There is No "I" in TEAM

TEAM stands for "together everyone achieves more."

We celebrated Easter yesterday. Reflecting on Jesus and his life I realized that he is the greatest teamplayer. Through his example he demonstrated his surrender for the higher purpose and his Heavenly Father. He was concerned for the future of his team of twelve disciples while they were shaken up by doubts, denials, betrayals, etc.

Even at the Garden of Gethsemane he spoke these fateful words: ... not my will but your will be done ( Luke 22:44).

Insteat of holding our regular sunday service, our church community decided that whoever wanted can go and participate serving the elderly with http://cincinnati.littlebrothers.org/ on Easter sunday morning. My husband and I were assigned to visit with three ladies and deliver Easterbaskets and a warm meal. Other volunteers had worked all morning to put together baskets with snacks, drinks, eggs and a life plant. We also delivered a warm meal to those who lived at home. We spend time visiting with the ladies and entertained them for a while, mostly listening to their life stories. It was a good practice to take the "I" out of the picture since we were there to serve the elderly.

There is no "I" in TEAM

By definition, a 'team' is a group of people working together for a common purpose. From this definition has come the well worn phrase, hung by the coffeepot in employee lounges of organisations all around the world. The TEAM values the togetherness of individuals, with all their individual strength, skills and experiences. This dynamic does not allow alot of personal ego. Rather it focuses on each helping each other and is the perfect way to success for any team.

The TEAM relies on individual contribution. If any one member of the team does not cooperate, the productivity of the whole team suffers. Each individual member is required to get out of their comfort zone, for the whole group to move on to greater tasks.

Just in time, I received a link today to an article in the Washington Times, on the effects of excessive self-esteem, which is the opposite of serving others. This article, written by John K. Rosemond is titled "High Self-Esteem For Kids Is A Sham." Mr. Rosemond admits that the whole idea of boosting self-esteem in children was made up by psychologists to give "something" to modern day parents who are not willing to learn from their elders but rather trust theoretical scientists. His conclusion is that children with high-trumped self-esteem are not willing to serve or surrender their ego. Go figure.

As Jesus demonstrated, living for the sake of others, is the highest virtue. We all need to learn this kind of lifestyle and whom not to learn it best from than our own parents?

To learn more about the educational aspect of the TEAM system, please visit: http://the-team.biz/.

The Perfect Business

"In many cases, word-of-mouth marketing isn't actually about marketing at all. It's about great customer service that makes people want to tell their friends about you. It's about fantastic products that people can't resist showing to everyone."
Andy Sernovitz

Robert Kiyosaki wrote many books on money and business. In his book The Business School he talks about Network Marketing which he considers an asset, not a job. He says that you must have two reasons why you would join a networking business.
Reason number one is to help yourself (follow a dream, have a passion, develop yourself, grow in leadership).

Reason number two is to help others (share your own experiences, become a mentor, teach to fish rather than just giving a fish).

If you join for only one of these two reasons, then the system will not work for you.

Here is a great video giving you more ideas:
Robert Kiyosaki - The perfect business




This past weekend I was part of a monthly seminar the TEAM puts on. The speakers were Jim and Dolores Martin from Michigan. They were employees and business owner before they joined the TEAM. Both shared with so much passion and enthusiasm about their networking experiences, their involvement with the four different aspects of the TEAM's approach:
1) Home Based Business (no commuting, tax-deductions, family centered)
2) Wellness Industry MonaVie distribution of the Juice
3) Intellectual distribution (TEAM system)
4) Internet (being the global store at your own home)
What I felt from their testimonies was their total commitment to helping other to fulfill their dream since they have already great success themselves.

Where There is Hatred, Let Me Sow Love

Prayer For Today

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in the pardoning that we are pardoned, and
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

I was reading in a newspaper article that hate groups are growing in this county. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, there are 926 active hate groups in the United States in 2008. Wikipedia mentions that these included 186 separate Ku Klux Klan groups, 196 neo-nazi, 111 white nationalist, 98 racist skinhead, 39 Christian identity, 93 neo-confederate, 113 black separatist, and 90 general hate groups subdivided into anti-gay, anti-immigrant, Holocaust denial, racist music, radical traditionalist Catholic groups, and others espousing a variety of hateful doctrines.

The reason that article caught my attention is that just the day before I heard a testimony from one of our church sisters who had several contacts with some of these groups. Not so much that she "believed" in them or felt a lot of "love" from them but she was searching for some kind of meaning and purpose in life. Fortunately, she also contacted spiritual groups and finally found our church family where she feels save now and can deal with some of her personal issues, like growing up without a dad, not really been loved by her mother or anybody else for that matter when she was young.

