4 Pillars New Brands Must Communicate to Their Audience

Q: What are the fundamental aspects a brand needs to communicate to the target market -- especially a newly launched product or brand?
-- Elsworth Nene

A: The key to any successful brand experience lies in one word in the question being posed today, and word is “fundamental.” Too often I see businesses getting sidetracked with tactical nitty-gritty details before they’ve defined the absolutely essential pillars around which their brand should drape and expose itself to the world. For any startup or company launching a new product my advice always goes back to the same thing: do your research, keep it simple and adhere to these four principles:

1. Proceed with purpose.

Take the time to define your vision and mission and express it through your marketing. Your end goal might be to generate revenue by selling a product or service, but your target audience doesn’t care. They want to know what problem you are trying to solve, how you're going to make them feel and what’s in it for them. Branding is not about trying to be cool. As Mark Zuckerberg expressed last week, Facebook has always tried to make something that’s useful, so think about the value-exchange.

2. Differentiate your company from others.

When I set about creating a branding strategy for clients, one of the most important areas I focus on is the competitive analysis. It’s one of the most overlooked aspects of branding from my experience, plus it always generates much discussion with the client and great ideas arise from any subsequent brainstorm. If you don’t know who your competition is, how can you persuade your target audiences to use your product service and not theirs? If you’re not anticipating their next direction, how do you ever expect to stay a step or two ahead? Showing how you’re different gives customers a reason to dig deeper and learn to love your brand.

3. Be memorable.

Now you’ve demonstrated why you’re so useful and why you’re different, you have to make those notions stick in people’s minds so they buy from you and keep coming back. The strategy here is to create an amazing experience across your entire business. This means building an internal company culture that exudes the brand and makes people want to work for you. This also means creating a digital experience across social media and video channels that people want to share. And this means thinking about every step a customer takes towards a purchase from you and beyond, and how that experience can be social and delightful by design.

4. Make it personal.

Digital and social media has given consumers unprecedented access to information that gets them closer to brands and a more informed choice, so why not encourage natural evangelists in your company to use digital to get closer to consumers who want to interact with a real person. A positive, company-wide social-media policy starts at the top. By compelling your team members to have buttoned-up personal brands you are closing the loop on a company branding strategy that shows unequivocally that you put the customer first and want to foster enduring trust with your audience.

Simplicity is key in any branding strategy. Overthinking and having too many internal considerations can expose your external brand perception as muddy and disjointed. An integrated approach that articulates your company’s purpose, continually seeks to engage your customers in a memorable way and keeps tabs on the competition will set any new business off to a great start. Adding a personal touch by having your executive team lead from the front through their digital footprints will only accelerate your brand on the path to success.

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Some Effective Startup Survival Rules

In startups, like in any battle field, when the going gets hard, you might forget all the rules you’ve learned.

If you can’t remember anything you’ve learned, there is one rule that will save you: understand your users. It’s the users who keep you alive. A startup useful to users will not die, at least not from an outside cause. But it could still kill itself internally.

The Startup Survival Rules

1. Pick good co-founders. What kills most startups are the startups themselves. Everything starts with finding a bad co-founder. Bad co-founders may be very good people. They also might not do well in a startup for reasons that are not bad by themselves, like going back to school or having a side project. That’s why it is hard to gauge in the beginning who will be a good co-founder.

2. Launch fast. Until you launch,  users can’t use you. If users can’t use you, your startup is useless to them. The longer you stay that way, the harder it will be to break the habit. Launch before you get used to not being useful.

3. Let your idea evolve. Many successful startups changed their ideas fundamentally. Paypal started thinking they would transfer money between Palm Pilots. Do you remember what those are any more? Exactly. Had they not stayed open to the possibility of needing to change everything, we might have never heard of them.

4. Better to make a few users happy, than many ambivalent. If you ask people whether they like your startup, they will most likely say yes. People are nice. But that means nothing to you. Let them vote with their time and money. If they actually use you it counts. If they say it’s a great idea but don’t use you, you have to worry.

5. Offer surprisingly good customer service. At the beginning you can afford to talk with your customers on the phone or in person. Why not? They are the first people who found your product useful. They are like investors, only with their time. Learn from them, and give them the best you have.

6. You make what you measure. Unless you grow, you are not a startup. Growth, though, is often deceptive if you measure the wrong metrics. Figure out what exactly it means for you to grow.

