For gifted children, being intelligent can have dark implications

February 7, 2015 by 3 Comments

The following is a very good article that discusses some of the very real difficulties that high IQ children and adults face. While I can’t support every assumption or conclusion in the article, it is definitely worth reading to be aware of struggles that they may face, to increase the compassion and empathy towards others who might be different than you are.

 

 

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Reasonability

January 27, 2015 by 2 Comments
If you keep playing with that, you're going to get hurt. © Suzanne Coleman, all rights reserved.

If you keep playing with that, you’re going to get hurt.
© Suzanne Coleman, all rights reserved.

by,

Suzanne Coleman

Is that even a word?  I have been wanting to ask the stock trading community this:  what is reasonable, and what is not?  Let’s talk PE.

I started trading during the “birth” of the internet, basically when companies that utilized it for profit were being born and growing, and the computer industry came along with them hand-in-hand.

At this time, people were piling into technology stocks, why wouldn’t you, when all they do is keep going up?  PEs were insane, or that’s what the older generation told me.  They were normal to me 🙂  I was told that a good, stable company should have a PE of 7 or 8, and a high-growth company might be safe at a PE of 15.  Hmm…

Well, in the internet days, a good stable, safe company would have a PE of 30.  An insane company that everyone wanted to own (was it cool like an iPhone?) might have a PE of over 100, up to, gosh I can’t even remember for sure, but probably up to 500-700.  Yeah, like I said, it was insane.

So now, almost 20 years later, I am looking at stocks again, some of the very same stocks I watched or owned back then, and trying to adjust to today’s market psychology and culture.  It’s hard.  Here is why.

Let’s start with a biggie, Amazon (AMZN), wow.  Well, I had that sucker for a really long time, I believed in it, I thought this damn company has a great idea, it will change the world.  Well, it did…  But its stock price fell along with many other great stocks during the “hell freezes over” period of my investment history.  That was in the early 2000s if I recall correctly.  So, I was holding on to it, it was once maybe $350 or so, and then came down to maybe $84.  Finally I decided to sell it, I was being too LOYAL (big issue to avoid), holding on to it, hoping it would eventually return to its glory days.  Well, then, of course, it did rise back up after years of just sitting there like a lump on a log (while I waited), and now it’s back up to over 300, and has even been at 400.  Wow.  If only we could predict these things…

So here’s the rub, AMZN is now at 310 with a PE of… ok, I guess they are now losing money so the PE is not listed.  Not too long ago, it was in the hundreds, maybe like 600?  My question to you all, is this, why would you continue to buy up a stock that is seriously over-valued?  I mean, you could lose almost all of your money if it drops down to where it should be.  It seems a bit like drug-induced insanity to me… what am I missing?  Have I gotten too old for this?

Then on the opposite side of the insane spectrum, let’s look at Apple (APPL).  They just reported earnings that were 38% over expectations.  No big deal, right?  Because we all know that Apple has a great history of blowing away even the highest of earnings expectations.  Are we nuts?  Maybe.  Their PE before this data was factored in was about 17.  Pretty reasonable for a company that is still growing and spreading into places like China, with over a billion tech-hungry citizens.  Why not buy Apple?  I’m not sure when Apple became this generation’s IBM, but that’s what it looks like has happened.  Almost no activity on the earnings news, or before it.  Odd.  The 12-month target will be revised upward and the stock price will go up with it.  So, you would think there would be buying now.  Maybe they are expecting a dip tomorrow or this week.  Maybe they fear… any of many things which may impact this activity.  But if you conclude it’s an overall conservatism, it is not.  See… Netflix (NFLX).

Netflix also reported better than expected earnings, just a few days ago (and I really should have bought it when I thought about it at 380, damn…) and is since up over 20%.  Their PE is over 100.  Hmm…  yes, they are also expanding into areas around the world, which is smart, but to buy in at a PE of 100 or more, isn’t really that smart.  I wonder if the “reason” that people do this is that they think it’ll (like Amazon and Yahoo! used to) keep going up, and if they don’t buy in now, they’ll never get to own a piece of it at these prices.  And, so far, in this instance, well this week, they’ve been right.

Look back a few months and you’ll see, well, let’s go to a 12 month chart… you can see that Netflix, like many other stocks these days that seem to do well, has been all over the place, with prices rising and falling significant amounts.  There is a high risk of buying in at a high point, and riding it all of the way down into the subway station.  And then, if you choose, you can end up waiting there for a plane to show up and fly you back up into the clouds.  Dramatic?  Yes, it can be.  There can be tears, there can be exhaultation (literally), so how and when do you decide to jump on a train and see where it will take you?

