Firstly you vacation in some of the lesser known islands, so you won’t have to face the hordes of tourists either. Then, you can look for a package which includes just the hotel and meals and then book a cheap flight on your own. While some of the deals might include a flight as well, in many cases only one of the items - either the hotel or the flight - is discounted but if you book a hotel-only package you are getting a very good deal on the hotel and save money on the flight you choose.

As for the eating part, you can easily avoid the hotel’s restaurant (by choosing a breakfast-only plan, for example) and start exploring the hidden places on the islands. There’s nothing more enjoyable than experiencing the islands’ life and cuisine as the locals do. You can also check out the open air markets and try some new local fruits. Pack a picnic basket and head to the beach for a romantic end to the day or go on a hike and stop for a lunch break in a nice location.

Prospects can be exactly like the horse that didn’t drink. Sure we can spend lots of time with them and show them plenty of food and water. Even so, they might not eat or drink of what we are offering them. Are they smarter than us? It’s the same with some of our prospects; we spend plenty of time with them and yet they don’t buy from us.

Remember, the salesperson I was talking with had just started so there was limited experience. The sales strategy was typical of new and inexperienced salespeople. They hoped that the more contacts they made, the luckier they expect to become. The belief that if they make enough contacts they will find someone who needs something was a great strategy years ago. The inadequate strategy is based on the old way of selling which worked for many years. Unfortunately, making as many presentations to business people as possible just won’t lead to more sales. This strategy is similar to leading a horse to water.

Make Prospects THIRSTY . . . and They will Buy From Us!

Why wouldn’t the horse drink the water? It is a simple question with an easier answer. The horse didn’t drink because the horse wasn’t thirsty. The same is true with outside sales. Our job in sales isn’t just to lead a horse to water. Our job is to make the horse thirsty. Making prospects thirsty is what we must focus on when we are dealing with sales opportunities.

The question then becomes how can we make our prospects and customers thirsty for our services? While it might be very true that there are a lot of companies and organizations that need our services, they really must want our services for it to make a difference. Remember, “Want” becomes the key word for us.

Our prospects and customers will become thirsty when they realize our services will solve a significant problem for them. The problem might be something they don’t know exists. That’s our goal. Our goal is to identify problems our customers have when it comes to our services. The only way I know of doing this is to ask questions and follow the sales process.

Steve Martinez is the founder and CSO (Chief Sales Officer) with Selling Magic. The Business Development company is sales oriented and a CRM pioneer in automating and customizing ACT or Outlook with the best practices of sales management for increased sales. http://www.sellingmagic.com

• Localization Challenge. Each large country: Brazil, India, Russia has unique taxation system and special rules in the accounting practice itself. This is why we see locally developed ERP/MRP applications flourishing on the corporate ERP market. At the same time - these specifics create some barriers and challenges for worldwide ERP brands to penetrate on the market. In the case of Brazil, we would like to mention such regional ERP as Microsiga. Please note that Multilanguage is usually easily resolvable issue, comparing to tax code.

• SAP Business One. This ERP solution, coming from SAP deserves very high scores, it is pretty much ready with tax code, Multilanguage feature (Brazilian Portuguese). SAP Business One has MRP as well as Production modules plus integration to high end SAP is also available for transaction consolidation to the headquarters in Europe or in the USA. SAP Business One has about 8 thousand installations Worldwide and it is very advanced and popular in Latin America, where tax code is rather standard one: Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico, Chili, etc. SAP Business One launch in Brazil is the fall of 2005.

• Microsoft Business Solutions. MBS has two ERP applications for Brazilian market - Microsoft Navision and Microsoft Axapta. Navision has several dozens of implementations, while Axapta will be available soon (in 2006). We see several blends of Navision localizations for Brazil. Axapta localization is currently on the way to be released. Talking about Navision - MBS promotes Navision on the emerging markets, such as Russia, East Europe, plus it is traditionally strong in the Europe. Also take into consideration very good Navision positioning in manufacturing industry. We do not want at the same time to deemphasize Axapta - it has very high potential. In East Europe and especially Russia - Microsoft indicates that number of Axapta installations is close to Navision implementations and Axapta was designed relatively recently, so please compare these two: Navision & Axapta before making final decision. Just to mention, that Great Plains is not popular in Brazil, however it was partially localized and if you have corporate standard to use Microsoft Dynamics GP worldwide - it should be available for you. Microsoft Project Green will lead to “merge” of its ERPs: Microsoft Dynamics will be the final merged ERP product, it will harmonically integrate the pieces of Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision), Microsoft Dynamics AX (Axapta), etc.