7. Spend little. No matter how much funding you have, you are always closer to death than you think. Unless you are profitable. So spend little. Your investors’ money is the money you don’t have.

8. Get ramen profitable. Even if you have little money coming in, it means someone values you product enough to pay for it. That is the ultimate sign that your company might survive. Now it’s just a matter getting more customers to do the same.

9. Avoid distractions. The only reason a startup exists is to serve its users. Funding is a distraction. School is a distraction. Magazine photoshoots are a distraction. These may be useful distractions of course, but if they take the time and attention away from building the product, they become useful but lethal distractions.

10. Don’t get demoralized. In a startup nothing will happen until you make it happen. People won’t respond. Customers will try not to pay. Partners won’t come through. Investors will flake. Employees will leave. What can you do? You can’t leave. Just keep trudging through until you find what users need.

11. Don’t give up. The surest way to make people believe is keep growing, and if you can’t grow, keep going. The moment you give up, it is really over.

12. Deal fall through. It may be hard to believe, but even after investors say yes, they might still never send you the check. People, even the most sophisticated ones, have buyers remorse, second thoughts, insecurities – in short they are no different than you, so expect that from them. And keep going despite it.

Inspired by Paul Graham’s essay “Startups in 13 Sentences”.

"Bawan Ganga" - Folk Tale of Bihar, India

Once there was a poor low-caste man who eked out his living by hiring himself out as a field-labourer and by rearing pigs. The man had a daughter whose duty it was to drive pigs to the field. While grazingpigs one day on the full moon of an important festival, the girl saw a young Brahmin hurrying by. She was curious why he was almost running and asked him the reason. The Brahmin replied that he wanted to reach the river Ganges and bathe at the time of the full moon. The girl smiled and told him that he could not possibly reach the river Ganges in time, as the river was far away, but that she could solve his problem. The Brahmin wanted to know what she had in mind. The girl pointed to a dirty pool where her pigs were wallowing and told him that if he had real faith in his heart and if he had complete trust in her, he should dip into the pool, and she would bring about the exact auspicious moment of the full moon, and he, in turn, would earn all the merit of bathing in the Ganges. The Brahmin dived into the pool and found the bottom full of jewels and brought out a handful of them. The girl wanted him to dive again and he did so once more. This time he found mud at the bottom. The girl then told him that he had got the reward he deserved for the implicit faith in his mind and his confidence in her. The astonished Brahmin was very attracted to the girl and proposed marriage. The girl blushed, but smilingly said that she could not marry without her father's consent.

The Brahmin youth approached the father but the father did not wish to accept a high caste man. The young Brahmin was heart-broken at the refusal and threatened to commit suicide. The father was frightened of being responsible for the death of a Brahmin and reluctantly gave his consent. The marriage was duly performed. When the bride and groom were taking their leave, the father wanted to give a dowry. The girl told her husband secretly that he should only ask for a particular cow, a particular pig and a particular parrot. The poor man was taken aback at the son-in-law's request, but was obliged to grant the gifts asked for. The bridegroom and the bride left the village.

The parrot was not an ordinary bird. It had access to Lord Indra's court and visited it every day, bringing its mistress news of happenings in the court. The pig was the leader of all the pigs in the country; the cow was a "Suravi" or the auspicious cow that yields plenty.

The Brahmin boy and his wife lived very happily. One day the parrot brought the girl news that Indra had decided that in the approaching rain season there would be no rain anywhere in the districts except for on the barren hills and valleys of Rajgir. Everywhere else there would be famine. Hearing the news, the girl asked her pig to dig up the entire barren hillside and valleys with its herd of swine, which it also did. Then she asked the Suravi Cow to manure the fields, and that was also done. Then the girl asked her husband to sow rice in the dug-up area. The Brahmin husband was very puzzled but did as his wife requested. After some time it rained and that particular area was congested with rice. The couple supplied food to the other areas where the harvest had failed.

Indra was perturbed that his plan to bring about a famine had been thwarted. He ordered an army of rats to destroy the crops. The parrot smuggled the news out to its mistress, and the Brahmin husband procured an army of cats to guard the crop and the rats fled. Indra was furious and ordered a storm to be raised when paddy was being cut and stored on the threshing floor, the idea being that the grain would thus be blown away. Again the parrot brought the news and the girl advised her husband to dig a deep moat round the wall at the foot of the hill. This was done. The storm came but the paddy remained safe in the trench. This way the country was saved from famine because of the virtues, cleverness, and also resourcefulness of the girl.

