We have all read about people who are successful briefly. They win a gold medal, make a fortune, or star in one great movie…and then disappear. Or, there are those like Marilyn Monroe and Howard Hughes who achieve extraordinary success, at the cost of their own lives. These examples do not inspire me!
My focus and fascination is with people who seem to do well in many areas of life, and do it over and over through a lifetime. In entertainment, I think of Paul Newman and Bill Cosby. In business, I think of Ben and Jerry (the ice cream moguls), and a local hardware store owner who is famous for the money he’s give to children’s charities. As a Naval Officer, husband, businessman, politician and now as a mediator and philanthropist on the world stage, Jimmy Carter has had a remarkable life. We all know examples of people who go from one success to another.
These are the people who inspire me! I’ve studied them, and I’ve noticed they have the following traits in common:
1. They work hard! Yes, they play hard, too! They get up early, they rarely complain, they expect performance from others, but they expect extraordinary performance from themselves. Repeated, high-level success starts with a recognition that hard work pays off.
2. They are incredibly curious and eager to learn. They study, ask questions and read – constantly! An interesting point, however: While most of them did well in school, the difference is that they apply or take advantage of what they learn. Repeated success is not about memorizing facts, it’s about being able to take information and create, build, or apply it in new and important ways. Successful people want to learn everything about everything!
3. They network. They know lots of people, and they know lots of different kinds of people. They listen to friends, neighbors, co-workers and bartenders. They don’t have to be "the life of the party", in fact many are quiet, even shy, but they value people and they value relationships. Successful people have a rolodex full of people who value their friendship and return their calls.
4. They work on themselves and never quit! While the "over-night wonders" become arrogant and quickly disappear, really successful people work on their personality, their leadership skills, management skills, and every other detail of life. When a relationship or business deal goes sour, they assume they can learn from it and they expect to do better next time. Successful people don’t tolerate flaws; they fix them!
5. They are extraordinarily creative. They go around asking, "Why not?" They see new combinations, new possibilities, new opportunities and challenges where others see problems or limitations. They wake up in the middle of the night yelling, "I’ve got it!" They ask for advice, try things out, consult experts and amateurs, always looking for a better, faster, cheaper solution. Successful people create stuff!
6. They are self-reliant and take responsibility. Incredibly successful people don’t worry about blame, and they don’t waste time complaining. They make decisions and move on. Sometimes they are criticized for taking this to extremes – Jimmy Carter carried his own briefcase and a President "shouldn’t" do that! Extremely successful people take the initiative and accept the responsibilities of success.
7. They are usually relaxed and keep their perspective. Even in times of stress or turmoil, highly successful people keep their balance, they know the value of timing, humor, and patience. They rarely panic or make decisions on impulse. Unusually successful people breath easily, ask the right questions, and make sound decisions, even in a crisis.
8. Extremely successful people live in the present moment. They know that "Now" is the only time they can control. They have a "gift" for looking people in the eye, listening to what is being said, enjoying a meal or fine wine, music or playing with a child. They never seem rushed, and they get a lot done! They take full advantage of each day. Successful people don’t waste time, they use it!
9. They "look over the horizon" to see the future. They observe trends, notice changes, see shifts, and hear the nuances that others miss. A basketball player wearing Nikes is trivial, the neighbor kid wearing them is interesting, your own teenager demanding them is an investment opportunity! Extremely successful people live in the present, with one eye on the future!
10. Repeatedly successful people respond instantly! When an investment isn’t working out, they sell. When they see an opportunity, they make the call. If an important relationship is cooling down, they take time to renew it. When technology or a new competitor or a change in the economic situation requires an adjustment, they are the first and quickest to respond.
These traits work together in combination, giving repeatedly successful people a huge advantage. Because they are insatiable learners, they can respond wisely to change. Because their personal relationships are strong, they have good advisors, and a reserve of goodwill when things go bad. And finally, none of these traits are genetic! They can be learned! They are free and they are skills you can use. Start now!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Top 10 Traits of Highly Successful People
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Making Friends - Tips
Friendships Enrich your life & Improve your health
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/friendships/MH00125 (for full article)
Developing friendships does take some work.
But because friendships are so important to your overall sense of well-being, it's worth the time and effort.
Here are some ways you can develop new friendships:
- Get out with your pet. Seek out a popular dog park, make conversation with those who stop to talk on your daily neighborhood jaunts, or make pet play dates.
- Work out. Join a class through a local gym, senior center or community fitness facility. Or start a lunchtime walking group at work.