I am not quite sure what the immediate answers are for these "hate groups." I am pretty sure that if we were to look into any of their past there are dysfunctional family situations and so in many ways these groups replace the family or community we all crave.

I believe in the traditional family structure of a family being raised by a dad and a mom, mainly because God created it that way. It took a man and a women to conceive a child. I cannot even fathom how anybody in their right mind can consider to raise a child on their own, for the exception of death of one partner which is hard on everybody involved.

And in rare moment we would sit down with some individuals of any of these groups, one would find out that in their original heart they are also looking for peace. Did anybody ever suggest meditation or some relaxation like yoga to them? There are many people today who believe that once we achieve the higher consciousness we will calm many of the restless drifters.

The One 100th Monkey Story of Social Change

"The Hundreth Monkey Effect" is a supposed phenomenon in which a learned behaviour spreads instantaneously from one group of monkeys to all related monkeys once a critical number is reached. By generalisation it means the instant, paranormal spreading of an idea or ability to the remainder of a population once a certain portion of that population has heard of the new idea or learned new ability.

The original story goes that some scientists were conducting a study of macaques monkeys on the Japanese island of Koshima in 1952. These scientists purportedly observed that some of these monkeys learned to wash sweet potatoes, and gradually this new behavior spread through the younger generation of monkeys—in the usual fashion, through observation and repetition.

This story is popular among New Age thinkers, assuming that there is a universal consciousness or a Creator to whom we are all connected spiritually. It is my hope and prayer that we can all become aware of this Higher Being, our God and eternal parent, and by focusing on His goodness, grace and mercy, hate and separatism will pass away. And as the second part of the prayer goes, we become the forgiveness, mercy and benevolence to others.

Do You Need a Lube Job for Your Joints?

When I was driving to work one morning, I turned on the radio and a scientist and the radio host talked about the benefits of Hyaluronic Acid.

WHAT IS HYALURONIC ACID?
Hyaluronic Acid functions as the “glue” that keeps your cells together. It is a key component of collagen and fills the spaces between your cells.

HYALURONIC ACID RESEARCH
Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been used for years by both human and veterinary medical doctors in injectable form to replenish the lubricating synovial fluid of the joints. It is used to treat osteoarthritis of the knee as well as various other joints of the body with significant success.
It has been shown that an oral supplement of Hyaluronic acid is readily absorbed through the intestines into the blood stream and distributed throughout the body in organs, bone and joints, according to a report presented by Dr. Alex Schauss, at the 2004 Experimental Biology Conference.
Hyaluronic acid helps cushion joints, reduce inflammation and carry nutrients to cartilage, in part, due to its excellent ability to retain water. Hyaluronic acid is available in injectable form under various names and is an FDA approved treatment for pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee attesting to the numerous studies showing its efficacy.
In a study published in the February 8th, 2008 edition of Nutrition Journal, researchers at Miami Research Associates showed that an oral dose of an 80 milligram supplement containing Hyaluronic acid showed greater benefit than a placebo for osteoarthritis of the knee.

HYALURONIC ACID'S FUNCTION
Until the late 1970s, hyaluronan was described as a "goo" molecule, an ubiquitous carbohydrate polymer that is part of the extracellular matrix. HA not only helps keep the cartilage that cushions joints strong and flexible, but also helps increase supplies of joint-lubricating synovial fluid.
Hyaluronic acid is a component of synovial fluid, and is found in the vitreous humor of the eye, the synovia of joints, and in subcutaneous tissue where it functions is as a cementing agent. Hyaluronic acid is a glycosaminoglycan with anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous properties. In osteoarthritis, changes occur in the hyaluronic acid found in cartilage leading to degradation of the cartilage.

HOW TO MAKE BONE BROTH
Scientists say they have confirmed what grandmothers have known for centuries -- that chicken soup is good for colds. One of the ways that bacteria enter the body is by breaking through the hyaluronic acid barrier. So perhaps this is one of the reasons chicken soup really does work against infections and colds. Maybe the hyaluronic acid in the broth prevents bacteria and viruses from invading the body. Additionally, there are nutrients from the bones and cartilage that can help with your joint health.

SOURCES OF HA
One woman even suggested to boil chicken feed because they are just cartilage. The liquid HA which is injected in the joints by the medical establishment is derived from the comb of the rooster. Some scientists are now looking into the vitreous humor of certain fish.



