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paramsuperspecialityhospital · 5 months

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Can you live a Normal Life with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a prevalent condition affecting millions of people worldwide, often triggering concerns about the ability to lead a normal life. The good news, as shared by Dr. Chetan Patel, one of the best hand surgeons in Surat, at Param super speciality hospital, is that with proper management and lifestyle adjustments, individuals with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can indeed enjoy a fulfilling and active life. In this exploration, we’ll delve into the various aspects of living with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and offer insights into how individuals can navigate their daily routines while managing this condition effectively.

Understanding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Brief Overview

Before delving into the question of living a normal life with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it’s essential to understand the nature of this condition. CTS occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist within the carpal tunnel. This compression can lead to a range of symptoms, including pain, numbness, and tingling in the fingers and hand.

Daily Challenges and Lifestyle Adjustments

For many individuals, work is a significant aspect of daily life. Whether working in an office, a factory, or from home, adapting the work environment is crucial for those dealing with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Being one of the best Carpal tunnel specialists in Surat, Dr. Chetan Patel recommends using ergonomic adjustments, such as using wrist supports, ergonomic keyboards, and maintaining proper posture, to alleviate symptoms.

Frequent breaks and stretching exercises tailored to relieve pressure on the median nerve are also effective strategies. Employers should be informed about the condition to explore reasonable accommodations, ensuring a supportive work environment.

Incorporating Regular Exercise

Living a normal life with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome involves maintaining overall health through regular exercise. While high-impact activities that strain the wrists may need to be modified, there are numerous low-impact exercises that contribute to cardiovascular health and overall well-being.

Yoga and swimming, for example, are excellent choices as they focus on full-body movement without excessive strain on the wrists. Strengthening exercises targeting the forearm muscles can also enhance wrist support, helping manage symptoms effectively.

Medical Interventions and Therapies

Conservative Treatments

In many cases, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be effectively managed with conservative treatments. Wearing wrist splints, especially at night, helps keep the wrist in a neutral position, reducing pressure on the median nerve. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can provide relief from pain and inflammation.

Physical therapy is another valuable tool in the management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Therapists can guide individuals through exercises to strengthen the muscles around the wrist and improve flexibility, contributing to long-term symptom relief.

Surgical Options

In cases where conservative treatments do not provide sufficient relief, surgical intervention may be considered. Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery is a common procedure aimed at relieving pressure on the median nerve by cutting the ligament that forms the roof of the carpal tunnel.

Advancements in surgical techniques, such as endoscopic procedures, have reduced recovery times, allowing individuals to resume normal activities more quickly. While surgery is a significant step, it often proves highly effective in providing long-term relief for those with severe or persistent symptoms. If surgery is the only option, look for hospitals providing the best carpal tunnel surgeries in Surat, where Param super speciality hospital stands at the forefront.

Embracing Emotional Well-being

Support Networks

The emotional toll of living with a chronic condition should not be underestimated. Building a support network is crucial for individuals with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Friends, family, and support groups can offer understanding, empathy, and practical advice on managing the challenges that arise.

Professional counselling or therapy can also be beneficial in addressing the emotional aspects of living with a chronic condition. Coping strategies, stress management techniques, and mindfulness practices contribute to a positive mindset, empowering individuals to navigate their daily lives with resilience.

Adapting Hobbies and Leisure Activities

Living a normal life with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome involves adapting leisure activities and hobbies to accommodate the condition. Exploring new interests that do not exacerbate symptoms can be both rewarding and enjoyable. For example, reading e-books instead of traditional books, engaging in voice-activated technologies, or pursuing creative endeavors that minimize strain on the wrists are all viable options.

Conclusion: Thriving Despite Challenges

The answer to whether one can live a normal life with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a resounding yes. While the condition requires adjustments and proactive management, individuals can lead fulfilling lives, pursuing their professional and personal goals. By incorporating lifestyle modifications, seeking the best carpal tunnel syndrome treatment in Surat with us at Param Super speciality hospital, and nurturing emotional well-being, those with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can thrive despite the challenges posed by this common yet manageable condition.

#hand surgeon #surat #param superspeciality hospital #dr. chetan patel #carpal tunnel

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trillhouse-lh · 6 years

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Broken (What She’d Been Missing)

As the title suggests, this is canon to WSBM.

> Lori was roused from her slumber by a loud, shrill noise. She groaned as she sat upright, blinking the sleep out of her eyes; surely it couldn’t be morning already? A quick glance at the clock confirmed that, no, it was not. It was only 1 AM. > “Wha-“ The sound rang out again, and Lori’s eyes shot wide open: it was a scream of terror. “LOAN.” She gasped, quickly scrambling out of her bed. She didn’t bother putting on her slippers. Lori dashed out of her room, paying no mind to the cold tile beneath her feet. “LOAN!” She shouted as she threw open the door to her daughter’s bedroom. > “NO, NO, NO!” The girl was in the throes of a terrible nightmare, flailing and convulsing in her bed as she screamed in fear. Lori rushed to her daughter’s side. > “Loan… Loan, calm down!” She cried, gently grasping the girl’s shoulders and trying to shake her awake. Lori winced as Loan’s fingernail grazed her cheek, but didn’t back down for a moment; she shook Loan a bit harder to wake her. “LOAN!” The terrified girl’s eyes snapped open. > “NO!” Loan shrieked as she saw the figure looming above her. She recoiled and backed against the wall before curling herself into a ball. “S-STAY AWAY!” > “Loan, baby, it’s me!” Lori said. “It’s me... it’s okay.” Loan ventured a peek, only to see that it was indeed her mother standing before her. > “M-mom…” > “Baby-“ Before Lori could finish, her daughter reached out and grabbed her by the arms. > “H-h-he’s HERE!” Loan whimpered. “H-he found, me, and he’s HERE, and he-“ > “Baby, nobody’s here!” Lori assured her, but Loan rapidly shook her head. > “H-he IS!” The girl whimpered. Her chest was heaving with labored breaths and tears were streaming down her face; she was having a panic attack. “H-he found me, he’s-“ > “He’s not here, Loan.” Her mother said gently. “Nobody’s here. You were having a nightmare… that’s all.”

> Loan took a moment to glance around the room. Indeed, they were alone… there was nobody in the room save for her and her mother. Loan swallowed and looked back to the concerned woman. > “I-I-I-“ > “It’s alright, Loan. Everything’s alright.” Lori cooed as she gently embraced her trembling daughter. “Don’t speak, just focus on breathing. You’re going to be okay, baby.” They stayed like that for several minutes… Lori stroking the girl’s back as she clung tightly to her, hard enough that her fingernails were digging into her mother’s skin. Clearly, this would need more than just comforting words. “Loan, listen…” She said, slowly pulling back from her embrace… not that her frightened daughter made it easy to do so. “I’m going to get you some Xanax-“ > “N-NO!” Loan cried, desperately clutching the woman’s arm. “Please…!” > “Loan. You’re going to be fine.” Lori said in a slightly stern tone. “I’ll be back in a minute. Just… just BREATHE, baby.” Loan searched her mother’s eyes for a few moments before giving a small, reluctant nod. Lori gave a supportive smile and stroked the girl’s cheek before hurrying off to her bedroom. > Lori flicked on her bathroom light and opened the medicine cabinet, taking out the bottle and shaking a tablet into the palm of her hand. She’d once kept the drug in Loan’s bathroom, but that had proved to be a bad idea: the girl had begun taking them regularly, even for the most mild of attacks, and had grown utterly dependent on them. Now, Lori had to regulate it herself. > A quick glance in the mirror confirmed that Loan’s nail had indeed scratched her, leaving a small cut dangerously close to her eye. Lori frowned and grabbed a bandage from her drawer, quickly putting it over the cut before rushing back to her daughter’s room. Between Loan’s general lack of self-care and her frequently chewing on her nails, they were often long and ragged; Lori sighed, making a mental note to clip them in the morning.