- Do lunch. Invite an acquaintance to join you for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
- Accept invites. When someone invites you to a party, dinner or social gathering, say yes. Resist the urge to say no just because you may not know everyone there or you may initially feel awkward. You can always leave if you get too uncomfortable.
- Volunteer. Hospitals, places of worship, museums, community centers and other organizations often need volunteers. You can form strong connections when you work with people who share a mutual interest.
- Join a cause. Get together with a group of people working toward a goal you believe in, such as an election or the cleanup of a natural area.
- Join a hobby group. Find a nearby group with similar interests in such things as auto racing, music, gardening, books or crafts.
- Go back to school. Take a college or community education course to meet people with similar interests.
- Hang out on your porch. Front porches used to be social centers for the neighborhood. If you don't have a front porch, you can still sit out front with a cup of coffee or a good book. Making yourself visible shows that you are friendly and open.
You may not become instant friends the first time you meet someone. But the seeds of lasting friendships can be sown with a friendly wave as you're mowing the lawn or bringing in the newspaper.
Keep friendships nurturing and healthy
Developing and maintaining healthy friendships involves give and take. Sometimes you're the one giving support to your friends, and other times you're on the receiving end. Letting friends know you care about them and appreciate them will help ensure that their support remains strong when times are rough. It's as important for you to be a good friend as it is to surround yourself with good friends.
Here are some ways to make sure your friendships remain healthy and supportive:
- Go easy. Don't overwhelm friends with phone calls or e-mails. Communication can be brief — five minutes on the phone or several sentences in an e-mail. Find out how late or early you can call and respect those boundaries. Do have a plan for crisis situations, when you may need to temporarily set aside such restrictions.
- Be aware of how others perceive you. Ask a friend for an honest evaluation of how you come across to others. Take note of any areas for improvement and work on them.
- Don't compete. Don't let a friendship turn into a hidden battle over who makes the most money, has the best clothes or the coolest car. Don't fight over other friends. This will only turn friendships into unhealthy rivalries.
- Adopt a healthy, realistic self-image. Both vanity and constant self-criticism can be turnoffs to potential friends.
- Resolve to improve yourself. Cultivating your own honesty, generosity and humility will enhance your self-esteem and make you a more compassionate and appealing friend.
- Avoid relentless complaining. Nonstop complaining is tiresome and draining on friendships. Talk to your friends about how you can change the parts of your life that you're unhappy about.
- Adopt a positive outlook. Try to find the humor in things. Laughter is infectious and appealing.
- Listen up. Make a point to ask what's going on in the lives of your friends. Don't talk about your own problems all the time. Friendships can't last when you're self-absorbed.
Friendships pay dividends
Friendships provide a sense of belonging and comfort. Friendships act as a buffer against life's hardships and help you develop resilience. They offer compassion and acceptance. And friendships can make you feel important and needed by giving you a chance to offer someone else comfort and companionship, too.
Relationships change as you age, but it's never too late to build new friendships or reconnect with old friends. The investment in your friends will pay off in better health and a brighter outlook for years to come.
RELATED
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Excess Abdominal Fat increase Death Risk in Women
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/apr2008/niddk-07.htm
Women who carry excess fat around their waists were at greater risk of dying early from cancer or heart disease than were women with smaller waistlines, even if they were of normal weight, reported researchers from Harvard and the National Institutes of Health.
Previous studies have shown that the tendency to deposit fat around the waist increases the risk for health problems. The current study is the largest, most comprehensive of its kind undertaken to show that accumulation of abdominal fat can increase the risk of death.
To conduct the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 44,000 women in the Nurses’ Health study, which followed the health history of thousands of registered nurses in 11 states.
"As we know from the work of the NIH Obesity Research Task Force, reversing the epidemic of obesity is challenging," said Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health. "The current findings highlight the role that research can play in understanding the risks of obesity."
The research team that conducted the study was led by Cuilin Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., of NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Dr. Zhang conducted much of her work on the study while at the Harvard School of Public Health. She concluded her analysis after joining the staff of the NICHD. The study was conducted in the research group of Dr. Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and by researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Medicine.
Funding for the study was provided by the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Cancer Institute. The Nurse’s Health Study was supported by NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
The study was published online in Circulation.
There is increasing evidence that excess abdominal fat is a risk factor for long-term conditions like diabetes and heart disease. However, the relationship between abdominal obesity and risk of death has not been widely studied. The current study is one of the largest extended investigations of abdominal obesity and women’s risk of premature death.
