Mindconnection Brainpower Informational eNewsletter 2003-04-06

Make it a practice to differentiate between causal and coincidental. Most people fail miserably at this. Just because A precedes B doesn't mean A caused B. For example, everyone who died last year breathed in air shortly before that happened. According to conventionally applied "logic," then, air is lethal. Stop breathing it, or you will die. Just look at the statistics!

A recent example of confusing cause and effect is the hoopla about how "bad" ephedra is.

There has never been a single study that shows this family of stimulants (including pseudoephedrine and caffeine) is dangerous. In fact, a seven-year study conducted by Weinberg and Bealer showed several benefits of using caffeine--with no downside. Their findings have been published in a slew of books and professional journals.

Here's the problem, though. It's called "stacking." Say you drink 4 cups of coffee--so far, a good jolt of caffeine, but not enough to cause problems. You then take a decongestant (pseudoephedrine), drink that oh so good for you green tea, eat some hot foods, have a soft drink (definitely a stupid thing to do, but let's deal with normal behavior, here), and then take ephedra. Well, that ephedra is riding on top of all that other stuff. Add to it the stress of today's world, and how can anyone be surprised that an ephedra taker might get "the jitters?"

The "cure," of course, was to ban ephedra. This makes as much sense as banning air--the same "logic" applies.

2. Time tip

I find that preparing a large batch of "major meal components" all at once is very time-saving. For example, I:

Note that I don't do all of this at once. It's just that when I need a component, I make enough to last a while. Depending on what it is, I freeze it or refrigerate it. Here are some advantages:

3. Security tip

4. Finance tip

For 95% of Americans, our single biggest expense is taxes. Depending on how you do the math, your payroll taxes alone are 60%. Taxes keep going up and up. Even a tax cut by one government body often results in a tax increase from another. Taxes take capital out of the economy, and that means a loss of jobs. The cure is to reduce government spending. Now, you as one person can't do a whole lot about this. But, if enough people:

...then, we may see some progress. But, unless those things happen, our "elected" officials will continue to see their only duty as "spending my way to re-election."

5. Career tip

Remember that your boss is your customer. I am always amazed at how people start treating their boss like the enemy. Let your customer know how delighted you are to have his or her business. Customer service--make it your normal modus operandi.

7. Health tip/Fitness tip

How often do you change your bedding? Think of this. Your skin sloughs off cells all night long. At the end of a week, dust mites are feasting and pooping like crazy. How long do you want to sleep in dust mite poop?

Wash your sheets weekly, and use a disinfectant. I use Shaklee Basic G. Unlike bleach, it won't destroy your fabric fibers. Also, I use high thread-count sheets. These feel luxuriant and last a long time. Bed Bath & Beyond has 400-count sheets at a reasonable price and they feel heavenly.

Be sure to wash your mattress pad twice a month. Speaking of your mattress, do you rotate it? Every mattress has a rotation pattern--just like tires on a car. Proper rotation extends the useful life of the mattress, helps you sleep better, and reduces the chance of back problems. Read the label on your mattress, read the instruction manual, or just follow this pattern:

Most manufacturers recommend a two-week flipping or rotating for several months, and then monthly after that. I have been keeping this weekly schedule for ages, and my present mattress is as firm as the day I bought it--nearly a decade ago.

8. Thought for the Day

Authorship

Except where noted, this e-newsletter is entirely the work of Mark Lamendola. Anything presented as fact can be independently verified. Often, sources are given; but where not given, they are readily available to anyone who makes the effort.

Mark provides information from either research or his own areas of established expertise. Sometimes, what appears to be a personal opinion is the only possibility when applying sound logic--reason it out before judging! (That said, some personal opinions do appear on occasion).

The purpose of this publication is to inform and empower its readers (and save you money!).

Personal note from Mark: I value each and every one of you, and I hope that shows in the diligent effort I put into writing this e-newsletter. Thank you for being a faithful reader.

Mindconnection eNL, 2003-04-06