July 23rd, 2008
Carrying a wireless camera detector is almost becoming an indispensable tool for almost anyone.
If you are a regular traveller and spend lots of time in different hotel or motel, if you are renting or even at your office you might consider using a wireless camera detector.
Last year, over 74 million dollars was spent on spy cameras alone. They are everywhere, mostly where they shouldn’t be in the first place
Are you being watched without your knowledge?
Today’s wireless cameras are so small that it can be hidden in many objects such as smoke alarms, neck ties, glasses, telephone, radios, pens, toys and other common household or office objects.
They are almost impossible to detect with the naked eye because they are incredibly small.
A good wireless camera detector is intended to help consumers ensure they are not being watched in places where they should reasonably expect privacy such as your hotel room, changing room, private office, tanning beds, etc.
How wireless camera detector works?
Wireless camera detector reads the wireless radio waves surveillance cameras transmit and alerts you with a blinking LED light and an audible alarm.
The built-in sensitivity tuner automatically scans variable distances and multiple channels and its advanced circuitry eliminates background noise, minimizing false alarms.
Wireless camera detector can be very small about 3″ long and can easily fit in your pocket, handbag or case.
Operating Principle
Most wireless camera detectors are based on the principle of optical augmentation. This refers to the phenomenon where light reflected from a focused optical system, such as a video camera, is reflected along the same path as the incident light.
This means that if a hidden camera is illuminated and viewed with the camera detector, then a strong reflection from the target camera will reveal its position to the user.
You can make discreet checks quickly and effectively for your peace of mind.
A good quality wireless camera detector is really small, will easily fit in your handbag or pocket, will help you protect your privacy by detecting any wireless wiretaps and video cameras secretly installed at your home, office or in public areas.
Christian Rivard is the publisher for http://www.wireless-security-camera-guide.com
After working for several years in the digital photography industry, Christian created a site about digital photography and now is publishing a site about wireless security camera where you can find all the information you need about wireless camera detector.
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July 22nd, 2008
Globalisation, internationalization, trans-border trade and cross cultural business are all terms that have been coined over the past decade(s) to reflect the reality of the world economy. Although international trade has long been in operation, the scale, frequency and speed at which it is conducted today is incomparable.
Growth and success in today’s global economy depend on being able to trade internationally. However, although the larger multinationals of the world have no trouble doing so, smaller companies, such as exporters, have struggled to make an impact and benefit from the new world order. This is because cross cultural solutions are not being used to address cross cultural obstacles to their success.
This article offers first time exporters and SME’s some initial advice on how to capitalise upon cross cultural solutions. It will look at the two key areas all companies must address to crack foreign markets - language and cross cultural awareness.
Language:
The use of language is critical to cross cultural success in two distinct ways. The first being the use of written language in materials such as leaflets, manuals and websites. The other is the use of foreign languages to communicate with international clients.
Translations
If you have a product/service that you feel can sell well outside your country, you need to be able to present it in foreign languages. You should not expect everyone in the world to be able to read, write and speak English.
There are certain key facets of your business and product/service that must, as a rule, be translated. These include business cards, company brochures, leaflets, emails, websites and of course information about your product such as manuals.
Let’s look at a couple of these aspects, namely the business card and websites.
Despite technological advances there exists one piece of paper that remains constant when doing business across the world - the business card. When travelling abroad for business always ensure you translate your business card into the local language. This gives you two immediate benefits. Firstly, the recipient will always be able to find you as they can understand your card. Secondly, the translated business card will always make a greater impression to the receiver as you are saying, “I respect your language and culture and have thought through how to better our relationship.”
The website has now become the most popular point of reference for people when searching for information, services or products. As internet access improves globally, the number of non-English speaking internet users increases. If a business is serious about breaking into foreign markets it is imperative that the website is translated into the languages of target areas. At present the languages of choice are French, Spanish, Italian, German, Arabic and Chinese. A translated website is an amazingly economical yet productive means of attracting foreign custom.
Translation is the easy part of getting your cross cultural plan moving. There are numerous translation agencies that can help with these services. However, always ensure the translation agency is an established and recognised firm.
Speaking a Foreign Language
Communication is the fundamental starting point for any business relationship or transaction. If a common language does not exist the chances of any successful business occurring is slim.
Businesses now more than ever need to invest in multilingual staff. The ideal scenario is that the main people behind a company either know or learn a language. However, this is not easy. An alternative solution is having staff who can speak to foreign clients on the phone or via email in their own language. This capability dramatically increases the revenue potential of any business.
