BUSINESS WOMEN MAGAZINE

BUSINESSWOMEN MAGAZINE

BUSINESS . BRANDING . NETWORKING DECEMBER 2018

VISUAL IDENTITY The Professional Portfolio

THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDED MARKETING MATERIALS

Branding a business

TIME MANAGEMENT

BRAND-UP PROGRAMME TRENDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

PLUS

Enclothed Cognition

Editorial

Brand-Up Programme

Branding

Social Media

VIsual Identity

Management

Graphic Design

Healthy Life

PsychologyÂ

All rights reserved to LUXXMEDIAGRUP

Editorial

BUSINESS WOMEN MAGAZINE is about business, branding and networking.

About finding those who are like us, that prove to us day after day that it is possible to have a personal life and a successful business, in the same time. It is about bringing in the spotlight those who are trying and succeeding in changing something. In the way we think, the way we do business and in the way we respond to our surrounding environment and events.

Business – Branding – Networking. This is what we write about in this magazine. We write from the perspective of the entrepreneur that is just starting his/hers career and also from that of a more experienced entrepreneur, with years of practice. We write to inspire those who need inspiration and for those that want to share theirs. We write for all those that want something more. From others, but mainly from themselves. For those who want to leave something behind. Those that understand their limits but do not accept them. We write for you!

Join us and share your experience with us. In a world that cares only about what it can get before offerring something, dare to be different!

We’ll meet you halfway!

Founder & Editor In-Chief BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE Brand Strategist & Visual Identity Specialist Founder LUXXMEDIAGRUP

BUSINESS WOMEN MAGAZINE

www.thebrandstrategist.ro

PERSONAL BRANDING ISSUE NO. 1

DECEMBER 2018

As Walter Landor used to say “ Products are made in a factory; brands are created in the mind”.

I say that you already have the brand in your mind.

You just don’t know it yet. A brand is not built over night. So take your time to build yours...

GET IT NOW

PERSONAL BRANDING GUIDE

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GDPR NEWS

BUSINESS PUBLICATIONS

BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE | 7

BRANDING ISSUE NO. 1

"Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart" Joe Chernov

BRANDING

Branding - A Short Introduction "A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well" - Jeff Bezos

Why would I write an article about branding ? The real question is why not? We are not taught in school how to brand, how to market ourselves. It even feels wrong to do it.

The thing is, to survive and to thrive in the current economy, you need all the skills you can get. This is not meant to be an exhaustive article about branding. Not at all.

As the title suggests, it should only introduce yourself to a few common knowledge about branding. You might already know it. You may have already put them into practice. But you didn’t have a name for it. Branding.

Not enough amazing and hard working entrepreneurs know how to brand themselves. But the “art” of branding can be learned as any other skill. Step by step, one lesson at a time.

As Walter Landor used to say “ Products are made in a factory; brands are created in the mind”. You already have the brand in your mind. You just don’t know it yet. A brand is not built over night. So take your time to build yours.

Your brand is a vision that you share with the world. You want everyone to see you the way you see yourself. That is what branding does. The way you look, act, talk, listen defines you; tells a story about who you are. And stories sell.

Ever noticed how some people are just very good storytellers? Even if they are telling a story about the most common of things, people always seem to want to be around them. So take some time. To be by yourself. And then think of how you want to be perceived. What makes you different? What makes you who you are.

For branding is a sum: visual identity, advertising, perception and many more.

To brand yourself efficiently, you need to know the marketplace first, to establish your niche, second, and third to know yourself. Everything else falls into place.

So go grab that piece of paper and write down how you envision yourself and your business. Write as much as you can, as writing helps you think better and realize some things you never knew. Don’t worry anyone would see this note and judge it.

It’s just you. You are your best friend and your worst enemy.

Start writing a strategy to go from point A to point B. Try not to think that you know nothing about branding. Concentrate as if it were your sons’ math homework. Again, write as much as you can even if afterwards you have to come back to refine all that you have written. The point is to generate lots and lots of ideas. Don’t judge. There are no bad or good ones.

They have the value you attribute to them. So for now, remain neuter.

