13 Warning Signs that What You've Delegated Won't Get Done (And How to Fix Them)
13 Warning Signs that What You've Delegated Won't Get Done (And How to Fix Them) |
- 13 Warning Signs that What You've Delegated Won't Get Done (And How to Fix Them)
- A Guide to Eating a Plant-Based Diet
- Mindfulness (sati)
- Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 9/27/2012
- Staying Healthy in Midlife, and Beyond
- Common Cancer Treatments May Create Dangerous Cancer Stem Cells
- Even Healthy Lungs Hold Bacteria Communities
- Why Doctors Should Trust Their Gut in Diagnosing Kids
- October 2012 Numerology Forecast
- Marijuana Withdrawal Is Real, Study Says
| 13 Warning Signs that What You've Delegated Won't Get Done (And How to Fix Them) Posted: 27 Sep 2012 10:00 AM PDT  Way too much! And, yes, you know you need to give things to other people to do. But you've tried delegating, and it doesn't work. The last time you delegated something to someone, the whole project blew up in your face, and you ended up doing it yourself. Not fun. I can hear you saying now, "Give me something I can use!" Right? But consider this. Maybe, just maybe, it's not delegation that doesn't work, but the way you delegate that doesn't work. Read through the 13 warning signs below and see if you find yourself in any (most?) of them. 1. You delegate too much at one time For many of the clients I work with, delegation is only attempted when they've become completely and utterly overwhelmed. As a result, the things they give others to do are delivered in rapid fire succession, like a drive-by shooting. The problem is, like a drive-by shooting, an employee doesn't feel empowered to act, but assaulted with a list of things to do that gets added to their already long list. And your delegated tasks go to the bottom of that list, not likely to get done any time soon. The solution to this problem is being strategic with your delegation. Planning ahead and taking time with the assignments you give so they actually get done. That's the point, right? In short, slowing down to move faster. 2. You expect people to read your mind The next warning sign that what you've delegated won't get done is when you delegate without being clear about what you really want accomplished. Recognize this scenario? "Hey Jan, could you do this for me, please? Thanks!" Jan, eager to get ahead an! d look g ood in front of her boss, accepts the job, even though she has no idea what the job entails. The more time goes by, the more frustrated and confused Jan gets, but manages to actually get something done. Unfortunately, the work Jan does in no way resembles what Jan's boss had in mind, and, instead of giving Jan another chance with better instructions, Jan's boss takes the job away from her, fiercely determined to never delegate anything again. A least not to Jan! Note this well: People can't read your mind when you delegate something to them. Take time when delegating anything to clearly define what actually needs to get done. Apart from this practice, you really aren't delegating at all but merely dumping on people. 3. You delegate without a due date When people receive a delegated task, in their head they're starting to shuffle the deck. What I mean by that is any new task being asked of someone gets added to a list of things that already exists for them to do. The recipient must figure out how to fit that new task into their already full schedule, so they sort through the "cards" of their day in search of where to place it. When no due date is given a delegated task, or at least agreed upon between you and the person being delegating to, guess where your assignment goes? Yep, to the bottom of the deck! 4. You delegate without following through Here's the brutal reality of leadership: people don't listen to your words, they listen to your actions. So if you give someone something to do, but never follow up on it. That action--or the lack of it--is listened to loudly and clearly. And the message people hear is this: When you ask someone to do something, you're really not serious about it. You're just kidding. The problem is, you may be deadly serious about needing a project to get done, but without f! ollowing through, you communicate that you aren't by your very actions. Inspect what you except. Even if it's a five minute progress report. This kind of accountability sends a powerful message that you're a leader focused on action and will help your people fulfill their best intentions. 5. You delegate to the wrong person Often in the desperate hunt to find someone to do things we no longer have time to do, we pick the first person who makes eye contact with us that day. And this person, desperate as well to make a good impression on us, agrees to do it. But they're the wrong person. Ungifted or unskilled (or both) in doing what you're asking them to do. In defining what needs to be done for the successful completion of a task, take the extra step to identify what skills and abilities are needed to succeed in it as well. Never force a square peg to fit into a round hole, you'll destroy both the peg and the hole in the process. 6. You view delegation as an event and not a process The biggest challenge I face with my clients in the area of delegation is their perception of it. They see delegation as an event where something they need done is given to someone else to do. But, again, this really isn't delegation, it's dumping. Real delegation has a five step process that looks like this: Step 1: I do. Step 2: I do, you watch. Step 3: We do. Step 4: You do, I watch. Step 5: You do. The first step of delegation is the realization that you are doing way too much. You know what that feels like, and so do I. The next step, however, is not giving some of those things to someone else to do, but simply having them watch you do it. From complicated tasks, like executing a sales cycle, to setting the office alarm, people need to know what a good job looks like before they can do that job well. Then mov! e forwar d in delegation, doing the task together and watching the other person do that task themselves, giving appropriate feedback. When all these steps are completed, delegation is also complete. So, too, the tasks being delegated. 