Chicken Stock Soup Recipe

OTHER BENEFITS OF HA
Hyluronic Acid is present in every tissue of the body. It has many functions including stimulating the tissue’s water retention capabilities. Hyluronic Acid also helps to provide nutrients and remove waste from cells that do not have a direct blood supply. Additionally, Hyluronic Acid is found in the skin and in the synovial fluid in the joint cavities. Hyluronic acid is now used frequently by manufacturers of topical anti-aging creams. Many anti-aging and anti-wrinkle creams contain hyluronic acid as the major active ingredient in the cream, as it is said to be natural wrinkle filler, and there is little or no chance of the body reacting badly with it. Injections of Hyluronic Acid are also available. Professionals who promote these injections of Hyluronic Acid say that it can improve the skin’s contour, reduce wrinkles and also help correct skin damage due to scarring.

In a study published in the February 8th, 2008 edition of Nutrition Journal, researchers at Miami Research Associates showed that an oral dose of an 80 milligram supplement containing Hyaluronic acid showed greater benefit than a placebo for osteoarthritis of the knee.

VILLAGE OF LONG LIFE
There is a village in Japan, Yuzurihara, about two hours west of Tokyo, where people grow old, without the modern day ailments. These aged villagers of Yuzurihara, Japan, had smooth skin, flexible joints, thick hair and few needed reading glasses. Many older residents of Yuzurihara
were still farming their fields into their 80’s. These people defied their calendar age.
Dr. Toyosuke Komori, the town doctor, wrote five books about Yuzurihara in the 1970’s and 80’s. He attributed the youthful aging of these people to a low-iron, sticky vegetable-based diet. These villagers were shorter than other Japanese adults of the same age, which likely means their diet was lacking iron which is a growth factor. Dr. Komori also attributed the youthful appearance of these villagers to a molecule called Hyaluronic Acid. HA is the water-gelling molecule of the human body. It traps water in the cells and keep the body hydrated.

HYALURONIC ACID AS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Scientists have known about HA for more than 70 years. Not until recently, have they understood the benefits HA regarding its anti-inflammatory properties.

How Do You Worship?

My husband and I have been reading a book called EVERY DAY GOD by David and Takeko Hose. The whole book is written based on inspiration from and a personal conversation with God. In one of the chapters Beyond the Taxicab, David and Takeko, God tells them that at the dawn of history, men lost touch with their true identity, which is spiritual intelligence.
Throughout history men have been searching for their true purpose, their origin and their destiny. Religions have played the role of the taxicab to drive us closer to our destinations.
We are living now in an age where we move from group identity into an age of individual being. Mankind as a whole is at the threshold of a profound evolutionary step.

I was reading an article by Leonard Pitts, Jr. , in the Cincinnati Enquirer Editorial, asking: Are we losing our religion, or is religion losing us? Mr. Pitts, who is a Pulitzer winning columnist for the Miami Herald, discusses why we are losing our religions. He mentions an ARIS, American Religious Identification Survey, which breaks down how religions are affecting our society.

The fact is that 70% of Americans still believe in a personal God, about 12% are atheist or don't acknowledge God, and the rest believe in some higher power.

From a connection to a religion we find these statistics: 76% Christians (10% down from 1990), 4% other religions, 15 % no religions and 5% undecided or didn't want to say.

Anytime we look at statistics like these and wonder what is the world coming to? Or like Mr. Pitts, go back to the fact that God is still there and as the Hoses have discovered, God is alive and wants to have a personal relationship with us. Let's get out of the taxicab and pray like crazy, listen to the very small voice inside of us and discover that the God we have been worshiping in the churches, temples or synagogues is actually living inside of us. He wants to have a close relationship with us, love us, and raise us up to our full potential.

There is nothing wrong with finding guidance and community in a religious group. I enjoy very much my weekly gatherings at my church. I just like to open you up to a larger perspective where God can talk to us at any time and anywhere. It's time to get out of the taxicab and start walking and discover that there is another world (many different perceptions and many different answers) out there.

Plant Sterols

One of the speakers at the TEAM MonaVie Winter Leadership convention was Dr. Alexander Schauss. Among his reputation as a writer and scientist is his discovery of the acai berry which he has researched for more than 15 years. He is also the Senior Director, Natural and Medicinal Products Research, AIBMR Life Sciences, Inc.

At the convention Dr. Schauss explained that:
“The acai fruit grows biannually in only three species of palm trees. This fruit is remarkably rich in a very large range of macronutrients, micronutrients, and trace elements. It has a broad range of essential amino acids, carbohydrates, fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals. So rich in nutrients is the acai fruit that it is possible someone could survive on it alone for quite a period of time without showing signs of malnutrition.”

He also talked about the freeze-drying processing of the freshly harvested acai berry. This process is more expensive but it conserves the nutrients and especially keeps the antioxidants stable.

