The Powerful | March 2019 B by Francie Baldwin

THE

POWERFUL NOTHING IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE TRUTH

Powerful Magazine March 2019

INSIDE 06_ WINNING THE GAME OF WEALTH

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WHERE TO TRAVEL IN MARCH

THE POWER OF YOUR FINANCIAL QUARTERBACK with Tony and Angela Chiu

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SAVE MONEY WHILE YOU SHOP

57_ MAYBE SHE’S BORN WITH IT WHAT WOMEN (AND MEN) CAN LEARN FROM BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR,

AURELIE BECAT

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IS A CLEAN SPACE FOR EVERYONE?

THE BEST MONEY-SAVING SHOPPING APPS

63_ 43_ 18_

MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH… LIKE A BOSS

FUTURE THERAPIES

THE CUTTING EDGE OF CELIAC DISEASE RESEARCH

2019 MARKETING TRENDS TO BOOST YOUR BRAND

Nothing is more Powerful than the Truth. That is the fundamental idea and basis of The Powerful. In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern culture, media has become very one-sided, only wanting to discuss whatever side they are in support of. The Powerful is aimed towards giving you the power to make your own decision and formulate your own opinion and view. At The Powerful, we feel there is no right or wrong, only the power of information that you can arm yourself with.

You can check out The Powerful online at ThePowerful.com. There, you can find the stories that are featured here in the magazine and can comment and weigh in on what you think. Enjoy the March edition. Sincerely,

Francie Editor

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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTE

Powerful Magazine March 2019

WINNING THE GAME OF WEALTH

THE POWER OF YOUR FINANCIAL QUARTERBACK

WITH TONY AND ANGELA CHIU BY THE POWERFUL

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Financial health and security are among the highest priorities people have in life, which is why understanding the psychology of investing is so critical. Everyone dreams of financial ease. It turns out that living with ease takes a great deal of work, discipline, and planning. It is important to find a company that will guide you and help answer the important questions you may not know how to ask. In the 21st century, the most successful advisors are those who have a high level of expertise in comprehensive planning that translates to solving their clients’ investment needs and helping them

Tony and Angela Chiu, the founders and owners of Success Options, created the business for this exact reason. It is their passion to help people create and build the financial wealth of their dreams. They have inspired countless clients to become more determined to take the lead in building their own retirement, getting educated, choosing qualified financial coaches, and becoming financially independent. They help their clients understand how to hedge risk and use leverage to protect an investment, rather than to speculate on it.

achieve their financial objectives.

Being in the business, Tony and Angela understand what it is that their clients need. The product that a financial company is selling investors is “trust”, it isn’t a degree. For example, some 40% of Americans have financial advisors, and the percentage is twice as many for those who have assets of $5 million or more. Yet 60% of people say they distrust their financial advisors. Tony and Angela have helped people all over the world because of the trusted experience they offer their clients.

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What some advisers can think about, people trust their lawyers and accountants for advice on investment professionals, so it makes sense for their coaches and advisors to cultivate contacts with attorneys, bookkeepers, and investment bankers who cater to the investors and become their resource for financial information they can use in their own practices. Then they leverage these relationships for steady stream of referrals. Product knowledge and financial acumen are not enough to be the best in advising clients on their financial health. You also need emotional intelligence. When the market takes a turn or there is speculation and your clients are in a panic, it is your job to stay motivated when the times are tough, embody resilience, and recover quickly from setbacks and downturns. Staying energized and positive keeps your clients calm and strengthen your relationships with them.

Unlike most goods and services, asset management has virtually no guaranteed outcome and is completely intangible. Tony and Angela act as their clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;quarterbackâ&#x20AC;? to incorporate and direct all aspects of their economic lives. They provide their clients with the education to provide estate planning, asset protection, liability management, banking, and tax services to complement their investment strategies.

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Managing wealth effectively requires that you take charge of the process early. Making money demands effort, whether working for a salary or investing. Unfortunately, anything to do with money is a matter of difficult choices. Tony and Angela take the worry away by not only offering guidance, but also they coach their clients to succeed. The saying goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. Investments are supposed to be made for the long term. Which means when advisors have a client, it is about building a relationship not for a season, but for a lifetime. When clients work with Tony and Angela, they don’t only get advice, but also the education to make informed decisions on their own regarding their financial security. It becomes a partnership, a trusted advisor, who they can grow with. Ask any investor and they all will say one must assess, realistically and honestly, how well they tolerate risk. The amount of risk you take is one of the few aspects of investing that you can control. Risk doesn’t have to control you; the goal is to control risk. When approaching an investment decision, be realistic about what the market can give you in exchange for the risk you take.

