10 Tips to Making Your Dreams Happen

05/21/2013

I remember looking up from my desk, fighting distractions but the thoughts still came rushing in with such force that I couldn’t seem to organize them. I wasn't in the right place and I wasn't doing the right thing. What was my next step? After five years working in my 9 to 5, I felt robotic and dispassionate. 

I had always wanted to be a writer, it was even my major in college, but knowing that it paid so little and success was rare, I had blown off my dreams for the dreams of someone else.

It was at that point, sitting in my cubicle in a small town in South Carolina that I made my decision--I was going to be a writer. I’ve never regretted my decision and wake up each morning excited for the day to come.

1. Acknowledge your dreams.

I had always wanted to be a writer. In fact, I remember trying to write a novel when I was 7 years old.  But it still took me five years of employment to realize that my dreams were my own--mine to work toward or mine to deny. Decide what you want out of life and go for it. 

2. Create a plan.

Lay out what important things must take place for your dreams to come true. What steps must be accomplished for your dreams to become a reality? 

3. Don’t wait for someday.

Don’t put your dreams off, get working on them right now. While planning is of course a necessity, putting your dreams off means they may never come true. 

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” --Steve Jobs

4. Set short term goals. 

Lay out mini steps to accomplish your goals. Where do you hope to be in two years? What about five years? Figure out what steps need to be taken to meet the goals you need for success.

5. Review progress.

Set dates on your calendar to take a look at how far you’ve come and where you need to go. 

6. Get some confidence.

You have to believe that you can accomplish your goals in order to accomplish them. Notice self doubt when it starts to materialize. Noticing when it comes on is half the battle. You deserve to be happy and get what you want out of life no matter what it takes to reach your goals. But if you don’t believe that you’re capable of reaching your goals, then your own negative talk will actually keep you from reaching them. 

7. Beat down distractions.

What daily distractions keep you from working toward your goals? Look very closely at the way you spend your day and beat down distractions before they begin to eat away at your dreams.

8. It’s not luck.

We often want to think that only the lucky ones realize all their dreams. That’s not true, it's only a little bit of luck, it's also hard work, focus, confidence, and optimism. 

9. Understand that failure isn’t always a bad thing. 

If you don’t get the job you dreamed of or your small business doesn’t make it, that’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes failure helps us move toward realizing our true dreams or we learn something.

“Failures are simply stepping stones to success.  No matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be.  Either you succeed or you learn something.  Win-Win.  The biggest mistake you can make is doing nothing because you’re too scared to make a mistake.  If you can’t handle failure, then you can’t handle success either.” --MarcandAngelHackLife

10. Believe in hard work. 

If you really love what you’re doing then hard work isn’t work at all. People with a passion have trouble separating work and play because they truly love their life. It’s okay to work really hard. 

Photo: Mikhail Dudarev/Mangostock/Rnl

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Read More: 6 Ways to Find Focus

Sunshine May Reduce Asthma Symptoms

05/20/2013

Researchers are finding more and more often that environmental factors play a role in the development and maintenance of asthma symptoms. According to Boston Community Asthma Initiative, scented candles and air deodorizers, chemical cleaners, smoking, dust, and mold all play vital roles in triggering asthma symptoms.

But even seemingly indirect factors may impact symptoms. Researchers from King’s College London found that the amount of time asthma sufferers spend in the sun may also impact their the symptoms.

Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to worsened symptoms. The sun seems to calm the overactive part of the immune system that causes asthma. The study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, found that interleukin-17, a chemical in the immune system, is aggravated when vitamin D levels are too low. 

"We know people with high levels of vitamin D are better able to control their asthma - that connection is quite striking," said researcher Prof Catherine Hawrylowicz to BBC News.

The culture of covering up completely in the sun may be causing increased asthma rates in the U.S. Researchers haven’t studied whether vitamin D by itself had the same impact on results. 

Malayka Rahman, from the charity Asthma UK, said to BBC News: "For the majority of people with asthma, current available medicines are an effective way of managing the condition but we know that they don't work for everyone, which is why research into new treatments is vital.”

Treating asthma with sunshine is also more natural than medications with a number of side effects. 

Photo: Howard Sayer/Veer

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Read More: Junk Food Causes Childhood Asthma and Other Allergic Reactions

6 Ways to Let Go of Fear

05/19/2013

The cycle of fear in our lives can be crippling. It keeps us from falling asleep at bedtime and wakes us up in the night. It distracts us from our workday and keeps us from having a good time when we’re out with friends. We’re afraid that following our dreams will mean we fall flat on our faces. 