The moat is still there. The pool in the southern defile of the south gate of the hill-girt Rajgir, where the pigs used to wallow, was named Bawan Ganga, or the Fifty-Two Ganges.

About Bawan Ganga: 

Bawan Ganga is a water-pool near Rajgir in Nalanda District and is associated with a folk-tale fondly recited by the people of Rajgir area. Rajgir, with its ancient relics, has been the seat of many kings and saints. The place, associated closely with Buddhism and Jainism, is picturesque and attracts many visitors.

Conclusion & Basic Values:

The story is quite complex and multilateral. Man has always cherished a desire to have control over supernatural powers, or at least have a source of communication with them. In the story he fulfils his desire. Several stories centre around the fight between ordinary man and supernatural being, and this story is one of these. Some of the basic values and morals contained in this story are the following:

• An ordinary man can defeat a great ruler if he is just and intelligent.
• It reflects the people's belief in three spheres of the world - Heaven, Hell and Earth.
• The main female character possessed the ability to understand animal speech.
• The story shows how animals and birds contribute to the life of a happy couple.
• This story also refers to the established social practice that a girl cannot marry without her father's consent.
• Marriage alliances between young women of low caste and young men of high caste were not unknown.
• This story also reveals that virtue and merit are not the monopoly of people of high caste.
• The story supports the ingenious and highly imaginary theory about a great cyclopean stone wall at Rajgir which still exists; and through this an attempt is made to render the story more realistic and associate it with a particular place.

References:

• Chaudhury, P. C. 1994. Folk tales of Bihar. New Delhi.
• Chettiar, S. M. L. L. 1973. Folklore of Tamil Nadu. New Delhi.
• Dundes, Alan 1989. Folklore Matters. Knoxville, Tennessee.
• Prasad, D. 1989. Lok Sahitaya Aur Sanskriti. Allahabad.
• Thompson, Stith 1946. The Folktale. New York.

The importance of CRM

Customer relationship is important to enhance the value of offering

Customer relationship is the very spine of every business, following the fact that Customer is King; no wonder, the industry is realizing including the small fry (SMEs and MSMEs) for whom it is a challenge to hold the handful of customers in face of competition by the big fish who are ready to swallow them anytime.

Why CRM?

The seller is always trying to maximize the value of business relationship with the customers. CRM, which is a well structured and diligently developed business philosophy and strategy, plays a role to gain competitive advantage.  CRM implies satisfying material needs, meeting market expectations, increasing monetary, temporal and psychological benefits. A customer should feel he got more than his money’s worth.

Why customers look for a connect

Customers look for a connect to get benefits like credit, support, social value and respectability with his association. They generate lifetime values be it in form of monetary value or synergic value or referral value.

Qualified essentials

Each customer is important; therefore focus of objective is the key. Stress the benefits of the product, make the product acquisition meaningful, generate customer loyalty, and last but not the least, move him to commitment from non commitment level. Customers must be treated like one owns self and therefore there should be a transparency of deal and high integrity.

Role play of Sales Team

Sales personnel are relationship builders and developers, responsible for conflict resolution between the buyer and seller. Quality of sales team has an impact on quality of buying effort. Moreover, they can help identify professional and potential customers over a period of time.

A snapshot

CRM includes

•     Identifying and targeting their best customers, managing marketing campaigns and generating quality leads for the sales team.
•     Assisting the organization to improve telesales, account, and sales management by optimizing information shared by multiple employees, and streamlining existing processes (for example, taking orders using mobile devices)
•     Allowing the formation of individualized relationships with customers, with the aim of improving customer satisfaction and maximizing profits; identifying the most profitable customers and providing them the highest level of service.
•     Providing employees with the information and processes necessary to know their customers, understand and identify their needs and effectively build relationships between the company, its customer base, and distribution partners.

According to Bhavish Aggarwal of Olacabs, “In every business you incur a certain cost on a first time customer therefore you expect the customer to come again for  repeat value. Since ina  small business, the budget for CRM is small, innovation can only help since customer service is vital”.

