Mustard Seed Miracles ~ Inspiration! In this crazy wild world, there are days when it is a trick to stay inspired. Whether it's my health goals, my business/budget goals, or something else that is on my mind (worldwide conditions, anyone?), there are just times when I want a reminder that there is a way to have it all be good for everyone. Then, I found a reference to mustard seeds in both biblical and Buddhist teachings! |
I Don't Want to Write about Cancer This year, cancer hit too close to home... again.Twenty years ago, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy and moved forward with no chemo or radiation. For her, it was a good move and she has been cancer-free ever since. This year, according to the American Cancer Society, about 340,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among US women, and more than 43,000 women will die from it. Two of my closest friends are among those who were diagnosed, and it's Breast Cancer Awareness month.
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Is it Covered by My Insurance?Some people assume that complementary, integrative therapies are not covered by insurance... And I'm here to tell you that some insurance companies do cover these techniques. Holistic health approaches include psychological and/or physical wellness specialties such as spinal manipulation (i.e. chiropractic), acupuncture, massage or counseling. Some insurance companies cover these, depending on the type of policy you have. Here's how you find out whether a specific holistic health product or service is covered by your insurance.
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When a Consumer Calls A consumer called in the other day... As a Chamber of Commerce, this happens when people are looking for a particular type of wellness provider or someone who offers a specific product or service. With our "holistic" designation, we attract consumers looking for acupuncturists, chiropractors, hypnotherapists, nutrition and lifestyle coaches, craniosacral therapists, yoga instructors, reiki masters, meditation and mindfulness teachers, and a multitude of other specialties that are recognized as integrative, functional, complementary or alternative medicine.In this case, she's in Virginia and was looking for a massage therapist specializing in lymphatic massage for her friend in Florida who has Breast Cancer. She wanted a referral to someone trustworthy and skilled that she could pass along. |
Top 5 Best Business Books for the Holistic TribeWe only recommend books that we love and think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased through this article, which was written by our Founder, Camille Leon. The Holistic Chamber of Commerce is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. So you're a creative, spiritual entrepreneur or perhaps you sell holistic products/services... Still, to spend more time doing what you want to do, you'll need to make money at it. Yet you want to work in alignment with your values. How do you do that? Along the way of building the Holistic Chamber of Commerce and the Holistic Education Foundation, I've found five business books that are relevant and resonate with the holistic approach. Whether you listen to your books, read them electronically or prefer the OG hard copy, these are worth your time and money (or get them from the library). They are, in no particular order: |
If you’re considering visiting an Acupuncturist for the first time
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What's in it for Me?What's in it for Me? I mean, really, why should you join? How will membership actually help you?  I mean, if you were to become a member... And for those of you who already are a member, let's make sure you are fully connected to even more of what's included... We talk about connections, but who would you be connecting with and for what purpose? |
Picture this... in a Hospital I suppose I shouldn't be surprised about this diagnosis. It's one my mother received about 20 years ago when she was my age now. At the beginning of 2022, a lump was found and tested. Since then, I've had one surgery and am looking at one more.And it has me circling back to the BIG vision of what can happen when we come together in one umbrella professional organization for the holistic marketplace. Picture this... Imagine that when you, or anyone, walks into a hospital, they see essential oils...
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The Dangers of Creativity Are you naturally creative? Always coming up with new ideas?The danger of too many ideas is what is commonly known as 'butterfly syndrome' which can appear as if you are not dependable or committed to any one thing. Additionally, it can be challenging to implement effective actions on your primary focus if you are always chasing the next best thing... The good news is that there are a few ways to wrangle your creative ideas, get them in alignment and fly high!
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Fun Fact - The Brain on Art Studies are now finding that engaging with art increases blood flow to your brain by as much as 10%.Whether you are looking at art or actively creating art, you are stimulating your brain and blood flow. It's good for mental and physical health!
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8 Billion! Did you know that there are 8 billion people living on earth today?There are 8 billion ways to live, with multiple options, choices and decisions being made every day. This is good news in several ways and the first is that you are the only you! It also means that there are plenty of people who could use your product/service. The key is to find them and help them understand why they want it, making it easy for them to purchase.
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The Power of Partnerships How do you leverage the power of connections and collaborations to expand your reach as a holistic professional or business owner? Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, partnerships are a powerful way to expand your reach to new customers, clients or patients AND power up your presence in the marketplace. What would the world, and our businesses, be like if we viewed everyone as a partner? When we view everyone as a partner, we are more likely to treat people with respect and consideration. From there, we are well-positioned to create partnerships that go beyond the status quo. |
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Successful Leadership through Aikido When you think of a successful business leader, some attributes that usually come to mind are resilient, collaborative, resourceful, patient, controlled, innovative and a host of other positive characteristics. However, most people would not associate Aikido as having anything to do with these leadership qualities. That’s where they are wrong.Aikido, the art of the Samurai, is a Japanese martial art and has been recognized by top educators, business leadership groups and was even featured on Forbes, “Study Aikido to Become a Better Business Leader.” A Samurai spends a lifetime devoted to his cause and is always practicing to improve his skill. As an Aikidoka (one who practices Aikido) in life and in business. I have been fortunate enough to have studied under a great Aikido master, Gentil Pennewaert Shihan for the past twenty years at Newport Beach Aikido. Through the years, I have found myself applying the principles of Aikido as a business leader. I often tell my clients that I have graduated from the University of Aikido. |
Holistic Chamber of Commerce Celebrates 10 Years!LOS ANGELES, CA (October 10, 2020) – With a vision of healthy people on a healthy planet, the Holistic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) has woven together an international movement promoting holistic, natural and sustainable products, services and solutions. This expanding organization is pleased to celebrate its’ tenth anniversary this month.  |
Mindful Marketing
If you want to sign up more customers, clients and/or patients, this is the one for you! Do you feel like you are putting yourself out there but can't figure out why people haven't signed up yet? There are two critical keys to make sure your marketing works well! 1. When people are looking for the product/service/event that you offer, will they find you? 2. When they find you, will they know how to sign up? Sure, your website offers a free gift in exchange for their email address... But what if someone is ready to buy now? What if they don't want to get on another email list? And do you even send emails to those who do sign up for your free gift? The Mindful Marketer knows that, to help people, you have to make it easy for them to buy. Sometimes, you first have to help people know why they want to buy. Sometimes, they are ready and they just need your number (or email) or an easy-to-see "click here" "sign up now" button, and make sure that your links work). |
Networking Today!