Let’s go back to Apple.  Strong growth, strong earnings, stable company, good leadership.  Since other big, stable companies are reporting earnings declines and less-than-enthusiastic forecasts, wouldn’t you expect more investors to move their money into Apple and out of those losers?  I mean, growth and stability, how can you go wrong with that?  We’ll see what happens.  I know that most big investors are already in Apple, that may be why there hasn’t been much movement today after earnings were reported to the public.

So what do you think?

 

 

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Filed Under: Apple, Stocks and Economics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LED Lights: Dangerous on Roadways and Off

January 26, 2015 by 5 Comments
LED lights on cars at night negatively impact our vision and safety. © Suzanne Coleman, all rights reserved.

LED lights on cars at night negatively impact our vision and safety. © Suzanne Coleman, all rights reserved.

by,

Suzanne Coleman, MD

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Alcohol, How its Abuse or Overuse Can Impact Us

January 21, 2015 by 3 Comments
By Oscar Sanchez Urgiles (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Oscar Sanchez Urgiles (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

By,

Suzanne Coleman, MD

 

I wanted to write a post on alcoholism.  Alcoholism is a common problem, approximately one out of every ten people is an alcoholic.  Yep, that’s right.  I know, the number can be surprising.  The current guidelines give you an easy way to understand when someone has a problem with alcohol, and here they are:

For men, if you drink more than two drinks a day on average, you have a problem.

For women, if you drink more than one drink a day, on average, you have a problem.

Other issues of concern are:  drinking until you pass out or don’t remember what happened, not good.  These are also signs of a problem with alcohol.

So what do they mean by “one drink” or “two drinks?”

There are different types of alcohol, and because they have different strengths, the amount that makes up “one drink” varies based on the type of alcohol you are talking about.

Check this out:

one 12 ounce can of beer = one drink

one 6 ounce glass of wine = one drink

one ounce of liquor (liquors are things like whisky, scotch, gin, brandy, vodka, tequila, schnapps, etc.) = one drink

So, really, why is it bad to drink too much alcohol?

Alcohol is a toxin, a poison, and while it can be relaxing and fun, it does do harm to our bodies, and in many cases, our personal lives.  Alcoholism is generally considered a disease where a person is dependent on alcohol or abuses it.  The best current treatment for these problems is to not drink at all.  Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has a program that definitely works for many people, it provides support for those who want to change, because it is hard to stop when your brain is telling you to drink, drink, drink to live.  That support can be life-changing.  They also offer Al-Anon which offers support to friends and family of those with a drinking problem.  AA is not right for everyone and there are other options.  You can begin by speaking with your physician or a counselor who can be very helpful in working with you to understand why you drink and more.

What does alcohol do to a body?  Good question, thanks for asking.  I’ll go through some of the main issues here:

If a person drinks too much, they will go through withdrawal when they stop; this can happen even on a daily basis.  For example, if someone binge drinks at night, the next day they can have symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.  What are the symptoms?  They can experience anxiety, shakiness, high blood pressure, and irritability.  These feelings can lead someone to become dependent on alcohol because when they start to drink again, it will stop some of these problems.  But it’s important to understand that it is the use of alcohol that is causing them in the first place.  Proper medical care will help to break this cycle by treating any underlying anxiety issues and explaining how the use of alcohol can make them worse.

If a person drinks heavily regularly and stops for a period of days, they can be at risk of severe withdrawal which can include seizures and more.  If someone is going to stop drinking, they should first talk with their doctor about the safe way to do that, this will help them to avoid the dangers of withdrawal.

Alcohol can also cause insomnia.  This can happen, even if someone only drinks a small amount.  So for those of you who suffer from trouble sleeping, keep this in mind.  If you drink alcohol and have insomnia, try not drinking for a few days and see how you sleep.  There will be another article coming soon on insomnia, so stay tuned for that.

Alcohol can impact your organs in a negative way, causing you harm.  I’m sure most of you have heard that it can kill off your liver.  It does this over time (unless there are other factors involved like medications used, or underlying diseases, which can speed up the damage), and can lead to cirrhosis of the liver.  The liver is critical for life, and if you kill yours off, you will not be able to survive.  The liver removes toxins (like alcohol) from the blood, keeping you healthy as much as it can.

