases of obesity.

But as more long-term data become available about the generally positive outcomes for bariatric surgeries, more consumers are opting for these procedures than for any other non-cosmetic elective surgery.

With most of us normally so reluctant to go under the knife, what’s driving the popularity of bariatric procedures? Quite simply, as an investment in health, they offer a very high return.

Follow-up research on patients of earlier bariatric surgeries is showing that the prospects for long-term weight loss are better than with any other mode of treatment for seriously overweight people, those classified as morbidly obese.

The data also show that post-operative health outcomes for patients of bariatric surgery are remarkably good, with major improvements in diabetes, cardio-vascular health, musculoskeletal conditions and sleep disorders.

But perhaps the most important outcome shown is that these health improvements are lasting, specifically because patients of bariatric surgery have excellent chances of maintaining a much lower, much healthier weight for years to come.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, bariatric surgery offers the best treatment to produce sustained weight loss in patients who are morbidly obese.

That assessment has been borne out by the statistics. The maximum weight loss is usually reached between 18 and 24 months after their surgery. The amount of weight lost tends to vary a little between the various procedures, but on an average, a loss of 60 percent of the excess weight was still maintained at five years after the surgery.

One study of over 600 patients reported that an average of 50 percent of the excess weight lost was still maintained at 14 years after the surgery. The numbers for weight loss maintenance in other treatment approaches come nowhere near these rates.

Roughly speaking, the morbidly obese are those defined as being 100 pounds overweight, or with a body mass index (BMI) of 39 or more. A score of 35 or more is used for those who already have associated health problems, such as diabetes or heart disease.

Also referred to as clinically severe obesity, it’s a condition that presently affects about six million Americans. And for these people, the risks associated with remaining overweight are simply much greater than the risks of going under the knife.

People at lower BMIs typically are not considered as candidates for bariatric surgery bariatric surgery without extenuating circumstances.

And sometimes people above a BMI of 40 are not considered because of other factors. Certain psychological conditions might preclude an individual’s candidacy, or an inability to commit to lifestyle changes necessary for weight maintenance.

For instance, people who consume lots of sweets and high-fat junk foods and who don’t really plan to give them up, won’t get the lasting improvements they want from the surgery.

And there are some patients who have delicate health complications such that they may have to lose weight in a supervised program before undergoing the surgery.

With rates for complications below 2 percent and mortality of less than one-half a percent, bariatrics surgeries have proven, safety-wise, to be comparable to other elective procedures, and far less risky than the heart bypass operations that are so common today.

That’s a remarkably low incidence of post-operative complications, particularly considering that the general health in this patient population is highly compromised by their excess weight to begin with.

Yet even as new techniques are developed that improve the safety and efficacy of bariatric procedures and minimize some of their unpleasant side effects experts worry that the public will get the idea that these are routine surgeries that offer a silver bullet solution to the problems of the gravely obese.

Surgery is a complex and demanding procedure for both the doctor and the patient, and like any surgery, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Most bariatric surgery specialists will not agree to perform a bariatric procedure on a patient who hasn’t already demonstrated a concerted effort to get rid of some of their excess through more conventional weight-loss methods.

Surgical preparation usually includes weight loss and conditioning for the patient immediately before the operation, and then there is a lot of lifestyle and maintenance work afterwards.

That’s the investment. The return? Early death related to weight decreases markedly, and aside from the other specific medical improvements, studies also show that bariatric surgery patients get improved mobility and stamina, better mood and self-esteem, improvements in social interactivity and interpersonal effectiveness. And for overall quality of life, that means a real long-term gain.

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Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D. is a board certified Family Physician and a board certified Bariatric Physicians (the medical specialty of weight management). Dr. Cederquist is the founder of Bistro MD formerly Diet To Your Door, a home diet delivery program that specializes in low calorie gourmet food that is delivered to your home or office. Bistro MD serves as culmination of Dr. Cederquist’s expertise and experience in the world of medical weight loss.

A resistance band workout is one of the very best workouts for many
people. These elastic bands are a versatile alternative to training with
weights.

