Written by: Gina Redzanic, 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. The idea of multiple sources of income refers to income dripping in from various unrelated sources. For example, an individual could have income from employment (salary), interest (investment), Public Speaking and so on. One reason why having multiple sources of income is beneficial to you is the fact that it fast tracks the wealth creation process. All things being equal, if you have three sources of income, you can accumulate wealth faster than if you had one. Another reason is that multiple sources of income ensure income security and minimizes financial vulnerability. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have lost their jobs. If they had just a job as the only source of income, you can imagine what will happen to them financially. They will have to resort to their savings. And if they do not have savings, as many people do not, they have to rely on government support, which barely exist, especially for developing countries. I hope you would not want to experience this level of vulnerability. Of course, no one should go through this! But you can only avoid this experience when you prepare for it. More and more business savvy individuals are looking for ways to leverage their income and diversify their financial potential. Because I have built a 7 Figure business with network marketing with no prior experience in the industry, I can firsthand give my stamp of approval that—“this business model works.” One of the biggest advantages of the network marketing business is that you own it like an entrepreneur. And most goal-oriented entrepreneurs have great work ethic, a desire for more, and understand that it takes time to create residual income. The business model is a low risk, low investment business thus the return on investment is strong. While a job will guarantee a fixed pay, you can increase your take-home salary by increasing your efforts by adding a network marketing business to your portfolio. For all those looking forward to stepping in the direct selling business, my suggestion is to master the direct selling industry first. Understand the market, needs of the people, buying trends of the audience, marketing strategies and then move to the next step which is choosing the right company. Undoubtedly, the future of network marketing is bright because it can be both an active and passive source of income. You can create a lucrative income per year while working only a few hours per day. The more effort you put, the better the results. It may sound surprising but as you progress in the industry, you enjoy the perks of high-ranking professionals like trips, hotel stays, bonus, etc. Experts declare that with the world becoming increasingly connected the network marketing business will rise to its golden era. Network Marketing companies typically provide you the opportunity for personal development through training. This empowers you to learn, grow and develop yourself. If you are thinking of creating an additional source of income, either part-time or full-time, Network Marketing is one of the best options. To understand how the Network marketing business model works, be sure to dive deep into the company’s compensation plan, history, ownership and leadership development. If you are would like to learn more about my company and leadership, you can schedule a discovery call with me here- https://www.ginaredzanic.com/join-my-team Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or visit my website for more info! Read more from Gina! Gina Redzanic, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Gina Redzanic is a self-made network marketing millionaire, Success Coach, and John Maxwell Certified Speaker and Trainer specializing in Leadership Development. As a busy mom of 2 daughters, Gina balances motherhood and her career through many of the habits and practices she teaches her clients and team. Gina has been featured on Yahoo! Finance, named Top 10 Leadership Coaches in Influencive, and is a contributing author in the best-selling network marketing book series, Momentum Makers. Gina is God-driven and Goal-driven and uses personal development techniques to help others break down their business blocks, take control of their future, and reach success without the presence of "burnout."

Written by: Georgette LePage, 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. We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat!”, haven’t we? To most of us it means that if we eat in an unhealthy way, that’s how our body probably looks and feels and vice versa. I often tell clients to visualize where their “unhealthy foods” are going on their body to help them stop and think about if they REALLY want to eat that food. It’s a great tool for pausing and being more mindful about what you are actually choosing to eat. Today’s question is similar, to a degree. “What’s your diet like?” What I’m asking is…What are you consuming that requires your energy and focus? Where is your focus? Ah ha! That’s something very beneficial to stop and think about! For example, who do you spend time with? Do you spend time with positive, uplifting people who inspire you? If so, that can be contagious to your creativity level. Perhaps you surround yourself with negative people. What effect does that have on your energy level? So, who do you spend your time with, and is it serving you? How does it influence your mood and spirit? What kind of social media do you ingest? Does it make you feel good about yourself or do you feel defeated and unworthy when you see unrealistic pictures of people or captions about their “perfect” (so you think) life? Maybe it’s time to follow inspiring sources that leave you with a sense of purpose and reality instead of inadequacy. Have you ever thought about stepping outside of your comfort zone to follow people who offer you new ideas and ways of thinking? What types of books do you read? What do you spend your time reading? How often do you read? Perhaps you don’t take time to read. Why not? What kind of music do you listen to? How does it make you feel: relaxed or stressed? Do you watch the news (sometimes more than once a day) and feel uplifted or depressed? Are you watching programs that trigger feelings of joy or panic? WHY NOT? It’s certainly your choice to allow more joy and happiness into your life! The point of your “diet” is to consume what makes you happy, peaceful, and less stressed. Perhaps you just haven’t noticed where you’re putting your time and energy when it comes to your surroundings. The good news is that you have full control over what you do with your focus and energy. So, I challenge you to notice what your “diet” really is and see if something needs to be taken off your old menu and replaced with something that serves you better! Give it a try and see how that resonates with you! Bon appétit! Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Georgette LePage, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Georgette LePage is a certified Health and Life Coach who empowers women all around the world to lose their mental weight first in order to then lose their physical weight. Her approach is honest, real, clear, and genuine with transformational habit change and mindset reset methods. Georgette's energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Her focus on healthy lifestyle inspires her clients to leave behind old diet culture thoughts and patterns in order to embrace fresh and simple ways to live their best lives without diet drama. Empowerment, self confidence, and self care are cornerstones of the programs that she offers. She helps her clients to get the results that they want with realistic, real-life strategies. She lives her own life the way she coaches others. She listens to what her clients want and guides them with compassion and accountability as they achieve their goals. She works with people of all ages (teens to seniors and every age in between) who are ready to live a healthier, more joyful life. Georgette also hosts the talk radio show WHY WEIGHT? with Dr. Pat Baccili on Transformational Talk Radio. In addition to speaking English, she also is fluent in French and Spanish. Georgette has 32 years experience as a World Language Teacher, as well. Her coaching motto is: Feel better. Look better. Be your best self!

Written by: Bernadette Bruckner, 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. I love movies! One of my fav ourites is the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Sometimes you get the feeling that there is a ton of truth in such movies. Do you feel you are in the movie Groundhog Day currently with Covid19? One lockdown and restrictions, then the next lockdown and the same restrictions, then the next lockdown…you got me? Same, same but different? No! With the same routine over and over again, people get conditioned and adapt to what's happening to them while their known strategies don't work anymore. We could also call that "learning". As an NLP master practitioner and health communication scientist, I see it as conditioning by repetition until old, known strategies are adapted with something that works for the current situation, "to get it finally right" (a saying from the movie). As with children, when we learn something new, we finally get the loving and caring we are longing for. When do we finally get it right now? Do we ever get a global crisis and, at the same time, a personal crisis, right? What could be the positive outcome of such crises, I have wondered for 1.5 years already! You too? Let's delve a bit into communication and behavioural science. "How real is reality?" Paul Watzlawick once asked. What we have learned since childhood from others has shaped our reality, and yet it's a part of it. All those values, beliefs, and imprints created our identity and made us who we believe we are today. We act and react out of what we learned, as well as make our choices based on those imprints and that conditioning. I'll give you an example. The way we behave, even the way we brush our teeth and how we walk and eat, are learned from others who showed us, and we repeated it. The more we repeat and practise, the better we get. The same has been happening during Covid19 when we had to learn how to wear a mask, what distance is healthy for everybody, that this virus can be dangerous to others and that we can spread it and hurt others when we get too close. The first lockdown, we had no idea what was going on. The second lockdown, we knew what to do. The third lockdown, we did the same and reacted faster. Like brushing our teeth or learning to walk and run. We get better the more we practise it. It's simple. By getting information and then acting, we connect this information with our new behaviour. That's conditioning. So, what about you? Where were you conditioned and didn't question the truth in all the information you received? And whose truth is it? Whose reality is this? Yours? Groundhog days are wonderful for changes in whatever direction you choose. Can such days become awareness days of your blind spots, hidden subconsciously inside you and wanting to be seen, heard, and recognised? Like in the movie with Bill Murray, the day by day groundhog ended when he truly became himself and listened to his heart. Can you remember the movie's end? How many groundhog days did you go through in a situation till "you got it?" Or are we lost in the translation of our subconsciousness? Love reading from your story! For more information, follow me on Facebook, Instagram and visit my website! Read more from Bernadette! Bernadette Bruckner, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine The creative allrounder worked successfully in different working fields in Austria and abroad. By her interest in corporate communications, marketing, human resources, and many other business areas, she has appropriated an enormous amount of knowledge over more than 30 years. Numerous educations at international top-trainers like Richard Bandler, Robert Dilts, Roy Martina, and Clinton Swaine. Internationally active as a holistic trainer in health, nutrition, and mental health with exceptional holistic resilience methods. Founder of „iMM – intuitive mentoring method and 1-min-coaching-to-go“, further development of NLP, as well as „ORINITION® - n(fl)ourish soul.mind.body.“ – an innovative nutrition work of (re-) membering our own body intelligence. Successfully Master’s degree in health management with a focus on public health. International Ph.D. & research in health communication with a focus on psycholinguistics combined with neuroplasticity and health economics. International bestselling publisher and author of numerous books in different languages. Global Author Award 2018 / Nominatee NLP Award in Research 2019 in London. 2021 opening my own research center for intuitive science in Austria.