After the freeze-dried acai powder is reconstituted with the juices of the other 18 fruits (there is no water added), it creates the very thick juice with the "sludge on top." The sludge is from the omega 3 fatty acid content of the berry and has similar value like olive oil.

Through all his technical explanations, Dr. Schauss showed his pride and confidence in the MonaVie products.

In his recent research he focused on the plant sterols in Acai. As you can see in the video, plant sterols are naturally found in some plants and fruits and act in the body as a neutralizer for cholesterol.

Plant Sterols Defined
Plant sterols, sometimes called Phytosterol, are naturally found in some vegetable oils, nuts, grain products, fruits and vegetables. Natural plant sterols occur in many foods, but at low levels, so it would be very challenging to get enough plant sterols for effective cholesterol reduction through whole foods alone. It would take about 100 pounds of fruits, vegetables or nuts to get 2 grams of natural plant sterols. Because of this, plant sterols have been added to common foods like vegetable oil spreads (margarine), mayonnaise, dairy-based drinks, orange juice and snack bars. Foods containing at least 0.4 grams per serving of plant sterols eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Plant Sterols Defined
Plant sterols, sometimes called phytosterols, are naturally found in some vegetable oils, nuts, grain products, fruits and vegetables. Natural plant sterols occur in many foods, but at low levels, so it would be very challenging to get enough plant sterols for effective cholesterol reduction through whole foods alone. It would take about 100 pounds of fruits, vegetables or nuts to get 2 grams of natural plant sterols. Because of this, plant sterols have been added to common foods like vegetable oil spreads (margarine), mayonnaise, dairy-based drinks, orange juice and snack bars. Foods containing at least 0.4 grams per serving of plant sterols eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 grams, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Plant sterols in some foods:

Avocados, 1 small 0.13 grams

Corn Oil, 1 tablespoon 0.13 grams

Sunflower Seeds, 1/4 cup 0.19 grams

Oat Bar with plant sterols, 1 bar 0.4 grams

Orange Juice with plant sterols 1.0 gram

Vegetable oil spread with plant sterols, 1 tablespoon 1.0 gram

"A daily serving of MonaVie Pulse gives you 0.8 grams per day of plant sterols, delivering the benefits you need to potentially impact the health of your heart," says Vice President of Product Management, Jeff Graham.

FDA authorizes new coronary heart disease health claim for plant sterols and plant stanol ester.

Did you know consuming 4 grams of trans fat per day will significantly increase your risk of cardiovascular disease? One serving of French fries has 5 grams of trans fat. (Health-coach training) So, instead of your fries next lunch have a glass of MonaVie Pulse. To learn more about the MonaVie drinks or the business behind this amazing fruit, please visit:

http://www.the-team.biz/mv991215

A Stimulus Package of a Different Kind

This past weekend the TEAM MonaVie held it's National Winter Leadership Seminar in St. Louis, Missouri. There were about 15,000 gathered at the Edward Jones Dome for the three-day period. Every TEAM meeting was well organized and everyone was well-mannered. Every session started with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.

The presence of the TEAM was well noticed with WELCOME signs at the airport, the different hotels and even some restaurants.

The content of the seminar is hard to capture in any way with words.
What I took away is this: NO HAND-OUTS BUT HAND-UPS. In the spirit of: "give somebody a fish you feed him for a day, but teach him how to fish you give him a skill for a lifetime."
The TEAM provides an opportunity and a proven system for not only a business but for a life style based on principles.
Since the TEAM's joining with the MonaVie company under Dallin Larsen one year ago, the goals of being HEALTHY, WEALTHY AND WISE have taking on a new meaning.
Just in time, as a true alternative to all the economic upheaval, we offer those who want to take responsibility for their future hope and encouragement. MonaVie as a company is standing out in the networking industry, having reached within the first three years a cumulative sales volume of over 1 Billion dollars. The cooperation between TEAM and MonaVie is a real win-win solution.

Here are a few points of interest to that solution:

* Proper thinking is fundamental for success.

* Principles are more important than products or people.

* You have always choices in every situation.

* Focus on the things you have control over (you can't change the weather or the economy).

* Control media input (only allow uplifting, inspiring and motivating reading and viewing).

* Keep positive environment (we absorb with all five senses).

* Commit to a purpose.

* Focus on the dream and create a clear vision for your goal.

* Expect good things to happen.

* Serve others.

* Believe in yourself.


This video is a small insight in why we are so exited about the MonaVie biz:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnLjx5zsy-c



To learn more about the business of TEAM MonaVie, please visit: http://www.the-team.biz/ or send an email to: jutta.tobkin@the-team.biz