Anxiety is a powerful biological trigger for weight gain. Here's how to stop it—fast.
For most of us, stress is a fact of life. Sadly, new research reveals it's also a fact of fat. You may hold topnotch health credentials—the diet of a saint and biceps strong enough to arm-wrestle Lisa Curry—but with chronic stress on your plate, you'll find it hard to lose weight. Worse still, stress can add kilos. Here's why: your body responds to stress—psychological or physical—in the same way. Whether you're facing a deadline or a deadly lion, the amygdala, the fear-processing part of your brain, signals a 'look out!' message to the pituitary and adrenal glands. These respond by releasing a flood of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, explains Jennifer Ackerman, author of Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body ($32.95; Scribe). Your heart rate speeds up, supplying your muscles with extra blood. Next, your body's fat and energy stores release extra glucose and fatty acids to supply more fuel. This can make you hungry ... very hungry.
"If you have high cortisol levels, you tend to go for sweet or salty foods that provide a quick source of energy and glucose," says accredited practising dietitian Lisa Renn from Mind Food Dietetics in Melbourne. Snacks such as these stimulate the brain to release pleasure chemicals that reduce tension—and the soothing effect that occurs when you sink your teeth into that cinnamon-sprinkled custard tart becomes addictive.
With your adrenal glands pumping out cortisol, production of the muscle-building hormone testosterone slows. "Over time, this drop causes a decrease in your muscle mass, so you burn fewer kilojoules," explains Dr Shawn Talbott (PhD), author of The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat And Ruins Your Health—And What You Can Do About It ($35; Hunter House). According to some research, there's even a link between raised cortisol and increased abdominal fat storage, adds Renn.
Taking these seven steps to beat stress will help you control your cortisol levels, manage your weight and improve your overall health—all at the same time.
1. Sidestep the Coffee Cart
Next time you're under duress, choose decaf. When you combine stress with caffeine, it raises cortisol levels more than stress alone does. In one study by The University of Oklahoma in the US, people who consumed the equivalent of 21/2 to 3 cups of coffee while under mild stress boosted their cortisol by about 25 per cent—and kept it up for three hours. When subjects took 600 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of six cups of coffee) throughout the day, the hormone went up by 30 per cent and stayed high all day long. You'll experience these effects even if your body is accustomed to a lot of lattes. And because high cortisol levels can contribute to 'stress eating', you might want to consider ditching caffeine altogether.
2. Go Slowly at Meals
Under stress, we tend to scoff down food—even healthy food. In fact, research has linked this behaviour to bigger portions and more belly fat. But Renn suggests that slowing down gives your brain time to catch up with your belly: "People tend to eat more quickly when they're stressed, and there's a response delay of about 20 minutes before your brain realises your tummy is full. Therefore, if you're eating faster, you're more likely to overeat."
3. Stop Strict Dieting
It's ironic, but research shows that constant dieting can make cortisol levels rise by as much as 18 per cent. Depriving the body of food is actually a stressor, creating a spike in cortisol levels. What's more, dieting makes your blood sugar go haywire—first rising, then plummeting. You get cranky and (you guessed it) ravenous. When your brain is deprived of sugar—its main fuel—self-control takes a nosedive, and your willpower doesn't stand a chance. The only way around this is to stop rigid dieting. To stabilise your blood-sugar levels, aim for three healthy meals a day with two snacks evenly spaced in between them, says accredited practising dietitian Julie Gilbert. This keeps hunger pangs at bay and eases the stress they cause, thereby clearing the path for you to drop extra kilos and eliminate emergency trips to lolly lane!
4. Redirect Your Cravings
If each wave of stress has you gulping a can of Fanta—if you constantly give in to a particular craving—you create a 'stress habit'. "You'll reach for the same food every time you're under pressure," says Renn. Instead, craft a 'stress plan': devise a strategy—whether it's calling a friend or listening to some mood-boosting music—for addressing your next hair-pulling episode. Get ready for crunch time by putting your friend's phone number on speed dial or loading a soothing Black Sabbath album into your CD player.
5. Drop and Do 10
That's right, power out some push-ups. "Moving your muscles is an effective instant stress reliever. It actually fools your body into thinking you're escaping the source of your stress," says Talbott. "Exercise makes your blood circulate more quickly, transporting the cortisol to your kidneys and flushing it out of your system." It also eases anxiety by releasing feel-good compounds called endorphins, says Prevention's fitness and nutrition expert Kylie Ball, associate professor from Victoria's Deakin University.
But if push-ups are impractical, just flexing your hands or calf muscles will help move cortisol along, says Talbott. Even taking a stroll during your lunchbreak is beneficial. In one study, he found that just 18 minutes of walking, three times a week, can quickly lower cortisol levels by 15 per cent.
6. Sleep It Off
The most effective stress-reduction strategy of all: get enough shut-eye. "Your body perceives sleep deprivation as a major stressor," says Talbott. An American study by The University of Chicago found that getting an average of only 6 hours of sleep each night can increase cortisol, appetite and weight gain. Emily Bradley, Prevention's natural-medicine expert, recommends you get at least seven to nine hours per night. Other research shows that lack of sleep also raises levels of ghrelin, a hunger-boosting hormone. In one study, appetite—particularly for sweet and salty foods—increased by 23 per cent in people who lacked sleep. The good news: a few nights of solid sleep can bring all this back into balance, and getting consistent rest helps maintain the equilibrium. As Talbott says, "You'll eat less, and you'll feel better, too."
7. Power Up Breakfast
Deficiencies in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium can stress your body, leading to increased cortisol levels and food cravings, says Talbott. But you can fight back by eating a breakfast that's high in these nutrients. He suggests some OJ, a grapefruit or a large handful of strawberries to supply vitamin C; a small tub of low-fat yoghurt, which contains calcium and magnesium; and a wholegrain bagel or toast with a bit of peanut butter. Wholegrains are bursting with B vitamins, and peanut butter contains fatty acids that can decrease the production of stress hormones.
Your stress-busting menu
Beat Stress: Try tai Chi for relaxation
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The 5 best ways to sharpen your memory: remember names. Know where your keys are. Never have a frustrating memory lapse again. It's easier than you th
IF YOU WORRY THAT YOUR MEMORY'S failing, here's some encouraging news. A recent study says that you don't lose your memory as you age; you just temporarily lose access to some parts of it when neuron connections don't function properly. Research also shows that making simple lifestyle choices can improve neuron function--preventing and even reversing problems with recall. Here, experts reveal the five most effective habits you can adopt to improve your memory.
1. Indulge in Caffeine and Chocolate.
Memory experts say consuming a little caffeine and chocolate each day may help you remember information better. But you need to choose the right kinds.
Strive to get your caffeine from black or green tea. You'll get a slight boost from the caffeine, which will make you feel more alert so you can absorb new information, explains Jeff Victoroff, M.D., associate professor of clinical neurology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and author of Saving Your Brain (Bantam, 2002). You'll also be taking in important antioxidants that stave off brain cell damage. Just don't drink your tea with milk, Victoroff says, because milk interferes with the absorption of those antioxidants.
When you buy chocolate, choose dark varieties made with at least 60 percent cocoa, recommends Victoroff. (Most American chocolate, including dark, is made with very little cocoa, so you should look for French or Belgian brands; Valrhona is one brand that's available in some gourmet and natural food stores.) Although more research is needed, researchers suspect that compounds in dark chocolate called procyanidins counteract oxidation and inflammation, two conditions that age the brain. Some scientists think procyanidins also improve memory by increasing blood circulation so your brain gets more oxygen and nutrients, explains Victoroff.
2. Sleep on It.
Common sense dictates that if you get a good night's sleep, your brain functions better and you remember better. Several studies suggest that during sleep, your brain processes your experiences from the day, strengthening the connections between neurons that were formed when you were awake. This may allow you to remember the information more easily the next day.
Scientists also think that while you sleep your brain weakens strong neuron connections to make room for new ones. "You can think of [the weakening of connections] as pruning away unneeded things," explains Marcos Frank, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
To maintain memory, most people need to get about eight hours of sleep a night. Some research suggests that intense aerobic exercise and a 60- to 90-minute hot bath can help you get that amount. Researchers say those activities may help you sleep better by increasing body temperature or helping release hormones that trigger sleep. For the sedation effect, be sure to do these activities at least two hours before you go to sleep; if you do them too close to your bedtime, they'll keep you awake.
3. Work It Out.
Experts agree that aerobic exercise improves your memory by doing more than just enhancing your sleep quality. Anytime you do at least moderate exercise (like brisk walking), your brain receives a larger-than-usual supply of blood, explains Victoroff. More blood means your brain gets more nutrients and oxygen, both of which help neurons work more efficiently.
Aerobic exercise also improves memory by relieving stress, Victoroff says. When you're stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol, which boost your energy to help you cope with a challenging situation. However, these hormones also travel to your brain and damage your memory center. Animal studies show that after just a few days of exposure to elevated cortisol levels, brain cells in the memory center start to die. But exercise allows your body to burn off that extra stress-induced energy, which reduces cortisol levels. Most experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like walking or biking, daily.
4. Eat the Right Fats.
You need to eat fat daily to maintain brain power. But as with chocolate and caffeine, you need to choose the right kind. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can keep you from losing cognitive function. Certain kinds of fish and fish oil supplements, flaxseeds and flaxseed supplements, and canola, soy, and walnut oils contain these fatty acids, but some research suggests that whole fish is the best form for brain function. This may mean that fishes contain other brain-enhancing compounds. "If I had to give a single easy-to-remember piece of advice," says Victoroff, "I'd say eating 4 ounces of fatty fish [like salmon or sardines] four times a week probably does your brain a lot of good."
On the flip side, experts agree that trans fats (found in hydrogenated oils) are the worst fats for your memory. Eating a diet high in trans fats is associated with narrowed blood vessels in the brain and limited blood flow. A high-trans-fat diet also lowers levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that helps ward off blockages in blood vessels. Trans fats are in chips, french fries, and baked goods that contain margarine or shortening.
5. Challenge Your Brain.
Research shows that the more intellectually stimulating your occupation is, the better your brain functions throughout your life. But don't despair if your job is dull. A few studies suggest that adopting intellectually challenging hobbies like crossword puzzles or reading can also boost your brain power.