Uma Ganesh of Global Talent Track shares, “ CRM is the backbone of every business, especially of small business. Since the number of people in sales and marketing is small,  the maximum conversion of data base becomes vital. CRM will go a long way in any business, so customer service should be the focus’.

“Most people believe that their life happens to them”

“Most people believe that their life happens to them. That everything which occurs happens because of external circumstances that are independent of their will. Some people call this fate, others call it God’s will, and others choose to call it chance. But regardless of what they call it, they are giving away the responsibility for their lives; they relinquish control over their joys and their sorrows. They become an actor in someone else’s play.

“Every single event in your life is determined solely by you, by your unlimited creative capacity. You can manifest beauty and abundance, just as you can manifest cruelty and oppression. You can manifest joy, just as you can manifest suffering. It is up to you, and no one else. You are the director of the play of your life, and you are writing the script with every breath, every thought, every emotion. It is likely, however, that you are not fully aware of the story you are writing. And thus it is easier to believe that external forces come into play.”

“It is only when we become fully aware of the story that we can choose to write a different one.”

All your Secrets : 1 Min. Read

An old hunter of foxes, considered to be the best in the region, decided finally to retire. He gathered together his belongings and resolved to set off for the south of the country, where the climate was milder.
However, before he could finish packing up his things, he received a visit from a young man.

‘I would like to learn your techniques,’ said the newcomer. ‘In exchange, I will buy your shop, your hunting license, and I will also pay you for all your secrets.’

The old man agreed, they signed a contract and he taught the young man all the secrets of fox-hunting. With the money he received, he bought a beautiful house in the south, where the climate was so mild that not once during the whole winter did he have to worry about gathering wood for the fire.

In the spring, though, he felt nostalgic for his own village and decided to go back and see his friends.
When he arrived, he bumped into the young man who, some months before, had paid him a fortune for his secrets.

‘So,’ the old hunter said, ‘how was the hunting season?’

‘I didn’t catch a single fox.’

The old man was surprised and confused.
‘Didn’t you follow my advice?’

With eyes downcast, the young man replied:

‘Well, to be honest, no, I didn’t. I thought your methods were out of date and I ended up discovering for myself a better way of hunting foxes.’

Parveen Sultana - Humain Tum Se Pyar Kitna Yeh Hum Nahin Jaantay

Shake off your issues

A man's favourite donkey falls into a deep hole in the ground;
He couldn't pull him out in spite of how much he tried;
So he decided to bury him alive.

Mud was dispensed onto the donkey from above.
The donkey felt the weight, shook it off and stepped over it…..
More mud was dispensed on him by his master.

The donkey did the same thing again as he felt the weight, shook it off and stepped over it…..
The more the weight was poured, the higher the donkey rose;
By noon, the donkey was grazing in green pastures.

After much shaking off (of problems)
And stepping up (learning from them),
One can also graze in green PASTURES.

Quote :
     If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.~ Michael Jordan

Here's How to Strike Up a Conversation With Almost Anyone !!

Personal relationships are essential in today’s business world. The best entrepreneurs seem to have an innate ability to connect with strangers in any situation. They’re able to find common ground and build rapport with others almost instantly.

It may look effortless, but it’s a learned skill. With a little work and some dedicated practice, you’ll be able to connect with anyone -- no matter where you happen to meet.

Use the following tips to strike up a conversation at your next networking event, dinner party or while you're standing in line for coffee.

1. Be open

Look for opportunities to meet new people whenever possible. You can’t build relationships with others if you stay in your office all day. Instead, interact with the world around you. Join professional organizations in your industry and take advantage of opportunities to attend conferences and other events.

2. Become a storyteller

Master storytellers captivate strangers through compelling tales. Everyone has a story to tell. Your story makes you human and reveals your personal truth. An emotional narrative will help build rapport and develop the foundation for a professional relationship. Stories also illustrate your unique approach to business, and can help establish your authority as an entrepreneur.

3. Show genuine interest

It’s important to tell your story, but it’s equally critical to discover the stories of those around you. Ask the right questions and give new acquaintances time to open up. One of my favorite questions to ask is, “If you weren’t in this line of work, what would you be doing?” Most people enjoy talking about themselves and will appreciate your interest. You’d be surprised at how quickly people then reveal their own backgrounds, philosophies and motivations.