Alcohol will also kill off your brain cells (think TOXIN, toxins are toxic, which means they kill off living tissues).  Over time, this can cause a person to have difficulty with balance, they will need to change the way they stand by keeping their feet wide apart, so that they don’t fall down.  Alcohol can also cause a person to start making up stories, this is called “confabulation.”  If your liver is impacted severely enough, it cannot process toxins and then your blood will have excess ammonia in it which will impact your brain.  This will cause you to be confused and act inappropriately.  A person with brain damage from alcohol can seem like a different person than they were before.

Alcohol can cause heart failure, which can lead to death.  The toxicity of alcohol can cause cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.  There are many other problems it causes in your body and online searches or conversations with your physician can help inform you further.

Socially, the worst part of alcohol abuse or misuse is the negative impact it has on a person’s relationships.  An alcoholic will choose alcohol over family and friends, and over being reliable at work (as all other addiction disorders tend to do as well). Alcoholics who drink usually end up harming their children and spouses by neglecting their relationships with them, or worse.  Adults have the choice to leave a bad relationship, but children do not.  The neglect that alcohol abuse often causes to children is the worst outcome of this disease.

What makes someone an alcoholic?  Well, there can be many different things that lead to this in an individual.  In some cases, when the person is young they see someone in their life using alcohol to cope with their problems.  When they see this they are learning that alcohol is the way to deal with problems, or just life in general, and then they start to drink too.  But the truth is that alcohol doesn’t make problems go away, it just covers them up or delays them for a while; this can often make problems worse, but children don’t understand that.  The younger a person starts to use alcohol, the more likely they are to become (or be) an alcoholic.  Young people should not be using alcohol for this and many other reasons.

From what I have read, some people are simply born with the genes to become an alcoholic.  When they drink, their body and brain tell them that they have to keep drinking.  It is an addiction and a disease.  Research shows that this may be related to dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain.

If you find yourself saying things like “I need a drink,” you should stop and wonder why.  Many people use alcohol to try and treat underlying medical problems like anxiety disorders, depression, and others.  Some people grow up in a home where there is little to no love or support; sometimes they turn to alcohol or drugs to numb the pain they feel from this lack of love which is necessary for humans to thrive.

If you or someone you know is having problems like these, I recommend finding a counselor to talk to about them.  I believe that counseling is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  Most people can benefit from counseling in one area of their lives or another.  There is nothing wrong with being strong enough to know when you can become even stronger by asking someone to help you.  I applaud anyone who reaches out for help to become a stronger and healthier person.

 

I have covered some general points on alcohol here.  I hope it has been helpful.  I encourage anyone who might have concerns about their use of alcohol, or that of someone they know, to reach out for help to a physician, a counselor, or AA or Al-Anon.

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The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only.  If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your personal physician.  The information presented may vary slightly from other sources, and over time, as is the nature of medical knowledge.

 

 

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You Are Beautiful, for real

January 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment

 

By Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium (you are beautiful Uploaded by russavia) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium (you are beautiful Uploaded by russavia) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

by,

Suzanne Coleman

A little while ago I was driving south on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, heading to Jackson Park to do a little migration birding (great stuff!) when something unexpected happened.  I was just driving along, looking around at the newly improved parks and habitats along the Drive when suddenly I saw a big sign that said “You Are Beautiful.”

I started to cry.  It was like a sudden attack of good that I wasn’t expecting.  So often we are guarded against the possibilities of something bad happening, but something good, like this unexpected random kindness, well, it just snuck right in and got me.  A wave of emotion came over me, I couldn’t help it.

As the emotion subsided, I thought about how many other people may have been positively impacted by this single sign every day…  It could be millions.  Amazing.

I believe in random acts of kindness.  I believe that one act can make a difference.

When I was in college, a few years ago (or more), someone put homemade stickers on the mirrors of the women’s bathrooms all around campus at the University of Illinois, in Urbana-Champaign.  The stickers said “This is the source of all self-doubt.”  Wow, right?

It was a brilliant campaign to boost our awareness about how our self-esteem can be negatively impacted by physical expectations impressed upon us by mass media.  It made us more aware of how and why we might be feeling and thinking some of the things we were as young women, and made a positive impact.  Those stickers remained up for quite a while, months I think, before some started to be removed, but their message was strong and clear.  As you can see, I still remember it more than a few years later.