• Oracle E-Business Suite. Also known as Oracle Financials and Oracle Applications - Oracle has traditionally strong positions in Latin America and Brazil. Oracle has conception of standard functionality (which could be used worldwide) and local or regional (language, special forms, tax engine, etc.). If your company has Oracle Financials/Applications implemented in the headquarters - you should check on the status of Oracle Financial localization for Brazilian or Latin American regional market. Oracle E-Business Suite also usually has extensive customization and integration components to custom Oracle databases.

You can always appeal to our help and expertise - in our Sao Paulo office we have all these systems expertise, plus Microsoft CRM, MS Great Plains, Lotus Notes Domino. Please give as a call S£o Paulo 55-11-3826-3449, USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( www.albaspectrum.com ) - Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in S£o Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Manaus, Lisboa, Coimbra, Porto, Cascais and having locations in multiple states and internationally

1. Know your product/service
Know it inside and out, backwards and forwards. You should know its strengths, weaknesses, and any proprietary features. Also understand the factors that influence its supply and demand. All of these will strengthen your presentation and help the skeptic make a more informed purchasing decision. There should be nothing that anyone can tell you about what you solicit. You will definitely be asked questions, so be prepared to demonstrate all aspects of your product/service in response.

2. Know your prospect
Along with knowing your product comes knowing your prospect. Strive to know all you can about your target demographic and potential clients. Make sure you deal with the decision maker. You should know their purchasing habits, what motivation determines their choice, and how long a buying decision takes. You must understand how your product fits into their overall purchasing strategy. When you know the buying habits of your prospect, you can use it to develop a longer-term sales planthat means repeat business. Put yourself in the most favorable position to get a “yes” by focusing on what most concerns your prospect.

3. Believe in your own words
You will never be effective selling something you do not believe in, particularly to someone who is already skeptical. Your lack of enthusiasm will be an obvious as you attempt to convince your potential buyer. When you emanate passion and confidence, you break down the wall of doubt the cynic has built. To not be a pillar of strength during your presentation is a sure-fire ticket to an abrupt “no.” If you are lucky enough to sell a product you do not believe in, you still lose because you risk killing referral business and losing the trust of your customer.

4. Be transparent
Too often, we give strong pitches with lots of hype and little information. We will say, “If you want these benefits, buy my product.” This is done with the hope that a prospect’s curiosity about your bold claims will be enough to convince them to purchase. The idea that if you divulge too much information, you could dissuade your prospect is a far too common falsehood. Be prepared to give as much information as needed to convince the potential buyer to make a purchase. Transparency builds trust. Things people do not understand will always be greeted with “no.” The more information available when making a purchasing decision, the more likely they are to say “yes.” Another benefit of being transparent is the more resources you divulge free of charge, the more likely you are to generate interest in your product/service.

5. Gain trust by associating yourself with things they respect
By offering endorsements and testimonials, especially from well-known sources that your target market respects, you strike the chord of “trust.” Many a skeptic has purchased based on the recommendations of individuals they respect. Secure associations along these lines and look to align yourself with trusted agencies through strategic partnerships. Major endorsements mean less resistance and lots of sales.

6. Offer a free trial, incentive, bargain, or guarantee
The structure of your offer can play a key role in building trust and enticing your prospect to buy. There are many variations of each, but incentives and guarantees are great ways to gain your potential buyer’s confidence. Guarantees and free trails allow the skeptic to try the product/service before determining if your offer is a good fit. Incentives and discounts are also valuable tactics as they make the cynic feel they are getting a value. People always love the feeling of getting something for free and buying when it is a low/no-risk transaction. By guaranteeing the quality of your product/service, you disarm the skeptic and encourage them to buy. You also communicate an important message that you are confident in what you sell.

7. Compare and differentiate yourself from your competitors
Know the nature of your business. Is it commodity based, where the low price bidder wins? Is the strength of your brand a factor? Is there something unique about your offer? You must understand your competitors and their advantages and disadvantages. Once you have both the knowledge of your competitors and an understanding of the skeptic’s needs, you can choose the most effective marketing angle. We offer such phrases as:

• “The lowest cost”…you play to the desire for value
• “The official”…you validate for authenticity
• “The best”…you show superiority
• “The only”…you offer exclusivity

If possible, demonstrate the differences that make your product/service unique or superior.