7. You delegate without adjusting your leadership style throughout the process When you look more deeply at the five steps in the delegation process outlined above, you'll notice that throughout the process leaders need to adjust their style each step along the way. In the early stages of delegation a leader brings more direction to the table, more instruction and demonstration. In the middle stages of delegation, an effective leader's style becomes more collaborative with a mutual interchange of ideas and decisions. Then, in the end, less is more as a leader releases a person to take actions on their own and keep them informed on what they are doing. Failure to adapt your leadership style throughout the delegation process short circuits the development of your people and, in the end, leaves you doing everything yourself. A genius with a thousand helpers is still a genius. He or she just isn't a leader. 8. You delegate without explaining why something must get done The brilliant Victor Frankl, survivor of the Nazi death camps, once said, "He who has a why can endure any how." Many of the tasks you're delegating are difficult and challenging, or conversely repetitive and routine (a different kind of challenging). But they still need to get done. Right? Tie each task you give others to do into the big picture of the vision of your company--its why--so that your people have a cause that empowers them to endure the how. In this way execution is just as much about emotion and it is about action. Providing a meaningful purpose for action powerfully engages people's emotions and is a hidden dri! ver of e ffective delegation. 9. You delegate without delegating the appropriate level of authority Another element of delegation that needs to be determined is the level of authority being delegated to complete the task at hand. Lack of clarity on this can lead to delegation disasters. Here are the four levels of delegated authority a person may act within: Level 1: Do it. Level 2: Do it and tell me what you did. Level 3: Do a part of it and talk with me before doing more. Level 4: Decide on what you plan to do and go over the plan with me before you do it. These are vastly different levels of authority, from free reign to close monitoring. Deciding which is appropriate, based on the complexity of the task and the experience of the person being delegated to, establishes important boundaries within which a person may act. A lack of boundaries like these paralyzes your people. These levels of delegated authority, as with one's leadership style, should also adjust throughout the delegation process. In this way a person is free to do what they need to do without checking with you first, unless, of course, checking with you first is what you need for them to do. 10. You only delegate down and not up or sideways Delegation is not limited to being applied in one direction only: from you to your employees. You can delegate up to your manager and delegate sideways to your peers. Wise leaders know which direction to go when a job needs doing. Specifically, there may be tasks that would take an employee hours to do, and perhaps never get done, that someone else in the organization can accomplish in a matter of minutes. Not because they're better than that employee, but because they're much better positioned in the organization to accomplish the task. Part of picking the right person to delegate to is picking the right! place i n the structure of your company to look for that person. 11. You close a meeting without using the three W's The most efficient way to utilize delegation is in a team meeting. Instead of having a dozen one-on-one sessions, a team meeting allows you to talk with a dozen people at the same time, and, just as important, for them to talk to each other to coordinate the details of delegation. Most team meetings, however, are poorly led, go over their allotted time, and end frantically with everyone racing off to the next meeting. Opportunity lost! Here's how to prevent that:
These three W's, Who is going to do What by When, are the backbone of effective delegation and work amazingly well as the wrap up to all business meetings. 12. You open a meeting without reviewing the three W's Again, team meetings are the very best place to utilize delegation. At the start of a meeting, however, people are eager to jump in to new business. Who doesn't like to discuss new things? Don't! At least not yet, anyway. First, review the action items from the last meeting and the three W's related to them. By doing this you make a statement that you are a serious leader (Remember, actions speak louder that words), and begin to build a culture of accountability in your company. 13. You delegate without celebrating past success What's the best way to ensure that something you need done is completed over and over again? Reward it. Simple, right? Positive reinforcement encourages your people to take those actions again and again. Yet most lead! ers, upo n the successful completion of a project, move on the the next big thing. And, at some level, leadership is about the future and not the past. So I understand the impulse to move on to the next big thing. But consider this: You can't drive a car down the road with an empty gas tank. Recognition and reward, even something a simple as a thank-you note, fills people's emotional gas tank and empowers them to keep going, even in the most difficult of times. Conversely, if your employees don't think you appreciate what they do, their gas tank will run dry and their car will stop completely. Here's the bottom line "Getting things done through others is a fundamental leadership skill. Indeed, if you can't do it, you're not leading," declares Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan in Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done. Delegation is how you get things done through others. Master it and you'll become the leader you know in your heart you can be. Pick one of these warning signs to work on each week for the next 13 weeks. Master it and move on to the next one. In just 90 days you'll be a much better delegator and a much better leader. Your people will thank you!
