You may believe that God created the Earth and its many inhabitants. You might believe that evolution brought us here. Or perhaps you think that God created evolution. Whatever it is that you believe about how the Earth arrived, you should have no doubt that we need to take care of it. How are we going to do that? Earth Day is a good time to consider what you could do to keep the planet a little cleaner.
Quite a few years ago there was a commercial on television that showed an American Indian chief surveying his lands. He saw garbage heaped up and the filth from a disrespectful human race covering the Earth’s beauty. The tear which trickled down the Indian’s face was all the message I needed to cause me to begin taking care of the Earth. I’ve been reminded of his saddened face over and over in my mind’s eye when I’ve seen how we have all abused our home. Over the years I have tried to be kinder, cleaner, more natural because I know that whatever I do affects the Earth.
Just our being here, whatever we do or don’t do, has an impact on the planet. I’m sure you’ve heard about our carbon footprint, and what measures you might take to help reduce your own footprint. There are lots of things you could try. You won’t need to look very far to find some ideas, motivation or even step by step instructions. But have you thought about what you eat, drink and apply to your body as being harmful to the Earth? It’s true; all of our personal stuff has an effect.
I read a few weeks ago that chemical drugs are in our water. It was broadcast by the media as if it were something new and surprising. I wasn’t surprised, though. I knew that those countless substances which we can’t digest are excreted back into the land and the water. The chemicals of drugs, processed foods, personal care products and anything that’s not organic has an unhappy effect on the planet. And this is getting worse and worse as we use more processed goods. I wonder how long it’ll be until our water is too contaminated to drink and our ground is too full of chemicals to grow food.
It’s so hard to get away from all this processed junk. It’s all around us and a lot of it is just so convenient and helps us get more work, more play, more sleep into our days. But think about it for one minute: whatever we do goes back to the Earth. And then think for one more minute of something that you could do to help this beautiful planet that we call home. There are natural foods out there, natural products which are minimally processed and natural medicines which are better for the Earth – and better for us as well.
It seems like a huge burden to think about having to take care of such a huge planet as this one. But if each one of us does one or two things in the way of care, we will all be better off. Think organic. Think unprocessed. Think natural. Just think about it for one minute. Choose something and act on it soon and consistently. What goes around comes around and respect works both ways. If we each take care of the Earth, she’ll take care of us in return.
Wishing you the best of health!
Jude
wellness@desker.net
www.youngliving.org/judithanne53
Monday, April 21, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Setting the Record Straight: Wintergreen Oil
One of my friends is a member of an animal-related chat group. A question was posted recently regarding wintergreen oil and whether it was safe to apply it to an arthritic animal. Someone posted an answer which stated, with no doubt whatsoever, that wintergreen oil is toxic, that it could be fatal and should never be applied to any animal or human at any time. Well, that's not exactly true.
Since I have the information and the evidence against this statement, I couldn't help but take the opportunity to educate these folks about wintergreen essential oil. While I was doing my research and writing up a response to the chat group, I thought that this subject would make a decent post for my own blog. So, here you have it.
It's true that many reference books and aromatherapy authorities, especially those of the British persuasion, contain warnings against the use of wintergreen oil. However, there is nothing toxic about the wintergreen provided by Young Living. Lab produced wintergreen, methyl salicylate, can definitely be toxic and I wouldn't use it.
In his book The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple, Ph.D. David Stewart writes:
"Isomers are two or more compounds with the same formula but different molecular structures. The formula for methyl salicylate is C8H8O3. However, the 8 carbons, 8 hydrogens and 3 oxygen atoms of this formula (19 atoms total) can join together in several ways thus creating molecules with the same formula, but arranged in different structural shapes with different properties. There are 25 isomers of the formula C8H8O3. Two are very similar to that of natural methyl salicylate, but not quite. When plants produce methyl salicylate, they make a specific single pure isomer -- only one of the 25. Laboratories can't do this. When a lab tries to produce a single isomer, they end up with mixtures of two or more isomers, not just one. This is significant because different isomers of the same compound can have entirely opposite properties -- some helpful, some harmful. So there is good methyl salicylate and bad methyl salicylate. Humans can make the bad while only God knows how to make the good."
There is a lot of bad wintergreen out there, but Young Living stands behind its wintergreen essential oil as being pure, organic, and without contaminants. It is independently verified to be of the highest grade of therapeutic essential oil and has stood the test of time and use for over 15 years. Any Young Living distributor would be able to give a testimonial or several on the benefits of Young Living wintergreen. Young Living wintergreen oil has anticoagulation and antispasmodic properties, and has also been used with great success as a vasodilator, an agent for reducing blood pressure and is highly anti-inflammatory, making it just the right choice for arthritis and many other inflammatory conditions. Wintergreen is in our supplements, our face creams, our soaps and even in our toothpaste.
Be so careful when you are choosing anything to put on your pets and on yourself. Make sure it's pure and not made in a lab. Don't buy it at the drug store or the grocery store. Make sure you know what you're using. I would certainly not hesitate to say that I have used wintergreen by Young Living on my face, on my joints, on my headaches and in my mouth. I'm here to tell the tale. I can say without any hesitation that Young Living's wintergreen oil is unequivocally the best on the planet.
