Karin is a natural navigator for growth and resilience. She is a twice breast cancer survivor, the published author of her book "I am more than just my tits" and a public speaker. Karin co-founded The Paddle For Hope fundraiser and the PaddleOn paddle boarding cancer rehabilitation program. She is an advocate for breast cancer awareness, cancer rehabilitation and empowering women. Karin developed tools that have helped her navigate through obstacles in life, career and relationships. She is an Entrepreneur at heart and doesn't fear taking chances. Her motto is: "Start before you are ready." Her passion is helping people. Born in Israel, a mum to three children and living in New Zealand. Karin worked as a media buyer, TV presenter and has 20 years of experience in Marketing and Sales. Karin says that sometimes you have to get to a point where you are so desperate for answers that creativity comes in and these moments are magical. Usually, people will hold hands with you as your creativity and passion become contagious. You become so enthusiastic that it helps you move forward and recruit people around you, creating positivity and hope. Mindset is everything! Being in the hospital battling severe infection after surgery, didn’t stop Karin from creating a Mastectomy friendly swimmer range in collaboration with Aurai Swimwear founder, Natalia Bertolo which led to a Fashion parade in NZFW in 2018. “You need purpose and I seem to find my creative mind in my lowest moments. When we were travelling to Israel for PFH 2013, I just completed my treatments and while sitting at Starboard HQ in Thailand, I came up with the idea to design a pink paddleboard. It was a desire to do more, there was excitement. Victoria Stuart my co-founder for PFH and I designed the painted warrior board in collaboration with the team that year. My book was published the year I was battling an infection again, which literally kept me at home. The sleepless nights of writing and editing were so worth it. Eat Drink Pink event came to mind when I realised that we needed another vehicle to fundraise as the PFH grew to the point that it became challenging to organise. It’s amazing what our mind can do when we face adversity; when we think that there are no alternatives; when we stand by the edge. I want to help people find their passion again, if in business or personal life. Creativity is in each and every one of us. Karin Horen, Growth and Resilience Navigator What drives you to help people? What made you take this direction? My mum, who was a physiotherapist and loved by so many passed at the age of 50. Compassion and kindness were her core values. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time, I knew I had to do something for others and this is where it began. I had this drive in me to go to hospitals and support patients. I have always been a practical person so I understood that by helping others I can release my own fears, anxiety and see my personal problems as less dramatic. There is always "worse". I advise everyone to engage in charity. It really gives perspective on life. You published your book " I am more than just my tits". What was the point that you realized it's time to write your story? I was at my lowest when I knew I had to explain some of the decision-making and my journey to my children, so I can leave a legacy while sharing my experience with the readers. You never know who will benefit from your story. It was a scary step, healing and confronting at the same time. I regret that I never recorded my parents or grandparents. How amazing would that be? The title came up in a conversation I had with a guy I met and it just hit me. “I know my title” so then I started writing. I was determined to find a publisher and get it out there. The title represents resilience, body image and hope. You can be whatever you want to be, breasts do not define you as a woman and scars tell a story. (Mine are reconstructed now and there is still a bit of cosmetic work to be done), you can grow strong. I am one of the lucky ones and I have a duty. I had to find the strength in me and love myself despite my scars, loss of relationship and love, and find myself again. You are a solo mum to three teen children, what is the secret to keeping your career and goals active while being so busy? Mindset. You have to make that decision for yourself not to become a victim. For a while, I didn't stick to a specific career path as I was in and out of the hospital. I had young kids and it all seemed impossible. I focused on healing and gaining strength and I had to find the way back. I thought I lost myself but I actually had a better version of myself being developed through all this. It has been a hell of a ride. I didn't set big goals as I did not want to get fixated. Setting realistic goals while pushing myself with the help of others helped. I have been reading, self-educating myself and just keep moving forward. Even though I had setbacks I kept pushing. Fitness keeps me strong and helps me move forward. Career paths can evolve so building on your foundations and developing skills is important. Some days do not go the way you plan – be flexible. My confidence comes from working on my beliefs, mindset and career was not always as important. What is important is to follow my passion and help people with whatever I choose to do. I struggled financially at times, I broke down in tears, but that never made me lose hope. Money and career mindset had to be developed and transformed so I did what I could for a while and a few years back I got back to the workforce. We have to get rid of old patterns or beliefs to fill the tank for the new. When someone asks me what I do for work, I always reply not with the title of my job – to me, It’s what I do for people. You have to have a purpose in life before anything. Freedom is so important to me. I do wake up early and have tasks to follow. There is no balance in motherhood, It's the most complex role and once you learn to delegate to your kids, they become part of the team so you can focus on other areas. What are your goals for 2023? Speak on stages globally- this is my dream! speak in front of groups, create seminars, collaborate with more individuals and organisations to bring the best in people, and help them become more resilient and confident. Invest in people for growth. I would like to create more content for the digital space, series of Podcasts and perhaps go back to TV presenting. I would love to keep learning and developing tools for coaching and navigating. I would like to travel, and celebrate my 50th birthday with my closest circle here and overseas. Investing in self-development and yourself is second to none, so I definitely would like to invest in self-education. What are the components for success? Resilience. Not taking rejections personally. Communication and establishing strong relationships. Understanding that there are a few solutions to a problem and two is better than one. Repeat what is working for you as many times as necessary. Mindset is everything ‒ focus and listen to the words you speak. They determine how your day starts and ends. Find your assets and skills. Invest in people and build communities. Time is the biggest and most important currency – Use it wisely. Goals. Passion. Purpose. What are your top achievements? My children and raising strong and kind humans. I am authentic with my children. I do not hide pain, sadness, happiness and success. The Paddle For Hope charity events (2011-2018), Eat Drink Pink and the PaddleOn cancer rehabilitation program. Creating the Pink Painted Warrior SUP board with Starboard international. Being in their books. Who would have thought? Learning and investing in my own growth. Not letting myself go. Publishing my book “I am more than just my tits” and touching so many souls. Getting up every day and keeping my promises to myself. Not being bitter about life and adversity. Falling in love over and over again. I am a hopeless romantic. Gaining the most amazing friends and community. Your life story is filled with obstacles, what keeps you getting up every day? I have a pretty good morning routine. I start my day by drinking water, gratitude journaling and coffee. I have so many notebooks where I write whatever I feel like at that moment. I love coffee, so that is a big motivator. ( laughing). I add my collagen powder and enjoy drinking it slowly. I also do my best to read ( self-educating book) in the morning while drinking my coffee. I learned to get up early and it feels so good to achieve so much in one day. I do not live my story. Today is my tomorrow. The past is in the past. I can write the next chapters of my life ‒ I try to find excitement and purpose in my mind. Moving forward step by step. I do my best to enjoy the journey and look at all the challenges as learning curves. I see my kids in front of me ‒ that's enough to keep going. I have goals and dreams that evolve with time. Challenges bring the creative side in me. When I get excited about a project or any initiative I can’t rest. It consumes my mind. Paddleboarding has been part of your life for over 10 years. What is the reason you love it so much? Why is it important to exercise and why is rehabilitation after cancer beneficial? I have been exercising for around 25 years. As a teen, I was a competitive swimmer. When I arrived here ( NZ) in 2009, I was fascinated by paddle boarding. I connected with the community and saw the benefits it had on myself both physically, socially and mentally. The ocean has an infinite horizon. You can see the same objects on shore in a different perspective when on the water. I took on paddle boarding as a mission as I knew that in terms of physical health, it allowed me to improve balance, confidence and range of movement. I paddle in the ocean, lakes or rivers. Water is known to be therapeutic for our soul, which is vital especially when facing adversity. I paddled through chemo, after surgeries and my community was there to support. When we started developing the PaddleOn program, I was so excited, as it reminded me of my mum, her patients and brought so much purpose into my life. Physiotherapists became the advocates and instructors for this program. It gives people who have been touched by cancer so much purpose and hope no matter what stage of their journey they are at. The fundraising side of philanthropy taught me to ask for help, not to fear rejection and that there are wonderful people out there. For the past few years we have been running EAT DRINK PINK as a vehicle for fundraising money for the program. These funds go to Pinc and Steel Rehabilitation Foundation which operates the program. In general, fitness has been part of my life for many years and it allows me to control my body and mind where I can and grow strength to navigate through pain. Being in the shape that I am today, after losing my breasts and going through tens of procedures just to feel more whole, could not have been done personally for me and others without the help of physiotherapy, nutrition, paddle boarding, rehabilitation, mindset work and fitness. It is a mindfulness heaven. Seeing people happy, smiling and feeling confident on the water and outside the water makes my heart sing. What are your tips for life? The more you learn, the more you earn. So invest in YOU. Choose your tribe. Forgive yourself and others and move on. Resentment is not healthy. Know that you are unique so THINK BIG! You do not have to fit into a box. Ask for help and get some sunshine. Make good choices when it comes to nutrition. what you eat reflects on your thinking, energy and hormones. Do what you love and love what you do. Life is precious. Detox the limiting beliefs you have. if you find it hard to identify them ‒ get support from a professional. We have so many tools today to help us navigate through life. Keep moving. Invest in your family and community. Choose your tribe. Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. Create healthy habits. Smile. Our brain doesn't differentiate between a "fake" smile and a real one. Better be alone than lonely in a relationship. Find your tribe, your love relationship and love yourself first. Everything in life is temporary. Having the tools to bounce back will help you with any obstacle. Engage in a charity activity. You will have a different perspective towards life. Career ‒ what does it look like for you? My daily activity is a combination of being a full-time mum, working as a Real Estate agent and helping people navigate. I am grateful that there are those who ask me to support them through career dilemmas, challenges, or business scaling. I engage in public speaking which is an area where I am growing. The idea is to grow this arm of personal development, connect and empower, grow businesses and remain passionate. Every business transaction involves humans. We invest in people, not the business. If I look back at my previous roles, HR, sales and marketing – it always involved communication and growth in the areas of wealth, well-being and business. I am excited as I am growing and so do others with me. I believe that we can have different streams of interest and income. This is life-filled with infinite opportunities to develop. Tell us about your public talks and Navigation sessions: Where shall I start? I love talking. The way I speak is the way I write. I speak from the heart and like to read my audience. My speaking engagements are a mix of storytelling combined with a roller coaster of emotions while providing valuable tools for life. I learned to articulate while working as a TV presenter and acting in TVCs. After many years of being interviewed on TV and Radio, I developed confidence and skills that help me on stage and In front of people. I love connecting with people, and I feel that it's always been something natural for me. People’s stories and life lessons have a huge impact on others. Navigation (coaching) I like calling what I do “Navigating”, as I find that everything in life is like taking a road map and finding the way. Sometimes not knowing the way gets you out of your comfort zone, and you can become creative and get somewhere. The destination is made of different roads, signs and people. We live in an era where everything moves fast and we want quick fixes. I believe that patience is key. In saying that, if we can have a navigator then it makes the journey less overwhelming. When I was in the military, I learned discipline, authority and accountability and I implemented some of the values in what I do for others and myself. I believe that with my own life experience combined with the skills, marketing and sales knowledge, coaching sessions I signed up for regularly, and my ongoing development in the area. I can provide valuable experience for other people who find themselves in a bit of a void, crossroads, or uncertainty and need to grow personally or in their business. Growth relates to all aspects of life. Moving forward is important for our development. I witness many people living in survival mode but there are other ways. I failed many times and bounced back. I love taking chances as uncertainty can be fascinating. Even with relationships. I believe we have to open our hearts more. We all get given opportunities and we can take them as a positive challenge or close the door. We can open the door and peek or we can stay there for a while. Confidence comes with developing, good habits, consistency, systems and putting goals into action. Its the promises we keep to ourselves and others that can grow confidence even more. I always start with a mindset (Business or personal). I work organically while using the systems that I learned. Then there are goals, numbers, reverse engineering, marketing, communication, values and action. I am an entrepreneur at heart who worked in the corporate world, however, I appreciate freedom, and that in order to grow we have to have passion and purpose towards what we do. As humans, we have skills and assets. Once we collaborate and combine forces we can become more successful and stronger. Get a copy of my book here. Follow me on Instagram for more info! Read more from Karin!

Written by: Katie Scott, business reporter Social medium giant Meta is testing a monthly subscription service, which will reward users for verifying their accounts. The subscription bundles for Meta Verified will start at $11.99 per month on the web or $14.99 a month on Apple's iOS system and Android, reports Reuters. The service will require users to verify their accounts using a governmental ID for which they will then get a blue badge. The service will also offer extra protection measures for verified users against impersonation; access to account support and “increased visibility and reach with prominence in some areas of the platform– like search, comments and recommendations”, says Meta in a statement. The statement adds that account owners must be 18 years of age and above; and meet minimum activity requirements. It will be open to individuals but not businesses; and the testing is starting in Australia and New Zealand. Meta states: “Long term, we want to build a subscription offering that’s valuable to everyone, including creators, businesses and our community at large. As part of this vision, we are evolving the meaning of the verified badge so we can expand access to verification and more people can trust the accounts they interact with are authentic.” This follows similar moves by Snapchat and Twitter.

Written by: William Vanderveer, CEO of Redefine Management With value-based care becoming more of a priority in Healthcare throughout the US, it’s time for more physician practices to begin adopting the framework to realize its benefits, especially for those providing musculoskeletal care. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 54% of the population reported chronic musculoskeletal conditions in 2020. Affecting the bones, joints, and muscles, musculoskeletal conditions can be painful and debilitating, affecting a patient’s ability to work, activity levels, and quality of life. Due to the cost of medical treatment and lost wages, musculoskeletal spending is rising quickly, totaling $200 billion annually. Spending continues to rise to keep up with increased utilization. Additionally, unnecessary tests and procedures in all specialties of healthcare significantly increase costs, adding an estimated $765 billion annually, per the National Academy of Medicine. For example, data continued to support the idea that surgery to remove a disc herniation is more effective than non-surgical intervention; however, our data has found that 95% of patients with a herniated disc do not require surgery. Alternatively, sometimes the opposite is true, and non-surgical modalities are not necessary prior to surgery. Physicians can tell with specifics of an injury or condition that they will eventually need a surgical procedure to fix it, and that no amount of non-surgical care, like physical therapy or pain management, will avoid it. The goal of value-based care is to provide the right treatment, to the right patient, at the right time. As a leader in multidisciplinary musculoskeletal services in New Jersey, Redefine Healthcare is focused on bringing the value-based care model to the state. Our practice offerings include neurosurgery, orthopedics, pain management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, psychiatry, lab services, and ambulatory surgery centers. Our business model is based upon building partnerships with industry-leading physician practices to accelerate the value through organic patient growth. This, combined with operational and clinical efficiencies, result in better quality, lower-cost care. How do value-based care programs succeed? One of the biggest goals of our program is to eliminate inefficiencies along the pathway of care. By pre-defining care pathways, we eliminate the waste of resources that may come with changing the course of treatment later on in a patient’s journey of care. Similarly, implementing standardized protocols for surgical and non-surgical treatments eliminates unnecessary utilization and variation. We will leverage certain healthcare providers to improve efficiency of clinical interface. For example, a surgeons’ time, expertise, and ability are used most efficiently when only seeing pre-screened surgical candidates. Other providers like a nurse practitioner may be more well-suited to perform the initial consultation of a patient. Because Redefine Healthcare is a multidisciplinary practice, we have the ability to provide seamless care transitions since we are operating within somewhat of a “controlled” network. We can build custom programs for long-term conditions that may require several types of specialty care and management. The technology we incorporate into our practice operations provides visibility across this whole continuum of care: a centralized data warehouse, 360-degree view of the patient, artificial intelligence for pattern matching, and an efficient process for obtaining the appropriate diagnosis. Value-based programs are the future of healthcare and have the ability to reduce spending and increase quality of care. By being an early adopter of the value-based framework, Redefine Healthcare hopes to advance musculoskeletal treatment in New Jersey, with other physician practices to follow.