Do you have a bucket list? Here are 101 things to do before you die. Includes a tutorial on how you can create your bucket list too!      Read More @ Source 
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| A Guide to Eating a Plant-Based Diet Posted: 27 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT Post written by Leo Babauta.If I could make a single dietary recommendation to people looking to get healthier, it would be to move to a plant-based diet. Eating plants has been the best change I've made in my diet — and I've made a bunch of them, from intermittent fasting to low-carb experiments to eating 6 meals a day to eating almost all protein to eliminating sugar (all at various times). Plants have made me slimmer, healthier, stronger, more energetic — and have increased my life expectancy (more on all this below). Of course, the diet is simple, but moving away from the Standard American Diet to a plant-based one isn't always so simple for most people. Changing your diet can be difficult, but in this guide I'll share a bit about how to change, talk a bit about why, and what you might eat. What's a Plant-Based Diet?The simple answer, of course, is that you eat plants. You eliminate animals and (eventually) animal products like dairy and eggs. The less simple answer is there is an abundance of plant foods that most people never eat, and eating a plant-based diet means you might widen the variety of foods you eat. For example, some of my favorite foods include: tempeh, seitan, tofu, kale, broccoli, quinoa, ground flaxseeds, ground chia seeds, raw almonds and walnuts, raw almond butter, olive oil, all kinds of berries, figs, avocados, tomatoes, lentils, black beans, spirulina, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, organic soymilk, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, apples, peaches, mangoes, pineapple, garlic, red wine, green tea, brown rice, sprouted (flourless) bread, brown rice, steel-cut oats. A "plant-based diet" is basically another way to say "vegan", though in my definition it's a little looser than "vegan" — you might eat some cheese on a salad if it's been served by your gracious host, for example. So "plant-based" means you eat almost all plants, but depending on your preferences, you might eat something with eggs in it now and then without having a cow. My preference, though, would be to eat vegan all the time, ideally. Why Should I Change?There are a few important reasons to eat plants:
But … if you don't do it to avoid pollution, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, increased death rates, animal cruelty, global warming, deforestation, and higher costs … maybe weight loss would do it. Vegetarians and vegans weigh less on average than meat eaters. That's even after adjusting for things like fibre, alcohol, smoking … and calorie intake! Half of Americans are obese, but vegans tend to be much less obese (with exceptions of course). That said, just going vegan will not necessarily cause you to lose weight. You could easily eat a lot of sugar, white flour, fake meats and fried foods and gain weight. If you eat whole plant foods, you're likely to lose weight. Plant foods, for starters, have pretty much no saturated fat, low calories and tons of fiber, while animal foods all have saturated fat, lots of calories and zero fiber. I highly recommend watching this video on uprooting the causes of death using a plant-based diet. It's a bit long, but well worth the time. How to ChangeIt will be no surprise that I recommend people start small and change slowly. A good plan is to make the change in stages:
What to EatSo what do you eat when you're on a plant-based diet that focuses on whole foods? Lots! A few categories of foods to include regularly:
OK, by now you might be overwhelmed by all of this. How do you put it together? It's not that hard once you get used to it. Start learning some recipes that combine some of these foods into meals, and over time, you'll have a few go-to meals that you love that are full of nutrition. Some examples that I like (but don't limit yourself to these!):