4. Be yourself

Some young professionals feel like they have to develop particular characteristics or behave in a certain way in order to be successful. Unfortunately, mimicking what works for someone else can make you appear insincere. Instead, be vulnerable and show the real you. Express your personality and share your struggles as well as your achievements.

5. Find common ground

Seek to understand and appreciate different points of view. You don’t have to agree with everything someone says, but try to empathize with how he or she feels. Don’t judge or criticize; just listen. When you meet someone for the first time, pay close attention to their interests and hobbies. Learn what matters most so you can begin to find common ground.

6. Practice uncommon courtesies

Small courtesies can mean a big difference when you meet someone new. Be respectful and show others the kindness you expect of them in return. Make eye contact. Smile. Give a firm handshake. Arrive on time. Say 'please' and 'thank you.' Good manners show that you’re respectful and responsible -- two qualities almost everyone appreciates.

7. Show gratitude

When someone does you a favor or goes out of their way to help you, thank them in person. Take them to lunch or treat them to a cup of coffee. Small tokens of appreciation leave a lasting impression. Your humility and gratitude will earn you a positive reputation in your community and within your industry.

8. Never stop learning

The best way to ensure interesting conversations is to know a little about a lot. Stay up-to-date on current events and industry news. Read blogs, newspapers and subscribe to trade magazines. Sign up for a class at your local university or community college. Attend cultural events and take advantage of continuing education opportunities. Use your knowledge to entertain, educate and engage.

9. Be persistent

At some point, you’ll meet someone with whom you just can’t seem to connect. You may not have anything in common or one of you may simply be having a bad day. Don’t let one setback discourage you. Keep your eye out for everyday opportunities to meet and connect with strangers. The more you practice, the more effortless it will become.

10 Natural Ways to Stay Young !!

Hello, fountain of youth! Stay young with these amazing, completely natural age erasers that boost brain power, stop stress, and smooth skin.

Stress Less
Getting older — without being doomed to wrinkle-dom and jiggly thighs — does not require a high-priced trainer and a bucket o' Botox. We swear it. We know it. We asked top researchers to share their stay-young secrets for winding back time naturally. Their advice will help you stay young and have you looking and feeling everyday fabulous, by doing everyday smart things: exercise, eat healthy, de-stress — not so hard, right? Try it today.

1. Give yourself a break

Recent studies show that stress causes physical changes in the body that can accelerate aging. Surges of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol cause blood pressure to rise and the heart to beat faster. These days, when our stressors seem unrelenting (a steady stream of job pressures, traffic jams, money problems), chronic doses of adrenaline and cortisol take a heavy toll on our physical and emotional health. "Sixty to 90 percent of all doctors' visits each year are related to anxiety, depression, obsessive anger and hostility, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart attacks — all problems caused by stress," says Herbert Benson, MD, author of the landmark book The Relaxation Response and a founder and director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in Boston.

The most effective way to halt this destructive chain of events is to meditate, using what Dr. Benson calls "the relaxation response." The technique involves repeating a mantra — a word, sound, phrase, or prayer — for as little as 10 minutes a day. A 2005 study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston showed that meditation helped prevent age-related changes in the brain.

Try it! Once or twice daily, for 10 to 20 minutes (yes, you do have the time — you just have to make it), sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, relax your muscles, roll your head, neck, and shoulders, and breathe deeply. On each exhale, repeat your mantra. If other thoughts try to invade, says Dr. Benson, tell yourself, "Oh, well," and return to your word or phrase. When you're done, keep your eyes closed for an extra minute; slowly allow everyday thoughts to flow back into your mind. Still not into the idea of meditation? Do yoga, or something active and repetitive, like running, instead. Focus on your breathing and how your feet land with each stride. Get your to-do list out of your head, says Dr. Benson.

2. Consume more fat

The healthy kind, that is. Omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, walnuts, and seeds) help stabilize your mood, maintain bone strength, and help prevent visible signs of aging by reducing inflammation in the body, explains Nicholas Perricone, MD, a leading anti-aging expert and author of 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity. "Omega-3s also boost the ability of the body's enzymes to pull fat out of storage — from your hips, say — and use it as energy," he says. "Omega-3s keep you healthy and your skin radiant."