No doubt about it, we’re living in a new world… especially when it comes to networking. We used to be able to just go to a once monthly meeting of our local chapter of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce (or any other of a handful of networking groups) to connect with people. Now, we are using social media and Zoom for the majority of our networking opportunities. Ironically, while we are connected to more people all over, some of us feel less connected overall. What works for networking today? While most of your networking may be online these days, the keys are the same for BOTH online AND in-person networking. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, there are some core elements to keep in mind. |
Your Health and the Local Hospital If your health wasn’t important before, it’s a BIG deal now! Hospitals don’t want you. Everywhere you go, including the grocery store, is risky.First, let’s consider the fact that hospitals are turning people away. They are overflowing AND don’t want the risk of having you get infected with something worse than what you already have. My mother went in for a heart procedure and was sent home the very next day (thankfully, she is healthy enough to recover quickly). I know of someone else who went in with a stroke and was turned away without being treated. It is now your responsibility to stay healthy and avoid the current pandemic as well as any other health-related problems. What are you to do? In other words, how do you stay healthy, even during these stressful times where we’ve all been handed a series of uncomfortable circumstances? |
Power Up Your Online Presence Given world events in early 2020, it’s clear that it’s important to be visible online. Many people have shifted to home offices while being “out and about” is discouraged. In some cases, temporarily illegal. People are going online – to social media and search engines – to find the products and services they are looking for. Will they find you?While we can’t control world events, we can control what we do in response to them. Especially for solo-preneurs and small business owners, it can be easy to pivot and move in the direction of current circumstances. More people are paying attention to overall health and wellness than ever before and looking for products and services to support that! They are going online to search. Where will you be found? Being found online is a function of having a website and how often it comes up in relevant searches: Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Your SEO can get an easy boost from social media profiles AND other hyperlinks. In this interview with Charn Pennewaert, CEO and Founder of Media Stream, you’ll learn useful tips and tools for shifting your gears quickly, easily and affordably. Charn has over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, SEO organic growth and web design. She also currently owns and manages Wellnys.com which features top trending articles for the health and wellness industry. Keep reading for some easy ways you can pivot and POWER UP YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE – Yeah |
Growing With Gratitude For years, I rolled my eyes when people said, "Just be thankful and you will start receiving what you seek." Really? As if!Of course, once I learned to be grateful for the richness of my life and the rewards of having a business that allows me to do what I love (talk about holistic approaches to health, lifestyle and business), it was clear that they are right.
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6 Steps to Stay Healthy During Times of Stress We all experience stress and anxiety on occasion (some of us more than others), but there are situations in our life that can raise our stress levels, in such as a divorce, death of a loved one, challenges at work or a job loss, unexpected health diagnoses or simply doing too much and trying to be superhuman day in day out. Often, we might turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with our emotions, such as drinking, smoking, avoiding exercise, overworking or overeating unhealthy comfort foods or sugary treats. During this global COVID-19 condition where our everyday lives are disrupted, we can also feel a sense of ongoing anxiety from the unknowingness of what the future holds for ourselves and our loved ones. While we can recognize lives aren’t always predictable, we can still take our health and wellness into our own hands and a few simple steps to manage our mindset to get through times of uncertainty, overwhelming stress and anxiety. |
Save Money on Your Taxes!Did you know that certain holistic health expenses can be deducted from your taxes? IRS Publication 502 lists these allowable expenses*. They include:
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The HCC Partners with Maryland University of Integrative HealthP
 ASADENA, CA (November 21, 2019) – With a vision of healthy people on a healthy planet, the Holistic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) is weaving together an international movement promoting holistic, natural and sustainable products, services and solutions.With that focus, we are pleased to announce our new partnership with Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) Department. |
Essential Oils & You Theoretically, we all know that each person’s body has different health and wellness responses and preferences. At the same time, we often want to know what has worked for others in hopes that it will also work for us... Essential oils are no different. What works for you may or may not work for me, and vice versa. Just like penicillin works for some people while others are allergic to it. Still, it helps to know what works for others. Often, that knowledge can help us find a solution that will work for you. Here is a short list of uses of essential oils that help relieve specific concerns. |
Starting Your Project Do you have a project in mind? How about one that is still on your to-do list or has been sitting in the back of your mind for a while?Today is the day! Start it your way! Starting new (or old) projects is much like planting a seed for a tree. You may wish you had done it years ago so it would already be fully grown and flourishing. If you didn't, for whatever reason, plant your seed and start your project today.
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What is Your Mission?
Many successful entrepreneurs are very clear about why they do what they do. This is the point of having a strong vision and a written vision or purpose statement. Of course, there are other reasons as well.... Are you called to a higher purpose? What vision are you bringing to life? |
Answers to questions you might have about Acupuncture, from cost to training to efficacy.
Lainie Sevante Wulkan, HCC Global Online Sales Director
Charn Pennewaert, 
Have you considered your mission? Whether you call it your mission, vision or your purpose, it can help you in several ways. When I saw the mission for 