If you'd like to see my food journal (admittedly not always perfectly healthy), I've started one that you can see here. Frequently Asked QuestionsI'll add to this section as questions come in, though obviously I can't answer everything. Q: Isn't it hard to get protein on a vegan diet? A: Not really, as long as you eat a variety of whole foods, and not a bunch of processed flours and sugars (the white kind that has little nutrition). There is protein in vegetables and grains, and even more in beans, nuts and seeds. I often eat protein-rich plant foods like tempeh, tofu, seitan, edamame, black beans, lentils, quinoa, soymilk, and raw nuts. Read more here. Q: What about calcium or iron or B12? A: Again, it's not difficult at all. I've calculate the iron and calcium in my diet at various times, and as long as I'm mostly eating whole foods, it's really easy. Nuts and green veggies are your best friends, but there's also calcium-fortified soymilk and tofu and the like. Eat some kale, quinoa, raw nuts, various seeds, broccoli, tofu or tempeh … it's not difficult. Vitamin B12 is a bit more difficult to get from regular plants, as the main source of B12 is usually animal products — including eggs and dairy. But actually, vegans have figured this out, and now if you drink fortified soymilk or almond milk, or use nutritional yeast or a few other good sources like that, you will have no worries. More reading on iron, calcium and B12 for vegans. Q: Isn't soy bad for you? A: No. That's a myth. I would stick to organic, non-GMO soy, but actually soy is a very healthy source of protein and other nutrients, and has been eaten by very healthy people for thousands of years. More info here. Q: I follow the Paleo diet and believe this is how humans are meant to eat. A: Well, if you're eating unprocessed foods and have cut out white flours and sugars and deep-fried foods, you're probably healthier than the average American. I admire the Paleo crowd that focuses on whole foods and that eats lots of veggies and nuts and seeds, but when it's just an excuse to eat lots of meat, it's not as healthy. It's also not true that hunter-gatherer societies ate mostly meat — the crowd that believes this has made a flawed review of contemporary hunter-gatherers. Most traditional societies eat, and have pretty much always eaten, mostly plants, including lots of starches — respected anthropologists such as Nathanial Dominy, PhD, from Dartmouth College say that the idea of hunter-gatherers eating mostly meat is a myth. I'd also warn against low-carb, high-protein diets over the long run — in the short term, you'll see weight loss, but in the long run they've been shown to increase cardiovascular disease (from June 21, 2012 issue of British Medical Journal). Q: It sounds difficult and complicated. A: Actually it's very simple — you just learn to eat a variety of plants. It does mean learning some new meals, but instead of seeing that as a hardship, think of it as something fun to learn. If you slowly change your eating patterns, it's not hard at all. Be flexible and don't be too strict — you'll find that it's much easier if you allow yourself an occasional meal with animal products, especially in the first 6-12 months. Q: What about fake meats and cheeses? A: There's nothing wrong with giving them a try now and then when you're having a craving for something, but in all honesty you don't need them. They're more expensive and less healthy. Basically, they're convenience foods. Q: What if I'm allergic to soy or gluten or nuts? A: It's still possible to get all the nutrition you need from a plant-based diets without a specific kind of food (like gluten or soy), from what I understand. More here. Q: It sounds expensive. A: Actually it can be a lot less expensive, if you stay away from the vegan convenience foods (which are fine on occasion). Meat is more expensive than beans or tofu, for example. While fresh, organic veggies can cost a bit, you should get these in your diet even if you eat meat — and in the long run, you'll save much more on medical bills. Q: There's no way I'll give up (eggs, cheese, ice cream, etc.)! A: Well, you don't have to. If you want to eat mostly plants but also eggs and cheese, that's much better than eating meat. But there are cheese substitutes you can try, and vegan ice cream, and in the long run, you might find that giving these things up isn't as difficult as you think. Q: What about eating out at restaurants or social gatherings? A: I'd recommend you take it slowly at first, and eat mostly plants at home, and be more liberal when you eat out, for a little while. You don't want to make this too difficult on yourself. But actually, once you learn some simple strategies, it's not that hard to find vegan food in restaurants — some are easier than others, and sites like Happy Cow make it easy to find veg-friendly restaurants in your area. As for eating at friends' and families' houses, I've learned to offer to bring one or two vegan dishes, and it's not usually a problem. Q: What if