Cultural Awareness:
Cultural awareness or cultural intelligence is increasingly being viewed as a critical skill in securing success on the international stage. With more people from culturally diverse backgrounds meeting within the business environment, clear and effective communication is necessary between them. Although in many cases a common language may exist, usually English, culture can and does still cause problems.
The business world is littered with cultural gaffes that have had negative consequences. Take the case of the American manager who shouted at Indonesian staff and was duly chased with axes or the Australian executive who planted a kiss on his Muslim client’s wife’s cheek and lost his company millions of dollars in business. Not having an understanding of cultural differences can be a risky business.
Although there are many areas one could learn in terms of cultural awareness there are some key points the exporter or SME must get to grips with. These include areas such as how to meet and greet people, the use of names, body language, building relationships, giving presentations, negotiating and entertaining.
With a greater awareness of different cultures a person immediately becomes more effective in doing business abroad. Having an insight into how another culture thinks and behaves allows one to tailor their approach and hence maximise their potential.
Let us take a simple scenario. Two business people travel to China to start talks on a joint venture with a Chinese company. One goes with lots of preparation on their presentation offering concrete statistics, future projections and the like. They have no knowledge of how business is done in China. The other takes cultural awareness training and learns not only the protocol of meetings, gift giving and negotiating but also that business in China depends on guanxi (having good connections). As a consequence he contacted a reputable middle man to introduce him to the company.
Now who do you think would be more successful? Clearly the latter as he has learnt the rules of the game. Cultural awareness can and does give people real competitive advantage. For the exporter or SME using such cultural awareness appropriately can pay off in the long run.
Conclusion
The common phrase you hear today suggests the world is getting smaller. This implies we are all having an easier time communicating with each other. Incorrect. As the world “becomes smaller” the opportunity to communicate is greater and as a result the challenges this poses are also greater.
For businesses wishing to genuinely capitalize on internationalization a well thought out strategy that includes a cross cultural element must be drawn up and implemented. Competition is great and one of the easiest yet most effective ways of getting ahead of the rest is to use language and cultural knowledge to your advantage.
Neil Payne is Managing Director of Kwintessential - a London based cross cultural communications consultancy working with businesses to trade internationally. Visit their site at http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross-cultural/cross-cultural-awareness.html
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July 16th, 2008
So you’re on the computer, as usual. Your eyes are smarting. Your back hurts. You want to jump in the car and sail down the highway with all the windows down and your hair flapping in the wind. But before you call it quits for the day, you have to look up just one more thing. Maybe it’s web marketing, maybe you want to buy some artwork to hang in your office. Off to Google you go.
You type in the magic words, whatever they are, and watch as a list of websites flows down the page. You click on the first one, and it’s an instant assault on your eyeballs. Ten glaring banners, flashing like Vegas at midnight. One of those annoying hover ads that follows you as you scroll and won’t let you read anything until you click the corner. Some sparkly things “snowing” down the page. Frantic messages screaming things like BUY NOW! LAST CHANCE! INSTANT SUCCESS CAN BE YOURS. A picture of a grinning guy who reminds you of your creepy Uncle Lester.
You click away. Not today, not any day. You don’t care what that guy is selling or even if he’s giving something away, because his presentation is god-awful. Just when you thought you’d escaped the mayhem, a sneaky little window pops up: “WHY DID YOU LEAVE THIS SITE? Please fill out this quick survey!” Are they kidding? You consider typing something offensive in the “Leave Your Comment” box, but figure it will only encourage someone to spam you with unwanted offers.
We’re all familiar with this web-surfing experience. It’s downright unpleasant. What’s your opinion of someone who pitches their company in such a loud and desperate manner? Do you believe all of their pie-in-the-sky promises? Do they strike you as company run by people who are intelligent, honest and reliable? Are you going to whip out your credit card because they tell you to?
Of course you’re not. Being the loudest, the brightest, the busiest and the boldest may attract attention, but it does not bring sales. That’s something to remember when you’re creating your own company website. What DOES attract and keep new customers coming back? A simple, tasteful web design. An easily navigable site. Copy that’s crisp, clean, and interesting.
Here are 7 reasons to tone down your advertising:
1. Flash is just too flashy. A flash presentation can be creative and unique, but is it really needed for what you offer? Will that kooky winking clown-head in the corner really make the sale for you? Even if you find a really excellent designer who can put together an incredible high-tech Flash feature, consider the harried web surfer. She’s been clicking all day; do you really think she has the patience to stand for one more mini-movie?