Written by: Emily Christine Schield, 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. Everyone has experienced that sinking feeling of opening the refrigerator only to find no actual food to eat. There may be some random condiments, vegetables that have wilted and are no longer edible, and overall not much substance to make a filling meal. Combine that with being hungry and you have yourself in a frustrating situation! It’s a good thing this problem has a solution and it has everything to do with getting back into a meal planning routine, creating meals you love, and cooking in a kitchen that actually inspires you. Since we all need to eat, we might as well learn how to enjoy the food experience in a kitchen space that is fun to create meals in. Use these simple tips to change your perspective and go from stressed and overwhelmed to calm, relaxed, and even excited. Here are 6 tips to help you become motivated to cook and reconnect back to your kitchen: Carve out 20 minutes every week deciding on the recipes you will be making. Whether you enjoy looking up recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Google, or in a good old- fashion cookbook, spending merely 20 minutes every week organizing your meal ideas will give you clarity in what you will be eating. It also gives you an opportunity to check in with what you are craving and what vegetables are in season. Additionally, when you choose meals that sound appetizing, perk the interest of your taste buds and visually inspire you, you will be much more motivated to spend time creating your meals. Getting to the end result of eating that hearty bowl of carrot ginger soup with a side of steaming hot buttered sourdough bread will leave you feeling grateful you planned! Decide what day you will be going grocery shopping, picking up food at your local farmer’s market or if you will be ordering groceries online Instead of going back and forth to the store throughout the week, when you know what recipes you will be making, you know exactly what ingredients need to be bought. This makes for hassle-free and organized meal planning. Clean out your refrigerator and toss out any expired food or condiments It is so easy to jam pack the refrigerator and have food get pushed to the back or hidden in a crisper drawer. Before restocking with new groceries, it’s helpful to know if anything needs to get tossed, composted, or eaten up. Then do a quick wipe down of any spills or sticky spots to ensure fresh food is getting stored in a clean space. Clear off the kitchen counter and remove excess clutter Since our brain can focus better with less stimulation, it’s very helpful to start prepping your meals on a clean counter space with very minimal décor (no lingering mail or magazines and no dirty dishes). Creating your food experience begins with the energy you feel when prepping meals so having a clean, clutter-free space will help you not only focus but enjoy the prepping process more. Create a “happy space” section in your kitchen Oftentimes, people don’t want to be in their kitchen cooking because the space doesn’t make them feel especially happy. I’ve found that creating a section known as a “happy space” will help draw you back to being in the kitchen. This could be a simple sign, candle, fresh flowers, or a plant you have in the corner that you enjoy visually looking at. The scene makes you feel happy, connected, and joyful. It’s sometimes the little spaces and the essence of nature that can reignite inspiration and happiness to be in the kitchen. Turn on music and light a candle when prepping meals Eating and cooking meals at home doesn’t need to be boring, chaotic, or stressful. Take a deep breath, turn on some soothing music (coffeeshop music is a great playlist to melt into), and light a candle. This helps to get your mind in a place to relax, calm down your nervous system and let go of any thoughts that tell you to meal prepping is a time-consuming chore. You may just spend a little more time in the kitchen than you think when you enjoy the atmosphere! Plus, opening the refrigerator to delicious leftovers is something that never gets old. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or visit my website. Emily Christine Schield, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Emily Schield is a holistic health and nutrition coach specializing in whole-food eating. After a decade-long battle with cystic acne and gut issues, she found healing in eating real food and set out on a journey to continue to improve her eating habits by attaining a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Culinary Arts from Bastyr University. She is passionate about cultivating a healthy lifestyle and helping women understand how important their mindset is in creating the health they desire. Emily enjoys teaching practical and fun culinary techniques to inspire women to reconnect back to their kitchen, local food, and ultimately themselves. She believes everyone is capable of creating a healthy body and healing is possible when given the right guidance and taking aligned action.

Written by: Leslie Parran, 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. It’s more important than ever to know how to naturally make your immune system sic, not sick. As your natural defense system, your immune system helps to protect you not only from infections but also from developing chronic disease. To a great extent, you can control your diet and lifestyle to keep your immune system humming. Having a sic (slang for awesome) immune system is key to your health. This means knowing how what aspects of diet and lifestyle influence your immune resilience so that your body can bounce back from an assault on your health. Implementing a healthy diet and lifestyle can help you avoid those pitfalls that can make your immune system sick. When you succumb to poor diet and lifestyle habits, this can lead to loss of immune tolerance, or the ability of your body’s immune system to fight back. So, implementing specific health habits can promote immune resilience. The Institute for Functional Medicine provides many natural immune-boosting practices to keep your immune system healthy. As a functional practitioner, I believe that as individuals we can use these natural measures to help support our immune function. Let’s start with Diet: Eat an anti-inflammatory diet-An anti-inflammatory diet includes foods that do not promote inflammation, focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables. Eliminate processed foods such as fast foods and boxed foods that contribute to inflammation. Eat organic if possible. Consider an Elimination Diet when you have signs of inflammation. An Elimination Diet helps to reduce inflammation by encouraging foods that do not cause inflammation and eliminating foods that do, allowing the gut to heal and inflammation to subside. This supports the immune system to return to normal function. You can test for food sensitivities or start with eliminating the most common triggers of inflammation. Eliminate common triggers of inflammation which include sugar, dairy, wheat/gluten, soy, alcohol for at least several weeks. If you know that you are sensitive to any other foods, also eliminate these from your diet. When re-introducing foods, introduce them slowly and wait ideally 3-4 days before introducing another food category, although many times after 1-2 days is okay. If any specific food results in symptoms, remove the food. Track your response to foods by keeping a diet journal and noting any symptoms when re-introducing foods. Eat the rainbow-Mixing up your fruits and veggies to add different colors helps to provide a balance of phytonutrients and vitamins. The rainbow diet is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules that prevent inflammation and oxidative stress. Red foods are particularly helpful for decreasing inflammation and immune system function.[i] You can get some good resources from Dr. Deanna Minich here. Add these foods that fight inflammation Ginger-Ginger has many anti-inflammatory functions and has been used for centuries for its ability to reduce inflammation similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. [ii] Citrus Fruit-Citrus is high in vitamin C, benefits the gut in several ways to maintain a healthy gut lining, regulate intestinal immune function, and shape a healthy microbiome.[iii] Turmeric/Curcumin-Curcumin is the orange-yellow component of turmeric and is well-known for its anti-inflammatory properties, although it has significant activating modulatory effects on immune cells as well as the ability to downregulate pro-inflammatory cytokines. [iv] Cruciferous vegetables-Cruciferous vegetables, also known as members of the Brassica family such as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower contain sulforaphane that helps reduce inflammation as well prevent cancer. These contain important polyphenols, antioxidants, carotenoids, as well as vitamins C and E to promote immune function.[v] Eat raw honey -While you don’t want to consume too much sugar, raw honey contains bee propolis, anti-oxidants, and bee pollen. It has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties, meaning that it can fight germs. Bee propolis has been shown to have anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects as well as the ability to regulate inflammation pathways. [vi] GBOMBs-Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD describes GBOMBs as Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds. These help your body fight off illness because they are full of critical nutrients. Greens such as broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts, and kale are rich in phytonutrients your immune system loves. They are also high in antioxidants, like lutein and zeaxanthin. They contain folate which helps in antibody production to fight off infection. Beans are full of fiber and resistant starch which help develop your gut microbiome. 75% of your immune system is in the gut, so it is helpful to have a healthy microbiome to keep your gut and immune system intact. Onions, garlic, and leeks contain quercetin which has powerful anti-bacterial properties. They also have prebiotic fibers which feed beneficial bacteria in the large intestine. Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries are high in phytochemicals and vitamins to keep the immune system healthy. Blueberries contain pterostilbene with can lower inflammation and fight disease. Seeds and nuts such as chia seeds, walnuts, and almonds contain fiber, micronutrients such as vitamin E, iron, zinc, and calcium. Zinc is particularly known for its role in immune function. Brazil nuts contain selenium, a key antioxidant. Eat fermented foods-Fermented foods promote healthy gut bacteria to maintain a healthy gut microbiome to boost your immune system as well as provide other health benefits.[vii] Fermented foods decrease inflammatory markers as well as increase the diversity of microbes in the gut microbiome. [viii] Take a good quality probiotic to keep your microbiome healthy and ready to fight infection. Probiotics help to regulate gut mucosal immunity through interactions with existing gut flora or potentially harmful pathogens, although the immunoregulatory mechanism of probiotics and its interaction with the gut microbiome is still not entirely understood.[ix] Maintain a healthy weight as obesity is associated with a higher risk of chronic disease and decreased ability to fight infection. Obesity and metabolic syndrome affect immune function, disease progression, and vaccine efficacy. [x] Obesity is similar to other forms of malnutrition, known to impair immune function, altering white blood cell counts as well as cell-mediated immune responses, and shows even greater impact with central forms of obesity where fat accumulation is greatest in the abdominal area.[xi] Next, let’s talk about Rest: Get adequate sleep: This is somewhere between 7-9 hours per night. Too little sleep can increase inflammation, decrease immune function, and promote chronic disease development while adequate sleep can reduce inflammation and promote balanced immune function.[xii] Sleep disturbances disrupt a normal circadian rhythm, promote inflammatory markers, and disrupt hormonal balance, particularly cortisol and adrenaline.[xiii] Make your bedroom a safe haven from electronics. Practice calming night-time rituals such as meditation or warm baths. Go to bed by 10 PM and have a consistent sleep schedule as possible. Use devices such as the Oura Ring to help track and analyze your sleep and readiness for activity. Dial-in the right amount of exercise: Light to moderate regular exercise protects against bacteria and viruses infections and enhances immune responses to pathogens and vaccines whereas too strenuous or no exercise increases the risk of infection and inflammatory markers.[xiv] Exercise provides anti-inflammatory support as well as stress relief, and as such can help improve outcomes from infectious disease.[xv] Too little exercise-If you are too sedentary, while this is often referred to as the ‘new smoking’, this association may not be appropriate based on the differences in research and confusion for the public it can create.[xvi] However, it is important to understand that sitting and lack of exercise can result in inflammation, loss of muscle mass, promote the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, which are potential risk factors for infection.[xvii] Too much exercise-Strenuous exercise can raise your stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to increased blood sugar and stress. It can run your body down, especially if you are not recovering with adequate rest. Just the right amount of exercise-This is essential to keep your body strong. Exercise helps your immune system by exerting direct anti-inflammatory effects particularly providing benefits for individuals with chronic disease. [xviii] Stress Management is super-critical: Acute stress is different than chronic stress. Chronic stress leads to chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalance which increases the risks of infection and disease. Both aging and chronic stress affect hormonal and immune balance at the level of your tissues, cells, and even intracellular components.[xix] Rate your stress level on a scale of 0 meaning no stress, to 10 meaning the worst stress possible. You can monitor your stress levels daily to see if you make any improvements by using some of the techniques below. Manage your stress-There are many ways to manage stress including breathing techniques, meditation, mindfulness, Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping), exercise, Qigong, Yoga, and others. Consciously working on managing your stress is important and pays off dividends for your ability to focus, reduce stress, and even improve your sleep. Stress can be physical, environmental, or chemical too, and not just psychological. To reduce chemical stress, it’s important to select products that are non-toxic and to avoid those with toxic chemicals which you can learn more about by visiting ewg.org. Environmental stress can be managed with measures such as air filtration, water filtration, as well as noise management and temperature management. Physical stress can be addressed with moderate exercise, proper body mechanics, and body alignment techniques. Consider Supplementation: Key dietary components such as vitamins C, D, E, zinc, selenium and the omega 3 fatty acids have well-established immunomodulatory effects, with benefits in infectious disease.[xx] Omega-3 supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – Can help to reduce inflammation along with a diet low in omega-6 fatty acids and an anti-inflammatory diet. [xxi] Vitamin D3 – Most people are deficient in vitamin D which is supercritical to healthy immune function. Supplementation of vitamin D3, usually with the addition of vitamin K2 can be very helpful in boosting immunity. Of note, it is important to talk with your provider about consuming vitamin K if you are on anti-coagulants. Vitamin C – This helps to prevent infection and is a natural anti-inflammatory. It also has been shown to reduce the duration of colds and viruses. Vitamin C helps in both innate and adaptive immunity.[xxii] Vitamin A – This vitamin is usually recommended short term and for those who have a deficiency to boost their ability to fight infection. Vitamin A (and vitamin D) regulate the microbial complexity, intestinal barrier function, and mucosal immune responses to ensure intestinal balance (homeostasis).[xxiii] Selenium – Selenium is an important trace mineral that functions to support immunity. Innate and adaptive immune responses against bacterial and parasitic infections rely on sufficient selenium for eliminating these pathogens. The benefits of supplementation against virus, bacteria, and other pathogens is not clear given in current research.[xxiv] However, foods such as Brazil nuts are high in selenium, and deficiency of selenium, at least in the United States is not common.[xxv] When you are exposed to an infectious organism, it’s important to be prepared and in an as healthy state as possible. While implementing these tips won’t reliably prevent infection, it will help support your body’s immune system balance and response. A qualified functional practitioner can support you to implement appropriate measures based on your individualized needs. If you are interested in getting support to improve your health to maximize your immune system, you can contact me to get a free discovery call to learn more. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Leslie! Leslie Parran, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Leslie Parran is a leader in natural holistic healing from inflammation and pain. As a nurse for 40 years with advanced nursing certifications, Leslie helped patients with chronic diseases and pain. Now as a Board-Certified Functional Wellness Coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner with several other holistic and functional practitioner certifications, she helps active and motivated people with chronic inflammation and pain move from pain to peace so that they feel better, move better, and live better. Leslie is the Owner and Champion Peacemaker of Peace x Piece Wellness Coaching. As a functional practitioner, she uses in-home lab testing to uncover hidden metabolic healing opportunities such as food sensitivities, hormonal imbalances, gut pathogens, and toxins that can sometimes, unknowingly, lead to inflammation, pain, and chronic health conditions. As a health coach, she uses positive psychology and personalized holistic healing protocols including diet, rest, exercise, stress management, and supplementation to help her clients make their bodies work the way they are supposed to and achieve their wellness goals. References: [i] Minich DM. A Review of the Science of Colorful, Plant-Based Food and Practical Strategies for "Eating the Rainbow" [published correction appears in J Nutr Metab. 2020 Nov 28;2020:5631762]. J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:2125070. Published 2019 Jun 2. doi:10.1155/2019/2125070 [ii] Grzanna R, Lindmark L, Frondoza CG. Ginger--an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions. J Med Food. 2005 Summer;8(2):125-32. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2005.8.125. PMID: 16117603. [iii] Wang M, Zhao H, Wen X, Ho CT, Li S. Citrus flavonoids and the intestinal barrier: Interactions and effects. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2021 Jan;20(1):225-251. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12652. Epub 2020 Nov 10. PMID: 33443802. [iv] Jagetia GC, Aggarwal BB. "Spicing up" of the immune system by curcumin. J Clin Immunol. 2007 Jan;27(1):19-35. doi: 10.1007/s10875-006-9066-7. Epub 2007 Jan 9. PMID: 17211725. [v] Kapusta-Duch J, Kopeć A, Piatkowska E, Borczak B, Leszczyńska T. The beneficial effects of Brassica vegetables on human health. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2012;63(4):389-95. PMID: 23631258. [vi] Berretta AA, Silveira MAD, Cóndor Captcha JM, De Jong D. Propolis and its potential against SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and COVID-19 disease: Running title: Propolis against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020 Nov;131:110622. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110622. Epub 2020 Aug 17. PMID: 32890967; PMCID: PMC7430291. [vii] Şanlier N, Gökcen BB, Sezgin AC. Health benefits of fermented foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(3):506-527. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2017.1383355. Epub 2017 Oct 20. PMID: 28945458. [viii] Wastyk HC, Fragiadakis GK, Perelman D, Sonnenburg ED, Gardner CD, Sonnenburg JL.Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell, 8 VOLUME 184, ISSUE 16, P4137-4153.E14, July 12, 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.06.019. [ix] Zhang CX, Wang HY, Chen TX. Interactions between Intestinal Microflora/Probiotics and the Immune System. Biomed Res Int. 2019;2019:6764919. Published 2019 Nov 20. doi:10.1155/2019/6764919 [x] Andersen CJ, Murphy KE, Fernandez ML. Impact of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome on Immunity. Adv Nutr. 2016 Jan 15;7(1):66-75. doi: 10.3945/an.115.010207. PMID: 26773015; PMCID: PMC4717890. [xi] de Heredia FP, Gómez-Martínez S, Marcos A. Obesity, inflammation and the immune system. Proc Nutr Soc. 2012 May;71(2):332-8. doi: 10.1017/S0029665112000092. Epub 2012 Mar 20. PMID: 22429824. [xii] Besedovsky L, Lange T, Haack M. The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease. Physiol Rev. 2019 Jul 1;99(3):1325-1380. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00010.2018. PMID: 30920354; PMCID: PMC6689741. [xiii] Rico-Rosillo MG, Vega-Robledo GB. Sueño y sistema immune [Sleep and immune system]. Rev Alerg Mex. 2018 Apr-Jun;65(2):160-170. Spanish. doi: 10.29262/ram.v65i2.359. PMID: 29983013. [xiv] Scheffer DDL, Latini A. Exercise-induced immune system response: Anti-inflammatory status on peripheral and central organs. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2020;1866(10):165823. doi:10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165823 [xv] Filgueira TO, Castoldi A, Santos LER, et al. The Relevance of a Physical Active Lifestyle and Physical Fitness on Immune Defense: Mitigating Disease Burden, With Focus on COVID-19 Consequences. Front Immunol. 2021;12:587146. Published 2021 Feb 5. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.587146 [xvi] Vallance JK, Gardiner PA, Lynch BM, et al. Evaluating the Evidence on Sitting, Smoking, and Health: Is Sitting Really the New Smoking?. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(11):1478-1482. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304649 [xvii] Martinez-Ferran M, de la Guía-Galipienso F, Sanchis-Gomar F, Pareja-Galeano H. Metabolic Impacts of Confinement during the COVID-19 Pandemic Due to Modified Diet and Physical Activity Habits. Nutrients. 2020 May 26;12(6):1549. doi: 10.3390/nu12061549. PMID: 32466598; PMCID: PMC735222 [xviii] Jesus I, Vanhee V, Deramaudt TB, Bonay M. 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Written by: Hala Dagher Chibani , 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. The day I stepped foot in America after fleeing an endless war, corruption, suppression, and uncertainty was the first time I felt safe in a long time. Thoughts raced in my head: Today is the beginning of a new life. A life I’ve only seen in movies and magazines. I’m a new world, a world full of opportunities to create the life that I know I was born to live. But the story didn’t go exactly how I envisioned it, and it probably doesn't for many of the immigrants and their families. While we are excited to start a new life, we are also feeling disconnected, not only from our country, families, culture, and everything we once knew. We are feeling disconnected from our own identity. The journey to becoming fully ourselves in a new country is one of resilience, growth, and unspeakable courage and transformation. A transformation that often leads us to find ourselves again, owning who we are so we can live our best life. Today we celebrate National Immigrants Day. Let's celebrate stories of high achieving immigrant women and daughters of immigrants who pushed the status quo on a daily basis and triumphed in reinventing themselves. What’s even more tremendous is that by doing so they created a ripple effect of impact and transformation for others. This has been my story and the stories of Stephanie Zhong and Erna Blooms. Stephanie Zhon g- Brand Storyteller, Marketing Coach, and Founder of Dear Ann Media. Being raised by immigrant parents, my life straddled two worlds: the American Dream, and the Chinese culture my parents brought over with them. My mom was a talented writer and a painter who put her dreams on hold and took a job as a university librarian to support our family. While I had her creative passionate spirit, I felt the same pressure to pursue a practical career. For years, I zig-zagged between careers that made money or made me creatively happy. Each time I pivoted, a small part of me got left behind. On my 45th birthday, I couldn’t play this game anymore. I took the day off to sit in the discomfort and listen to what my heart wanted for my life. I saw a vision of a graveyard of broken dreams and promises behind me and a blank canvas in front of me. The next two years I reconnected with the best, hidden parts of myself and wove them into a clear, cohesive story of who I am, my purpose, and my unique lane of expertise. I launched a brand storytelling business that helps you captivate your audience and clients with your authentic, unique story. I’ve learned that what makes you different is your greatest differentiator. You've got a unique combination of identity, personal and professional experience that no one else on the planet has. When you can articulate this story to yourself and others, you reveal unexpected value and become unstoppable. Erna Blooms - Character Branding™️ Expert, Growth Action Coach, and Founder of Blooming Aces Creative. Growing up in Indonesia, I learned from my parents how they created their businesses from the ground up. From opening a small cinema, starting a T-shirt silk-screening facility to expanding a seafood exporting business to Japan and USA. Two memorable lessons that my Dad shared from his entrepreneurial journey were being honest and taking responsibility no matter what mistakes we made as long as we learned from it, and treating his employees with respect and care as if they were our own family. When I started my first full-time job as a Graphic Designer, designing behind the scenes for big major brands, I had a fear of not being good enough because English wasn’t my first language, and I didn’t have much work experience in America. Fortunately, my VP at the time patiently mentored me whenever I got a challenging task, which expanded my expertise until I was promoted to the Creative Director position. Through working with her for almost 13 years, I learned a great deal about how she made people in her charge feel safe to do our work well and grow from our mistakes and new opportunities. After she left the company, the upper management changed and the corporate culture was no longer aligned with my core values. I saw a vision of the unlimited potential of wealth and fulfillment through entrepreneurship, and I feel connected with a purposeful mission which is to utilize my talents and business experience to help good people win. What surprised me during my entrepreneurship is that most of my business came from the people who remembered and appreciated how I served them or treated them during my corporate job, and until today, still refer me to more business opportunities. With this realization, I have become humbled and extremely passionate about helping people discover their unique character strengths so they can build an authentic lifetime brand that sustains their business in the most fulfilling ways. Hala Dagher Chibani- Business Coach, Online Growth Strategist, and Founder of Next Level Entrepreneurs. Growing up in Beirut, Lebanon in the midst of a civil war that lasted 16 years, I watched people put their dreams and their well-being on the back burner in order to survive. I saw firsthand how hard my mom and dad persevered to support us. Despite that, they always had a smile on their face, encouraging us to dream big and go after what we want. They showed me the importance of being resilient in overcoming challenges and staying mentally strong during tough times. It nudged me to take bigger risks. With a 6-month-old baby in my arms, my husband and I fled the country on a boat and embarked on a new journey in the U.S. For the next 15 years, I embraced work-life as a young professional, tenaciously working towards building a better future. Back then, I equated success to building a great career, however , the journey to building this great career completely changed my views on success and life in general. After climbing the corporate ladder for many years, I had reached the kind of success I thought I wanted, however, it didn’t feel as satisfying or as fulfilling as I expected. On the outside looking in, things looked great, a good career, a beautiful family, home...etc. But what no one knew is that on the inside, I was feeling unfulfilled, burned out, and looking for more out of life. I learned that success looks different for each one of us, and until we understand and define what it means to us, we will continue on going through life with blinders on, seeking society’s version of success, trying to fit in someone else’s mold, and will continue to be disappointed and uninspired. When my corporate career came to a halt and I was laid off along with 17,000 employees, I saw this as an opportunity in disguise. I saw a pivot into entrepreneurship as the way to make a bigger impact and do work that is both meaningful and fulfilling. I embarked on a self-discovery journey that brought an awakening I didn’t even expect. Each day I was peeling off layers of conditioning, beliefs, and expectations that no longer served me. It helped me uncover and connect with my true identity again, show up more authentically, and get crystal clear on my purpose and mission in life. It transformed my life. Through helping other immigrants embark on similar reinvention journeys, I realized how much we have in common. A lot of us have dreams that we push to the side thinking they’re unattainable or unrealistic. The underlying reason is often a lack of awareness of who we are, what we want, and value. This became my new mission- To help other immigrants and diverse women connect with their true self again, uncover and embrace what makes them unique or what I call our ‘superpower’, and leverage it to make a bigger impact on the world. Thereby realizing our full potential, living in alignment with who we are born to be, and creating success on our own terms. When we align our hearts and minds in one direction, share our unique gifts passionately with the world, we are lifting each other to new heights, and supporting missions and people we care about. That is our Next Level of being. As immigrants, we understand the ‘work-hard’ mindset quite well. But, it is time to break free from it. It is time for us to leave draining careers to create a life we fully and wholeheartedly love. It is time to live in alignment and take the lead on orchestrating success on our own terms. Please stop dismissing the calling you have to be more, explore more, and leverage more of your given potential. You are being guided to where you need to be. You’re led to uncover your true purpose, to share your superpower with the world, to make more impact, and live the life you were born to live. You might ignore this calling in the beginning, or convince yourself that it’s selfish and ungrateful of you to want more. But, let me just tell you, your calling won’t go away- EVER. It needs to be fulfilled because it is the only way for you to live your best, most authentic life. If you’re feeling stuck in a meaningless career, feeling called for something bigger, and seeking clarity, set some time aside to reflect on these prompts: 1. What big dreams do I have today that I no longer want to ignore? 