Fear isn’t always a bad thing, it plays a major role in our survival, but the cycle of blanketing fear inflicts untold stressors on our body and mind. Here are 6 steps for letting go of the cycle of fear: 

1. Identify it.

When fear strikes, take the necessary steps to identify it. Close your eyes and watch as the fear bottles up inside you. Label your fear in a word or a sentence. Write it down in a journal. Do this every time you feel fear coming on and notice the cycle. Don’t run away from fear, face it. 

2. Is it valid?

If the same fears continue to rise to the surface, note whether they are valid or not. Endless worry often isn’t valid at all, rather, it’s a tendency we have as a result of a mind that wants to be active. 

3. Do something about it if you can, and if you can’t, change the way you approach it. 

If a fear is valid then you can often do something about it, and if it’s not, you have to change the way you approach it. If you’re a worry wart, for example, your mind needs to change, not the things that you fear. What leads you to start worrying? What sets off your anxiety? Watching your mind through meditation can help you to get to know your tendencies better.

4. Don’t compare. 

Comparing ourselves to others worsens the situation. When you feel the fear coming on, stay off Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets and resist the urge to list your shortcomings when compared to those around you. 

5. It’s all you.

Your thoughts are your’s alone. “[A]ccept that in order to become more mindful, we must recognize that we are solely responsible for the thoughts our minds produce. While we can’t stop our minds completely, we can take control over them and create moments of peace for ourselves.” --Tiny Buddha 

6. Breathe.

It's about learning to watch your thoughts rather than reacting to them. Take a seat, close your eyes, and begin to watch your breath. On the inhale say “let” and the exhale say “go.” Breathe your fears right out of your body. 

Photo: Corbis Images/John Madere/Sam Diephuis/Corbis Images

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Read More: 13 Ways to Be Free in Spirit 

CDC Finds Swimming Pools Contaminated with Fecal Matter

05/18/2013

A study of public pools found that they are regularly contaminated with feces by swimmers. The CDC collected samples of water from pool filters in public pools and tested the samples for various bacteria. 

The study found that 58 percent of pool filters tested positive for e.coli, a bacteria found in the human gut and feces. According to the CDC, e.coli is a known marker of fecal contamination. It should be noted that no sample tested positive for 0157:H7 e.coli, the toxin-producing strain of e.coli that’s known to make people sick. 

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes infections of the skin and ear, was found in 59 percent of samples. Cryptosporidium and Giardia germs, which spreads through feces and causes diarrhea were found in less than 2 percent of samples. 

The study only looked at public pools, not water parks, private pools, or other types of recreational swimming areas, but the same problems can be expected in all situations. 

“Swimming is an excellent way to get the physical activity needed to stay healthy,” said Michele Hlavsa, chief of CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program. “However, pool users should be aware of how to prevent infections while swimming. Remember, chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly. That’s why it’s important for swimmers to protect themselves by not swallowing the water they swim in and to protect others by keeping feces and germs out of the pool by taking a pre-swim shower and not swimming when ill with diarrhea.”

The study will be presented at Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week, May 20-26, 2013. 

Here are a few tips that you can take to avoid fecal contamination at the pool: 

• Shower before entering the pool.
• Rinse off before you get back in the pool.
• Check the chlorine levels of the pool often. Proper levels are as follows: (1-3 mg/L parts per million [ppm] and pH (7.2-7.8) levels
• Don’t swallow water in the pool.
• Don’t change diapers poolside.

Photo: Creatas

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Read More: Incurable Gonorrhea Strain Worse Than We Thought 

Your Handbag as Dirty as a Toilet Seat, Study Finds

05/17/2013

As I look at the bottom of my handbag I find an empty candy wrapper, a wine opener, a few bobby pins, and sand from the beach. It isn’t pretty, in fact, it’s where lip gloss, broken sunglasses, and business cards go to die. It’s not a place of cleanliness because it’s mine and no one has to know it’s dirty but me.

But then there’s the bacteria, a big problem, according to a study from Initial Washroom Hygiene Solutions and reported by CBSLocal.

What’s inside your handbag is covered with germs, more than you’d find on a toilet seat. Hand cream, mascara, lip stick, and hand sanitizer bottles are among the most bacteria-laden. 

Doctor Sorana Segal-Maurer with New York Hospital-Queens said cell phones are also covered in bacteria.

“We don’t want to put it down. It goes into the bathroom with some people — not a good idea,” Segal-Maurer said to CBSLocal. “You really need to wipe it down.”

And that apple--clean it off.

“Number one, you’re probably not going to wash your hands before you go reaching for it, and number two, it’s floating around next to all the other stuff in your bag and then you want to put it in your mouth — it’s not a good idea,” Segal-Maurer said.