After you’ve finished writing the possible strategies, write down the goal of all this.

This is an exercise meant to reveal how much/little you know about yourself. And then put the pencil down. You will come back to these notes in a few days.

Meanwhile, your mind will keep working on this project. I bet by now you are thinking “Branding myself. Sounds complicated”. But is it?

BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE

SOCIAL MEDIA ISSUE NO. 1

'Social media is about the people. Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you" Matt Goulart

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Social Media Marketing Tips "Social media is about the people. Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you" - Matt Goulart

marketing can benefit from a plan. So plan your strategy wisely and you will benefit from it. Even with a great planning, do not expect everything to be changed over night. Marketing on the social networks takes time, just as building your online reputation and brand. So take a deep breath and dive in .

2. Content and relationships. There are a lot to say about the content. It makes you or brakes you. So the tips about content are: – Post content that is specialized in one area; you most probably won’t become an expert in everything; so find your niche and post accordingly. Trying to reach more audiences might get you losing your most important followers.

Give people a reason to follow you.

– Quality is more important than quantity; most advices on the numbers of posts say that you should have 3-5 posts a day; in my opinion, a few bad posts, done just to comply with that rule can get people to press that button that says “unfollow”. You would rather have less content but of great quality. People can choose whose postings to see firsts, and you want to be the top of the lists.

– Always work on improving the quality of your posts. Do a little research from time to time and see which posts got the most likes and comments. Those are the ones really appreciated by your followers and they tend to follow a certain trend.

Ok. So you probably already have a facebook account, twitter, instagram, linkedin, pinterest. But do you know the basics of social media marketing? Although all of us use one network or the other , or more than just one, very few of us can say that they know what good social media really is. In a few words, efficient social media marketing results in likes, comments, followers and closed deals. We all have something to sell, either it is our professional image, our brand, product, our skills.

Social media networks can help you achieve your goals and build a community. Your own community of followers. Imagine that!

In social media we can say that there are 3 key aspects: time, content, relationships. Everything revolves around these 3 factors.

– Consider sharing an important part of building relationships; when you share a post relevant to your own content that is of great quality, you get the chance to build a relationship with the author of that post and to build trust among your followers. Also, you set a good example of caring more about the quality of the content distributed on your page then to the author. Share only if content is relevant and helpful.

Here are some tips to help you be a better social media marketer.

1. It takes time. Social media marketing, like any other type of BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE| 11

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING – In your postings, be sure to use proper keywords and hashtags. It might seem that it is a different story, but it can help you a lot by distributing your content over the Internet.

Research popular hashtags in your area of expertise and use them. It will make a world of difference.

– Watch and learn from your competitors. I don’t agree that you should see them as “competitors” but as masters if you will. We all trade places being either the masters or the pupils.

So enjoy both experiences because everything in life is cyclic.

So, learn from others. What content they are posting, what comments are generating. You can also engage in discussion and you might find yourself building partnerships over time.

– Add quality images to your content. The saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” is true. So use the popular knowledge in your interest. Most of the smartphones available today can do wonders in taking amazing pictures. All that it takes is a little bit of imagination. The filters, cameras and editing can do the rest. If not, there are always friends who know a little bit more that can help you with this area.

– Optimize visual contents with links. The idea is not to create long posts because we live in a time of fast-forward. For everything. We are zapping even our lives. No wonder we do the same on social media networks. So post just enough text to make the post interesting, add a picture or two and then attach a link that can either send the reader to your blog or the source of the article you posted. Either way, you win by engaging the reader with a balanced post.

– Engage the audience. Try to post text and involve your followers. Personally, I am not a fan of the postings like: “if you agree with the quote above, click like”. It is actually an insult to my intelligence. So post your text and appropriate image and involve your readers by asking them how they feel about the subject. What their opinion in the matter is. Don’t be disappointed if only a few answer. That doesn’t mean only a few follow you. Just that few of us have the courage to interact, even on social media. Be also ready for raising controversies but hey, we can all learn something even from that.

– Be available to interact. If you post something that leaves room for replying, stay close. You have your “viewers” and it wouldn’t be polite to leave them hanging.