8. Sell the relationship, not the product
Contrary to popular belief, the best salespeople not only close deals, they foster relationships. Relationships are more valuable to both you and the prospect than a one-time transaction. For the salesperson, relationships bring repeat business and the ability to cross-market your offerings; increased referrals because you gain access to the prospect’s network base, and the ability to charge a premium because of the higher perceived value of your relationship. For the skeptic, relationships help build trust. These bonds let them know they will not be abandoned after the transaction is finished. Ultimately, they are buying a relationship with you and your firm, not the product/service, so approach selling that way.

9. Focus on benefits offered and value delivered
Self-interest is the skeptic’s primary concern, so focus on how your product/service solves their problem, fulfills their need, or satisfies their desire. If your prospect is solely bottom-line focused, your presentation should be centered on how your product or service will make or save them money. If your product satisfies a desire, focus on how it fills an emotional void. Emotional selling differs from bottom-line selling because it focuses on feelings rather than metrics. Remember to focus on the benefits that concern your potential buyer; anything else will make a skeptic lose interest and you lose the sale.

10. Isolate their objection
In life and business, two of the greatest challenges are making intelligent decisions and properly following through on them. One of your fundamental goals as a salesperson is to help people make informed decisions. To do so, ask two types of questions: those to better understand your potential buyer and his/her needs, and questions designed to lead your prospect to buy. A series of well-placed questions will allow you to isolate any objections. You should brainstorm every possible reason a skeptic will not buy from you and comprise an effective solution or rebuttal for each. Any other question should be crafted in a way that allows for only one reasonable answer, and that answer should compel your prospect to agree with you.

11. Don’t seem desperate!
Your emotional state will be apparent to a skeptic. Never appear as though you “need” a sale. Everyone avoids a hard-pressed individual. Often we are conditioned to give to and buy from those who do not need our money. It is the same principle that makes us more likely give a rich man fifty-cents to make phone call because he has no change, than to a homeless man in need who makes the same request. Therefore, it is imperative that you operate from a mindset of abundance. Understand there is always a bigger sale out there, so you need not be pressed for this one. Your confidence will put the cynic at ease and make them more likely to buy from you.

Once internalized, these 11 points will mesh into an effective sales strategy. You will begin to think of them not as individual points to be mastered, but one comprehensive selling technique. They are designed to compliment each other and give you a thorough footing for selling to those who are naturally doubtful about you and your service. Master them and win!

Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, and D. Marques Patton are co-authors of the acclaimed business and personal finance National Bestseller, The Baron Son: Vade Mecum 7. Vicky Davis is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Indulgence Jewelry Corp. William Patterson is Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Warcoffer Capital Group, LLC. D. Marques Patton is Co-founder and President of The Warcoffer Capital group, LLC. To receive their breakthrough book and over $3,631 in FREE bonus gifts, visit: http://www.baronseries.com

The most critical feature of any pointe shoe is how well it fits. Proper fit safeguards the dancer’s feet, ankles and legs and makes en pointe work possible. This is especially important for younger dancers, as proper bone development can be impaired by incorrectly fitting shoes. There are a number of brands and styles available, and no single type is built for every dancer. A dancer’s experience, shape of the foot and strength should be considered in finding the best shoe.

Bloch Pointe Shoes

The Bloch pointe shoe is available in different styles including Sylphide, Sonata, Suprima, Serenade, Aspiration, Concerta, Triomphe, and Alpha Sole. Beginner dancers will be suited to the Sylphide, Sonata, or Suprima. The Sylphide has broader widths than other Bloch pointe shoes and helps beginners with untrained feet roll up onto pointe more easily.

The Suprima will feel comfortable to beginners and advanced students as it provides good flexibility while maintaining good arch support. Note that some Bloch pointe shoes have the narrower box shape and snug heel which is not suited to a “fleshy” foot. Shoes such as the Aspiration and Alpha pointe shoe are designed with the advanced student in mind. These shoes offer better arch flexibility but should not be worn if you do not have strong feet and ankles.

Capezio Pointe Shoes

Capezio Pointe Shoes includes several styles, each intended for specific needs. The original Glissé features a hard shank, broad toe-box and a U-shaped vamp to allow dancers to roll up to pointe comfortably. The Glissé ES offers the same, but with a harder shank. The Glissé Pro and Pro ES are intended for more experienced dancers and feature a lower side and back height, with a medium and hard shank respectively. The shankless Demi Soft is based on the Glissé design, and intended for pre-pointe students.