2. Too many messages cancel each other out. Ever try to read one of those pharmacy circulars when you’re tired? All of those big red words emblazoned across the page. Headlines crammed in beside blown-out price points and cheap photography. It isn’t easy! If you try to cram a whole bunch of words on your website, guess what? Not one of those messages is going to be read, let alone remembered. The eye doesn’t know where to look! Try a visual whisper instead of a scream. Make your point as best you can, but take care to leave whitespace so the eyes have a resting place where they can digest what you’ve said.
3. Movement is distracting. Think about the last time you visited a website with “magical stars” sprinkling down over the words. Were you able to read and understand it? Mind the weary web surfer; be kind to his eyes! You stand a much better chance of holding a customer’s interest with words that aren’t flying off the page, but rather standing still in one spot, waiting quietly for someone to read them!
4. The mighty click is all-powerful. You know what it is to be that web hunter. The mouse is in your hand; you’re in total control! Now think of that other person palming the mouse, surfing YOUR site. If your website is a frenzy of color and confusion, all it takes is one CLICK and you’re forgotten! Don’t want them to click away? Here’s how to make them stay. Keep it clean and simple!
5. Your empty promises are lost on the skeptical consumer. Think about your own web-surfing experiences. Did you believe that guy who told you he’d make you a millionaire if you just SIGN UP TODAY? You’re better off being honest and optimistic, than crazed and fanatical about what you can offer your customer.
6. Pop-ups are really annoying. Have you ever been so intrigued by a pop-up ad that you bought whatever they were raving about? My guess is no. Do you appreciate it when you’re trying to get some work done on the computer and fifteen pop-up ads crowd your screen and overload your hard drive? I certainly don’t! If you don’t like such rude interruptions, then don’t impose them on somebody else. I don’t care how many times that marketing guru tells you it will improve your search engine ranking. Search engine stats might give you exposure, but click rates mean nothing if the customer’s not buying.
7. No one reads really long sales letters. Ah, how brilliant of those copywriting experts to convince you that a six-page letter is going to bring in big bucks for your company. Especially if you’re paying them by the hour or word! A two-page letter will do the same thing as a six-pager, and more. The ‘more’ being that it will hold your reader’s interest the whole way through. Brevity is the key to great writing. If you can make a great argument in five words or less, you’ve got it all over the next guy. Keep that in mind before you put the Magna Carta on your web portal.
Want to design and write website content that attracts and captivates? Want to bring your visitors back for seconds, thirds, fourths, and the ultimate purchase? Then keep the above “distractors” to a minimum. Really try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes… the one who is searching the internet for what you have. Think about all of those things that prevent you from enjoying your web surfing experience, and then take care to remove them from your own company website! Offer tasteful, subtle design, eloquent headlines, and clear, informative copy. Be honest about what you sell and how it can make a difference for your potential customer. Speak softly, and watch the sales roll in.
Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
Dina Giolitto is a New-Jersey based Copywriting Consultant with nine years’ industry experience. Her current focus is web content and web marketing for a multitude of products and services although the bulk of her experience lies in retail for big-name companies like Toys”R”Us. Visit http://www.wordfeeder.com for rates and samples.
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July 9th, 2008
We know the importance of life insurance as we want to make sure that our loved ones are taken care of when we die. But do some research so you’ll be sure to get the best possible coverage at the right price. Here are some helpful tips:
1. Shop for your life insurance coverage
2. Never buy more coverage than you need
3. Buy sooner rather than later
4. Realize the importance of reviewing your coverage
5. You will be paying more by paying monthly
6. Don’t rely solely on the life insurance offered by your employer
SHOP FOR YOUR LIFE INSURANCE
When it comes to life insurance, it pays to shop around because premiums can vary widely. And thanks to the Internet, it’s now easier than ever.Make sure the website considers the factors in your medical history that can affect the premiums.
BUY LIFE INSURANCE THAT YOU NEED
The key to purchasing the right amount of life insurance is to have enough to meet your needs. It’s important not to have too little coverage as it would be difficult to purchase if you get sick.
The healthier you are, the better the life insurance rates
Healthy people get better rates on life insurance. You will be asked to pay a higher rate if you smoke, take medications regularly, are overweight or have a bad driving record.
GET YOUR LIFE INSURANCE WHILE YOU ARE WELL
If you’ve been putting off purchasing life insurance because you don’t want to pay the premiums, you may be doing yourself a disservice in the long run. If you are in good health, buy it now.