You could site chapter and verse about "wintergreen oil" and it's toxicity. There is enough information out there for anyone to easily be able to give reference on the subject. These writings would be right for the most part. But you can never site anything of the kind regarding Young Living. Hundreds of thousands of Young Living distributors and customers can't be wrong about our wintergreen essential oil. It's good for use on high blood pressure, inflammation, muscle and nerve pain, joint and ligament pain, atherosclerosis, fatty liver and more. It's been proven and documented to be therapeutic, it smells yummy and above all it's safe!
For more information about the purest of oils, check out The Essential Oil Desk Reference published by Essential Science Publishing. You could check out my website, too. Or, you could contact me directly by phone or email to discuss the wonderful properties of wintergreen essential oil, made with care by Young Living. While I'm waiting for your call...
I'm wishing you the best of health!
Jude
www.youngliving.org/judithanne53
wellness@desker.net
315-255-3066
Since I have the information and the evidence against this statement, I couldn't help but take the opportunity to educate these folks about wintergreen essential oil. While I was doing my research and writing up a response to the chat group, I thought that this subject would make a decent post for my own blog. So, here you have it.
It's true that many reference books and aromatherapy authorities, especially those of the British persuasion, contain warnings against the use of wintergreen oil. However, there is nothing toxic about the wintergreen provided by Young Living. Lab produced wintergreen, methyl salicylate, can definitely be toxic and I wouldn't use it.
In his book The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple, Ph.D. David Stewart writes:
"Isomers are two or more compounds with the same formula but different molecular structures. The formula for methyl salicylate is C8H8O3. However, the 8 carbons, 8 hydrogens and 3 oxygen atoms of this formula (19 atoms total) can join together in several ways thus creating molecules with the same formula, but arranged in different structural shapes with different properties. There are 25 isomers of the formula C8H8O3. Two are very similar to that of natural methyl salicylate, but not quite. When plants produce methyl salicylate, they make a specific single pure isomer -- only one of the 25. Laboratories can't do this. When a lab tries to produce a single isomer, they end up with mixtures of two or more isomers, not just one. This is significant because different isomers of the same compound can have entirely opposite properties -- some helpful, some harmful. So there is good methyl salicylate and bad methyl salicylate. Humans can make the bad while only God knows how to make the good."
There is a lot of bad wintergreen out there, but Young Living stands behind its wintergreen essential oil as being pure, organic, and without contaminants. It is independently verified to be of the highest grade of therapeutic essential oil and has stood the test of time and use for over 15 years. Any Young Living distributor would be able to give a testimonial or several on the benefits of Young Living wintergreen. Young Living wintergreen oil has anticoagulation and antispasmodic properties, and has also been used with great success as a vasodilator, an agent for reducing blood pressure and is highly anti-inflammatory, making it just the right choice for arthritis and many other inflammatory conditions. Wintergreen is in our supplements, our face creams, our soaps and even in our toothpaste.
Be so careful when you are choosing anything to put on your pets and on yourself. Make sure it's pure and not made in a lab. Don't buy it at the drug store or the grocery store. Make sure you know what you're using. I would certainly not hesitate to say that I have used wintergreen by Young Living on my face, on my joints, on my headaches and in my mouth. I'm here to tell the tale. I can say without any hesitation that Young Living's wintergreen oil is unequivocally the best on the planet.
You could site chapter and verse about "wintergreen oil" and it's toxicity. There is enough information out there for anyone to easily be able to give reference on the subject. These writings would be right for the most part. But you can never site anything of the kind regarding Young Living. Hundreds of thousands of Young Living distributors and customers can't be wrong about our wintergreen essential oil. It's good for use on high blood pressure, inflammation, muscle and nerve pain, joint and ligament pain, atherosclerosis, fatty liver and more. It's been proven and documented to be therapeutic, it smells yummy and above all it's safe!
For more information about the purest of oils, check out The Essential Oil Desk Reference published by Essential Science Publishing. You could check out my website, too. Or, you could contact me directly by phone or email to discuss the wonderful properties of wintergreen essential oil, made with care by Young Living. While I'm waiting for your call...
I'm wishing you the best of health!
Jude
www.youngliving.org/judithanne53
wellness@desker.net
315-255-3066
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Something You Need To Know About: MRSA
There has been quite a bit of news in the media over the last week about a so-called super bug called MRSA. A student in Virginia died after being infected with MRSA and there are three reported cases here in Central New York where I live. What is MRSA? And what, if anything can we do about it? Read on.
MRSA is an acronym which stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a bacterial infection and is usually spread by skin to skin contact. According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, it was first discovered in hospitals in 1968. At that time it was primarily found in hospitalized patients and those who were recently hospitalized. In the 1990's MRSA mutated and began to show up in otherwise healthy, non-hospitalized people. Now MRSA infections are more common in the United States than previously thought, and is being found more frequently outside of hospitals. This latest observation was published in today's issue of JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association.
MRSA infections are usually found on skin or in surface wounds, but it can travel inside of the body and attack blood, bones, joints, lungs and heart valves, causing potential life-threatening conditions. My own sister-in-law passed away earlier this year from a MRSA infection which attacked her heart valves. According to the Mayo Clinic, Vancomycin is one of the few antibiotics left which is effective against most MRSA infections, but sometimes even the strongest antibiotics available don't work. It is known that MRSA is a bacterium which is rapidly mutating in communities and may soon be untreatable by any known antibiotics.