The Plié style is best suited for dancers needing a vamp that extends beyond the toe. Plié I offers a medium shank, and Plié II features a harder #5 shank. The Tendu style offers a medium shank and boasts a quick break-in time. Tendu II has a broader box and wider platform. Both Aerial and Pavlowa shoes feature a Russian-styled tapered box. The Aerial is best to support high arches, while the Pavlowa offers a harder shank, longer vamp and heel height. The Contempora is an American-style wide-platform shoe with a longer vamp and lower heel.

Freed Pointe Shoes

Freed Pointe shoes are available in the Classic, Studio and Studio Pro styles. The various lines are designed for a specific level of dancer, as well as their physical requirements. The handcrafted Classic is particularly designed for the needs of the experienced or professional dancer. It features a deep, round vamp, but those needing more support will favor the deep V-cut vamp and stronger insole of the Classic Wing Block.

The Studio line is intended for the younger dancer and offers extra support. The Studio II style features a wider platform and lower profile than the original. The Studio Pro is also designed for the younger dancer, but it includes a V-shaped vamp and shank for greater flexibility.

Grishko Pointe Shoes

The line of Grishko Pointe shoes features Eleve and Releve models. The Eleve include the Ulanova I and II. These shoes are intended for dancers instructed to roll up on pointe. You can find out more about dancing en pointe at www.balletdancestudio.com . Ulanova I has a medium height vamp and versatile box for dancers with toes of an even or slightly varied length. Ulanova II has a deep vamp and is best suited for dancers with longer toes or narrow feet.

The Releve styles, Fouette and Vaganova, are designed to accommodate the Russian-style of springing on point. The Vaganova has a deep vamp and tapered box. This style is particularly suited for dancers with a flexible arch, longer toes or narrow feet. The Fouette has a broad box and wide platform best suited for dancers with shorter toes or wider feet.

Gaynor Minden Pointe Shoes

Gaynor Mindon Pointe shoes differ from many brands. While manufacturers commonly feature a variety of styles, Gaynor Mindon instead designs shoes over six fitting options; shank, vamp, heel, regular fit, sleek fit and size. So many variations can feel confusing, but the benefit of this brand is that dancers essentially custom fit their shoes. The entire line is designed to minimize the shock of impact and comfortably fit every type of foot. Shank options run from flexible/little support to hard/ample support. In order from flexible to hard shanks, options are Pianissimo, Featherflex , Supple, Extraflex and Hard. Vamp options include Regular, Deep and Sleek.

A deep vamp is best for dancers with pronounced arches, while the sleek vamp is best for feet wider along the ball and narrower towards the heel. High, Regular, Low and Sleek heels are available. Choosing between them is a mainly a matter of comfort. The Regular and Narrow fit shoes differ only in width, but less heel and vamp options are available with Narrow Fit shoes.

Suffolk Pointe Shoes

Suffolk Pointe shoes includes the Solo, which features a slightly tapered box and longer vamp. It is available with a range of shoe types, Standard insole, Hard insole or Light insole. All but Light feature a standard box which provides uniform support appropriate for most dancers. The Light version is a flexible choice designed to help dancers go on pointe more easily. Hard insoles are available with either a full or shank, so dancers have the choice of greater flexibility along with ample support. No matter the variation, the Solo Pointe shoe features a low profile to provide comfort throughout the metatarsal area without sacrificing support or function.

How do you choose?

There is not one shoe that overall is considered better than every other shoe. It really is a matter of individually fitting the right shoe to your foot. Be wary of other dancers recommendations because your feet will differ from theirs, and their shoes may feel very uncomfortable on you. You now know the major brands of pointe shoes and their different characteristics. You should have a good understanding of which style of shoe and which brand will fit best on your feet. I recommend finding a good retail dance store with a good shoe fitter. Get them to take you through the process of fitting different shoes and working out which shoe will best fit your feet.

There is a middle ground between being stuck in an office working 9-5 and owning your own business. That middle ground is getting a sales job. Let me explain. Sure, having a sales job still means that you are working in the corporate world. But, with 2-3 years of hard work and labor, salespeople can set themselves up for having a lot more free time to do more of the things that they want. That’s the key, though. The benefits to salespeople don’t roll in until they put in two to three years of work.

Let’s look at the typical life cycle of a salesperson. He gets a B2B sales job and works feverishly in the coming months to begin generating new business for his company. Sales prospecting and closing is a lot of work. Some will cold call to generate sales leads, although I wouldn’t recommend cold calling. Certain types of guerrilla marketing work better. The salesperson begins to close some sales. With each sales close he gets a few referrals and makes new business contacts. Some commission checks begin to roll in. Maybe after about a year or so, he still does his prospecting but now has clients calling him. So now, he is earning more money and working slightly less. In two to three years after he has completed many sales and developed a network of contacts in his industry, the sales start to come easily. He is recognized as an expert in his field which. It no longer takes all the work that it used to to get sales and to meet his quota.