In this article we will take a look at the advantages of a resistance band
workout. We will highlight how they can be used with other types of
exercises. And we will show how resistance bands may be an ideal tool
for your workouts.

Resistance bands are hollow elastic tubes that are becoming an
increasingly popular accessory in many folks workout arsenal. There are
two basic types of resistance bands. There is the simple closed loop type
and the open loop type that has handles on either end. Either type can
give you a thorough workout.

These bands are made in a variety of resistance levels. The heavier and
thicker the band, the more resistance it produces. You can use different
bands for different exercises much as you would use different weights in
a dumbbell or barbell workout.

With a little ingenuity, the resistance bands can mimic most any
exercise performed with weights. This versatility is one of their major
advantages. In addition, working out with resistance bands is a very safe
way to train. You do not need a spotter when training with the bands.
You can change resistance simply and quickly with resistance bands.
Simply change bands or shorten the length of the band and you have
effectively changed the resistance. Being able to change resistance
quickly in your resistance band workout helps to increase the
cardiovascular benefit of your workout session.

That convenience of a resistance band workout is another advantage. It
is easy to take your bands with you when traveling on a vacation or
business trip. Simply throw a couple of bands in your suitcase and you
will have everything you need to workout while away from home.
A resistance band workout is especially suited for many seniors and
women. If you want a workout that builds strength and keeps you fit,
resistance bands are ideal. About the only ones that could not get the
strength training they desire from training with resistance bands are
bodybuilders who want to add huge amounts of muscle mass to their
physique.

Even if you need to use weights to build a lot of muscle mass, resistance
bands can be used as an addition to your workout. They can be
especially helpful when training your core and abdominal muscles.
Hopefully, this article has shown how resistance bands can give you a
great workout. Resistance bands are versatile and easy to use. You can
build your strength and stability with this safe exercise option.
Resistance bands will go with you when you are away from home. They
meet the needs of seniors, women, and anyone else that wants to build
strength without building extreme muscle mass. Consider a resistance
band workout as your way of staying strong and fit.

Did you find this article about resistance band exercise helpful? To learn much more on this and other related topics, visit Fitness Guide for Folks Over 40 at http://www.squidoo.com/fitnessguideover40/ for resources, features, and special offers that will help you look and feel younger.

Looking back, it is difficult to believe that it has been nearly twenty five years since I first walked
into a psychologist’s office to see if there might be something wrong with me. I felt very different and
out of sorts. I was in my twenties. It was at the counseling center at my local university in southern
Ms.

After about six or so meetings, I realized nothing was getting better, and decided nothing was
wrong except that I was suffering the same pressures and anxiety that everyone else did in life. But
it was not to be. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

Then I decided that if I could land a decent job with a great salary, all my maladies would suddenly
disappear I landed a job as chief writer and editor at a major network in Washington, D.C. At age
thirty six. By age thirty seven, I had read enough about depression to know I had it. I immediately
took action and visited a local psychologist who brought a psychiatrist aboard to try a combination of talk and medicine therapy. Year after year I religiously attended my therapy meeting and took my
myriad of pills, combinations of pills, changing pills, increasing dosages of pills, etc. Nothing worked
yet the medical community continued to applaud me for doing so much better. I begged to them that
nothing had changed (I knew how I felt inside my body a lot more than they did), but they insisted
the changes were so subtle, I would surely notice if I stopped taking my medicines and discontinued
therapy. I did just that. No difference whatsoever. By then, I could barely work much less get out
of bed. I made myself do it. I still don’t know how, but felt I needed to.

By 1994, I had moved to the west coast to pursue screen writing as I theorized that if I could just
land one box office hit, happiness would land upon me and my (by then) severe depression and anxiety
would be conquered. Anyone with any sense knows the outcome of that loser’s game. And I lost.
After taking a number of seminars and workshops on screen writing, and even writing several full-
length motion pictures, I fell yet into a deeper depression. I went back into therapy and continued
on the newer SSRI drugs, which the medical community told me were “nearly foolproof”. I am
glad they mentioned the keyword “nearly” as they were anything but. I remained a fool, thinking
I would find an answer in a pill. It had not worked in the past, why would it now? But they assured
me this new Prozac and family of similar meds worked when nothing else did.

