Best Site Promotion – 9 Ways to Excel At Site Promotion

By now, we all know that traffic keeps websites alive. But what are the best ways to generate traffic? This article offers you the 9 proven and tested techniques to drive traffic to your website:

1. Start with your domain name. Even before you start your own website, you must think of traffic already by thinking of a domain name that you can use as a traffic generator. Domain names that are short, keyword rich, and easy to remember can draw online visitors to you site.

2. Put up interesting, original content to your site. Information is the hottest commodity in the internet today. If you are able to provide the kind of information that your target market are looking for, you can be assured that online users will flock your site in no time.

3. Make your website very entertaining. Incorporate audio and video streaming, as well as forums, podcasts, and free downloads. These will surely attract online users who would like to be entertained.

4. Submit your website to Google, Yahoo! And MSN. These search engines can help your visitors locate you when they use your keywords or keyphrases on the search field.

5. Offer unique services. Innovate and pioneer a service or a feature that will entice more online users. YouTube, for example, pioneered video sharing that became an instant hit.

6. Make sure that your website is always up. Online users are annoyed when they try to open your page and it is always under maintenance. So it is crucial that you have a dependable web host provider.

7. Build quality links with other websites. To make your website crawl, search the internet for similar websites and exchange links with them. Search engines will rank you based on the quality and quantity of links pointing to your site.

8. Utilize article marketing. The best way to create quality inbound links to your website is through article marketing. So write quality articles and submit them to major article submission sites.

9. Analyze each page on your website and make sure they are all indexed by search engines. If not, optimize them so they will be searchable too.

Best Internet Marketing Plan for Starters in Internet Marketing

Internet marketing will not be successful without a sound plan that will bring you to the top. This is very necessary so that you can cure the fluctuations of your internet marketing and be able to achieve a stable business online. This is the problem of other internet marketers. With the many opportunities of internet marketing, they just indulge into business without the proper plan that will give them credit at the end of the day. That is why they never become successful and their existence in the online business industry is short.

Internet marketing plan is very useful in your online business. This will help give direction to your online business. Stability and income will surely be the price if you create a sound online marketing plan. Such stability and income will be your proofs that you have stood out in your niche. To help you out what are the important matters to include in your online marketing plan, I will show to you some ways where you can achieve your goals.

Indulging in internet marketing, you should include in your plan how to make your site visible to your target market or niche market. This will help you to generate traffic in your site which will give you great opportunities to earn a huge sale. You can start gaining this visibility through Search Engine Optimization or SEO. All you need is search for the best keywords that your potential clients use when they search your niche and start optimizing your site. With this, when your potential subscribers search your niche, your site will be included in the first page of the search results and thus, you can easily be followed.

The basic and, yet, effective to include in your online marketing plan is how to make a quality and helpful content to market your products and services. Advertising is another way for you to be known. However, advertising without the right content will never inflict a boost in the interest of your potential subscribers. Furthermore, article marketing will not help you to drive traffic in your site if you cannot capture the attention of your target market from what you have written.

Lead generation is also another important thing in your marketing plan. Once you have enticed your target market to support your products, you have now a sales lead. To make them all the more trust you and cling to you, interact with them and ask them if you can get their names and email addresses to help you in your marketing campaigns. In this way, you can update them of what is happening in your internet marketing and the promotions that you will be making. You will also have a big opportunity to establish a relationship.

Another worthy tip to include is the use of public media. You can open yourself for a radio interview or TV interview that will help you get a wide scale of visibility to your niche market. You can also write articles and publish it to the many publishing firms in your place. Press is very powerful nowadays. Make use of its influence to drive your niche market to support your products and services.

Your internet marketing plan will be very effective by making use of these helpful tips. Success will not just be your price but you will also gain the reputation and credibility that will hold you all the more to have worthwhile internet marketing.