Tony and Angela help their clients to balance their risk tolerance against the returns they expect. It is about finding a place that feels right. Others’ success in the market may tempt you to take more risk than you normally would, trust your gut. No one knows when the market will take a turn, hence many say it’s a bigger risk not to be in the market than the risk of being invested. At Success Options, failure is not an option. Tony and Angela do not leave anyone behind. They are committed to their clients’ success. They don’t only offer guidance from their many years of experience, but also offer their clients education to make their own decisions and rationale of the market. Their passion is to make financial education simpler, easier to understand, and truly life-changing. They strive to bring financial independence to millions of people, freeing them from a life of servitude. Financial insecurity is one of the main sources of anxiety in life. People dream of having peace of mind knowing they can meet their needs and supply some comforts for themselves without worrying about a sudden recession or financial demand.

When you are educated on how to build your financial health and security, the fear of uncertainty won’t govern you, and the turbulent economy won’t fluster you. People are looking for the insights, tools, skills, expertise, and specific strategies to empower them to achieve more. Tony and Angela are their answer. The saying goes, “The single biggest threat to your financial well-being is your own brain”. Just like a team in football cannot win without their trusted quarterback, no one can win at life without the trust and guidance of their financial advisor. As Tony and Angela say, “The first step is to take action. Decide to take control of your own finances and not be dependent on others”. The dream of financial independence is waiting for you to decide.

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SAVE MONEY WHILE YOU SHOP THE BEST MONEY-SAVING SHOPPING APPS It’s no secret people love to save money. But the time and effort put into searching for online promo codes or coupons is just not worth it. You can spend minutes if not hours browsing the web to test coupon code after coupon code, sometimes with no success. Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Say hello to couponing apps. They have the ability to upload, clip and scan coupons right on your mobile device, saving you tons of time, and of course, money! However, you have to do your research… There are tons of apps out there that promise to save you money, but don’t. Luckily for you, we’ve complied the best shopping money-saving apps in one list so you can be on your way to financial prudence!

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While not a coupon-based app, CardStar focuses on customer loyalty cards. Most people have at least a handful of loyalty cards to their favorite and most shopped at stores, but it’s easy to lose track of or lose the card completely. That’s where CardStar comes in. Simply scan each of your loyalty cards into the app, and then when you’re at checkout, have the cashier scan your phone rather than the card.

In addition to saving tons of money, you can also add loyalty card details to your app so that when you’re scanning the coupons, you’ll also rack up points.

Not only can the app store the cards itself, but also it can provide you with information about each card, like the phone number associated with the card, and will inform you of any special offers your loyalty card is running.

Snip Snap

Coupon Sherpa

Essentially a virtual binder for all your coupons, search your favorite stores and retailers for coupons through the app and then download them directly. Snip Snap will sort your coupons by retailers automatically, and when it comes time to check out, simply scan the app to save you money. An added feature, the “near me” option can find you coupons based on your current location, so while you’re waiting in line to check out, just pull up the app for an unexpected discount. This way, you’ll never miss out on a deal.

This money-saving app is a little bit different than the others. There are tons of apps out there that center around mall-type retailers with its coupons applying to entire purchases; however, with Coupon Sherpa, this app will save you tons on groceries. This app will actually search for and store product-specific coupons in addition to those for entire stores and online retailers. The app will also allow you to save specific stores within the app and then alerts you when new coupons are available for redemption.

Yowza

ShopKick

Unlike the traditional user-driven money-saving apps, Yowza gives retailers the control. They can upload coupons and offers directly to the app for users to then use. Search functionality is still there with the ability to find coupons based on retailer and location, so you can still save majorly. And, if your favorite stores are outside your area, you can still search for them. Yowza has a library of over 70,000 retailers, so some of your favorite stores are bound to show up. You can save the coupons to your account for future use as well.

ShopKick is both a rewards and deals app in one. Using your location services, the app knows when you walk into a specific store which can give you points without even buying something. And, since it knows which stores you walk in to, it will alert you upon entrance of different coupons and savings available to that specific retailer. So with this app, you don’t even need to think. It does all the work for you. And since it’s a rewards app as well as deals app, you can rack up points on all your purchases and then exchange those points for gift cards. The only downside to this app is that it must be running at all times, which means it can easily and quickly drain your battery. But, if you know you’re headed to the mall, just turn the app on during your shopping trip and let it do its thing!

Checkout51 Not so much a coupon app, but still a money-saving app nonetheless, Checkout51 allows you to scan pictures of your receipts after purchase and get cash back for those purchases. You save money without even needing coupons. It really doesn’t get any easier than that. And once you reach a $20 balance on your account, you can choose to keep saving or request a check be sent for the total.

CardStar

If you’re an impulse shopper, Grocery iQ is the app for you. This part grocery list, part coupon match-up app creates and saves lists based on what you typically already buy. You can create custom grocery lists and then search for coupons based on the items on your list. A cool feature is the ability to sync lists with your partner or spouse and add items to your list via voice.