Try it! "Virtually every expert agrees that you need two grams of omega-3 fatty acids a day," says Michael Roizen, MD, chair of the division of anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and coauthor of You on a Diet. Eat plenty of fatty fish such as wild salmon (a 3-ounce serving has 6.9 grams), as well as walnuts (one-half ounce has 9.2 grams), says Dr. Roizen. If you aren't getting enough omega-3s from your diet, consider taking fish-oil supplements.

3. Get off the couch

Not only does regular exercise help you lose weight, tone muscles, build healthier bones, and boost mood, it can also help you think clearly. Studies cited by the National Institute on Aging demonstrate a connection between physical exercise and better brain power. "Walking for just 10 minutes a day lowers your risk of Alzheimer's by 40 percent," says Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Center on Aging and coauthor of The Healthy Brain Kit. "Physical conditioning reduces stress and anxiety, which wipe out your memory bank."

Try it! Make time for three 20-minute workouts a week. Run, bike, swim, dance — do whatever you enjoy most.

4. Feel the love

Anyone who's ever fallen head over heels or discovered an activity that makes them eager to jump out of bed in the morning knows that passion is a powerful drug. "It's the central motivation of all human activity," says Gail Sheehy in her new book, Sex and the Seasoned Woman. The ability to embrace life boosts self-esteem, fuels the immune system, and improves cardiovascular health. Passion in bed can be particularly beneficial: "Loving touches release hormones, including oxytocin, that reduce stress and anxiety," says Mehmet Oz, MD, professor of surgery and vice chairman of cardiovascular services at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University, as well as the coauthor of You on a Diet. "If sex is a purely hedonistic process, it won't have the same results."

Try it! Banish boredom and isolation at all costs. Rekindle the flames with your partner. Or discover a new love in the form of a mental or physical pursuit: Take up painting, join a book club, start a running program (you'll find motivation and tips and connect with other women like you through Team FITNESS, our personalized online exercise community, at fitnessmagazine.com/teamfitness). Do whatever it is that makes you feel energized and alive.

5. Drink red wine

Last fall, a groundbreaking study showed that mice on a high-fat diet supplemented with resveratrol, a substance found in the skin of grapes, had longer average lifespans than those not given the resveratrol. According to the study's co-lead researcher Rafael de Cabo, PhD, of the National Institute on Aging, resveratrol clearly reduced the risk of diabetes and liver problems in mice, leading to a significant decline in obesity-related deaths. But here's the catch: "You'd have to drink 180 bottles of red wine a day to get the same benefits," says Dr. Roizen.

Researchers are working now to improve the potency of resveratrol in order to develop a pill that contains the optimum amount of the substance. In the meantime, there's plenty of evidence that a little red wine can offset a host of health problems. A new animal study from Johns Hopkins University suggested that red wine can diminish brain damage caused by stroke by as much as 40 percent. And research released last year showed that grape-seed procyanidins, found in red wine, helps reduce arterial clogging, resulting in lower blood-cholesterol levels and a reduction in deaths from heart disease.

Try it! Until an optimally potent resveratrol pill is available, enjoy red wine, but it's best to follow the latest alcohol guidelines from the American Medical Association and drink no more than one glass (5 ounces) a day for your health.

6. Do yoga

More energy, better posture, greater flexibility, improved mood, and less stress are just some of the rewards of this mind-body workout. "Yoga means 'union' in Sanskrit," says Cyndi Lee, founder of New York City's Om Yoga and a FITNESS advisory board member. "Through conscious yoga breathing, you become aware of the connection between mind and body." That translates into major anti-aging advantages. Yogic breathing has been shown to oxygenate the cells, ridding them of toxins, helping prevent illness, and making skin radiant. Unlike other exercises, says Lee, yoga poses are designed to work the inside of your body as well as the outside, which helps rejuvenate the digestive system, the reproductive system, even the immune system. "Yoga is like wringing your body out like a washcloth," she says. "It's one of the best ways to keep things moving."

Try it! Practice yoga or other mind-body activities at least twice a week, says Lee, to give yourself an energy boost, help build bone mass, and de-stress.

7. Bite into a superfruit

There's a good reason we're hearing so much about pomegranates these days. "Current studies show that they are more beneficial than other fruits," says Dr. Oz. Pomegranate juice has been found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, possibly delay the onset of atherosclerosis, and potentially help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease; researchers believe it may also help prevent some forms of cancer from starting or progressing. Pomegranates can also protect the skin from damage caused by UV rays, according to a study published last March.