Written by: Grace Jones , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Do you sometimes feel a little overwhelmed by all the extra demands that come with celebrating Christmas? It’s traditionally a time associated with feelings of happiness, joy, and peace to the world, friends and family (even the more ‘difficult’ ones)! But sometimes all the additional stress that comes with the holidays can lead to even the strongest of us feeling exhausted and miserable. Juggling the demands of those normal everyday tasks with all the extra things, like finishing off work projects before the holiday starts, going to Christmas parties, buying presents, going to the kid’s nativity play, carol concerts, and shopping and baking for the ‘big day’ can quickly dim the lights on anyone’s “twinkly” Christmas feeling. Instead, you find yourself at the end of each day feeling wired but tired because you still have so much to do, and time is running out (there aren’t many windows left to open on that Advent Calendar)! How can you reduce the stress so you can enjoy the holidays to the full? Part of the skill of resilience is being able to adapt to situations, so here are my top 5 techniques to help you manage your energy so you can cruise through Christmas without drowning in a sea of stress. 1. Make a plan! As amazing as our brains are, we have a finite amount of energy, and lots of things make demands on our energy levels. Things like making decisions, blocking out distractions, reining in your emotions, and even staying focussed – all lead to a depletion in our limited energy level. To give your brain a helping hand, make a plan! Decide in advance what absolutely has to be done, and then what you’d like to do if time allows, and create two lists for each day. This will provide certainty to your brain – you won’t have to rely on remembering stuff because it’s written down – and you get that warm feeling of achievement as you tick off items once they’re done. It can also give you a sense of perspective helping you identify what’s really important. Top tip – be realistic when doing this and remember if there’s really too much to manage, delegate the smaller tasks. 2. There’s no such thing as perfect Striving to make everything perfect for everyone else will just lead to a mountain of stress and anxiety and leave you unable to enjoy those magical moments that come when things don’t go perfectly but often lead to memories that are ‘just perfect’. So, just for the holidays, embrace the idea of being “perfectly imperfect”. If you hear that little voice telling you that what you’re doing isn’t good enough, change it, and use it to encourage you, not put you down. Challenge yourself to deliberately doing something less than perfectly. Give yourself permission to do something that is “good enough”, and see if anyone notices the difference. (Chances are they won’t). We are sold the idea of the perfect Christmas by the media and marketers, which is boosted by our, often rose-tinted, childhood memories, where it snowed on Christmas day, no-one ever argued and the food was always perfect. But seeking perfection can get in the way of actually enjoying what’s happening in the now. Have a perfectly imperfect Christmas and release the stress which comes with perfectionism. 3. Schedule ‘Me-Time’ You’re not doing anyone any favours by working relentlessly without taking a break. In fact, you’re likely to end up taking longer to do tasks and may be less accurate or perform less effectively. Why? Because of that finite amount of energy available to our brains that I mentioned earlier. It’s critical, if your brain is to be able to replenish, to ensure you give yourself downtime with minimal stimuli to allow this replenishment to happen. While you might not have time for a full meditation session, taking a deliberate break from a task is always doable ‒ it’s the remembering to do it that can be a challenge. Try setting an alarm to remind you. Something as simple as doing a few stretches, going for a short walk (even just around the garden or the block), takes only minutes. Making a cup of tea, day-dreaming while looking out of the window, or listening to a relaxing piece of music will all help you shift your brain out of its active state where it’s producing beta waves, and into the resting state of alpha waves. When you’re caught up in the stress of the moment, it may be hard to think of things you could do to feel better, so make a list ahead of time – think of activities that you enjoy doing and write them down. Then schedule at least some time into your day to do something you enjoy from that list, whether that be spending time with your friends and family, going for a walk, listening to music, reading a book, or do something else that you like and that brings you joy. Engaging in activities that require more and less focus is good for our creativity and problem-solving ability. Try scheduling regular breaks into your day – your brain will thank you! 4. Be a mover and shaker No, I’m not referring to becoming powerful and influential, although you may already be that. I’m talking about physical exercise. We were not designed to spend 8 hours a day sitting in front of a screen or at a desk. Our hunter gatherer ancestors had to walk 12-14 miles a day just to get enough food to survive. And our bodies (and brains) have not really evolved that much since then – we still need regular exercise if we are to perform at our best. The benefits of exercise on the brain have been well and widely studied. Research has found that exercise: Increases the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins (associated with the runner’s high, but not limited to just runners) Reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline Improves the quality of your sleep, as it helps reduce stress Improves your self-image – as your waistline shrinks, your strength and stamina increase, helping you feel better about yourself And there are plenty more that I haven’t listed here. Help yourself manage those stress levels better this Christmas by making sure you don’t miss those regular workouts. And if you’re not a regular exerciser, plan to take some sort of exercise every other day, even if it’s just a brisk walk to get some pep in your step. 5. Breathe… Perhaps the best way I know of helping reduce the feelings of stress, not just at Christmas but at any time of the year, is to pay attention to my breath. When stressed or anxious, your breathing tends to be irregular and shallow, breathing high in the chest area and not fully inflating the lungs. This type of breathing is linked to the body’s stress response. Your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) controls many things, like your heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, digestion and breathing. The ANS has two parts, the Sympathetic nervous system, which controls the fight/flight/freeze response, and the para-sympathetic nervous system responsible for the rest/digest response. Both parts are necessary and always active. But when we experience something as a threat it is possible to quiet the sympathetic response and reduce associated feelings of stress and anxiety by breathing deeply and slowly. Here’s my favourite recipe to reduce stress and immediately start to feel calmer. This is based on breathing deeply into your tummy rather than your chest so that your tummy expands on the inhale and ‘deflates’ on the exhale. The main thing to remember is to ensure the out-breath is longer than the in-breath, because it is the elongated exhale that causes stimulation of the part of your nervous system responsible for relaxation. If you breathe in this way, then your body will have no choice but to relax, and although it may take a few minutes, the body will respond regardless of what your mind is thinking. The 7-11 Technique Ingredients 1 inhale – to the count of 7 1 exhale – to the count of 11 Method Close your eyes for a moment and become aware of your breathing. Exhale all the air from your lungs (imagine blowing out a candle) Inhale through your nose for a slow count of 7 Hold your breath and close your eyes Exhale slowly through your nose for a slow count of 11 Open your eyes, relax and breathe normally Repeat if needed. Although this may feel strange at first, with practice, you will find it very helpful if you start to feel anxious or tense. Regular relaxation will also start to inhibit the production of stress hormones in the body, so it actually becomes harder and harder to panic. As you become more generally relaxed, the ‘baseline’ of arousal from which you are starting lowers. It actually becomes harder to get stressed! Wishing you, and your loved ones, a happy, stress-free holiday! Connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Grace! Grace Jones, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Grace Jones is a former freelance IT Consultant who is very familiar with the stress of working in demanding environments. Ten years ago she chose to study hypnotherapy to better understand how our thoughts influence our behaviour, habits and results. She went on to create the RISE Resilience system, designed to help people understand and effectively manage the increasing levels of stress, anxiety and burnout that so many are struggling with in this post-COVID world. Today she is an enthusiastic speaker, trainer and breathing coach ‒ "Training your brain to work for you..."