It's not clear how mind-stimulating work and hobbies improve memory. According to one theory, challenging your brain prevents cognitive deterioration by strengthening the neural connections that you use most often, says Randy Buckner, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. The more situations you expose your brain to and the more challenging or stimulating those experiences are, the stronger the neural connections grow. Others theorize that those connections deteriorate no matter what you do, but stimulating your brain intellectually forces it to create other connections to compensate for deterioration, explains Buckner.
You should probably choose a hobby that challenges parts of your brain that you don't use at work, although longterm research hasn't been done to prove this idea. Preliminary evidence shows that with this approach you'll build connections between neurons where you're most likely to lack them, says Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., president and medical director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tucson, Ariz. "If you have an intellectual job, the best thing for your brain is to go home and play music, paint, or walk in nature."
Getting Started
Quick Memory Chargers
The best memory improvements come from long-term lifestyle changes. But if you need a quick memory boost--like before a meeting--try one of these three tips.
1. Load up on carbohydrates, especially healthy complex carbohydrates like bananas, kidney beans, and whole-grain bread. Carbohydrates release sugar into your bloodstream where it travels to your brain and boosts brain function for up to an hour, says Randall Kaplan, Ph.D., who conducted research on this topic at the University of Toronto and Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto. But beware: When the glucose kick ends, you may feel groggy.
2. Drink a caffeinated beverage 20 minutes before you need a memory charge. Studies show that caffeine will make you feel more alert, which may help you remember information better. But you don't want to overdo it, says Jeff Victoroff, M.D., a neurology professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. If you're wired on caffeine as you acquire information, you may not be able to retrieve it later unless you're in the same wired state.
3. Don't try so hard, advises Martha Storandt, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. If you can't remember someone's name, continue on with your conversation and don't dwell on trying to recall the name. It's more likely to come to you if you don't stress about it.
Clare Horn, the associate editor at Natural Health, looks forward to eating dark chocolate to help her remember people's names.
1. Indulge in Caffeine and Chocolate.
Memory experts say consuming a little caffeine and chocolate each day may help you remember information better. But you need to choose the right kinds.
Strive to get your caffeine from black or green tea. You'll get a slight boost from the caffeine, which will make you feel more alert so you can absorb new information, explains Jeff Victoroff, M.D., associate professor of clinical neurology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and author of Saving Your Brain (Bantam, 2002). You'll also be taking in important antioxidants that stave off brain cell damage. Just don't drink your tea with milk, Victoroff says, because milk interferes with the absorption of those antioxidants.
When you buy chocolate, choose dark varieties made with at least 60 percent cocoa, recommends Victoroff. (Most American chocolate, including dark, is made with very little cocoa, so you should look for French or Belgian brands; Valrhona is one brand that's available in some gourmet and natural food stores.) Although more research is needed, researchers suspect that compounds in dark chocolate called procyanidins counteract oxidation and inflammation, two conditions that age the brain. Some scientists think procyanidins also improve memory by increasing blood circulation so your brain gets more oxygen and nutrients, explains Victoroff.
2. Sleep on It.
Common sense dictates that if you get a good night's sleep, your brain functions better and you remember better. Several studies suggest that during sleep, your brain processes your experiences from the day, strengthening the connections between neurons that were formed when you were awake. This may allow you to remember the information more easily the next day.
Scientists also think that while you sleep your brain weakens strong neuron connections to make room for new ones. "You can think of [the weakening of connections] as pruning away unneeded things," explains Marcos Frank, Ph.D., assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
To maintain memory, most people need to get about eight hours of sleep a night. Some research suggests that intense aerobic exercise and a 60- to 90-minute hot bath can help you get that amount. Researchers say those activities may help you sleep better by increasing body temperature or helping release hormones that trigger sleep. For the sedation effect, be sure to do these activities at least two hours before you go to sleep; if you do them too close to your bedtime, they'll keep you awake.
3. Work It Out.
Experts agree that aerobic exercise improves your memory by doing more than just enhancing your sleep quality. Anytime you do at least moderate exercise (like brisk walking), your brain receives a larger-than-usual supply of blood, explains Victoroff. More blood means your brain gets more nutrients and oxygen, both of which help neurons work more efficiently.
Aerobic exercise also improves memory by relieving stress, Victoroff says. When you're stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol, which boost your energy to help you cope with a challenging situation. However, these hormones also travel to your brain and damage your memory center. Animal studies show that after just a few days of exposure to elevated cortisol levels, brain cells in the memory center start to die. But exercise allows your body to burn off that extra stress-induced energy, which reduces cortisol levels. Most experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like walking or biking, daily.
4. Eat the Right Fats.
You need to eat fat daily to maintain brain power. But as with chocolate and caffeine, you need to choose the right kind. Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids can keep you from losing cognitive function. Certain kinds of fish and fish oil supplements, flaxseeds and flaxseed supplements, and canola, soy, and walnut oils contain these fatty acids, but some research suggests that whole fish is the best form for brain function. This may mean that fishes contain other brain-enhancing compounds. "If I had to give a single easy-to-remember piece of advice," says Victoroff, "I'd say eating 4 ounces of fatty fish [like salmon or sardines] four times a week probably does your brain a lot of good."
On the flip side, experts agree that trans fats (found in hydrogenated oils) are the worst fats for your memory. Eating a diet high in trans fats is associated with narrowed blood vessels in the brain and limited blood flow. A high-trans-fat diet also lowers levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol that helps ward off blockages in blood vessels. Trans fats are in chips, french fries, and baked goods that contain margarine or shortening.
5. Challenge Your Brain.
Research shows that the more intellectually stimulating your occupation is, the better your brain functions throughout your life. But don't despair if your job is dull. A few studies suggest that adopting intellectually challenging hobbies like crossword puzzles or reading can also boost your brain power.
It's not clear how mind-stimulating work and hobbies improve memory. According to one theory, challenging your brain prevents cognitive deterioration by strengthening the neural connections that you use most often, says Randy Buckner, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. The more situations you expose your brain to and the more challenging or stimulating those experiences are, the stronger the neural connections grow. Others theorize that those connections deteriorate no matter what you do, but stimulating your brain intellectually forces it to create other connections to compensate for deterioration, explains Buckner.
You should probably choose a hobby that challenges parts of your brain that you don't use at work, although longterm research hasn't been done to prove this idea. Preliminary evidence shows that with this approach you'll build connections between neurons where you're most likely to lack them, says Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., president and medical director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tucson, Ariz. "If you have an intellectual job, the best thing for your brain is to go home and play music, paint, or walk in nature."
Getting Started
Quick Memory Chargers
The best memory improvements come from long-term lifestyle changes. But if you need a quick memory boost--like before a meeting--try one of these three tips.
1. Load up on carbohydrates, especially healthy complex carbohydrates like bananas, kidney beans, and whole-grain bread. Carbohydrates release sugar into your bloodstream where it travels to your brain and boosts brain function for up to an hour, says Randall Kaplan, Ph.D., who conducted research on this topic at the University of Toronto and Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto. But beware: When the glucose kick ends, you may feel groggy.
2. Drink a caffeinated beverage 20 minutes before you need a memory charge. Studies show that caffeine will make you feel more alert, which may help you remember information better. But you don't want to overdo it, says Jeff Victoroff, M.D., a neurology professor at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. If you're wired on caffeine as you acquire information, you may not be able to retrieve it later unless you're in the same wired state.
3. Don't try so hard, advises Martha Storandt, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Washington University in St. Louis. If you can't remember someone's name, continue on with your conversation and don't dwell on trying to recall the name. It's more likely to come to you if you don't stress about it.
Clare Horn, the associate editor at Natural Health, looks forward to eating dark chocolate to help her remember people's names.
4 Exercises to Sharpen Your Brain
Think of your brain as a muscle: It gets stronger with exercise. Your everyday mental tasks are like walking, but how about a real workout? Try these simple exercises to boost your brain power and clear away the fog of forgetfulness.
1. Use your non-dominant hand
Tackling new tasks improves brain capacity in younger people and has a restorative effect on mental faculties that are declining. Boost your brain power right now by performing everyday activities with your non-dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your left hand to eat, drink, comb your hair, and brush your teeth. Try writing your name with your non-dominant hand or put your mouse pad on the other side of the keyboard.
Why does this work? The human brain starts declining after the age of 30 especially in women with each successive pregnancy. By exercising your brain through the use of non-dominant hand, you are stimulating the opposite side of the brain and activating blood flow, which slows down the brain aging process and improves mental capacity. Evidence from functional brain imaging shows that the process of neuroplasticity -- the brain's natural ability to form new connections -- can be enhanced by studying new things, especially hand-eye coordinated exercises like developing the use of your non-dominant hand and practicing visualization meditation. For an effective guided visualization that will also increase your years, check out Meditations to Live to Be 100.
Stimulating communication between the two hemispheres even helps physical balance. Mind-body exercises like tai chi coach people to use the right and left side of the body equally. Try switching it up in sports. For instance, in tennis, switch the racquet to your non-dominant side and play.
2. Work out your brain
You have to use it or lose it! You can work out your mind just like you work out your body. Mental exercises that will keep your brain fit include doing crossword puzzles, playing chess, or memorizing names, shopping lists, and phone numbers. When I was a young boy, to keep my brain function strong, my father had me memorize Tang Dynasty poetry. Every day I had to memorize a new poem and recite it back. Learn the words to a poem or a new song and repeat them back from memory. Set aside the calculator and add manually instead. Keep challenging yourself with tasks that are new to you.
Whatever mental exercise you choose, the key to success is to practice every day at the same time; you are developing and activating new neural pathways, and consistent cycles will keep the brain on track.
3. Move your fingers to improve your brain
Many people marvel that Asian children seem so intelligent. It could be because they use their fingers more frequently. They eat with chopsticks and at one time, they used to compute with an abacus in school. In fact, some studies have been done with children who use an abacus daily, and findings show that engaging the fingers stimulates nerve endings that go directly to the brain, increasing circulation. Take advantage of this by practicing motor activities that use your fingertips, like crocheting, knitting, and other arts and crafts where you are manipulating small parts. Try playing the piano or a stringed instrument.
Here is an exercise you can do anywhere, at any time. Put one finger on top of the one next to it, then try to stack the next finger on top of that. Or hold a pencil or pen between your index and middle fingers, roll it over until it's balanced between the middle and ring fingers, then again to between the ring finger and pinky. This exercise has a beneficial impact on brain health for anyone at any age, but especially for people in their 40s, 50s and beyond -- when signs of brain aging starts to set in.