> “Here, sweetie.” Lori said as she returned to her daughter’s room. Loan was sitting on her bed with her knees drawn close to her chest. She was still shaking, and while they had stabilized a bit her breaths were still rapid and strained. “Take this… it will-“ Loan wasted no time in snatching the tablet from her mother’s hand and swallowing it. > “Th-th-thank… thank…” > “Ssshhh. Don’t try to speak… just try to breathe.” Lori instructed. Loan gave a small nod and shut her eyes. She breathed in through her nose, held it for a few seconds, then released it. Breathe, hold, release. Breathe, hold, release. Loan kept this up for some, her mother remaining silent by her side all the while. After about fifteen minutes, she opened her eyes again and looked at Lori. “Are you okay?” Lori asked. > “Y-your cheek-“ > “It’s fine. Don’t worry about that… are you okay?” She asked again. Loan frowned and looked straight ahead again, shaking her head. > “…H-he was here.” > “Loan, it was only-“ > “I KNOW it was a dream…” Loan muttered. “B-but he was here. And he… he… oh, God…” Loan buried her face in her knees as the tears came once more. Lori sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the girl’s back. > “Loan, that man is never going to hurt you again… I PROMISE you that.” Lori said quietly, not that it did much to ease the trouble girl’s mind. “Would you like me to stay with you tonight…?” She asked. For a few moments there was no response, but then her daughter gave a small nod. “Scoot over, then.” Loan did as she was told, and Lori got into bed beside her. She picked up the blanket off the ground and draped it over the two of them. > “Mom…” Loan whimpered. Her mother gave her a gentle smile. > “It’s okay, baby. Come here… everything’s going to be okay. Momma’s not going to let anyone hurt you.” Lori said in as soothing of a tone as she could muster. Loan buried herself in her mother’s arms and bawled freely into her chest.

> Lori paid no mind to the tears soaking through her pajama top. She simply held her frightened daughter as her body heaved with sobs, gently shushing her and stroking her hair until her tears died off and she fell into an uneasy sleep. Not that she was going to return to her own room… she would not be leaving her daughter’s side tonight, nor would she be getting any sleep herself. She could only take some solace in the fact that it was the weekend, and she’d be able to take a nap during the day. > To see her baby girl in such a state was the greatest pain Lori had ever felt. Loan had grown into a young woman… hell, in a few weeks’ time she’d be turning twenty. And yet, what that man had done to her had broken her, perhaps beyond repair. On nights like these, Lori could only see her as the child she had once taken for granted. > Lori blamed herself for what happened almost as much as she blamed HIM. She had accepted that monster into her home. She had failed to see the signs that were right in front of her. She had let him hurt her daughter for TWO YEARS. And now, she was like this… even if she were to take a miraculous turn for the better, Loan would bear those scars for the rest of her life. The memory of seeing that man atop her daughter, DEFILING her, was an image that would forever be burned into her memory… almost as much as allowing it to happen in the first place, Lori’s greatest regret was not killing the bastard right then and there.

> Lori frowned as she looked down at the precious girl sleeping on her chest. Even now, she looked so frightened… so hurt. Lori’s greatest fear was that someday she might come home to find her daughter hung, or with her wrists slit, or having taken her own life in some other way. She’d only ever told Dr. Patel these fears, and she’d been assured that such concerns were normal. Not that it made things any better. > She looked up at the ceiling, idly stroking her daughter’s hair as she slept. She’d tried so hard to give her daughter her life back, but the poor thing hadn’t been able to manage it. This life of isolation was no way for a girl to live… but it was the best thing Lori could do for her now. > If nothing else, she was safe here.

#what she'd been missing #loan loud #lori loud #sin kids #abominations #fanfiction #fanfic #trillhouse #my work #greentext

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navicosoft11 · 3 years

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Champion Practices to Retrieve Your Google Page Speed Insights Score

When was the last moment you dumped a site because its page was holding overly slow to load? You are not only in doing so! In case most internet users spot slow-loading pages to be a massive headache.

This is actually a burning figure when you deal with the sheer influence of on-page SEO in ensuring growth.

The challenge crops up; what really is the perfect page speed? The resolve to this keeps evolving. While there was an era when a page speed of seconds was sufficient, now businesses strive to score a load time of fewer than three seconds.

If you don’t notch up this score, here are some of the best champion practices you can enforce to recover the PageSpeed insights score.

1. Squeeze Down Your Images:

In today’s digital arena, aesthetics signified a lot. This might seduce some of you to install high-quality photographs on your site. While there is nothing disfigured with this tiptoe, and assuredly the quality of your images count, don’t puzzle quality images with a high-resolution snapshot.

You can still bring off excellent quality without adopting the highest resolution available. In case a perfect sense to boost website speed is to squeeze your images. It rounds out you can drive compression tools to cut down image size by up to 50 percent without weakening its quality.

For precedent, for those with a WordPress site, a plugin called WP Smush Image Compression and Optimization can be a handy gadget, notably acknowledging that the plugin is free to apply.

2. Dislodge Unnecessary Redirects:

Another big headache for a website user, aside from low-loading pages, is websites that run on redirecting to alternative pages when you click on the landing page link.

It turns up that both the headaches are associated! The more redirects your pages take, the higher will be the page’s load acceleration. You can readily hit two birds with one shot by getting rid of irrelevant redirects from your page.

Corresponding to Google, pages with a low PageSpeed Insights Score influence to have a definite redirect pattern. If you are looking for the SEO Services, Here are some of the standards that may be demonstrated:

· xyz.com -> www.xyz.com -> m.xyz.com. Of the sort, sites provide an extremely low action on mobile apparatus.

· xyz.com -> m.xyz.com/home. This affords a substantially lower experience than a responsive design.

Are you staring what a responsive web design will sound like? Well, its URL (in this case, xyz.com) will load the landing page, nevertheless of what machine it is turned up, without any redirects. This is what you should target for.

3. Discard Render-Blocking Resources:

Another sharpshooter practice to enhance the on-page speed score to discard any render-blocking resources from your site. Such gadgets also play a vital role in reducing page load.

Until you are a digital brainiac, the possibilities are that you have a nada mind about what we denote about render-blocking resources. Don’t be fret, and we had to ponder about it too!

Fundamentally, such resources adduce to CSS and JavaScript that pursuit as a barrier to rapid page loading.

This is because every visitor’s browser is granted the task of early downloading these scripts and thus transforming them earlier the entire page can be revealed.