Recession Gave a Big Push to Home Based Businesses

As most economies around the world slowly recovers from the massive effects of the recent recession one segment in particular gained a lot from the recession and that is the home based business segment. The recession saw lots and lots of jobs losses and many people going bankrupt. Many people who lost jobs started looking for alternative ways to earn money and home based business provided them that alternative.The concept being your own boss has always fascinated many people and the recession provided them the perfect opportunity to try it out as they had ample time after losing their jobs. If one wants to start a home based business then first of all they must find a company that will provide them with the products. Now the process of selecting an appropriate company must be undertaken with great care as it will be one of the most if not the most important factor that will determine the success of the business venture.Also people might find it difficult to choose a company because now there are lots of companies and products in this segment due to the popularity this segment gained during the recession period. The number of people getting involved in home based business is just amazing and it is expected that this number will keep on growing, now that many people have tasted success. The internet has also played an important role in helping people in this segment with their businesses. This is due to the fact that most of the products that people are marketing through home based businesses are easily accessible thorough internet. The people who have started their ventures have also realized that this kind of business has lots of advantages apart from providing good money like they can work anytime they want. The amount that needs to be invested is less when compared to other businesses. Also they can be with their family while they work making them and their family happy. But there is one fear that this segment will ultimately get saturated as the number of people joining is huge. But many say that survival of the fittest exists in every sector so this is no different.

5 Tips to Consider When Starting a Home Base Business

Before you excitingly jump into starting a home base business you may want to consider a few things about the business you’re getting into.If you have been searching the internet for a business you already know there are thousands of choices out there.One thing for sure is that you do not want to get into a business that after a few short months you come to realize it isn’t for you or you feel you made a wrong choice. Not only will you have wasted some money but also valuable time.Here is something to think about also. Even if you did make the right choice, the business could be too overwhelming for you or too difficult to duplicate.So here are some tips to consider when starting a home base business:1. Duplication. Now when you get into a home base business of course it starts with you as the first member of your business but you eventually are going to add team members to help you leverage your time and efforts. This a very important part because you want to be able to show your business to your prospects as something that they are able to do as well and it is simple enough to start making money right away.2. Beneficial. Is the business you are starting beneficial for you and for the people you bring into the business. Is it something that you know will help people reach their financial goals and easy enough to build right away. That also ties into duplication.3. Enjoyment. I know you may think what the heck does this have to do with starting a home base business I’m here to make money. But I believe you have to enjoy what you’re doing or better yet love what you’re doing because once that is the case you will never work another day in your life.4. Passionate. This one is huge in my opinion and this is why. Your passion for what you are doing is ultimately what is going to bring you the success in whatever you do in your life. It is that driving force that will keep you working diligently on building your home base business and bringing others aboard your opportunity. Your passion will attract people to you.5. Compensation. This may be number one for many people. In simple terms, how much are you getting paid? You definitely want to make money in the business you’re in. That is why you got into it in the first place. But I also feel even though the compensation is outstanding if you don’t have the other steps in the equation it may not become as profitable as you may have hoped for.There you have it, five quick and easy tips to consider when starting a home base business. If you are considering starting your own business, asked yourself these questions and really give yourself an honest answer. You will not regret it.

How to Make Top Residual Income From a Home-Based Business

Finding a home-based business to start up is easy; finding a home-based business to start up that will generate income is a different story…In order to generate the kind of money you are looking for, whether it is to supplement or replace existing income, the best place to start is where the odds are at their best. That is, home-based businesses that have a known success rate for generating top residual income will likely be where you, too, can make top residual income from a home-based business.So how can you spot the perfect business that will generate top residual income? Let me show you how.Generating top residual income from a home-based business is fairly straightforward. Consider these questions when evaluating a business opportunity to decide whether it has the potential for success.- What is the initial financial investment?- How much competition is in this particular career market?- Are my competitors successful?- How much time am I willing to invest, and is it enough time to make my particular career successful?- What is the current demand for this type of work? What are the trends for future demand?- Does this career opportunity spark my interest?Remember that there are several factors that play into a successful business. There are many great business opportunity out there, but not all of them will be right for you. Some businesses may be too successful, which leaves little room for competition and little chance for your business to succeed. Others may require too great of an initial investment, too much of your time, or too much training to be the right match for you. Also, a business opportunity that is going to generate top residual income from a home-based business has to one that sparks your interest. If it doesn’t, you may not have the motivation or desire in the long-run to make it a success.Once you have chosen the type of business that is right for you, there are several strategies for success that should be followed in order to achieve the kind of income you are looking for. Not many people know how to earn top residual income from a home-based business despite their efforts.A simple step towards a successful business is the use of article marketing. This is the best way to promote a business, and earn top residual income from a home-based business. The long-term results of article marketing are outstanding!Another simple step towards a successful business that earns top residual income is to be as flexible in your business as possible. The economy is constantly changing, and business entrepreneurs must be flexible and forward-thinking to prepare for these changes. 2010 is here, and new ways and ideas for earning top residual income from a home-based business will reveal themselves. You don’t necessarily have to know how to predict what these businesses will be, but having an understanding of what it is people need, regardless of economic standings, will be an important key to making a successful business.Good luck to you and all of your new endeavors.