So what has just happened? The salesperson is earning a great income, has a great standard of living, all thanks to the few years of hard work. Now, in addition to earning a great income, he also has a lot of free time. Remember, clients are now calling him. He is no longer prospecting for new business. Many experienced salespeople typically only work 2-3 days a week because that’s all it takes for them to meet or exceed their quotas. The rest is FREE TIME. This is free time that their counterparts in the office don’t have because they’re required to be where they are from 9-5 every day.

So, there are ways to have the freedom you’ve always dreamed of. And, it doesn’t always involve starting your own business and being your own boss (although this is great too). Get out of the corporate office and get a sales job. You’ll thank yourself in 2 to 3 years.

Tino Buntic is the creator of TradePals, a website designed to provide qualified sales leads without cold calling to its member business professionals.

This famous United States Marine Corps slogan reminds me of the technique many sales people use to make their sales calls. In the Sales Skills training module offered at P2S, we have found that most sales people do not pre-call plan. All too often, salespeople fail in this very important step in the selling process. Pre-call planning will insure you are prepared to “make the sale.” The Partnering To Success process helps sales people become more effective by focusing on improving one particular element of their selling process, like pre-call planning, to increase sales. Then they can Partner and sell like a Marine!

IMPROVISE

The American Heritage Dictionary defines improvise as “to make or provide from available materials, or perform with little or no preparation”. Many sales people go into the call with minimal preparation. They generally know what they want to accomplish but have no clearly defined plan of how to get there. The more complete and comprehensive the pre-call plan, the less improvisation needs to take place. True sales professionals can improvise with the best, but they don’t do it very often because they follow their plan.

ADAPT

To adapt means “to adjust or conform; to make suitable to or fit for a specific use or situation”. It is widely known that effective sales people only need to offer 3 or 4 features and benefits to satisfy the customer’s needs. The trick, however, is to hit on the “relevant” F&B’s. In your pre-call planning, you will predict which product or service features will most likely motivate the customer to make a purchase. However, as the customer answers your professional probing questions, new needs are uncovered and the sales person must adapt. As their needs are revealed, the relevancy of the F&B’s may change. Clearly understanding the needs of your customer will help you adapt the portfolio of products and services of your company, into unique, satisfying solutions.

OVERCOME

The meaning of overcome is very simple. It simply means to prevail over or conquer. Sales professionals need to overcome every customer concern in the sales process. All too often, sales people answer the first “no” then go for the “close”. For many salespeople, if the customer makes any purchase the sales call is done. Being approachable and overcoming customer objections by correcting any misunderstandings, questions, or concerns will lead to greater customer satisfaction. However, if the customer is not totally satisfied, they will never grow into the loyal, dedicated customer we all need and want. Overcoming EVERY customer concern is the “mission” for all quality salespeople.

Effective sales people improvise very little. They do however; adapt their style and features and benefits to fit each specific customer. By anticipating and asking questions, they overcome all customer concerns. Assist a fellow sales person to pre-call plan more and improvise less, adapt to the customer needs, and overcome all customer concerns through Partnering To Success.

These days many video production and publishing agencies exist to satisfy goals of different firms. In addition to organisations presentations, videography is also utilised to preserve very important instances of life for example weddings, birthdays, special festivities; travel and so on. Small video camcorders with digital chips are nowadays extensively accessible on the market. Short films have turned out to be quite fashionable in addition to being quite informative and amusing. Actually videos allow individuals to relate better to the subject matter than any other nature of media communications. Visit Vidify.co.uk for cost-effective video production and distribution services.

Today, numerous people are setting up video production businesses as demand of these kinds of companies are rising. It is also likely to get hold of plenty of info from the Web concerning video production just with a few mouse clicks. The expansion of audio-visual market has assisted the rise of video commercials & to develop beautiful commercials, a professional video production and publishing business is very important. Internet videos play a significant part in execution of business plans & at this moment online video production and marketing is a popular concept among the internet users. So, across the globe video production plays an important role.

The term “weight lifting supplement” is familiar to almost everyone nowadays. Weight lifting supplement is a supplement that is designed to help people who use it to achieve better results in their body building or weight lifting training programs. Currently there is a wide range of weight lifting supplement products available in the US market.