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Grocery iQ

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By Jessica Ramsey

MAN MENT

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NAGING TAL HEALTHâ&#x20AC;¦ LIKE A BOSS

BY JANELLE A.S. MORETTI

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Mental health has recently been a huge topic in the media and politics in the United States and the rest of the world for the past few years. It seems like, more often than not, we are hearing about new ways to combat these symptoms in adults and children with a new product or treatment that is gaining popularity, or a food or medicine. Mental health awareness is very much on the rise, but should we be paying more attention to it in the workplace? Currently, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Almost 75% of people with mental disorders remain untreated in developing countries with almost 1 million

people taking their lives each year.According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 13, globally, suffers from anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide with specific phobia, major depressive disorder, and social phobia being the most common. With this many people living with and fighting mental illness every day, should businesses be taking it more seriously? Why are so many people afraid or embarrassed to take a “mental health” or sick day? I believe it’s because we still don’t take our own mental health seriously enough, so why should our employer?

As a stay-at-home mom with two full-time jobs, I could use a “mental health day” from work, my beautiful baby boy and my husband once in a while (but not my dog because she’s perfect), and you want to know what… THAT’S OKAY!

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There is this stigma that we need to hide our mental health vulnerability from people, especially at work. With everything basically relying on technology, we need time to disconnect with the world and reconnect with ourselves. What are ways you can manage your mental health? Take Care of Your Body By eating nutritious meals, drinking plenty of water, getting exercise and getting enough sleep, you can improve your mental health. When your body is happy, your mind can be happy too! Surround Yourself with Positivity Make sure the people around you are supportive of you and are available to boost you up if you need it. This also means treating yourself with kindness and respect; try to avoid too much self-criticism.

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Practice Mindfulness This meditation originates from Buddhism and is the practice of being present and deliberately aware of our inner thoughts and surroundings. This practice combines traditional cognitive therapy techniques and mindfulness practices. This can mean anything from relaxation exercises, doodling, adult coloring books, or traditional meditation.

Volunteer Your Time Try something new, by helping others. By volunteering your time at a homeless shelter, your local humane society, or after-school activities, you help someone in need and meet new people.

Do Things You Love Make time to set down the laptop, tablet, or phone to read a new book, go on a walk, play a game with your family, or take a nice long bubble bath with a glass of wine (my personal favorite). Try and disconnect for a little bit and enjoy things you used to love before Wi-Fi.

Know When to Seek Help Being aware of a little bit of stress vs. a full mental breakdown is very important. Seeking help is NOT a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength. People who get appropriate care can recover much quicker and lead full rewarding lives. Taking your mental health into your own hands is important, but so is getting support from those around you including your place of employment. It’s not an easy conversation to have on either end, but it’s time that it started happening everywhere. Mental health affects worker productivity and the bottom line. Workplaces consultant, Peldon Rose, did a survey for office workers in July 2018 and 72% of employees want employers to champion mental health and well-being. This was rated more important than equality (48%), sustainability (38%), and diversity (31%). So, the next question is, how can employers help?

Offer Manager Training Require managers to attend mental health seminars to better give them an understanding for detecting somebody in mental distress and how to help. Managers are usually under the impression of a one-sizefits-all fix, but it’s important to know that every employee is different and may need a different solution.

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Increase Awareness Giving your employees access to resources and education on the topic from not only your HR department, but also national organizations is a great way of increasing awareness. You can also increase awareness by starting a program within your company. EY (formerly Ernst & Young), is one of the largest professional services firms in the world and is one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. They launched their “r u ok?” program to address mental illness and addiction at EY. The program incorporates employee champions, cross-country presentations, virtual events, e-learning curriculums, peer-to-peer connections, and follow-up services, like EY Assist, EY’s EAP program.

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Encourage Work-Life Balance Offering flexible work options can help reduce stress and prevent burnouts in the workplace. Simply by providing flexible hours, this can help reduce stress in employees because they can avoid busy drive times, get their kids to school, or be out in time to catch a soccer game, schedule medical appointments, etc. For example, Netflix doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stick to the regular 9-to-5 workday; instead, they give their employees the flexibility to choose what is important to them. By giving your employees the opportunity to choose their schedule and time off when their mind and body need a break, you give them control of their mental well-being.

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Create a Positive Team Environment Engaging employees in ongoing conversations about different solutions, constructive feedback, and positive reinforcement can help reduce negativity and defensiveness in the workplace. As much as you have these conversations with your employees, recognize that it is just as important to listen, so your employees really feel like they are being heard. By strengthening your relationships with them, you will have a more positive atmosphere in your office.

Your mental health shapes how you function and make choices, both in your career and at home. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to end these stigmas around mental health and give your mind a little break to enjoy the things that are truly beautiful and important in this world.