2. What expertise and lessons have I learned that would be valuable for others to know? 3. What passions, talents, and intricacies light me up and bring me joy? 4. What would an aligned reinvention look like for me? Open your heart. Decide that you are ready to live in alignment, expand your impact and maximize your potential. Decide that you’re ready for life and career to be more joyful, more rewarding, and more fulfilling. You deserve that! Happy National Immigrants Day! Follow me on Facebo ok , Instagram , LinkedIn , or visit my website for more info! Hala Dagher Chibani, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Hala Dagher Chibani, is an award-winning leadership expert, business coach, online growth strategist, and founder of Next Level Entrepreneurs. She supports high-achieving minority women in business to pivot from employees to entrepreneurs to make a bigger impact, find fulfillment, inspiration, and balance in their life again. Hala empowers professional women to leverage their expertise & God-given gifts to transition online as new coaches, consultants, and service providers. Previously, Hala held various leadership roles with fortune 50 companies ranging from the Middle East to North America where she received a number of awards for exceptional leadership and top business results YOY. When she’s not advocating for gender equality, bringing visions to life, coaching and mentoring leaders, Hala is indulging in culture and food with her husband and two girls. Get in touch with Hala and Next Level Entrepreneurs and connect on social media.

Written by: Stacy-Ann Bryan, 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. In reality, there are three pillars of a relationship: 1) intimacy; 2) love; 3) a shared vision. Frankly, intimacy is the most important pillar in a relationship because, without intimacy, the relationship is just a friendship. But how do we maximise intimacy in a relationship & enjoy a love life that is meaningful, sustainable, and satisfying? Never underestimate the power of your pussy. Empowered women understand that pussy is actually a positive word which refers to a woman’s private parts because an empowered woman has positive and empowering associations with her private parts. Yes, your pussy is powerful due to the following reasons: Your pussy generates feminine energy. Your pussy is the source of pleasure. Your pussy makes your love life exciting, enjoyable, and rewarding. Your pussy adds tremendous value to your relationship. The purpose of your pussy isn’t just intimacy in the bedroom. As a matter of fact, when you honour the power of your pussy, you acknowledge your femininity. Meanwhile, you know that pleasure is your birthright – yes, you are entitled to pleasure! Interestingly, when you have this attitude in a relationship, your partner respects you more because your attitude indicates… “ This is how I treat myself, so I expect you to treat me in this way as well .” Remember: a man loves a woman that he respects. Build a love life by design (not by default). If you leave your love life to chance, it’s just like trying to get rich by winning the lottery - and that’s a pretty lousy way to get rich, right? Sadly, many women get a love life by default because they have intimacy fears, past trauma as well as thoughts and feelings from past relationships. Consequently, they do not acknowledge, honour or value their pussy. Actually, this is very, very common. When you get a love life by default, you oftentimes find it difficult to share your insecurities with the person you are dating because fundamentally, trust issues are in the way – your intuition knows you are dating the wrong person. What’s more, insecurities tend to attract the wrong person anyway, so you are more likely to be used by users, losers, and abusers. This is sad but true. By contrast, when you create a love life by design , you know the power of your feminine source, your pussy, and your soul. Hence, you have high standards – only the right person who can meet your standards will rock up because your standards are the organic filter. As a result, you are happy to share your vulnerabilities with your partner – deep down you know your partner will become closer to you and love you even more after knowing your vulnerabilities, as sharing your vulnerabilities strengths the emotional connection (only the wrong person will take advantage of your vulnerabilities / use your vulnerabilities against you). Therefore, you would be well-advised to create a love life by design , not by default . And the first step is to honour your pussy… 😉 Follow me on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and visit my website for more info! Stacy-Ann Bryan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Stacy-Ann is an Global Award Winning Intuitive Relationship Matchmaker, teaching successful women to unleash their Pussy Power to attract all their desires & Mr Right. After her own experience with unsuccessful relationships, and losing confidence in herself and attracting love, Stacy-Ann realized the deep need for support and change within the relationship industry. She has since created a powerful platform where women can connect, heal, and become who they truly are - unleashing their fear and setbacks while re-creating the love they deserve and never settling for less. She is the Founder and Director of Just Be Solutions coaching services, owner of her own Becoming Academy and Pussy Power expert catering for women worldwide. Stacy-Ann is an Intuitive Healer, serving women around the globe to embrace their unique feminine energy. She has transformed her clients' relationships from self-imposed limitations, allowing them to rediscover themselves, attract the right connections, and empower them in the process. Stacy-Ann is a No 1 Best-selling Author of her own book called Creating Impact where she has shared her own journey, struggles, and life lessons from being a broken woman to an advocate of women's empowerment & self-love and attracting Mr. Right the right way. confidence in herself and attracting love, Stacy-Ann realized the deep need for support

Written by: Denise Stegall, 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. Holiday! Celebrate! Are you looking forward to the upcoming holidays? Well, lucky you. They started on October 31st! Yes, on Halloween. As a Health and Lifestyle Coach, I see Halloween as a full-fledged holiday, not just for children. Adults celebrate in some way or another, too. Whether you don a costume, funky hat, or not, you indulge with candy, food, and drink. My educated guess is that you have purchased a super-sized bag (s) of candy "for the trick or treaters" that you expect to show up at your door. Halloween is celebrated very differently since we were kids when going door to door dressed as pirates or princesses was the norm. The mall is now the place to take the little ones for a safe Halloween. Why do we hoard all of this Halloween candy? For one, it's cheap to buy in bulk. However, in my experience as a coach, I believe that it's related to what I now know as Food FOMO. I can't take credit for the term introduced to me a few years ago by Living Healthy List Expert Lauren Yellin Weinberg, MS, NBC-HWC from Lasting Change Wellness. During an interview, we discussed how to avoid food FOMO in general, which even the most disciplined of us struggle with from time to time. Somehow, we discount Halloween for its importance in our Holiday Celebrations. Celebrations that all include food! The extra bars of chocolates and candy leftover from the lack of Trick or Treaters make for quick pick-me-ups during marathon cookie or pie baking that comes with the Holidays. We are misguided or consciously avoiding the fact that Holiday Food FOMO has already begun. Not at the end of November at Thanksgiving but on November 1st when we realize how much leftover goodies we have in our pantries. If you attended an adult Halloween party, you've probably already struggled with Food FOMO by enjoying a glass or two of smoking punch, monster eye appetizers, or dead-ful desserts. I know you just wanted one, but they all looked so good, and you tried them all. The same thing happens with those fun-sized chocolate bars that you bought in bulk. Why? Because you will pick out a few of your favorites, eat more than one since they are so tiny. Before you know it, you've eaten the equivalent of a full-sized candy bar. I'm guilty of it myself. Can we agree that the Holidays begin with All Hallows Eve? Great! Now let's make a plan to avoid Food FOMO for the rest of the Holiday Season. Step 1: Donate all of the extra candy you have leftover. Please bring it to your local Boys and Girls Clubs (the candy was intended for the kids anyway); any of the Homes that Heal like Gift of Life Transplant House in MN, Ronald McDonald House, or Hope Lodge. They will gladly accept your donations. With the candy out of the house, you can stay on track with your healthy habits. I'm not saying that a piece of candy here and there doesn't have a place in your life, but why keep the temptation in your pantry when you can share with others? Thanksgiving and Hannukah fall on the same week this year, so many people are getting a double whammy regarding Food FOMO. So, this next step is essential. Step 2: Plan NOW! Why do we always indulge on Thanksgiving? It is just one meal, yet most of us put enough food on our plates to equate to 2 and even three meals. And I'm not even adding in dessert! No wonder why we feel full, bloated, and sleepy afterward. Don't blame the tryptophan in