Another promising anti-ager is the goji berry, a fruit native to Tibet that boasts 500 times more vitamin C by weight than an orange and is considered to be the most abundant source of carotenoids, a type of antioxidant, on earth. This little nutritional powerhouse — which tastes like a denser, sweeter cranberry — also contains more iron than spinach, 18 amino acids, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E, according to Dr. Perricone. The goji berry stimulates the release of human growth hormone, a natural substance in the body that improves our ability to sleep, helps us look younger, reduces fat, improves memory, boosts libido, and enhances the immune system, he says.

Try it! Snack on a handful of dried goji berries (available at Whole Foods Market) throughout the day. Be sure to buy ones from Tibet, because they have high serum levels, advises Dr. Perricone. In addition, drink pomegranate juice. Not a fan of the flavor? Buy it in concentrate and add a tablespoonful daily to kefir (or plain yogurt), suggests Dr. Perricone. For dewy skin, try Rodial's Wrinkle Smoother, a pomegranate-infused anti-aging serum with marine extracts and vitamin C created to plump wrinkles, block sun and give a youthful glow (available at blissworld.com).

8. Sip green tea

The health buzz about this brew keeps getting stronger: Last year, green tea was found to reduce the risk of breast cancer and prevent remissions, and now it's being tested as a way to help prevent bladder, colorectal, and lung cancer recurrence. "Green tea is an amazing compound in terms of blocking the signaling network that is linked with the progression of cancer," says Amy Yee, PhD, a professor of biochemistry at Tufts University and principal investigator of the cancer study. It's also an effective weight-management agent because it appears to rev up metabolism, says Dr. Roizen. Preliminary research indicates that green tea may even help prevent Alzheimer's disease. A Japanese study published last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking at least one cup a day can help keep your brain sharp as you get older.

Try it! Sip two or three cups daily for the ultimate health benefits, says Yee. We like Tazo China Green Tips tea. www.tazo.com

9. Slather your skin with supplements

Retinol, a type of vitamin A (and a nonprescription, weaker-strength relative of Retin-A), is considered the most effective over-the-counter treatment to smooth the skin and prevent wrinkles, says David Colbert, MD, founder of the New York Dermatology Group and a member of the FITNESS advisory board, who practices in New York City. Retinols cause the skin to gently peel, revealing a silkier, rosier, and more supple layer. Dr. Perricone touts the benefits of alpha lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant that naturally occurs in the body. "Alpha lipoic acid is a wonderful anti-aging mechanism," he says. It has been shown to reduce fine lines, improve skin texture, tighten pores, and give skin a general radiance.

Another powerful age-defying ingredient is madecassol, or madecassoside (found in La Roche-Posay's Redermic, available at select CVS locations), an Asian plant extract that helps plump the skin, minimize fine lines, and restore a youthful glow, says Dr. Colbert. Madecassol has been used in France for decades to help heal scars and wounds. European studies have also found that it helps diminish wrinkles, restores firmness to skin, and hydrates skin cells.

Try it! Look for skin creams containing retinols, such as La Roche-Posay's Biomedic Retinol Cream (available at dermatologists' offices) or RoC's Retinol Actif Pur Night (at drugstores). Use it only at night, since it doesn't include an SPF. Or try products containing alpha lipoic acid.

Another good way to ensure cell turnover, protect your skin against free radicals, and stimulate collagen growth is to apply vitamin C serum under your moisturizer and makeup, says Dr. Colbert. Some expert-approved choices: IS Clinical C & E Serum (available at dermatologists' and other specialists' offices), SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic (at dermatologists' offices), Noah's Naturals Honest to Goodness Anti-Oxidant Serum Gel (at select Wal-Mart locations), and Pond's Age defEYE Anti-Circle Anti-Puff Eye Therapy (at drugstores). Finally, be sure to use a broad-spectrum sunblock every day to protect against UVA and UVB rays, which cause aging and skin cancer. One we like: Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX (available at select CVS locations).

10. Do mental aerobics

A study published in last December's Journal of the American Medical Association shows that brain exercises can prevent cognitive decline, and the benefits can last for as many as five years. In his own research, Dr. Small has found that a two-week program of mental training can actually rewire the brain. "We've seen evidence on brain scans that memory improves," he says.