Those most at risk for contracting MRSA infections are those with weakened or underdeveloped immune systems such as older people, children and those with severe or chronic illnesses. Those who engage in contact sports or share sports equipment or towels are at risk also, as well as those who live in unsanitary or crowded places. And if you are associated with a health care worker you could be at risk, too.
How did these super bugs come about? Weren't antibiotics always able to treat infections, no matter what? Ever since the discovery of penicillin, that used to be a fairly accurate statement. Unfortunately, more and more infections are becoming resistant to treatment after many years of unnecessary and excessive use of antibiotics. Now, not only can we get our prescription for these drugs from our doctors, we can obtain them free of charge: they're in our drinking water and are given routinely to our livestock. In addition, germs continue to mutate in order to escape and multiply. This is what bacteria do to survive. The appearance of super bugs just makes sense.
There is a study ongoing in the UK on the use of essential oils for treating MRSA. From the European newsletter nutraingredients.com, researchers at the University of Manchester have reported that three essential oils have killed MRSA. Also, essential oils of eucalyptus and tea-tree have been shown to be effective against MRSA at the University of Sydney. How can these simple oils work when our highly researched and expensive drugs can't? Because antibiotics are simple compounds and only work on one or one group of infections; oils are complex compounds and bacteria are unable to mutate and escape. This makes essential oils more effective in treating infections.
Now I must get on my soapbox and I hope you'll forgive me. But this is my blog and this paragraph is where I give my opinion. Those of us who market therapeutic essential oils are prevented by the FDA from calling the oils a cure or a treatment for anything. That is the law. Therefore, I leave it up to each of you to decide. I will say this, though: it is unlikely that the big pharmaceutical companies will spend much time trying to discover new antibiotics. Those drugs don't have the potential for making the big companies much income. They will probably be (and are) concentrating their efforts on developing new "diseases" and "syndromes" for the drugs that they can make the most money from, the drugs that some people take for their lifetime, drugs like Lipitor and Prozac and the vaccines which cripple our children. Okay....I'm done.
MRSA infections are much easier to prevent than they are to treat. Good and frequent hand washing is so important in helping to prevent the spread of MRSA and many other kinds of infections. If you have a wound, keep it clean and covered and dispose of your bandages safely. Don't share your personal items with anyone. By these I mean razors, bed linens, clothing, athletic equipment or skin care items like make-up and deodorants. And finally, if you have a wound or skin rash that doesn't heal, get tested.
It's a good thing to have knowledge about MRSA so that we can protect ourselves. But I don't think we need to hide under the bed just yet. Concentrate on prevention and keep your immune system strong. That's what I have planned for myself. If you have more questions about MRSA ask your health care professional. And remember to do your own research and make up your own mind about what treatments you will accept for any illness that may come along.
Wishing you the best of health!
Jude
MRSA is an acronym which stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a bacterial infection and is usually spread by skin to skin contact. According to the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, it was first discovered in hospitals in 1968. At that time it was primarily found in hospitalized patients and those who were recently hospitalized. In the 1990's MRSA mutated and began to show up in otherwise healthy, non-hospitalized people. Now MRSA infections are more common in the United States than previously thought, and is being found more frequently outside of hospitals. This latest observation was published in today's issue of JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association.
MRSA infections are usually found on skin or in surface wounds, but it can travel inside of the body and attack blood, bones, joints, lungs and heart valves, causing potential life-threatening conditions. My own sister-in-law passed away earlier this year from a MRSA infection which attacked her heart valves. According to the Mayo Clinic, Vancomycin is one of the few antibiotics left which is effective against most MRSA infections, but sometimes even the strongest antibiotics available don't work. It is known that MRSA is a bacterium which is rapidly mutating in communities and may soon be untreatable by any known antibiotics.
Those most at risk for contracting MRSA infections are those with weakened or underdeveloped immune systems such as older people, children and those with severe or chronic illnesses. Those who engage in contact sports or share sports equipment or towels are at risk also, as well as those who live in unsanitary or crowded places. And if you are associated with a health care worker you could be at risk, too.
How did these super bugs come about? Weren't antibiotics always able to treat infections, no matter what? Ever since the discovery of penicillin, that used to be a fairly accurate statement. Unfortunately, more and more infections are becoming resistant to treatment after many years of unnecessary and excessive use of antibiotics. Now, not only can we get our prescription for these drugs from our doctors, we can obtain them free of charge: they're in our drinking water and are given routinely to our livestock. In addition, germs continue to mutate in order to escape and multiply. This is what bacteria do to survive. The appearance of super bugs just makes sense.
There is a study ongoing in the UK on the use of essential oils for treating MRSA. From the European newsletter nutraingredients.com, researchers at the University of Manchester have reported that three essential oils have killed MRSA. Also, essential oils of eucalyptus and tea-tree have been shown to be effective against MRSA at the University of Sydney. How can these simple oils work when our highly researched and expensive drugs can't? Because antibiotics are simple compounds and only work on one or one group of infections; oils are complex compounds and bacteria are unable to mutate and escape. This makes essential oils more effective in treating infections.
