Thursday, May 31, 2012

Anger, A Misunderstood Emotion, Let It Go Of

Letting go of anger is not easy. Anger seizes you like a demon has come to possess your mind. No matter how hard you try to resist it, it clings to every fiber of your being like glue. Despite knowing that you're only torturing yourself, you continue doing it.

Letting Go Of Anger
That's the ghastly power of anger. It's a devastating spell you cast upon yourself, and only you can banish it. No matter its great seductive power, anger - just like any other negative emotions - can be blotted out of your system.

Conventional advice about keeping a stiff upper lip and staying cool can damage your career and lower your satisfaction in life, according to new research. If you want to be promoted and attain true happiness, you should get angry.

According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development, a piece of research that has tracked the lives of 824 men and women since 1965, those who repress their frustration are at least three times more likely to admit they had hit a glass ceiling in their careers and have disappointing personal lives. On the other hand, the study found, those who learned to harness and channel their anger were far more likely to be professionally well-established, as well as enjoying emotional and physical intimacy with their friends and family.

Dr Howard Kassinove, co-author of Anger Management: The Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practice, recently published a study of more than 2,000 adults in the Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality in which more than 55% said an angry episode produced a positive outcome.

Almost a third of participants also admitted that the episode helped them see their own faults.

Is it always bad to feel angry?

Anger is a natural response to feeling attacked, injured or violated. It's part of being human; it's energy seeking expression. Our anger can be our friend. It helps us survive, giving us the strength to fight back or run away when attacked or faced with injustice. In itself, it's neither good nor bad, but it can be frightening.

Angry feelings can lead to destructive and violent behaviour, and so we tend to be frightened of anger. The way we are brought up, and our cultural background, will very much influence how we feel about expressing anger. You may have been punished for expressing it when you were small, or you may have witnessed your parents' or other adults' anger when it was out of control, destructive and terrifying. Or you may have been frightened by the strength of your own bad temper. All of this encourages you to suppress your anger.

"People who are targets of anger in these studies will say things like, 'I really understand the other person much better now - I guess I wasn't listening before'," said Kassinove. "While assertive expression is always preferable to angry expression, anger may serve an important alerting function that leads to deeper understanding of the other person and the problem."

The philosopher and author Alain de Botton agrees that anger is a misunderstood emotion. "Though philosophers have traditionally been concerned with the pursuit of happiness, far greater wisdom would seem to lie in pursuing ways to be properly and productively unhappy," he said. "The stubborn recurrence of anger means the development of a workable approach to it must surely outstrip the value of any utopian quest for happiness."

We see critics as enemies when they're in fact our "angels in disguise" out there to lead us to tread the right path.

That's actually the key to letting go of anger - treat critics and all other people whose words and action offend you like they're your "angels in disguise."

Direct your mind to this line of thinking: "Why is this guy trying to hurt or provoke me? Why did he enter my life in the first place? What's his place in my development? Is he just trying to motivate me, make me do my 100 percent, make me a better person?"

If you reflect deeply enough, you will eventually realize that the person you want to kick in the butt is actually there to help protect your butt in case you fall down. He's toughening you up to be ready to take on any challenge in the future.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Are You Getting Bored With Your Oily Hair


For people with oily hair and/or skin, sebaceous glands are working overtime and/or are in greater numbers, producing an excess of sebum.

Genetics, puberty, heat, and humidity also affect oil production.People who have fine, straight hair texture and/or an abundance of hair tend to have oilier hair than those with curlier locks and/or less hair.?

Oily hair is a product of your subaceous glands working overtime, producing sebum that coats each hair. This overproduction of sebum makes hair look limp and lifeless, while adding to frustration when hairstyles fail to maintain their shape. According to the "Doctors Book of Home Remedies," your hormones control the amount of sebum produced by your body, making it impossible to reduce oil production. The course of action for dealing with oily hair is through hygeine practice.

Instructions

Change the frequency with which you wash your hair. Washing your hair multiple times a day may be a good temporary fix, but could actually be the root of your problem. Over-drying your scalp sends the message to your oil glands that your skin is dry, so they produce more oil to compensate. Wash your hair every 24 to 36 hours or by skipping washing one day per week.

