by Leslie Shimp, Professor, UM College of Pharmacy & UMHS Integrative Medicine

Dr. Shimp gave an exception presentation on practical ways to increase our health through making better food choices and being better able to evaluate the information we read, or the 'hot tips' we hear around town. There is a lot of health information on the internet, in the news, and in community offices - it is up to us to be good consumers and smart about the choices we make.

Among the excellent ideas:
Avoid Medical Risks:
The best advice was to ask your MD or DO once a year to do a review of all medications that you are on, "could I use something else besides medication?" "Do I still need these?" Be aware that all medications, either prescription or over the counter have risks and interact with each other in some way.

Grow a healthy body:
Osteoporosis is a condition where the bone loses it's normal density. Peak bone mass is formed by age 20. We can keep our bones healthy with adequate Calcium, Vitamin D, weight bearing exercises and keeping away from risk factors such as tobacco and soda products.
Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, walking, careful weight training - all of these are good forms of exercise that can help to form strong bones at any age.

Know your food needs:
Vitamin D is necessary and we often don't get enough. Absorption isn't a problem. We can take up to 1000 IU per day according to current information.
Calcium is necessary for bone health - another often neglected part of our food. We can only absorb up to 500 mg at a time, spread sources out to get 1000 - 1500 per day.

Check out this website for more information on what we need to get from our food or suppliments:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/Information_About_Individual_Dietary_Supplements.aspx

Evaluate medical resources by asking good questions:
Who runs the website: quality sites clearly list who runs the site
Who pays for the site: the funding has to come from somewhere - is it a government site? Is it sponsored by a drug company? The source of funding can affect what is on the site (content), how it is presented, and the purpose of the site.
Where does the information come from: sources should be clearly labeled. Medical claims or facts should have references and evidence-based information should be separate from opinion or testimonials.
How current is the information: Even if the information hasn't changed, you want to know that it is still valid and up to date.

This was a great opportunity to be brought up to date on how to take care of ourselves and to be good advocates for our self and for our families. Health and health care needs are a huge issue for all of us. Be aware and know where to go for help to navigate the maze of information in order to be an active participant in your own health.

Sandy Hilton, Healing In Motion
WBO-Mich Reporter

Annual Awards Banquet, Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Inn at St. John's
44045 Five Mile Road, Plymouth, MI 48170
Time: 5-10pm
Come for a wonderful night of dinner, entertainment, networking, and honoring some of our own.

Like Networking? Learning? Being Entertained?? Have we got the opportunity for you!
Join us at the Inn At St. Johns for the WBO Annual Banquet November 11, 5:00. For more information, see the WBO-Mich.org website. Invite your colleagues, friends, spouses and relatives. All are welcome to this event.

Personalize the WBO Website On the new WBO website, every member can have a photo and logo on the site. Please send copies of your picture and/or logo, in a gif or jpg format, preferably no larger than 200px on a side, to hillaryh@ix.netcom.com. Hillary is willing to resize these images if you can't. While you are at it, for our records, please let us know the year you started your business and if it is a sole proprietorship, Partnership, LLC/LLP, C Corp, or S Corp. Thank you!

The OPPORTUNITES section of this newsletter provides you, the membership, with the chance to announce opportunities that support you as a business or benefit our members. See the Newsletter page for more information and feel free to send Opportunity information to info@wbo-mich.org.

SPREAD THE WORD is the opportunity WBO gives you describe your business and services to the WBO mailing list and beyond. Cost: $25 to sponsor the Newsletter.

Carolyn Anderson-Fermann of Simply Organized Life is offering a seminar on Financial Organization, Wednesday, December 10th. She is teaming up with Rob Oliver of Oliver Financial Planning and speaking at the University of Michigan's Center for Education of Women (CEW). The seminar, which is open to both men and women, is free, but you must register with CEW by Monday, December 8th.

TLCI can help get improved rankings.
Search engine marketing involves using keywords and meta tags appropriately so you go to the top of the first page, keeping you content fresh, and obtaining as many links to your site from other websites as possible.