The outside of your bag is also covered in bacteria, especially if you’re one of those people that plops their bag down on the bathroom floor. Instead, hang your bag on a bathroom hook or don’t take it into the bathroom in the first place. The study found that leather bags held on to the most bacteria, likely because it’s so difficult to wash them.

This study isn’t any reason to panic, rather, it’s just one more reason to wash your hands with soap and water and clean your bag out once in a while. But for sure, your handbag is another place that germs like to hide. 

Photo: Fuse

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Read More: Can You Get the Flu From Your Cell Phone?

Should You Get a Colonic?

05/15/2013

A colonic is a proceedure that purges the colon of waste products as a sort of "cleansing" for the body.

Colonics were first used in the U.S. in the 1920’s and 1930’s but in the past few years they’ve become popular once again.

There are two types of colonics: 1) a gravity feed (where gravity does the work of pushing the water into your system) and 2) a pressured colonic (more intensely sprays water into your system). 

What to Expect at Your Colonic

When you go in for a colonic you’ll first fill out a patient history form with your colonic hydrotherapist. Then you’ll get into a gown and lie face down on the treatment table. A disposable speculum will be inserted into your anus, which is connected to a disposable plastic hose and then attached to a colon hydrotherapy unit.

Water is pushed into your body, causing the colon to contract and release feces through the hose. You may feel discomfort from the pressure of the water, but if you choose the less intense gravity feed, you may not. The hydrotherapist may massage your stomach to release additional feces. You can’t smell the feces but you can see it exiting the body through a tube. 

Are You a Good Candidate for a Colonic?

The purpose of a colonic is to remove accumulated waste and toxins as well as to relieve constipation. The theory of autointoxication is another reason why enthusiasts like colonics. The theory says that undigested meat and other foods can cause mucus buildup in the small intestine, releasing toxins into the entire body. This causes symptoms including fatigue, headache, weight gain, and a decrease in energy.

If you feel constipated and think you have these symptoms, this may be something to consider. While research on colonics is limited to this day, enthusiasts cite benefits including improved mental outlook, improved immunity, weight loss, and reduced risk of colon cancer.

But keep in the mind that without a colonic the body detoxes on its own through natural bacteria as well as through the liver, which neutralizes toxins on a daily basis. Mucus membranes in the colon keep unwanted substances from reentering the body and, additionally, the colon sheds cells every three days. 

Negative Side Effects

Negative side effects include vomiting, nausea, cramps, dizziness, dehydration, mineral imbalances, interference with medication absorption, bowel perforation, infection, and depletion of natural bowel flora. You can replenish natural bowel flora with probiotic supplements and by eating fermented, probiotic-rich foods. 

You shouldn’t get a colonic if you have ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, hemorrhoids, congestive heart failure, heart disease, severe anemia, gastrointestinal cancer, recent colon surgery, intestinal tumors, or if you’re pregnant. 

Is a colonic right for you? You be the judge.

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Read More: Is colon cleansing a good idea?

Foreign Born Americans Less Likely to Have Allergies

A study from St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York found that U.S. kids living outside of the U.S. have fewer allergies.

The questionnaire used for the study was distributed to 91,642 children, ages 0-17 enrolled in the 2007-2008 National Survey of Children’s Health. 

Head researcher Jonathan I. Silverberg, M.D., Ph.D, MPH and colleagues looked at the prevalence of allergic disease. Children who were born outside of the U.S. had less atopic disorders like asthma, eczema, hay fever, and food allergies. Additionally, children born outside the U.S., whose parents were also born outside the U.S., had significantly lower odds of having atopic disorders than children whose parents were born in the U.S., according to Science Daily.

Children who lived in the U.S. for 10 years had significantly higher instances of these allergies when compared to children who had lived in the U.S. for only 0-2 years. 

"In conclusion, foreign-born Americans have significantly lower risk of allergic disease than US-born Americans. However, foreign-born Americans develop increased risk for allergic disease with prolonged residence in the United States," the study concludes.

"It's a stark reality considering that of the 40,000 U.S. families surveyed in another recent study, 8 percent had food allergies of some sort," said Dr. Ruchi Gupta of Children's Memorial Hospital who is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University's School of Medicine to PBS. 

A number of issues may be leading to increased allergic vulnerability in U.S. kids including overly sterile environments, which don’t allow a child’s immune system to properly develop. Additives and pesticides in the Western diet may be changing gut flora so that kids can no longer handle certain foods, creating sensitivity, both mild and severe. Milk proteins, genetically modified ingredients, and the prevalence of c-sections may also be to blame for increased childhood allergies.

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Read More: Sharing Your Child’s Pacifier May Mean Less Allergies Later On

Texting While Driving Kills More Teens Than Drunk Driving

05/12/2013

Texting while driving has surpassed driving under the influence as the leading killer among teen drivers.