Written by: Samuel Oppong Jr, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Knowing your story is a powerful truth. There's tremendous power in knowing and being able to express your story, who you are, what you do, why you do it, and why you love it. Your story is one of your biggest differentiators in a competitive job market where you have to be proactive vs. reactive. Tell your story. Extend your narrative. Surround yourself with people who can relate with it and teach you. One way to ensure employers are aware of your story / who you are is by leveraging social channels like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to actively document your narrative and have a robust profile that indicates WHY you do what you do. Your story can take you to the next level in your career. If you don't know how to start telling your story, I encourage you to create a journey map of your life/career that highlights pivotal moments that helped you grow/defined you! When you know your story, you know your truth. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Samuel! Samuel Oppong Jr, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Samuel Oppong is an Actor, Producer, Sports Broadcaster, CEO, Speaker, Coach, Trainer, Investor, and Philanthropist. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management and Leadership Studies at Washington State University and completed his Masters in Sport Leadership at Concordia University in Chicago. He is a 2x Forbes Under 30 Finalist (2013, 2020) and Inc 30 Under 30 Nominee as an Investor. Before becoming an actor, he spent seven years working in various sports organizations such as USA Basketball, Washington State Athletics, National Hockey League, San Francisco 49ers, National Basketball Association, and National Football League.

Written by: Kate Williams, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. With the rising popularity of AI writing software, particularly the emergence of ChatGPT, many people are wondering whether the content they are reading was written by a person or a bot. It’s a good question, one that isn’t always easy to answer – unless you know what to look for. I’ve spent the better part of the last two decades honing my writing skills, first as an academic as I earned my Ph.D. in English, Language, and Literature, and then as a content writer. In all that time, I have gotten good at spotting non-original copy. I can spot a plagiarized paragraph in a student’s essay from a mile away. I can skim a blog post and instantly tell whether the content is unique or simply paraphrasing something from another website. So, you’d think I’d be able to detect AI writing with the same ease. But I was surprised to find out just how tricky it can be to tell when a person legitimately writes something and when a bot has created it. And it’s only going to get worse. AI writing software will only get more sophisticated as people use it since AI learns from inputs. The more we input into AI bots, the more they improve their output. But I don’t believe that means we are doomed to be stuck in the dark, never knowing if a human or an AI bot wrote a piece of content. I think AI will always be a beat behind humans when it comes to innovation and creativity in writing. After doing some extensive research and even spending time using AI software, my team and I have figured out some surefire ways to tell that a computer, not a human, wrote the content you’re reading. 6 Ways To Tell Content Was Written By AI These are some things to look for when determining whether a person or a machine wrote an article. 1. Questionable or absent research AI bots aren’t great at conducting legitimate research. Instead, they mimic writing found online, including citing things that don’t exist. We’ve seen examples of AI bots saying things like “studies show x,y,z,” only to do our research and determine that no such study exists. Legitimate researchers and writers will always cite their sources. If you ever come across writing that makes claims about something a study, researcher, or other source did without giving credit to the original author, you are either dealing with content written by AI or a very lazy and morally questionable writer. 2. Factual inaccuracies Humans can make mistakes, sure. But bots seem to be better able to get away with making mistakes and not getting caught. For example, CNET recently announced its plan to stop using AI-generated copy after several months of publishing articles with wildly inaccurate content. So inaccurate, it makes you wonder if a human was at the helm attempting to fact-check them. For example, as the Washington Post reports, an AI-generated article confidently stated that a $10,000 deposit getting 3 percent interest would earn $10,300 annually. I’m no math wiz, but even I know the deposit would earn $300, not $10,300. So the information is almost there – the AI may have meant that the overall account would equal $10,300 at the end of the year, but that’s not what it said. This is particularly damaging for what Google refers to as Your Money Your Life (YMYL) articles, which include information that could dramatically change a person’s financial or health status if they were to follow it. So, if you are going to use AI-generated content, make sure to have a human fact-checking it for accuracy. Neglecting to do so could damage more than your reputation. 3. Overly formal or technical Humans tend to write as we talk. Bots write like the humans that program them to think they should talk. That means a lot of AI-generated content is overly formal or technical, without any of the nuances of human language. 4. Inappropriately informal at times On the other hand, some AI-generated content is grossly informal, to the point that it is difficult to gain meaning from what the bot is trying to say. In these cases, the AI bot is trying too hard to sound human, to the point that it overuses slang and conversational language. 5. Weird flow Good writing includes the use of transitions to move from one point to another. Often, AI bots lack the knowledge of how to create transitions, resulting in choppy paragraphs that abruptly shift from one topic to another. 6. Extreme use of transitions As with formal and informal language, transitions can be either too absent or too present. When AI bots are trained to use transitional words, they can go overboard. What we’re left with is an article full of transitional phrases such as “so,” “on the other hand,” “in contrast,” for example,” and “as a result.” When dealing with AI-generated content, these phrases are often placed inappropriately in areas that don’t require them. There’s no question that AI writing software is here to stay. While Google figures out whether or not to penalize AI-generated content, we all need to deal with the fact that many people will use AI tools to create fast content for profit. Knowing how to recognize AI-generated content can help you avoid paying for something that took a “writer” just a few seconds to assemble. It can also help you avoid making the painful (and costly) mistake of publishing content riddled with inaccuracies. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Kate! Kate Williams, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Kate Williams has a PhD in English Language and Literature from the University of Tulsa and has been writing web content for over a decade. She founded People First Content in 2018 as a fractional content team that helps small businesses develop and implement a content strategy. She loves working with business owners and company leaders to develop content strategies that will create a lasting impact without paying for the high overhead of an in-house team.

Written by: Edit B Kiss, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. When I first met Ozzin in person in London, I felt she is very special, even though I wasn’t aware of her full transformation story, how she survived being kidnapped 3 times and abused and how she created a striving business within 18 months shortly after the dark incidents. She is only 24 years old but already full of impacting ideas, missions, visions, and actions to make this world a better place while also enjoying herself in the present moment. Dear Ozzin, I am sure the readers would love to hear your fascinating story, how have you become who you are today? There are different experiences that shaped me. From being financially broke, a survivor of 3 kidnappings, rape, abusive relationship and having no direction in life to becoming an international entrepreneur. It was a deep spiritual transformation. But I feel the most powerful thing I’ve done was in my choices and in levelling up my mindset alongside with faith. I realized that our biggest victories start in the darkness. I act beyond my circumstances and choose to turn any life event into my biggest blessing. I’m a very hungry person. I daily dedicate myself to expand my skillsets and learning to remain world-class in my crafts. Coming out of those terrible situations seems so effortless listening to you. What is your secret? How were you able to recover so fast and even elevate yourself to new highs? It’s timeless deep true love. I remember lying in my bed in my dark room crying myself out after going through horrible experiences, such as the kidnapping in 2019. I couldn’t open my jaw anymore out of pain, my heart ached, and I felt almost as if I would die out of pain. But thinking about how many people daily suffer like this, my love towards my family/friends and my love towards the world with lot of pain too got me up in seconds. My faith in God and the power of imagination with my high calling is what healed me very fast. It’s also my secret on how I got so resilient, and get up within hours after a bad incident. I let my feelings fully out, accept it really fast, forgive fast, and from there focus on what can be done in positive ways. Not doing that fast, would in a retro-perspective frustrate me even more. I know that. So, I just flip perspectives really fast in a way that serves me. That is very powerful indeed! I would love to know more about the “Marrying myself ” concept! Would you explain more about it? Absolutely. I realized that many people live by the ‘shoulds’ of others. Whether it’s about the pressure that we need to get married or have kids at a certain age, run our business or heal up in a certain way, get a degree, or become something that others expect from us. According to a study done by Hella Life. 1 of the top 5 biggest regrets is that people live a life expected from others instead of living a life that is true to themselves, leaving them very unfulfilled and leaving them full of regrets by the end of their life. But we don't need to wait until the end of your life to realize that we can live a life that is true to ourselves. Why are we not doing this earlier in our lives? It also is strongly correlated to self-worthiness. The moment I started to own my self-worth more, I started to make more money, have more thriving relationships and honored my health. Self-worth is our net worth. It exceeds even far beyond that with inner fulfillment. 3 Key Steps to Marrying Oneself: 1. Get Rid of All Shoulds Get rid of all other people’s should, third-party stories and limiting labels that were put on you throughout your life since childhood. Evolve your own framework. Live in your own universal way. 2. Take Inventory with An Open Mind Reconsider the "shoulds" that you've been told, and ask yourself: What else is possible?" Replace ‘’I know already’’ to ‘’tell me more, what are other possibilities/perspectives?’’ Filter through what makes YOU ultimately happy. 3. Be Bold Have the courage to break existing rules for wisdom to fulfill your dreams. Be an odd-ball that stands out. Dare to take actions that feels a little 'insane, scary and somewhat thrilling.'' This is where the game truly starts. Soon my book: ‘’Marry Yourself’’ will be published. It is not in a literal sense just about ‘’marrying oneself’’. The meaning if much deeper and includes the world in new dimensions of the meaning marriage. Soon more to that! That sounds really fascinating! I would really love to know how do you help your celebrity clients with your programs? What is it there for them? What outcome they can expect? I help high-performing coaches, entrepreneurs & celebrities to build and scale their own consulting or service-based business. I help them to brand world-class, dominate their industry through luxury positioning and help them to attract high-ticket clients. The outcome they can expect depends on their goals and the needs they have. But on average most of my clients have 10x their profits with us, they have a world-class personal brand with premium clients that are excited to pay them, they feel aligned to their purpose and run most importantly a business that excites them with predictable income. The rest depends very individually, I work very customized with my clients. You can join HERE my exclusive FB group where I share free trainings and insights. You can also find on my Instagram @ozzinjun further insights and client testimonials. I know you are working on several projects besides your coaching program. You just recorded a new song? What inspired you to become a performing artist? Yes! I recorded a new music video and song this January 2023 in London with a friend of mine. It was a very spontaneous. We wrote the lyrics last minute, booked the studio on the same day and rehearsed the rap in the car on our way there. Fun! The song is about masculine and feminine energy and about world unification. We speak about the coaching space, and beyond business some wisdom we want to convey to the world in a funny, twisted and light-hearted way. It’s soon available on my YouTube Channel. I’ve always been an artistic person. I create my own arts to take people into a different world. I plan to do more live artistic performances combined with entrepreneurial insights with million people in a stadium, and create the biggest world-class events people have ever seen. What inspires me is the art, imagination and purpose behind it. I believe, ‘’Inspiration Science’’, which is also the title of my podcast on behalf of my media company ‘’Your Universal Way’’ can change the world. What is the project closest to your heart? What is your biggest “WHY”? My biggest project closest to my heart is my media company ‘’Your Universal Way’’ which ties in everything I do. From podcasts, artistic projects, content production and my main service offering consulting/coaching to transform lives. My WHY is to empower healings with deep faith, to lead by true love and bring in world-class leadership to unify the world. Thank you so much for this deep conversation! I am wishing you all the best with your missions! What would be your last words or advice to the readers? We never know how it feels until we practically do it. Take inventory of your own gifts, get clarity on your big vision and then, melt it down to a purpose that is meaningful to you. Know who you are. Exploration allows focus. Clarity is power. Focus creates success. Tune into my podcast episode ‘’8 Ways To Find Your Purpose In Life’’ if you’re not clear yet about it. Peeling the onion down to the core: talking to multiple millionaires, billionaires, and my own experiences, I realized it comes down to our self-worth. Worthy of success, worthy of the luxury (whatever that means to you) and to honor yourself (to be able to honor others). Self-love, God-love in his kingdom. Building relationships is key in business & to lead a happy life. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Edit! Edit B Kiss, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Edit B Kiss is a holistic mentor, success habit coach, 1 best-selling author, Humanitarian Award winner and international speaker. She helps her clients to get healed from running mind, insomnia to gain more focus and fill the void in their hearts by raising their frequency and getting them aligned with their true self so they can stand the storms and live their life joyfully and reinvent themselves to the next level.

My name is Angela Sette. I am an Entrepreneur, Movement Specialist, Brain Health Coach, NLP Practitioner, Neurohacker, Author and Speaker. Wife of Dominic and mother of three amazing grown children Nicolette, Zachary, and Anthony. We reside in New Jersey with our sweet little dog Gizmo. Today I run Visionary Movement, a Fitness, Dance, and Wellness Studio alongside my daughter Nicolette Sette. Although we weren’t able to open for two years due to COVID, it is exciting that our 1st year anniversary is coming up in March 2023. As a visionary and evolutionary seeker, I have a deep passion to learn the most cutting information on the brain and movement. Then share it in a unique way that combines neuroscience artistically woven into my creative elements as a dancer, actor, model and singer. I believe that utilizing both hemispheres of the brain creates a cross-communication through the corpus callosum which allows one to obtain full brain functionality, making us feel balanced, whole, and happy. Angela Sette, Visionary Movement What is the name of your business and how do you help your clients? Visionary Movement is the name of our business. We help our clients by offering services that assist in attaining physical, mental and spiritual health. Our Studio has a unique way of offering classes that improve cardio health, alignment, strength, conditioning, flexibility, increasing ROM through Mat and Equipment Pilates, Zumba, Yoga, Dance, Strong Nation, Meditation as well as Brain Health and Nutritional Coaching. Each room at Visionary Movement is named after an element of healing to encourage our clients to find a balance between physical, mental and spiritual wellness. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life? There were many pivotal moments for which have led me to where I am today. One pivotal moment occurred in an effort to heal my daughter’s rare form of epilepsy called ESSES that affected her ability to sleep at night. So much was discovered about our brains and bodies as energy forms. Such as how to access energy through the Ketogenic diet, Neuro/Bio Feedback, Exercise, Music, Musical tones, Meditative techniques and Brain Training methods. It seemed my life led me down a pathway to learn even more about our brain’s when my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer. Given only three months to live she battled this for three years before it traveled to her brain for a second time before it took her life. Concurrently, my cousin's son was also battling brain cancer. Sadly, he too passed away many months later on his fifth birthday. What I learned from these events is that each day is a precious gift and having the energy to enjoy it is of the utmost importance! In the same year, I found there was a large tumor in my own leg. The good news was that as long as there were no changes in three years, this type of tumor wouldn't need treatment, and would only need to be monitored. I realized at this time that all this information I learned would be best served if shared. That year was on my mom’s Birthday, so I created an Instagram account. Instagram was fairly new at the time, but served as a great way to write, share knowledge and inspire. The overwhelming encouraging responses led me to using each of the inspirational quotes as chapter headings for my book “Opening Our Minds To Our Brain's Potential: Are We Our Children’s Teachers Or Are They Ours?” I knew that I would need to promote myself and my book. Since being so fearful of speaking in the past, it prompted me to get back into the acting field for which I had once loved. This then began the journey of learning how to express myself in the most inspiring transformational ways. If you could change one thing in your industry what would it be? If there was one thing I could change in our industry, it would be to create an understanding of the vital connection of ourselves as energetic beings. This type of approach towards living is not at all new, however, it is not often utilized. Our nervous systems have the incredible ability to help heal our minds, bodies and spirits when tapped into. Connecting to this is one thing but then adapting lifestyles towards selecting those things that best serve us energetically, takes both patience and the willingness to work towards that goal. It is a primary reason I wanted to offer BrainHealth Coaching or Brain Training as well as meditation at Visionary Movement. What are your current goals for your business? My current goals for Visionary Movement is to be “The Go To” place for Physical, Mental and Spiritual well-being. Serving clients globally in the highest energetic ways so that they can be the best they can be in life by combining neuroscience with the integration of movement, music and technology. Who inspires you to be the best that you can be? The legacy I leave behind for my three children and humanity, is who inspires me to be the very best that I can be. I believe in epigenetics or another way of putting it is, planting seeds for future generations to come. This was my intention when I wrote “Opening Our Minds To Our Brains’ Potential: Are Our Children’s Teachers Or Are They Ours?” as well as why I do my very best to communicate and share information in podcasts, interviews, Instagram/Facebook videos/ reels, speaking engagements and then at Visionary Movement. We have the incredible ability to inspire human potential and this is a driving force for me! What is your work inspired by? The perpetual need to share information that could help someone else lead a better life. Followed by learning from those that have offered the best in their fields. Beginning with my mom, without her loving support and her unending positive outlook towards life, I would have never gotten this far in my evolutionary journey. My mentors in life are Oprah Winfrey for the many soulful lessons I learned early on, like writing a gratitude journal for the past 25 years which assisted me in writing my book. Rhonda Byrne’s for “The Secret” for which my mom so loving shared with me and then I shared with my children. Connecting with ideas presented by Jean Houston, Gary Zukav, Deepak Choppra, Lisa Nichols, Jim Kwik, Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, Joe Dispenza, and Vishen Lakhiani. Then the continual knowledge I gain through being a certified Brain Health Coach from Dr. Daniel Amen and my clients. Then of course my husband and our children for which my subtitle was created “Are We Our Children’s Teachers Or They Ours”. Most importantly, seeing the amazing transformation in those that I have had the honor to work with. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Angela!