Try washing your hair with cool water. A hot shower dries out your skin and your scalp, causing it to produce oil more rapidly. Cold or lukewarm water is easier on your skin and won't result in higher oil production.

Avoid gels and hair sprays, especially close to the scalp. These products can create a greasy-looking buildup in your hair. If you must use these products, use the minimum amount and wash them out thoroughly at the end of the day.

Acquire a solvent-type shampoo to cut through the grease. Unlike normal hair, which needs to be shampooed with a product with a pH between 4.5 and 6.7, oily hair requires a more alkaline shampoo with a pH of 6.7 or higher. Good examples are Prell and Suave. If you want to give your shampoo extra "power", add a few drops of dish washing liquid.

Use a little dry shampoo — sparingly — on your roots. Dry shampoo has made a big comeback lately, but it can weigh your hair down like any product, so just make sure you use something light, preferably an aerosol like Batiste ($6), which also comes in a bunch of scents. Brush it out like there's no tomorrow.

If you're in a really terrible situation and you need it de-oiled fast, there's always bathroom paper towels. Part your hair in four to six different places along the top of your head and tuck a sheet of paper towel in the same way you would a highlighting foil. Use a brush or another piece of paper towel (not your fingers; that'll just make it worse) to press down so that the oil gets absorbed. Do this for about two minutes. A perfect solution? Far from it. But at least you won't look greasy.

Shampoo with a clarifying shampoo every other cleansing to remove built-up hair styling products and oil. Clarifying shampoos contain high amounts of sodium lauryl sulfate, a detergent common in over-the-counter cleansers, says the "Doctors Book of Home Remedies."

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Some Tips To Conquer Daytime Sleepiness


Daytime Sleepiness
It can be highly distressing to feel tired and sleepy when you have a lot of work, or action items, to take care of. Daytime sleepiness is not usually just the result of a lack of sleep, because there are many people who get close to 8-10 hours of sleep and yet feel sleepy throughout the day. The result of sleepiness during the daytime is that you can’t concentrate on any work judiciously and so there is a nill chance of you being creative or productive in any venture. It’s highly important that your overcome sleepiness if you are afflicted with it. Here are some tips to avoid daytime sleepiness.

Get plenty of sleep the night before. Sure it sounds like an obvious solution, but most of us don’t do it. Instead of getting the seven or eight hours we need to thrive the next day, most of us just survive on five or six. If it’s a hard habit to break, start by getting in bed seven or eight hours before you need to get up. Watch TV or read if you must, but just being in bed will signal your brain and body to start shutting down. Over time, if you stick with it, you should start falling asleep earlier and earlier.

Take a walk to avoid sleepiness at work. Getting away from your desk or work area and out of the building will rejuvenate your senses. Even if all you have time for is a quick step outside for a breath of fresh air, you’ll feel more awake when you get back to work.

Eat out. Even if you bring your lunch, get away from your desk and, preferably, out of the office. A change of environment for thirty minutes to an hour will do wonders for your mind, body and soul.

Stretch. Two or three times a day, stand up and move around. Reach, bend, twist and touch your toes to keep that blood flowing, letting your brain and body know that despite sitting stationary for up to eight hours a day, you are still awake!

Socialize. Step away from work now and then to talk to your co-workers and supervisors. Not only will it wake you up, but also strengthen your work relationships. Keep the conversation work-related and technically you're still working.

Statistically Speaking

When it comes to napping, the National Sleep Foundation notes that 43% of Americans sleep at some time during the day. Not surprisingly, some of these people admit to sleeping at work. While in other cultures, napping is considered a natural part of the day, in the United States, it is still often viewed negatively. In countries where napping occurs at least three times a week, there is a 37% decrease in heart disease, as stated by a study discussed in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Get rid of your energy vampires – Constant worrying, stress and boredom inducing lifestyle are the major causes that sap your energy. If you are living a life that does not invigorate you, ask yourself why. It’s your personal responsibility to create the life that you want for yourself. Instead of asking how to overcome sleepiness, a better question to ask would be – how do I live a more invigorating life? Try to pursue goals that inspire you, find interests and passions that get your juices flowing and stop trying to satisfy other people expectations of you. A stimulating life will ensure that your mind keeps working at its full potential and you are never bound to feel sleepy.