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WHERE TO TRAVEL IN MARCH

The end of March marks the beginning of a new season, or at least that’s what the calendar tells us. For many, March just means another day of cold without a noticeable change in temperature. For others, it might just be the start of the cold weather season. Wherever you stand on the scale, there’s a place out there waiting for you. And if you’re looking to score better travel deals and fewer crowds, March might just be the perfect time to plan your next vacation. Check out our list for some of the best places to visit this month.

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DUBLIN, IRELAND While Dublin is a fun place to visit all year round, it can be especially an occasion if you decide to head there in March. If you’re looking for a place to party during St. Patrick’s Day, Dublin offers five days of events, parties, and parades. One destination you might consider is Guinness Storehouse - a place where you can learn how to pour a pint of beer the proper way while taking in the sites of the city from its Gravity Bar. For nightlight, consider The Temple Bar area, or for a more laid-back time, check out St. Stephen’s Green. And don’t forget about the rest of Ireland. There’s much to see besides the city… if you have time!

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA If you’re living in the northern hemisphere and want to escape the cold, consider Australia for a March getaway. With warmer temperatures and sunny skies, there’s much to do and see during your stay. It’s got just about everything; a vibrant bar and nightlife scene, cool museums, great shopping, and awesome restaurants. And of course, if you go to Australia, you certainly should make time to see the Kangaroos. Head to Kangaroo Island for some scenic hiking trails and the ability to see some of Australia’s most unique wildlife.

MUNICH, GERMANY If you missed out on Oktoberfest last year, you’re in luck! At the beginning of March every year, Munich holds their annual Starkbierfest, which is sort of like Oktoberfest but with more serious brews. “Starbier” literally means “strong beer” in English and was actually traditionally brewed as a sort of “liquid food” for monks who fasted for lent. Since the beer is so heavy, it helped them stay somewhat content without counting as real good. For the whole month of March, Starkbierfest is celebrated across the largest breweries in Munich where locals come to hang, drink some beer, listen to music, and eat lots of foods. If you’re looking for a less “cliché” Oktoberfest, this is your next best bet.

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Centrally located between the coasts of Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities that are rich in history and full of quaint streets to explore. It’s a smaller town with lots of specialty shops, fun boutiques, great dining, and of course, wine. Although not as prestigious as the northern wine areas, the central coast wineries offer pretty terrific wines as well. Take a drive down the Orcutt Road and Corbett Canyon to take in the rolling hills with vineyards upon vineyards. Also, during the month of March, the San Luis International Film Festival takes place for 6 days with both classic and independent films, lots of parties and award celebrations.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA

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KILLINGTON, VERMONT For those looking for winter sports, Killington Vermont has got you covered. Their winter ski season can actually last through May, making mid-March a perfect, and more affordable, time to visit. With downhill skiing, snow tubing, ski biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and scenic gondola rides, there’s something for everyone here. An added bonus…Vermont Brewers Festival is held in late March, so consider starting the day with an early morning ski session and ending it with some evening brews.

AFRICA CRUISES Cruising in Africa might not be the first thing that comes to mind when planning a vacation, but it’s truly a destination to not be overlooked. This vast continent boasts beautiful and mostly untouched landscapes where you can travel from the mountains, to the desert, and to the plains of the Serengeti. March is Autumn in Africa, so you’ll get warmer weather and very little rain. Take an African safari, tour the jungle and falls, sip on some wine at the wineries, and swim in surf along the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. For those risk takers, try shark cage diving for a full body thrill!

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The Philippines is an archipelago made up of more than 7,000 islands, and temperatures are usually pretty warm during the month of March. It’s your perfect spot for a pre-summer destination if beach hopping and water activities are your thing. For a lux experience, consider staying at Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa, a five-star lush oasis. This resort has 4 restaurants, 2 bars, a spa, a pool, and a handful of other recreational activities. If you’re looking for something more adventurous, El Nido, Palawan has got you covered. It’s often referred to as “the last frontier” and is the gateway to the Bacuit Archipelago, which is an island network full of limestone formations waiting to be explored. For foodies, head to Manila and stop by the “dampa” where you can handpick your catch of the day and have it prepared however you’d like.

THE PHILIPPINES

SARASOTA, FLORIDA While Florida can be a popular destination in the summer, you’ll be thanking yourself if you take a trip earlier. With humidity and heat far less in March, you’ll be able to relax on a beach without instantly sweating. Some popular things to do in Sarasota: Lido Beach, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and Myakka River State Park.

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IS A CLEAN SPACE FOR EVERYONE?

Have you ever thought about throwing out every item in your home that doesn’t “spark you joy?” If you’re not familiar with the New York Times Best Seller, The Life-Changing Magic of

Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo, chances are you’ve at least heard her name.