Acquiring such resources situated above the fold section of the page can be damaging to the website. Google itself provides a solution for this puzzle. This consists of:

· Using plugins like Autoptimize (if your site is limited) to integrate your CSS or JavaScript into HTML files. This approach is particularly for miniature sites since it will literally be impractical for larger websites with a profusion of scripts.

· Deferring your JavaScript allows your JavaScript data to be downloaded during the HTML parsing transform and be enforced once the parsing process has been done. It still releases scripts to load in terms of display order on a turned page.

This is absolutely technological handling; hence you will require a devoted influence to encounter this. You should find the Best SEO Services for your website if you want to make your website speed optimized.

4. Handle Browser Caching:

According to Neil Patel, another gadget that can support sustain your Google PageSpeed Insight Score is browser caching. Correlated to diverse practices touched on in this guide, this one is highly candid and doesn’t cause many struggles.

Broadly, a page leans to stand a slow time to load because it is producing the required means. For a reason, each time a site is revisited, it needs to retrieve and load each image and separate page components. Thus, it takes to deal with all the heavy HTML and coding.

As you can discover, this task is actually monotonous. Indeed, any way to scale down the repetition of efforts can recover the website’s performance, perfect? This is where browser caching appears.

It allows browsers to recognize pages and resources that have been hitherto loaded. This system doesn’t require reloading it all from scratch.

5. Upgrade Your Perceived Performance:

An analysis spotlight on particular consumer behavior. Over 11 % of mobile phone users start scrolling through a site, top-down, within minor four seconds of the page loading. And even if the whole page hasn’t loaded, 9 percent still scroll down.

This denotes you don’t necessarily have to ensure that your full page loads rapidly. Instead, you require to upgrade its perceived performance. Act so by prioritizing the rapid loading of above-the-fold content. Doing so will immediately boost your page speed score as quickly.

So End remarks are don’t let a low page speed spoil your struggle and proficiency. As we know that the speed optimization is one of the major aim of SEO Service providers. Don’t underrate the potential bounce rate, likewise. Adopt Google Page Speed Insight to learn where your site prevails right now. And by the way, if it requires amelioration, you now savvy about what to act.

#SEOServices #BestSEOServices #OnPageSEOServices #GooglePageRanking #GooglePageSpeedInsights

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tomorrowedblog · 5 years

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Friday Releases for June 28

Friday is the busiest day of the week for new releases, so we’ve decided to collect them all in one place. Friday Releases for June 28 include Super Mario Maker 2, Yesterday, Bandana, and more.

Ophelia

Ophelia, the new movie from Claire McCarthy, is out today.

One of the world’s greatest dramas is turned on its head through a bold and new perspective in OPHELIA. Set in medieval Denmark and spoken in a modern tongue with a poetic twist, it recalibrates the classic Shakespearean tragedy of “Hamlet” so that its unspoken, complex heroine may share her own story. As a rebellious and motherless child, Ophelia (Daisy Ridley) is taken into Elsinore Castle by Queen Gerturde (Naomi Watts) as one of her most trusted ladies-in-waiting. Soon enough, Ophelia captures the affections of the young Prince Hamlet (George MacKay). A passionate romance kindles between the two in secret as the kingdom is on the brink of war amidst its own political intrigue and betrayal. When Hamlet’s father is murdered and the prince’s wits begin to unravel into an insatiable quest for vengeance, Ophelia sharply navigates the rules of power in Denmark all while struggling to choose between her true love and her own life.

Better Days

Better Days, the new movie from Kwok Cheung Tsang, is out today.

When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, a two-day national college entrance exam, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this exam not only determines where and if they get to study but the fates of their entire families as well. Like so many others, Nian has been single-mindedly preparing for the exam, cutting everything else out of her life. When she becomes the target of relentless bullying, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei and the two form a strong friendship. Before they can completely retreat into a world of their own, the two are dragged in the middle of a murder case of a teenage girl where they are the prime suspects. In this dramatic thriller, Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang paints a bleak picture of an oppressive society, in the guise of a gripping fairy-tale love story, exposing the dark world of bullying and societal pressures of achievement facing today’s youth.

Yesterday

Yesterday, the new movie from Danny Boyle, is out today.

Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling singer-songwriter in a tiny English seaside town whose dreams of fame are rapidly fading, despite the fierce devotion and support of his childhood best friend, Ellie (Lily James). Then, after a freak bus accident during a mysterious global blackout, Jack wakes up to discover that The Beatles have never existed … and he finds himself with a very complicated problem, indeed.

Performing songs by the greatest band in history to a world that has never heard them, and with a little help from his steel-hearted American agent, Debra (Emmy winner Kate McKinnon), Jack’s fame explodes. But as his star rises, he risks losing Ellie — the one person who always believed in him. With the door between his old life and his new closing, Jack will need to get back to where he once belonged and prove that all you need is love.

Family Business

Family Business, the new TV series from Igor Gotesman, is out today.

After learning that France is about to legalize cannabis, faux entrepreneur Joseph rallies his family and friends to transform his father’s kosher butcher shop into France’s first marijuana coffee shop.

The Chosen One

The Chosen One, the new TV series from Michael Tikhomiroff, is out today.

Determined to bring a Zika vaccine to the remote Pantanal, three doctors clash with a faith healer and are pulled deeper into the mysteries of his cult.

Super Mario Maker 2

Super Mario Maker 2, the new game from Nintendo, is out today.

Mario fans of the world, unite! Now you can play, create, and share the side-scrolling Super Mario courses of your dreams in the Super Mario Maker 2 game, available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch system! Dive into the single-player Story Mode and play built-in courses to rebuild Princess Peach’s castle. Make your own courses, alone or together. And with a Nintendo Switch Online membership, share your courses, access a near-endless supply made by others, enjoy online multiplayer, and more!

Bandana

Bandana, the new album from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, is out today.

Tears of Joy

Tears of Joy, the new album from MIKE, is out today.

#Games #Movies #TV #Music #Ophelia #BetterDays #Yesterday #FamilyBusiness #TheChosenOne #SuperMarioMaker2 #Bandana #TearsOfJoy #News

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sempiternalsandpitturtle · 4 years

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12 benefits of landing pages for content marketing

First impressions matter. Whether you’re meeting your girlfriend’s parents, interviewing for a new job or conquering the Aztecs, that first impression could make or break the whole enterprise. Heck, Ben Stiller built his entire career on the perilous pursuit of putting your best foot forward.

That holds just as true for brands in the digital space as anywhere else. How you engage first-time site visitors could either kickstart a successful customer journey that slowly guides a prospect through the sales funnel or completely turns away a viable sales lead.

In many cases, landing pages give website visitors an initial glimpse of what your brand is all about. We’ve talked before about the parallels between website design and “curb appeal” in real estate – well, that same concept applies here too. When done right, landing pages provide useful and relevant content and information, offer tangible next steps for additional engagement opportunities and give your brand more insight into the individual who’s landed on your site.

What exactly is a landing page?

If you search around the internet for a clear-cut definition of landing pages, you’re likely to find some bizarrely rigid interpretations. Some folks make a clear distinction between landing pages and homepages. Others will tell you that a web page can only truly be considered a landing page if it has a contact fill form embedded in it. Interesting takes, but perhaps a little too strict for our tastes.