Be prudent with your diet – Digestion is a highly energy intensive process and the more you eat the more likely you are to feel lethargic. The most active people are usually the ones who eat a nutritious, but moderate, diet. Another cause of feeling sleepiness is nervous degeneration caused by over consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or other depressant, or stimulant, drugs. Take care of your body and ensure that you always eat, or drink, healthy and as natural as possible. A toxin fraught body, induced by eating a lot of junk food, is likely to feel tired and fatigued most of the time.

A healthy mind is never likely to feel sleepiness. Everyday should be a zestful and bring you new revelations and joys, that’s how life is supposed to be. If you trying to overcome sleepiness you might be working at the wrong problem, what you really need is to make your life more exciting and interesting.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Contrary To Popular Opinion, Napping Is Not For The Lazy Or Depressed

Power Nap
While small children typically take naps in the afternoon, our culture generally frowns upon mid-day sleep; however, even in those who get enough sleep (but particularly in those who don’t), many people experience a natural increase in drowsiness in the afternoon, about 8 hours after waking. And research shows that you can make yourself more alert reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning with a nap. Mid-day sleep, or a ‘power nap’, means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, increased learning, more efficiency and better health. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of sleep and how a power nap can help you!

These short 20-minute power naps for people who are really engrossed in their work, almost always provide a fresh burst of new ideas and energy. They tend to eliminate the need for caffeine boosts during the workday. And, they guarantee a reserve of energy so that the working day isn’t followed by an evening in which he falls asleep on the couch watching TV or at a social event.

Curling up in a sunny patch on the floor or even lying your head down on your desk for a quick snooze brings relaxation. Research found that stress hormone levels were lower in those who took stress-reducing actions such as napping. Take a break each day from the stresses and reduce your risks, find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused.

If you have the opportunity for a power nap, particularly after a poor night of sleep, by all means, take one. You will feel more alert and energetic afterwards, and once rested after your mid-afternoon nap, your mood, efficiency, and alertness level will improve greatly. Scientists have even proven that taking a 20-minute nap approximately eight hours after you have awaken will do more for your stamina than sleeping another 20 minutes in the morning. Of course when you first come out of your afternoon nap, you will feel a bit groggy for around ten minutes, but once your decline in motor dexterity dissipates, you will reap the rewards of being well rested and ready to go for the rest of the day.

Participants improved on the task throughout the first session. The students’ speed and accuracy then leveled off during the second session. The scores of the participants who didn’t nap declined throughout the final two sessions. In contrast, volunteers who took a 20-minute power nap after completing the second practice session showed no ensuing performance dips. What’s more, 1-hour power nappers responded progressively faster and more accurately in the third and fourth sessions. It looks like napping may protect brain circuits from overuse until those neurons can consolidate what’s been learned about a procedure.


In the crib, you had it made. Fuss a little and you got a breast in your mouth. And when you weren't suckling, you were comatose—up to 18 hours a day. Now? You sleep like a man—lousy. By the time you reach 20, that 18 hours is slashed to 6. And as you age, the number shrinks even further.

Here's why: Inside every brain lurks the suprachias-matic nucleus, or "internal clock." It knocks you out and wakes you up. At birth, it's set for maximum crib time, but as you get older, the clock shifts your metabolism and hormones in ways that deprive you of deep, dead-to-the-world sleep. Add that to age-specific wake-up calls—alcohol when you're 20, kids when you're 30, your bladder when you're 50—and your bed becomes bedlam. And that puts you in line for any number of daylight nightmares, including high blood pressure, decreased resistance to invading microbes, a compromised bodily repair and maintenance system, and the tendency to fall asleep while the boss is talking, rather than safely back at your desk. That's why we came up with decade-by-decade strategies for dealing with life's worst sleep saboteurs.

The Four-Step Fix

1. Before you go to bed, pop some vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). According to Ron Klatz, M.D., president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, this is your antidote to too much cortisol, the stress hormone that surges in middle-aged men. If that doesn't help, ask your doctor about taking some Bayer with your B; aspirin may also help lower cortisol production.