– Build relationships and partnerships. It all depends on that.

You are there for a purpose. Posting for a purpose. So interact accordingly. Treat people as friends and business partners.

And results will appear in time. Networking is the key, especially if it involves social media.

MASTERMIND | 13

VISUAL IDENTITY ISSUE NO. 1

"Design has allowed us to stand out; to look different and show that difference boldly" Joe Mansueto

VISUAL IDENTITY & BRANDING

Visual Identity & Branding "Create your own visual style ... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others" - Orson Welles

So you get to take visual identity and branding into consideration. But you don't really believe that it could actually work, don't you? I mean, all those people that got ahead must have had more money, more connections and even ... more luck than you do. It couldn't possibly be about the fact that your colleagues saw fit to 'brand' themselves and their business?! No. I mean, spending some money, ok, a fairly amount of it to promote yourself must be wrong.

Like that old saying, that good things come to those who wait... but you have waited enough.

It is time to reconsider the reality. Clients are influenced by the design of your office, of your personnel, of visual identity materials displayed, of your website or blog and not only by the amount of care you provide. Most of our clients, especially after several years in the field, get referenced from one another. But wouldn't you like to reinforce their good opinion of you that they got with some quality time discussing their options and send them home with some graphic materials to take a look at and a website address?

Would it hurt? Seeing the actual results of your work, getting first hand testimonials from other clients that they can interact with on social media?

The general opinion is that you don't need branding for your business. That doing the great job that I am sure you do is all that it takes to be a rock star. So why are you reading this article? In fact, reading this article says that you still feel like there is something missing, something that you must not be doing right if you are still in the same place.

But why? You work harder than everyone else, you spend more hours trying to get uptodate with all the research and new techniques in the field, you pass on going out - actually you feel like your life is passing you by. And of course, in the beginning you felt like it was only natural to do some sacrifices for the profession that you love. But as time passed you by, you realized that somethings are not much different. You feel like you should have gotten farther than you are now.

How about getting some insight on the things that you can improve about apparel? A branding specialist can help you achieve all this: get a visual or better visual identity, which means website, social media channels, blogs, graphic design for your practice; can offer you insights regarding branding of your team with respect to apparel, communication skills, treatment plan explaining and assisting.

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VISUAL IDENTITY & BRANDING

Visual Identity - 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Using It

The most important reasons why you should invest in a strong brand identity are: By branding your business, you brand yourself automatically as an expert in your field. People tend to respond more favorably to strong personalities and by positioning yourself as an authoritative figure promotes good business, gets more clients, more referrals. It is what differentiates you from the crowd, the things that you can do different and that no one has ever thought of doing. No aspect can be overlooked. Every little thing matters. The way you present yourself, your communication skills, your professional experience, apparel, social connections, awards, interviews – they all act as small bricks to build the complex brand that you represent.

Increases credibility – who would you personally trust more? A business with non-existing or, even worse, bad visual materials or a business that is a pioneer in foreseeing your needs as a customer?

Your patients should always leave the dental clinic with a number of reliable sources of information: the address of your website, brochures, portfolios, business cards, blog, social media. The importance of word of mouth is inestimable, but imagine the opportunities your patients have to get first hand access to testimonials from your previous patients, to see the results of your work in a portfolio, to read and get informed on the treatments that you want to perform.

No matter if you are the owner of a small business or a large and well established one, visual identity helps you or breaks you in terms of branding. When it comes to promoting your business, you have to have 2 things in mind: first, to brand it properly, no matter if we are talking about business cards, website, blog, social media channels, stationary, print materials, signage, product packaging or apparel and second, to be consistent with the brand.

I always recommend that my clients put some serious thought into what their business is all about, what message it tries to convey and then we plan accordingly.

A brand identity is a complex and, in many aspects, ever changing being because it represents the values of your brand while, in the same time, it has to adjust to the reality of the market and the need/desires of your customers.

It is time saving on the long term to use visual identity materials. Helps you to show the commitment to your patients and business, shows your growth over time, increases credibility. Wouldn’t you rather start the branding process today or wait another year or two, when you will find it important, but by then, your business will be left behind by those who seized the opportunity.