More than 3,000 teens die each year as a result of driving while texting, while 2,700 teens die from driving while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. 

Researchers found that more than 50 percent of teens drive while texting despite laws against it, according to CBSLocal. 

“The reality is kids aren’t drinking seven days per week — they are carrying their phones and texting seven days per week, so you intuitively know this a more common occurrence,” Dr. Andrew Adesman, Chief Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cohen Children’s Medical Center told Gusoff.

It’s not clear whether increasing the penalty could make laws against texting while driving more effective. 

“I’ve seen it firsthand, it does cause accidents, it’s dangerous and it’s irresponsible,” a former police officer told 1010 WINS’ John Montone on CBSLocal. “A vehicle is a weapon, just as a gun or a knife, and you can kill people. You don’t deserve to have a driver’s license and that level of responsibility where you can kill people if you’re not willing to take precautions, such as not texting and driving.”

Texting while driving contributes to overall driver distraction, an epidemic that according to the CDC, causes 1,000 collisions per day, or nine deaths daily. Texting while driving is illegal in 39 states, but that didn't stop the 1.3 million auto collisions that involved cell phones in 2011.

Teens and adults often think that they can text so efficiently that it doesn’t impact their driving ability, but that's just not the case. Research shows that the average text takes your eyes away from the wheel for at least five seconds; at speeds of 55 mph, that is the equivalent of the length of a football field.

Photo: IStock

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Read More: CDC Study Shows 54 Percent Decrease in Teen Drunk Driving

Pets Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

05/11/2013

My two cocker spaniels, Madison and Bella, are a handful--high energy, high maintenance, and loud. But they are also among the best companions I could ever hope for in my life. And according to the American Heart Association (AHA), they’re also good for my health. 

AHA released a statement based on a new study which found that pets are may improve heart health. In fact, owning a pet is linked to lower levels of obesity, blood pressure and cholesterol--all risk factors for heart disease.

The study followed 5,200 adults and showed that those that owned dogs were more physically active than non-dog owners. Pets also seem to have a calming effect on their owners. While the study doesn’t definitively prove that pets reduce heart disease risk, it did find a link.

"Pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease," Glenn N. Levine, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said in a statement on Reuters.

In the U.S., 78.2 million people own a dog and 86.4 million own a cat, according to the American Pet Association. Pets serve as support and provide unconditional love that we grow to depend on but at the same time, they don't disrupt other human relationships, according to another study.

"We observed evidence that pet owners fared better, both in terms of well-being outcomes and individual differences, than nonowners on several dimensions," study researcher Allen McConnell, of Miami University in Ohio, said in a statement on LiveScience. "Specifically, pet owners had greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extroverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than nonowners."

The evidence shows that pets are good for your health, both physically and mentally. 

Photo: IStock

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Read More: 7 Ways to Keep Your Pet Slim and Trim

6 Steps to Being a Better Listener

05/10/2013

We live in a self absorbed society and we’re all guilty of it from time to time. For much of the day we’re intently staring at our smart phones or laptops, and as a result, we get caught up in our own thought patterns. 

But learning to be empathetic to those around us is the first step to repairing damaged relationships and understanding others. Being a good listener doesn’t just mean hearing what someone else is saying, but truly trying to consciously understand what they mean.

Here are a few steps toward becoming a better listener:

1. Look at the person who's speaking. 

Give people your undivided attention when they’re talking. Stop doing what you’re doing, look them in the eyes, and don’t shift your gaze. When you look at other people or things in the room it makes the speaker feel as if what they're saying isn’t important to you.

2. Don’t interrupt. 

It can be tempting give your two cents but it often throws the speaker off and it can be impolite. This can be another indication that you don't think what the person's saying is important.

3. Avoid formulating your next response.

When someone is talking, consciously listen to what they're saying rather than planning your next response. Most of us have good intentions, we want to provide thoughtful responses to the speaker, but consciously listening takes full and focused attention. 

4. Avoid piggy-backing.

It’s another way that we formulate our response while the other person is speaking. For example, when someone is talking about their recent trip to South Africa, you’re already getting your South Africa stories ready while they're talking. Let the speaker continue to be the subject of the discussion. Instead of talking about your trip, ask them more questions about their trip.

5. Repeat back.

When the speaker is finished talking, feel free to ask them questions or have them solidify certain aspects of what they said. Say something like “What I heard you say is...”

6. Listen to learn.

When the speaker is talking, use it as a means of learning something new about them so you can better understand what makes them tick. The more we try and understand those around us, the more likely we are to repair problematic relationships and establish new connections. The more we leave ourselves behind and dive into understanding those around us, the happier we’ll be. 

Photo: IStock

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Read More: 8 Ways to Deal with Negative People