my family and friends don't support this change? A: It's best if you don't start preaching — people don't like it. This article might seem like a violation of that, but actually I rarely push veganism on this site, and when I do it's only as a way to show others a healthy and compassionate alternative. Remember that those around you probably don't know much about veganism, and are likely to react defensively. Take the opportunity, when they bring up the topic, to share what you're learning, and the concerns you yourself had when you first learned about it. Show them some great vegan food. And always be patient. More answers here: Vegan Outreach Q&A, Vegan Nutrition FAQ, Vegan Society FAQ. Read More @ Source
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| Posted: 27 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT The Pali Sutta on the Applications of Mindfulness (Satipatthana, M. i. 55) is certainly a very important Sutta which has been condensed under four general headings of body, feelings, mind, and mental objects. However, this Sutta's most difficult problem lies in what mindfulness or sati, itself, exactly means. This is when dictionaries start to fail. The question of sati (in Sanskrit smriti) itself, is very important for the reason that it is what gets us through this particular Sutta. We read that with mindfulness one "fares along independently of and not grasping anything in the world" (M. i. 62). Fully understanding the meaning of sati, in other words, tends towards the hyper-subtle—it is out of this world. First of all, we can say of sati that it is impersonal with regard to the four presentations of body, feeling, mind, and mental objects which come in front or before it (to be mindful of anything assumes a kind of spiritual detachment—not spatial). However, while ordinary mindfulness is aware of the general—already here—presentation of body, feelings, mind and mental objects, the Buddha's sati appears to be directed more subtly, to be before presentation. In the example of respiration, mindfulness is before respiration, both the in and out breath. It doesn't follow respiration, in other words—it is always before or prior to it. Such mindfulness works to disentangle and distingusih the self from common secondary presentations, all of which, come under the heading of the Five Aggregates (khandhas/skandhas).
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| Early Morning Buddhist Inspiration - 9/27/2012 Posted: 27 Sep 2012 04:00 AM PDT  "Buddhism stresses the importance of the present and the future. There is little point in dwelling on the past. Far more constructive is looking to the future and moving forward. What is vital is that we achieve a bright and glorious future through our efforts and perseverance today." ~Daisaku Ikeda       Read More @ Source 
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| Staying Healthy in Midlife, and Beyond Posted: 26 Sep 2012 11:00 PM PDT
Last Sunday, I went to a dear friend's 55th birthday dinner, and while this should have been a joyous occasion, there were some definite ominous overtones. You see, she's kind of freaking out about, well, life. At 55, some doors are opened that we would prefer remain shut. You qualify for the senior discount at many stores and you can now apply to live in many retirement villages. Score? You may look and feel like you're in your forties, but in the eyes of much of the world, you're a senior citizen. It's definitely a weird transition, so perhaps it's no wonder that so many people let their diet and exercise routines slip. But that might be the worst thing you can do. You probably don't need clinical proof to believe that exercise is good for you, but it's there regardless. Not only is exercise good for building and maintaining strong bones and muscles, but fitness may ward off chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease and Type 2 diabetes, according to study published in August in the Archives of Internal Medicine. This researchers cross-referenced data from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, which has tracked participants' health status since 1970, with Medicare claims of participants. They found that those who exercised regularly were less likely to develop chronic diseases, and were more likely to live a longer life than those who were not fit. If you're already in a routine, kudos to you, don't stop doing what you're doing. But if you haven't been working out, it's time to get started. Here are some tips for getting off the couch and getting yourself healthy again.