Weight Lifting Supplement - safety.

You need to be very careful when you are looking for weight lifting supplement products for your training. There are many fake products available on the market. There are also many very dangerous supplements that may harm your health. Always consult with your doctor and other health professionals before using any of the weight lifting supplement products. Don’t just trust the labels’ claims. There is not much scientific proof for many of them.

Weight Lifting Supplement - dangers.

Weight lifting supplement products could be very dangerous. For example, according to several health organizations’ sources, a study of androstenedione, the steroid-like food supplement used legally by professional athletes, has found it may not build muscles and could create adverse health effects. The report said muscle strength did not differ in the men given the supplement, compared to others in the study who were given a placebo.

Weight Lifting Supplement - severe withdrawal syndrome.

Weight lifting supplement products could also be very addictive. For example, according to several health organizations’ sources, a study provides the detailed report of a severe withdrawal syndrome related to gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), a supplement used by body builders. Researchers documented in a six-month period in 1999, five cases in which previously healthy young adults arrived at the emergency department with paranoid delusions, hallucinations, and deranged vital signs after discontinuing use of body-building products containing GBL.

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More information at http://www.liquid-vitamins-4u.com

The test itself was uneventful. The nurse checked my blood pressure, asked a few questions, and withdrew some blood. I was told to expect results within a few days. If I didn’t hear from the doctor’s office with a few days, I was to call back.

Turns out the results came back within a couple of days. I didn’t need to call the office as they decided to call me. Instead of telling me what the results were, I was told to come in as soon as possible to review the results with the doctor.

By the time I hung up the phone I am assuming the worst. How bad could the results be if they are not willing to discuss the results over the phone? Needless to say, I returned to the doctor’s office that same day.

The results were not good. My total cholesterol was 244, the LDL level was 161, and my HDL was 38. For reference, the recommended results at the time of my test were less than 200 for total cholesterol, less than 100 for LDL and greater than 40 for HDL. It was explained to me that the LDL level, the “bad” cholesterol, needed to drop. On the other hand, the “good” cholesterol, HDL, needed to increase. One of the ways that HDL increases is through exercise. LDL can decrease by a change in diet.

To be honest, I was shocked with the results. I thought my results would be in line with my wife’s since we have the same diet. No, that was definitely not the case.

I also found out that your genes, your family, has a lot to do with your cholesterol levels. It didn’t take me long to figure out what side of my family was to blame for my higher than expected cholesterol results. I found out from my father that when he first had his cholesterol checked just a few short years ago that his total cholesterol was well over 300! He immediately started taking medicine to reduce his total cholesterol.

So what did I do to drop my total cholesterol by 56 points in 8 months?

Three things I did to help reduce my cholesterol level are:

1) Exercise more - I added about 20 minutes of walking each day to my work schedule. I have a desk job and don’t get a lot of physical activity during the working hours. I make an effort every day to walk at least 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon at work. This is in addition to the moderate running I do a few times a week.

2) Oatmeal - Do you know how easy it is at work to trot down to the vending machine and buy a candy bar when you are hungry? As a matter of fact, it is too easy. I now have a container of oatmeal, along with a box of raisins for flavoring, at work. When hunger pangs hit, I go to the area kitchen, microwave a half cup of water, add some oatmeal and raisins, and enjoy.

3) No more cheese - I personally think this has had the biggest impact on my cholesterol reduction, a low cholesterol diet. Since I am not a doctor, I can’t be certain. I immediately stopped eating slices of cheese. For whatever reason, I love cheese. Regularly, I would eat a slice of cheese or a couple slices of cheese. I knew that couldn’t be too good for me. This doesn’t mean I don’t have any cheese in my diet. I’ll eat a burrito with cheese or a pizza with cheese, but I no longer eat slices of cheese.

That’s about all I did, I didn’t go on a restrictive diet or start taking medicine to reduce my cholesterol. I made a few lifestyle changes that I have faithfully implemented. It’s been more than 365 days since I have been “cheese” free.

Like I said, my total cholesterol dropped by 56 points, from 244 to 188 in eight months. Also, my LDL cholesterol dropped from 161 to 124, still high but better than it was. The only disappointment was that my HDL remained the same at 38.

I hope that my story has inspired you to be aware of your cholesterol level and if needed, take action. While specific recommendations related to reducing cholesterol are best left to professional health care personal, I’m hoping that you will take care of yourself.

Don Williams shares information about a low cholesterol diet and what it can do for your health.