During this current health pandemic most Americans are looking for ways to be healthier. Having a healthy immune system will not only help you to fight off bacterial or viral infections that you may come across, but it will also looks you to live a longer healthier life. While I cannot guarantee that if you boost your immune system you will not contract COVID-19, I can say that you will be better equipped to fight it and you will be better equipped for the future.
The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs located throughout the body that work together to keep you healthy, essentially a built-in defense system. Your natural immune defenses include white blood cells (also called leukocytes), which maintain immune health by destroying foreign invaders and producing health-promoting antibodies, along with the beneficial bacteria in your gut that work to maintain a balanced internal environment. When our immune system is functioning properly we are healthy, when it is not we are sick.
Here are some easy ways to boost your immune system and give your body the tools it needs to keep you healthy.
Limit sugar and processed foods Eating or drinking too much sugar can curb the immune system cells that attack bacteria and viruses. After drinking a couple sugary drinks, like soda, the effects can last a few hours. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables Make sure to eat plenty of foods rich in Vitamin C and E, Beta-carotene, and Zinc. It’s best to eat a wide variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as, berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. Other foods that are good for the immune system are garlic, which may help fight viruses, and shiitake mushrooms have also been shown to help the immune system. It’s best to make sure the fruits and vegetables you are eating are Non-GMO and organic to avoid any chemicals or additives that may suppress your body’s healing abilities.
Get plenty of rest
Not getting enough sleep can lead to an increase in stress hormones and inflammation in the body. Both of these have been shown to decrease the immune system. Research has shown that getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night is good for your health. Drink water Water helps to carry oxygen to your cells to ensure all the systems in your body are working properly. It also helps to rid your body of toxins so you don’t have a toxic buildup that has a negative impact on your immune system. You can drink cold water with lemon that is full of Vitamin C or drink hot water as in tea that will provide antioxidants to fight off free radicals.
Take supplements such as Vitamin C, Elderberry, Cod Liver Oil, and a Multivitamin
Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant and one of the most well known for supporting the immune system. Zinc is involved in many processes within the body, but it is also an antioxidant. Without it the immune system can’t function properly. Elderberry has many antioxidants that help support the immune system. It has also been shown to reduce inflammation and stress. You can find Elderberry syrup at most health food stores and online. The normal American diet is usually deficient in many of the vital nutrients we need to thrive. It’s always a good idea to take a multivitamin that can fill in the gap from our diet. This will help all of our bodily systems function properly. Exercise Moving 30 minutes per day ha been shown to boost the immune system. It increases your body’s endorphins and helps you to get a good night sleep. It doesn’t have to be high impact activities or heavy weightlifting, a 30 minute walk will do just fine.
Get adjusted
Chiropractors are generally thought to be doctors of the spine, which is true. But we are actually do it’s of the nervous system. We adjust the spine to make sure there is no interference to the nervous system so it can function properly. The nervous system runs everything in our body, like a motherboard to a computer, so we need to make sure it’s always working at 100%. Many studies have shown that the function of the nervous system is directly tied to the function of the immune system. If the nervous system is not functioning the immune system is not functioning. It is very important to make sure your nervous system is free of interference so your body can work properly to keep you healthy. None of these tips are ways to stop you from getting COVID-19 nor are they treatments for the disease. They are simply ways to make sure your immune system and your body are functioning at their optimal level. That way you can be healthy and stay healthy for a very long time.
0 Comments
In the past week since the announcement of the highly anticipated Prihatin Rakyat Economic Stimulus Package worth RM250 billion on March 27, a chorus of frustration has been heard from one group — small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Business associations have appealed to the government to come up with more measures to help them ease their cash flow problems and financial constraints.
Entrepreneurs have taken to the media or social media to voice their concerns, as their businesses have been disrupted like never before because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the 28-day Movement Control Order (MCO) that began on March 18.
In particular, the SMEs are finding themselves among the hardest hit by the coronavirus outbreak, considering that big corporations are at least arguably in a better position to withstand the headwinds. Before going into details, let us take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The RM250 billion stimulus is a combination of two packages launched by the government — the first being Pakatan Harapan’s
RM20 billion worth of measures on Feb 27, followed by a RM230 billion booster from Perikatan Nasional exactly a month later.