Healthy Bites appears on MyHealthNewsDaily on Wednesdays. Deborah Herlax Enos is a certified nutritionist and a health coach and weight loss expert in the Seattle area with more than 20 years of experience. Read more tips on her blog, Health in a Hurry!  Read More @ Source 
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| Common Cancer Treatments May Create Dangerous Cancer Stem Cells Posted: 26 Sep 2012 10:00 PM PDT
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy aimed at killing cancer cells may have the undesirable effect of helping to create cancer stem cells, which are thought to be particularly adept at generating new tumors and are especially resistant to treatment, researchers say. The finding might help explain why late-stage cancers are often resistant to both radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and it could point to new strategies to fight tumors. Past studies hint that cancer stem cells give rise to new tumors. Researchers suggest they are ultimately responsible for the recurrence of cancers and the dangerous spread of a cancer throughout the body. Scientists also have found that cancer stem cells are more likely than other cancer cells to survive chemotherapies and radiation therapies, probably becausetheir "stemness" allows them to self-replenish by repairing their damaged DNA and removing toxins. The exact origin of cancer stem cells is debated. One possibility is that normal stem cells — which are valued for their ability to give rise to other cell types in the body — mutate to become cancerous. Another is that regular cancer cells somehow acquire stem cell properties. The new study suggests regular cancer cells can indeed give rise to cancer stem cells, and that the radiation commonly used to treat cancer can trigger their stemness. "Radiotherapy has been a standard treatment for cancer for so long, so we were quite surprised that it could induce stemness," said study researcher Dr. Chiang Li, of Harvard Medical School in Boston. The scientists exposed regular cancer cells to gamma-rays, one form of ionizing radiation. They found that under the conditions that normally foster stem cell growth, regular cancer cells formed balls of cells — a hallmark of cancer stem cells. Additionally, analysis of these irradiated cancer cells revealed activity of genes linked with stem cell behaviors, according to the findings the scientists detailed online Aug. 21 in the journal PLoS ONE. Chemotherapy may have similar effects, according to previous findings that Li and his colleagues detailed in July in the journal Cell Cycle. "So radiation and chemotherapy not only might create cancer stem cells, any pre-existing cancer stem cells in a tumor were very resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, so they remain as well," Li said. "This could help explain why these therapies are sometimes not as effective as we might hope." Li cautioned these lab findings might not prove relevant in patients in real life. "This was all carried out in the petri dish," he said. "There is a long way we have to go before we can be sure about its clinical implications for patients, if any." Still, this research suggests that if scientists find a way to inhibit stemness in cancers, radiation therapy and chemotherapy then might cleanly finish off tumors. "There are lots of projects both in academia and industry right now to develop cancer stem cell inhibitors, although those are still in early stages," Li said. Pass it on: Researchers might develop better cancer treatments based on a new finding that traditional cancer treatments prompt cancer stem cells to develop. FollowMyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Read More @ Source 
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| Even Healthy Lungs Hold Bacteria Communities Posted: 26 Sep 2012 09:00 PM PDT
Healthy lungs are home to bacterial communities, just as healthy intestines and skin are. That was one finding of new research that also showed that while patients with cystic fibrosis may be hampered by the bacterial communities that live in their lungs, it is the composition of these colonies, rather than their mere presence, that causes problems. "For many years, people have considered the lung to be a relatively sterile organ," said study researcher Dr. David Cornfield, a professor of pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "This provides some of the first and most definitive data that there is a forest of flora that exist in the lung, that are present even in the healthy lung." The finding also suggests that probiotics could help in the treatment of cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that results from receiving copies of a recessive gene from both parents. The disorder results in thicker, stickier mucus in the lungs and other organs, which allows certain bacteria to overgrow. This can lead to infections and blockages, and eventually breathing difficulties, nutritional deficiencies, endocrine disorders such as diabetes, and infertility in men, among other problems. Patients tend not to live past age 40. In the new study, researchers examined the sputum from 16 cystic fibrosis patients and nine healthy control patients, and surveyed the organisms present using gene sequencing. By examining the genes, rather than growing the bacteria in lab dishes, the researchers were able to get a better handle on the diversity of bacteria present. While each person studied had a unique bacterial community in their lungs, the cystic fibrosis patients had communities that were more similar to each other than to those of the healthy people. The patients' communities were also less diverse. "This suggests there's probably some benefit to having bacteria in the lungs, to some balanced degree," Cornfield said. "The traditional paradigm, that all bacteria in the lungs are bad, is probably not correct." Instead, he said the findings support the idea of thinking of the bacteria in the lungs as a "rain forest." "We know that in a rain forest, if species are lost, there develops an imbalance, and the ecosystem becomes much more fragile," Cornfield said. While the lungs have been thought of as sterile, this is not the first study to find bacteria in healthy lungs, although