I never learned who the artist was for that public campaign, but I have learned who the artist is for this one, Matthew Hoffman.  Apparently, he has been running his “You Are Beautiful” campaign for a while now, and I was just out of the loop.  He started with stickers himself, and the movement grew from there to include installation art like the piece I came across on the south side of Chicago.  This project has reached all around the world.

While I was perusing his website  [http://heyitsmatthew.prosite.com/123202/about] to learn more about him and his artwork, I came across his mission statement; what is the impact that he hopes his artwork will have on others:

“Do you know that song, that when you hear it, it grabs you and takes you to a moment? A vivid memory you can’t escape feeling. Maybe it’s a summer, or a relationship. It might pump you up, and you start sprinting. Or maybe it crumples you, and takes you back to that night you sobbed in your car.

On my best days, that’s what I want my work to resonate. Personally, I want to experience moments. To really feel all the highs and lows. In my work, I want to create moments for others. I do my thing, and they are able to feel whatever they need to in that moment.” – Matthew Hoffman

I think he pretty much nailed it on the head with me.  Good job Matthew.  And thanks for spreading all the love and joy to the world that you have through this project.

I wonder what great acts of kindness will come next?  How will they start?  With a smile, or a helping hand?  Or maybe, just maybe, another sticker will find its way into our hearts reminding us that we are all living beings, here on this planet together, that we all love, we all feel, and we all hope.  I wonder if that will start with you?

 

 

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Filed Under: POP News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tesla Has Competition

January 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment

By Gage [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Gage [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Ajzh2074 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Ajzh2074 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http:// creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

by,

Suzanne Coleman

It will be interesting to see what will happen to Tesla (TSLA) stock on Monday with the news that GM will be producing a 200 mile-range mass-market vehicle in around 2017.  This is in direct competition with Tesla’s plans for their mass-market vehicle.  Tesla did recently report though that they will have extended the potential range of their newer vehicles to up to 400 miles per charge which might help to mitigate the negative impact that this news will have on Tesla’s stock.

Interestingly though, I think this is great news for Tesla, or more accurately, its owner Elon Musk.  As a fellow idealist, he has said that his goals are to spread the implementation of electric vehicle technology in order to decrease the negative impact of vehicle use on the environment.  He has openly shared his designs for efficient electric vehicles to prove that he is truly interested in seeing this change occur, whether it is his company alone, or his along with others, that bring it to fruition.  And as such, he might just react positively to this news, and not negatively as one might expect.

 

What do YOU think?  Add your comments to the discussion.

 

 

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Filed Under: Stocks and Economics Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

But What Does He LOOK Like?!

January 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment

"Inmate of Elmira Reformatory showing four views of head". H. Havelock Ellis, The Criminal. See page for author [CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

“Inmate of Elmira Reformatory showing four views of head”. H. Havelock Ellis, The Criminal. See page for author [CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Ok guys, what do you think about this?

I moved back to Chicago about three and half years ago and I was watching the news and I was like, “huh, what?”  They were reporting on a rapist who had attacked several women in a particular area, but they didn’t describe him.  I was like, “uh, ok, so what did he look like?”  Nope, nothing.  Then they moved on to another topic, smiles and all.

So I guessed that they thought that describing the criminal’s race was now taboo.  I was like, “What?  Really?”  Wow.  Seriously, we are not doing well as a society when we are too scared to describe someone to help save other people from being victimized.  Describing the race of a criminal DOES NOT MAKE YOU A RACIST.  Holy @#$%.

What is going here guys?  If a black man commits a crime, are all black men criminals?  Makes no sense, right?  It’s about as logical as saying that describing someone’s race, makes you a racist.  It doesn’t.  And that’s the point.

My safety and the safety of all other people in society is more important than a news channel’s fear of being attacked for stating a fact about a criminal’s race.  If they don’t have a strong enough leadership to understand that, they can come and hire me, no problem, I’ll guide them.

The news channels have chosen to take on a responsibility to report the news, I wish they would realize how much that means to us as individuals and as a society and not allow a small number of vocal people to overpower the majority of Americans (of all races) who want to keep themselves and their friends and families safe.

 

 

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“Empire”

January 8, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Taraji P. Henson, female lead in “Empire.” Photo by The Heart Truth (Taraji P. Henson) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

by,

Suzanne Coleman

 

HIT.

I think it was obvious from the ads for this new show on FOX, but after seeing it last night, it was confirmed for me:  yes, it’ll be a hit- as long as they continue to produce shows like the one they did for the premiere.