Written by: Dr. Blythe Mandmets, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. At the core of every successful business are the people who make it all possible. They are the lifeblood of the company, and their well-being is essential to the success of the business. As someone who deeply cares about people and their health and happiness, I know that a corporate wellness program is more than just a box to check off on a to-do list. It's an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals, their families, and the overall success of a company. That’s big. I believe that every human being deserves the opportunity to thrive in health and in life. A corporate wellness program helps make that possible. By providing the tools and resources needed for employees to take control of their health, companies can empower their workforce to live their best lives. From healthy eating and regular exercise to stress management, mindfulness and movement in the office (who's up for a couple of Pilates reformers, medicine balls and maybe an aerial silk to play with on breaks?), a wellness program inspires and supports employees on their journey to optimal health and well-being. But it's not just about the individuals. It's about the collective impact a thriving workforce can have on a company. A corporate wellness program can create a culture of health, wellness, and creativity that fosters collaboration, camaraderie, and productivity. When employees are happy, healthy, and engaged, they are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover and increasing retention. They are also more productive, taking fewer sick days and being more focused and energized while at work. Also, a corporate wellness program can have a significant impact on a company's bottom line. By reducing healthcare costs, increasing productivity, and improving employee retention, companies can see a return on investment that translates into more revenue and business success. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the desire to see people thrive, and companies thrive because their workforce is thriving. I want to see every individual know their power to take control of their health and well-being, and I want to see every company recognize the value of investing in the health and happiness of their employees. BNL Corporate Vitality Programs go the extra mile to create a supportive and engaging community for your workforce, providing live virtual weekly training that keeps people engaged and practicing the principles of oxygenation and alkalinity that we teach. No other corporate wellness program teaches this vital piece. Oxygenation and alkalinity are the biggest factors in health and vitality. We want to inspire lasting behavior upgrades that support people living their healthiest, happiest life, which translates to massive savings and more revenue for your company. Here are the top 8 reasons to have a corporate wellness program at your company, regardless of how many employees you have: 1. Improved Employee Health A corporate wellness program promotes healthy lifestyle choices such as exercise, healthy eating, and stress management. By encouraging employees to adopt healthy habits, a wellness program can improve overall employee health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Healthy employees are more productive, take fewer sick days, and are more engaged in their work. 2. Enhanced Productivity Corporate wellness programs can also enhance productivity. When employees feel their best, they are more focused, alert, and energized. They are also more likely to stay at work longer and have fewer interruptions, resulting in increased productivity. 3. Lower Healthcare Costs A corporate wellness program can also reduce healthcare costs for both employers and employees. By promoting healthy behaviors, such as regular exercise and healthy eating, employees are less likely to develop chronic illnesses that require costly medical treatments. This can result in lower health insurance premiums for both the company and its employees. A study by the Harvard Business Review found that companies with wellness programs can see a return on investment of up to $6 for every $1 spent. At BNL Corporate Vitality programs, they teach employees how their body regenerates optimally through alkalinity, thus reducing claims exponentially and making this ROI even higher. It’s pretty amazing! 4. Improved Employee Retention A corporate wellness program can also improve employee retention. Employees are more likely to stay with a company that values their health and well-being. By offering a wellness program, employers demonstrate their commitment to their employees' overall health and happiness, which can increase employee loyalty. 5. Enhanced Company Culture A corporate wellness program can enhance company culture by promoting teamwork, collaboration, and camaraderie. Participating in a wellness program can create a sense of community among employees and foster a positive workplace environment. 6. Increased Employee Engagement A corporate wellness program can also increase employee engagement. When employees are engaged in their health and wellness, they are more likely to be engaged in their work. By providing opportunities for employees to improve their health and well-being, a wellness program can create a more engaged and motivated workforce. 7. Reduced Stress Levels A corporate wellness program can also reduce employee stress levels. Stress can hurt employee health and well-being, leading to increased absenteeism, lower productivity, and higher healthcare costs. By promoting stress management techniques, such as yoga, breathwork, or meditation, a wellness program can help employees manage their stress levels and improve their overall well-being. 8. Increased Revenue A corporate wellness program can also lead to increased revenue for the company. By improving employee health and well-being, companies can reduce healthcare costs, increase productivity, creativity, and innovation, and improve employee retention. All of these factors will have a positive impact on the bottom line, leading to increased revenue for the company. In conclusion, a corporate wellness program is an excellent way to promote employee well-being and improve overall company performance. BNL Corporate Vitality Programs go the next step with live virtual weekly training that keep people engaged and practicing the principles of oxygenation and alkalinity. BNL Corporate Vitality Programs inspire lasting behavior upgrades that support people living their healthiest, happiest life, which translates to massive savings and more revenue for your company. By promoting healthy behaviors, reducing stress levels, and creating a positive workplace culture, a wellness program is more than just a program; it's an opportunity to make a positive impact on people's lives and the success of a company. Let's work together to create a culture of health and wellness that fosters growth, happiness, and success for everyone involved. Our Corporate Vitality Programs are designed to create transformations, for the people and the company. If you're interested in learning more about our Corporate Vitality Programs, we invite you to book a call with us today. Our team is passionate about creating customized programs that fit the unique needs and budgets of each company, big or small. We believe that every company deserves the opportunity to invest in the health and well-being of their employees, and we want to make that possible for you. Book a call with us today, and let's work together to create a culture of health and vitality in your company. Dr. Blythe Mandmets, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dr. Blythe Metz-Mändmets is a thought leader, speaker, and Corporate Vitality Trainer who is passionate about helping people realize their self-healing potential. With a background in metaphysics and a focus on corporate wellness and vitality, she is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations improve their health and well-being. As a speaker, Dr. Metz-Mändmets covers a wide range of topics, including stress management, longevity, creating a culture of kindness to promote school safety, and empowering youth and adults to create the health and life experience they love. Her expertise in these areas has earned her a reputation as a top authority in the field.