Now I must get on my soapbox and I hope you'll forgive me. But this is my blog and this paragraph is where I give my opinion. Those of us who market therapeutic essential oils are prevented by the FDA from calling the oils a cure or a treatment for anything. That is the law. Therefore, I leave it up to each of you to decide. I will say this, though: it is unlikely that the big pharmaceutical companies will spend much time trying to discover new antibiotics. Those drugs don't have the potential for making the big companies much income. They will probably be (and are) concentrating their efforts on developing new "diseases" and "syndromes" for the drugs that they can make the most money from, the drugs that some people take for their lifetime, drugs like Lipitor and Prozac and the vaccines which cripple our children. Okay....I'm done.
MRSA infections are much easier to prevent than they are to treat. Good and frequent hand washing is so important in helping to prevent the spread of MRSA and many other kinds of infections. If you have a wound, keep it clean and covered and dispose of your bandages safely. Don't share your personal items with anyone. By these I mean razors, bed linens, clothing, athletic equipment or skin care items like make-up and deodorants. And finally, if you have a wound or skin rash that doesn't heal, get tested.
It's a good thing to have knowledge about MRSA so that we can protect ourselves. But I don't think we need to hide under the bed just yet. Concentrate on prevention and keep your immune system strong. That's what I have planned for myself. If you have more questions about MRSA ask your health care professional. And remember to do your own research and make up your own mind about what treatments you will accept for any illness that may come along.
Wishing you the best of health!
Jude
For questions about therapeutic essential oils from Young Living please contact me!
315-255-3066
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Pharmaceutical Drugs Can Kill
Do you know any parent in their right mind who would offer up their child for experimentation? Let's hope not. Our children have it hard enough these days. But did you know that the cough and cold medications that you may have given them have never been tested for use by children? And did you know that the FDA reports show that 123 children died between 1969 and 2006 from taking some of these medicines? These are only the ones we know about.
I get so angry when I hear about people dying because of medicines which are supposed to be safe for us and for our children. The FDA has to approve all of these things before we can have access to them. If you are paying attention at all, it probably hasn't escaped your notice that lots of supposedly safe drugs are killing people. So, why are people continuing to die and why are they continuing to experience life altering side effects?
If you follow the money, the trail leads right to the pharmaceutical industry which I refer to as Big Pharma. Big Pharma makes up illnesses (like restless leg syndrome or dry eye syndrome) and makes dangerous chemical drugs which cover up symptoms but that don't really cure anything. Then they do their own testing on their drugs, skew the results they report and pay the FDA to get them on the market as quickly as possible. Our congress and senate help Big Pharma to get this done. Our elected officials accept more monetary donations from the pharmaceutical lobbies than almost any other. Then the media takes over. Because Big Pharma owns the media we are showered with advertisements for whatever is the hot drug of the day -- and the drug which has the most potential to make Big Pharma even bigger.
By the time the news of these wonderful new "cures" hits the main stream media, our doctors have already been advised on what they should be prescribing for these new "diseases." They've been taken out to lunch, given nice gifts, provided with all expenses paid trips, and armed with rooms full of free drug samples. Wouldn't you be influenced by this behavior? I would think that anyone might be. And doctors just want to help their patients with the latest and the greatest. They don't have time to do any research on the safety of these drugs that they prescribe. They take the word of their medical organizations like the American Medical Association and the Food & Drug Administration. And Big Pharma has been so very helpful in providing these doctors with the "proof" of drug safety by showing them the testing results.
The advertisements for new drugs are so much in evidence that there is no escaping them. Putting it simply, we get brainwashed by the media. We are convinced, by sheer repetition, that we should ask our doctors for drugs. And let's be honest with ourselves: we want the easy solution to whatever the problem is. We're busy. We don't have any time to try to figure out what else besides a pill might help us feel better. In addition, even if we know what we need to do to feel better, we might be too attached to some bad behavior that we would just rather have the pill so we can continue to behave badly. It doesn't seem to enter into our minds that the side effects of the pill might kill us. And all drugs have side effects, even aspirin.
The cough and cold medicines that we give our children so freely have never been tested on children for safety or effectiveness. Who would volunteer to have their child tested in this manner, right? The drugs have been tested on adults, and as I said a couple of paragraphs ago, there is no impartial testing of drugs. Big Pharma does the testing. If something is found to be dangerous or just ineffective, it's likely put on the market anyway to make sure Big Pharma doesn't lose any money. The actual results of this type of behavior on the part of Big Pharma are usually only discovered later after people die. Remember Vioxx? The families of the 100,000 people who died remember.
Somewhere along the line the decision was made by someone that cough and cold medicines, among others, should be marketed to children. Adult doses were set and then children's doses were extrapolated from them. In other words: if an adult of 150 pounds weight gets 150 milligrams of a drug, a child of 25 pounds should get 25 milligrams. Because testing on children was never done or even required by the FDA, assumptions were made about the safety and effectiveness of adult drugs on children. Our children, your children, have been tested without your knowledge or consent. I don't know how you feel about this but it makes me mad as hell.
When our kids get a cold or the sniffles what are we going to do to help them be more comfortable? The first thing to know is that so far there is no known cure for the common cold. My daughter's old pediatrician used to say, "It'll be over in two weeks or 14 days, whichever comes first." Next, think before you run willy nilly to the store for some medicine which might be dangerous. In fact, planning ahead would be a good idea. Find out some natural methods for help with getting through the next cold. There are many out there. And work on your immune systems. Get them boosted up to peak performance and keep them that way. By doing so, there will be less chance of getting a cold.