Try it! Strengthen your mind every day by doing crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or Brain Games, a handheld electronic game developed by Dr. Small that uses numbers, sequences, and word play to condition the left and right spheres of the brain (available at Wal-Mart and Target stores).

Peru’s other lost city

Larger than Machu Picchu and far less known, Choquequirao still makes you feel as though you’re practically the first to arrive.


The trek to the lost Incan city of Choquequirao is one of the most difficult in Peru. From the town of Cachora, located 161km west of Cusco, it’s an 18km walk to Capuliyoc Mountain, then down to Playa Rosalinas, where travellers camp for the night. Waking early, trekkers then have to cross the Apurímac River and traverse 8km of gruelling uphill switchbacks to reach the campsite close to the ruins. Then, the next morning, it’s another 2km hike up to the ruins themselves, 3,100m above sea level. To get back? Well, it’s the same way you came.

“I’ve had people in their 60s and 70s do it,” said Juan Barrios, a guide from the Adventure Life trekking company. “[But] some people come out thinking that because it’s only 28km from the drop off they can do it in a day. Six or seven days for the trek is best.”

It makes sense, then, that Choquequirao draws only about 30 people a day during the high season (June through August). Compare that to the 2,500 people who arrive each day at the famed Incan city of Machu Picchu.

But for those who make the strenuous journey, the rewards are plentiful: lush wilderness, sweeping mountain views at every turn, and the chance to explore fascinating ancient ruins nearly alone.

Believed to be created around the same time as Machu Picchu, in 1445, Choquequirao is actually larger than its better-known, higher-trafficked counterpart. But very little has been written about Peru’s other lost city and archaeologists are still uncovering new parts of the ruins, leaving life on the mountain relatively untrammelled. Only about 30% of Choquequirao has been restored.

But the crowds may not stay away for long. Officials estimate that construction on the first cable car to Choquequirao will be finished sometime in 2016, shortening the several-day trek to a 15-minute tram ride. As a result, the handful of hikers that currently make the journey each week could turn into 3,000 visitors per day.

And campsite owners are already seeing an influx of trekkers following the August 2014 completion of the Puente Rosalina bridge, which spans the Apurímac River. Now tour operators can easily cross the bridge on horseback, instead of using a hand pulley system to transport them across the river one by one or hiring another set of horses to be waiting on the other side.

Considering the bridge took six years to build, some locals believe that the construction of the cable car is still a ways off. In fact, the completion date has already been pushed back two times. “Too much fighting,” said Julian Cobarruvias, the owner of the Santa Rosa Baja campsite. “Ego. One side wants this, another that.”

But one thing is for certain: Choquequirao is spectacular now because of how untouched and remote it is. Even though the lost city was discovered (by Spanish explorer Juan Arias Díaz in 1710, and excavations began in the 1970s, the ruins still make you feel as though you’re the first to find them. (In comparison, Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911, and excavations began the next year.)

As I sat in the stillness of morning, looking out over the ruins and the Apurímac Gorge, surrounded by snow-capped mountains of Ampay, Panta and Quishuar, I was amazed, not just at the beauty in front of me, but also with the power of the Incan Empire. I admired the detail of Pachacutec’s unfinished royal estate, which was divided into a lower and upper half. Everything was built with such precision: the water fountains made of large rocks, so they wouldn’t wear away; the houses with double doors to announce the wealth and power of their inhabitants; the flat slabs underneath the windows to store food for refrigeration.

The attention to detail continued down the stairway off the main plaza, where each terrace was decorated with white rocks in the shape of a llama. Llamas were used to transport food and supplies to the slaves, and the images were created to show the Inca’s  appreciation. Archaeologists have determined that slaves from the neighbouring villages, likely in the north, built Choquequirao, using vertical stonework and small stones (limestone and granite).

There will certainly come a time when Choquequirao will change; when cable cars are built, facilities are expanded and tourism is burgeoning. But for now, Choquequirao rewards the adventurous few who make it there with an intimate look at a lost city that almost seems never to have been found.

Practicalities

The ideal way to reach Choquequirao is with a guide. Adventure Life offers five-, six- and 12-day treks with groups of up to 12 people. Most tour companies provide nearly everything that trekkers need: tents, food, snacks, water, sleeping bags and walking sticks, and horses are used to help carry most bags.