So, how do we define a landing page? Simply put, it’s the initial point of contact between your website and a visitor. Maybe they clicked on a paid ad or reached you by way of good, old-fashioned organic search results. Either way, that first point of entry is a landing page.

By that definition, of course a homepage could also be a landing page if it appears high enough in search results or pops up as a Google Ads advertisement. And, yes, many landing pages do indeed have forms for users to submit their contact info in exchange for an asset download, register for a webinar or sign up for a monthly newsletter. But that doesn’t mean they have to.

The problem with viewing landing pages through such a narrow prism is you wind up obsessing over the wrong goals. If a landing page always needs a contact form, then its purpose will inevitably be to generate leads. Not every person who lands on that page – especially if it’s their first experience with your brand – is looking to take that step. There’s a good chance they just want some quick information before moving on with their day. Expand your concept of what a landing page can be, and you’ll find numerous applications for them within your marketing campaigns, from lead gen to brand awareness.

Why should you use landing pages?

As we noted above, there are many instances where a potential customer’s first interaction with a brand comes through organic and paid search. As such, landing pages are a vital touchpoint, serving as an initial brand interaction, an avenue to nurture leads with compelling content or an opportunity to generate qualified leads through form fills.

Simply put, marketing campaigns that don’t factor in landing pages in some fashion are inherently flawed. Still not convinced you need to incorporate landing pages into your digital marketing strategy? We thought you might say that, which is why we’ve put together just about every conceivable benefit that landing pages bring to the table.

Strap yourself in, because the list is pretty lengthy:

1. They leave a good first impression

Not to repeat ourselves (OK, we’re repeating ourselves), but there’s a very good chance that many of your potential customers’ first experience with your brand will be on your website. And a good chunk of those individuals will have found your site through organic search. So, in many ways, landing pages serve as the front door to your business, regardless of where they exist on your website.

Well-crafted landing pages that provide value for the reader and offer tangible next steps (like, say, a call-to-action button or links to related content on the site), improve click-through rates and effectively jumpstart the customer journey. With the average B2B customer holding off on contacting an actual sales representative until they’re 70 percent of the way through the sales process, those digital touchpoints are essential.

2. They generate leads and conversions

There’s no question that landing pages help create more qualified leads and result in higher conversion rates when pairing compelling downloadable assets with form fills. You want to know who’s most interested in your IT managed services? Well, it’s a fair bet that the guy willing to wade through a 2,000-word whitepaper on network monitoring solutions is ready to talk.

Swapping contact information for unique insights into the most pressing issues facing your industry is a pretty fair tradeoff. Creating dedicated pages for downloadable assets is a smart way to identify your most promising sales leads.

3. They promote new products and services

Let’s say your company has just put the finishing touches on an exciting new piece of software that will be incorporated into your product platform. It’s cutting-edge, and it totally changes the way your product functions and how users interact with it.

How do you get the word out that you’ve just pushed the envelope on innovation in your space? Obviously, hitting up the press release distribution channels and social networks is going to be necessary. But, creating a dedicated landing page for that feature, tool or technology really shines a light on the value it adds to both your product and your customers.

Keep in mind that 89 percent of B2B customers say that winning vendors show clear ROI and compelling business cases to work with them. Landing pages can zero in on specific products and features and give them a chance to shine. It’s a lot easier to bring real-world benefits to light with a landing page devoted to a particular service.

4. They are direct and to the point

There’s no beating around the bush when it comes to landing pages – good ones are concise and, especially in the case of product or service pages, clearly lay out the value your brand can offer site visitors. That directness can be very refreshing for a B2B audience that just wants to find a solution to whatever problem they’re facing or is in the process of vetting different vendors and wants a clear-cut presentation of the ROI each one brings to the table.

Landing pages are perfect vessels for communicating your core brand messaging and value-adds in the most efficient and stripped-down fashion possible. In the right circumstances, that’s exactly what your target audience needs.

5. They build credibility

Landing pages that take a problem/solution approach demonstrate to site visitors that your company can provide relief for whatever pain point they’re coping with. You can really hammer the point home by displaying customer testimonials or showcasing some of your former and current satisfied clients.

Neil Patel notes that a core component to establishing credibility with landing pages is incorporating social proof into that content. The basic idea behind social proof is that all of us are more likely to make a purchase if we can see that other people are happy with that product or service. With B2B landing pages, that means proving to visitors that your brand and your solutions have a long track record of success.

Even just a rolling scroll of company logos highlighting former clients can help build up your credibility with sales prospects. The bigger names, the better, obviously. A glowing pull quote from one of your happy customers personalises the brand experience and shows potential leads the tangible benefits of working with your brand.

All of this shows your target audience that you don’t just talk the talk – you can back it up with real, tangible results. And if you’ve delivered major ROI to clients in the past, there’s no reason for site visitors to think you won’t do the same for them.

6. They can be tested

There are a lot of different factors that determine how successful any landing page is. For instance, did you know that landing pages featuring video content are more likely to deliver ROI than those without? It’s true.

Optimising landing pages requires a lot of tinkering to get everything just right. Every facet of the page design, content, layout, CTAs and more impacts how site visitors will respond to a given landing page. Going back to the example of social proof, displaying social media share counters can actually work against you if no one is actually sharing your content.

Bottom line: You can’t really be sure which aspects of your landing page content drive engagement and produce qualified leads, and which hold these efforts back, without really digging into the details and analysing every component.

Thankfully, landing pages easily lend themselves to A/B testing, enabling digital marketers to finetune their web content and create the perfectly optimised solution for whatever goals they have.

So, if you’ve got a gut feeling that something on your landing page content isn’t working – or better yet, you have the site metrics to back up that suspicion – take some time to try out different approaches to the same page and compare the results side by side. You might be surprised by what you uncover.

7. They increase your search traffic

An optimised landing page that is search-friendly, uses targeted keywords and follows search engine optimisation best practices will drive more organic traffic to your site. That’s a guarantee. We’ve done it countless times.

However, once you’re satisfied with your landing page content, don’t get too comfy. It’s always a good idea to routinely assess your pages’ performance, identify potential execution gaps and update your landing page content accordingly.

Maybe your messaging needs to account for new developments in your industry or a recent Google algorithm change shifts search ranking criteria from one focal point to another. Success in the digital marketing space is a never-ending pursuit. Hey, nobody ever said it was easy.

8. They cull qualified leads from your search traffic

Driving up organic search traffic is great, but if a healthy percentage of those site visitors don’t take the next step forward in the sales funnel, it won’t mean that much to your company’s bottom line.

That’s why a robust internal linking strategy is so important to content marketing, giving your audience a clear path toward further engagement and inching them along the customer journey. Well-placed CTAs and internal links shepherding site visitors to relevant landing pages help you separate the wheat from the chaff by giving those people who are interested in your services or just want to read more of your content a way to stay engaged.