Why does this work? A map of the brain shows that the nerve endings on your fingertips correspond to more areas of the brain than any other body area, except perhaps the tongue and lips. Therefore, finger exercise and movements can be useful in stimulating the neurons in the brain. The National Institute of Mental Health conducted experiments that showed finger exercises enlarged the capacity of the participants' brains, increased connections between neurons, forged new neural pathways, and increased circulation to the brain areas. The researchers concluded that finger exercise contributed significantly to brain plasticity, the ability of the brain to renew itself. Increased circulation means more oxygen and nutrients for the brain cells and decreased waste products that clog up the brain.
4. Stimulate brain acuity with self-massage
To improve concentration and memory try this self-massage that stimulates two easy-to-find acupressure points on your neck at the base of the skull. Cross your hands behind you with the palms cradling the back of your head, your thumbs in the grooves on each side of your neck, and your index fingers crossing one another below the skull, just above the thumbs. Sit in a chair, lean your head back, and let it rest against the pressure of your thumbs and index fingers. Slowly inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth, letting your whole body relax. Do this for three to five minutes. You'll increase blood flow to the brain and at the same time relax the neck muscles, which often tense up in response to stress, constricting blood vessels in the area.
You can find these, and many other brain boosting tips in my new book, Second Spring. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
--Dr. Mao
1. Use your non-dominant hand
Tackling new tasks improves brain capacity in younger people and has a restorative effect on mental faculties that are declining. Boost your brain power right now by performing everyday activities with your non-dominant hand. If you're right-handed, use your left hand to eat, drink, comb your hair, and brush your teeth. Try writing your name with your non-dominant hand or put your mouse pad on the other side of the keyboard.
Why does this work? The human brain starts declining after the age of 30 especially in women with each successive pregnancy. By exercising your brain through the use of non-dominant hand, you are stimulating the opposite side of the brain and activating blood flow, which slows down the brain aging process and improves mental capacity. Evidence from functional brain imaging shows that the process of neuroplasticity -- the brain's natural ability to form new connections -- can be enhanced by studying new things, especially hand-eye coordinated exercises like developing the use of your non-dominant hand and practicing visualization meditation. For an effective guided visualization that will also increase your years, check out Meditations to Live to Be 100.
Stimulating communication between the two hemispheres even helps physical balance. Mind-body exercises like tai chi coach people to use the right and left side of the body equally. Try switching it up in sports. For instance, in tennis, switch the racquet to your non-dominant side and play.
2. Work out your brain
You have to use it or lose it! You can work out your mind just like you work out your body. Mental exercises that will keep your brain fit include doing crossword puzzles, playing chess, or memorizing names, shopping lists, and phone numbers. When I was a young boy, to keep my brain function strong, my father had me memorize Tang Dynasty poetry. Every day I had to memorize a new poem and recite it back. Learn the words to a poem or a new song and repeat them back from memory. Set aside the calculator and add manually instead. Keep challenging yourself with tasks that are new to you.
Whatever mental exercise you choose, the key to success is to practice every day at the same time; you are developing and activating new neural pathways, and consistent cycles will keep the brain on track.
3. Move your fingers to improve your brain
Many people marvel that Asian children seem so intelligent. It could be because they use their fingers more frequently. They eat with chopsticks and at one time, they used to compute with an abacus in school. In fact, some studies have been done with children who use an abacus daily, and findings show that engaging the fingers stimulates nerve endings that go directly to the brain, increasing circulation. Take advantage of this by practicing motor activities that use your fingertips, like crocheting, knitting, and other arts and crafts where you are manipulating small parts. Try playing the piano or a stringed instrument.
Here is an exercise you can do anywhere, at any time. Put one finger on top of the one next to it, then try to stack the next finger on top of that. Or hold a pencil or pen between your index and middle fingers, roll it over until it's balanced between the middle and ring fingers, then again to between the ring finger and pinky. This exercise has a beneficial impact on brain health for anyone at any age, but especially for people in their 40s, 50s and beyond -- when signs of brain aging starts to set in.
Why does this work? A map of the brain shows that the nerve endings on your fingertips correspond to more areas of the brain than any other body area, except perhaps the tongue and lips. Therefore, finger exercise and movements can be useful in stimulating the neurons in the brain. The National Institute of Mental Health conducted experiments that showed finger exercises enlarged the capacity of the participants' brains, increased connections between neurons, forged new neural pathways, and increased circulation to the brain areas. The researchers concluded that finger exercise contributed significantly to brain plasticity, the ability of the brain to renew itself. Increased circulation means more oxygen and nutrients for the brain cells and decreased waste products that clog up the brain.
4. Stimulate brain acuity with self-massage
To improve concentration and memory try this self-massage that stimulates two easy-to-find acupressure points on your neck at the base of the skull. Cross your hands behind you with the palms cradling the back of your head, your thumbs in the grooves on each side of your neck, and your index fingers crossing one another below the skull, just above the thumbs. Sit in a chair, lean your head back, and let it rest against the pressure of your thumbs and index fingers. Slowly inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth, letting your whole body relax. Do this for three to five minutes. You'll increase blood flow to the brain and at the same time relax the neck muscles, which often tense up in response to stress, constricting blood vessels in the area.
You can find these, and many other brain boosting tips in my new book, Second Spring. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.
May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
--Dr. Mao
Dating 101: Ways You Keep Him Hooked and Happy
Men share the subtleties that they swoon for
By dating editor Josh Aiello for Glamour
There are loads of simple things you do that are utterly irresistible to him -- and make yourself happy too.
The Things You Do When You're Dating
I once took a girl out on a first date not realizing it happened to be Valentine's Day. As we settled into our pink and red doily-covered table and looked over the heart-shaped menus, I was ready to die. But she was so cool about the whole thing, and went out of her way to make me feel OK about it, that I fell for her before the "I'm So in Love With You Ribeye for Two" arrived. Whether a man loves dating or hates it, we all agree: It's like a high-wire act. Sometimes you slip, plummet, and crash. Other times, she catches you. And when she does, you know she's a keeper.
More Glamour:
Five Secrets All Guys Keep From You
12 Secret Signs He's Into You
"I was really into my coworker. Even though she'd smile at me if our eyes met in a meeting, I was afraid to ask her out. What if she was just being friendly? After I spent three months kicking myself for not doing anything, she invited me to a dinner date. It was awesome. A woman can't rely on a guy always picking up on her hints, so go ahead and initiate things...please!" - Deepak, 34, Orange, Conn.
"I know offering to drive is the gentlemanly thing to do, but when my now girlfriend got behind the wheel on our second date, it took the pressure off me to be so responsible for the night. I could kick back and relax." - Jeremy, 35, Atlanta
"The wallet reach is a tricky moment on any first date. You know she's not going to pay, she knows she's not going to pay, so should she even bother pretending she will? By all means, yes! One of the best parts of my last date was the sweet way she grabbed for her bag when the check came. I got to feel manly ('No, no, I've got it!'), and I appreciated that she didn't expect everything to be given to her just because she's pretty." - David, 32, Baltimore
"I love hearing a woman talk passionately about something, whether it's world peace or her favorite television show or her mother's lasagna. Seeing what's special to her shows me what's special about her." - Ryan, 29, Tacoma, Wash.
The Things You Do When You're in It for the Long Run
I'm sure I'm not the first guy to have a girl write him an amazing letter, or help him pick out fancy jeans, or dispense good advice about his thorny work issue. In fact, I bet this happens all the time. But when you are the guy in the story, and the girl is someone you still can't believe even remembers your name, well then, you never want to let go.
"In the past, as long as a woman had a decent stash of menus at her house, I was good. But my new girlfriend cooks these dishes that satisfy so much more than my appetite -- they take time and are from the heart. It's really special." - Jacob, 22, New York City
"The best words my wife can say? 'Hey, I have a great night planned. Put on something nice and let's go!' With two careers and kids, we don't have lots of chances to be spontaneous, so it matters a lot to me when we are." - Kamel, 35, Georgetown, S.C.
"I was complaining about not having dumbbells at home when my girlfriend said, 'Too bad you can't lift yourself... you know, because you're a dumbbell,' and went into hysterics. It was totally corny, but I couldn't help laughing at her laughing at her own joke. I love how much she amuses herself." - Jim, 34, Philadelphia
"My fiancee waits until I've had a chance to unwind from the office before bringing up some (admittedly) inconsiderate thing I did during the day. Is it fair that she has to keep her anger in check? Definitely not, but that 30-minute time-out is the difference between us talking to each other or screaming like maniacs. It's made our relationship a zillion times better." - Christian, 37, Bedford, N.Y.
"It's great when a woman gets comfortable enough in the relationship to call me out for being ridiculous with a friendly but sarcastic 'Really, Tim?' The challenge is stimulating." - Tim, 27, Boston
"My wife works from home and often wears pajamas all day. But sometimes I'll get home and she's dressed up just to have dinner with me. I love that even though she sees me every day, she doesn't take me or our time together for granted." - Chris, 35, Chicago
"I found out I had to relocate for work. My girlfriend said, 'I'm flexible. If you go, I'll go.' That such a thing would cross her mind blew me away. I felt important and wanted, like I was a real equal in our relationship." - Dave, 28, Beach Haven, N.J.
5 Times When You're Alluring and Have No Idea
"Who knows what my girlfriend uses in the shower, but when she comes out, she smells intoxicating." - Jordan, 27, Los Angeles
"My girl holds a hair tie in her mouth as she pulls up her hair. That kind of multitasking is irresistible to me for some reason." - William, 31, Ann Arbor, Mich.
"My wife beats me in Jeopardy every night and I find that ridiculously attractive -- and, yeah, a little embarrassing." - Patrick, 31, Detroit
"My wife will occasionally wear this old college T-shirt of mine to bed, and seeing her in it instantly brings me back to when we met and fell in love." - Kevin, 29, Hartford, Conn.
"My girlfriend thinks she's a mess when she gets back from the gym, but it's a sensual mess (and I mean that in the best way possible!). Seeing her in just a sports bra and running shorts -- with no makeup on and her hair pulled back -- drives me crazy." - Scott, 32, Orlando, Fla.
By dating editor Josh Aiello for Glamour
There are loads of simple things you do that are utterly irresistible to him -- and make yourself happy too.
The Things You Do When You're Dating
I once took a girl out on a first date not realizing it happened to be Valentine's Day. As we settled into our pink and red doily-covered table and looked over the heart-shaped menus, I was ready to die. But she was so cool about the whole thing, and went out of her way to make me feel OK about it, that I fell for her before the "I'm So in Love With You Ribeye for Two" arrived. Whether a man loves dating or hates it, we all agree: It's like a high-wire act. Sometimes you slip, plummet, and crash. Other times, she catches you. And when she does, you know she's a keeper.