Written by: Nataliya R. Nawaz, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Perhaps the most frustrating part about figuring out if you have an autoimmune disease is that each has its own set of symptoms, which can present differently in different individuals. This makes autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and scleroderma often challenging to diagnose. But what exactly is an autoimmune disease? The most vital purpose of our immune system is to fight off pathogens (viruses and bacteria) and protect us from disease. However, if you suffer from an autoimmune disease, rather than fighting off germs, your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your body by mistake. Consequently, you may develop several debilitating symptoms related to the skin, joints, nervous system, muscles, blood (vessels), and various organs in your body. However, there are several telltale signs that, when present, increase the possibility that you may have an autoimmune disease. What Causes Autoimmune Disease? Autoimmune diseases are often hereditary. If someone in your family suffers from an autoimmune disease, it is possible to carry the autoimmune disease “gene” for many years before symptoms occur. Usually, an external trigger must be present for the gene to manifest. Some external factors include a viral infection, certain medications, chronic stress, a traumatic event, childbirth, and even exposure to certain environmental toxins. Diagnosing an Autoimmune Disease Diagnosing an autoimmune disease can be tricky. Discerning between autoimmune disease and other conditions often takes time, as many symptoms of autoimmunity can also present in other common ailments. Often, an autoimmune disease can go undiagnosed for years or even misdiagnosed. If you suffer from autoimmunity, you may not realize it until the symptoms become more severe and begin regularly interfering with everyday activities. Other times, you may go to the doctor with a list of symptoms only to be told that your tests are normal and nothing is wrong. A diagnosis often requires the involvement of a specialist, such as a rheumatologist, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, dermatologist, or immunologist, who can conduct several tests to rule out or diagnose autoimmune disease. Some of these tests include but are not limited to antinuclear antibody (ANA) tests, a comprehensive metabolic panel, C-reactive protein (CRP), urinalysis, and complete body count (CBC) with white blood cells (WBC) differential. The advantage of working with a specialist is their ability to differentiate between various types of autoimmune conditions with greater accuracy. 12 Signs You May Have an Autoimmune Disease 1. You have been to the doctor and told you’re okay, but you still experience unexplained symptoms. Perhaps you’ve visited the doctor’s office several times with the same obscure and difficult-to-pinpoint symptoms, but you have been told that your tests are normal and nothing is wrong with you. Many patients with autoimmunity feel dismissed and misunderstood long before finally receiving a proper diagnosis. 2. Low vitamin D serum levels and low iron levels. The scientific community has difficulty deciding whether low vitamin D levels cause autoimmune disease or are a result of it. This “chicken and egg” argument lends itself to several interpretations. But one thing is for certain. Studies show that low vitamin D levels exist in almost all autoimmune disease cases. Thus, vitamin D supplementation is vital to controlling the disease. Similarly, low iron serum levels or iron-deficiency anemia not caused by pregnancy is often also associated with autoimmunity, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus. The bottom line is to get both levels checked and supplement when necessary. 3. Extreme chronic fatigue You may be quick to dismiss your fatigue as a result of occasional poor sleep or more stress at work. However, chronic and extreme fatigue, even after a restful night, is a cause for concern and can indicate the presence of an autoimmune condition. 4. Unexplained body aches and pains Do you feel unusually stiff and achy despite not engaging in high-intensity exercise or physical work? Do your joints hurt and swell frequently? Do you often experience sore muscles or nerve pain anywhere in your body, including the face? These symptoms, especially when present for no apparent reason, are highly indicative of an autoimmune condition. 5. Rapid hair loss Many autoimmune conditions are associated with thinning hair. However, experiencing rapid and significant hair loss in a matter of weeks warrants an urgent visit to the doctor as this may indicate the triggering of an autoimmune disease. 6. Heat or cold Intolerance and uncontrollable weight loss or gain. Have you noticed that when in a group of people, you always feel uncomfortably cold while everyone else seems fine? Are you gaining weight without having changed your eating habits or experiencing constipation? Adversely, do you frequently feel extremely hot, nauseous, and ill while also uncontrollably losing weight? These may indicate an endocrine problem common in individuals with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease. 7. New symptoms postpartum that worsen over time. Childbirth is a traumatic experience for the body and can sometimes trigger a dormant autoimmune disease, especially if you already have the gene. If you feel any of the symptoms mentioned above postpartum, particularly within eight or more weeks since childbirth, perhaps it is time to ask your OBGYN for some tests to rule out autoimmune disease. 8. Brain fog Brain fog is a prevalent symptom of several autoimmune conditions and warrants a trip to the doctor’s office. This is particularly true if you have previously had no problems focusing on a project at work but now find yourself unable to gather your thoughts. If you forget things frequently, roaming around your home or office trying to figure out what to do next, or your mind feels like scrambled eggs, this may indicate autoimmunity. 9. New skin problems Many autoimmune conditions, such as psoriasis, lupus, lichen planopilaris, Sjogren’s syndrome, celiac disease, and scleroderma, cause significant skin problems. You may notice random rashes and burning sensations on your body, mouth, or scalp. Make an appointment with a dermatologist and ask for a biopsy of the lesions to determine their cause. 10. Digestive issues Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Chron’s disease and ulcerative colitis are both on the rise. They have earned quite a reputation, as commercials for their treatment frequently appear on our TV screens. According to experts, the western diet, packed with processed foods, is partially to blame. Suppose you experience frequent digestive problems, bloating, diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain accompanied by blood in the stool, anemia, or certain nutrient deficiencies. In that case, it is time to see the gastroenterologist to rule out IBD. 11. Frequent, unexplained fevers Several autoimmune conditions cause low-grade fevers not otherwise explained by viral or bacterial infections. Rheumatic fever, for instance, is an inflammatory response that may occur after an infection with group A Streptococcus bacteria. A low-grade fever is also indicative of the onset of a lupus flare. 12. Anxiety and depression Research shows that individuals with autoimmune diseases are 45 percent more likely to have anxiety or depression. Systemic lupus erythematosus, for instance, is known to be accompanied by neuropsychiatric symptoms. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease are also frequently associated with anxiety, depression, and brain fog. If you feel highly anxious about things you used to do with ease or no longer feel joy doing things you used to love, consider asking your doctor to test for autoimmunity. What to Do if You Suspect You Have an Autoimmune Disease If you suspect you may have an autoimmune disease, make an appointment with your primary care physician. Communicate your symptoms with her and ask for an ANA, a CBC, or any other test available. If your ANA comes back positive, ask to make an appointment with a specialist. The specialist will order more tests and not only be able to diagnose the disease but also treat it. What to Do if You Have Been Diagnosed with an Autoimmune Disease The most important thing to do after diagnosis is to take time to learn everything there is to know about your disease. Focus on authoritative resources such as studies, articles published in scientific journals, and prominent magazines. The more you know about your disease and treatment options, the better your chance of getting the proper treatment. Have an honest, open, and confident discussion with your doctor about the most appropriate treatment plan for you. Advocate for yourself; do not be afraid to say what you need to ensure the most personalized approach to your disease. Additionally, be prepared to make lifestyle changes to ensure the best outcome for your disease. New research shows that eliminating certain foods from your diet can significantly reduce disease flares and improve your overall ability to control your symptoms. Foods commonly associated with intolerances, digestive issues, and autoimmune flares include gluten, dairy, soy, and garlic, to name a few. Incorporating exercise and recovery techniques into your daily routine ensures the health and strength of muscles, bones, and ligaments commonly affected by autoimmune disease. Studies show that short-duration, high-intensity resistance training protocols help people with rheumatoid arthritis minimize joint inflammation and reverse RA-related muscle loss. This training method also helps people with lupus improve muscle tone and strength. Furthermore, take the time to rest, destress, sleep, meditate, and engage in activities you enjoy. Ask for help. Do not feel guilty if exhaustion or pain has caused you to miss out on work or chores. Your health and well-being come first. Finally, and most importantly, do not lose hope. Millions of individuals with autoimmune diseases take an active role in improving their quality of life, managing their symptoms well, and even reaching remission. You can do it too. If you need a great place to start, look into my latest book, “The Nova Regimen: A Guide to Losing Fat and Building Muscle with Autoimmune Disease,” available on Amazon. You can also visit here to receive a free consultation on techniques you can incorporate daily as you work towards actively managing your disease. Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Nataliya! Nataliya R. Nawaz, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Nataliya Nawaz is an award-winning published author, fitness and nutrition coach, and expert on autoimmunity. After chemotherapy treatment for a rare tumor left her battling four autoimmune conditions, through relentless research, experiment, and distinct lifestyle techniques, Nataliya reached disease remission. Thus, the Nova Regimen was born, a program geared towards individuals with chronic illnesses. As a founder of the Nova Regimen, Nataliya writes and coaches on the management of chronic inflammation, nutrition, strength training, and recovery. Today, countless participants in the program enjoy active and healthy lives. Her mission: improved quality of life for chronic illness and autoimmunity fighters.