Of the second package, almost RM128 billion will be channelled to preserve the people’s welfare, RM100 billion to support businesses, including SMEs, and the remaining RM2 billion to strengthen the economy. According to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, the Prihatin package is among the world’s largest and shows the government’s seriousness in mitigating the fallout from Covid-19. “[The stimulus package] is about 17% of the nation’s gross domestic product [GDP], whereas the UK’s is 16%, and the US’ and
Singapore’s are 11%,” he said on national TV on March 29.
If the Prihatin package is indeed one of the world’s largest — and includes an allocation of 40%, or RM100 billion, to support businesses — why are business owners still so unhappy? ‘Save us to save jobs’ SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang Hua Keong tells The Edge that the Prihatin package did not address the challenges that SMEs face, especially their cash flow problems.
“To many businesses, their cash in hand can last them only until March or April. When they have zero revenue, how are they going to pay all their fixed expenses? And if you think about it, two-thirds of Malaysians are relying on the SMEs [as their source of income]. If the SMEs collapse, many people will lose their jobs,” he warns.
As clichéd as it sounds, SMEs are the backbone of Malaysia’s economy. In 2018, local SMEs, which comprised 98.5% of the local business population, contributed 38.3% to the overall GDP, 17.3% to total exports and 66.2% to total employment in the country.
National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) secretary-general Datuk Low Kian Chuan points out that the country’s economy is not only slowing down but, to a certain extent, also experiencing almost zero economic activity.
“The government should realise that businesses, be they SMEs or big corporations, are very concerned about the current situation. It’s not just a cash flow problem; we are talking about zero income here,” he tells The Edge. Johor South SME Association adviser Teh Kee Sin believes a tripartite partnership between the government, employers and employees is needed to save the economy. “All of us have to survive this crisis hand in hand, even if it means we have to lose money in the next two years. The government needs to save the SMEs to save jobs,” he says.
Although the cash handouts to the B40 and M40 income groups have drawn criticism, Teh says this measure could help boost domestic consumption, given that foreigners are not coming to the country to spend.
“The government’s intention is good. Everybody is closing their doors now. Even if you do have orders in hand, you cannot do anything, because nobody is going to accept the goods,” Teh says. Nevertheless, he urges the government to come up with more effective measures to rescue the SMEs so that people can keep their jobs. “I can’t find a better word to describe this, but many businesses will ‘die’. We need at least two years to recover from this crisis,” he says. Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) president and Baker Tilly Johor partner Huang Shze Jiun concurs. “The most important thing is to save jobs. If you cannot keep people employed, you will have a vicious cycle, as in businesses cannot be sustained. Accounting firms like us are also relying on SMEs to survive. If they fail, all of us will suffer together,” he says.
The wage subsidy controversy
It has not gone unnoticed that among the measures announced in the Prihatin package, the most hotly debated is the RM5.9 billion wage subsidy programme, which will be introduced to assist employers in retaining workers. Under this programme — estimated to benefit 3.3 million workers — the government will provide a salary of RM600 per month to every employed person for three months. However, this programme applies only to workers earning less than RM4,000 per month, and only if their employer has experienced a decline of more than 50% in income since Jan 1. Moreover, three months after the implementation of the programme, employers must ensure that there has been no retrenchment and that they have not imposed unpaid leave nor forced a wage cut.
SME Association of Malaysia’s Kang says the government should remove the conditions under the wage subsidy programme and hopes the subsidy can be doubled to RM1,200 per month.
“Companies are not allowed to negotiate with their employees a possible pay cut or take unpaid leave. Our hands are tied. We have to pay workers’ salaries in full. Where do we get the money? What can we do?” he asks. NCCIM’s Low says companies should be given the flexibility to engage with their workers and discuss the use of their annual leave and other related matters. “Our wage subsidy programme has certain conditions imposed. [In] other countries, there are no such conditions. The government’s directive to employers is to pay full salary. This should be made more flexible, rather than compulsory,” he says. “Everybody has to make sacrifices. Otherwise, the employers will have to bear most of the burden. If the MCO is prolonged for another two weeks, how can you ask the employers to pay six weeks’ salary without any income?” Low asks.
Johor South SME Association’s Teh says if employees are willing to sacrifice a little to save their jobs, the government should not exert too much pressure on employers.
“To be entitled to the wage subsidy programme, businesses need to prove that their income has decreased more than 50%. If my income has dropped that much, I am halfdead already. Do you think I still want that RM600? Many businesses would rather close down,” he says. MIA’s Huang says professional firms should be entitled to an 80% wage subsidy during the MCO period. “For factories, labour cost usually makes up 50% to 60% of their total costs, whereas for professional firms, we are talking 80% to 90%. It is a very different conundrum,” he says.