2. Until you get your cortisol under control, it will limit your deepest sleep, so you'll spend the night teetering on the edge of consciousness. Buy stuff to screen out the distractions: specifically, MSA Safety Works foam earplugs, a SleepMate white-noise generator, and Roc Lon blackout drapes. You'll be less accessible than God.

3. Kids waking you up? Order a copy of Solving Your Child's Sleep Problems, by Richard Ferber, M.D. It's knocked out generations of wakeful tots. If the problem is an older child, take the TV out of his bedroom. A study at Brown University showed a link between easy access to the tube and increased sleep disturbances.

4. Go for a brisk six-block walk. According to University of Arizona researchers, that's the amount of exercise that's best at reducing sleep disruptions in men. (A regular workout program came in a close second.) Just do it in the late afternoon, like when you get off work. This will cause your body temperature to drop a few hours later, making you drowsy right before bedtime.

Your 50s and beyond

Here's when it all comes apart. In the previously mentioned JAMA study, the researchers found that after men turn 50, they get 28 minutes less sleep with each decade that passes. "By the time men reach their 50s and 60s, they have almost no deep sleep," says Sonia Ancoli-Israel, Ph.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Clinic at the VA Medical Center in San Diego. A man in his 50s has nighttime cortisol levels 12 times higher than when he was in his 30s. Nearly one in 25 also has sleep apnea—a condition that interrupts normal breathing. And then there's the expanding-prostate problem: A swollen gland may prevent you from fully emptying your bladder, which means you'll make approximately 7,422 nightly trips to the toilet.

Contrary to popular opinion, napping isn’t for the lazy or depressed. Famous nappers have included Bill Clinton, Lance Armstrong, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison. The moral of the story: to be ultra-productive, just rest your head. You snooze, you gain. Give it a try for yourself and see if you aren’t amazed at the results!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Sudden Death Is An Important But Widely Under Recognised Consequence Of Stroke


Sudden Death
Sudden death in people under age 35, often due to hidden heart defects or overlooked heart abnormalities, is rare. When these sudden deaths do occur, it's often during physical activity, such as a sporting event.

Millions of elementary, high school and college athletes compete every year without incident. Fortunately, if you or your child is at risk of sudden death, there are screening tests for heart defects, and precautions you can take.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This is a disease in which the heart muscle (myocardium) becomes abnormally thick, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, while usually not fatal in most people, is the most common cause of heart-related sudden death in people under 30. It's the most common cause of sudden death in athletes. HCM often goes undetected.

Coronary artery abnormalities. Sometimes people are born with heart arteries (coronary arteries) that are connected abnormally. The arteries can become compressed during exercise and not provide proper blood flow to the heart.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS). Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited heart rhythm disorder that can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats. The rapid heartbeats, caused by changes in the part of your heart that causes it to beat, may lead to fainting, which can be life-threatening. In some cases, your heart's rhythm may be so erratic that it can cause sudden death. Young people with long QT syndrome have an increased risk of sudden death.

There are other causes of sudden cardiac death in young people. These include structural abnormalities of the heart, including unrecognized congenital heart disease and heart muscle abnormalities. Other causes include inflammation of the heart muscle, which can be caused by viruses and other illnesses. In addition to long QT syndrome, there are other abnormalities of the heart's electrical system, such as Brugada syndrome, which can cause sudden death.

There's another rare cause of sudden cardiac death that can occur in anyone, though it's usually heard about in young people who play sports. It occurs as the result of a blunt blow to the chest — such as being hit by a baseball or hockey puck — at just the right time. Its medical name is commotio cordis. The blow to the chest can trigger ventricular fibrillation if the blow strikes at exactly the wrong time in the heart's electrical cycle.

Sudden death is an important but widely under-recognised consequence of stroke. Acute stroke can disturb central autonomic control, resulting in myocardial injury, electrocardiographic abnormalities, cardiac arrhythmias, and ultimately sudden death. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that autonomic imbalance is more frequent after infarcts involving the insular cortex, a crucial region for the control of sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic functions. Cardiovascular comorbidities increase the risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality after stroke. Thus, many sudden deaths and serious non-fatal cardiac events after stroke are probably due to an interaction between cardiovascular and neurological causes. The exact mechanisms leading to sudden death remain incompletely understood. Further research is needed to investigate the autonomic consequences of acute stroke and to identify patients at high risk of sudden death.