Toll Free Phone Number Benefits For Your Home Based Business

Starting a home based business is a journey of many difficult steps. After defining the company’s target audience and what goods or services to offer, the next task is establishing the company – developing name recognition, a reputation and client loyalty. Utilizing the capabilities of an established toll free, or 800, phone number can aid a home based business in doing all these things and more.As is the case with most start-up business ventures, creating a good first impression is paramount when connecting with the customer base. Unfortunately, one of the biggest hurdles that home based businesses face is that they lack a physical storefront. A tangible storefront provides ever-essential validity to a business’s reputation. Having a toll free phone number can help create a virtual storefront for any home based business.Many consumers see businesses that have an accessible phone number as a legitimate establishment. In fact, according to advertising research surveys, businesses that have toll free numbers are 30 percent more likely to receive product orders or customer calls than those businesses that advertise without such a number. So, even though the customer may not be able to walk by the business and visually see products or employees, they can still call a number and know they will get an answer and proper customer service.Furthermore, a toll free phone number gives a company the ability to sell goods and services outside the business’s local area. For a consumer, this means unlimited and unrestricted access to the business and what it has to offer. For the business itself, it means no limit on growth. Since the business isn’t physically nailed down to one area, the company becomes portable. This flexibility is especially important because if for some reason the home based business owner moves to a new home, the established connection to customers stays intact.From a marketing perspective, being able to offer a toll free phone number in promotional material presents the opportune chance of establishing a home business’s brand and reputation. Without appearing coercive, using a toll free phone number on company literature draws attention to the business’s credibility. This can be even more effective if the business owner chooses to incorporate a vanity number – a toll free phone number whose last seven digits spell out the business name or the product the company sells.This type of number makes it easy for the customer to remember how to reach an establishment with questions or orders. Additionally, the product or brand is perpetually promoted when the number is mentioned without any extra marketing cost. While surveys indicate the effectiveness of simple toll free phone numbers, they also suggest that ads bearing vanity phone numbers are 14 times more likely to receive a customer response than if they have a toll free number alone. This sort of number can put home based businesses on the same advertising level as those businesses with a physical storefront.Potential customers also respond well to 800 numbers because they know this method of business communication will cost them nothing. For example, if a business charges for phone consultations or services, customers will be unlikely to take advantage of their offers. However, providing a toll free phone number suggests to potential clients that a business holds customer service over the mighty dollar. This develops customer trust, ultimately resulting in successful, long-term consumer relationships.These relationships make toll free phone numbers a good opportunity to tout great customer service – something that smaller home based businesses can offer better than huge corporations with thousands of employees. If a customer has questions or concerns about the product or service, that person will be more likely to call if they know they are going to get an answer, not a long list of automated responses.Unfortunately, many home based business owners are under the assumption that their small budgets won’t afford a toll free phone number. However, the telecommunications industry is fairly competitive. As a result, toll free phone numbers aren’t as expensive as most assume. There are a number of online providers that offer monthly service that includes minutes and call forwarding. Most plans also allow for growth so a home based business can start off small and upgrade their plan as they grow.