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The latest trend of tidying up has been quite the topic of discussion lately. There’s even a Netflix series now, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, where people invite Marie into their home to help remove clutter and transform their lives. Kondo’s method is not based upon tidiness alone, because anyone can just shove things in drawers and call it a day. After all, your home may look clean if everything is put out of sight. Instead, the KonMari method focuses on actually removing unnecessary items from your life.

The final step, dispose of or donate anything that does not “spark joy”. Simply hold up an item, and if it does not immediately bring you joy, you should “thank” that item and let it go. You can probably imagine just how many “things” you could technically get rid of simply for the fact of not bringing you joy.

Here’s a quick overview of her system:

And although this series has been sparking a lot of people’s interest, even perhaps changing people’s lives, not everyone’s convinced. If an item does not bring you the utmost joy after holding it in your hands, well, you toss it and move on. Sounds pretty harsh. This technique can actually leave some people with deep regret months or even years down the road.

Step 1, tidy your entire place all in one period. This is very important to note, because if you don’t allot yourself enough time and energy in one period, you might never finish. Once you’ve tidied your entire place, take it a step further and tidy by category (shoes, books, clothes, etc.) instead of tackling one room at a time. You’re going to want to group all of the same items together in one area as this will give you a true sense of how much you really own. You’d be surprised at the amount of clothes the average person has once they’re all laid out in one place.

This makes us question whether a truly “clean” space is for everyone. According to experts, tidying up isn’t for everyone. It can actually cause extreme anxiety for some personality types. Dr. Daniel Levitin tells INSIDER, “While purging a space of superfluous objects may fulfill some people’s needs, the action can have a negative effect on others.” He goes on to explain that the Marie Kondo cleaning method is actually suitable for those people who are unburdened by the purging process. So her method is certainly not for everyone.

After watching the Netflix series, it’s easy to come off with a sort of “urge to clean”, but before doing so, maybe press the pause button. If this process, or even the thought of it, causes you anxiety, it’s probably not the right move for you. But if you’ve been needing some major motivation to get your life and home in check, then give it a try. Just remember that a couple years from now, this trend will go away… and those items you decided to toss won’t be coming back either.

There’s also the argument that some people may be internally organized, but their workspace or home might not reflect that. Have you ever heard the saying, “A person’s house is a reflection of their state of mind”? Well, that doesn’t really apply to everyone. In fact, in Dr. Levitin’s book, The Organized Mind, he explains the idea that someone can be organized without appearing so on the outside.

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Twitter user D.L. Mayfield tweeted: “I deeply regret Marie Kondo-ing my books a few years ago, just in case anyone is toying with doing the same!” While another user tweeted that she regretted disposing of her children’s baby toys.

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THE CUTTING EDGE O

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FUTURE THERAPIES

OF CELIAC DISEASE RESEARCH BY NICOLE RUJEVIC

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Complicating matters further is the fact that few restaurants are adequately prepared to cater to those suffering from celiac disease, and those that do, often employ individuals who lack the training to be able to properly identify all potential sources of gluten in food, as well as the knowledge to guarantee a gluten-free meal adequately.

Life is not easy for those with celiac disease. According to a recently published report, an individual with celiac disease spends about AUD1,650 more per year than someone who does not suffer from this disease. This extra expense can be explained away by an increase in the cost of the premium materials used in the preparation of Gluten-free foods as well as the increased costs in technologies used by the industry to ensure the safety and quality of Gluten-free products.

Furthermore, there is substantial evidence to suggest that prompt diagnosis and adequate treatment for patients suffering from celiac disease confers significant health benefits in the short, medium, and long term. Although the primary treatment strategy for celiac disease is to adopt a diet that is entirely gluten-free, few individuals are able to successfully do so because it can be prohibitively expensive, highly inconvenient, and challenging to adhere to over time. Therefore, the medical community is heavily invested in developing therapeutic strategies that can provide celiac patients with viable and effective alternative treatment options. The latest research into the fields of immunology, genetic engineering, and peptide and protein modulation has provided celiac patients from around the globe with promising advances. The latest cutting edge treatments for celiac disease focus on decreasing exposure to gluten, modifying intestinal permeability, and modulating the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immune response. Today, we will talk briefly about some of the promising and exciting treatments that are being developed as well as their mechanisms of action in relation to the causes and development of celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an intestinal pathology triggered by the ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed subjects. Gluten is an insoluble polypeptide protein with a high content of prolamins and glutelins, found primarily in common grains such as wheat, rye, spelt, and barley. When ingested, this protein causes severe and chronic inflammation in the small intestine that is mediated by the Human Leukocyte Antigen system, which is responsible for regulating the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immune apparatus. The subsequent immune response often triggers malabsorption of a variety of essential nutrients.

Clinical manifestations of the disease vary according to the age of the patients. For example, in pediatric patients, the disease is characterised by the appearance of diarrhea, abdominal distention, and a predominant retardation of healthy growth. In adults, however, the symptomatology is much more atypical and usually presents vastly different symptoms such as anemia, early-onset osteoporosis, and alterations to intestinal transit.