YOUR LIFE INSURANCE COVERAGE SHOULD BE REGULARLY REVIEWED
You’ll want to make sure that a major life event such as the birth of a child, marriage, divorce or perhaps that the children are grown won’t leave you underinsured or overinsured.
MONTHLY PREMIUM PAYMENTS FOR LIFE INSURANCE COSTS MORE
You will be paying more for your life insurance if you pay your premium in monthly installments.
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE
Don’t rely solely on the life insurance offered by your employer
Many employers offer their employees some sort of group life insurance. But this amount of coverage is usually not enough and group life insurance policies are not portable, meaning that if you leave your job, you can’t take your life insurance coverage with you.
Ivon T. Hughes of The Hughes Trustco Group is a licensed Insurance Broker. Author of The Life Insurance Handbook. - Get a FREE Copy TODAY!
Email: info@trustco.ca Web: www.hughestrustco.com
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July 5th, 2008
It can be hard dealing with the turmoil of moving home but moving to a new area, where you know no-one, makes it even harder. Follow these ten steps to overcome moving related loneliness.
1.You may not want to be best friends with your neightbours but it is important to have a good relationship with them. Buy or make a dozen announcement cards and use them to let your neighbours know who you are - tell them as much as you are comfortable revealing.
2. Use the announcement cards to invite your neighbours around. Suggest a few dates and times - one morning, one afternoon and one evening. Keep it simple just ask them for coffee and cake.
3. Think about your interests and hobbies and look for a local organisation or club where you can go to meet like minded people.
4. It will be tempting to stay indoors and hide yourself away but please don’t! Get out everyday. If you don’t run/jog go for a walk instead. Greet the people you meet - make eye contact and smile.
5. Look at the local newspaper to see what is going on. There are always requests for help, usually on a volunteer basis. If you see a request for something you can do - volunteer.
6. Look out for other new people moving into your street and pop a card into their letterbox to say Hello - remembering how much you would have welcomed such a card when you first moved.
7. If you have children or a partner encourage them to follow steps 1-6 to expand your network of contacts.
8. Don’t lose touch with your old friends. Invite them to visit you for a day or overnight and take them around your new town to show them the sights.
9. Know that we need to give out to the world that which we would like to receive back. If you want to be befriended you must also be prepared to be a friend.
10. Guard your attitude. You can choose to view your move as a trial to be borne and suffered or you can view it as a great adventure - the choice is yours.
Attitude really is everything - stay bright and positive, join in and don’t wait for people to contact you. Do keep in touch with old friends but invite them to visit you, don’t be tempted to scurry back to your old stomping ground too soon.
Get to know your neighbourhood - ask questions of the person who sold or let your accommodation to you - and don’t put yourself at risk. Save an ICE (In Case of Emergency) telephone number on your mobile telephone and be sensible without being fearful - there really are a lot more good people out there than bad!
Donetta Harrison is building http://www.wellnessforlife.info, an information resource covering all aspects of wellness in all domains of life aimed at encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their health and wellbeing in order that they may live life to the full. To receive Vivendi, the free monthly newsletter send an email to wellnessforlife@btinternet.com. To follow the progress of the Wellness for Life project check out the blogspot here http://wellnessforlifeinfo.blogspot.com/
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July 3rd, 2008
Cracking Passwords
————
Cracking Passwords is one of the key components in
performing a security assessment is the acquisition of user
account information and cracking of the account password.
There are many methods and tools that can be used to crack
passwords, however, you must first retrieve the information
to crack. And once again, there are many ways of acquiring
the account information. This article will illustrate one
method of acquiring user account information using a
combination of social engineering and open source tools. We
will then briefly go over a particular cracking method and
tool.
Handing Over The Keys To The Kingdom
————
On one particular occasion, we were instructed by a client
to do what ever it took, within legal means, to walk out of
their building with the network user account information. We
were introduced to one of the Sr. Engineering staff as a
consultant working on a new Anti-Virus solution. We asked
the Engineer to show us around the server room and he
happily did so. While we were talking, we asked him if he
would mind if we ran a specialized virus checker on one of
the Windows domain controllers, and he readily provided us
with console access. The disk we were using was labeled to
look like it contained anti-virus tools. In reality, it
contained a modified version of a program called “pwdump”.
The moment we ran the script, a bunch of information came up
that indicated that their systems memory was clear of any
known virus. What was really happening was all domain
account information and the corresponding password hashes
were being dumped to a file on the disk. We rapped up our
tour and walked out of the building with everything we
needed.