Researchers followed more than 44,000 women over the course of 16 years to track their medical history and lifestyle. Because the majority of the women who took part in the study were white, the researchers do not know if their findings pertain to other groups of women or to men.
All the women included in the study were registered nurses. At the beginning of the study the women were asked to measure their waists and hips. Every two years, the women completed questionnaires about their health, providing information about their age, activity level, smoking status, diet, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
The researchers examined the cause of death for all women who died over the course of the study. In total, 3,507 deaths occurred — of these, 1,748 were due to cancer and 751 were due to heart disease.
The researchers discovered that women with greater waist circumferences were more likely to die prematurely, particularly from heart disease, when compared to women with smaller waists. For example, women with waist size equal to or greater than 35 inches were approximately twice as likely to die of heart disease as were women with a waist size less than 28 inches, regardless of their body mass index. Similarly, women with a waist size equal to or greater than 35 inches also were twice as likely to die of cancer as were women with a waist size less than 28 inches.
Women who had a greater waist circumference and were also obese were at the greatest risk of premature death. Researchers determined if a woman was overweight by calculating her body mass index (BMI), a measure of a person’s weight in relation to height. BMI is used to estimate the proportion of a person’s weight that derives from body fat. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy. A BMI of 30.0 - 39.9 is regarded as obese.
Greater waist circumference is a sign of collecting excess fat around one’s midsection, called abdominal obesity. According to the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults published by NHLBI in cooperation with NIDDK in 1998, a healthy waist limit for women is 35 inches and, for men, 40 inches. Waist circumference is determined by measuring around the waist at the navel line. The NHLBI lists information on waist circumference and BMI at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm
In 2004, over one-half of U.S. adults had abdominal obesity by these standards, said Dr. Zhang.
The researchers also studied waist-to-hip ratio — a measure of the narrowest part of the waist compared to the circumference at the broadest part of the hip — as a potential determinant of mortality risk. Waist-to-hip ratio was found to be as strongly associated with risk of early death as the measurement of waist size alone. However, waist-to-hip ratio requires two measurements and therefore may be less convenient to calculate than measuring waist circumference alone, said Dr. Zhang.
The study authors wrote that results from previous studies have been inconsistent because of the relatively small number of people who took part and the short duration of the studies. The current study provides the strongest evidence so far regarding the adverse effects of abdominal obesity on the risk of death in women. The authors called for future studies to investigate abdominal obesity and the risk of death in men and other ethnic groups.
"Although maintaining a healthy weight should continue to be a corner stone in the prevention of chronic diseases and premature death, maintaining a healthy waist size should also be an important goal," the study authors wrote.
Learn more about weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues from NIDDK’s Weight-control Information Network at http://win.niddk.nih.gov. For Weight and Waist Measurement: Tools for Adults, visit http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tools.htm.
Learn more about ways to maintain a healthy weight based on the Clinical Guidelines Expert Panel Report, visit the NHLBI’s Aim for a Healthy Weight Web site http://healthyweight.nhlbi.nih.gov.
To calculate your BMI and assess your risk for conditions related to overweight and obesity, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm.
Information about obesity, weight, physical activity, diet, and cancer is available at. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/energybalance.
Information about the Nurse’s Health Study is available at http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/ResPort/NursesHealthI.html.
The NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the Institute’s Web site at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Hormone Replacement & Menopause
Hormone replacement therapy and your heart
source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hormone-replacement-therapy/WO00131
Are you taking — or considering — hormone therapy to treat bothersome menopausal symptoms? Understand the risks to your heart and how to minimize them.
In the 1980s and 1990s, doctors in the United States routinely recommended long-term hormone replacement therapy to postmenopausal women to treat menopausal symptoms and to prevent heart disease. In 2002, this practice stopped abruptly, when studies showed that hormone replacement therapy may actually increase the risk of heart disease rather than prevent it. Yet, hormone replacement therapy remains the most effective treatment for bothersome menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
For women who are approaching — or facing — menopause, these contradictory conclusions about hormone replacement therapy can seem impossible to reconcile. If you're having a tough time with symptoms of menopause but worry about how hormone replacement therapy will affect your heart, try to put your personal risk into perspective. The absolute risk of heart disease to an individual woman taking hormone replacement therapy — now called hormone therapy — is quite low. If you experience moderate to severe hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, the benefits of hormone therapy may outweigh your potential risks.
Hormone therapy and heart disease: What's the connection?