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VISUAL IDENTITY & BRANDING

The Professional Portfolio in the Era of Visual Communication

So why would anyone disregard the power of visual aid in the attempt to promote their business?

There is scientific proof that visual content: Reaches an individual’s brain faster and more understandable Is processed 60.000 times faster than text Gets 94% more views than text Gets almost 100% more engagement on social media Determines social media users to share it with more than 40% than any other type of content Is more important as 40% of the nerve fibers to the brain are connected to the retina Is processed in 0,25 seconds Is more accessible as our attention span varies from 2.8 – 8 seconds Builds brand awareness!

The Professional Portfolio plays an important role as a visual marketing material because: Standard resumes just don’t cut it anymore – everything is so standardized nowadays, so the last thing you wanna do is to present yourself like ANY OTHER professional; you want to stand out from the crowd, to be a step ahead of your competitors

Ever wondered why social media has such a great impact in our lives?

In a world where we’ve gotten used to „play” everything on fast forward, keeping up with the lives of our friends, family and acquaintances is easier than ever. You zapp through their lives , their important events/posts just as easily as they do through yours. Your attention gets drawn by beautiful pictures and only then, you are inclined to read the text. But not always.

It is the same with your daily life.

Your clients get drawn less by what you say and how you say it and more by the visuals. And by visuals I mean surroundings – office, waiting room; apparel and marketing materials – portfolio, business card, internal magazines, brochures, flyers, website, blog, etc.

Visual materials catches the eye – you can go and on about your professional experience, you can present all the info about your expertise and the cases that you’ve solved; until you „hit” them with an incredible visual content to back your story up, that is what all will be ... a story!

It demonstrates skills & competency – it can be used to inform your clients of what outcomes you can achieve, get a clearer picture of their situation and of the final results, get to read powerful testimonials from actual people

BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE| 16

VISUAL IDENTITY & BRANDING You can use it to keep track of your work and progress – as times goes by, you can and you should update it with the most complex cases solved and remove the outdated one.

It is a valuable teaching / educational resource for the younger members of your team – it can be used in internal presentations, case discussions, planning sessions You can tell a story without words – the impact is much greater!

It can include all kind of material in one place that will add to your professional value – resume, teaching experiences, cases, testimonials, awards, letters of recommendations, published articles It can act as a confidence booster at some point – we all have times when we just feel like we haven’t done enough, haven’t reached far enough. But this portfolio helps you realize the amount of time and work and passion that you’ve invested to be where you are now. It will be worth it, I promise!

Case Studies LOGO DESIGN

MASTERMIND | 17

MANAGEMENT

Time Management Tips for the Professionals “My favorite things in life don’t cost any money.

It’s really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time” – Steve Jobs

As a business owner, you need to “use” people’s talents and you are not going to help them grow in your business if you do not put their talents to good use and provide them with an opportunity to affirm themselves. Get your team involved. Set tasks that increase in difficulty with time, as your employees are supposed to grow with you 2. Plan your schedule. Make a 7-day schedule with the appointments, staff meetings, lectures and management tasks that you have to perform. But do not forget to leave time for personal time, with family and loved one, as well as time to take care of your health. Your family and the success of your business depends on you!

3. Start on time. As much as we love to sleep for 5 more minutes or delay an unpleasant meeting, the delay might affect you whole day schedule. So, plan ahead and, schedule your unpleasant meeting in the first part of the day so that, after accomplishing it, you can enjoy your normal day and not live with the anxiety of a meeting at the end of schedule 4. Get to know people. No matter if we are talking about clients or staff, you must get to know them. Regarding your staff, you also need to know their personal strengths, weaknesses, their professional aspirations.

It is wrong to over-use an employee but is just as bad to under-use one. Get a profile of your staff, know their needs in terms of professional life, and also get to know a little about their personal lives. It may reveal aspects you never thought of.

We live in a world where everything is on fast forward. Our professional lives, our personal ones. As a professional with more than 12 years in the field, I must say that, many times, I chose the professional life instead of my personal one. I still, occasionally do.