Windows Password Cracking
————
When we returned to our office, we imported all the user
account information in a distributed password cracking
system (Multiple servers performing password cracking at the
same time). Within approximately 30 minutes we had cracked
70% of account passwords. The remaining accounts took
approximately two days.
An example of what this Windows account information looks
like is:
jdoe:1152:A5C67174B2A219D1
The jdoe accounts password is represented by its hashed
equivalent “A5C67174B2A219D1″. This string of number and
letters, when deciphered, is “CrackMe”. You can test this
with the tool I am going to introduce you tool in the next
section of this article. Without going into all the
technical details about how the cracking takes place, this
type of deciphering is basically done by trying to match up
the hashed password over time and a bunch of iterations.
When you take the word “CrackMe”, and hash it, it produces
the string of numbers and letters (A5C67174B2A219D1). So
what you are really doing is matching that string, then
making the assumption that they human readable version is
“CrackMe”.
How To Generate Password Hashes
————
First and foremost I must warn you that the tool I am going
to point you tool is very powerful and could cause you
problems if you are not careful with it. You must agree to
hold me harmless if in fact you decide to download and use
this tool. This tool, called Cain & Abel or
(http://www.oxid.it/projects.html), is the Swiss Army knife
of cracking and does a lot more than just that.
Once it is installed on your system, you can go to the
“Tools” menu and choose “Hash Calculator”. In the “Text to
Hash” box type “CrackMe” without the “”’s and hit calculate.
Look at the Type “LM” and you will see the hash from above
of “:A5C67174B2A219D1″.
This tool as a great password cracking program and we use it
quite regularly. And as I said, it does a lot more than just
cracking so be careful with it.
Conclusion
————
As I stated in the beginning of this article, there are many
ways to obtain account information and many more ways to
decipher it. In this case, we physically walked out of an
office building with everything we needed. Shortly after
cracking all the accounts we were able to use their remote
access system to gain entry into their internal network as
an administrator. There are also ways of capturing user
account information using man-in-the- middle attack
techniques, remote social engineering, and phishing just to
name a few.
The bottom line is, make your passwords complex, and change
them as often as you can
You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as
the bylines are included.
Original URL (The Web version of the article)
————
http://www.defendingthenet.com/newsletters/CrackingPasswords.htm“>Cracking Passwords
About The Author
————
Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with
over sixteen years experience. He has written many
technology & security articles, some of which have been
published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals.
If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at
Darren.Miller@ParaLogic.Net. If you would like to know
more about computer security please
visit us at http://www.defendingthenet.com
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July 3rd, 2008
With the average cost of a wedding around £17,000 you would think that more couples would take out wedding insurance just in case something happens to spoil the special day. However, an estimated 85% of couples planning to get married do not bother with insurance. Many people are so wrapped up in the romance and anticipation of their dream wedding that the practicalities of what could potentially go wrong do not even cross their minds. But, compared to the high cost of marriage, taking out a premium for about £50 seems a small price to pay for piece of mind.
Even the most carefully planned weddings are not immune to disaster. Events can happen unexpectedly that it is impossible to plan for. For example, what if there was a fire that destroyed the wedding venue just before the big day? Or what if the marquee company went bust? Most couples would by then have paid a large sum of non-refundable deposits to hire the venue and the caterers etc. Without insurance this money has effectively gone up in smoke, and the couple would have to find a new venue for the reception at very short notice, or face the option of having to postpone their wedding day altogether.
In this situation, a good wedding insurance policy would cover the costs of the deposits and provide help towards the extra costs of rearranging the wedding. Of course it always pays to be diligent when buying any sort of insurance premium. It is advisable to compare the level of cover offered by various companies, as this can vary considerably between insurance providers.
With the average cost of a wedding dress now approximately £1000, plus the high costs of the attire for the groom and the rest of the bridal party, it may well be worth considering insurance in case any of the outfits get ruined. There are so many different things to organize when arranging a wedding, which means relying on lots of other people to make sure everything goes smoothly. Insurance can cover things such as the cost of a wedding car, wedding cake and the rings. Wedding presents can also be covered just in case they are stolen. Cover typically includes flowers, videos and photographs too.
Given the huge expense of the average wedding day, couples would be wise to consider the option of insurance right at the beginning of the preparations. The majority of weddings take several months of rigorous planning, during which time all kinds of unexpected events could occur to throw a spanner in the works. So is it worth it? Well consider this. For all the planning, the preparation, and the organizing, as little as £50 can buy you peace of mind. It’s a small price to pay really, isn’t it?