More Glamour:
Five Secrets All Guys Keep From You
12 Secret Signs He's Into You
"I was really into my coworker. Even though she'd smile at me if our eyes met in a meeting, I was afraid to ask her out. What if she was just being friendly? After I spent three months kicking myself for not doing anything, she invited me to a dinner date. It was awesome. A woman can't rely on a guy always picking up on her hints, so go ahead and initiate things...please!" - Deepak, 34, Orange, Conn.
"I know offering to drive is the gentlemanly thing to do, but when my now girlfriend got behind the wheel on our second date, it took the pressure off me to be so responsible for the night. I could kick back and relax." - Jeremy, 35, Atlanta
"The wallet reach is a tricky moment on any first date. You know she's not going to pay, she knows she's not going to pay, so should she even bother pretending she will? By all means, yes! One of the best parts of my last date was the sweet way she grabbed for her bag when the check came. I got to feel manly ('No, no, I've got it!'), and I appreciated that she didn't expect everything to be given to her just because she's pretty." - David, 32, Baltimore
"I love hearing a woman talk passionately about something, whether it's world peace or her favorite television show or her mother's lasagna. Seeing what's special to her shows me what's special about her." - Ryan, 29, Tacoma, Wash.
The Things You Do When You're in It for the Long Run
I'm sure I'm not the first guy to have a girl write him an amazing letter, or help him pick out fancy jeans, or dispense good advice about his thorny work issue. In fact, I bet this happens all the time. But when you are the guy in the story, and the girl is someone you still can't believe even remembers your name, well then, you never want to let go.
"In the past, as long as a woman had a decent stash of menus at her house, I was good. But my new girlfriend cooks these dishes that satisfy so much more than my appetite -- they take time and are from the heart. It's really special." - Jacob, 22, New York City
"The best words my wife can say? 'Hey, I have a great night planned. Put on something nice and let's go!' With two careers and kids, we don't have lots of chances to be spontaneous, so it matters a lot to me when we are." - Kamel, 35, Georgetown, S.C.
"I was complaining about not having dumbbells at home when my girlfriend said, 'Too bad you can't lift yourself... you know, because you're a dumbbell,' and went into hysterics. It was totally corny, but I couldn't help laughing at her laughing at her own joke. I love how much she amuses herself." - Jim, 34, Philadelphia
"My fiancee waits until I've had a chance to unwind from the office before bringing up some (admittedly) inconsiderate thing I did during the day. Is it fair that she has to keep her anger in check? Definitely not, but that 30-minute time-out is the difference between us talking to each other or screaming like maniacs. It's made our relationship a zillion times better." - Christian, 37, Bedford, N.Y.
"It's great when a woman gets comfortable enough in the relationship to call me out for being ridiculous with a friendly but sarcastic 'Really, Tim?' The challenge is stimulating." - Tim, 27, Boston
"My wife works from home and often wears pajamas all day. But sometimes I'll get home and she's dressed up just to have dinner with me. I love that even though she sees me every day, she doesn't take me or our time together for granted." - Chris, 35, Chicago
"I found out I had to relocate for work. My girlfriend said, 'I'm flexible. If you go, I'll go.' That such a thing would cross her mind blew me away. I felt important and wanted, like I was a real equal in our relationship." - Dave, 28, Beach Haven, N.J.
5 Times When You're Alluring and Have No Idea
"Who knows what my girlfriend uses in the shower, but when she comes out, she smells intoxicating." - Jordan, 27, Los Angeles
"My girl holds a hair tie in her mouth as she pulls up her hair. That kind of multitasking is irresistible to me for some reason." - William, 31, Ann Arbor, Mich.
"My wife beats me in Jeopardy every night and I find that ridiculously attractive -- and, yeah, a little embarrassing." - Patrick, 31, Detroit
"My wife will occasionally wear this old college T-shirt of mine to bed, and seeing her in it instantly brings me back to when we met and fell in love." - Kevin, 29, Hartford, Conn.
"My girlfriend thinks she's a mess when she gets back from the gym, but it's a sensual mess (and I mean that in the best way possible!). Seeing her in just a sports bra and running shorts -- with no makeup on and her hair pulled back -- drives me crazy." - Scott, 32, Orlando, Fla.
Things I Wish I'd Known About Dating When I was 21
Things I Wish I'd Known About Dating When I was 21
At 31, dating blogger Erin Meanley looks back and shares 31 dating truths she wishes she had known ten years earlier
By dating blogger Erin Meanley for Glamour
Updated: May 19, 2010
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1. If you're confused about whether a guy likes you or not, that's probably not good. Confusion in romance belongs only in romantic comedies because it suspends the plot, but suspense in real life sucks. So try not to analyze the events. The truth will reveal itself without you having to do anything.
More Glamour:
Five Secrets All Guys Keep From You
12 Secret Signs He's Into You
2. Sometimes guys flirt with you or pay attention to you because it makes them feel good about themselves. (Hey, we do it, too.)
3. Even a guy who will admit that you're better looking than him should still be able to tell you you're beautiful. If he holds back in order to control the situation, or to keep you, or keep you down, he's got issues.
4. Don't help him ask you out by texting him something nice or polite. I'm glad you're more outgoing and thoughtful than he is, but he doesn't want the help.
5. Guys want to get busy more than anything. They'll say anything to close the deal.
6. It's shocking how much guys will talk about marriage. Until there's a ring on your finger, it will be better for you if you pretend you're deaf.
7. It's better not to lift a finger in the beginning.
8. In the early stages, giving him presents is too much. Generosity looks desperate to guys. You may be a great shopper and gift-wrapper; it may be his birthday and you may be wild about birthdays -- even still, he'll think you're just wild about him. Too wild.
9. Guys just do not think like girls. I wish I'd had a brother. Real boys are nothing like the boys in movies.
10. They might take a decade to mature. Don't hope they'll grow up or be ready in the next six months.
11. Even if your family thinks there's going to be a marriage, don't let them spoil your guy. Yes, he's grateful you gave him your car when he moved out of NYC, but he would rather have had to work for it.
12. Learn to cook. Learn to cook well. I see now that it would have won me a lot of points. A LOT.
13. Just because he might be smarter than you or more talented at certain things doesn't mean he's your servant and won't mind doing all your homework/research/chores.
14. Guys get resentful, too.
15. You're special, unique, and important, but you're not a princess -- no matter what Daddy says (although for the record, my dad calls me "Erin").
16. It's okay to say no. It's more than okay. It's always okay. If he stops calling (and many, many, many will), you're only weeding out the guys who aren't truly interested in you as a person. Time saved!
17. Playing it safe guarantees you'll have more time and energy to think about your grades or your work. Less drama in your life will always be better and healthier for you.
18. You deserve to be treated like a human being.
19. Your wants and needs are just as important as his, and if you don't express them because you think it will scare him away, then you're saying you don't count as much as he does.
20. Even sophisticated people with professional jobs can have tempers or hit you or use foul language. I've known men who dressed like diplomats but they were ugly human beings.
21.
You can't force chemistry.
You can't force chemistry. If you like him as a friend, the attraction might grow, but if it doesn't, don't force it. And don't waste his time.
22. Ease up on the sauce. Alcohol clouds your judgment.
23. No boyfriend-girlfriend relationship starts with a 1 a.m. text.
24. When a guy has taken you to Applebee's five times and you say you want to treat him, he'll be psyched. But secretly he'll freak out if you take him to Ruth's Chris, even just the one teeny time. Don't try to match him one Ruth's Chris for five Applebee's. Take him out, but go to T.G.I. Friday's.
25. Women love attention. A guy needs to be pretty crazy about you in order for him to pay enough attention to make you happy long-term.
26. My mom always said, "Men don't think." I thought she meant, "They are mistaken in their thoughts." But they're just not thinking anything at all. About you. They're watching the game. That's why they haven't called.
27. There should be a medium ground between workaholism and his absolute devotion. "The knight departing for new adventures offends his lady, yet she has nothing but contempt for him if he remains at her feet" (Simone de Beauvoir, "The Second Sex", 658).
28. Never underestimate the quality of "interesting." Men want someone interesting. They really do. Find some hobbies.
29. What are you hoping to gain by hooking up with this guy? If the answer is "him," that's a bad deal for you. "The woman gives herself, the man adds to himself by taking her" (de Beauvoir, 659).
30. Expectations? They'll ruin every dating experience you have.
31. You will never understand men. Just try to understand yourself.
At 31, dating blogger Erin Meanley looks back and shares 31 dating truths she wishes she had known ten years earlier
By dating blogger Erin Meanley for Glamour
Updated: May 19, 2010
RATING THIS ARTICLE
Average (3504 votes)
Rate it:
Sign in to rate!
TOOLS
Email Article
Printable View
Add to del.icio.us
Add to Digg
1. If you're confused about whether a guy likes you or not, that's probably not good. Confusion in romance belongs only in romantic comedies because it suspends the plot, but suspense in real life sucks. So try not to analyze the events. The truth will reveal itself without you having to do anything.
More Glamour:
Five Secrets All Guys Keep From You
12 Secret Signs He's Into You
2. Sometimes guys flirt with you or pay attention to you because it makes them feel good about themselves. (Hey, we do it, too.)
3. Even a guy who will admit that you're better looking than him should still be able to tell you you're beautiful. If he holds back in order to control the situation, or to keep you, or keep you down, he's got issues.
4. Don't help him ask you out by texting him something nice or polite. I'm glad you're more outgoing and thoughtful than he is, but he doesn't want the help.
5. Guys want to get busy more than anything. They'll say anything to close the deal.
6. It's shocking how much guys will talk about marriage. Until there's a ring on your finger, it will be better for you if you pretend you're deaf.
7. It's better not to lift a finger in the beginning.
8. In the early stages, giving him presents is too much. Generosity looks desperate to guys. You may be a great shopper and gift-wrapper; it may be his birthday and you may be wild about birthdays -- even still, he'll think you're just wild about him. Too wild.
9. Guys just do not think like girls. I wish I'd had a brother. Real boys are nothing like the boys in movies.
10. They might take a decade to mature. Don't hope they'll grow up or be ready in the next six months.
11. Even if your family thinks there's going to be a marriage, don't let them spoil your guy. Yes, he's grateful you gave him your car when he moved out of NYC, but he would rather have had to work for it.