Search engines love updated content.
What can you do to update your site? There are the obvious things-seasonal information, new product announcements, testimonials.
Then there are newsletters, blogs, articles, surveys and more which add to your credibility, contribute positively to your image, and all should point back to your website.

E-Newsletters can be very effective in building credibility and establishing expertise.
Sending E-Newsletters regularly keeps your name and message in front of your customers and prospects, which is a critical component in triggering buy-events, building your brand, and driving sales. They help build loyalty, reinforce your marketing message and provide you with an opportunity to stay in touch with customers and let them know about special offers, new products, or company news. How does this benefit your business? Because the next time your customers need to make a purchase, you want them to think of you FIRST! I can help you set up a newsletter that matches you image. And posting or archiving your newsletters adds new content to you site.

Blogs (a contraction of the term "Web log") are simple Web sites, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. In 2007 50% of U.S. Internet population read blogs on regular basis.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important, but not necessary, part of many blogs.

A blog helps you build awareness, establish your expertise, better communicate with customers. In building awareness, blogs are search engine friendly so they can help improve visibility in organic results. In establishing your expertise, you set youself apart from a competitor who is not blogging. I can help select and set up the right blog for you, based on what you want it to do. I can design the blog so it matches your website and so your image is maintained- the rest is up to you.

Articles You can write an article or series of articles and post them on your site. Providing information through articles posted on your website is a sure way to increase traffic and credibility. Think about it:
ˇ All you need in writing article is your thoughts, your computer, and your hands.
ˇ You can get noticed in a short period of time.
ˇ And you obtain back links automatically.
ˇ You can improve your reputation.
I can be of some help here, directing you in terms of where articles might be placed both in terms of directories and on your website.

Other things that add to your web presence:
Your web presence is your online footprint. Every public profile you own on MySpace, Facebook, or anywhere else is considered as part of your web presence. All these should contribute positively to your image, and all should point back to your website. Having quality pages pointing towards your site can dramatically increase your chances of being ranked highly in all the important search engines. More importantly than that though is the credibility such a web presence creates. When you have links to your website in other sources, you are adding to your off-site links.

Contact Hillary at TLCI to see what we can do for you. This is not the time to dig in, this is the time to stand out!

You live in Michigan-- get 15 minutes of "sun" a day before putting on the cream !!

Loretta Monty , Brite 'n Klean Janitorial
Carolyn R. Haack, Off the Beaten Strada
Becky Grasshoffer, Personalized Gift Baskets