Around the world, women have a lower risk of heart disease than do men. Doctors and researchers have long attributed this difference to the female hormone estrogen. And they've blamed the declining levels of estrogen after menopause for the increase in heart disease as women age.
For decades, observational studies seemed to demonstrate the protective power of estrogen — not just before menopause, when your ovaries produce estrogen naturally, but also after menopause, when supplied by pills, skin patches and other preparations.
Then came the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a large clinical trial expected to confirm the benefits of hormone therapy. Its surprise finding: Not only did postmenopausal hormones fail to protect women from heart disease — hormone therapy actually made older women more likely to have heart attacks, blood clots and strokes.
What were the results of large clinical trials on hormone therapy?
According to the WHI, for every 10,000 women taking estrogen plus progestin for one year, there would be:
- Seven more cases of heart disease
- Eight more cases of breast cancer
- Eight more cases of stroke
- 18 more cases of blood clots
For women in the study taking estrogen alone (Premarin), the WHI found no increased risk of breast cancer or heart disease. But researchers did find that over one year, 10,000 women taking estrogen, compared with a placebo, might experience 12 more cases of stroke and six more cases of blood clots in the legs.
The findings of the WHI were not all bad, though. Women in the study who took combination hormone therapy experienced fewer hip and vertebral fractures than normal.
However, for most women, the exact number of blood clots and hip fractures isn't the most important information gleaned from the WHI. The key message of this study is simply that hormone therapy shouldn't be given to all women — like a vitamin — to make them live longer.
Current recommendations
Doctors no longer prescribe hormone therapy to prevent heart disease and other chronic conditions affecting postmenopausal women. Today, however, the fear of using any postmenopausal hormone therapy at all has subsided. That's partly because continuing analysis of WHI data points to a middle ground rather than an all-or-nothing approach to hormone therapy.
It's also still possible that hormone therapy confers some protection from heart disease when taken early in your postmenopausal years. A randomized, controlled clinical trial — the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) — exploring estrogen use and heart disease in younger postmenopausal women is under way, but it won't be completed for several years.
What should you do?
To an average woman, the added heart risk from hormone therapy is no cause for alarm. Your individual risk of developing heart disease depends on many factors, including family medical history, personal medical history and lifestyle choices. Talk to your doctor about your personal risks. Chances are, they aren't significant enough to preclude hormone therapy for menopause symptoms.
But if you already have heart disease or you have a history of blood clots, proceed with caution. Work with your doctor to find the safest, most effective treatment for your menopause symptoms.
If you take hormone therapy, how can you limit the added risks?
- Start hormone therapy early. In the WHI, hormone therapy caused no significant increase in heart disease risk in women under age 60.
- Minimize the amount of medication you take. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time needed to treat symptoms.
- Try a form of hormone therapy with limited systemic effects. Estrogen and progestin are available in many forms, including pills, skin patches, gels, vaginal creams and slow-releasing suppositories or rings that you place in your vagina. Some studies show that the route of medication administration may affect the risk of heart disease. There is some evidence that skin patches pose less risk of heart disease than do pills.
- Make healthy lifestyle changes. Counter the risks of hormone therapy by making heart-healthy lifestyle changes. Don't smoke or use tobacco products. Get regular physical activity. Eat a healthy diet focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat protein. Maintain a healthy weight. And get regular health screenings to check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels to detect early signs of heart disease.
It's a balancing act
Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously. It's the leading cause of death for women 65 and older, the third-leading cause of death for women 25 to 44 and the second-leading cause of death for women 45 to 64.
At the same time, most women can safely take short-term hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms without significantly increasing the risk of heart disease. If you experience severe vaginal symptoms or wake up at night with hot flashes, don't avoid hormone therapy for fear of its risks. Instead, talk to your doctor about how you can relieve troublesome symptoms while protecting your heart.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Brain Pills
It’d be nice if there were such a thing as mental Viagra -- just swal low a pill and get a little brain boost when you need it. But the verdict’s still out on many pills, supplements, and vitamins that purport to make your memory stronger. Here’s our take on the ones that get most of the attention:
Pill Recommended by the YOU Docs? The Fine Print
Aspirin Yes Research shows a 40% decrease in arterial aging -- a major cause of memory loss -- for people who take 162 milligrams (mg) of aspirin a day. Science isn’t sure how it protects against memory loss, but it may be because aspirin helps reduce gunky beta-amyloid proteins from clogging up your brain, and it improves circulation.