12. Learn to cook. Learn to cook well. I see now that it would have won me a lot of points. A LOT.
13. Just because he might be smarter than you or more talented at certain things doesn't mean he's your servant and won't mind doing all your homework/research/chores.
14. Guys get resentful, too.
15. You're special, unique, and important, but you're not a princess -- no matter what Daddy says (although for the record, my dad calls me "Erin").
16. It's okay to say no. It's more than okay. It's always okay. If he stops calling (and many, many, many will), you're only weeding out the guys who aren't truly interested in you as a person. Time saved!
17. Playing it safe guarantees you'll have more time and energy to think about your grades or your work. Less drama in your life will always be better and healthier for you.
18. You deserve to be treated like a human being.
19. Your wants and needs are just as important as his, and if you don't express them because you think it will scare him away, then you're saying you don't count as much as he does.
20. Even sophisticated people with professional jobs can have tempers or hit you or use foul language. I've known men who dressed like diplomats but they were ugly human beings.
21.
You can't force chemistry.
You can't force chemistry. If you like him as a friend, the attraction might grow, but if it doesn't, don't force it. And don't waste his time.
22. Ease up on the sauce. Alcohol clouds your judgment.
23. No boyfriend-girlfriend relationship starts with a 1 a.m. text.
24. When a guy has taken you to Applebee's five times and you say you want to treat him, he'll be psyched. But secretly he'll freak out if you take him to Ruth's Chris, even just the one teeny time. Don't try to match him one Ruth's Chris for five Applebee's. Take him out, but go to T.G.I. Friday's.
25. Women love attention. A guy needs to be pretty crazy about you in order for him to pay enough attention to make you happy long-term.
26. My mom always said, "Men don't think." I thought she meant, "They are mistaken in their thoughts." But they're just not thinking anything at all. About you. They're watching the game. That's why they haven't called.
27. There should be a medium ground between workaholism and his absolute devotion. "The knight departing for new adventures offends his lady, yet she has nothing but contempt for him if he remains at her feet" (Simone de Beauvoir, "The Second Sex", 658).
28. Never underestimate the quality of "interesting." Men want someone interesting. They really do. Find some hobbies.
29. What are you hoping to gain by hooking up with this guy? If the answer is "him," that's a bad deal for you. "The woman gives herself, the man adds to himself by taking her" (de Beauvoir, 659).
30. Expectations? They'll ruin every dating experience you have.
31. You will never understand men. Just try to understand yourself.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Dating Tips: 9 Things Happy Couples Talk About
What you discuss can reveal the health of your relationship
As Eleanor Roosevelt said, great minds talk about ideas; small minds talk about people. What do you and your significant other talk about? If you constantly hit the heavy stuff, you're probably happier than if you spend time gossiping about your neighbors or coworkers.
A recent study published in Psychological Science says that people are happier when they spend more time discussing meaningful topics than engaging in small talk. Seventy-nine college students had their conversations recorded and analyzed by researchers, who distinguished between chit-chat about the food or the weather and discussions about philosophy, education, or religion. Subjects who reported the greatest amount of satisfaction spent only 10 percent of their conversation on small talk, while the unhappiest subjects kept 28.3 percent of their talking time in the shallow end.
Among the scores of substantive topics people discuss, we've come up with nine that we believe couples should relish during heart-to-hearts:
1. Embarrassing moments. If you can't share the awkward, "American Pie"-worthy moments that occurred throughout high school with your partner, who can you tell them to? Don't be afraid to broach the subject, if you haven't already. We wouldn't be surprised if their stories are more horrifying than yours.
2. Political viewpoints. How do you feel about the new healthcare bill? You don't have to agree with each other, but you do need to keep an open mind. A good relationship allows both parties to discuss their own philosophies without taking the opposition personally.
3. Fears and insecurities. By fears, we don't mean your phobia of earthworms. We're talking about things that make you wake up with gray hairs. What worries you? What do you want to improve in yourself? What skeletons are in your closet? In being vulnerable, you risk judgment, but more importantly, you chance being understood.
4. Childhood. Ask your partner what he or she was like as a kid. Did she make friends easily? What kind of games did he like to play? Did he have trouble in school? Childhood memories make for fun conversations, but they can also lend insight into how your main squeeze became the person he or she is today.
5. Past relationships. This is a touchy one because no one wants to hear the person they're with spouting sonnets about an ex. There is, of course, a difference between longing for (or being bitter over) the past and simply acknowledging what happened. With enough practice, seasoned, happy couples learn how to address why past relationships ended without inadvertently comparing their current partner to an old flame.
6. Family life. Knowing a person's upbringing and relationship with his or her parents is paramount to understanding his current attitude toward family. If you're even slightly contemplating a future with this person, it might help to ask how well they get along with their parents. Why does she resent her mother? Why is he closer to his sisters than to his brothers? How does she handle family gatherings?
7. Current events. Thanks to the overflow of information, it's nearly impossible to stay up-to-date on everything going on around us. Here's where teamwork comes into play: Ask your partner about his interests, be they economics or regional politics, and see if you can't learn a thing or two. Who knows, maybe you'll help him develop an interest in international affairs or science news.
8. TV and movies. Compared to politics and personal fears, entertainment might seem pretty shallow, but discussions about movies can fall into the "deep" category if you focus on character motivations and plots rather than on, say, the cute leading actors.
9. The future. Talking about the future can be nerve-wracking. While we're not saying you should pressure your partner into talking about plans for marriage and children, we do believe that you should know their dreams, goals, and aspirations. What is he working toward? What drives her to succeed? Where does he see himself in five years? Someone who desires growth and is not afraid of the unknown is surely dynamic enough to deserve you.
As Eleanor Roosevelt said, great minds talk about ideas; small minds talk about people. What do you and your significant other talk about? If you constantly hit the heavy stuff, you're probably happier than if you spend time gossiping about your neighbors or coworkers.
A recent study published in Psychological Science says that people are happier when they spend more time discussing meaningful topics than engaging in small talk. Seventy-nine college students had their conversations recorded and analyzed by researchers, who distinguished between chit-chat about the food or the weather and discussions about philosophy, education, or religion. Subjects who reported the greatest amount of satisfaction spent only 10 percent of their conversation on small talk, while the unhappiest subjects kept 28.3 percent of their talking time in the shallow end.
Among the scores of substantive topics people discuss, we've come up with nine that we believe couples should relish during heart-to-hearts:
1. Embarrassing moments. If you can't share the awkward, "American Pie"-worthy moments that occurred throughout high school with your partner, who can you tell them to? Don't be afraid to broach the subject, if you haven't already. We wouldn't be surprised if their stories are more horrifying than yours.
2. Political viewpoints. How do you feel about the new healthcare bill? You don't have to agree with each other, but you do need to keep an open mind. A good relationship allows both parties to discuss their own philosophies without taking the opposition personally.
3. Fears and insecurities. By fears, we don't mean your phobia of earthworms. We're talking about things that make you wake up with gray hairs. What worries you? What do you want to improve in yourself? What skeletons are in your closet? In being vulnerable, you risk judgment, but more importantly, you chance being understood.
4. Childhood. Ask your partner what he or she was like as a kid. Did she make friends easily? What kind of games did he like to play? Did he have trouble in school? Childhood memories make for fun conversations, but they can also lend insight into how your main squeeze became the person he or she is today.
5. Past relationships. This is a touchy one because no one wants to hear the person they're with spouting sonnets about an ex. There is, of course, a difference between longing for (or being bitter over) the past and simply acknowledging what happened. With enough practice, seasoned, happy couples learn how to address why past relationships ended without inadvertently comparing their current partner to an old flame.
6. Family life. Knowing a person's upbringing and relationship with his or her parents is paramount to understanding his current attitude toward family. If you're even slightly contemplating a future with this person, it might help to ask how well they get along with their parents. Why does she resent her mother? Why is he closer to his sisters than to his brothers? How does she handle family gatherings?
7. Current events. Thanks to the overflow of information, it's nearly impossible to stay up-to-date on everything going on around us. Here's where teamwork comes into play: Ask your partner about his interests, be they economics or regional politics, and see if you can't learn a thing or two. Who knows, maybe you'll help him develop an interest in international affairs or science news.
8. TV and movies. Compared to politics and personal fears, entertainment might seem pretty shallow, but discussions about movies can fall into the "deep" category if you focus on character motivations and plots rather than on, say, the cute leading actors.
9. The future. Talking about the future can be nerve-wracking. While we're not saying you should pressure your partner into talking about plans for marriage and children, we do believe that you should know their dreams, goals, and aspirations. What is he working toward? What drives her to succeed? Where does he see himself in five years? Someone who desires growth and is not afraid of the unknown is surely dynamic enough to deserve you.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
GLOBAL WARMING: IT'S HEALTH EFFECTS
Now I do not want to be the voice of doom but I feel we do need to get real about Global Warming and it's possible consequences. There are many potentially damaging health effects associated with global warming apart from all the other problems it may bring.
OUR WATER SUPPLIES
As flooding becomes more frequent the quality of our drinking water, and the chances of untreated sewage entering the water source will increase. This could lead to a whole host of diseases spreading or resurfacing. Typhoid which is practically unheard of in western countries these days could surface again.
ILLNESS
Illnesses such as heat stroke may become more common with only a slight increase in the overall temperatures. Sickness, vomiting and diarrhoea will no doubt follow temperature
increases.
LACK OF FOOD
Starvation, famine and poverty with their associated illnesses and diseases will probably happen more. This could happen as crops fail due to drought. As global warming may increase rainfall at times some crops could be flooded and ruined whilst others will become dry and barren. Some farm lands will become useless.
THE AIR THAT YOU BREATH
Air quality is already bad in many large cities and is set to decline further. If air quality declines there will be more asthma and breathing difficulties.
LACK OF HABITABLE SPACE
As water levels rise significantly some countries, or parts of them, will be put under water either temporarily or permanently. This will result in more overcrowding of the habitable land that is left dry. This will obviously be detrimental to health and encourage the spread of disease.
CONCLUSION
Global warming will probably involve some extremes of weather such as flooding, severe cold winters and very hot summers. Obviously these extremes will hit the very youngest and oldest the hardest, as it will the poorest citizens of the world. Let's face it the poorest people in the world will have no chance of upping sticks, moving on and starting over.