But as much as I love what I do, some time management tips have always come handy in organizing my time:

1. Learn the power of saying “no”.

As much as you value your team and clients, sometimes you need to delegate. You may find that the client needing some urgent solution is not so urgent after all and it can be resolved, at least temporarily by a colleague. The task that you feel that only you can perform to the highest standards may be performed successfully by another team member.

5. Set a time limit. For each daily task or appointment, set a time limit. Allow yourself 15-20 minutes of buffer time. In case of clients, we all know some of them are always late. Even if you finish the task earlier than supposed, you will enjoy that time by having a snack or coffee or maybe getting up to date with the latest research. Maybe even find time to do that interview you promised to do 3 months ago.

MASTERMIND | 18

TIME MANAGEMENT

6. Focus on the task at hand. There is no need to worry too much about the tasks of the day because they won’t get any easier that way. So, do your job as good as you can, every job; don’t be a perfectionist all the time.

Sometimes, things just get in place by themselves.

7. Reward yourself for every accomplished task. No matter if it is just a mental reward, feeling good about your abilities will help you, on the long term, feel more confident about accomplishing more and more difficult jobs. Periodically, reward yourself with a time-off or a vacation somewhere. As much as you hate being away from your passion, sometimes we need some time away to get a clearer picture and come up with new and out of the box ideas

8. Make a list of the things that weren’t resolved as good as you wanted them to that day, all the things and leave it at the office. Do not take your worries at home.

9. Life/work balance is crucial. Even if it feels that you have your life ahead of you and the career is more important, pay attention to your loved ones.

If your business needs your attention, how about your friends and family?

Some moments in life are not worth missing for anything. Do not let them pass you by!

10. Practice clearing your mind before you start work. It help a lot. If you practice meditations or yoga, concentration may come easier. Anyway, it takes discipline and time

11. Sleep 7-8 hours a day, eat healthy, exercise

12. Work can be play. Remember why you started this business in the first place. Write it down if you have a tendency to forget. But do not give up and, after one year, you can write down your accomplishments

13. Work smarter, not harder. This should be the first on the list but I put it last, as the last line tends to be a conclusion. So, enjoy your work, change what you dislike about it, never stop learning and let others help you grow!

It can be a great opportunity!

BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE| 19

GRAPHIC DESIGN

The 3 Awesome Powers of Graphic Design “The ability to draw and communicate visually can no longer be seen as optional” – Better Fetter

2. The design needs to say all the right things about your business. It can be the difference between your patients choosing between you and your competitors.

Although some elements must remain the same, the idea behind the design should be your own. Personalize your materials with images from your clinic, of your staff, testimonials and case presentations.

Your website and blog should look professional, but not as it was done with stock photos and with some basic information.

You want to engage people, to make them part of your story. So take every chance to photograph your cases, before and after, get written testimonials, video testimonials, design a logo and invest in your professional appearance

3. It is an efficient way of communicating your marketing message visually. So many marketing materials get thrown every day, so you need to make your become a collectible.

If it is that good and you are that famous, people would start collecting your marketing materials just for the chance to tell your story and become a part of it themselves. Wo, why would you deny them that chance?

1. Graphic Design is artwork and it involves strategic thinking. Your graphic materials should be done accordingly to your branding strategy. Everything must be thought of and should follow the line of consistency, credibility and memorability.

We all tend to follow some designs in case we like them. But in order to set yourself apart from the competition, you need to differentiate yourself. Make your mark and design the materials that say something about you. Don’t just simply follow the herd..

BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE

HEALTHY LIFE ISSUE NO. 1

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver" Mahatma Gandhi

HEALTHY LIFE

The Benefits of Practicing Yoga "When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service you are giving to the world" - B.K.S. Iyengar

minimum set of equipment, people have tried it at least once in their lifetime. If you had a neck pain at some point, you might have tried a Yoga-like pose or stretch without even knowing it.