Allow yourself to grieve. Give vent to your intense emotions. This sudden death has allowed you no opportunity to prepare yourself; therefore, you will be going through all the stages of grieving after the death. It is better to express—rather than suppress—these feelings. Tears give release to sorrow.

Though you feel God has deserted you, the Bible assures us God has promised the Holy Spirit as your Comforter(Heb. 13:5; John 14:16). God is as saddened as you are right now.

Your body’s grief reaction is normal. You may experience disturbing physical symptoms.

Follow what feels right for you. Don’t let others dissuade you from doing what is meaningful for you.

Tell friends and relatives how you want to be treated. At times, say, “I want to be alone,” if that is your wish.

Share your troublesome thoughts and feelings with an understanding, nurturing friend. Giving vent to feelings with a friend who can listen with acceptance helps dispel their intensity.

Join a support group or grief recovery program. Call your local hospital or ask your pastor if such groups exist in your community. Seek counseling with a pastor or psychologist if you feel continually overwhelmed.

Keep busy, but not to the point you stop the grieving process. Take time to mourn and let go.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

A Self-Driving Trip Is A Nice Time For Relaxation And Refreshment

self-driving trip
In the modern life, self-driving travel has become a wonderful way of leisure and entertainment. At weekends and in holidays, many people feel like driving out for a trip together with their family and friends.
  
First of all, such a trip is a good opportunity for them to improve their relationship with their family and friends. Some people may be busy in work on weekdays, so they seldom enjoy happy time with the family and friends. Only at weekends or in holidays, they can have enough time to share various enjoyments with their companions. When they drive out for a trip with others, they may just do some usual things, such as chatting, playing cards, and listening to music. However, the interaction between family members or friends will greatly improve and maintain their relationship.
  
Furthermore, a self-driving trip is a nice time for relaxation and refreshment. When people travel outside, the picturesque scenery will certainly provide excellent visual experience in the journey. Some people may be interested in photography. For them, it must be a great pleasure to capture every beautiful picture and every special moment with their beloved DSLRs, and share the photos with their companions. Some people may just like to enjoy the beauty of nature with their own eyes. For them, it will be nice to feel the warm sunshine as well as gentle wind, and watch flowers dancing to the wind. A small flowing river may cause their thoughts and a little singing bird may bring them into imagination. Going out for a self-driving trip, people can relax and refresh themselves with different enjoyments.
  
A defence technology and security specialist wanted to introduce an economy Lowest Logical Fare policy to achieve cost savings.
  
Prior to the project the client’s cabin split was 4% in business/first, 12% in premium economy and 84% in economy.
  
The HRG team renegotiated their preferred air supplier programme and trained our operations staff on the new policy and the client’s objective.
  
We introduced six new reason codes with the client’s own description against each one – three for accepted savings and three for rejected which the team use to document each booking.
  
We followed their revised approval system including documenting each booking with the details of approving manager details. The end result is that after 12 months we have shifted the cabin usage to 3% in business, 3% in premium economy and 94% in economy.
  
The result is cost savings of £436,842 for the client, is a substantial achievement considering the annual spend of just over £4m.
  
The client is pleased and we anticipate further economy discounts for 2011/2012 after successful negotiations with the client’s preferred air suppliers.
  
Companies continue to evolve their products through convergence to meet the growing consumer and traveler expectations. David Butler explains, "We are introducing the next generation of XM to go radios this spring. These will have the added feature of being able to store and play MP3 music files and will have the capability of storing up to 50 hours of XM content verses the 5 hours that the current models allow. Also when you hear a song that you like on XM you can bookmark it and hook the device up to your computer and it will find that song in the Napster library for you to download a permanent copy of the song. So there is a new convergence; not only does it allow you to combine XM with MP3, but it also allows you to buy the songs you hear on XM seamlessly from Napster."
  
"At Coby, we are trying to address consumer needs through our features as users are looking for multi-purpose products that converge technologies into one unit that is easy to use and fit into their environment," stated Gee.
  
As the consumer electronics industry continues to evolve and converge technology to meet the demands of travelers and consumers, it appears that innovation will progressively lead to smaller, more powerful and more functional devices and applications to satisfy user needs while away from home and work.