the idea of communities is still somewhat controversial. "Anything that comes into contact with the world is not going to be sterile," said Katrine Whiteson, a postdoctoral fellow at San Diego State University who studies microbe communities in the human body. Whiteson said one issue not addressed by this study, but that is being tackled elsewhere, is the question of whether bacteria remain in the lungs over the long term, or whether they are "tourists" — with some strains leaving a person's lungs and new ones entering. The new research, Cornfield said, could lead to better treatments for cystic fibrosis patients. He said long-term antibiotics, a treatment given to many patients today, might become more effective if combined with probiotics to enhance bacterial diversity in patients lungs, although much more research is necessary to see if that is the case. "That would be a paradigm shift of virtually epic proportions in the cystic fibrosis and even the lung biology community," Cornfield said. The study appears online today (Sept. 26) in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Pass it on: Healthy lungs are home to colonies of bacteria, the discovery of which may lead to better treatments for cystic fibrosis sufferers. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Find us on Facebook. Read More @ Source 
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| Why Doctors Should Trust Their Gut in Diagnosing Kids Posted: 26 Sep 2012 08:00 PM PDT
Doctors who treat children see scores of kids with minor illnesses every day, but serious infections are rare. When such illnesses strike, children greatly benefit from having their illnesses diagnosed early, but often, the early signs are missed. One way that to ensure that children with serious infections are treated quickly is for doctors to heed their "gut feelings" in assessing the children's behavior, according to a new study from Belgium. The study showed that in two out of six cases where a child had a serious infection, but didn't have the clinical red-flag signs of one, the doctor had a gut feeling that something was wrong. "Gut feelings should not be ignored, but used in decision-making," the researchers wrote in their study, published Tuesday (Sept .25) in the journal BMJ. Dr. Robert Chun, an assistant professor at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, said, "You have to have what I call 'a healthy amount of paranoia.' You cannot miss something that could hurt them for their life." All kids — from those with the most severe physical or mental delays, to the most advanced children — give off signs when something is wrong beyond what their lab results may show, he said. Where gut feelings come from Primary care physicians often see children with serious illnesses when their symptoms have yet to develop in measurable terms, according to the study. Chun said that doctors with experience treating children know that those who are acting lethargic or tired, despite having normal lab results, are cause for concern. In the study, the researchers considered the cases of 3,890 children who were seen by primary care doctors for illnesses they had had for less than five days. Doctors were asked whether they had a gut feeling, beyond the child's symptoms, that the child was seriously ill. It turned out that 21 of the children were admitted to the hospital with serious infections, such as pneumonia or meningitis. Six of these children had not been referred immediately to the hospital, because in their initial visit with the doctor, their clinical signs didn't warrant it. In two of these cases, doctors had indicated they had gut feelings that something was wrong. But such feelings can also be wrong. In the study, doctors had gut feelings in 44 cases where those feelings turned out to be a false alarm. Chun said that number of false alarms is not a reason to ignore the case where gut feelings were correct. "No one remembers the kid that you suspected, that turned out to be fine," he said. "But every one remembers the things you didn't look into — those are the ones that haunt you." The role of parents In the study, the researchers attempted to learn more about the basis for gut feelings by asking doctors exactly what prompted their uneasiness. They found that gut feelings were most likely to arise when a child had a history of convulsions. Additionally, gut feelings were strongly influenced by parents' concerns about their child's illness. Chun said, "When a child is lethargic, when the parents say, 'this is unusual,' as a clinician, you need to have a enough humility to know that even those all the lab numbers are normal, you need to look closer, and be more anxious." In fact, Chun recently treated a 5-year-old boy with a rare infection of necrotizing fasciitis (sometimes called flesh-eating bacteria), and parental intuition played a role in the case. "Moms and dads know their kid, they know that something's not right," he said. "There's nothing scientific about this," he said, adding that a more objective way to diagnose rare infections would certainly be desirable. Getting second opinions from colleagues can help. But in the meantime, "when you have that feeling, you have to investigate further," he said. Pass it on: Doctors' gut feelings may help diagnose children's rare infections, a new study suggests. FollowMyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Read More @ Source 