I am not a licensed medical practitioner so I can't legally recommend anything to anyone. That being said, I can tell you that nutritional things like chicken soup have been known to be effective for comfort. Keeping the air inside the house moistened with a vaporizer or humidifier can help. Increasing fluids and getting more rest are on that list, too. For myself, I would not be without certain essential oils -- Young Living, of course! -- as the cold and flu season approaches. I must be honest and tell you that last winter I had a respiratory illness. That has been the only time I've been ill with anything since I began using Young Living products for my health and wellbeing. Therapeutic essential oils have been in use since 4500 BC. That was definitely before Big Pharma came along. They have stood the test of time and have, no doubt, helped with the varied health issues of many. Young Living Essential Oil products are therapeutic, organic, 100% natural, independently tested for purity, and documented by testimonials in the millions as being effective and safe. They have been effectively used by great grandparents and by the parents of little ones across our nation and around the world.
The world is a dangerous place these days. I guess it always has been, depending on your particular circumstances. But you don't need to put yourself into the line of pharmaceutical fire. There are many other methods available to keep yourself and your children well and to help them through the times when they are less so. Don't let Big Pharma remove the responsibility for your children's health from you. Take it yourself. These are your children. You brought them here. It's your job to protect them from anything that could hurt them. Do your own research. Think first, then act.
Please consider reading "The Truth About the Drug Companies" by Marcia Angell, M.D. Information is power. Also, please consider how Young Living might help you with your wellness issues. Just call me if you have questions.
Wishing you -- and your children! -- the best of health!
Jude
wellness@desker.net
315-255-3066
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Multitasking: An Unreasonable Request
As many of you know, I have been on the job search for about six months now. Anyone who has ever been on that road will certainly be able to relate to the stress that it causes. Sure, it's nice to be able to sleep in on Monday morning, but the lack of income is a frightening place to be. And that's not all. Not only do we who are on the extended search feel more obligated to compromise on what we originally wanted in our next job, we have to agree to multitask.
What is multitasking anyway? According to one definition from the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, multitasking is the ability of a human to "develop and follow multiple thought processes simultaneously." Is this even possible? And since when have humans been expected to divide their attention every which way? I think they used to refer to that as being scatterbrained. Webster's New World Dictionary, 1991 edition, describes multitasking as something that only computers are supposed to be able to handle. So, apparently, sometime in the last fifteen years or so, the human brain has evolved into an efficient, superfunctioning, simultaneous multitasker? I think not.
Computers are wonderful things and are specifically built to be able to handle multiple simultaneous tasks. I feel sure that humans were not designed to be able to do the same; if they were, why would we have had the need for computer processors in the first place? The human brain is a wonderful thing, a machine worthy of praise, but it has it's limitations.
While working in the cable business I learned about signal strength. Let me give you an example. The signal is the intangible entity that flows from the source (the cable office) to the destination (your house). Once the signal arrives at the pole outside your house, it comes inside via a coaxial cable. At this point, if all went well along the way, the signal is a strong one and capable of delivering cable television, high speed Internet and perhaps telephone service. When it gets into the house it has a signal strength of 100%. If you have three televisions hooked up, one computer and a telephone modem, your signal has been split five different ways. This means that each thing in your house now has only 20% of the original signal. Your signal is multitasking but that's okay; that's something a cable signal can handle. But the more times the signal is split, the weaker the signal gets to each thing that's hooked up. This decreases the quality of the service you'll receive at each television.
Why am I telling you about cable signals? Didn't you think we were talking about multitasking? Well, we still are. The cable signal example is my opinion of how the brain works. We probably start out with a good, strong 100% signal in the morning if we had a good night's rest, a bowl of fiber and, in my case, a cup of coffee. When we get busy and someone gives us five things to do, (all of which need to be done right away, of course!), our brain's signal gets split up, and the signal, or the amount of attention we can give to each task, is weaker. This results in nothing getting our full attention, regardless of how important it might be. All of our assigned tasks get the short shrift, and we are lucky if we manage to accomplish anything. There is nothing efficient about this. In addition, we are under so much pressure to succeed that our level of stress (and incidence of stress related illness) is raised more than we know.
From paying attention to my own methods of accomplishing tasks, I know that multitasking is counterproductive and anything but efficient. I would like to be able to tell prospective employers that this is true. It's the same for anyone if they were to be honest with themselves; however, this is not what the world's bosses want to hear. I have heard this employment criteria repeatedly at interviews and in advertisements: must be able to multitask. Sometime over the last decade, perhaps due to the continuing instances of reduction in workforce, the few who are left have been saddled with the continuing work of the many by means of multitasking.
Prioritizing your workload works much better than multitasking. I remember it well from my last job and it worked. It seems to me that a whole industry surrounding day planners was developed to assist us in prioritizing. Giving each task, in order of importance, your full attention can get everything done in an efficient and orderly manner. And if you have your tasks written down on your planner or calendar, you have a record of everything that was done for future reference. This is impossible with multitasking because your thoughts, and therefore your actions, are too scattered.