Then my mother, living alone in Mississippi fell ill. I returned home to care for her. This served
to give me a purpose, as she had cared for me as a child, and I felt okay on some days.

One afternoon in 1997, I was reading New Yorker Magazine and I read an article on something
called the Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS). It is a tiny computer chip device about the size of a silver
dollar, implanted directly under the skin and wiring running up to the mood centers of the brain,
emitting a magnetic impulse that allegedly had amazing effects on depression. Again, I was a bit
skeptical but this time there was a big difference. Even though it was not yet on the market for depression, (had been for awhile for epilepsy), in clinical trials, it appeared people who had tried
every other modicum of therapy were seeing dramatic improvement with this device. It was made
by a small medical device firm in Houston called Cyberonics.

I started getting more and more curious and spent a great many hours on the Internet following the
studies. It came close to FDA approval several times, but the powerful AMA and pharmaceutical
lobbyists continued to “find fault” in the studies and kept it off.

By then, I was diagnosed with TRD (treatment resistant depression) which explained the history
of no results. While Cyberonics and the heavy-hitter lobbyists fighting the VNS were slugging it out, I
continued to suffer and I would find out about 10 million cases a year similar to mine were suffering (and dying) as well with the same horrid disease called TRD.

Since I continued to “be punished” in my hometown (was very disenfranchised by then), I started
to research. My search was focused on towns with low cost of living, high quality of life, and an advanced medical community. I was not finding any of that at home. Surprisingly Hot Springs, Ar
became a top choice. The major medical community was in Little Rock, less than an hour away and UALR Medical Campus was considered one of the most advanced in the country (to my surprise). It’s name was and is up there with many more familiar names like Sloan-Kettering, M.D. Anderson, and Johns Hopkins.

I moved to Hot Springs in 1999. I continued to research the updates every day on VNS therapy,
went back to school as an adult student, worked on my cartoon project, and opened several e-stores.

In September of 2005, I finally heard that VNS therapy had been approved by the FDA for
treatment of TRD. To my knowledge, it was the only medical modicum that had been approved
for such.

Now the problem was how to “get my name on the list”. So I called Cyberonics and they
turned me over to a nurse/caseworker, who got right on the case. She found the (very few)
surgeons who performed this one hour procedure, and she had to talk my insurance into
covering it based on my medical history of years of no results.

On January 25, 2006, almost nine years after I first started following the news of the VNS
implant, I received the procedure in Little Rock, Ar.

I remember waking up and feeling very light. Something had happened, but I was not sure
what. I knew almost immediately that I’d gotten the procedure. I asked a nurse if “it was in” and
she assured me it was.

For the first time since I was about twelve years old, I felt no depression? I still had some
anxiety but it was based on thinking “my mood is about to swing any minute and there is not a
damned thing I can do about it”. Minutes passed by and then hours. No mood swing. I felt like
a child playing in the sandbox in kindergarten My worries and stresses were minimal.

Then it got worse. There was a pain in my neck and my voice was very horse and my heart was racing. I went back to Little Rock. The ear, nose, and throat surgeon had accidentally turned up the
device to a higher level than is recommended; not dangerously so, but to a point where some people
experience side effects. I was one of them, but they turned it back down immediately and I was
fine again.

Every month, I continued to go to Little Rock for a computerized non-invasive “tune up”; the
doctor merely turns up the frequency another notch. It is at a point now where it is every three
months and by the end of the year, the depression will be in total remission.

How is my progress? Amazing. I can remember like yesterday that I could not get out of bed,
it was a huge chore to clean my home, studying was a brutal task as was work, and all that changed.
I love what I do, I do it well, and do it joyfully.

My faith has been renewed in both a higher power, people, and the medical community. It had been
long-gone for a good many years.