Caroline Smith is a successful freelance writer who has written many articles for for http://www.discount-wedding-dresses.com, your one stop source for finding the best deals on the internet for discount wedding dresses, wedding favors, bridal gowns, wedding accessories and more!
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July 2nd, 2008
Conjoin man’s uppermost interests and you are certain to unearth a vogue customarily known as a sportsbook. And seriously: what could imaginably be more resourceful? If you envision a gathering of devotees rooting for a favorite sports club, and all the time stakes are reckoned accompanying the commotion. Hoping to get their share of the action, on-lookers frequently strive to envisage who is the likeliest to prevail the impending race. This all turns to become a nice and friendly race titled sportsbook.
Try all the best online sports book wager games at this top venue.
Ok, so it is bound to look neurotic, but in fact sports wagering is, in reality, just an amusement and to tie up with one’s fellow sports addicts. Here, you’ll be able to bet a a petty budget of chicamin and regardless enjoy yourself. Here’s sundry basics to get started sports wagering.
To wager, you will want to surf to a sportsbook, that’s to say a place which takes sportsbook. In the US, you can find no less than four states where to go for sports wagering in a legit manner, but inofficially you can do it anywhere you like provided that you pin down a bookie AND you happen to be legally an adult. Included in the sports you can bet your money on are professional in parallel to college football & college class basketball, professional hockey, professional hockey, in parallel to bets on both dog and horse racing. Customers can choose to risk money on the general results of a contest or game, when any given competitor will be knocked out, and even whether a given coin toss in a contest or game will come out heads or tails.
The betting outfit lean on number to aid you determine which sports club you sense is the likeliest to prevail. First thing you’ll find the probability, that is to say specific advantage _nul points given to a a losing club that is anticipated to take a licking by X number points. Self-Evidently, this comprises the betting outfit’s modus operandi of offering fair antes for a Sportsbook. To take a practical example, a person may choose to risk some money on a party that is anticipated to take a licking and and regardless profit from the bet provided that the club loses by X number of points.
So do give it a try, and amuse yourself at one go? But remember to ensure that you won’t get gripped and squander your entire retirement fund on a bee… After all you’re certain to be caught full of lament till the end of your life…
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July 1st, 2008
The bright yellow flower of the St Johns Wort (hypericum perforatum) with it’s
ray-like petals, represents the power of the sun that forces away the darkness.
This already points to the anti-depressant effects of the St Johns Wort which
are highly respected, even in conventional medicine.
St. John’s Wort, a perennial plant, has been used for hundreds of years to treat
depression, unrest and anxiety disorders as well as nerve pain. For a long time,
doctors and herbalists alike have known about its use as a sedative, but also as
treatment for wounds, burns, insect bites, stomach ulcers and more. It is still
used widely today and it’s effectiveness has been proven to a point where some
insurance companies are now covering the treatment.
It is not a powerful drug — when used to treat depression — in the sense of
bringing a quick recovery, but shows excellent long term results in many
patients. The herb assists body and soul in the healing process and helps to
build a solid foundation for a complete recovery.
St John’s Wort was tested in a double-blind study of 105 male and female
patients in the 20 to 64 year age group, suffering from mild to moderate
depression. They were divided into two groups and monitored over a period of
four weeks. One group were given 300mg of St Johns Wort extract three times
daily, and the other received a placebo. All of the patients had psychiatric
evaluations before the start of the study and after four weeks of treatment.
The results revealed that, 67% of the St Johns Wort group had responded
positively to the treatment without any adverse side effects whereas only 28%
of the placebo group showed any signs of improvement.
St Johns Wort is available as tea (flowers and leaves), liquid extracts and pills or
capsules. It is normally taken thrice daily and it will take one week or more to
notice any improvement in the condition.
Treatment can be continued for long periods of time as the herb does not
normally produce any side effects. But St Johns Wort can interact strongly with
other medication e.g. cancer and HIV drugs, contraceptive pills and others. So it
is vitally important to consult a medical specialist first before starting a course
of treatment.
One effect of St Johns Wort is, that it makes the skin more sensitive to light. It
is therefore important to keep out of the sun as much as possible while using
the herb.
There is growing evidence to suggest that St. Johns Wort is a safe and effective,
natural remedy for the treatment of mild to medium depression.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is presented for
information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace
professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. It cannot and
should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment.
Mireille Gautschi is a qualified Flower Essence Therapist and Herbalist who has
many years experience with the developement of natural herbal remedies.
Her products can be found on the
Hillside Herbal Products
website that also offers a very informative newsletter.
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