So, let's ask ourselves if multitasking is the best method to get our work done. Is it even possible for the human brain to function in this way over the long haul? Are we increasing our stress level by increasing our simultaneous tasks? Can we be more efficient for ourselves and for our employers if we do one thing at a time? And can we be sneaky about this at work and just try it? I guarantee you that multitasking is definitely not as efficient as the term suggests. Give prioritizing and singletasking a chance. I think you'll find that everything will still get done.
Let me know what you think about multitasking. I look forward to hearing from you! And in the meantime....
I wish you the best of health!
Jude
What is multitasking anyway? According to one definition from the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, multitasking is the ability of a human to "develop and follow multiple thought processes simultaneously." Is this even possible? And since when have humans been expected to divide their attention every which way? I think they used to refer to that as being scatterbrained. Webster's New World Dictionary, 1991 edition, describes multitasking as something that only computers are supposed to be able to handle. So, apparently, sometime in the last fifteen years or so, the human brain has evolved into an efficient, superfunctioning, simultaneous multitasker? I think not.
Computers are wonderful things and are specifically built to be able to handle multiple simultaneous tasks. I feel sure that humans were not designed to be able to do the same; if they were, why would we have had the need for computer processors in the first place? The human brain is a wonderful thing, a machine worthy of praise, but it has it's limitations.
While working in the cable business I learned about signal strength. Let me give you an example. The signal is the intangible entity that flows from the source (the cable office) to the destination (your house). Once the signal arrives at the pole outside your house, it comes inside via a coaxial cable. At this point, if all went well along the way, the signal is a strong one and capable of delivering cable television, high speed Internet and perhaps telephone service. When it gets into the house it has a signal strength of 100%. If you have three televisions hooked up, one computer and a telephone modem, your signal has been split five different ways. This means that each thing in your house now has only 20% of the original signal. Your signal is multitasking but that's okay; that's something a cable signal can handle. But the more times the signal is split, the weaker the signal gets to each thing that's hooked up. This decreases the quality of the service you'll receive at each television.
Why am I telling you about cable signals? Didn't you think we were talking about multitasking? Well, we still are. The cable signal example is my opinion of how the brain works. We probably start out with a good, strong 100% signal in the morning if we had a good night's rest, a bowl of fiber and, in my case, a cup of coffee. When we get busy and someone gives us five things to do, (all of which need to be done right away, of course!), our brain's signal gets split up, and the signal, or the amount of attention we can give to each task, is weaker. This results in nothing getting our full attention, regardless of how important it might be. All of our assigned tasks get the short shrift, and we are lucky if we manage to accomplish anything. There is nothing efficient about this. In addition, we are under so much pressure to succeed that our level of stress (and incidence of stress related illness) is raised more than we know.
From paying attention to my own methods of accomplishing tasks, I know that multitasking is counterproductive and anything but efficient. I would like to be able to tell prospective employers that this is true. It's the same for anyone if they were to be honest with themselves; however, this is not what the world's bosses want to hear. I have heard this employment criteria repeatedly at interviews and in advertisements: must be able to multitask. Sometime over the last decade, perhaps due to the continuing instances of reduction in workforce, the few who are left have been saddled with the continuing work of the many by means of multitasking.
Prioritizing your workload works much better than multitasking. I remember it well from my last job and it worked. It seems to me that a whole industry surrounding day planners was developed to assist us in prioritizing. Giving each task, in order of importance, your full attention can get everything done in an efficient and orderly manner. And if you have your tasks written down on your planner or calendar, you have a record of everything that was done for future reference. This is impossible with multitasking because your thoughts, and therefore your actions, are too scattered.
So, let's ask ourselves if multitasking is the best method to get our work done. Is it even possible for the human brain to function in this way over the long haul? Are we increasing our stress level by increasing our simultaneous tasks? Can we be more efficient for ourselves and for our employers if we do one thing at a time? And can we be sneaky about this at work and just try it? I guarantee you that multitasking is definitely not as efficient as the term suggests. Give prioritizing and singletasking a chance. I think you'll find that everything will still get done.
Let me know what you think about multitasking. I look forward to hearing from you! And in the meantime....
I wish you the best of health!
Jude
Monday, August 20, 2007
How Do You Feel About Traffic?
I hate traffic! I can say this because I have had some experience in traffic, both as a driver and a passenger, on the interstate and on the back roads and in all types of weather.
I would say cautiously that my experience as a driver is well rounded in an historical sort of way. Over the last few years, having had a couple of fender benders and many near misses, I want to say without reservation that I would never like to experience traffic again. Unfortunately, I could never get anywhere if I hide from it. Even if I receive a ride from some kind person, I still get to be involved with the traffic. Dang!
I remember driving when driving was enjoyable. I can remember the thrill of having my new license, followed shortly by my first "new" car. I drove around town like a queen in her chariot, drove to visit my sister out of town and my Grandparents, too. I drove to Ohio one day to hear a band. Drove all night in driving rain and arrived safely and exhilarated. I even learned how to drive on Alaska's snow covered highways, driving 20 miles round trip for my work each day. I found this to be one of the most wonderful feelings I've ever had. Driving my own car was freedom personified and nothing could stop me.