the turkey because you know very well that a lot more on your plate causes you to feel this way. Butter, cream, potatoes, mac and cheese, potatoes, creamy mushroom soup, and French-fried onions may be the culprits. Did I mention stuffing? Hello, carbs. Not that carbs are bad, but all in one sitting is not a good plan. I'll admit this all sounds so delicious that my mouth is watering just thinking about it. So, let's get back to the plan. Are you the host this year? Great! Then you have control over what gets served. Make it simple. Good food made with simple ingredients tastes the best. Perhaps replace a few calories heavy dishes with lighter ones. I bet your family won't even notice. You can find thousands of healthier holiday favs online. My trick is to pick the one that looks the most delicious and go with that one. If you are not hosting, you can always bring a de-lite-ful dish that you will enjoy and have no guilt eating. Aside from that here’s the plan. Before you fill your plate, scan the table, whether family style or buffet and look at everything you could put on your plate. Bypass the typical dishes that you might have on any given weeknight. You'll have more room on your plate and save calories, so pick something else. Honestly, you're not missing out if you forgo the green bean dish. As a plant-forward cook, it pains me to see beautiful tender green beans drowning in glop, even if it is grandma's recipe. Step 3: Take small portions of everything you choose. You can always go back for seconds if you are still hungry after you've finished. Besides, you leave some extra food for leftovers. If you do go back for seconds, protein is your best option, even adding a little extra gravy. Weight gain during the holidays equates to the amount you eat versus what you burn off. Food FOMO is an issue as most of us eat more than usual and work out less than we should. We get busy preparing for the holidays, cooking, baking, and shopping so unless it’s a priority exercise is the first thing that gets scratched from your to-do list. We are all subject to Food FOMO during the holidays, and the "trick" to managing it is simple. It does take a little thought and planning. Follow these recommendations, and you'll enjoy the holidays without stress, overwhelm, or Food FOMO. Plan ahead Think before you drink. Take in the atmosphere. Celebrate family and friends. Step back and breathe. The holidays give you the opportunity to express gratitude for the abundance in your life, to appreciate your good health, to honor the relationships you have with family and friends. To acknowledge the opportunities that have come your way and even to resolve to do better next year. Take it all in and make memories that last a lifetime. That is the real reason we celebrate. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Denise! Denise Stegall, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Denise Stegall is the CEO and curator of Living Healthy List.com. As an inspirational thought leader, she is determined to provide Living Healthy List readers with honest, reliable, research-backed information in health, wellness, personal development, and fun that can be implemented in real life. Denise began her career with a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant, business management with a focus on nutrition. She’s condensed 25 years of experience and study in nutrition, cooking, exercise, and coaching to help women find a happy, healthy, lifestyle that works for them. Her experience in cooking and nutrition delivers a unique perspective on what works (and doesn’t work) for most people. Her philosophy revolves around three fundamentals: Eat Real Food, Make Good Decisions, and Be Accountable.

Written by: Beckie Kullberg, 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 summer I turned 54 and feel better than I have for years, thanks to hiking. To me, hiking always seemed like something athletes did or someone wildly adventurous. Neither of those described me… or did it? Walking for exercise is perfect. It’s free, you can do it anywhere, and it improves your health. Walking can be done in a mall or right from your TV if the weather is bad and you can’t get out. It works for every fitness level and pretty much anyone can do it. Walking takes you to places you might not go otherwise and allows you to do it with others or alone. So versatile. In March of 2020, our world changed with the arrival of COVID-19 and the shelter at home orders we got in the US that lasted much longer than 2 weeks as originally suggested. A true test in mental health and resiliency, we were all tested. I had so many emotions bottled up and needed an outlet to release safely and aggressively. The walks I was doing were nice, and I did get a workout, however, I needed something more. Something that would push me and my perceived limits to help ward off all the noise in my head. I NEEDED NATURE! You may argue that walking too is done in nature and I would agree, however hiking takes you to places that most don’t ever see. A friend and I reconnected after a few years over text and she mentioned she had been hiking so I asked her if I could join her. She was thrilled. Then I wondered, “wait, am I in good enough shape to hike?” “Do I have the right shoes?” “Do I bring water?” I felt so ill-prepared. The first day I showed up in my regular walking attire and it was perfectly fine for the 5.5-mile hike we did that day. The vertical climb was enough to make my request to stop and rest only about 7 times. To be honest, I was a little bit embarrassed that I wasn’t in better shape with all my walking. My friend was so understanding and patient with me as I stood there and caught my breath pretending like I wanted to enjoy the scenery while I gasped for air. “Such a beautiful view here”, I’d say hoping for her to look long enough for me to recover. It worked! In time I believe she figured it out and was kind enough to play along. As my lungs got stronger so did my legs. Last summer was the first time I was able to get up on one water ski since my early twenties. It was a huge and glorious milestone and one that I won’t forget since I tried for 10 years prior unsuccessfully. After months of hiking, I just popped right up on one ski like I had been doing it all my life. That moment added 10 years to my life. Back to hiking… the first few times I went I wore a draw-string backpack for my water, keys, and wallet and wondered why my shoulders were hurting so much. While visiting an outdoor store (something I didn’t see myself visiting much before hiking) I decided to try on some backpacks and found one that suited all my needs. Backpacks are like purses, always searching for the perfect one. This backpack could store a hydration bladder in it and I thought that was genius. On the first day of hiking with my new backpack, my friend asked, “Why haven’t you needed to stop to drink water?” I showed her my handy dandy water drinking tube from my pack. This would be the same system we both poo-pooed during our hikes. She put in her backpack and hydration system order as soon as she got home. This purchase led to better hiking shoes, socks, fitted shorts, and tops that I never thought I’d wear in public, sleeveless. During most hikes the thought, “I don’t know that I can do this” runs through my mind and when I complete my hike I gain mental strength that I didn’t know I had. This makes me feel younger! Pushing myself beyond what I think I can do has increased my resiliency and the ability to see beyond what’s possible in my business life. With each hike we became more courageous, “where shall we go next?” Discovering new trails in our area has allowed us to see things we didn’t even know existed here. On a new to us trail at Jenner Headlands, we thought we’d do the 9-mile loop, and another day we’d come back to go all the way up to Pole Mountain, a 17 mile up and back hike. When we got to the fork to do our 9-mile loop or cut up and go to Pole Mountain we pondered for a moment. “It’s only 8 more miles”, we said. “Who are we!?!” I thought to myself and together we decided, “Let’s go for it!” Another adventure adding years to my life through excitement and exercise. During our trek to the top of Pole Mountain, we both had ideas of what or if there was a pole up there. My idea was kind of like the North Pole in “The Santa Clause” and my friend had imagined a stripper pole. We both laughed hysterically like someone who hasn’t slept for many nights. It was 6 inches, SIX INCHES! The pole on top of Pole Mountain was a six-inch metal pole sticking up from the ground. We laughed and then took in the views on the top of this mountain that gifted up a 360* clear sight of Sonoma County. It was breathtaking. At that moment I knew that I was hooked on hiking. I wanted more. I wanted to see more. I wanted to feel this excitement that one only gets from just doing it even when it feels hard and don’t think they can. We went on to hike Half Dome at Yosemite, TWICE, hiked Pole Mountain 7 times, Mt. Tamalpais, and many more… next up is Rim to Rim at Grand Canyon. For my 54th birthday this year, I went on a hiking trip with a girlfriend to Vail Colorado. It was epic! Hiking, for me, has been my church. After a good hike, I feel fresh, challenged, and rejuvenated. I may have just turned 54 and I feel like I am much younger and I have COVID to thank for that. For more info, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and visit my website! Read more from Beckie! Beckie Kullberg, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine For the past thirty years, Beckie Kullberg has guided women of all ages and walks of life to fully understand and embrace self-love. She is a gentle leader who bonds with her clients and provides a safe haven for them to build body confidence and achieve a positive mindset. Her own story of binge-eating and recovery prompted her to create programs and tools to help others succeed in establishing strong self-esteem. Beckie coined the phrase “image nemesis” as she designed the courses “30 Days to Breakup with Binge Eating” and “Body Confidence and Weight Release.” After hiding her secret for years (even her husband didn’t know), Beckie took multiple self-development courses and made the shift to stop the shame and restore optimal health of mind and body. She feels grateful to live in scenic Sonoma County with her husband of eighteen years and her teenage son, where she loves to hike the local trails and connect with nature.