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WHAT IS GLUTEN AND HOW DOES IT CAUSE CELIAC DISEASE?

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Although celiac disease has a relatively

small

developed

prevalence

countries,

typically

around 1% of the population, it is estimated that there is a significant proportion of the population who may not be correctly diagnosed by

the

traditional

procedures.

screening

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Currently, the only effective treatment for celiac disease is the strict consumption of a gluten-free diet. However, it has been repeatedly shown that recovery is far from immediate, and there is even a significant proportion of celiac patients, typically between 30% and 50%, with persistent intestinal lesions and recurrent symptoms despite a correct diagnosis and its subsequent treatment. The strict monitoring of patients with non-responsive celiac disease entails an enormous personal sacrifice which in itself invites hardship in the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychological and social spheres. Additionally, amongst patients who are unresponsive to gluten-free diets, there is an increased risk of developing potentially life-threatening complications such as T-cell lymphoma.

Therapies Based on Gluten Modification Genetically Modified Wheat Grains And Pre-Treated Flours: The current hypothesis behind these therapies boils down to the belief that reducing the gluten content of dietary cereals will significantly decrease the outcome of celiac disease across the board.

Unlike ancestral wheat strains such as Tritordeum or Triticum, the wheat strains currently used in agriculture are considered significantly more immunogenic, meaning that they are more prone to invoking an immune response in the body.

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Thanks to advancements in genetic engineering, we now have wheat varieties that have significantly reduced levels, and in some cases are entirely devoid of immunogenic gluten peptides. Unfortunately, these wheat varieties are difficult to grow and cultivate. Modern genetic engineers use the splicing of RNA to silence gluten genes that contain peptides for celiac disease in wheat variants with a reduced content of immunogenic peptides. Some of these strains are over thousands of years old, and have been shown to confer immunogenicity, and also to have a lower proportion of glutelins. Furthermore, Psyllium gliadin has recently been studied as a possible replacement for gluten because it has minimal effects on the smell or texture of wheat while retaining most of its cooking properties. Bread made with psyllium was highly rated both by celiac and non-celiac patients for its soft texture and its pleasant taste.

Other studies have also evaluated the genetic modification of wheat through the elimination of critical gliadin genes. Specifically, the deletion of the a-gliadin locus on modern strains of wheat produced a decrease in the stimulation of the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immune response without significant alterations to the cerealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cooking properties. On the other hand, the use of different probiotic organisms, such as lactobacillus, is being considered as a promising therapeutic measure in the fight against celiac disease. Lactobacilli have special enzymes that when added to the dough for fermentation are able to hydrolyse gluten peptides rich in glutamine and proline, including the highly immunogenic gliadin peptide. Other studies have focused on using a protease that degrades gluten during the fermentation of wheat. Breads made from flours that have been previously treated with these proteases contain significantly lower levels of glutamines and gliadins.

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SYMPTOMS OF

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Intraluminal Therapies Gluten-Binding Polymers: The use of polymeric resin to sequester intraluminal gliadin has been suggested as an effective strategy to prevent toxic gluten peptides from gaining access to the intestinal mucosa. In Vitro, studies have shown that this polymer is able to efficiently trap specific gliadin molecules and thus prevent their digestion and subsequent transformation into immunogenic proteins. As a result, the patient experiences a significant reduction in visible intestinal damage. This procedure requires further study before it can be accepted as a viable therapeutic option for several reasons. For example, the polymer lacks a specificity towards gliadin and thus it is possible that it binds to other nutrients.

Gluten-Neutralising Antibodies: Immunoglobulin G antibodies can be administered orally, which can bind specifically to intraluminal antigens and inhibit their metabolic action. So far, these antibodies have been extracted from cow colostrum, and more recently from egg yolks rich in Immunoglobulin Y antibodies. Gluten-Neutralising Antibody therapy can be particularly useful on celiac patients with mild to moderate symptoms. These antibodies can be safely labelled and categorised as nutritional supplements and used as adjuvant therapy when consuming gluten-rich foods sporadically.

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Immunomodulation and Gluten Tolerance Helminth Infection: A multitude of strategies conducive to the gradual desensitisation against gluten have been evaluated over the years. One of the most fascinating and controversial immunotherapeutic methods is based on the hypothesis that excessive hygiene can cause an autoimmune inflammatory response.

Therefore, celiac patients are purposefully infected with parasitic hookworms in an attempt to modulate immunoregulatory activity and response. Further studies are needed, but the practice has proven effective against celiac disease as well as inflammatory bowel disease.