Years later I remember driving to my aunt's home in Rochester, through the now untangled "Can of Worms," where several major interstates crossed eachother. I was driving my Gramma in to see her sister on a Friday afternoon during rush hour. (Those of you who are local to me will certainly know of this road.) This was the first time I had the feeling that driving was no longer fun. Despite being fairly frightened about driving back home that evening, I made it and drove that route many more times in the months to come --- but never during rush hour!
Since then I've driven into Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls on Interstate routes and even almost to New York City. I've been scared to pieces each time, not by my own lack of highway skill, but by --- yup, you guessed it --- traffic!
So.....I want to know: when did driving on the highway become a competition sport? When did aggression and anger get behind the wheel? When did common courtesy take the off ramp? I want to know.
Twice in recent years I have been the happy passenger in a car on it's way from Syracuse to the coast of Maine, interstate driving all the way. I had no reason to be unhappy; I was on my way to spend a week on the ocean. With my trusted friend at the wheel, I did my best to remain calm on the trip. After all, I trusted him with my life. But I could see that there was little trust to be put in the others in vehicles all around us. They had their own agendas. They had to get to work, to school, to the mall or to the bar for happy hour. They were disconnected, distracted, disgruntled and discourteous as they made their separate trips to wherever. In the midst of this speeding throng I felt almost completely out of control of my destiny. I felt that any mistake made by any one of these traveling missiles could end my life or worse. I wanted to be anywhere else but in that car in the middle of the Massachusetts Turnpike. (My stomach is tightening up and my heart is beating faster just recalling this!) This was real fear. Justified? I think so because hey! have you been on the interstates lately?
It seems that three out four vehicles are SUV's. They are top heavy and fully loaded to prevent those in cars from seeing over them or getting around them. There are many more eighteen wheelers on the roads now than there used to be. I'm sure that the numbers of these has grown exponentially because we have to have stuff delivered and the trains don't work so well anymore. Have you ever had one of these giant things behind you, right on your bumper? Who knows what would happen if you put on your brake to try to make a turn. And of course with every new 16 year old there is another driver, an immortal driver, a driver who will surely feel justified in taking chances with his or her own life and with mine as well.
Traffic is fairly uncontrollable. There are so many vehicles on the move that police officers can hardly squeeze in to stop anyone who is disobeying the rules of the road. There is no personal honor on the roadways either, it seems. If no one sees the infraction, then it really didn't happen and it's a victimless crime -- isn't it? Well, maybe this time.
I know that we are all in a hurry and we've got to get somewhere. We've got to get home to our loved ones and we've got to get to work on time and we've got to speed and pass indiscriminately in order to be the first one at the stop light. I know all this and so do you. But remember to use some common sense on your way. Try to obey the rules; they are in place for a reason, even if you disagree. Remove distractions from your vehicle, even if it's your mother-in-law. Use extra caution at night and when the weather is inclement. And for pity's sake: slow down! If we all try to behave on the roadways, there will probably be less to frighten poor old women who used to enjoy their driving.
As for me, I'll be hiding under the bed.
Wishing you the best of health!
Jude
I would say cautiously that my experience as a driver is well rounded in an historical sort of way. Over the last few years, having had a couple of fender benders and many near misses, I want to say without reservation that I would never like to experience traffic again. Unfortunately, I could never get anywhere if I hide from it. Even if I receive a ride from some kind person, I still get to be involved with the traffic. Dang!
I remember driving when driving was enjoyable. I can remember the thrill of having my new license, followed shortly by my first "new" car. I drove around town like a queen in her chariot, drove to visit my sister out of town and my Grandparents, too. I drove to Ohio one day to hear a band. Drove all night in driving rain and arrived safely and exhilarated. I even learned how to drive on Alaska's snow covered highways, driving 20 miles round trip for my work each day. I found this to be one of the most wonderful feelings I've ever had. Driving my own car was freedom personified and nothing could stop me.
Years later I remember driving to my aunt's home in Rochester, through the now untangled "Can of Worms," where several major interstates crossed eachother. I was driving my Gramma in to see her sister on a Friday afternoon during rush hour. (Those of you who are local to me will certainly know of this road.) This was the first time I had the feeling that driving was no longer fun. Despite being fairly frightened about driving back home that evening, I made it and drove that route many more times in the months to come --- but never during rush hour!
Since then I've driven into Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara Falls on Interstate routes and even almost to New York City. I've been scared to pieces each time, not by my own lack of highway skill, but by --- yup, you guessed it --- traffic!
So.....I want to know: when did driving on the highway become a competition sport? When did aggression and anger get behind the wheel? When did common courtesy take the off ramp? I want to know.
Twice in recent years I have been the happy passenger in a car on it's way from Syracuse to the coast of Maine, interstate driving all the way. I had no reason to be unhappy; I was on my way to spend a week on the ocean. With my trusted friend at the wheel, I did my best to remain calm on the trip. After all, I trusted him with my life. But I could see that there was little trust to be put in the others in vehicles all around us. They had their own agendas. They had to get to work, to school, to the mall or to the bar for happy hour. They were disconnected, distracted, disgruntled and discourteous as they made their separate trips to wherever. In the midst of this speeding throng I felt almost completely out of control of my destiny. I felt that any mistake made by any one of these traveling missiles could end my life or worse. I wanted to be anywhere else but in that car in the middle of the Massachusetts Turnpike. (My stomach is tightening up and my heart is beating faster just recalling this!) This was real fear. Justified? I think so because hey! have you been on the interstates lately?