Hot climates will mean that there may be more cases of skin cancers or similar damage and so re-education will be important for us all to cope with our changing environment. Unfortunately there are many possibilities of health effects from global warming but sadly very few, in any, are positive ones.
OUR WATER SUPPLIES
As flooding becomes more frequent the quality of our drinking water, and the chances of untreated sewage entering the water source will increase. This could lead to a whole host of diseases spreading or resurfacing. Typhoid which is practically unheard of in western countries these days could surface again.
ILLNESS
Illnesses such as heat stroke may become more common with only a slight increase in the overall temperatures. Sickness, vomiting and diarrhoea will no doubt follow temperature
increases.
LACK OF FOOD
Starvation, famine and poverty with their associated illnesses and diseases will probably happen more. This could happen as crops fail due to drought. As global warming may increase rainfall at times some crops could be flooded and ruined whilst others will become dry and barren. Some farm lands will become useless.
THE AIR THAT YOU BREATH
Air quality is already bad in many large cities and is set to decline further. If air quality declines there will be more asthma and breathing difficulties.
LACK OF HABITABLE SPACE
As water levels rise significantly some countries, or parts of them, will be put under water either temporarily or permanently. This will result in more overcrowding of the habitable land that is left dry. This will obviously be detrimental to health and encourage the spread of disease.
CONCLUSION
Global warming will probably involve some extremes of weather such as flooding, severe cold winters and very hot summers. Obviously these extremes will hit the very youngest and oldest the hardest, as it will the poorest citizens of the world. Let's face it the poorest people in the world will have no chance of upping sticks, moving on and starting over.
Hot climates will mean that there may be more cases of skin cancers or similar damage and so re-education will be important for us all to cope with our changing environment. Unfortunately there are many possibilities of health effects from global warming but sadly very few, in any, are positive ones.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
HOW TO PROTECT AN AGING BODY
Start to protect your body and prepare for the aging process today, no matter what age you are. Developing good eating and exercise habits early in life will carry you through your twilight years with energy and vitality to spare. Important habits include engaging in regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and developing an active mind.
Limit your consumption of alcohol and refined carbohydrates in favor of whole grain, nutritious choices that provide your body and brain with the fuel they need to thrive. Avoid saturated fat and processed sugars as they increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Stay hydrated and avoid soda as it saps calcium from your body and leaves you prone to broken bones later in life.
Compound the benefits of a healthy diet with at least 4 hours of exercise each week. Recent studies have suggested that some types of exercise are more beneficial than others for cognitive ability, but all exercise is certain to lower your risk for heart disease and obesity. Exercise increases your blood circulation, which increases blood flow to your brain, nourishing the organ and promoting healthy functioning. With exercise, researchers have generally found that more is better and scientists and doctors alike encourage people to get as much exercise as possible without putting yourself at risk for injury.
An active mind can be a difficult thing to quantify but generally means that you are always challenging yourself and learning new things. Reading, engaging in a diversity of conversations and continually exposing yourself to new experiences are all helpful in cultivating an active mind. Learn a new sport, listen to a new genre of music, take a continuing education class at your local community college or start a book club with your friends. The most important part may be continually switching it up so that your mind stays engaged, which can stimulate new neuron firing patterns and extend your mental prowess.
Difficulty: ModerateInstructions
Step 1Exercise.
Several sets of clinical trials and research compilations recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reinforce the belief that exercise is an important element in warding off dementia and promoting cognitive abilities. Researchers in British Columbia found that resistance training is most helpful in promoting cognitive skills such as memory, decision-making and conflict resolution skills.
In a separate study conducted in Germany, researchers found that after two years of regular cardiovascular exercise elderly study participants were half as likely to have developed dementia than their less active counterparts. It is believed that regular exercise promotes blood flow to the brain and may stimulate nerve-ending growth.
Step 2Eat well.
Include lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and omega 3 acids in your diet. Concentrate on antioxidant-packed produce like spinach, garlic and blueberries. The antioxidants fight free radicals in your system and slow down the aging process. Generally the more colorful a fruit or vegetable the higher its concentration of antioxidants, so try to include five colors in your diet each day.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, make fish or flax seeds a regular part of your diet. Both foods supply omega 3, a fatty acid that has been linked to healthy brain function. Digest fats in the form of seeds, olive oil, avocados and nuts. Regular absorption of unsaturated fat is essential to healthy brain function and in addition, nuts, seeds and certain oils are a good source of vitamin E, thought to ward off Alzheimer's. Eat every three to four hours to provide steady fuel for your brain and body functions.
Step 3Drink well.
Fill up on water, coffee, tea and fresh squeezed juices. Leave sugar-packed soda, pre-prepared juice and most kinds of alcohol at the store.
Water aids in food digestion and helps flush toxins out of your system. Coffee and caffeinated tea have antioxidant powers that increase cognitive functioning. Herbal teas contain compounds that ease digestion, calm frazzled nerves and boost the immune system. Fresh squeezed juice, in moderate amounts, contains a supercharge of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
In contrast sugar-laden juice, soda and alcohol induce high blood pressure, weight gain and diabetes. Indulge in these beverage choices only occasionally to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Step 4Never stop learning.
While there has been no direct link between activities like crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku and cognitive improvement, it is widely accepted that continuously challenging your mind leads to stronger cognitive function.
Robin Nixon, writing for Live Science, attributed this relationship to the "use it or lose it" theory, stating that the same way that exercise keeps our bodies fit and nimble, new thought processes keep our minds flexible. She points out that there are many ways to exercise and engage your mind and suggests individuals focus on the activities that they enjoy most.
Step 5Don't stress.
Stress is toxic. It makes you sick, it's bad for your heart and it may even impair your brain function. In December 2007, the journal for the Association for Psychological Science reported that "stress hormones inhibit neuron growth in parts of the hippocampus" which results in memory impairments. They also reported that stress appears to be cumulative, meaning that the effects on your health will worsen over time.
Learn to manage the stress in your life today through activities such as deep breathing (the fight-or-flight response triggered by stress speeds respiration), journal writing, effective problem management and light reading.
Step 6Record your health.
Stay on top of all recommended health testing so that you can handle problems in a proactive manner. Schedule regular bone density tests, cholesterol tests and eye exams. Monitor your blood pressure. Men should have prostate exams and women should have mammograms and regular pap smears to detect cancerous cells in these potential problem areas early.
Visit the Mayo Clinic Web site and enter your age and gender to learn more about which health tests you should plan annually. Also, keep a health journal so that you can be clear about symptoms and concerns at doctor's visits.
Limit your consumption of alcohol and refined carbohydrates in favor of whole grain, nutritious choices that provide your body and brain with the fuel they need to thrive. Avoid saturated fat and processed sugars as they increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Stay hydrated and avoid soda as it saps calcium from your body and leaves you prone to broken bones later in life.
Compound the benefits of a healthy diet with at least 4 hours of exercise each week. Recent studies have suggested that some types of exercise are more beneficial than others for cognitive ability, but all exercise is certain to lower your risk for heart disease and obesity. Exercise increases your blood circulation, which increases blood flow to your brain, nourishing the organ and promoting healthy functioning. With exercise, researchers have generally found that more is better and scientists and doctors alike encourage people to get as much exercise as possible without putting yourself at risk for injury.
An active mind can be a difficult thing to quantify but generally means that you are always challenging yourself and learning new things. Reading, engaging in a diversity of conversations and continually exposing yourself to new experiences are all helpful in cultivating an active mind. Learn a new sport, listen to a new genre of music, take a continuing education class at your local community college or start a book club with your friends. The most important part may be continually switching it up so that your mind stays engaged, which can stimulate new neuron firing patterns and extend your mental prowess.
Difficulty: ModerateInstructions
Step 1Exercise.
Several sets of clinical trials and research compilations recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reinforce the belief that exercise is an important element in warding off dementia and promoting cognitive abilities. Researchers in British Columbia found that resistance training is most helpful in promoting cognitive skills such as memory, decision-making and conflict resolution skills.
In a separate study conducted in Germany, researchers found that after two years of regular cardiovascular exercise elderly study participants were half as likely to have developed dementia than their less active counterparts. It is believed that regular exercise promotes blood flow to the brain and may stimulate nerve-ending growth.
Step 2Eat well.
Include lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and omega 3 acids in your diet. Concentrate on antioxidant-packed produce like spinach, garlic and blueberries. The antioxidants fight free radicals in your system and slow down the aging process. Generally the more colorful a fruit or vegetable the higher its concentration of antioxidants, so try to include five colors in your diet each day.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, make fish or flax seeds a regular part of your diet. Both foods supply omega 3, a fatty acid that has been linked to healthy brain function. Digest fats in the form of seeds, olive oil, avocados and nuts. Regular absorption of unsaturated fat is essential to healthy brain function and in addition, nuts, seeds and certain oils are a good source of vitamin E, thought to ward off Alzheimer's. Eat every three to four hours to provide steady fuel for your brain and body functions.
Step 3Drink well.
Fill up on water, coffee, tea and fresh squeezed juices. Leave sugar-packed soda, pre-prepared juice and most kinds of alcohol at the store.
Water aids in food digestion and helps flush toxins out of your system. Coffee and caffeinated tea have antioxidant powers that increase cognitive functioning. Herbal teas contain compounds that ease digestion, calm frazzled nerves and boost the immune system. Fresh squeezed juice, in moderate amounts, contains a supercharge of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
In contrast sugar-laden juice, soda and alcohol induce high blood pressure, weight gain and diabetes. Indulge in these beverage choices only occasionally to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Step 4Never stop learning.
While there has been no direct link between activities like crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku and cognitive improvement, it is widely accepted that continuously challenging your mind leads to stronger cognitive function.
Robin Nixon, writing for Live Science, attributed this relationship to the "use it or lose it" theory, stating that the same way that exercise keeps our bodies fit and nimble, new thought processes keep our minds flexible. She points out that there are many ways to exercise and engage your mind and suggests individuals focus on the activities that they enjoy most.
Step 5Don't stress.
Stress is toxic. It makes you sick, it's bad for your heart and it may even impair your brain function. In December 2007, the journal for the Association for Psychological Science reported that "stress hormones inhibit neuron growth in parts of the hippocampus" which results in memory impairments. They also reported that stress appears to be cumulative, meaning that the effects on your health will worsen over time.
Learn to manage the stress in your life today through activities such as deep breathing (the fight-or-flight response triggered by stress speeds respiration), journal writing, effective problem management and light reading.
Step 6Record your health.