Covering fixed costs
Although the Prihatin stimulus package’s headline number is impressive at 17% of GDP, research firm Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research points out that the actual cash infusion is only RM19 billion. Other than the RM5.9 billion wage subsidy programme, the government has also allocated RM10 billion for one-off cash handouts to households and individuals. Business players highlight that not only is more cash infusion needed for SMEs, but the government should also step in to help reduce their fixed costs during the MCO period. Although the government has announced measures to help employers manage their cash flows, these programmes have their shortcomings. First, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will introduce the Employer Advisory Services programme, which allows companies to defer payments as well as restructure and reschedule their contributions. The measure is expected to provide employers with an estimated cash flow of RM10 billion, benefiting more than 480,000 SMEs and affected companies while securing more than eight million jobs. In addition, the government is allowing the postponement of income tax instalment payments by SMEs for a period of three months.
MIA’s Huang says the postponement and deferment will not fundamentally resolve SMEs’ problem, as they are just “kicking the can down the road”.
“One thing to recognise is that companies pay income tax only when there are profits to be made. With the current situation, I doubt many companies can make significant profits or any profit at all. The best way forward is to waive the income tax. Otherwise, the cash flow problem will still come back a few months later,” he says. SME Association of Malaysia’s Kang agrees. “Many SMEs will be making losses this year, so the government should consider waiving income tax. The government should encourage SMEs to work harder and make profit in the future, so that they can resume paying tax. If businesses are closing down, there will be less tax collection,” he explains. Johor South SME Association’s Teh says all statutory contributions — such as EPF, Socso, income tax, the Human Resources Development Fund as well as sales and services tax (SST) — should be exempted for 2020.
No light at the end of the tunnel
To assist SMEs, including micro-entrepreneurs, the government and Bank Negara Malaysia will provide RM4.5 billion in additional funds. This allocation consists of a top-up of RM3 billion to the Special Relief Facility (SRF) for SMEs, RM1 billion to the All Economic Sector Facility fund, as well as RM500 million under the Micro Credit Scheme. Yet, business owners are not too excited. SME Association of Malaysia’s Kang says a loan is for companies to generate profits, not pay overheads. “The SRF is a loan for you to do business, not for you to pay fixed expenses. No businessman in his or her right mind will take a bank loan to pay fixed expenses if they knew they would have zero revenue,” he says. MIA’s Huang says business owners would want to see the light at the end of the tunnel before taking a loan and, at this point in time, they cannot see it.
“If SMEs take the loan to pay fixed expenses, that money is gone. In future, the business owners still have to repay the loan, and if the businesses are no longer there, they will be left in a deeper hole,” he adds.
Fortunately, the government is expected to make an announcement on further refinements to the stimulus package in the coming week. It is learnt that Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz last week met various business associations to get a better idea of what the industries need so that the government can provide more targeted help. Business owners will certainly be looking forward to hearing what the government has in store for them.
YouTube used to be the cool kid on the block, but then TikTok showed up and everything changed. Now, YouTube is looking to compete directly with the short-form, user-generated content app by reportedly launching its own version called “Shorts.”
Shorts will allow people to upload brief videos into a feed inside the mobile app, much like TikTok, and take advantage of licensed music that YouTube Music has in its catalog, according to The Information. Those songs can be used within the videos. TikTok operates by letting people choose from a selection of audio, music and otherwise, and create videos using those sounds. MSNBC’s Dylan Byers added additional confirmation on Twitter shortly after The Information’s report went live.
Take a look at any state-of-mobile report and it’s pretty obvious why YouTube wants a piece of the action. TikTok saw more than 125 percent in growth over the last two years, according to a January report from App Annie. The app has hundreds of millions of users and is a cultural force. The Information noted that TikTok had approximately 842 million first-time downloads from both Apple and Google’s app stores over the last 12 months — a 15 percent increase year over year.
This isn’t the first time that YouTube has developed its own version of a popular feature on another social platform. YouTube also brought over its version of Instagram Stories to the site. Considering its massive user base (more than 2 billion monthly active users) and its deep music licensing agreements, building a version of TikTok isn’t surprising. Facebook has also developed its own version of TikTok — Lasso — which they’ve been quietly testing in markets like Brazil, according to The Information.