Adding a contact form for downloadable assets, newsletter subscriptions and webinar registrations lets you easily identify your most promising sales prospects. Speaking of which …

9. They increase webinar engagement

Want to get more people to sign up for your webinars? Create dedicated landing pages that can be readily found either through organic search or internal links on your site. Link those pages to blogs that discuss related topics and promote them on your social media channels, and you’re guaranteed to see an uptick in webinar attendance. Be sure to build specific landing pages for each webinar you host or participate in to bring in as many qualified leads as possible.

10. They drive asset downloads

In a similar fashion, dedicated landing pages help you direct more site traffic to your gated content. It’s a little disheartening how often brands’ valuable whitepapers, eBooks and other downloadable assets are so well-hidden that they are virtually impossible to find without a direct link.

Using CTA buttons, internal links and other calls to action to guide site visitors to asset landing pages will increase the number of downloads for this content as well as help you increase conversions.

Landing pages also provide an easy way to promote assets externally through newsletter emails. Include a link to gated content in each of your weekly newsletters, sit back and watch your downloads skyrocket.

11. They zero in on your messaging

It would be foolish to assume that every person who visits a blog on your site reads through to the end, or that every video viewer sits through the whole thing. People check out, get distracted or just fail to engage with a piece of content and make the connection between the subject matter and the message.

That doesn’t really happen with landing pages, though. Landing page content favours a more direct approach that clearly communicates your brand values and specific product or service benefits.

12. They support your business goals

Pretty much everything we discuss on this blog – organic search, SEO, content marketing, etc. – is just a means to an end. This is a results-oriented industry, and if all of these fancy digital marketing strategies don’t help companies achieve their broader business goals, then they really aren’t worth the trouble.

Whatever your current business goals may be – increasing sales figures, growing your customer base, expanding your footprint into new markets or launching a new product or service, among others – well-crafted landing pages support those objectives. That’s kind of the beauty of landing page content: It’s eminently customisable and flexible. You can contort landing pages for any situation and bolster any campaign, strategy or initiative you have in the works.

In that way, landing pages are kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of the content marketing world: ready to help you tackle any problem and achieve any goal. So, if you haven’t already, take stock of your landing pages to identify where you could use more and refine your existing content to make it more search-friendly.

If you’ve got a good landing-page game, you’ll drive organic search traffic, increase conversions and capture more qualified leads. Seems like a no-brainer, right?

from http://bit.ly/3aMnIJN

#content marketing

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

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Everything You Could Possibly Want To Know About Protein Powder

http://fashion-trendin.com/everything-you-could-possibly-want-to-know-about-protein-powder/

Everything You Could Possibly Want To Know About Protein Powder

Projected to swell to $21bn globally by 2025, the protein supplement market is a growth industry. Shots of “gunpowder” are downed by pro athletes, massive dudes at your local gym and, increasingly, normal guys who play a bit of sport or want to get fit or be in better shape.

But do protein powders actually work? And even if they do work, do you need to take them? In which case, what type is best? Whey, casein or plant-based? Concentrate, isolate or hydrolysed? When should you take them? And how much should you take?

You can write a scientific journal on this stuff, and indeed scientists – not bro ones – do. We’ve tried to keep it as brief, understandable and unarguable as we can. The science isn’t always 100 per cent conclusive, as it often isn’t, but that’s what comments sections are for. Digest this meaty protein powder guide though and you’ll definitely know what supp.

Do Protein Powders Work?

There’s more scientific proof for the efficacy of protein powders than you can shake a shaker at. Among others, a 2007 study in the journal Amino Acids (more on those later) showed that subjects who consumed whey protein before and after lifting weights increased size and strength over 10 weeks more than participants who took a placebo.

At the same time though, protein powders are not magic. “I haven’t seen any compelling evidence at all that protein powders are better for muscle gain than food is,” says Kamal Patel, director of examine.com, an independent website that assesses nutrition and supplement research. “It’s simply a matter of convenience and people liking to make shakes more and more as the years go by.”

Onboarding pretty much any quality protein source after your workout will do much the same trick. Most studies compare protein powders to other powders, carbs or placebos, not food. And protein powders can also work out more expensive than food. Funny, that.

Do You Need To Take Protein Powder?

No, you don’t need to. The clue’s in the word “supplement”. If you’re already meeting your protein needs from food, then powders will be superfluous. Where they can come in useful is when your protein need is elevated – for example, in order to recover from intense exercise, build muscle or both – and you struggle to meet it with food.

“‘Protein’ comes from the Greek word proteios meaning ‘primary’, and you could argue in the case of an exercising individual that having enough protein is the primary goal,” says performance nutritionist Matt Gardner.“There’s growing agreement that higher protein intake supports performance, with evidenced-based guidelines of 1.4-2g protein per kilogram of body weight per day recommended.”

The optimal amount of protein for building muscle, on the other hand, is furiously debated in scientific circles and men’s fitness forums. But as a rule of thumb, aim for the higher end of that scale. “There’s research on going higher, but for the average person, that’s a good place to start,” adds Gardner. Not least because you’ll probably find it difficult initially to consume that much protein if you’re in not already in the habit of carrying Tupperware containers of chicken, rice and broccoli at all times.

While nobody wants to be that guy, spreading your protein throughout the day does have advantages: namely, ensuring a steady supply of muscle-building nutrients, without which your body will down tools. A 2014 study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that protein synthesis was 25 percent higher in subjects who hit 30g of protein at each of their three daily meals, compared to participants who ate the same total amount but the lion’s share of it at dinner. Meanwhile another study in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that subjects who consumed 20g of protein six times a day added muscle and lost fat – whether they trained or not. (NB We strongly recommend training.)

You probably don’t want to eat six meals a day either. But three meals and one or two high-protein snacks, say, might be more feasible and palatable. (The actual composition doesn’t matter so much as the quantity and frequency – whatever fits your lifestyle.) Despite how they’re marketed, shakes are not adequate meal replacements, but they can be a handy, portable way of keeping the “gain train” on track until the next helping of food, or topping up the protein content of a meal that’s lacking in said macronutrient.

“A protein shake is a tool to add into your nutritional toolbox on a training day, or on non-training days if you don’t have a whole food protein source readily available, in order to meet your needs,” says Gardner. “For example, 100-120g of meat or fish usually yields 20-25g of protein and a typical protein shake contains around the same.”

Not to mention that mixing a shake is distinctly less antisocial than stinking out your workplace by microwaving the aforementioned tub of chicken, rice and broccoli.

What Type Of Protein Powder Is Best?

A good one. But we’ll come to that.

The most widespread protein powder is whey, which (along with casein) is one the two proteins derived from milk. It’s a byproduct from making cheese which previously went to waste or to feed piglets, which is maybe something to consider before putting any old powder in your body.

Proteins are made of 20 amino acids, nine of which can’t be produced by your body and have to be consumed in food. Whey contains all nine of these so-called “essential” aminos acids, including a decent whack of leucine, the signal molecule for protein synthesis. It’s also more quickly digested and absorbed than other forms of protein (although the significance of that is a moot point that we’ll explore in more detail).

There are three different types of whey, with varying price points. “Concentrate” is the cheapest and most plentiful, typically containing 80 percent protein with some lactose, water and fat. “Isolate”, which has all the lactose and fat and is therefore considered to be fancier, contains 90 percent protein. The most expensive is “hydrolysed”, which is pre-digested by enzymes so that your stomach doesn’t have to do as much of the heavy lifting.