Written by: Tommy Walker , Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. Procrastination is the number one dream killer. Millions of people suffer from this daily, and most can’t find a way to deal with it. They try to push themselves to do things, without really understanding what is going on, and that can create stress, anxiety, or overwhelm. So many people treat the symptoms of the problem but do not address the real cause. Trying to break things into smaller pieces, setting small goals, removing distractions, etc., are the only ways to treat the surface problem. All these are like having an infection that creates a high fever, and you take medication to reduce the fever… you are not actually treating the root problem. Many people think that the mind is working against them and go to war with it. The mind is not the enemy… it is trying to protect you and let me explain why this is so. We all have created negative, limiting, and false beliefs growing up. When we were judged, criticized, neglected, bullied, etc., we created negative beliefs. We don’t have the mental maturity to understand that the other person is not treating us in a loving way because of their unresolved issues. As kids, we try to make sense of it and blame ourselves. Those negative beliefs are now in the subconscious mind, and most of the time we are not even aware of them. When we create these negative beliefs, the mind will do everything in its power to try to prevent us from “confirming” those beliefs. “It’s not what you think you think that is holding you back. It’s what you don’t know you think that is holding you back.” Example. I have the belief deep in my subconscious mind that I am not good enough. So now I am trying to start a business or grow my business… but I keep procrastinating on reaching out to people, and getting the word out. The mind will find “valid” reasons to do other non-important things, or not do anything at all. It will be working against you, not because it is your enemy… It is your “friend”, protecting you from doing something wrong, screwing up, and “confirming” you are not good enough. So as not to “confirm” false beliefs hidden in the subconscious mind, the mind keeps you stuck. Instead of fighting yourself through procrastination, use the opportunity to identify the false beliefs in your subconscious mind, to be able to work on changing them. Pushing yourself to action doesn’t change your beliefs, it represses them. So, you might go through life procrastinating repeatedly, and sometimes be able to overcome it because you have a deadline or something that makes you push harder to do what is needed. Yes, that might seem like it works, but it drains most people. I recommend you dive into your mind, explore, and learn. Instead of beating yourself up because you are procrastinating, stop, learn, understand, and work on changing the root cause. Identify your subconscious negative stories to be able to reprogram, change them and start taking massive actions. This will set you free. If this resonated with you and would like to know more about how to start applying this information, I have free training you can check here. Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , YouTube and visit my website for more info! Read more from Tommy! Tommy Walker, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Tommy Walker has combined the best practices out there in the world and developed Rapid Subconscious Reprogramming, a proven system that combines coaching, neuroscience, therapy, inner child connection, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence. He struggled for over 30 years till he met the mentor that helped him change his life. He now has impacted the life of over 120.000 people around the world. His mission is to help people become their True Self and succeed in life and biz.

Written by: Janylene Turcotte, Cl.hyp, ACC, RTT, Executive Contributor Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise. This article is highlighting the importance of replacing the automatic response, ‘’ I am soooo busy’’ by words that will give you a sense of purpose and control over your time and how you fill it, instead of the implication that time is controlling you! Have you ever noticed that we all have a kind of knee-jerk response to the question: “Hey, how are you?” A typical reply might go something like this: “Oh…I am soooo busy (heavy sigh) you have no idea...I’m so sorry I didn’t get back to you but things have been so crazy lately...” If this interaction sounds familiar, you are not alone. It seems like the social password nowadays is to claim that ‘we are soooo busy,’ to the point where it becomes an overused, but empty reply ‒ a prerequisite that we use to be part of this ‘very busy’ tribe of doers. I have a growing fatigue for the ‘’ too busy’’ people, whom I suspect are just oversaturated with time spent on social media, have no down-time and are constantly in need of the quick adrenaline fix caused by constant, ( though not necessarily productive) action and a need for perfectionism that eventually leads to a loss of interest in actual human interactions. Our subconscious mind records everything. So, by constantly repeating that we are ‘sooo busy,' we are simply reinforcing this belief until it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In reality, we are making choices—between activities, priorities, people, etc.— but it feels as though it is not socially acceptable to state that we are actually making these choices and that instead, all this activity is just being hurled at us! Furthermore, we blindly attach so much importance to 'being busy' that it doesn’t even matter anymore what we are 'busy' with. Imagine the following conversation, keeping in mind that the responses are 'formal' suggestions that lack the vernacular of everyday conversation: You: “Hey, how are you?” Respondant: “I am quite busy, having decided to take on some stimulating activities. I am: training for a marathon, familiarizing myself with the new tasks required in my new position at work, preparing to move to the country renovating my house enjoying the company of my new companion y preparing for a yoga retreat in Hawaii. (Big sigh) ... “You have no idea how these choices keep me busy!” Imagine if, in answer to this, you replied as follows: “Well, I have plenty of time…I go for walks, see my friends, read my new book, babysit my grandkids, go skiing, and oh yes, I am planning a trip to Australia to visit an old friend!” The truth is, we all have the same 24 hours each day— a portion of which we dedicate to sleep — and, give or take a few hours, the rest is left for us to allocate to activities, seeing people, responsibilities and work, as we see fit. I often find the “sooo busy “reply is just an empty excuse to procrastinate and/or to elevate our sense of self-importance socially, in the club of worthy and important people. This sense of lacking importance in the world is one of the deeply-wired beliefs that I often find my with clients. Claiming that they are ‘so busy’ acts as a defense mechanism, and is a way for people to 'finally' feel important. It is almost as if being 'so busy' augments our value as human beings. Have we come to the point where just 'being' or 'living' has no value? Is it better to proclaim your 'busy-ness', in an exasperated tone, bolstering your worth with the implication that you have no choice or control over how your time is spent? Ask yourself: Is the mere fact of 'being busy' enough to make you feel worthwhile? In the end, this robotic way of 'being so busy,’ keeps us from actually enjoying everything we do. Furthermore, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are productive (it's ok, you don't always have to be), or that you are doing things that are meaningful (again, it's ok, not everything you do has to have meaning)— but rather, it reduces us to automatons relying on small talk to interaction with others. My Personal Reflection: Seven years ago when I was at a yoga retreat in Paradise Island, I was walking in the silky Bahamian water, telling a new friend that I was ‘soooo busy’ and that my executive agenda was already completely booked for the entire year ahead! I remember how important it made me feel at that time just to say these words and how impressed my new friend was. Well… when I returned from my vacation, I found that I had lost my job due to a major corporate restructuring and poof! my agenda was suddenly empty. This freaked me out and for a while I was at a loss as to what to do with myself. But…after recovering from the shock of suddenly having all this 'free time,’ I decided to take advantage of it by visiting friends and planning a trip, thus filling my day with enjoyable activities that would otherwise have been almost impossible with my fully booked agenda! As, I've mentioned above, our brain learns by repetition, thus in repeating the empty sentence that you are ‘soooo busy,’ you are merely programming yourself to be even busier and feel overwhelmed. Below, I would like to suggest a few alternatives to help program you in a different way. Try (a version of) these statements out as a new way to approach how you fill your time and how you express it to others: ‘’I made choices that are aligned with my aspirations and keep me occupied.’’ ‘’I have plenty of time to do the things that make me happy.’’ ‘’Time is on my side and allows me to achieve what is most important to me.’’ ‘’I am happy that you take the time to connect with me…’’ ‘’I am being very productive with meaningful activities, including taking the time to …’’ ‘’I use my time for what matters the most…‘’ The goal of the above phrases is to retrain your brain’s automatic response. It is a way for you to express that you have control over your time and how you fill it, instead of the implication that time is controlling you! Once you adopt this new approach, it won’t be long before you realize that you are being productive and useful by ‘choice,’ which will inevitably lead you to realize that you are in fact important and that your sense of importance is a reflection of your own values. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more on Janylene! Janylene Turcotte, Cl.hyp, ACC, RTT, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine After more than 25 years as a top-level executive in the corporate world, Janylène Turcotte made a 360-degree career change and became a certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Coach, and HypnoCoach. While going through her own major life transformation, she developed a unique 3-STEP MODEL as a tool to help herself, and now, her clients, through the complex process of transformation and transition. She graduated from the Marisa Peer School as an RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) Therapist. She has been an ICF Certified Coach for more than eight years and hosts the podcast ‘’ It’s Just a Belief’’.