If you have ambitious financial goals, keeping your money in the right places is essential.
However, the right places are different for everyone. If you're keeping your money in the right places for you, you'll have a clear understanding of where money should go when it comes in, know how it will grow there, and what you plan to do with it in the future.
Here are five signs that you're keeping your money in the right places.
1. You have a full emergency fund If you have a full emergency fund, you won't have to worry about taking on credit card debt or needing a loan if you suddenly lose your income or face a medical emergency, for example. For most people, a full emergency fund looks like three to six months worth of expenses in a safe, accessible place like a high-yield savings account, depending on your personal needs. If you wanted even more security, you might consider grow your savings account to a full year's expenses.
2. The markets aren't keeping you up at night
For most people, experts recommend a long-term investing strategy to build wealth over time. A key part of that strategy is not needing the money you've invested to pay your bills in your everyday life. That way, you can leave your investments alone as the stock market rises and falls and makes up for losses over time, rather than sweating every dip and valley. If you're confident in your investing strategy and can resist the urge to pull money out when the market drops, you're probably keeping your investments in the right place. 3. Your cash savings are growing on their own If your cash savings are growing each time you check, you're probably keeping them in the right account. Not all savings accounts earn much interest - the average interest rate for a savings account is .07% according to the FDIC. If you are saving in the right account, your money may earn much more interest than that.
Even though interest rates on high-yield savings accounts have dropped in recent months in response to the Fed repeatedly lowering the federal funds rate, they generally still earn over 1% interest, and that rate should rise along with the federal funds rate in the future.
The other part of growing is through regular deposits setting up automatic transfers into your savings account on a regular basis means your balance should be rising each time you check in. If you're keeping your savings (whether that's your emergency fund, future down payment, or something else) somewhere they're growing when you aren't using them, they're probably in the right place. 4. Your checking account balance isn't giant Checking accounts are meant to be a stopping place for your money as its on its way somewhere else. By constantly moving money away from your checking account, you can allow it to grow in other places.
Financial planner Marci Bair previously told Business Insider that the most you should keep in your checking account is two months worth of expenses.
While many checking accounts don't typically earn any interest, the interest rate among those that do earn interest is an average of .05% . Money could be working harder and earning interest in a high-yield savings account , or an investment account . Setting up automatic transfers from your checking account into other higher-earning accounts will make it effortless.
5. You have a plan for your money
If you have a plan for your money, you'll know exactly where it should go. Without one, it's not only hard to stay motivated to save or invest, but it will also be hard to tell what type of account your money should be in. Your plans should play a role in deciding where to keep money. If you're saving for the down payment on a house that you'd like to buy in the next few years, your money probably shouldn't be in an investment account it won't have time to recover potential losses. Similarly, money you're earmarking for retirement or the distant future shouldn't be sitting in a high-yield savings account it could grow more over the years through investing. If you know your goals and approximately when you'd like to meet them, it's far easier to know that your money is in the right account. |
CORWIN GROUPLatest News Archives
October 2021
CategoriesBy submitting this form, you provide consent for Corwin Group to email you occasionally with industry news and promotions. You may unsubscribe from these emails at any time.Testimonials & Disclaimer
Important Disclosure: By visiting this site, you agree to be bound by CorwinGroup’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. CorwinGroup.com is intended for accredited investors and otherwise qualified investors who understand and accept the risk associated with private investments. Investing in private investments on CorwinGroup involves risks, including, but not limited to market and industry risks, risks related to a specific property, currency fluctuation risk and liquidity constraints. Investments are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed. There is a potential for loss of part or ALL of the investment capital. CorwinGroup does not endorse any of the opportunities that appear on the site, nor does it make any recommendations regarding the appropriateness of particular opportunities for any investor. No correspondence or information provided on CorwinGroup.com or by any representative of CorwinGroup should be construed as a recommendation of a security. Each investor is advised to conduct his/her own due diligence as CorwinGroup does not provide any investment advice, business advice, or tax or legal advice. CorwinGroup is not registered under the Securities & Futures Act or the Financial Advisor’s Act. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission in the country nor any federal or state securities commission or any other regulatory authority has recommended or approved of the investment or the accuracy or inaccuracy of any of the information or materials provided by or through the website. Please read Corwin’s Terms of Use for more detailed terms and conditions to which users of CorwinGroup are subject. |