Do any of these distinctions really make a difference though, or is it just marketing spiel to justify charging more money? “Isolate is better if you have strong lactose intolerance,” says Examine.com’s Patel. “Hydrolysed is better if you have certain gut issues, as it needs less breaking down.” The idea that being more quickly absorbed makes a protein powder “better” is however a less legitimate selling point: “You most definitely don’t need to drink a shake within the minutes or hour after working out, and hydrolysates don’t build muscle better than normal whey.” (Again, we’ll get onto timing in a minute.)

It’s not as simple as higher protein percentage equals front-row gun show tickets. “Isolate goes through an extraction and processing method so harsh that it can’t be certified organic,” says Joe Welstead, founder of Motion Nutrition. “It can also remove some highly beneficial nutrients such as CLA, a naturally occurring healthy fat found in dairy.” Nor is removing lactose, a sugar, necessarily a good thing (unless you’re intolerant). “Your absorption can benefit from a slight insulin response,” continues Welstead. “So having your whey protein with a little carbohydrate may enhance your gains.”

The other protein derived from milk is casein, which is digested and absorbed more slowly than whey. Because of this, it’s considered a “slow-release” protein best taken before bed to drip-feed your muscles overnight. A 2012 study by Maastrict University showed that consuming 40g of casein half an hour before bed increased protein synthesis by 22% and improved recovery. (Although again, this was compared with a placebo.)

Like arguments over rest times or multivitamins, whether whey is better than casein or vice versa depends on which studies you want to put more stock in, and whether you believe it’s important to quickly digest and absorb protein post-workout, but both are beneficial. (Some powders contain a mix of the two.) There are also fancy caseins such as hydrolysates, which kind of cancels out the slow-release-ness, and micellar, which forms a globule in your stomach that takes longer to break down, making it extra slow-release-y, to use the technical term.

Or you can just get casein from food such as cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt or the milk that it came from in the first place.

What About Plant-Based Protein Powders?

Plenty of carnivores have been converted to the growing number of vegetarian and vegan protein powders on the market, either because they’re cutting out dairy, reducing it or just not wanting to consume any more than they already are, or because they’re suspicious of the quality and provenance of whey supplements.

“The advantage we see with plant-based protein powders is that so many people find them much easier to digest than whey protein, and that they feel and taste more ‘real’,” says Damian Soong, co-founder of dairy-free supplement brand Form. “That’s before you even consider environment, sustainability or animal welfare issues.” Various studies have shown plant-based protein powders such as rice, pea and soy to be as effective as whey, although men are often recommended to avoid soy because of the potential estrogenic effects of compounds called soy isoflavones. (Most of these are removed from soy protein isolate.)

The disadvantage of getting protein from plants is that you need to eat more of them to get the equivalent payload from an animal source. Plant protein sources are also not “complete”: that is, they don’t contain a full amino acid profile. But it’s possible to make a complete protein by mixing several plant sources together, as quality powders tend to do. “We do this with Form by combining pea, rice, hemp and algae,” adds Soong.

“For some, a plant-based protein powder can be easier to digest,” seconds Motion Nutrition’s Welstead, who manufactures both whey and vegan supplements. “I think this will mainly be true for lactose-intolerant individuals, or if the whey protein you are using contains many additives, making it harder to digest. It may also have a smaller carbon footprint, but this is not as straightforward as it seems, since the amount of plants required to end up with one serving of protein is much greater than the amount of dairy.”

Plant-based protein powders are not necessarily cleaner ingredients-wise either: “Because of their unappetising flavour and texture, brands tend to load these products up with even more sweeteners, thickeners and flavourings than whey protein.”

So What Makes A Good Protein Powder Then?

As we said at the outset, the major keyword is quality. “A rookie error is to think maximum protein for minimum spend,” says Motion Nutrition’s Welstead. “While this may seem like a bargain, your body will respond poorly, defeating the whole purpose.”

“Good protein supplements often have few ingredients, potentially even leaving out sweeteners altogether, although that’s not necessary, and lacking random stuff thrown in there,” says Examine.com’s Patel. “Some are cold processed whey, which can increase glutathione production. Others are grass-fed, which hasn’t shown nutritional benefits but should indicate that the cows are less likely to be treated terribly.”

Motion Nutrition’s protein powders are all certified organic, requiring extensive hoop-jumping, with ingredients traced back to the respective farms (which can’t be too close to polluted areas). But Motion’s capsules can’t be certified organic because they’re fortified with vitamins and minerals, which gave Welstead an eye-opening glimpse into you can can get away with. “If it weren’t for the high standards we set ourselves, there would be no rules ensuring quality or bioavailability,” he says.

“Unscrupulous brands will use cheap sources of ingredients with low absorption rates,” Welstead continues. “They will bulk their products with binders. They will fake mouthfeel with thickeners. And they will cover this all up with sweeteners and flavourings, which have proven negative effects.” Yum. Aside from checking the ingredients list, buying certified organic is one way to avoid all of this, and ensure your whey is at least 60% grass-fed. (“Grass-fed” alone has no binding definition.) Even then, take a second glance before buying organic products imported from the US, where regulation is less strict.

Quality isn’t just about the crap you leave out, but the (non-random) goodies you put in. “Protein powders can be a lot more functional now,” says Form’s Soong. “We include curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, which is a proven anti-inflammatory, and black pepper extract, which aids absorption. You’re not what you eat – you’re what you absorb.”

When Should You Take – Or Absorb – Protein Powder?

This brings us to the third of the three nutritional Ts: Total, Type and Timing.

You may be familiar with the concept of the “anabolic window”, which largely originated with some research in the late 1980s. The gist of it is that if you don’t consume protein within seconds of finishing a workout, your gains will be impaired, which in turn is a major selling point for quickly drunk and digested powders. Hence why you see guys in gyms dropping weights and scrambling to grab shakers like their biceps depend on it.

Like a Photoshopped physique, this has been greatly exaggerated. A 2013 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that the anabolic window post-workout is more like 4-6 hours, depending on how long before your workout you last ate, as your body may still be working its way through that: more like anabolic patio doors, then. The researchers admitted that delaying your protein re-up might make a small difference (science can’t yet say definitively), but as long as you eat something in the hour or two following your workout – a shake or a meal – your precious gains should be just fine.

There’s another reason not to frantically shake your protein powder and neck it in one. “By doing this, you’re blending air bubbles into your drink, and potentially causing bloating and discomfort,” says Motion Nutrition’s Welstead. “There’s really no rush.”

How Much Protein Powder Should You Take?

A 2009 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (using egg protein) identified that 20g of protein post-workout was enough to maximally stimulate synthesis. Sure, you could consume more, but there doesn’t appear to be much point: a 2009 University of Texas study (using beef patties) showed that consuming 90g of protein didn’t stimulate synthesis any more than 30g. As discussed earlier, you’re better off spreading your protein throughout the day in 20-30g “pulses” to maintain synthesis.

Another answer is that you shouldn’t take as much protein powder as you might think. “Some people veer into meal replacement territory, with half or more of their protein coming from powder,” says Examine.com’s Patel. “This can predispose them to having a bad diet, although it isn’t causative per se. Protein powders are fine, but unless you have a specific reason you’re taking them, eg you’re on the go, then you might want to just eat food instead. It has more nutrients, is more filling and usually tastes better.”