Stay on top of all recommended health testing so that you can handle problems in a proactive manner. Schedule regular bone density tests, cholesterol tests and eye exams. Monitor your blood pressure. Men should have prostate exams and women should have mammograms and regular pap smears to detect cancerous cells in these potential problem areas early.
Visit the Mayo Clinic Web site and enter your age and gender to learn more about which health tests you should plan annually. Also, keep a health journal so that you can be clear about symptoms and concerns at doctor's visits.
Friday, March 19, 2010
The pros and cons of working in a call center
There are two basic types of call centers: outgoing and incoming. Outgoing centers are telemarketers, bill collectors, and those that contact existing customers for various purposes. Incoming call center employees take calls but as a general rule do not make them. These centers can be to handle inquiries about advertised products and take orders. The type of call center with which I have personal experience is one that is funded by a specific company to take questions from and place orders for new or existing customers of that company. My specific experience is with technical support centers.
Providing technical support can be personally satisfying. As an agent learns more about the products and systems and the ways things can go wrong, he or she will become more adept at identifying the cause of a particular problem and the paths to explore to solve it. So the core of the job requirements, fixing problems, can be a reason to enjoy the work and feel like you are doing something valuable and productive.
Many call centers are able to offer a variety of shifts and days off, so it is often possible to schedule work times in a way that fits with other obligations (child care, school, transportation logistics, and so forth). Most of the people where I work want a daytime shift Monday through Friday so those schedules are hard to come by until you have some seniority. Why they prefer that particular schedule I do not know. I work from 430 PM to 130 AM and I like it. If the schedule you prefer is not available when you ask for it, you can always request it again at a later date.
The pay rate is not great but it is decent and increases a bit over time. I am now a coach so I make a living wage but a lot of the agents struggle to make ends meet. Strangely enough, many of those who complain the most about insufficient income decline over-time work when it is offered.
The work is indoors, in a climate-controlled environment, and never involves any heavy lifting nor does it ever involve getting dirty. It is a clean, safe place to work with nothing physically strenuous involved.
The Negative Aspects of Call Centers
The possibility of arranging a work schedule that suits you (many call centers are open 24-7) does not mean that you can miss any scheduled work times with impunity. There may be 300 other people working the same hours you do but that does not mean you can "play hooky" and get away with it. Call centers are extremely strict about enforcing scheduled work hours. Thesecenters traditionally have a high turnover rate, for a variety of reasons, but by far the number one reason for agents to get fired is schedule adherence. The rules vary from one center to another but a common practice is to give a written warning, in effect for 30 days, after just one unexcused absence. Another infraction within that 30-day period results in a second notice, this one for 60 days. Miss work within that 60 days, and you will receive a third and final warning, this one for 90 days. Miss a single day in that 90 days and you will be terminated. If you learned by skipping school that there is no penalty when you do not show up when you are supposed to, you must learn a new standard or your call center career will be short. I have heard agents bitterly condemn the way they have been treated when all they had done was to call in sick now and then. It does not matter whether you think it is fair or reasonable. If you do not have a work ethic that includes showing up on time every day you will be fired.
A corollary to what is called "schedule adherence", meaning being there on time every day you are scheduled to work, is the close monitoring of break and lunch times. If your allotted time for a break is 10 minutes and you normally take 15 minutes, the process of written reprimands will begin. If you continue to take breaks that are longer than the scheduled time, you will eventually get fired. There are solid reasons for the call center policies concerning schedule adherence and the length of breaks. The math is complex and too involved to go into here but I would be happy to explain the specifics if anybody wants to see the mathematical breakdown of the costs incurred when people do not work the full amount of time on their schedule.
Something that irks a lot of agents in call centers (it irks me, too) is the way calls are graded to monitor performance. The people who establish quality assurance parameters apparently have no concept what the customers (the people making the call for help) really want. The focus is generally highly skewed toward empathy, concern, and reassurance, with actually resolving the customer's problem taking a secondary role. I think this is because the people who grade calls do not have anywhere near the technical knowledge of the people who take calls. This means they are poorly qualified to judge how effectively and efficiently a technical problem was resolved. So they grade how well a call was handled according to rigidly prescribed standards that attach little importance (usually less than 25%) to how the technical aspects were handled. Many agents regularly make high scores because they use the scripted phrasing and constantly express concern for the problems the customer is having without actually understanding much of the technical issues involved and how to solve the problem. Conversely, some agents who have incredible knowledge and skill at diagnosing and solving technical problems make poor scores because they do not use the prescribed sugary phrases.
I think if companies were to accurately examine customers' reactions to how they were treated when they called with a technical problem, solving the problem would rank much higher than receiving a great deal of sympathy from the agent. I know that is certainly true for me. All that "how are you doing today" stuff is irrelevant. Whether I am having a bad day or a good day is none of their business. When my program is crashing and giving me a cryptic error message I just want it fixed. When my cell phone is constantly searching for a signal but not finding it I want to know how to get it working so I can use it (most likely solution for that problem, by the way, is to just turn the phone off for about 30 seconds).
If you are willing and able to show up for work on time every day you are scheduled; if you can keep your breaks and lunches within prescribed limits; if you can tolerate occasionally receiving a poor score on a call because the person who graded it did not have sufficient technical knowledge to understand the issue and how it was handled; if you can stand a fast-paced environment where the next customer is on the line immediately after the current one disconnects; if you can do all these things while engaged in a constant process of becoming more knowledgeable and proficient in your area of expertise, you may have a rewarding career at a call center. It is not strenuous, it is done indoors, and when you go home you and your clothes are just as clean as when you arrived.
Providing technical support can be personally satisfying. As an agent learns more about the products and systems and the ways things can go wrong, he or she will become more adept at identifying the cause of a particular problem and the paths to explore to solve it. So the core of the job requirements, fixing problems, can be a reason to enjoy the work and feel like you are doing something valuable and productive.
Many call centers are able to offer a variety of shifts and days off, so it is often possible to schedule work times in a way that fits with other obligations (child care, school, transportation logistics, and so forth). Most of the people where I work want a daytime shift Monday through Friday so those schedules are hard to come by until you have some seniority. Why they prefer that particular schedule I do not know. I work from 430 PM to 130 AM and I like it. If the schedule you prefer is not available when you ask for it, you can always request it again at a later date.
The pay rate is not great but it is decent and increases a bit over time. I am now a coach so I make a living wage but a lot of the agents struggle to make ends meet. Strangely enough, many of those who complain the most about insufficient income decline over-time work when it is offered.
The work is indoors, in a climate-controlled environment, and never involves any heavy lifting nor does it ever involve getting dirty. It is a clean, safe place to work with nothing physically strenuous involved.
The Negative Aspects of Call Centers
The possibility of arranging a work schedule that suits you (many call centers are open 24-7) does not mean that you can miss any scheduled work times with impunity. There may be 300 other people working the same hours you do but that does not mean you can "play hooky" and get away with it. Call centers are extremely strict about enforcing scheduled work hours. Thesecenters traditionally have a high turnover rate, for a variety of reasons, but by far the number one reason for agents to get fired is schedule adherence. The rules vary from one center to another but a common practice is to give a written warning, in effect for 30 days, after just one unexcused absence. Another infraction within that 30-day period results in a second notice, this one for 60 days. Miss work within that 60 days, and you will receive a third and final warning, this one for 90 days. Miss a single day in that 90 days and you will be terminated. If you learned by skipping school that there is no penalty when you do not show up when you are supposed to, you must learn a new standard or your call center career will be short. I have heard agents bitterly condemn the way they have been treated when all they had done was to call in sick now and then. It does not matter whether you think it is fair or reasonable. If you do not have a work ethic that includes showing up on time every day you will be fired.
A corollary to what is called "schedule adherence", meaning being there on time every day you are scheduled to work, is the close monitoring of break and lunch times. If your allotted time for a break is 10 minutes and you normally take 15 minutes, the process of written reprimands will begin. If you continue to take breaks that are longer than the scheduled time, you will eventually get fired. There are solid reasons for the call center policies concerning schedule adherence and the length of breaks. The math is complex and too involved to go into here but I would be happy to explain the specifics if anybody wants to see the mathematical breakdown of the costs incurred when people do not work the full amount of time on their schedule.
Something that irks a lot of agents in call centers (it irks me, too) is the way calls are graded to monitor performance. The people who establish quality assurance parameters apparently have no concept what the customers (the people making the call for help) really want. The focus is generally highly skewed toward empathy, concern, and reassurance, with actually resolving the customer's problem taking a secondary role. I think this is because the people who grade calls do not have anywhere near the technical knowledge of the people who take calls. This means they are poorly qualified to judge how effectively and efficiently a technical problem was resolved. So they grade how well a call was handled according to rigidly prescribed standards that attach little importance (usually less than 25%) to how the technical aspects were handled. Many agents regularly make high scores because they use the scripted phrasing and constantly express concern for the problems the customer is having without actually understanding much of the technical issues involved and how to solve the problem. Conversely, some agents who have incredible knowledge and skill at diagnosing and solving technical problems make poor scores because they do not use the prescribed sugary phrases.
I think if companies were to accurately examine customers' reactions to how they were treated when they called with a technical problem, solving the problem would rank much higher than receiving a great deal of sympathy from the agent. I know that is certainly true for me. All that "how are you doing today" stuff is irrelevant. Whether I am having a bad day or a good day is none of their business. When my program is crashing and giving me a cryptic error message I just want it fixed. When my cell phone is constantly searching for a signal but not finding it I want to know how to get it working so I can use it (most likely solution for that problem, by the way, is to just turn the phone off for about 30 seconds).
If you are willing and able to show up for work on time every day you are scheduled; if you can keep your breaks and lunches within prescribed limits; if you can tolerate occasionally receiving a poor score on a call because the person who graded it did not have sufficient technical knowledge to understand the issue and how it was handled; if you can stand a fast-paced environment where the next customer is on the line immediately after the current one disconnects; if you can do all these things while engaged in a constant process of becoming more knowledgeable and proficient in your area of expertise, you may have a rewarding career at a call center. It is not strenuous, it is done indoors, and when you go home you and your clothes are just as clean as when you arrived.
How To be a Better Person
Be the change you want to see occur in the world around you.
We can't make other people be more considerate, helpful, honest, etc., but if everyone were to work on themselves and develop these attributes, our world would be a better place.
Don't be judgmental.