The characters are very real-to-life, so, it was a success in that aspect; they were played well and had good depth.  The music was fun, and some of it was good.  The synergy between the two brothers in composing a musical piece together was excellent.  The relationships that they are establishing are intricate and the indications of future conflicts should keep things interesting for an above-average viewer.  Being scheduled right before the huge hit “Nashville” (ABC, 9pm CST) is a good position as both shows are very similar, and yet very different, studies on a musical sub-culture in American society.  Above all, the drama and characters of “Empire” are very strong.  The cinematography is of high quality as well, with good color, depth, and lighting.  Plus the show offers stimulating visuals in the fashion choices of the lead female character, and the scenes set in expensive mansions and other amazing locations will draw in viewers just to see how the other-half (of a percent) lives.

There was one thing which I found interesting (which you may or may not appreciate, depending on which cultural groups you are or are not a part of).  The show had a young black male in the rap industry from the background which the writers have developed for him and his family which clearly identifies which cultural group they are a part of, say to another black male of his same background “the n-word” instead of actually saying “nigger” which is what he would have most likely said in the real world.  It was pretty awkward to watch, and I’m sure that if there were any black men or youths watching in Chicago that there was some discussion over that decision on the part of the director.  Then, they later say “faggot” which is an equally taboo word in current American society.  Why one and not the other?  It seems that there was some type of agenda behind their choices, and maybe it will become more obvious as the show progresses.  I’d be very interested to know what the director was thinking when they made that decision.  I can guess but I’d like to hear what they have to say about it.

Going forward, this production will need to watch the line between offending or disturbing people too much, and staying within what is socially-acceptable.  I have seen several shows that had high potential to be successful fail, simply because they crossed this line.  “Outsourced” was one.  It was a great show, with funny writing and acting, but they crossed over the line into socially-unacceptable and offensive.  This ended the show.  They didn’t seem to realize the error of their ways (maybe they should have hired a consultant?) and when they had the chance to recover, they continued down the wrong path and lost their airtime.  Other shows have followed the same path.  I say, know your audience.  While some might go for this behavior, if it’s only a minority of your viewers, and the others will turn off the show, then, you need to decide if you want to continue or not, and under what terms.

The cold-blooded murder of the traitorous childhood acquaintance was one possible line crossed on “Empire.”  The abuse of the main character’s son was another.  These were both very real, and I mean very real as in this type of stuff happens in the real world, all of the time.  They gave the show grit, character and shock value.  But too much shock would probably send people away.

The choice of using or not using socially questionable words is another tricky spot.  Do you speak the way you would in the real world?  Or do you choose not to, which might avoid offending some people, but at the same time would lessen the reality of the experience?

Personally, I’m hoping the show continues to have the high quality of writing, directing and acting it did in the first episode.  I am excited to have this series on TV.  Hopefully it will watch those lines, keeping its viewers in mind, while still maintaining the freedom to express reality and to challenge any concepts it would like to challenge.  Great productions are more and more rare these days, and as a lover of TV, music, and culture I’m ready to get pulled into this one.

 

 

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Filed Under: Empire, POP News, We LOVE TV! Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Let’s talk about dry skin and lips

January 1, 2015 by 1 Comment

 

Chapped_lips

By,

Suzanne Coleman, MD

 

I think we should talk about skin, and for today, specifically dry skin and lips.  It’s that time of year, heaters are running causing dry air, and that leads to dry skin and lips.

You don’t need to suffer these conditions though!  The solution is simple, humidify your air.

It’s the dryness of the air that is sucking the moisture out of your skin and lips, so you need to put that moisture back.  There are several ways to do this.  The simplest one that will work for almost everyone is to go out and buy those small portable humidifiers for your home.  They can usually be found at places like Walmart and Walgreens, but you can also buy them online.  This year I bought two new ones made by Vicks to humidify my home.  I needed two because each unit only fills a certain square footage of air properly; one just wasn’t enough.

If you have a furnace system, you might be able to add on a humidifier right onto it.  I had this type of heating system before and adding the humidifier directly onto the system worked very well to humidify the house, and the price was around $300 installed.