Many protein powders pack extra calories in the form of sugars, which could end up on your abs, not your arms. “Make sure to pick a powder that is 1g or less of sugar per 30g serving,” says nutritionist Gardner. “Then you can dictate when to add carbohydrates – for example, banana and oats.” Low- or no-calorie sweeteners, even natural ones such as stevia, can also be counterproductive. “You may find yourself craving sweeter foods and jumping on sugary snacks,” says Motion Nutrition’s Welstead.

A third and final answer is that you shouldn’t take as much as much protein powder as some manufacturers would have you believe. We said “some”. “It might seem strange for us as a nutrition company to advocate a food-first approach,” says Form’s Soong. “But this is something that people, often men, forget: supplements are supplements.”

The World’s Gain-Changing Protein Brands

Sunwarrior

The focus at Sunwarrior is to keep it as natural as possible and as well as taking protein from traditional sources like hemp seeds and pea, it also uses the lesser known superfoods goji berries and amaranth. The calories and content are around average and there is a disappointing lack of flavours on offer but this is a lifestyle drink first and foremost, promising a chain of amino acids and organic ingredients that will elevate you to full-on yogi level.

Buy Now: £44.99

Motion Nutrition

Alongside a range of supplements and nootropics (healthy and naturally produced ‘smart’ drugs), Motion Nutrition sells whey proteins made from organic milk blended with specific superfoods like cacao and coconut, while it’s vegan blend contains ingredients you didn’t even know existed like red banana and yellow pea. Protein level is comparatively low (as mentioned above – it doesn’t need to be high), and its products come in at a lesser price point.

Buy Now: £22.49

Form

The high dairy and milk content in some protein powders can turn those people with digestive problems off while alternative vegan blends have a reputation for funky smells and a sawdust taste. Form is changing the game, creating vegan products that actually taste good with flavours like chocolate salted caramel and added probiotics to help you digest your protein intake. The packaging also contrasts with how the industry used to be with mindful images of beautiful forestry – no buffed up gym bros making you feel insecure here.

Buy Now: £24.00

Innermost

The bold and eye-catching packaging on Innermost products does well to summarise what the protein brand is all about – mainly powdered blends that don’t bamboozle you into wondering quite what you’re taking. Keeping it simple, there are three main powders available – ‘The Strong One’ for the gym bunnies, ‘The Fit One’ for cardio types and ‘The Health One’ if you’re keen on your detox.

Buy Now: £30.00

Neat

This is protein packaged by way of Shoreditch in a brown paper bag like one out of a bygone era. Founded by two former pro swimmers, Neat takes its protein, like the packaging, back to basics with simple vegan and whey blends and the added extra of matcha green tea in its lean protein acting as a slow releasing caffeine source making it an optional substitute for your morning coffee.

Buy Now: £34.00

Purition

If you’re not sure about the whole space-age feel of chomping down on powders, then Purition is a great option as it offers a whole food blend of seeds and nuts instead along with the protein and real food flavourings like vanilla pods. Mix them up in a blender with milk or do as we prefer and sprinkle them on your breakfast cereal. The protein intake is low compared to others but at least you’ll feel like you’re having some real food.

Buy Now: £22.95

The Organic Protein Company

Protein from organically sourced cow’s milk has been spilt all over the marketplace now, but one of the originals was The Organic Protein Company. The price is reasonable as is the protein intake and the powder also has a low carbohydrate intake. It also sells an interesting raspberry and baobab flavour which works well stirred into porridge, while 25p of every pack sold is donated to the charity Compassion In World Farming.

Buy Now: £24.99

NutriStrength

Sold in packaging that looks more like a biscuit tin for shortbread as opposed to anything that is going to turn you into a beast in the gym, Nutristrength comes in at a premium price point but does offer an unorthodox solution to those who suffer from an allergy to cow’s milk by using goat and sheep milk instead. Even if you aren’t allergic, the different casein structure and fat composition still make it easier to digest than your average cow milk-based protein powders. At least that’s the claim.

Buy Now: £34.00

Vega Clean Protein

It just isn’t enough to have your standard pea and hemp vegan blends anymore, as Vega can attest to by offering protein sourced from alfalfa (a legume usually grown for livestock) and pumpkin as well. The protein content is high and the carbohydrate levels reasonably low, with a full amino acid profile making Vega an attractive choice, besides the fact that they only offer two basic flavours.

Buy Now: £26.99

BioSynergy

Alongside pre-workout, creatine and everything else in a bodybuilder’s kitchen cupboard, BioSynergy has one of the widest range of powders on this list. Everything from vegan blends, mixtures of protein and rice for those looking to refuel their energy levels after a heavy workout and high powered protein blends with 30g of protein per serving. However, it is important to note most of its blends are high in carbs which is great if you’re looking to replenish your body but not so great if you want to cut weight.

Buy Now: £29.99

Bodyism

Founded by personal trainer James Duigan, Bodyism started life as a gym and is now sold and packaged as a philosophy and way of life. For many people, a daily protein powder is now akin to getting your five a day, so powders come into this lifestyle, although it’s mainly aimed at the female market. The brand does offer a ‘male testo’ package of exotic ingredients though (Siberian ginseng anyone?) that promises to boost your testosterone along with providing you with a dose of pea protein for the day.

Buy Now: £30.00

Optimum Nutrition

Sold in the old school big tub packaging we most readily associate with protein powders, Optimum Nutrition does exactly what it says on the tub offering 100 percent pure protein and not much besides. While it might not have all your probiotic blends, the award-winning brand does have a high protein intake and BCAAs to aid your workout along with 24 different flavours that read like the dessert menu. We’ll have a key lime pie and the blueberry cheesecake, please.

Buy Now: £22.49

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jacknicholson1963 · 6 years

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Gordon Brown and the TOBA that shafted the Navy

In this guest article, Jag Patel considers if Gordon Brown’s reputation as a prudent politician is deserved and the impact his policies are still having on the RN today.

During his 10 years as Chancellor of the Exchequer and then as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown cultivated a carefully crafted reputation as a prudent politician and trustworthy custodian of the public purse. Indeed, such was his penchant for using the word ‘prudence’ that political journalists took to playing a fun game of counting the number of times it was mentioned in his budget speeches. Some even jokingly suggested that Prudence was the name of his girlfriend, who had been kept out of the public eye. Either way, Brown’s record in office, as a “fiscally prudent politician”, does not tally with the evidence.

In his autobiography My Life, Our Times, Brown discusses among other things the financial crises, his economic record and that fateful promise made by Tony Blair. Not surprisingly, there is no mention of one of most disgraceful actions of his government. It concerns state-sponsored protectionism, and failure to install genuinely independent regulatory bodies. This shameful episode, which marred Brown’s time in office, relates to the procurement of military equipment.

What has been clear for many years is that, public subsidies handed out to defence equipment manufacturers over several decades, is the reason why they have failed so miserably, to deliver equipment to the Armed Forces which is fit for purpose, adequately sustained in-service and constitutes value for money through-life.