1-800-GOT-JUNK- 10% off any junk removal service. Contact Casey Stark at (734) 904-1992 or by email casey.stark@1800gotjunk.com
American Laser Centers- Members recieve an additional 20% off all services, as well as free treatments for referrals. Contact Jennifer Schaefer at (734) 971-9800 or by email jschaefer@alcpartner.com
Amy's Elegance by Design- 10% off alterations. Contact Amy L. Cattell at (517) 851-4627 or by email catt@cablespeed.com
Cafe Marie of Ann Arbor - Breakfast/Lunch Cafe; 20% off. Show up with your membership card to get your discount.
Creative Memories- Bonus Host Gift with scheduled Home Event Contact Nan Carter at (734) 930-6516 or by email nanpotmedic@comcast.net
DOLEV LLC - Food Coach- 25% discount on a complete series of 10 private coaching sessions, 15% discount on a short term series of 4 private coaching sessions, 10% discount on a one time session of private counseling, 10% discount on workshops or seminars in workplaces Contact Yael Dolev at (734) 276-1317 or by email yael@dolevfoodcoach.com
Denise Held, RN, Certified Reflexologist- 20% discount for an hour session. With the discount, it is $36. Contact Denise Held at (734) 973-8290 or by email deniseheld@aol.com
Dynamic Edge Consulting LLC- $10.00 off QuickBooks/Peachtree Red Phone Help Desk Subscription Plan. Contact Lucy Rogers at (734) 975-0460 or by email lrogers@dynedge.com
Friends 4 Paws LLC- 10% off all services for WBO members Contact Trully A. Luke at (734) 328-6035 or by email taluke@allpawsforward.com
Healing In Motion, PLLC- JB Myofacial Release; 25% off. Contact Sandra Hilton at (734) 913-4816 or by email sandyhilton@gmail.com
I Sold It- Ann Arbor- 5% off on the first $500. Contact Carol Kamm at (734) 761-6187 or by email isolditaa@gmail.com
Inforum- $125 professional (regular) level memberships are available to all WBO members. Contact Leslie Herrick at 313.578.3244 or by email lherrick@inforummichigan.org
Instant Imprints- 10% discount. Contact Cheri Dunn at (734) 929-0577 or by email instantimprints@tds.net
J and T Ultimate Cleaning Inc- Offering 10% and more off to WBO members Contact Jaime Villarreal at (517) 651-5891 or by email jaimesempire@aol.com
J'spaa- 10% discount on all services. Contact Jacqueline Jackson at (734) 827-9775 or by email jspaa@att.net
Juice Plus - One free canister of Complete Shake with order of capsules or gummies. Contact Sara Brintnall at (734) 369-8893 or by email sarabrintnall@hotmail.com
Kimberly Watt, LLC- 25% to any member who refers me for keynote speaker or workshop facilitor Contact Kim Watt at (734) 341-5007 or by email kim@kimberlywatt.com
Language Link- 10% off all language and test preparation classes Contact Caroline Wojan at (734) 821-0311 or by email lasses@languagelink.us
Managing Your Mind Coaching & Seminars- 20% discount on all services and products. Contact Geraldine Markel at (734) 761-6498 or by email geri@managingyourmind.com
Mary Kay Inc- 10% off Mary Kay products Contact Ginger Winter at (734) 429-2433 or by email gingerwinter@comcast.net
Merle Norman Cosmetics- 10% discount on regular priced products at Nan's Merle Norman. Plus a complementary paraffin treatment with a manicure or pedicure ($10 value). Contact Nan Carter at (734) 930-6516 or by email nanphotomedic@comcast.net
Nourish Your Life- 10% off life coaching Contact Janet Simpson at (810) 231-1743 or by email janet@nourishyourlife.com
NuSkin/Pharmanex- selling my products to members at wholesale Contact Joyce Ranney at 734-878-9991 or by email joyce.ranney@yahoo.com
Personalized Gift Baskets- 10% off all orders. Contact Becky Grasshoffer at 734-222-4697 or by email sales@personalizedwrappers.com
Rubenfeld Synergy: Mind-Body Healing- Complimentary Introductory Session. Contact Peggy Bennett at (734) 994-3719 or by email pegben@umich.edu
SKO Enterprise, LLC- Complimentary Website Critique, valued at $100. Contact Sandra O'Brien at (734) 426-3613 or by email obrien@skoenterprise.com
Shaklee- Free Customer Membership, or membership pricing on all products Contact Theresia Radtke at (734) 646-0793 or by email TheresiaAnne@yahoo.com
Staging & Design Solutions, LLC- 10% discount on a consultation. Contact Cynthia Hagan at (734) 929-5061 or by email cynthia@staginganddesign.net
TLCI Website Solutions- Website Design, Development, Consulting, SEO, Marketing and Promotion; 10% off. Contact Hillary Handwerger at (734) 668-6585 or by email hhandwerger@yahoo.com
TouchPoint Promotions- 10% Discount on product offers Contact Dale Long at 734.769.8268 or by email daslong@comcast.net
Town and Country Errands- 10% discount on all their services. Contact Lynn Liston at (734) 761-8431 or by email lynn@townandcountry-errands.com
TwoFoot Creative LLC- 15% off wedding event planning services Contact Ana G. Skidmore at (734) 709-6656 or by email ana@twofootcreative.com