Conclusion: Because celiac disease is an autoimmune condition with a complex profile of environmental and genetic triggers, there is worldwide interest in developing effective non-dietary therapeutic options. It is now possible to think of a future where celiac patients are able to reintegrate gluten to their daily lives. However, it is important to note that most of these medications and therapies are still very early in their development and a multitude of challenges and further testing must be dealt with before they are fully available to the general populace. Nevertheless, the future for celiac patients has never looked brighter than it does today.

Gluten Vaccine: The objective of vaccination against diseases of autoimmune origin is the stimulation of regulatory T cells with the intent of suppressing inflammation as much as possible. In celiac disease, this therapy is proposed to change the response of T cells to regulate pro-inflammatory activity when gluten is ingested. In other words, the vaccine induces a generalised tolerance to gluten. The vaccine, developed in Australia, has passed phase 1 clinical trials and is currently in phase 2 trials where it shows great promise.

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Stimulation of Intestinal Mucosal Tolerance: The stimulation of intestinal mucosal tolerance to gluten has been studied in several models of celiac disease. The specific mechanisms to induce intestinal tolerance to gluten are based on the administration of immunogenic gliadin peptides previously treated with Lactococcus lactis.

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MAYBE SHEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

BORN WITH IT

What Women (and Men) Can Learn from Business Entrepreneur,

Aurelie Becat BY THE POWERFUL

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Women-run businesses are growing faster now than other businesses in size and profit. It is Women’s intense motivation and methods that boost their business’ chance of success. While most women start businesses for themselves, many end up working hard for their employees and their customers. They want to help them succeed both at work and in life.

Serial entrepreneur Aurelie Becat is on a mission to do just that. With her full service go-to-market and growth agency, Incubator Studio, she is changing the lives of her clients and their businesses by helping them to position and brand themselves accurately. “I believe that no business can sell better or more, unless it has strong positioning”. With 13 years of sales, marketing, and business coaching experience, Aurelie tailors her agency services around small to medium size companies, helping them advance in both profits and growth. She proves that just because a company is small, doesn’t mean it cannot act on fulfilling its big ambitions.

The best entrepreneurs focus on an area where they feel strong and where there appears to be a market need. In alignment with her other business, Aurelie saw an opportunity to help women achieve balance in their life, in a natural way. She created LUUX care to enable women to increase their energy and inner strength in seasons of change. The business is built around the use of LED Light Therapy in combination with an assortment of gel masks that increase the penetration of light, and organic skin care products, organic herbal teas and natural food supplements that complete the care routine at home. Both her high quality LED Light Therapy lamps and her complementary natural products are distributed all across Europe to professionals working in beauty, care, health care, fitness, sports, re-balancing and even dental or medical practices, as well as to and individuals for home use. A second brand targeting the men’s market is in preparation as well.

Today’s demanding customers mean that entrepreneurs must work harder than ever to find their niches and discover untapped markets. They do not take their customers for granted, niche businesses work to improve their processes and products and services constantly. One way to do so, is to take a page from Aurelie and distribute your product(s) out to a variety of retailers, and not solely to your end customers. In any business, the way you handle distribution is crucial. Your distribution channels can dictate your profitability since about 50% of any product’s price represents the costs of moving it to the consumer. Clearing a path to market through the right conduits can make the difference between your company’s success and failure. The win for any business is to find the right distribution channel for your business.

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Some may call it luck, but it isn’t. Women are tuned into their customers’ needs, which often enables them to identify and satisfy those (unexpressed) needs. They see opportunities, take advantage of them, and are very often creating niche markets. The female brain is predominantly hard-wired for empathy and it’s easy for them to keep every client on a radar and what they need.

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If your company is a supplier, your business proposition to distributors should demonstrate that they will gain unique advantages if they handle your goods. The upside is that most distributors expect to sustain long-term relationships with their suppliers. To help your “retailers” overcome any marketing challenges, the suppliers can offer some guidance. Share your knowledge with international markets, share client data with retailers to help them target new marketing opportunities, and help them create new competitive skills and perspectives about the product. Aurelie goes further and offers business coaching: she coaches distributors and practices how to make money with the product she sells them. This is what she calls “selling beauty as a service”. Suppliers should assess their own strategic plans so they can align themselves with the retailers that best help with their own goals. Like Aurelie, serial entrepreneurs know how to juggle many projects and execute them in an efficient manner. It isn’t about running a business, it’s about running a vision. In alignment with Incubator Studio and LUUX care, Aurelie is setting up a NGO to help entrepreneurs in countries where less support, knowledge, and business coaching skills are available. The mission behind this is to help them succeed, so in the end, it is their community that will succeed.

When creating a vision, what research tells us is an interesting story. Men and women have similar skills; it is the motivation and mindset behind those skills that causes the differences. Men tend to focus on a specific task or area, while women focus on a broader spectrum. The concentration males bring to a subject supports their tendencies toward rigorous analysis. Women are found to have wider observational skills that support their ability to find connections and understand context. The primary driver for women is the desire to do work that matters, work that contributes to society without going against their values.