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| October 2012 Numerology Forecast Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:00 PM PDT  family The universal October numerology forecast indicates that family will pay an important role this month. This is a month to serve and not suddenly become very stubborn ... Read the rest for the #6 below. The number information in italics is for the current month's universal forecast. To find your own personal month: add your month and day of birth and the current month and year together like in the example below. Example: Feb 3, October 2012 #1 – New EnergyYou catch the glimmer of a new idea and have strong desire to start over. Begin you plans for the future now and go out and meet new people. Change jobs or move if you need to. You are feeling clearer and more confident this month. #2 – Set BacksExpect setbacks due to other people's schedules, unfinished details and lack of money. Right now personal relationships are very important. A women may offer you advice, listen to her. You are learning patience. Analyze the situation. #3 – Imagination and RomanceThis month you will benefit by using your imagination, being romantic, easing up just a tad and getting out of your routine. If you can afford it take a trip. May are drawn to work with women's groups. You are optimistic and ready to let go of past worries. Don't forget your sense of humor. Be generous in small ways, just do not splurge. #4 – WorkIt is time now to catch up on your work, so don't expect to get away too much. Timing is just not right to travel. You may be frustrated by restrictions. #5 – Change and SurpriseYou experience a temporary lightening of the load as change, surprise and upset come your way. Timing is great for selling and / or a promotion. Remain disciplined and don't give up or give in. Resist the temptation to have an affair. Stay adaptable and be very flexible. Above all don't expect things to go the way you planned. #6 – FamilyThe headline for October say family and domestic scene. There could be changes in your domestic scene. Are you suddenly getting married? It is time to take care of your family. Do the repairs to your house. People will be leaning on you. You do feel a little more secure and happy. This is a time to serve. Make sure that you are not stubborn this month. #7 – Time OutAre things quieting down or maybe even collapsing? The universe is asking you to spend some time alone, it is a time of retreat. Carefully finish those projects that are most important to you. Explain to your family that you need to have some room to yourself. #8 – Reward and RecognitionYou are reaping what you have sown in the last 7 years and are rewarded and recognized. Your career, business and finances are highlighted, but keep an eye on your finances. #9 – ReliefSome trying circumstance is ending and you have a sense of relief. Do not start anything new just yet. Once and for all give up some petty attitude that is blocking your energy. An illness could also end this month. Are you looking for more in-depth information about you and your life based on Numerology I can guide, just contact me. Are you looking for numerology books? Have look at these Numerology Books at Amazon.com Related Posts:
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| Marijuana Withdrawal Is Real, Study Says Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT
When people try to quit smoking pot, they experience real withdrawal symptoms that can affect their daily lives, a new study from Australia says. In the study, habitual pot users who were asked to abstain for two weeks experienced irritability, sleep difficulties and other symptoms that affected their ability to work and their relationships with other people, said study researcher David Allsop, of the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre at the University of New South Wales. The biggest impairment to daily life was seen among users who were the most addicted to pot, Allsop said. Moreover, the effects of withdrawal symptoms were on par with those of people going through nicotine withdrawal, Allsop said. The idea that cannabis can be addictive has been debated. And although it is generally accepted now that the drug can cause addiction and withdrawal, researchers were not certain whether withdrawal from the drug was severe enough to interfere with daily life, Allsop said. In fact, cannabis withdrawal is not included as a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) — the bible of mental health disorders — although it is being considered for inclusion in the updated version that will be released next year. (In contrast, withdrawal from other substances, such as alcohol and cocaine, are included as disorders.) The new findings show that doctors should be aware of the disorder, and educate patients about what symptoms they might experience when they try to quit, he said. "I suspect that there is a long way to go still in changing the popular beliefs," about the effects of pot on health, Allsop said. But education that withdrawal "makes you irritable, tense and anxious, and disrupts your sleep, is one good place to gain some traction," he said. Current treatments for marijuana addiction have shown very little success in terms of their ability to get people to abstain from the drug over the long term. Withdrawal symptoms could be contributing to this low success rate, Allsop said. Providing tailored treatments for people going through withdrawal, such as stress management and sleep medication, could improve success rates, Allsop said. The study involved 49 men and women from Sydney who were addicted to marijuana, and used the drug more than five days a week. Participants were asked to abstain from marijuana use for two weeks. Urine samples were collected to identify those who relapsed. Ten participants relapsed during the study. These people were more likely than those who didn't relapse to have experienced greater impairment in their daily lives from withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms that contributed most to impairment were: physical tension, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, mood swings and loss of appetite. The new findings, along with previous work, suggest cannabis withdrawal should be added as a disorder to the DSM, Allsop said. "Cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug all around the world — including in America — and current treatment options have very limited success rates for continuous abstinence," Allsop said. "Why wouldn't you include it?" Because the number of users who relapsed was small, more research is needed to identify which withdrawal symptoms may predict relapse, Allsop said. The study is published today (Sept. 26) in the journal PLOS ONE. Pass it on: Cannabis withdrawal is a real syndrome that has an impact on daily life. Follow Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner, or MyHealthNewsDaily @MyHealth_MHND. We're also on Facebook & Google+. Read More @ Source 
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