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview You're the founders of Oddspedia JSC, one of the leading sports sites in the world. Can you tell us more about your work together and how you ended up where you are today? Jan Möller: Oddspedia was founded in 2014 by me, Jan Möller, and my business partner, Jeton Kodia. I have been in the gambling industry since 2009, becoming an iGaming affiliate when I turned my hobby into my profession. Gambling is part of my life - I love betting, casino games, and poker. As a student and not the most profitable poker player, I discovered the Affiliate Program button at my favorite poker platform, Party Poker. Soon after that, I started as an affiliate by printing PartyPoker vouchers with my affiliate code on them, then distributing them in the mailboxes of my entire neighborhood in Kassel, where I studied. Jeton Kodia: Yes, we met in Kassel, where we both studied. We both had shared interests in gambling and decided to turn our interests into our jobs. Additionally, with my first name Jeton, it was somehow destiny that I had to step into this industry. How did you come up with the idea of Oddspedia and were both of you always focused on the affiliate space? Jeton Kodia: As I already hinted at before, I wanted to focus more on the odds of sports betting. Therefore, I teamed up with Jan, who was equally passionate about sports in general and football in particular. Together, we co-founded our company and website Oddspedia. The main goal of our company is to provide valuable, competitive, and user-friendly services for sports betting fans, players, and publishers. Since its inception and over the course of several years, Oddspedia has established itself as one of the biggest international affiliates in the sports betting world. Have you encountered any major challenges during your journey and how have these affected you? Jan Möller: During all these years we faced many challenges, the worst one resulting in the reduction of half of the company staff, which was a shock for both sides. But as founders of the company, it’s necessary to make decisions that are not easy in order to ensure the company survives. Now, we are happy to say that we are in a much more stable position, both for us and for our employees. As two co-founders of a large company, do you find it difficult to agree on joint decisions? Jeton Kodia: Respect and honesty are the keys to each business partnership or friendship. We have always supported each other. We are discussing important decisions on a daily basis and we respect each other's opinions - the “winner” doesn’t stem from ego, but from the most compelling and respectable arguments. We respect each other as equals, which is very necessary if we want to realize the company’s full potential. It's important to share the same intentions, and once we agree on a way to do something, we hold each other equally responsible regardless of whether the outcome was good or bad. Can you give our readers tips on qualities and skills that are essential in an affiliate team/business? Jeton Kodia: Don't start something just by yourself if you are a newbie. First, dip your toes in the water and gain some experience in the industry. I would recommend starting with a job at a bigger affiliate company or in affiliate marketing at an operator. If you are smart, you can learn a lot quickly and avoid a bunch of costly mistakes you might have made otherwise. In the next step, you can try out your own ideas. By then, you already have a sound understanding of the industry, which allows you to make even better products right from the beginning. You’ll be able to realize a return on your investment in what’s likely to be a much shorter timeframe as well. Is there something special that keeps you motivated? Jan Möller: Running your own business means that you can give customers what you believe to be the best products and services. Seeing positive and appreciative reactions from your customers based on what you provide them can be incredibly motivating. So to build the best gambling affiliate product out there is challenging and keeps me motivated. What makes you feel ‘out of your comfort zone?’ How do you handle these types of situations? Jan Möller: You can only improve outside of your comfort zone. Without challenge, you grow too comfortable in your skills and position, and improving yourself becomes nearly impossible. Trying new things is vital if you want to be an informed and innovative entrepreneur. How do you handle this situation? Close your eyes and go through! You have also launched widgets for webmasters and digital publishers which help them monetize their website through affiliate marketing? Tell us more about the widgets and process of monetizing. Jeton Kodia: One of the main issues for editors, publishers, and affiliates is providing real-time data to their customers. It is extremely hard to find a proper way to do it. The Oddspedia Widgets fill the gap between sports data feeds and operators. For editors, the Oddspedia Widgets have been developed as a real “all-in-one” solution. These tools can be implemented into any site by simply pasting their code, thus providing that site’s users with real-time odds data. Publishers can benefit from the live information by not only providing their users an odds comparison widget for free, but they can include their affiliate link to the respective bookmaker. Clicks are shared on a 50/50 basis. The way the split works is that the widgets rotate two links, one for the publisher and the other for Oddspedia, so there’s an equal chance for a user to sign up using one or the other. Publishers will get real-time sports data without any cost for them, which they can very easily and quickly provide to their user base. So, what’s the next big goal or project and how can someone get in contact with you? Jeton Kodia: The next big goals are to enter more markets with oddspedia.com. We just went live in the Netherlands with a franchise partner. Also, we have a franchise partner in the USA and we are getting more and more licenses for this market. In the meanwhile, we are working constantly on the product itself. More Data, more content, more tools, improving everything so we have more and better solutions to create. It's a never-ending process, but that’s how we like it! For more info, follow Jeton Kodia on Facebook, LinkedIn or visit their website. For more info, follow Jan Möller on Twitter, LinkedIn or visit their website.