Look for and recognize the good in yourself and in others. We are all capable of so-called "good" and "bad" behaviors and we all have our "good" and "off" days. We are all unique and it is wonderful that we are different and not all the same - in our appearance, our thoughts, our opinions, our likes and dislikes. Being different is not threatening, it is not "bad", it is just "different". Embrace the differences and be happy for the variety. Likewise, forget the concepts of "right" and "wrong". People are not good or bad or right or wrong; they just are. If you were in "their shoes" maybe you would act differently, or maybe not. Being judgmental wastes time and cuts you off from opportunities and meaningful relationships - because you are not perfect either, and your judgment might be worse than the person's you are judging!
Respect.
Don't make the mistake of thinking your rights are the only ones that count. Don't ignore the other person's rights. Our fundamental right is to be respected. Being wealthy does not make a person more deserving of respect and neither does a high-flying career with a fancy title. Respect is not about material issues or where one sits on the social ladder. Respect is acknowledging another human being's dignity and treating them how you wish to be treated yourself. We all came on to this earth equal and we're all checking out as equals. What happens in between is just a series of different life experiences. The poor man who lives in a slum, who cares for strangers, volunteers assistance without expecting anything in return and lives a clean, honest life is more deserving of respect than a wealthy businessman who dresses in fine clothes, lives in a huge mansion, and treats everyone like pond amoeba, cheats on his wife, swindles his shareholders and has forgotten how to tell the truth.
Be a Good Listener.
How often do you really listen to other people? How often do you plan what you are going to say next while they are talking, or allow your mind to drift off onto something else instead of concentrating on their every word? It takes practice to be a good listener, but in being one, you are showing respect and in a position to better comprehend the real message being given to you. You avoid misunderstandings and missed instructions. Furthermore, the other person will appreciate your attention and return the courtesy.
Be interested - not interesting.
This goes hand in hand with being a good listener. People love to talk about themselves and will delight in the opportunity to do so, so ensure you ask questions and take an interest in what they are telling you. Don't worry about them hogging the limelight - you can have your turn during the conversation. Have you ever met someone who only talks about themselves? Count the number of times you use "I" in your conversations. Judging, arguing points, interrupting the conversation, and using "I" a lot are sure signs you need to review your communication skills.
Respond from Your Heart.
We tend to respond to others using our head, not our heart. We formulate stories about us, we defend our ego, or we judge other people or what they have said. If we respond from our heart, we can respond with understanding and a sense of connection. Find something good to say about people and to people. Build people "up" - don't knock them down. Go with your gut instincts.
Be truthful.
There is a good reason for the saying "honesty is the best policy." Nothing good ever comes from lies, and there is a difference between being diplomatic and telling an outright lie. Nobody trusts a liar. If you've made a mistake, well, welcome to the human race! You don't have to lie to cover it up. You don't have to tell your truth "brutally", there are gentle and tactful ways of delivering truths and you should think carefully before you speak. But don't try to be deceitful because it has a habit of coming back to haunt you, and in those situations you are worse off than if you had just come clean in the first place, as uncomfortable as that may seem at the time.
Be helpful.
When you need a helping hand, don't you just love the person who comes up and offers that to you? Wouldn't you love the opportunity to repay them? You can be that person that others look to respectfully with gratitude in their hearts, who will, one day, repay the gesture. What comes around, goes around. If you want people to be helpful to you, you must be helpful to others. It doesn't matter whether this is assisting your boss with a special project you can see he needs help with, or a co-worker who is struggling with a large workload, or an elderly neighbor struggling up the stairs with her arms full. People do remember kindness.
Maintain Your Integrity and Your Dignity.
People with their integrity intact are easier to deal with in work or personal situations. They know where they stand and you know where you stand with them. You will feel better about yourself when you set your standards and stand by them and you will attract those who respect your standards and who have standards of their own. Being a doormat is disrespectful to yourself and to the person 'walking all over you'. It does not allow them to grow and learn to do something for themselves. Learn to say no gracefully. You have as much right as everyone else on the planet to have your own opinion and your own way of doing things, and reminding you of point (1) above, nobody has the right to make you feel 'bad' if you think, feel or dress differently. Remember, "to thine own self be true."
Go the Extra Mile.
I mean this in a couple of ways. First, whether you are either asked to do something, or you are offering to do something, remember that if something is worth doing in the first place, then it is worth doing well. And while you are at it, what little touches can you offer to improve it? For example, who would you rather go to for your shoeshine… Mr. A does a wonderful buff and polish and is timely and not too expensive. Mr. B also does a wonderful buff and polish, he is also timely and not expensive, but he is also cheerful and interested in you and whistles while he works, so after your polish, you go on your way feeling on top of the world! Mr. B just went the extra mile for you. He didn't just polish your shoes, he lifted your spirits and made you feel good. If you are offering a co-worker assistance with copying some documents, go the extra mile and ask if she needs a hand stapling them or collating them. Going the extra mile need not involve a large expense of time, energy or money, but it's value to the recipient is often priceless, and one day, it will be reciprocated.
Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say.
Neither beat around the bush being evasive, nor make promises you can't keep. On the other hand, if you say you are going to do something, do it. Be known as a reliable person. Honor your promises and agreements wherever possible - this stems back to integrity. Prepare to be flexible if need be, but know that you don't have to bend over so far backwards that your back snaps. Being assertive and being aggressive are two entirely different things, and you do not need aggression to be assertive. In fact, you are better off without the aggression! If you are wishy-washy and allow people or circumstances to be unconcerned for your position, you will develop that reputation and find more and more people willing to walk all over you and more situations in which it occurs. Being like this does not prove you are valuable to anybody - it just means you are a 'pushover'.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Scientists go 'gaga' to find creatures beneath 600 feet of ice
This video frame grab image provided by NASA, taken in Dec. 2009, shows a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is related to a shrimp, where a NASA team lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet and a curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then even parked itself on the cable attached to the camera. In a surprising discovery that shakes the idea of where higher life can thrive, scientists for the first time found a shrimp-like creature and a jellyfish frolicking beneath a massive Antarctic ice sheet.(AP Photo/NASA)
WASHINGTON – In a surprising discovery about where higher life can thrive, scientists for the first time found a shrimp-like creature and a jellyfish frolicking beneath a massive Antarctic ice sheet.
Six hundred feet below the ice where no light shines, scientists had figured nothing much more than a few microbes could exist.
That's why a NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica. A curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera's cable. Scientists also pulled up a tentacle they believe came from a foot-long jellyfish.
"We were operating on the presumption that nothing's there," said NASA ice scientist Robert Bindschadler, who will be presenting the initial findings and a video at an American Geophysical Union meeting Wednesday. "It was a shrimp you'd enjoy having on your plate."
"We were just gaga over it," he said of the 3-inch-long, orange critter starring in their two-minute video. Technically, it's not a shrimp. It's a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to shrimp.
The video is likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh environments. And it has scientists musing that if shrimp-like creatures can frolic below 600 feet of Antarctic ice in subfreezing dark water, what about other hostile places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
"They are looking at the equivalent of a drop of water in a swimming pool that you would expect nothing to be living in and they found not one animal but two," said biologist Stacy Kim of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, who joined the NASA team later. "We have no idea what's going on down there."
Microbiologist Cynan Ellis-Evans of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding intriguing.
"This is a first for the sub-glacial environment with that level of sophistication," Ellis-Evans said. He said there have been findings somewhat similar, showing complex life in retreating ice shelves, but nothing quite directly under the ice like this.
Ellis-Evans said it's possible the creatures swam in from far away and don't live there permanently.
But Kim, who is a co-author of the study, doubts it. The site in West Antarctica is at least 12 miles from open seas. Bindschadler drilled an 8-inch-wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water. That means it's unlikely that that two critters swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that small of an area, she said.
Yet scientists were puzzled at what the food source would be for these critters. While some microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life like the amphipod can't, Kim said.
So how do they survive? That's the key question, Kim said.
"It's pretty amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we know everything," Kim said.
___
On the Web:
NASA research in Antarctica: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_sc/storytext/us_sci_antarctica_sea_life/35474306/SIG=10ug1c6q5/*http://pigiceshelf.nasa.gov/
Six hundred feet below the ice where no light shines, scientists had figured nothing much more than a few microbes could exist.
That's why a NASA team was surprised when they lowered a video camera to get the first long look at the underbelly of an ice sheet in Antarctica. A curious shrimp-like creature came swimming by and then parked itself on the camera's cable. Scientists also pulled up a tentacle they believe came from a foot-long jellyfish.
"We were operating on the presumption that nothing's there," said NASA ice scientist Robert Bindschadler, who will be presenting the initial findings and a video at an American Geophysical Union meeting Wednesday. "It was a shrimp you'd enjoy having on your plate."
"We were just gaga over it," he said of the 3-inch-long, orange critter starring in their two-minute video. Technically, it's not a shrimp. It's a Lyssianasid amphipod, which is distantly related to shrimp.
The video is likely to inspire experts to rethink what they know about life in harsh environments. And it has scientists musing that if shrimp-like creatures can frolic below 600 feet of Antarctic ice in subfreezing dark water, what about other hostile places? What about Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter?
"They are looking at the equivalent of a drop of water in a swimming pool that you would expect nothing to be living in and they found not one animal but two," said biologist Stacy Kim of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California, who joined the NASA team later. "We have no idea what's going on down there."
Microbiologist Cynan Ellis-Evans of the British Antarctic Survey called the finding intriguing.
"This is a first for the sub-glacial environment with that level of sophistication," Ellis-Evans said. He said there have been findings somewhat similar, showing complex life in retreating ice shelves, but nothing quite directly under the ice like this.
Ellis-Evans said it's possible the creatures swam in from far away and don't live there permanently.
But Kim, who is a co-author of the study, doubts it. The site in West Antarctica is at least 12 miles from open seas. Bindschadler drilled an 8-inch-wide hole and was looking at a tiny amount of water. That means it's unlikely that that two critters swam from great distances and were captured randomly in that small of an area, she said.
Yet scientists were puzzled at what the food source would be for these critters. While some microbes can make their own food out of chemicals in the ocean, complex life like the amphipod can't, Kim said.
So how do they survive? That's the key question, Kim said.
"It's pretty amazing when you find a huge puzzle like that on a planet where we thought we know everything," Kim said.
___
On the Web:
NASA research in Antarctica: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_sc/storytext/us_sci_antarctica_sea_life/35474306/SIG=10ug1c6q5/*http://pigiceshelf.nasa.gov/
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