In both of the above cases, the level of humidity is adjustable.  This is important, because depending on the size of your home, you don’t want too much or too little humidity.  When you have too little, that is when you start to see dry lips and skin.  Low humidity can also cause red, dry eyes and painful cracks inside of the nose.  On the other hand, when you have too much humidity you will see condensation on the windows; that is bad because it can lead to mold which can cause health problems and should be avoided.  Some condensation can occur at healthy humidity levels, especially on very cold days if the windows are covered.  But if it continues on an average winter day, you should turn down the level of humidity in that case.

Other ways to humidify are less reliable, but also work.  For one, taking a shower and not using the exhaust fan is a good way to put humidity back into the home.  That is usually not enough humidity in a cold winter though.  You can also use a spray bottle to spray water into the air several times a day.  Other ways to help increase the humidity are to put out pans of water in the home.  If you have radiator heat, this works well.  Just place pans of water on the radiator and the water will evaporate into the air.  It can be messy though if a pan spills, and might cause discoloration or mineral deposits on the pans.

Overall, I recommend the small units or the whole-house furnace unit based on general effectiveness and ease of use.  The small units will need to be refilled on a daily basis when being used, so keep that in mind.  The ones I bought this year make it easier to do this than the ones I used to have.

Also, be aware that there are at least three different forms of small humidifier, based on how they put humidity into the air.  The cold steam ones can leave a white, chalky substance all over everything, so I do not recommend them.  I even tried one that said it didn’t do that, well, it did.  The warm mist ones are the ones I tend to prefer personally.  They also make ultrasonic ones; I tried one once but didn’t like it.  I think it was too loud, but I can’t remember for sure anymore.

The other things to remember in caring for you skin and lips are the following.  If your lips are dry, use something to keep them protected.  They shouldn’t get too dry if your living and working environments are properly humidified, but we all know that sometimes we cannot control our working environments enough to be sure to take care of that.  In those cases, I recommend using Vaseline petroleum jelly.  It comes in small tubes like other lip treatments and is very convenient to take with you anywhere.  Please note, that some lip treatments can actually cause dry lips.  If you try one and your lips seem worse, stop using it.  The Vaseline is good for people who might have sensitive skin or reactions to some lip products like Chapstick and lipsticks.

If you are a parent, your child will appreciate the improved humidity as well.  Plus if they get chapped lips, giving them the Vaseline lip tube to carry around with them will help.  Kids love to lick those lips and this can help!

For the skin, after you bathe, you should apply some type of lotion or oil to keep the moisture at a healthy level.  I have tried many different skin lotions and personally prefer the Vaseline brand no dyes no perfumes type.  It absorbs fairly well (though they keep changing the formula…) and it is not greasy.  Many of the  brands “recommended by dermatologists” actually do not absorb well and are greasy.  The choice is yours.

Another thing to remember in the winter is that washing your hands removes the natural oils, so use lotion after you wash them to avoid chapped, cracking skin.  The whole-home humidity will also help you to avoid this problem.  Also be aware that anti-bacterial soaps are severely drying to the skin, and completely unnecessary in most homes.  Stick with regular soaps and do your skin a favor.

You might also notice that when your home is properly humidified that you and your family may experience less respiratory illnesses like colds and the flu.  Proper humidity is important for your health, all-around.

If you follow the above guidelines you and your family should experience improved skin and lip health.

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Someone asked what is a healthy humidity level.  A healthy humidity level is around 50-55% in the summer, above that you risk mold.  In the winter it may be less, the EPA suggests 25-40% would be a good range, below that may be too dry.  In the summer, some people need to own dehumidifiers (especially for basements) to keep the level from getting too high.  This can cause mold which will lead to allergies and possibly other health problems, plus it can ruin your possessions and your home itself in some cases.

[Note, none of the companies mentioned in this article have provided any compensation or support and the recommendations made are made purely on personal experience.  The above article is written to provide general information,  any specific medical questions or concerns should be brought to the attention of your physician.]

 

 

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Looking for meaning, the meaning of life

December 30, 2014 by 1 Comment

By,

Suzanne Coleman

I was one of those intellectual types, always thinking, searching, wondering.  Wondering things like, “What is the meaning of life?  Why am I here?  What is my purpose?”  I searched for meaning for decades, and then, when I was 42, it hit me.

The meaning of life is love.

Or, more specifically, being in love with someone with whom you want to have kids.  The meaning of life is the same for us as it is for all other living things, we exist to reproduce.  There is no higher or grander meaning, though our lives can certainly have more depth.  We exist to fall in love, to mate and have kids; we exist to perpetuate the species.

On the one hand it’s not a very romantic realization, but on the other hand, it is.

 

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