A Write Up on Website Development for Small Business

Small business website development is the real key to the success of small and medium business enterprises that crowd the web world today. The companies do not have the resources to go in for sophisticated, high-end, fully software-loaded websites that big Corporates and business conglomerates indulge in usually. SMEs have to confine their websites within the frameworks of their budget and objectives. There is no money to splurge on fancy websites. Here the purpose of the website is to declare a web presence and also to promote the marketing activities of the companies, utilizing the potential of the internet world. Customer friendliness is the watchword here. Small business website has to increasingly depend on Customer service which is increasingly seen as one of the most valuable uses for a business website. The website should be available on a 24 hour, seven days a week basis.

The basic rule for small business website is that every page of the website should be written from the visitor’s point of view and not from that of the web promoter. The ten fundamental rules for effective small business website development are:

1. Always Be accessible. Show very clearly on your site all the ways that your customer can contact you – including e-mail, phone and fax numbers, and your office hours.

2. Return every e-mail or phone call in the same day, as far as reasonably possible. This may sound simplistic, but a recent experiment with the top Fortune 100 companies showed that nearly a third failed to respond to e-mail sent through their website within one month!

3. Acknowledge all orders. Send e-mail confirmations (this can be done very effectively with autoresponders), and if you’re shipping actual products, give tracking numbers and expected delivery dates.

4. Provide a clear return policy, honour it and learn from it. This may give you more information about what’s working and what’s not.

5. Expect more phone calls. If your Web site traffic and response rates grow (which is, of course, what we want), so will the volume of phone calls, whatever your business or industry.

Regardless of the site quality, clear returns and privacy policies, secure servers, etc., people still require human interaction.

6. Keep the loading time of your webpage to the minimum.

7. Cut down on graphics and action movies and increase the response time of the website so that the client can quickly access all the pages he wants.

8. Search engine optimisation is a must if the website is to be brought during searches.

9. Put effective yet limited banner-ads and logos on the website. They all take time to load.

10. Put content that guide the client easily and lucidly through steps till confirming the order.

Small business web development must offer custom web development for small business websites which should ideally include complete ecommerce solutions and other such current tools. Small business website development keeps its focus on the development of affordable yet professionally designed websites for the use of the small business community. The constraints of budget, time and purpose must dictate such development without compromising on quality. Such optimal design and development are possible taking into account the fast development in technology and concepts of web development.

The small business segment in the world internet economy, mainly cater to marketing of products and services. They enter the web world with minimal investment and maximum expectations. They look to derive maximum benefits out of this ethereal web world. With the present stage of development, these expectations are not beyond the realms of reality. On the contrary, they are realistic and down to earth. The cost of domain registration web hosting, web design and development etc have all come down sharply following the widespread of use of the internet and internet technology. There are thousands of web development companies that offer packaged website development specifically designed for small business sector. No great fancy stuff here. Just the basic things- HTML-Flash-minimum graphics and effective content The key area to be ensured is the reliability of the web hosting service provider and the continuous availability of the website to the clients.

Small website development can be termed successful if they achieve these basic standards. Small clients who own these websites can rest assured that they have not exceeded their budget, means and at the same time that they have boosted their revenue earning potential, thereby adding substantially to their bottom line. Professional yet affordable websites development has become the order of the day. Who want to pump in thousands of dollars into developing a monolith of a website which no one would want to browse for fear of interminable loading time and cumbersome, interfering pages and pop-ups?

Certainly many successful small business websites owe their very existence to the discretion and maturity shown in selecting the appropriate model for websites and deploying content and technology in tune with their business objectives. Small business companies should taking care in finalising the right professional web developer who is well-versed with the requirements of the entrepreneur and the limitations of resources. Ideally small business website development should concentrate on and ensure that:

1. Website should offer all basic needs- dynamic web pages, optimal animation and graphics and realistic content.

2. Website should have minimum lead time between crashes and resumptions.

3. Websites should be able to offer 24hour support.

4. Good software and website maintenance agreements should be available.

5. Good feedback and contact arrangements with order and delivery tracking services.

This should put a small business website in a high orbit with no chance of coming down in a hurry. Small website development is all about, sense of direction and awareness of its’ limitations. This professional approach should make the small business website eminently economical and small business website development worthy of the great efforts put in.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Detect Drug Abusing Teenagers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prevent Teen Drug Abuse Using Drug Testing Kits at Home

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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