Is the depression cured? Heaven’s no. But today, I can easily call it “temporary blues”, the type any person could get.

Many friends and associates suggested I not reveal this story, that people might use it against me.

My reply is “So what? Let them use it. If one person reads this with TRD and learns about it, and
is fortunate enough to receive the implant, people can use it against me all they want. Doesn’t matter in the least. Let one person get well from this most dreadful disease and it’s all worth telling the story.
Really. Well, back to work. Have a great day!

Rick London is an ecommerce entrepreneur, cartoonist, inventor, writer, and full time return-to-school adult student. He owns numerous ecommerce sites and one of the top sites on the Internet including the largest single-panel cartoon site Londons Times Cartoons http://www.prozacwear.com which sells gifts and collectibles dealing with depression, http://www.ricklondonwear.com (mostly clothing and gifts)and http://www.LTSuperstore.com which purveys a myriad of his cartoon gifts and collectibles (over 65,000 items).

By their very definition, resumes are supposed to be brief summaries of your skills and abilities: short, but attention-grabbing. A great resume uses keywords and catch phrases to highlight your accomplishments and abilities and if done well, is your ticket to getting you at least as far as an interview.

On a resume, personal details are a big no-no, and anything much longer than two pages isn’t the standard in most cases. Your resume is simply a launch pad into the Human Resources office and once there, your interview is your opportunity to share all the details of your education, work history, and experience.

So, with all the emphasis on the “right” resume, is there ever a time when it’s appropriate to share a bit more about yourself as part of the job search process before the interview? Absolutely!

Enter the Curriculum Vitae

From the Latin for “vital,” vitae means a short description of one’s life and a Curriculum Vitae, or CV for short, is pretty much that - a sort of Extended Play version of your resume, if you will. More biographical in nature, a CV often includes personal information and may run several pages long. Accomplishments are detailed, rather than highlighted.

It may seem hard to believe that people actually require CVs, given all the focus on how writing a great resume is the crucial key in landing a job interview. In most cases, this still holds true…a great resume is still the key to getting your foot in the door. But if you ever decide to seek a job in academia, apply for a fellowship, or apply for work overseas, then developing your CV is necessary.

Over Here, Over There

In the U.S., the most likely time you’ll need to submit a CV is if you apply for an academic, education, scientific, or research position. You may need to submit one if you’re applying for fellowships or grants as well. Have a list of accomplishments that includes publications and presentations? A CV is absolutely essential, especially in the academic and research fields.
If you’re seeking work out of the country, submitting a CV is the norm in British Commonwealth and European countries, as well as the Middle East, Africa, and Asia (which pretty much covers most of the rest of the world). Although not necessarily expected in the United States, all that information you’ve been taught to keep off of your resume will probably need to go on your CV for an out-of-country employer, since many of them expect to see more personal details about you, including where you were born, your date of birth, and marital status. In some countries, you may even need to include a photo!

Nitty-Gritty Details

So what exactly does a CV entail? For starters, expect it to be more than two pages long, because you’ll be providing a lot more detail about your background and skills, including your work history, educational and academic background, teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations, and any other pertinent information, including samples of your work, if appropriate. If you’ve been in the workforce for awhile, it’s not unheard of for a CV to be 10 to 15 pages long…or more!

You may need to develop more than one CV, just as you might have more than one version of your resume. It depends on what you’re applying for and what you want to have front and center on your CV. A CV for an academic position stateside will need to look different than a CV you might submit to an international oil company for an executive position halfway around the world.

Chances are, if you’re a researcher or a scholar, you probably know all about CVs, but if you don’t, not to worry! Job postings will (hopefully) specify what they need in terms of a resume or CV. If you’re not sure, a simply inquiry with the people doing the hiring will get you the answer you need.

Michael Fleischner is the Managing Director of ResumeEdge.com. ResumeEdge.com is one of the nations leading resume writing service providers, offering professional resume writing, editing, and guidance. For additional resume writing resources, including free sample resumes, and more, visit http://www.ResumeEdge.com