Written by: Teekwa Scarborough, 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. As a virtual assistant, your job will be to assist a company, individual, or small business owner over the phone, over email, and even through video chat. Virtual assistants are a valuable asset to many organizations in many different industries. Their diverse skill sets allow them to be an asset to clients needing administrative or technical assistance. As more people become entrepreneurs, remote work is becoming popular with entrepreneurs, so they don't have to give up their freedom. What is a virtual assistant? Virtual assistants are people with skills who can work remotely and assist with any tasks requested by their clients. They can provide administrative support, small business support, customer service, and content writing. As the virtual assistant industry grows, we will see more work from home opportunities for high-tech skills like IT or programming professionals. Virtual assistants who have these skills would be able to assist companies remotely while working from home. The virtual assistant industry is growing and will have double the number of virtual assistants during 2020. The way companies do business is changing, and workers are learning to adapt to the changing marketplace. While the height of the COVID-19 pandemic saw over a third of the American workforce — that's roughly 59 million workers — doing freelance work, this trend was already developing before the pandemic. According to Upwork's annual Freelance Forward study, while this is a 22% increase from pre-pandemic numbers, it has also come as a result of younger and highly-skilled professionals seeking flexible alternatives to traditional employment. The Financial Benefits of Being a Virtual Assistant Working remotely or becoming a virtual assistant is becoming more popular. There are many benefits to doing so, which is why it's becoming more common. The primary benefit of being a VA is financial independence. For some people, the opportunity to work from home or on the go has given them a way to earn money without relying on an employer for their income. Furthermore, for self-employed people, working independently can allow them to be their own bosses and set their own schedules. If they don't like one of these aspects, they can adjust accordingly with ease. Being a VA also gives people an increased ability to travel and explore the world outside of what might be otherwise possible if they had a 9-to-5 office job at home or elsewhere. Remote work is not about spending all day at home on the couch. It is about being able to work anywhere, anytime, hence the name "remote working." The financial independence that comes with working from home as a virtual assistant can also help people with mortgages or other expensive living costs. One of my clients, Sheyel Rorie, of Virtual Way said, "I enjoy being a virtual assistant because it affords me to live my best life, and knowing I can take of my grandchildren and live a legacy is the best feeling." Working Remotely Means Longer Vacations or No Vacations at All Vacation is one of the benefits that virtual assistants have that is not offered in any other type of job. Virtual assistants can take a vacation without worrying about being replaced since no one else needs to do their job. The disadvantage of taking vacation as a virtual assistant is that they have to factor the time and expense in their revenue, and if you don't meet you goal, you will not be able to go on vacation. If you work for a company, you get paid vacation, but you will not have to worry about not taking a vacation if you plan out your revenue goals as a VA. Additionally, the best thing about being a virtual assistant, you can take your work with you and plan to work a couple of hours a day if you want to while on vacation. Your client will not miss a beat. Advantages: Work any time of the day No commute or office work No time or location constraints Low costs of living and fewer taxes Disadvantages: Work never stops regardless of your current situation. Lifestyle can be tough to maintain while working as a new virtual assistant. Once you get your systems in place, they will be more manageable. Choosing to become a virtual assistant reduces stress and allows for a healthier lifestyle, both of which can lead to more extended vacations. My client Phillppa Parkinson, of Virtual Consultancy says, "Working as a virtual assistant means I get to work remotely from anywhere in the world. I am not tied down to going into an office and watching the clock all day. I work with my client to build their business, which means I am more invested in making this arrangement between 2 business owners work." Does Working as a Virtual Assistant Means Less Social Interactions with people? Many virtual assistants do not have an office or cubicle traditionally associated with their occupation, opting instead to work from home offices or coffee shops. This lack of social interactions with coworkers and colleagues can be both a pro and a con. On the one hand, they have more time to devote to their work without worrying about commuting to the office or being interrupted by colleagues. However, this lack of human interaction can lead to feelings of isolation and depression, which is why many VA's are prone to taking breaks from their work for fifteen minutes. The Benefits: Working from home means less social interaction with people. If you can't deal with people daily, this job is perfect for you. Working from home, you have the advantage of meeting different people around the world to make more connection. You get to work flexible hours and only work when you want to. You can take a break whenever you feel like it, and there is no one telling you what to do. Virtual assistants can make a lot of money if they set up their business right. In some cases, they can earn as much as $1000 or more per day! Disadvantages: There are no office perks such as free food or coffee, so those looking for those types of things should stay at their 9 to 5. You do not get the medical or dental benefits; however, you can research this independently. You do not have a colleague who can back you up in your absence. You will be on your own until you can hire a team. You might think that working as a VA means fewer interactions with people, but in reality, this is not true at all. VAs still need to interact with their clients over phone calls and video conferences. My client, Jasmine Stradford, said, "There is no feeling like working full-time while working on my virtual assistant business. I am on my way to becoming a full-time business owner!" In summary, it just comes down to what you want from your career and your willingness to change your lifestyle. Virtual Assistant work is a great way to save money and have a more flexible schedule, but it is a lot of work. You'll have to become a self-starter and put a lot of energy into your business. If you have what it takes to be a Virtual Assistant, don't let me stop you from living your best life. While there are plenty of benefits to becoming a virtual assistant, there are also some cons. Your home office should be organized, comfortable, well lit, and have the tools you need to get the job done. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info! Teekwa Scarborough, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Teekwa Scarborough is a leader in the virtual assistant industry and empowers single women through her singles ministry embracing your season of singles. Having a baby at 19 was not her plan, but through the struggle, trials, and tribulation, she did not let it stop her from pursuing Bachelor's degree. She has maintained that drive and hunger, which has enabled her to launch PowerPro Assistants, a virtual assistant agency, and coaching women under this umbrella. She has empowered 100s of women from different countries to start, grow and launch their businesses. Teekwa said, “starting the business is the easy part, but growing and establishing yourself in the industry is challenging.” Therefore, her organization's main objective is to have a memorable, life-changing experience that will be talked about for years.

Written by: Dolores Andrew, 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. The symbol for the astrological sign of Pisces reminds me of our path through life with its two openings and a narrow tunnel in the middle. And here’s why. Picture this familiar scene … You are sailing along going through the motions of life, when out of the blue an obstacle hits you so hard you feel you’ll never see the light of day again. You have entered the narrow tunnel! AND it’s how we journey through these dark nights of the soul that shapes how we come out the other side. This is where the act of surrendering supports us, even if it feels like the walls are closing in, the choices are few, and it feels too hard. Despite the fact that we’ve become accustomed to “instant” access to everything, and that if we don’t know the answer we “google” it, the fact is: WE CAN’T GOOGLE OUR WAY THROUGH LIFE’S CHALLENGES. .. we have to do the inner work to get there, regardless of the resistance. When we hit a challenge, we often seek instant gratification or fire fight our way through, without looking at the bigger picture and what we want to achieve. We scream: “I want to change NOW” “Doing this work is TOO HARD” What we fail to realise is that often, the easiest way out is to surrender to what is. 1. Surrendering to the present moment Surrendering in this case is not about giving up or, maybe it is, depending on how you look at it! The present moment is the only place where change can be affected, we can’t change the past and the future is influenced by the actions we take in each present moment. A good question to ponder is: “What if surrendering brings me the very thing I am chasing?” Too often we give our power away to the future. We say: “When I feel like I belong, then I will be happy” or, “When I have that job, that’s when I will know I have made it.” But seizing the present moment, accepting it for what it is, makes it count. 2. Looking at the illusions of our stories The act of surrendering helps us realise the illusions of the stories we tell ourselves. It gives us the opportunity to allow the walls we have built around us dissolve brick by brick. Each brick represents a different layer, including the beliefs, judgements, and the narrative of the inner saboteur. When we break the constant stream of illusions it gives us a chance to just be. That is when we get a chance to breath and when fresh perspectives can flood in. 3. Obstacles as Teachers When we hit obstacles, our inner voice may scream “I can’t handle this”? “Everything is falling apart”. We can however choose to surrender, work through the obstacles, and allow ourselves an opportunity for growth. Each time we look at our fear we allow it to show us the edge of our comfort zone. The act of surrendering allows us the opportunity to journey beyond the fear, and out the other side. Once we stay on track and stick to our guns so to speak, we allow our new story to unfold in its own time, in its own way. What seemed like insurmountable challenges can dissolve. It is not always easy to stay true to our authentic path, but it is possible. Here is my challenge to you... Just for today... surrender to the present moment, trusting that as you journey through your challenges you will come out the other side… And that who you will have turned into – is your choice. Want to learn more from Dolores? Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin and visit her website. Read more from Dolores! Dolores Andrew, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Dolores Andrew is an All-Star Accredited Lifestyle Leader in Holistic Life Coaching. Her personal coaching sessions and Corporate Training programmes are tailored to her client’s unique requirements. Dolores’ expertise supports people to break through their personal barriers and reach their full potential, whatever that means to them. She supports them to reassess their values, effectively navigate their emotions and live their lives aligned with their authentic selves.