It seems that three out four vehicles are SUV's. They are top heavy and fully loaded to prevent those in cars from seeing over them or getting around them. There are many more eighteen wheelers on the roads now than there used to be. I'm sure that the numbers of these has grown exponentially because we have to have stuff delivered and the trains don't work so well anymore. Have you ever had one of these giant things behind you, right on your bumper? Who knows what would happen if you put on your brake to try to make a turn. And of course with every new 16 year old there is another driver, an immortal driver, a driver who will surely feel justified in taking chances with his or her own life and with mine as well.
Traffic is fairly uncontrollable. There are so many vehicles on the move that police officers can hardly squeeze in to stop anyone who is disobeying the rules of the road. There is no personal honor on the roadways either, it seems. If no one sees the infraction, then it really didn't happen and it's a victimless crime -- isn't it? Well, maybe this time.
I know that we are all in a hurry and we've got to get somewhere. We've got to get home to our loved ones and we've got to get to work on time and we've got to speed and pass indiscriminately in order to be the first one at the stop light. I know all this and so do you. But remember to use some common sense on your way. Try to obey the rules; they are in place for a reason, even if you disagree. Remove distractions from your vehicle, even if it's your mother-in-law. Use extra caution at night and when the weather is inclement. And for pity's sake: slow down! If we all try to behave on the roadways, there will probably be less to frighten poor old women who used to enjoy their driving.
As for me, I'll be hiding under the bed.
Wishing you the best of health!
Jude
Monday, July 30, 2007
My Mother Would Be Shocked!
Hello!
I have been catching up on some email this morning and I came across an article at mercola.com (one of my favorite websites!) which I found disturbing and sad. It told of the lack of reading by many of us. With thanks to Dr. Mercola, I post this information here....
The following statistics about book publishing and reading were found on www.parapub.com, the Web site of self-publishing guru Dan Poynter.
1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)
53 percent read fiction, 43 percent read nonfiction. The favorite fiction category is mystery and suspence, at 19 percent.
55 percent of fiction is bought by women, 45 percent by men.
(Source: Publishers Weekly)
About 120,000 books are published each year in the U.S.
(Source: www.bookwire.com)
Each day in the U.S., people spend 4 hours watching TV, 3 hours listening to the radio and 14 minutes reading magazines.
(Source: Veronis, Suhler & Associates investment banker)
I can't conceive of not reading -- books, articles, research, natural (and unnatural) health information, and on and on. Frankly, my mother, the person who gave me the most encouragement to read and to read often, would be shocked at these statistics. It seems fairly obvious to me that vegging out in front of the television is not the best thing to do for our mental health. Sure, tv is great but pick and choose wisely what you'd really like to watch; don't just have the tv on all the time. There are so many great books out there to be had, whatever it is that you might be interested in. Reading promotes knowledge, good vocabulary and independent thought, and it helps us keep our brains in tune for our older age.
I'm in a spot right now where I'm not working and I have some extra time to read and to let my mind wander where it will; but I always make time for reading, whatever my schedule might be. Reading is one of my greatest pleasures. (Thanks, Mom!)
Right now (well, not RIGHT now!) I'm reading Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas, swapping off with Dr. Mahmet Oz's YOU on a Diet, and I'm also reading and learning about a new healing modality called EFT. What are you reading this week? Do give me a comment and let me know. I double dog dare ya!
Best,
Jude
I have been catching up on some email this morning and I came across an article at mercola.com (one of my favorite websites!) which I found disturbing and sad. It told of the lack of reading by many of us. With thanks to Dr. Mercola, I post this information here....
The following statistics about book publishing and reading were found on www.parapub.com, the Web site of self-publishing guru Dan Poynter.
1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)
53 percent read fiction, 43 percent read nonfiction. The favorite fiction category is mystery and suspence, at 19 percent.
55 percent of fiction is bought by women, 45 percent by men.
(Source: Publishers Weekly)
About 120,000 books are published each year in the U.S.
(Source: www.bookwire.com)
Each day in the U.S., people spend 4 hours watching TV, 3 hours listening to the radio and 14 minutes reading magazines.
(Source: Veronis, Suhler & Associates investment banker)
I can't conceive of not reading -- books, articles, research, natural (and unnatural) health information, and on and on. Frankly, my mother, the person who gave me the most encouragement to read and to read often, would be shocked at these statistics. It seems fairly obvious to me that vegging out in front of the television is not the best thing to do for our mental health. Sure, tv is great but pick and choose wisely what you'd really like to watch; don't just have the tv on all the time. There are so many great books out there to be had, whatever it is that you might be interested in. Reading promotes knowledge, good vocabulary and independent thought, and it helps us keep our brains in tune for our older age.
I'm in a spot right now where I'm not working and I have some extra time to read and to let my mind wander where it will; but I always make time for reading, whatever my schedule might be. Reading is one of my greatest pleasures. (Thanks, Mom!)
Right now (well, not RIGHT now!) I'm reading Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas, swapping off with Dr. Mahmet Oz's YOU on a Diet, and I'm also reading and learning about a new healing modality called EFT. What are you reading this week? Do give me a comment and let me know. I double dog dare ya!
Best,
Jude
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