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Like for Aurelie, her vision revolves around 3 different businesses. Each runs its own ship, but they all are connected to feed off of each other. Each feeds a need that makes up her entire vision, her vision for change and enhanced balance. Every business must know what their vision is and how it will be executed. To bring meaning to your vision, as Aurelie has, you must determine what you fundamentally stand for, what you care deeply about, and what most ignites passion in you. This is called alignment, which Aurelie recommends to explore with the powerful Japanese concept of Ikigai. Aurelie has been executing a vision of helping people all her life. From creating handmade leather sandals and uniform school shoes in Asia, to setting up a professional networking club in Kuala Lumpur, it has led her to running and growing the empire she has created today in Amsterdam.

We all have gifts to change the world. When we know how to align those gifts towards a vision that is properly executed, there are no limitations to what we can do. “Let your dream devour your life, so that life does not devour your dream”. This is a quote of Antoine de Saint-Exupery that drives Aurelie and motivates her to be her best as a business woman as well as a single mum of three daughters. Statistics can tell us where our strengths and weaknesses lie; it is up to us to listen and do whatever it takes to succeed. How can you help more people? How can you better your business to help it grow? Are you doing all you can with a no excuses mentality? Entrepreneurs like Aurelie find answers to these questions every day and that is what makes them a success. Use your talents and your passion to change the world. Success doesn’t cause happiness, happiness causes success.

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2019

MARKETING TRENDS TO BOOST YOUR BRAND BY JANELLE A.S. MORETTI

It’s hard to know which marketing methods are going to work for you and your business without spending thousands of dollars trying to figure them out. Luckily for you, we’ve got you covered...

Using last year’s trends and the new technology and methods

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that are becoming available for businesses, here are 5 marketing trends to start embracing in 2019:

#1 Changing How Your Customers “Search” Out with the old and in with the new! Optimizing keywords for search engines are on the decline, while voice searches usage are on the rise. Instead of only thinking about what a customer might type on their keyboard, start thinking of what they may say into their smartphone or to their Echo. Big companies like Apple, Amazon, Android, Windows, Google, etc., are starting to utilize this technology so people can find what they need easily. Voice control isn’t just limited to these smart phones and search engines, you can talk to your car’s system now, into your Xbox, your TV remote and more! Voice control is the future and it’s already here!

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#2 Loyalty Programs If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a loyalty program for your customers yet, you should probably create one! These programs collect customer data and personalize the way they market to them, thus creating a more loyal customer base. You can use the information collected to track their behaviors to maintain that specific client, which is harder than bringing in new clients. This will all lead to greater engagement and an increase in revenue for your business and brand!

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#3 Video, Audio and Short Stories… Oh My! If you have been stuck using the longform content marketing, 2019 is the time to change that immediately. Try creating a video or a podcast, or use a bot to better your customer service across the board. But there will be two things to keep in mind when changing it up; keep it relevant and original and know when to ditch it.

When creating a video or a podcast, take the time to plan out the content and a strategy to achieve whatever goal you have for it, don’t just do it to do it. This year is about taking risks and changing up your strategy to increase your traffic, but be careful not to get stuck. A lot of times, companies invest so much money into one marketing plan, that it’s hard to discard it when it isn’t working, but as they say, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”. Spread those eggs out and see which one seems to work best for you and your business.

#4 The Social CEO More and more CEOs and leaders are starting to have a social media presence and not just the once-in-a-while quote or new product plug. Customers are wanting to connect more with brands, and it starts at the top. Being able to see the “top dog” connect through social media gives businesses a human-like quality and makes their brand more credible. In the end, you want loyal customers who will keep coming back for your business and brand, and in return maybe will become a brand ambassador. Nothing is better than having real people give real testimonials for your brand because they feel a connection.

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#5 Instagram and the Micro-Influencer It’s an influencer marketing world and we’re just living in it. The amount of campaigns using influencers doubled in the past year alone. In the past year alone, Instagram made up 93% of all the influencer campaigns. That’s about 2x the rate of Facebook and YouTube.

Influencers on Instagram are able to use videos, brand storytelling, tagging and links to promote a product or business as fast as a 10-second ad. Celebrities and mega-influencers promote the same products and brands through paid promotional ads regularly, but the micro-influencer is on the rise and connecting more with the customer.

A well-known local and beloved doctor would be a better choice to promote a healthy lifestyle or baby product as opposed to a big-time influencer with millions of followers that can’t relate to that market. With all of the bad press Facebook has been facing for recent misuse of personal data, Instagram (a Facebook Subsidiary) feels like a safe alternative with brief videos, interesting pictures and “less in your face” ads. In 2019, the influencer is king sitting on an Instagram throne.

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