Means of defence production in the hands private interests

In the UK, as in many western countries, the means of defence production, distribution and exchange is exclusively in the hands of private interests, that is to say, the State is entirely dependent on for-profit organisations for the design, development, manufacture and delivery of new military equipment to the Armed Forces. Consequently, the government has no choice but to rely on the Private Sector for all its military equipment needs, including its subsequent upkeep when in-service with the user. The harsh reality is that, no department of state in Whitehall is as dependent on the Private Sector, as is the Ministry of Defence – putting it at serious risk of capture by private interests (if it hasn’t already been) which allows them to bend policy to their will, as it relates to the expenditure of public funds. Equally, these private interests are entirely dependent upon a steady flow of taxpayer funds for their very survival – no least, because they have not bothered to diversify at all.

For those not familiar with this concept of state capture, Transparency International, the anti-corruption watchdog, defines it as “a situation where powerful individuals, institutions, companies or groups within or outside a country use corruption to shape a nation’s policies, legal environment and economy to benefit their own private interests”.

The shipbuilding Terms of Business Agreement (TOBA)

The Terms of Business Agreement on naval shipbuilding was signed in secret by the Brown government with BAE Systems during the dying days of the 2005-10 Parliament. It locked the government into an appallingly poor 15-year commercial arrangement laced with a punitive get-out clause which, if made public, would have attracted an outcry during the run-up to the 2010 general election. The agreement left the incoming administration no room to manoeuvre at all, as it set about started the 2010 SDSR, the first defence review in 12 years.

The existence of the TOBA was only revealed to Parliament in 2011 by the coalition government, when it was confronted with the undeniable truth that MoD finances were in bad shape and needed to be declared publicly, to garner public support for deep cuts in the defence budget that ensued.

It is an open secret that the even the most fiscally prudent people in government are prone to softening their stance just before a general election, when they are up for re-election, which makes them more likely to open-up the public purse. Equally, defence contractors are aware of this weakness in top politicians and will take full advantage, by surreptitiously intensifying their lobbying efforts (in concert with trade unions), to apply political pressure spliced with threats of massive lay-offs, timed to coincide with the electoral cycle, to relieve politicians off taxpayers’ money and maximise their take – which is exactly what happened with this TOBA.

TOBA – What it is all about

Briefly, the TOBA commits the government to guaranteeing BAE Systems a minimum level of surface ship construction and support activity of about £230 million a year. Apparently, this level of work was independently verified as the minimum level of work required to sustain a credible warship building industry in the UK, and thus avoid the delays encountered during the Astute class submarine build programme, caused in part by the loss of skilled staff, which arose due to the gap between Astute and the Vanguard class submarine builds. MoD claims that the TOBA was designed in such a way as to incentivise major reductions in the size of the shipbuilding industry, on a managed basis, to minimise the rationalisation cost which MoD was liable to pay for, under historic Yellow Book rules.

However, delay after delay in letting the build contract for the Type 26 frigate, largely due to the considerable pressure on MoD finances brought on by the appearance of the so-called ‘black hole’, resulted in a gap in orders opening up between completion of the second aircraft carrier and the start of the Type 26 construction programme. It was to avoid exactly this type of situation from arising in the first place, that the TOBA was established!

So, in an attempt to fill this gap, the government agreed to buy five Offshore Patrol Vessels from BAE Systems, for a price of £348 million. But because the TOBA required £230 million to be spent with BAE Systems each year, the government ended up paying an additional £100 million, on top of the agreed price for the OPVs – making them the most expensive OPVs in the world. Worse still, these are ships the RN did not especially need as it already had 4 relatively modern OPVs.

The staggering incompetence of people in government who negotiated and then gave the green light to this agreement, that is, elite politicians, their special advisers, senior civil servants and military top brass, knows no bounds – it is there for all to see!

TOBA finds no mention in the National Shipbuilding Strategy

To be fair, this government inherited the TOBA from the last government. Notwithstanding, it is so embarrassed by the existence of the TOBA, that it couldn’t even bring itself to mention it in its new National Shipbuilding Strategy, released in September 2017 – yet the National Shipbuilding Strategy was shaped by the terrible experience of the TOBA.

Most notably, the National Shipbuilding Strategy abandons the failed policy of intervening in the market to dictate the composition of the shipbuilding industry and also extends (finally) use of the instrument of fair and open competition, to select the Prime Contractor for the new generation of Type 31e general purpose frigates, to be built for a fixed, not-to-exceed price of £250 million each.

What’s more, for the first time in the history of defence procurement in the UK, it will be mandatory for the ship to be designed with exports in mind from the outset, and accordingly, bidders will be required to prove that they have secured the commitment of potential export customer(s) which the government will verify, before placing the shipbuilding contract with the winning Prime Contractor, on the basis of best value for money. This requirement will also serve to achieve the government’s wider goal of a Global Britain in the post-Brexit era, so that it can pay its way in the world.

The only saving grace about this TOBA is that it has a sunset clause built into it, that is to say, it expires after 15 years, in 2024 – otherwise, it could have quite easily been much worse for taxpayers!

Protectionism and favouritism

So, instead of exposing defence equipment manufacturers to the full rigours of the free market, the Brown government chose to engage in protectionism and favouritism by handing out uncontested, long-term shipbuilding contracts worth billions of pounds – with virtually no checks and controls, or even guarantees, which has come to haunt this minority government. Nevertheless, it has decided to honour the TOBA because it simply has no choice.

What’s more, in the military equipment market, it has been long-standing policy to combine the role of the sponsoring agency and regulatory authority in a single department of state, the Ministry of Defence – which means that the crucial independent scrutiny function, free from political interference, is non-existent. So, capture of one amounts to taking control over both!

The revolving door

Worse still, people at the Ministry of Defence are, without exception, favourably disposed towards the defence industry because they are completely dependent upon it for their subsequent career when their time in public service comes to an end sometimes by political edict. Indeed, it is very hard to find anyone at MoD who will aggressively defend taxpayers’ interests, once they have enjoyed a cosy relationship with contractors.

A modern Defence Industrial Strategy

An innovative proposal (download the paper here) on how to go about eliciting Private Sector investment capital in defence procurement programmes is set out in a written submission to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, which reported on its inquiry into Industrial Strategy in the last Parliament. It introduces a modern Defence Industrial Strategy that puts financial security and the national interest first, not military equipment manufacturers’ commercial interests.

The signing of this TOBA is another contributing factor to the pressure the defence budget is now under. It is understandable why Treasury Ministers are disinclined to increase the MoD’s budget, given their historic record of mismanagement, with this TOBA being another example.

Jag Patel is an independent Defence Procurement Adviser with over 30 years experience of researching, analysing, publicising and solving a wide range of entrenched procurement problems. He tweets as @JagPatel3

(Opinions expressed here are not necessarily that of Save the Royal Navy. We also recognise Conservative administrations have made just as many mistakes with defence as Labour)

Three expensive new OPVs being built for the RN (Save the Royal Navy 2014)

Minister opens up about his shipbuilding heartache (Save the Royal Navy 2016)

from Save the Royal Navy http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/gordon-brown-and-the-toba-that-shafted-the-navy/

#Save the Royal Navy

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