As lower back pain affects 4 out of 5 people at some point in their lifetime, and, since the professionals who work behind a desk are at higher risk due to long working hours and an incorrect posture, yoga might seem like a good alternative to a healthy body and mind.

No one treatment works for all, but studies have shown that practicing yoga twice a week for a 8 weeks period makes significant gains in strength, flexibility and endurance. For back problems, it has been shown that helps relieve pain, increase strength and flexibility and teach relaxation and acceptance. A study published by the Cochrane Library found that doing yoga exercises under guidance from an instructor can effectively reduce chronic lower back pain within 6-12 months.

If you are looking for reasons to give yoga a try, here are just a few: • Is a way to keep fit and stay calm amid the pressure of modern life, a true midbody workout • It’s emphasis on breathing has emotional benefits, help you get a better sleep, boosts your mood, reduces mental tension, get a sense of inner peace, improves cognitive function, cultivates self-esteem and calmness– practicing yoga 3 times a week increases levels of chemicals in the brain that combat anxiety and depression

„Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life” – B. K. S. Iyengar Yoga is a systematic practice of physical exercise, breath control, relaxation, diet control, thinking and meditation aimed at developing harmony in the body, mind and environment.

The most commonly practiced form is Hatha yoga which incorporates a series of poses called Asanas. It has been around for more than 5.000 years and it was developed in India, but it reached and influenced the lives of people from all parts of the globe. As it is a practice that can bring important benefits to beginners also and requires

• It is an incredible workout for the body that gives strength, flexibility and mindbody awareness; improves endurance and balance; it is a personal practice so you have to listen to your body as to what is good for you and what isn’t; • It relieves stress, help relieve pain and it could also be good for migraines (it reduces the frequency and intensity of migraines in sufferers)

BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE| 24

HEALTH NEWS

Fruits and vegetables' latest superpower? Lowering blood pressure

Journal Reference: Alicia A. McDonough, Luciana C. Veiras, Claire A. Guevara, Donna L. Ralph.

Cardiovascular benefits associated with higher dietary K vs. lower dietary Na evidence from population and mechanistic studies. American Journal of Physiology Endocrinology And Metabolism, 2017; 312 (4): E348 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00453.2016

Twice weekly yoga classes plus home practice effective in reducing symptoms of depression People who suffer from depression should participate in yoga and deep (coherent) breathing classes at least twice weekly plus practice at home to receive a significant reduction in their symptoms.

Eating potassium-rich foods like sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach, beans, bananas -- and even coffee - could be key to lowering blood pressure, according to Alicia McDonough, PhD, professor of cell and neurobiology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).

If you want to lower your blood pressure, decreasing the sodium intake is a must. But another method that is currently being researched is the effect of the increase in potassium intake. As the WHO estimates that hypertension is responsible for at least 51% of deaths due to stroke and 45% of deaths due to heart disease, the link between BP and dietary sodium,

potassium and the sodiumpotassium ratio was explored and published in a review article in April 2017 in the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism.

The study was performed on rodent models and indicated that the body does a balancing act: “when dietary potassium is increased, kidneys excrete more salt and water, which increases the potassium excretion” as the lead researcher says. In order for our B{ to be lowered, we should consume about 4.7 grams of potassium per day from plants.

The use of yoga-based interventions as an alternative or supplement to pharmacologic treatments for depression was researched and published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Due to the fact that depression (major depressive disorder MDD) is a frequent disorder and the fact that up to 40% of individuals trated with medication do not achieve full remission, the effect of lyengar yoga was subjected to trial. The trial results were that yoga is useful for people not currently under medication and for those who have been on a stable dose of antidepressants and have not achieved a resolution of their symptoms.

Yoga targets the parasympathetic and gama aminobutyric acid system, quite different from the medication used for this disorder and does not have any side effects and drug interaction.

Source: Boston University medical Center and www.sciencedaily.com

Source: University of Southern California – Health Sciences & www.sciencedaily.com BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE| 25

HEALTH NEWS

Yoga may have health benefits for people with chronic non-specific lower back pain

A new systematic review, published in the Cochrane Library today, suggests that yoga may lead to a reduction in pain and functional ability in people with chronic nonspecific lower back pain over the short term, compared with no exercise. However, researchers advise that more studies are needed to provide information on long-term effects.