Vitamin E Yes -- in your diet, ideally People who consume high amounts of vitamin E are 43% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. You can get the vitamin E you need by eating just 3 ounces (15 mg) of nuts or seeds a day, which is the method we prefer. Alternatively, you can take a supplement of 400 international units (IU) daily if you take it with vitamin C and are not taking a statin drug, such as Lipitor.
Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid Yes Without B vitamins, your neurotransmitters don’t work efficiently. To compound the problem, without B vitamins, your homocysteine levels rise, and that doubles the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Although there’s no scientific evidence that shows B supplements benefit the thinking process, the products are generally safe, and anecdotal evidence is enticing. We recommend a daily supplement with 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid, 800 mcg of B12, and 40 mg of B6.
Acetyl L-carnitine/alpha-lipoic acid Not yet There are lots of strong theoretical reasons why this should enhance brain health -- specifically, by improving mitochondrial activity and reducing decay, resulting in higher neurotransmitter function -- but there’s not enough evidence showing effectiveness in humans.
Rosemary, roses, and mint Yes Not to ingest, but to smell. Research suggests that inhaling any of these three aromas at the time of learning a new task can enhance recall when you’re exposed to the scent at a later time.
Ginkgo biloba If you want to Though there are no large studies to support its use, there’s some promise that this very commonly used supplement may be effective in helping to improve cognition. It can also thin the blood, which can be beneficial to folks with blood vessel disease but dangerous for those who are anticipating surgery or who have a clotting disorder. Because it’s considered a safe antioxidant supplement, we’re comfortable with you trying 120 mg daily to see if it has any positive effects.
Huperzine A Maybe This ancient Chinese herb was used for memory loss even before we learned that it increases levels of acetylcholine, a chemical that transmits information between nerve cells. If you have mild cognitive impairment, we recommend 200 mcg twice daily and suggest that your doctor help adjust the dose if other pharmaceuticals with similar effects are being used.
Vinpocetine No There’s not enough evidence that this supplement -- from a periwinkle plant -- helps memory, and it can reduce your blood pressure too much, so we would rather wait for more clinical trials.
Phosphatidylserine If you want to About 70% of our cell membranes are made from phosphatidylserine, and as we age, the level drops, and the membranes become brittle. This supplement seems to strengthen cell membranes and the sheathing around the nerves, protecting the information-transferring cables from shorting out. Since risks are few, taking 200 mg daily is reasonable.
Coenzyme Q10 Yes, but for other reasons This supplement has a beneficial effect in protecting against Parkinson’s disease (a neural disease that can be caused by trauma, as in the case of boxers, or through viruses and genetics). A potent antioxidant, coenzyme Q10 may help prevent inflammatory damage to the brain, but this remains unproven. The ideal dose is 100 mg twice a day (some research says that 300 mg four times a day is even better). But be warned: This is one supplement where more than 90% of what’s sold doesn’t contain the real thing, so look for products that have been shown repeatedly to contain what’s on the label. Check this Web site:
Exercise Ball for Back Aches
Research shows that lounging for long periods of time may actually switch off back muscles, setting people up for low-back pain down the road. But sitting on an exercise ball engages those muscles. Try it!
Muscle Meltdown
Couch potatoes beware: Prolonged sagging and slumping may be almost as bad for your back muscles as an injury. When muscles aren't used, they can actually waste away in much the same way as they do after a back pull or sprain. So make TV time toning time by plopping your butt on a ball. Bonus: It will help you stay awake, so you won't snooze through the cliffhanger ending. (Got sciatica pain? Read this article for self-care tips.)
3 More Easy Back Boosters
Keep your back in tip-top shape with these simple tips:
- Try the YOU2 Workout. It uses your own body weight to strengthen and tone your back, arms, shoulders, and legs. Walking and tai chi are other great options.
- If you've pulled a back muscle, don’t stay in bed for more than 48 hours. Read this tip to find out why.
- Stand up straight. Here's why it's so good for backs.
Frying reduce health benefits of Fish
A Quick Way to Spoil the Health Benefits of Fish
In fact, eating fried fish actually raises your risk of stroke. So ask the kitchen for broiled or baked -- and no butter. You'll be glad you did, for these two reasons.
Tipping the Scales
One, fried foods are typically high in trans fats. The other reason to steer clear of the fryer? Fried fish can skew the balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fats in your diet -- and that's not good. Read why the right omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is so important to your health.
Fish Favorites
For high-omega-3, low-mercury fish, choose baked or broiled salmon, trout, or pollock, or try herring or sardines. Read this tip to learn which fish you should steer clear of.