Low back pain is a common health problem. For some people, it may last for three months or more and at this point it is termed 'chronic'.

Yoga is sometimes used as a treatment for low back pain.

Authors' conclusions There is low- to moderate-certainty evidence that yoga compared to

non-exercise controls results in small to moderate improvements in back-related function at three and six months.

Yoga may also be slightly more effective for pain at three and six months, however the effect size did not meet predefined levels of minimum clinical importance. It is uncertain whether there is any difference between yoga and other exercise for back-related function or pain, or whether yoga added to exercise is more effective than exercise alone.

Yoga is associated with more adverse events than non-exercise controls, but may have the same risk of adverse events as other back-focused exercise.

Journal Reference: Chris C. Streeter, Patricia L. Gerbarg, Theodore H. Whitfield, Liz Owen, Jennifer Johnston, Marisa M. Silveri, Marysia Gensler, Carol L. Faulkner, Cathy Mann, Mary Wixted, Anne Marie Hernon, Maren B. Nyer, E. Richard P. Brown, John E. Jensen. Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder with Iyengar Yoga and Coherent Breathing: A Randomized Controlled Dosing Study. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2017; DOI: 10.1089/acm.2016.0140

"Yoga is not associated with serious adverse events.

There is a need for additional high-quality research to improve confidence in estimates of effect, to evaluate long-term outcomes, and to provide additional information on comparisons between yoga and other exercise for chronic non-specific low back pain"

Sources: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002 /14651858.CD010671.pub2/abstract;jsessi onid=6431D0ED64A6DF2F7D2A03D24EB8 E1F5.f02t04 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 17/01/170111213238.htm

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PSYCHOLOGY ISSUE NO. 1

"I love black because it affirms, designs and styles. A woman in a black dress is a pencil stroke" Yves Saint Laurent

HEALTHY LIFE

Enclothed Cognition "One is never overdressed or underdressed with a little black dress" - Karl Lagerfeld

it involves the co-occurrence of twoindependent factors – the symbolic meaning of the clothes and the physical experience of wearing them.

It has long been known that “clothing affects how other people perceive us as well as how we think about ourselves”.

For business hours most of us choose dark colors – black, navy blue. Have you ever wondered what do these colors say about you?

Black. Black is always in fashion and associated with class. In color psychology this color gives protection from external emotional stress – keep the person wearing it at a safe distance from troubles; it sets him/her apart from the crowd. It creates an air of mystery, sobriety while radiating authority and creating some fear in the process.

They say that a salesman wearing all black will make a lot of sales. It is because black sends the message of power and control, hanging on to information and things. It seems like the person wearing all black knows something that you don’t. Implies selfcontrol and discipline, independence and a strong will. It creates a feeling of superiority, of out-of-reach personality.

Have you ever wondered why you put on a specific outfit every day?

Does it have the power to influence you or the others around you? Can you explain why you feel good wearing some clothes and bad, wearing others?

Researchers say that there is such a thing called “Confidence Dressing” – the way the clothes we wear affect our mind; they say that “assembling an outfit is like assembling an army” – what does actually go on in our minds when choosing our outfits?

The psychology of colors let us believe that colors can be used to determine personality traits of people, to affect their mood and to even control their behavior.

So what does your professional attire say about you? Do you dress casual most of the times? Or do you prefer business clothing? What is your color of choice for office hours?

For formal meetings, it is the color of choice – it suggests a strong, disciplined, contained, formal, sophisticated, efficient individual with uncompromising excellence, belonging to the upper class.

At the same time, it is considered quite elegant and simple. Coco Chanel put it best in “simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance” Women often choose to wear black to give an impression of elegance, confidence and success. It is a color, or better said non-color, that gives the impression of strength. Like Ives Saint Laurent used to say – “ I have always believed that fashion was not only to make women more beautiful, but also to reassure them, give them confidence”

Enclothed cognition describes the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer’s psychological processes; BUSINESSWOMENMAGAZINE| 28